Three Generations, One Karma

The story of three generations: a grandfather, a butcher, who died a horrific death; a father, a goldsmith, who never knew the Dharma; and a son who met the Buddha, came to understand cause and effect (karmic law), and the importance of cultivating blessings from merit for oneself.

The bellowing of a cow tore through the stillness of that afternoon. In the pen, the cow was bound tightly, its eyes wide open, glistening with fear. A man, knife in hand, his face flushed with rage, rushed in. He was a butcher, long accustomed to bloodshed, but today his fury had stripped him of all reason. He grabbed the cow's tongue and sliced it off with a single cut. Blood spurted out; the animal thrashed, then fell silent. Inside the house, his wife trembled, unable to watch, only biting her lip. She was used to her husband's ferocity, but she had never seen him so mad with rage. He took the raw piece of cow's tongue, handed it to her, and commanded: "Cook it for me now! Without good meat, I will not eat!"

This man had been a butcher all his life. He ate only rice with the finest beef. Each time he slaughtered a cow, he would always cut out the best piece and have his wife cook it for him. That day, while he was bathing, a close friend came to the house, begging for a piece of meat because of unexpected guests. The wife refused, but the friend, being so close, snatched the meat and ran off. When the butcher came up and saw the meal set without meat, he flew into a frenzy, overturned the table, cursed his wife, and then ran out to the cow pen, inflicting a horrific death upon the animal.

After eating the piece of cow's tongue, he suddenly began to scream, blood pouring in torrents from his mouth. He bellowed like a cow, crawled around the house, writhing in agony. No one dared come near. The scene lasted from that afternoon until the next morning, when he died in convulsions, like a cow being slaughtered. His son, witnessing his father's horrific death, was terrified beyond measure. He took what little gold and silver his mother had, fled the village, and made his way to the city of Hoa Thi Thanh, where the renowned university called Tasila stood.

There, he chose to study goldsmithing, a gentle trade that involved no killing. He studied diligently, was taken on as an apprentice by the owner of a large gold shop, and eventually married the man's daughter. His life became wealthy and prosperous. He had many children, both sons and daughters. When his children grew up, they left Hoa Thi Thanh and returned to live in Savatthi. At that time, the Buddha was teaching in Savatthi, thanks to the elder Anathapindika making offerings of a monastery. All of his children followed the Buddha, cultivating merit.

One day, they realized that their parents, from youth to old age, had never known the Dharma and had never done good deeds. So they brought their parents from Hoa Thi Thanh back to Savatthi to care for them. When their father grew frail and was near death, they held a ceremony of making offerings of food to the Sangha, inviting the Buddha and the monks to come and pray for their father. The Buddha came, looked at the old man, and said: "You are like a withered leaf; the messenger of death stands waiting. The door of death has opened, and nothing can be carried with you. Be a lamp unto yourself, an island of wisdom, and strive diligently. Quickly keep your heart pure so you may be reborn among the gods."

Hearing the Buddha's words, the old man was shaken to his core. His whole life he had known only business and wealth, but he had never once thought of cultivating blessings from merit. He had no provisions for his final journey. Yet thanks to the Buddha's counsel, he strove to purify his heart and mind in those final moments of life. He passed away, but thanks to the blessings from merit of his children's offerings, and thanks to meeting the Buddha, he was reborn in a favorable realm.

After his father's death, the son reflected ever more deeply on the Buddha's teachings. He looked back over three generations: his grandfather, a butcher, had died a horrific death and fallen into hell; his father, a goldsmith, had never known the Dharma, yet thanks to his children's blessings from merit, he had met the Buddha and escaped suffering (dukkha); and he himself and his children, thanks to knowing how to practice, were living within the true Dharma. He understood that each person must become an island unto themselves, for they cannot rely on anyone else.

The Meaning of the Story

This story shows that cause and effect (karmic law) does not end within a single lifetime, but can be transformed through practice and the merit of one's descendants. Most importantly, each person must create their own blessings from merit, for "each enjoys their own merit, each bears their own burden of wrongdoing." Do not depend on others; be your own island of wisdom and diligence, and keep your heart pure while you are still alive.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang.