Three Days of Offerings

**Summary:** When Venerable Maudgalyayana visited a woman’s home three days in a row, the sangha whispered that he still harbored attachments. In truth, three generations of that family wished to plant conditions with the path to liberation. The story teaches us not to hastily judge others before understanding the full situation.

That morning, before sunlight could filter through the leaves, Venerable Maudgalyayana stepped out of the monastery with his alms bowl. His steps were light, yet his mind had already contemplated the capacities of sentient beings. He knew that today would bring a special encounter.

On the dirt road, a woman in her thirties knelt down, hands pressed together, tears glistening in her eyes. She was a single mother, living with her elderly mother and young daughter. The three generations of their family lived quietly in a thatched house by the village. Upon seeing Venerable Maudgalyayana from afar, she ran out, knelt, and spoke through choked tears:

“Venerable, there are only three of us in our family. We know you are an extraordinary being of liberation. Please allow our family to plant conditions with the path to liberation. On the first day, my mother will make an offering. On the second day, I will offer. On the third day, my daughter will offer. Three days, three generations—please accept our request.”

Venerable Maudgalyayana looked into her eyes and saw sincerity and a deep yearning for liberation nurtured across many lifetimes. He nodded in agreement, without further explanation.

On the first day, the elderly mother trembled as she offered a bowl of white rice. On the second day, the woman herself, with hands still faintly smelling of kitchen fires, reverently placed food into his bowl. On the third day, the young daughter, cheeks flushed with nervousness, lifted a brimming bowl of rice to offer him. All three days, Venerable Maudgalyayana arrived punctually, accepted the offerings, and left silently.

Yet the eyes of the world often cannot perceive a sincere heart. People only saw a monk—said to have attained the state of an arhat, possessing supreme spiritual powers—visiting a home with a young, beautiful woman three days straight. Whispers began to spread like wind carrying dust:

“They say he has become an arhat, but why are there such clear signs of attachment?” “He keeps going to that woman’s home—could it be…?” “I thought he was a saint, but it seems he hasn’t escaped desires.”

The rumors grew like flames fanned by wind. Other monks began looking at Venerable Maudgalyayana with suspicion. Some questioned: “If he has truly attained the path, why would he act this way?”

One day, Venerable Maudgalyayana received porridge while on alms round and asked a novice to deliver it to an ailing nun. This act was again misunderstood. People believed he still harbored concerns about gender, explaining his care for the nun. The whispers intensified like a storm about to break.

The Buddha, with unobstructed wisdom, knew the truth clearly. He saw Venerable Maudgalyayana’s pure mind and recognized the danger when sentient beings endlessly misjudged the saints. One day, before the assembly, the Buddha spoke in a solemn yet compassionate voice:

“One free from attachment, with a mind free of doubt, who has entered into the deathless—I call a brahmin.”

He used four verses from the Dhammapada to vindicate Venerable Maudgalyayana, affirming that he had entered the deathless, free from doubt and attachment. The whispers quieted, but the lesson remained.

When people observe a situation, each interprets it according to their own karmic tendencies. The romantically inclined think of love; the thief thinks of stealing; the film enthusiast imagines spies and kidnappings; the superstitious consider feng shui and property. All are reflections of their own minds. The truth is known only to those involved, or must be asked directly—not guessed.

Good people rarely rush to judge others, knowing that their own hearts may sometimes be misunderstood. They understand that the actions of saints are often beyond ordinary comprehension, for their wisdom runs deep. If we could fully understand every action of a saint, we would already be near their level—what then would we have left to learn?

Therefore, when encountering something unclear, refrain from quick judgment. Ask, seek to understand—do not speculate and risk generating negative karma. For when we judge others, we are truly revealing our own nature.

**Meaning of the Story** When we judge others, we are actually revealing our own karmic habits and true nature. Those who often think ill of others have much negativity within their own hearts. Do not hastily interpret situations negatively without understanding the full picture, for you may be slandering a saint and creating suffering for yourself.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang*