An Empty Bowl and the Girls by the River

On that morning, soft golden sunlight stretched across the village paths of ancient India. The Buddha walked serenely with his alms bowl, each step leaving a peaceful imprint on the warm earth. Yet unlike other days, every door remained tightly shut as he passed through the neighborhood. The villagers, who were accustomed to making offerings to wandering monks, looked at him with distant and cold eyes. No one stepped forward, and not a single spoonful of rice was placed in his bowl. He went from one village to another, but his bowl remained empty, without even a grain of rice.

The cause of this strange event was not a change in the people’s hearts, but rather an invisible force at work. Mara, the demon king who had followed the Buddha closely since the night of his renunciation until his enlightenment and throughout his years of teaching, used supernatural power to control the minds of the villagers. He made these gentle, simple people suddenly indifferent, stripping away any respect for the monk walking among them. Mara did this to sabotage the spread of the Dharma, preventing anyone from having the chance to hear the teachings and attain enlightenment.

The Buddha stepped out of the village with an empty bowl, yet his face remained serene, free from any irritation or disappointment. Suddenly, Mara appeared before him, wearing a mocking smile.

“O Monk Gotama,” Mara said, “did you go for alms today and find no one willing to feed you? Perhaps you should return to the village; maybe this time you will receive offerings.”

Mara spoke thus, but within his heart lay a more malicious plan. He wanted the Buddha to re-enter the village so he could further influence the villagers’ minds, causing them not only to withhold offerings but also to mock and ridicule him, thereby diminishing the reputation of the enlightened one. But the Buddha did not fall into the trap. He stood still, looking directly at Mara with eyes full of compassion and steadfastness.

At that moment, from the riverbank, a group of young girls returned from bathing. They were maidens from the Brahmin village, their hair still wet, carrying water pots in their hands. When they saw the Buddha standing there, a profound sense of reverence naturally arose in their hearts. They knelt down to pay homage to him. Seeing this, Mara realized he had failed and vanished instantly.

The Buddha looked at the girls with a gentle gaze. One brave girl asked:

“Venerable Sir, have you gone into the village for alms? Why is your bowl so empty?”

The Buddha smiled, his voice warm yet powerful.

“My dear children, the Tathagata did enter the village for alms, but no one made offerings. However, the Tathagata lives without seeing anything as mine, without seeing anything as self. Therefore, the mind of the Tathagata is always peaceful and joyful, like the devas in the heavenly realms.”

Hearing these words, the girls’ hearts trembled deeply. They looked at the Buddha’s empty bowl, then at his serene and liberated face, and understood a truth: true happiness does not come from having or not having, but from a mind free of attachment. The Buddha offered a few more words to emphasize this principle, and right then, the girls unexpectedly attained the fruit of Stream-Entry – the first stage of sainthood, where they began to see the Dharma directly, no longer relying on vague understanding.

From that day on, the girls became supporters of the true Dharma in their village, teaching others and preserving the spiritual path for the remaining residents. The Buddha did not use supernatural powers to coerce people’s minds like Mara did; instead, he used only his teachings, allowing each person to reflect, understand, and practice on their own. This is the true path leading to enlightenment.

The Meaning of the Story

This story teaches us that while Mara can influence others’ minds to hinder spiritual practice, the Buddha never uses tricks to force anyone to respect him. He relies solely on his teachings, allowing each person to awaken to the truth themselves. Living without attachment, without seeing anything as self or belonging to self, keeps the mind peaceful regardless of how lacking circumstances may be. This is the path to genuine happiness and enlightenment.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang