Bóng Hồng Bên Hồ Tây Và Sức Mạnh Của Sự Quay Đầu

The autumn in Hanoi that year was heartbreakingly beautiful. Golden leaves scattered across the paved paths around West Lake, forming a thin layer on the still, mirror-like surface of the water. The air was cool and clear, evoking a gentle melancholy full of poetic charm. Mr. Nam, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, was strolling alone along the lakeshore. His hands tucked in his pockets, his gaze distant, he savored this rare tranquility amidst the bustle of life.

Suddenly, his eyes stopped on a woman's silhouette. It was a young woman with an elegant figure and long, black hair flowing down, standing admiring the view under an ancient tree. The late afternoon sun slanted through the leaves, creating shimmering speckles of light on her face, making her look like a muse stepped out of a painting. Mr. Nam's heart beat a little faster. A strange feeling of fluttering and excitement swelled in his chest. That "liking" – a normal physiological instinct of men in the presence of beauty – suddenly became intense, urging him to approach.

Mr. Nam walked slowly, his feet seeming to draw him closer to the girl. Whispers of temptation echoed in his mind: "Just a simple greeting, it's nothing. She's beautiful, I have the right to appreciate beauty." He was about to open his mouth to start a conversation, to ask her name, to request her phone number, to prolong this fleeting connection just a little longer.

But then, a memory suddenly flooded back. He recalled the teachings of his master, remembered the quiet nights of seated meditation, and pictured the gentle face of his wife waiting for him to come home for dinner. He asked himself: "Where does this liking come from? Is it karma from a past life, or just a momentary psychological reaction?"

Mr. Nam stopped walking. His breath became hurried, yet his mind gradually grew clear. He looked at the woman one last time, not with a gaze of longing, but with understanding. He realized that if he stepped forward, this temporary "condition" would lead to countless consequences, shattering his family's happiness and creating karmic debts for both of them. This "liking" was not worth exchanging for the peace of his conscience.

With great effort, Mr. Nam turned his back. His steps were decisive, walking in the opposite direction from the girl, merging into the sparse crowd along the lakeshore. The wind blew coolly, carrying away the idle thoughts. He smiled with relief, feeling proud for having conquered himself. From then on, whenever he encountered a similar situation, he used wisdom to examine his emotions and always chose to turn back to preserve his moral integrity.

The Meaning of the Story

The story emphasizes that feelings of love or sexual attraction often stem from psychological causes (physiological instincts) or karmic conditions (debts from the past). However, the distinction between an ordinary person and one who cultivates the path lies in the ability to "turn back and evaluate" that emotion. When "liking" arises, a person lacking wisdom will chase after it, leading to wrong actions and creating bad karma. Conversely, a person with ethics will clearly recognize the origin of the emotion, determine it is not worth pursuing, and possess the strength to cut it off, thereby protecting the purity of the mind and lasting happiness.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang