The Price of Being Irresistibly Charming

In the ancient city of Savatthi, which was not very large, red dust swirled through the streets whenever carts passed by, and the calls of vendors echoed through every alley. Amid that bustling atmosphere, there was one familiar figure that made many households hurriedly shut their doors: Khema, the nephew of the great benefactor Anathapindika.

Khema came from a powerful and wealthy family with vast possessions. But instead of using his wealth to help others, he fell into the whirlpool of desire. Each day passed for Khema as a chain of secret rendezvous and tangled romantic affairs. He was confident that money and status could blind everyone to his behavior, but reality proved far harsher. Being caught in the act, furious scenes of jealousy, and even being dragged before the courts turned his life into a never-ending nightmare.

One late afternoon, as pale sunlight slanted through the window, Khema sat in a daze, his eyes sunken from sleeplessness. Anathapindika walked in and looked at his nephew with eyes full of worry and disappointment. He sighed and said in a low, sorrowful voice:

"My child, why do you keep throwing yourself into these fleeting things? Do you know that every time a scandal erupts, our family's honor is stained a little more?"

Khema lifted his head, a crooked smile on his lips:

"Uncle, I want to stop, but... I feel that women have always loved me. That is my power."

Anathapindika shook his head and decided to bring Khema to meet the Buddha. At Jetavana Monastery, beneath the shade of ancient trees, Khema knelt before the Enlightened One. The Buddha looked at him with eyes of compassion yet sternness, and spoke:

"Khema, do you think that charm is happiness? Look carefully. One who pursues another man's wife awaits four calamities: harm to his eyes, sleepless nights, disgrace and a fall into hell, and entanglement in misfortune leading to rebirth among lower realms. His heart lives in constant fear, punished by the law. Therefore, do not pursue another man's wife."

The Buddha's words were like thunder from a clear sky, startling Khema. He had never imagined that his romantic "conquests" could bring such heavy consequences. But what puzzled him most was this: why did he have this strange allure in the first place?

The Buddha seemed to read his thoughts, and continued to explain the cause and effect (karmic law) from a previous life. In the time of Buddha Kasyapa, Khema in his former life also had a kind heart and often practiced making offerings to the Buddha's stupas. However, instead of praying for something noble and liberating, he made a strange vow:

"May every woman who sees me come to love me."

And the karmic fruit arrived. That blessing from merit gave him a special attraction to women in this life. But the Buddha emphasized that blessings from merit have no vessel to hold them; they are formless, yet their power helps us attain our dreams. Whatever we direct our hearts toward, that is what they become. A shallow dream leads to a shallow and painful ending. What is called "charm" is in truth a sweet trap, and behind it lie misfortunes piled upon misfortunes.

Khema bowed his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. He realized that the false freedom he had long pursued was in fact an invisible chain binding his heart in fear and shame. From that day on, he began to change his way of life, turning toward moral discipline and inner peace, even though the path was not easy.

The Meaning of the Story

This story reminds us of the law of cause and effect (karmic law) and the true nature of "merit." When we do good deeds but direct our hearts toward prayers that are lowly, selfish, or contrary to morality, the karmic fruit we receive may seem favorable at first, such as being loved by many, but in the end it leads to suffering (dukkha), anxiety, and disgrace. True happiness does not lie in the momentary satisfaction of desire, but in purity, in upholding moral discipline, and in aspiring toward noble values.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang.