The Little Girl and the Gigo Rice Can: A Lotus Amidst Hunger

In the old days, as dusk fell over the Saigon bus terminal, the hoarse blasts of bamboo horns echoed through the air. The scent of gasoline mixed with dusty wind stung the eyes. A small girl, wearing a worn-out shirt, clutched a tin can labeled "Gigo." Inside was rice her mother had quickly packed, topped with a few pieces of dried food. She stood tucked into the corner of the bus, her stomach growling loudly after traveling since early morning.

At that time, the family lived in poverty. Her mother had saved every penny to buy a ticket for the girl to visit her grandmother in Bac Lieu. Before leaving, the grandmother gave them the return ticket, while the mother only managed to pack this single can of rice for the journey. The trip lasted all day, crossing narrow ferries and difficult roads. The girl carried the can like her most precious treasure, knowing no one would provide meals upon arrival.

On the bus, she noticed people who looked even more destitute than herself, their skin clinging to bones, eyes hollow from hunger. An elderly woman beside her sighed, saying, "Child, I have not eaten a grain of rice for two days." The girl looked at her can, torn inside. She was hungry too, but how could she refuse? With trembling hands, she opened the lid and offered handfuls of rice, saying, "Please eat, Grandma. I still have some." Then a thin young man shyly asked, "Sister, I am so hungry." Again, she shared another handful.

Handful by handful, the rice disappeared. When only the last portion remained, she was about to put it in her mouth when she saw a child smaller than herself, tears welling up, clutching his stomach and whispering, "Sister, I am starving to death." The girl froze, her heart tightening. She looked at the rice, then at the child. Finally, she handed over the last bite, saying, "Here, you eat this." By the time the bus reached its stop, night had fallen completely. Starving and exhausted, she hid in a dark corner to survive until dawn.

The next morning, weak sunlight filtered through the leaves as she walked along the dirt road. Her stomach was empty, yet her mind felt light. Upon returning home, her mother saw how thin she had become and asked what happened. The girl recounted sharing her rice. Her mother embraced her, tears falling, saying, "You made merit during your poorest moment." The girl did not fully understand these words; she simply knew she held no regrets.

Years passed, and the girl grew into a devoted Buddhist practitioner. Later, she told this story to her teacher. He said that giving away food while suffering such intense hunger is like a lotus blooming from fire. Understanding this, her faith became unshakable.

Whenever life presented hardships, she remembered that can of rice. Though her life remained modest, she never lacked kindness. As she shared this story with friends, many were moved to tears, realizing that even in extreme poverty, one can perform good deeds, just as a lotus rises from flames.

The Meaning of the Story

To share food with those hungrier than oneself, despite enduring extreme hardship and scarcity, is truly a lotus growing from fire. It symbolizes compassion and making merit right in the midst of adversity.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang