The Girl Who Took Her Life for One Who Became a Monk

**Summary:** An ordinary story from the Teacher's student days, about a girl with secret affection who took her own life upon learning the one she loved had become a monk, revealing the power of the instinct for pleasure and attachment.

The neighborhood from those days remains vivid in the Teacher's memory: red dirt roads, houses with old corrugated roofs, and the sound of roosters crowing at dawn. Back then, he was still a young student, often returning home during summer breaks. In the neighborhood lived an elderly gentleman of gentle character, who was very fond of the young man because he often visited the temple. Whenever he heard the student was returning home, the old man would send an invitation over for tea and conversation about morality.

The old man had a youngest daughter. Whenever the Teacher visited, she could be seen flitting about, serving water and tea, but he paid her no mind. He simply took it as the usual courtesy of a host. As time passed, the Teacher left to ordain as a monk. When his family confirmed he had formally entered monastic life, a tragic incident occurred: the young woman took her own life.

The Teacher recounted the story in a somber tone:

"At that time, I heard the news but couldn't understand why. No one in the neighborhood knew the reason, and no one spoke of it. Only much later did I vaguely realize that perhaps she had harbored a secret affection for me for a long time. When she learned I had become a monk, her despair led her to seek death."

The listeners fell silent. A sad love story, a life lost over unrequited affection. The Teacher paused for a moment, then continued:

"You see, for some people, happiness is paramount. If they cannot have happiness, they would rather die than live. This is because their instinct for pleasure is stronger than their instinct for survival. Yet others, no matter how poor or humiliated, cling to life, because they value existence above all else."

The Teacher gazed into the distance, his voice pensive:

"Drawing the lesson from this story, I often remind you: do not let momentary emotions dictate your life. Affection can be beautiful, but without moderation, it can become a fire that consumes you. Those who follow the path must see clearly the nature of attachment to avoid being bound by it."

The story concluded in silence. But the lesson about the instinct for pleasure and the power of emotions lingered in the mind of each listener. They realized that only by understanding the mechanisms of our own mind can we overcome the temptations of emotion and live in peace amid life's changing currents.

**The Story's Meaning**

This story illustrates the immense power of the instinct for pleasure and attachment within the human heart. When negative emotions like despair and sorrow take hold, people can lose even their precious lives. Those who walk the path must learn to master their mind, not letting momentary feelings lead them, thereby avoiding unnecessary tragedies in life.

*Compiled from a Dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang.*