The One Who Cleared a Space for Joy

**Summary:** The story of the past life of King Indra, who transformed humble acts of yielding and service into immeasurable blessings from merit.

The afternoon sun painted the dense bushes on a primitive land golden, a time when human civilization was rebuilding after its collapses. Amidst the sultry midday heat, the distant echo of a drum announced the arrival of a wandering theater troupe. A young man, his hands calloused from labor, hurried to the performance area. He chose the highest, most open spot so he could clearly see the stage.

With the care of a meticulous person, he took out a small knife and hoe, and began to scrape, level the ground, clearing away thorns and gravel around his intended standing place. Sweat beaded on his forehead, yet a smile remained on his lips as he imagined himself comfortably enjoying the art. After finishing the "clean-up" just for himself, he left to find drinking water.

When he returned, his heart tightened. The spot he had worked so hard to prepare was now occupied by another group of people. They were happily chatting, waiting for the performance to begin. Naturally, anger could have flared up. One might shout, "Give this spot back! I cleared it!" or use force to reclaim personal rights. That is the natural reaction of the instinct for possession.

But the man only stood in silence, observing. He saw the eager sparkle in the strangers' eyes, saw them relaxing and finding happiness in the very flat spot he had created. A different thought arose in his mind: "If I fight for it, everyone's joy will be lost. But if I yield, joy will spread."

Instead of demanding, he smiled, turned, and walked away. He did not give up, but continued to use his remaining strength to clear many other spots around that area, wider and cleaner, so that anyone arriving later would also have a comfortable place to stand. That action did not bring him fame or immediate thanks, but it planted a seed of unconditional service into the universe.

The next day, the theater troupe was still there. The man asked his wife's permission to spend the entire day doing something seemingly pointless: clearing the entire viewing area, cutting back overgrown bushes, and filling in deep holes. His wife asked in surprise, "What will you gain from doing this?" He replied gently, "So that everyone can be happy."

That spirit did not stop at one day, one year, but continued through many lifetimes. From an ordinary man clearing viewing spots, by holding firmly to the aspiration "to live is to serve," the law of cause and effect (karmic law) supported him step by step. He never changed his ideal, even as his social standing transformed. Ultimately, the accumulated blessings from merit elevated him to the throne of King Indra – the celestial monarch governing the heavens.

But even while sitting on the radiant throne, his heart still turned toward those small actions of the distant past. Each Ullambana season, when looking down upon the earthly realm, he did not seek worship, but sought hearts willing to serve. He inscribed the names of young people who volunteered to carry rice, clean up, and care for the community in his ledger, considering them companions on the path of loving-kindness.

**Meaning of the Story:**

The story emphasizes that a person's true value lies not in high or low position or titles, but in the spirit of service. The law of cause and effect operates independently: the more one helps others succeed, the more one creates conditions for others' happiness (like clearing a space for watching a performance), the more one's own status and blessings from merit naturally grow. Do not fear yielding or silent service; that is the key to opening the door to lasting prosperity and avoiding loneliness in old age.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang*