A Bowl of Rice in the Hungry Afternoon

That afternoon, the dormitory was strangely quiet. The endless drone of cicadas outside only seemed to intensify the stifling heat within the small room. A young student—the future Venerable Thich Chan Quang—was hunched on a flimsy wooden bed. His stomach growled with emptiness, yet he didn't have a single coin to his name.

In those days, students received subsidized meals from the state, but he had originally planned to go home and had not registered for his meal. Then, growing lazy and deciding not to travel, he found himself out of options. His decision was made: he would simply endure the hunger until evening and figure things out then. He closed the door, sat down to study, and tried to forget the hunger gnawing at his stomach.

Right at lunchtime, as the sounds of the bustling dining hall carried over, he sat alone. He held a book, but his eyes kept drifting to the door. He told himself, "Well, I've decided. Just a few more hours to bear." Yet, a quiet sadness crept into his heart. He thought of the world's poor, of those who starved to death, and wondered, "Could they endure this?"

Suddenly, there was a gentle knock: "Knock... knock... knock." He was surprised; no one should be looking for him at this hour. He stood and opened the door. Before him stood a plainly dressed man, holding a bowl of rice so hot that steam billowed from it. An aroma wafted forth—an aroma so exquisite he had never smelled anything like it. The man smiled and said, "Please eat. I brought this for you."

Before the bewildered student could even ask his name, the man had turned and walked away, disappearing into the dim hallway. Holding the bowl, he ate slowly, pondering, "Why am I not hungry? I was determined to fast, yet someone brought me food at the exact right moment, as if it had all been arranged."

The white grains of rice, the tender braised meat, the fresh green vegetables—they all melted in his mouth. He ate slowly, savoring each bite, tasting the sweetness of life. Later, after he had ordained and practiced, the Venerable Master came to understand: "Surely in a past life, I often made food offerings to others. That is why I have such blessings in this one. One must give in order to receive."

**The Meaning of the Story**

This tale reminds us of the law of cause and effect: every good deed, no matter how small, will return to us in times of need. Giving is the foundation of abundance—not just materially, but for the mind and heart as well.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang*