The Steed Among Common Horses

**Summary:** Two friends left home to become monks and practice together in the secluded forest. One practiced diligent meditation, while the other was lax, often lighting fires to chat idly. Using the image of a noble steed, the Buddha taught a profound lesson about diligence and wakefulness.

Night descended upon the Indian forest, a penetrating cold seeping through every leaf. In a small, makeshift hut deep within the woods, two newly ordained young monks sat by a crackling fire. The flickering flames cast their wavering shadows onto the hut’s wall. One of them, eyes half-closed and face flushed by the warmth, occasionally poked the fire to make it flare brighter. The other sat some distance away, his back straight, hands resting neatly on his knees, his breathing steady and his eyes gently shut, as if gazing inward into a world of profound stillness.

They had been close friends since childhood, leaving their families together to pay homage to the Buddha and request ordination. With compassion, the Buddha looked upon them both and assigned each a meditation subject, a unique path of practice. He then instructed, “Go to a tranquil dwelling near that forest and practice. Be diligent and do not be negligent.”

But life in the solitary forest was not easy. The Indian nights were bone-chillingly cold, and the constant buzz of mosquitoes was unrelenting. Each morning, they had to walk a considerable distance to the village to beg for alms. Food was not always enough to fill their stomachs, and they possessed only a few simple sets of robes. In such hardship, the true nature of each person gradually emerged.

One of them, the elder brother, devoted all his time outside of alms-rounds to meditation. He would rise before dawn, wrap his thin robe to ward off the cold, and sit on a dry grass mat, focusing his mind on the breath. After the noon meal, he would continue sitting in meditation until evening. The younger brother, however, would complain about the cold each night, light a large fire, and invite other monks from nearby to sit by the hearth. Initially, they would discuss the Dharma, but soon the conversation would meander through all sorts of worldly topics: village gossip, other people’s lives, food, and weather. The lively sound of laughter and chatter echoed through the forest, while the elder brother continued his silent meditation in his own small hut.

Seeing his friend meditate for longer and deeper periods, sometimes entering states of concentration for hours at a time, the younger monk grew resentful. He would often make cutting remarks: “Meditating so much, are you going to turn into a toad? What’s so good about sitting still all the time? Look at you, mastering the art of stillness, aren’t you?” These bitter words were spoken, but the elder brother only smiled faintly, made no reply, and calmly returned to his meditation, cross-legged and still.

Years passed, and their monastic lives continued in this way. One day, as the Buddha passed through the region, he stopped to visit the two monks. Overjoyed, they paid their respects and sat to attend to his words. The Buddha looked at them both and asked, “How is your practice progressing here?”

The younger monk eagerly answered first, his voice full of pride. “Venerable Sir, I am very diligent. I sleep little and am always busy, tending to Dharma matters morning and night. But this friend of mine, he is very lazy. He just sits in silence all day, refuses to interact with anyone, and does nothing at all.”

The Buddha’s expression became serious. His compassionate gaze fixed directly on the younger monk, causing him to falter. The Buddha spoke, his voice deep and clear. “Child, you have spoken falsely. You have been lazy, wasting so much time on useless matters, and you fail to value your diligent Dharma companion. Your friend is truly my son. He is like a noble steed on a long journey, leaving a common horse far behind. He is worthy of carrying on my lineage.”

The younger brother hung his head, his face pale, unable to utter a word. The elder brother remained silent, but a profound emotion swelled within him. The Buddha looked at them both and slowly spoke this verse:

“Diligent amidst the lax, Awake amidst the deluded, The wise one is like the noble steed, Leaving the common horse behind.”

As the Buddha’s words concluded, the younger monk seemed to awaken from a long dream. He looked at himself, at the years that had slipped away in laziness and useless worldly chatter. He realized he had lost himself amidst trivial pleasures. He knelt, tears rolling down his cheeks, and sincerely repented before the Buddha. From then on, he completely changed. He began to emulate his friend, devoting his time fully to meditation and studying the sutras. Gradually, his mind grew calm and clear.

The two monks continued their practice together, now united in purpose. The younger brother, through his newfound diligence, also attained deep levels of meditative concentration. Both became outstanding disciples of the Buddha. The story of these two brothers was passed down, and the Buddha’s verse remains a reminder for all who walk the path of practice.

**Meaning of the Story**

This story teaches us about two essential qualities of the wise: diligence and wakefulness. In a world full of the lax and the lazy, we maintain diligent practice; amidst delusion and error, we stay awake and follow the true path. The wise one is not a skilled speaker, but one who uses time effectively, wasting not a single moment, and who keeps their mind calm and clear. Like the noble steed leaving the common horse behind, the wise one transcends laziness and delusion to attain enlightenment.

Compiled from a Dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang.