The Title: The Ascetic Who Cut His Own Flesh for the Dove

In the silence beneath the Bodhi tree, the afternoon sun cast golden streaks upon a carpet of dry leaves. An ascetic sat in meditative concentration, his brown robe blending seamlessly with the earth. Suddenly, the frantic beating of wings broke the stillness as a young dove flew in, trembling violently, and hid behind him.

"Please save me! It is hunting me!" cried the dove, its voice small and fearful.

The ascetic gently held the bird, but from above, a hawk swooped down, its sharp beak flashing in the light.

"That is my meal. If you steal my prey, I will starve to death!" growled the hawk.

Having cultivated through many lifetimes, the ascetic loved all sentient beings. He understood that saving the dove would mean the hawk’s death; life was not easily fair. He felt torn, thinking, "I cannot allow one creature to devour another, yet I cannot let the hawk faint from hunger."

"If I give you the dove, you will live, but you remain hungry," he spoke aloud.

"Yes, I need flesh to survive!" replied the hawk.

The ascetic drew a small knife and cut a piece of flesh from his own thigh. Blood seeped out, bringing a sharp pain. He offered it to the hawk, saying, "Eat my flesh, so that the dove’s life may continue."

"How can you sacrifice yourself like this?" asked the hawk, surprised, as it took the meat.

The pivotal moment came when the ascetic looked at his flowing blood without resentment, seeing only the dove breathing a sigh of relief. He deeply realized that enduring physical pain to save another’s life is true courage.

He bandaged his wound and continued his daily practice of meditative concentration. This story was passed down through generations, depicted on temple walls as the Buddha in a previous life cutting his flesh to save birds. Though it is a fable, it clearly teaches the courage required to endure suffering.

People who reflect upon this learn that sacrificing one’s body for the benefit of others is an act of bravery that the weak cannot achieve.

The Meaning of the Story

Courage means enduring pain and injury to oneself for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. Although this is a parable, such an attitude demonstrates that the power of courage in Buddhism transcends suffering through love.

Compiled from the dharma talk by Most Venerable Thich Chan Quang