Once there was monk who way of asking for alms was very strange. Monk would stand in front of house and call out saying, “Mother! Give me a handful of pearls. God will bless you.”
Hearing this kind of demand from a monk was strange for everyone who would hear this.
Once a woman said, “Baba! here people don’t even have enough to fill their stomach, how will they be able to give you so many pearls?
You should go to palace and ask for pearls there. Go on, ahead.”
An old woman who saw this felt bad for monk. She took pity on him and called him to her house.
When monk came, placing a small pearl on his palm, she said, “Baba! I don’t have hand full of pearls. But i have this one pearl. Take this pearl. Please accept it. Don’t leave our village empty handed.”
Monk smiled and said, “Mother! Where will i keep this pearl in my torn bag? Please keep it with yourself.”
Saying this, monk set out from that village and reached another village.
There also monk stood in front of every house and started calling, “Mother! give me a handful of pearls. God will bless you.”
Hearing this strange demand, women from that village were also surprised. Even there monk could not find handful of pearls.
At last, monk was about to leave empty handed from that village too. Just then he saw that there was a house at end of village.
Monk’s desire to ask for pearls took him in front of that house. Monk called, “Mother! give me a handful of pearls. Good will bless you.”
Farmer came out from house and welcomed monk to his house. He spread a sheet in his veranda for monk and said, “Baba, come inside. Please sit.”
Then farmer called his wife and said, “See baba had come to our house. He is hungry. Make immediate arrangements for his food.
Take a handful of pearls and grind it to make chapati. Till then i will bring pearls in pitcher.”
Saying this, farmer picked up empty pitcher and went out of his house. After sometime, farmer returned. By then his wife had prepared food.
Farmer offered food to monk. Monk ate to his heart’s content and was happy. He said to farmer, “After a long time, i have received food from Kuber’s (God of Wealth) house. I am very glad.”
Then monk said to farmer, “Now, give an earful of pearls.”
Farmer laughed and said, “Baba! How can i, an illiterate farmer can give you an earful of pearls? You are full of knowledge. That’s why me and my wife expect earful of pearls from you.”
Monk closed his eyes and said, “No. You are not illiterate. You are a scholar because of this you were able to fulfil my wish.
I was hungry and thirsty until my demand was fulfilled by you. Whenever i find a Kuber’s house like you, i eat to my heart’s content.”
Then monk looked at farmer and said, “One who considers crop grains, drops of water and words of preaching as pearls. In my view, he is the owner of true wealth. May God Bless You.”
Blessing farmer couple, monk went ahead.
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