By: Swami Shantananda Puri
A good number of us may cope with fear and pain by trying to ignore or confront. But Sai Baba’s life echoes with a different approach. When Nana Valli asked him to vacate his seat, Sai Baba readily offered it! His message was to courageously choose to understand and ‘befriend’ pain and fear.
A story adapted from Buddhist tradition states about a demon who fed on the fear and anger of those in the human world, where there was no lack of food for him. It was all too easy to grow big and fat on easily provoked family quarrels, religious, communal or national hatred. He became even more ambitious and thought that he should try the angels”
He decided to choose the realm of angels ruled by King Sakka, because he knew that the inhabitants were far above petty and selfish quarrels. But only a few of them had completely conquered ill-will and aversion.
Fortunately, when the demon reached the angel-kingdom, King Sakka was away. The demon seated himself on Sakka’s throne, looking forward to a tasty, satiating feast. When the angels arrived, they could hardly believe their eyes – a disgusting monster sitting on the royal throne, drooling and grinning. They began to wail and shout: “You awful demon! How dare you sit on the throne of our King. Get out, otherwise we will throw you into a boiling cauldron! Get out! Get out!”
The demon continued to stay where he was, growing more elated as their anger increased. Gorging on their fear and anger, he grew in size, in strength, in power, in fearsomeness.
Suddenly King Sakka arrived. He was unshaken by what he saw. He approached the demon, saying: “Welcome, friend! Please remain seated, relax. I can take another chair. May I offer you our hospitality?” While Sakka spoke these friendly words, the demon, being denied his nourishment, rapidly shrank and finally disappeared.
The story suggests that a friendly approach makes our ‘enemy’ weak.
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