The Fish - Sunday Series with Demo Rinpoche - May 1, 2022

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THE FISH - May 1, 2022 (The Power of Prayer)
Through long practice, good or harmful actions become second nature until they are effortless. Thus, through the patient practice of virtue, the Bodhisattva becomes intent on acting solely for the benefit of others.
As a Bodhisattva, the Buddha was once born as the king of fishes in a beautiful lake. As the king of fishes, the Bodhisattva cared for his subjects as if they were his own offspring, attending to their every need. Through skillful means, he taught them kindness and restraint so that they lived together in harmony in the waters of the lake.
But it so happened that one day Parganya, the god of rain, failed to provide the rain needed to replenish the lake. Instead the sun beat down and the dry wind blew until the lake was no more than a stagnant pond.
Flocks of birds began to line the shore, eager for the moment when the gasping fish would be exposed to their hungry beaks.
The distress of the fish troubled the heart of the Bodhisattva. He thought, “What can I do? These poor fish are trapped and will soon be at the mercy of the plundering birds.”
Considering long and hard, the Bodhisattva saw one hope for his suffering subjects. Gazing up at the sky, he uttered this prayer, “ I cannot recall even a single instance where I have harmed another living being, even when I was in great distress. By the power of this truth, may the gods fill this lake with rain.”
By the power of the truth, by the store of the Bodhisattva’s merit and by the favor of the gods, nagas and yakshas, clouds began to gather from all directions. The sky grew dark, shielding the lake from the beating sun. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Streams of clear rain began to fall. Water from the hillsides rushed into the lake, scaring off the waiting birds while bringing joy and hope to the beleaguered fish.
The Bodhisattva continued his plea, “Roar, Parganya. Pour down your life-giving waters.”
Hearing this cry, Shakra, the Lord of the Gods, was astonished. He appeared before the Bodhisattva and said, “O Lord of the Fishes, through the power of your truth and your untold merit, you have caused the skies to open. I would be to blame if I did not support the noble deeds of one whose sole concern is the benefit of others. I am a friend to the virtuous and by my power, from now on, this lake shall never again be visited by drought.”
Those who practice good conduct will be successful and thrive even in this world-and more so the next.