Random Story To Tell

Many years ago, lived two Naga princess, Chulodera and Mahodera. Both of them wanted a certain gem studded throne.

Chulodera said that it’s his by inheritance, but Mahodera said that it’s his too by gift and custom.
Chulodera said it’s belong to his family for centuries, but Mahodera said that it was given by Chulodera grandfather and had use it for two generations.
They both just claim that gem, and no one let it go.

Soon there was a battle, many soldiers died on both sides, but neither side won.

Finally Chulodera said that there’s only one person who can give them fair judgement. He suggested to invite the Lord Buddha and put their case before him.

Mahodera agreed with that and said that they must choose a neutral place, one that belongs to neither one of them.

Chulodera agreed with Mahodera.

Then they choose Kalyanipura. It was a capital of the kingdom of King Vibhishana, who had ruled there since the defeat of his brother King Ravana by the monkey armies of Sugreeva and Rama of India.

Chulodera and Mahodera asked the priests to call the Budda to Kalyanipura, and said that the Buddha to come. He used his great powers and floated on a cloud over the great mountains vast plains of India, crossed the sea and came to Sri Lanka.

Chulodera and Mahodera told him their sides of story.

Chulodera sait it was his, then ask Buddha too see it by his wisdom.
So Mahodera said that too, that it was his and ask Buddha to agree.

For a while the Buddha was quiet. His eyes were closed and he smiled.
Then he open his eyes and ask them was that they always doing on earth.

Chulodera and Mahodera said no to that question, they were surprised of it then said that they were not on earth before they were born.

Buddha ask again if they would always on earth.

Two Naga princess answer that they like other mortals that would die one day.

Buddha asked again what were they before they were born and what they would be after they die.

They asked that they were spirit.

And Buddha asked what would happen to their bodies.

They were silent…

Buddha asked again did their bodies belong to them.

The Naga princess could not answer.

Buddha continued to ask that have they always lived in their palaces.

They answer that others lived in the palace before them, and live in the palace after them.

Buddha asked again that did the palace belong to those who live in there before them, will they belong to those who would live in there after you, did the palace belong to them, then to whom the palaces really belong.

The two Naga princess were silent.

Chulodera said quietly that the palace belong to everybody.
And to nobody added Mahodera, then they looked at each other.

Buddha asked what were the palaces before they were palaces.

They were stone and wood.

And what will they be after they have ceased to be palaces someday, they would be rubble.

Then Buddha asked what was their throne before it was a throne.

They answer that it was metal and gems.

Buddha ask what it will be someday.

They were silent again.

Then Mahodera said that the throne belongs to everybody and nobody too.

All things pass away, they go from one form to another. They are only with us for a while. We can truly own nothing, not even our bodies. How can we own palaces and thrones? Life is a bridge, build no house upon it.

Then quietly, gently smiling, the Buddha vanished before their eyes.

Mahodera wondering What does the meaning of life is a bridge, build no house upon it.

Chulodera asked that life is a bridge between birth and death, it is temporary and belongs to us for only a little while, we should not get attached to anything.

That was a wonderful and beautiful idea.

Then the two Naga princess left the throne, there where the Buddha sat and build a temple around it.

And that was what they did.

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