Weekend Story- The Wise Ruler’s Advice

Once, a person went to Gautama Buddha to seek advice on controlling his emotions. The person was struggling with anger and frustration and was looking for a better way to manage his feelings. Smiling, the Buddha asked him to sit down and said, “Let me tell you a story.” 

Once upon a time, a king ruled a prosperous country. One day he decided to visit his neighboring kingdom. He had heard that the ruler there was very wise. When the King arrived, he was welcomed with great pomp, and the ruler of the neighboring kingdom had prepared a grand feast in his honor. During the feast, the King noticed a fly in the soup bowl. Revolted, he ordered his servant to bring in another bowl of soup. 

Noticing this, the wise ruler from the neighboring state said, “Your majesty, please do not be angry..it was just a tiny fly…it does not matter.” 

The King replied, “I cannot tolerate such issues. Even a small fly can ruin my mood.” 

The wise ruler hosting the King smiled and said, “Your majesty allow me to give you some advice. It is not the fly that ruined your mood but your own reaction. You have the power to control your emotions and not let them control you.” 

The King realized the wisdom in these words and returned to his kingdom, and from that day onwards, he started practicing the art of not reacting to situations that would previously trigger his emotions. He found that he was able to maintain his composure in challenging situations and was able to make better situations.