Bird That Inspired Buddha

Lord Buddha tried very hard to gain knowledge. He did severe penance, travelled a lot, and meditated in forests, but still did not get enlightenment. One day, he felt disappointed and thought, “I have not achieved anything yet.” Negative thoughts like doubt and hopelessness made him tired.

After some time, he felt thirsty and went to a nearby lake. There he saw a small bird (a lapwing) whose two chicks had fallen into the lake. First the bird sat quietly, then it went into the lake, wet its body, came out, and shook off the water. It kept repeating this again and again.

Buddha thought, “How foolish this bird is! Can it ever dry this whole lake?” But the bird continued without stopping. It did not know whether the lake would ever dry, yet it did not give up its effort.

This scene inspired Buddha. He thought, “If such a small bird can be so determined with its limited strength, why should I give up? I have much greater capacity.”

With this thought, Buddha returned to his meditation with renewed determination. Finally, one day, under the Bodhi tree, he attained enlightenment.

Message:

Never give up. Continuous effort and faith in yourself can lead to success, even if the goal seems impossible.