Long, long ago, there was a monk who envied Buddha. Everyone admired Buddha and offered up money, but Buddha did nothing at all-he was sitting there with his eyes closed, no matter what happened before him. “You are so lucky,” the monk said to Buddha. “I work hard but no one admires me.”“You may take my place if you can shut your mouth and never speak.” Buddha smiled. “I think it’s not difficult,” the monk promised. So they turned into each other and exchanged their places. A rich man came in with a bag of gold. He knelt down before the monk and prayed that he could buy a new boat, sail out safely to the open sea and earn more money. When he left, the bag was carelessly left on the floor. The monk wanted to remind him, but he thought of what he had promised before, so he didn’t. Then a poor man came in. His wife fell ill and was dying. He wished he could make money to save her. When he bowed before the monk, he noticed the bag. He was delighted when he found gold in it. “Is this ready for me?” he asked the monk. The monk wanted to shake his head, but he remembered the Buddha’s warning, so he remained silent, though he was very uneasy. Beside himself with joy, the poor man left. A few minutes later, the rich man returned worriedly. Finding nothing on the floor, he uttered a cry of despair. “That was all that I had earned the whole year. What a terrible thing! What should I do?” he beat his breast and wept. The monk couldn’t bear. He thought that the rich man would probably kill himself. So he told him the truth. The rich man thanked him in astonishment because he had never seen Buddha speaking. He ran out of the temple immediately. Catching up with the poor, he beat him up and snatched the bag back.Knowing the truth, the poor man felt extremely ashamed and suicided. Without money to cure the illness, his wife died, too.The rich man bought a boat successfully. But when he headed for the open sea he encountered a rainstorm. The boat turned over and he was drowned.The monk was very sad when he heard the news.“I didn’t mean to,” he said.“But you should close your mouth, I’ve told you,” said Buddha, “If you hadn’t reminded the rich man, the poor man would have saved his wife, the rich man wouldn’t have bought the boat and drowned at sea. Three lives were wasted pitifully.”The monk deeply regretted. He changed back into himself. He knew he would not be a Buddha because he couldn’t keep silent.（王敬涛外语）

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