| Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) was a global spiritual leader, Zen master, and peace activist, known for his bestselling writings on mindfulness and engaged Buddhism. Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr., he pioneered mindfulness in the West. Thich Nhat Hanh often shared a famous Buddhist parable about the Buddha and a farmer who lost his cows. This story serves as a profound teaching on letting go of attachments to things we falsely believe are essential for our happiness. The Story: One day, after the Buddha and his monks finished eating lunch, an agitated farmer passed by in a state of utter despair. He asked the Buddha and the monks if they had seen his twelve cows.The farmer lamented that all twelve cows had run away that morning, and to make matters worse, insects had just eaten his entire sesame seed crop. Feeling that he couldn’t survive such a tragedy, he hurried off in the direction he thought the cows went. Watching the man leave, the Buddha turned to his disciples and smiled warmly, saying: “My dear friends, do you know that you are the happiest people on Earth? You do not have any cows to lose.” The Lesson: “Releasing Your Cows The Buddha used the farmer’s misfortune to teach his monks about the heavy burden of attachment. While the monks had renounced material possessions and lived simply with just three robes and a bowl, everyone is susceptible to holding onto their own “cows”. Do I have any Cows that I am holding onto? Am I possessing my things, or are my things possessing me? |
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