Ant nests and housing
A couple brought their two teenage sons to see Master Miaofa and asked the Master for advice on an unbelievable matter.
They immigrated to a certain country from Taiwan three years ago. They rented a house temporarily and planned to buy a suitable villa in the future. But because the four people can never agree on the same opinion, either the husband is satisfied and the wife is not, or the wife is satisfied and the husband does not, and the children also have their own requirements. Finally, the four members of the family were satisfied, but the landlord changed his mind again. Three years have passed and we still have not found suitable housing. It’s really puzzling. Since the couple believed in Buddhism and suspected that their own blessings were not enough, they took advantage of the summer vacation to come to Mount Wutai to worship Buddha and seek advice from Master Miaofa.
The master smiled and asked the two older boys: “You two little naughty guys, do you like to dig out ant nests?”
After hearing the master’s question, the four members of the family all laughed.
The mother said: “The two of them liked to dig out ant nests since they were young. They said they were studying the structure of the ant nest. They said that the inside of the ant nest was very particular. There was the queen’s palace, a strict barracks, and a large food warehouse. The two of them played together. I didn’t even bother to eat when I got up.”
“You two often dig into the ants’ nests, destroying the home they worked so hard to build, and ruining the food they worked so hard to transport, leaving the ants without a place to stay. This is just the first report that you can’t settle in your own home now, If you don’t repent and change your ways, even if you have your own house in the future, your house may be accidentally destroyed. Even if you are rich, you will inevitably have to run around for food in the future. You parents have converted to Buddhism for many years, why? How can you see a child doing this kind of thing and not stop it? It’s the fault of your parents if you don’t raise them well. Karma will follow you like a shadow. Repent quickly and recite sutras and dedicate it to the thousands of ants who have been harmed. Maybe you can change the disaster in the future. Do you understand?”
After the parents were criticized by the old monk, they said with shame: “Master, I know my mistake. Although I have been a convert for many years, I thought that as long as I eat vegetarian food and chant the Buddha’s name, it will be fine. I don’t take children’s play seriously. Let’s go home and Is it okay to repent in front of the Buddha, worship the Lianghuang Treasure Repentance and the Great Compassion Repentance, and dedicate it to the ants?”
“How good! How good! You must always remember the compassionate teachings of the Buddha that ‘all living beings have Buddha nature and are worthy of becoming Buddhas’.”
