Note : The story below is taken from the book "Everything is Teaching Us - a collection of teachings by Ajahn Chah."
One day, a pig farmer went to see Ajahn Chah.
He was complaining, "Oh man! This year is really too much! The price of feed is up, and the price of pork is down. I'm losing my shirt!"
Ajahn Chah listened to his laments, then said, "Don't feel too sorry for yourself, sir. If you were a pig, then you would have good reason to feel sorry for yourself.
When the price of pork is high, pigs are slaughtered.
When the price of pork is low, the pigs are still slaughtered.
The pigs really have something to complain about.
The people should not be complaining. Think about this seriously, please."
The farmer was only worried about the prices he was getting.
The pigs have a lot more to worry about, but we don't consider that cos' we are not the ones being killed. The pigs are.
Now, think about it.
Who are the real 'poor me'?
Not us humans.
Cos' we still have our lives, and we still can find a way to get by.
We ought to be thankful and grateful.
How often is it that we lament on our woes when we should be counting our blessings?
When you are unhappy, you feel that the whole world is against you, that everything is about to collapse.
However, if you take a step back, you will find that you are better off than many other people.
As the saying goes, "I complain I have no shoes, until I met a man who has no feet."
So the next time you complain, and feel sorry for yourself and think how unfortunate you are, please consider the earthworms -
At least we can still eat things like fruits, we don't have to eat dirt like the earthworms.
And if earthworms can talk, they'll probably be telling us,
"Don't feel too sorry for yourself. You walk on ground. Me? I get trampled on.
Don't you still have arms, legs and bones? I don't have those things, yet I don't feel poor."
Humans really do have a lot to learn from all the creatures great and small that are around us.
"Animals are the same as humans, Just as humans are the same as animals.
If we can 'see' this, we'll realise that they are afraid of dying, Just like people."
- Ajahn Chah
