Once, there was a couple who went to the market and bought a donkey.
They tied a rope round the donkey's neck and happily brought the donkey home, walking alongside with it.
On the way home, the man overheard a boy telling his mother that the couple was stupid, that they should ride on the donkey, and not walk together with it.
On hearing this, the man quickly got up on the donkey, riding it so as to avoid looking stupid.
As they travelled on, they met an old lady who scolded the man for being heartless riding the donkey and making his wife walk.
So, the man quickly got down and up went the wife.
After walking a short distance, they came across an old man who reprimanded them - saying the man, as the head of the household, should be the one riding the donkey, not the wife.
After much discussion, the couple decided that both of them would ride on the donkey.
Pleased with their decision, the couple happily rode along, and was very sure that no one else would pass any more remarks about them.
However, along came a lady carrying her pet dog.
Looking at the couple with utter disgust, the lady commented.
"Poor donkey, your owners are so cruel, both riding on you and you alone have to bear both their weight ......."
Hearing that lady's comments, and not wanting to appear cruel and inhumane, the couple got down and decided that perhaps the best solution was to do what the lady did - for them to carry the donkey instead.
And so they did.
Everything went smoothly until they reached a river.
While crossing the river, the donkey became afraid and began to struggle.
In the end, all three fell into the river.
"When you blindly believe, follow and/or do whatever people tells you,
You're either like animals - constantly living in fear,
Or like a puppet - with no mind of your own;
Or both."
.
.
.
.
"Those who easily believe others are said by The Buddha to be foolish."
- Ajahn Chah
"One should not accept anything with mere faith;
But one should use one's common sense and intelligence before accepting anything."
- The Buddha
