During the Buddha’s time, there lived a noble bhiksu named Yatin. Each day, he would go to the village or city nearby to beg for alms.

One day, while begging for alms, Yatin found himself in front of a bead shop. 

The shopkeeper did not notice him as he worked intently on stringing his pearl beads. Yatin waited quietly for a few minutes, not wanting to interrupt the shopkeeper. As he was about to move on, the shopkeeper looked up and leaped in surprise when he saw Yatin, and said, “Oh my! You scared me!”

“I’m so sorry…I didn’t mean to frighten you. Maybe I shall return another day,” Yatin replied.

“No, it’s okay. I was just too preoccupied with stringing these precious pearls together for the King. It’s time I took a break. Please have a seat, I will prepare food for you,” the shopkeeper said as he staggered upright. At that moment, without him noticing, a single pearl rolled off the table onto the floor.

While waiting, Yatin sat in meditation. Suddenly and without warning, a white goose appeared. Yatin watched the goose as it began strutting toward the table. The goose then noticed the pearl lying at the base of the table and, mistaking it for food, stretched out its wide-open beak and swallowed it. Yatin stood up, thinking to do something about what just happened but then heard the shopkeeper’s footsteps announcing his return.

“Here you are, I have prepared some simple food for you,” the shopkeeper said as he offered the plate to the bhiksu with both hands.

“Thank you kindly,” Yatin replied worriedly.

The shopkeeper sat down again, ready to resume his work for the King. Almost instantly, he yelled, “There’s a pearl missing! What happened to the blue pearl? Have you seen it?”

Yatin shook his head and thought anxiously to himself, “I cannot speak the truth, for it will put the goose in danger. I shall protect the goose and take the blame instead.”

The shopkeeper raised his voice and said, “Did you take it? Just give it back to me and I shall forgive you.”

Yatin kept still and silent.

Now enraged, the shopkeeper bellowed, “Give the pearl back! What am I going to do? I cannot afford this loss. My family is poor enough as it is. If I tell the King I have lost his precious pearl, I and my family will be in big trouble! I know you stole it! Now give it back to me!” 

Yatin replied softly, “I didn’t take it.”

The shopkeeper then grabbed his bamboo stick, and began beating Yatin, shouting all the while, “You think just because you’re a bhiksu you can get away with theft? How dare you? Is this how you treat those who offer you food out of generosity? Give the pearl back now or die!!”

Yatin, in great pain and covered in blood, uttered, “I did not take your pearl.”

Attracted by the blood on the floor, the goose began licking Yatin’s blood. In his uncontrolled rage, the shopkeeper struck the goose and it fell dead.

Crying, Yatin said, “Why did you kill the goose?”

“Why do you care? It’s the goose’s own fault, it was in the wrong place at the wrong time!” the shopkeeper yelled.

It was then that the pearl rolled out of the dead goose’s mouth. Yatin explained to the stupefied shopkeeper that the goose had swallowed the pearl, thinking it was food.

Utterly ashamed of his behavior, the shopkeeper apologized to the bhiksu, “I am so sorry. This tragic turn of events wouldn’t have happened if I could control my anger. Why did you not tell me the truth?”

“If I had told you the truth, that the goose ate the pearl, you would have killed it to retrieve the pearl, am I right?” Yatin replied.

“Yes, you’re right, I would have killed it,” the shopkeeper said, nodding.

“You see, now the result is unchanged. The goose lost its life for the pearl regardless,” Yatin said.

“I am truly sorry for what happened. Please accept my sincere apology and remorse for wronging you and the goose,” the shopkeeper said in shame as he repeatedly prostrated to the bhiksu. After tending to Yatin’s wounds, the shopkeeper accompanied him back to the monastery where he further repented and vowed to atone for his wrongdoings. Ever since, he developed a remarkable sense of faith, respect, and reverence for the bhiksu’s compassionate act of protecting life, having promised to always do the same.

This story highlights that our motivations significantly influence the outcomes of our actions. In this story, Yatin’s compassionate desire to protect the goose led him to take the blame for the missing pearl. But, the shopkeeper’s anger ultimately resulted in the unintended death of the goose. This serves as a reminder that we must always be mindful of our motivations and strive to act with compassion and understanding, even in the most challenging situations.

This story also illustrates the importance of taking responsibility for our actions. The shopkeeper’s willingness to admit his wrongdoing shows his acknowledgment of the law of cause and effect, which states that each of our actions has consequences that only we alone can shoulder. We must always consider the potential consequences of our actions, both positive and negative, before we act.

Furthermore, Yatin’s compassion and patience, inspired by his strong faith in the Buddha’s teachings, serve as examples of the positive qualities that can result from acting with understanding and compassion. Without a firm foundation of faith, cultivating such virtues can be quite challenging. However, by strengthening our faith and striving to always act with compassion and understanding, we develop patience and can make a positive impact on our own lives, the lives of others, and the world around us.

Just as Venerable Master Hsing Yun says,

“To realize one’s potential, all challenges must be endured.

To resolve conflicts, all responsibility must be accepted.”

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