The Lazy Priest
Long ago, there lived a priest who was extremely lazy and poor. He did not want to do any hard work but used to dream of being rich one day. He got his food by begging for alms. One morning, he received a pot of milk as part of the alms. Delighted, he went home with the pot of milk, boiled it, drank some, and put the remaining milk in a pot. He added a bit of curd to the pot to convert the milk to curd and then lay down to sleep.
The Daydream Begins
As he lay asleep, he began to imagine all the possibilities that could come from the pot of curd. He dreamt that if he could become rich somehow, all his miseries would be gone. His thoughts turned to the pot of milk he had set to form curd. He dreamt on:
“By morning, the pot of milk would set and be converted to curd. I would churn the curd and make butter from it. I would heat the butter and make ghee out of it. I will then go to the market and sell that ghee, and make some money. With that money, I will buy a hen. The hen will lay many eggs which will hatch and there will be many chickens. Those chickens will in turn lay hundreds of eggs and I will soon have a poultry farm of my own.”
Building Castles in the Air
He continued imagining:
“I will sell all the hens of my poultry and buy some cows, and open a milk dairy. All the townspeople will buy milk from me. I will be very rich and soon I shall buy jewels. The king will buy all the jewels from me. I will be so rich that I will be able to marry an exceptionally beautiful girl from a rich family. Soon I will have a handsome son. If he does any mischief, I will be very angry and to teach him a lesson, I will hit him with a big stick.”
The Dream Shatters
During this dream, he involuntarily picked up the stick next to his bed. Thinking that he was beating his son, he raised the stick and hit the pot. The pot of milk broke, and he awoke from his daydream.
Moral of the Story
There is no substitute for hard work. Dreams cannot be fulfilled without effort and dedication.
Reflection on the Story
The Folly of Daydreaming:
- The story illustrates the folly of daydreaming without taking practical steps towards achieving one’s goals. The priest’s idle dreams led to nothing but a shattered pot and lost opportunity.
Importance of Hard Work:
- Dreams and aspirations are important, but they must be backed by hard work and effort. Without putting in the necessary work, dreams remain mere fantasies.
Reality vs. Fantasy:
- The priest’s dream was a fantasy built on a fragile foundation. In reality, achieving success requires careful planning and consistent effort.
Lessons to Be Learned
- The Value of Hard Work:
- There is no shortcut to success. Hard work is essential to turning dreams into reality.
- Practical Steps Toward Goals:
- While it is good to have aspirations, it is important to take practical steps towards achieving them, rather than getting lost in daydreams.
- Facing Reality:
- One must face reality and work diligently towards their goals instead of relying on fantasies and unrealistic expectations.
- Avoiding Complacency:
- Complacency and laziness can lead to missed opportunities and failure. Staying proactive and engaged is crucial for success.
