Plastic Plants and Real Plants Inspired by Tao

 Plastic Plants and Real Plants

Inspired by Tao

A young boy bought three plastic plants and placed them on the compound wall, watering them in the hopes that they would bloom. One day, a monk passed by and noticed the boy's dedication to watering the plants. Curious, he approached the boy and asked what he was doing. The boy replied, "I am watering the plants so that some flowers will grow." The monk examined the plants closely and realized they were plastic. After contemplating for a moment, he left the scene.

The following day, as the monk was walking by again, he saw the boy inspecting the plastic plants. He decided to help the boy understand that nothing would grow from plastic. The monk visited a nearby horticulture store and purchased three real plants. On his return to the monastery, he intended to demonstrate the difference between the plastic plants and the real ones.

The monk entered the boy's home and spoke with his parents about the plastic plants. They explained that they had already tried to tell him, but he never listened. The monk sought permission to take the boy to the monastery to enlighten him about his misunderstanding, and the parents were pleased with his initiative.

The monk called the young boy and said, "Let's go to the nearby monastery." The boy agreed and followed him. Upon reaching the monastery, the monk instructed one of his disciples to find a suitable place to plant the saplings. The disciple identified a spot and prepared the ground for planting. The monk assisted the boy in planting the saplings and told him to water them. He explained that starting tomorrow, the boy should water both the saplings at the monastery and the three plants back at his house. The young boy agreed and began this routine daily. Weeks turned into months, and the boy kept up with the care.

Eventually, the boy approached the monk and said, "Look at the three plants here! One has grown tall like a tree, one has started to bear flowers, and the other is getting thicker and taller." The monk asked about the plants at the boy's home. The boy hung his head and admitted, "Nothing is happening to those plants." The monk reminded him, "They are plastic and do not have life." He then asked, "Would you like to spend time with those plastic plants, or would you prefer to nurture the real plants here?" The boy replied, "I would like to nurture the plants here."

Years passed, and the boy grew into a young adult who completed his graduation but continued to care for the plants. Each day, he would visit the monastery, stand under the now-tall tree to enjoy the fresh air, pick fruits from the fruit-bearing tree to share with monastery visitors, and pluck flowers to place near the Buddha statue.

 

One day, the monastery summoned the young man to meet the monk, who was nearing the end of his life. The young man hurried to the monastery to see the monk.

The monk asked, "How are your plants?" The young man replied, "They are doing well." The monk then said, "Come closer; I would like to share some important lessons about life." The young man moved closer to listen attentively.

The monk began, "When you were young, you didn't understand that plastic plants cannot grow flowers. However, once I introduced you to real plants and taught you how to nurture them, you learned the art of growing. Let me share something else: some people are like plastic plants. They may appear attractive, but no matter how much love, care, and kindness you show them, they will never reciprocate. Many people waste their time on such relationships.

In contrast, others resemble these real plants. Some may not bear fruit but provide shade and a sense of safety. Others are like fruit-bearing trees that will continually give to you, while some are like flowering plants that enrich your life with care, kindness, and love.

Never waste your time on people who are only interested in taking and never giving. They are like plastic, which harms the environment, and they can be harmful to relationships as well. Investing time in people who are like real plants will turn your life into a thriving garden. Remember, you should aim to be a tall tree in someone’s life, providing safety; be a fruit-bearing tree to give what you can; and be a flowering plant to shower love. Unless you are a plant in someone else's garden, you cannot expect the plants in your own garden to flourish."

 

M.L. Narendra Kumar