Story of the day

There is a tale about an old trick used to trap and capture wild monkeys. The hunters take a large nut with hard shell. A hole is made in the shell, just sufficient in size to let a monkey put its hand through it, but not big enough to let it withdraw its folded fist from the nut, when it is full of grabbed food. They put into the nut foods with fine smell such as orange peels, peanuts or small fruits. The nut is fastened firmly to a heavy rock or large tree and the trap is left in a place where monkeys visit regularly. Attracted by the smell of the food, an approaching monkey may eagerly introduce its hand inside the nut and grab a fistful of the food.

As the hunters approach, the monkey tries its best to leave the nut, but by instinct the monkey does not relax its grip on the food and so cannot escape from the trap. The frightened monkey may scream and try hard to pull out its hand but it tightens its grip as it lacks the sense to release its grasp. The monkey is then easily captured.

Like the monkey in this story, we hold on to several silly pleasures and sinful situations. We have to be ready to leave our attachment to worthless worldly pleasures and affinity to material objects to gain true freedom and gather greater goals. Our desires impede our freedom. We should detach ourselves from these tempting desires. Otherwise we become slaves of sin. When we clasp worldly interests we fail to open our hands to receive the bliss of heavenly happiness. Will a person gain anything if he wins the whole world but loses his life or soul?

Moral Stories