I vaguely recall reading this story before, possible from the Suttas. Can anyone tell me the scriptural source? (Not looking for modern re-telling such as those by Ven Thich Nhat Hanh.)
> THE LOST SON
>
> "A young widower, who loved his five year old son very much, was away
> on business when bandits came who burned down the whole village and
> took his son away. When the man returned, he saw the ruins and
> panicked. The took the burnt corpse of an infant to be his son and
> cried uncontrollably. He organised a cremation ceremony, collected the
> ashes and put them in a beautiful little bag which he always kept with
> him. Soon afterwards, his real son escaped from the bandits and found
> his way home. He arrived at his father's new cottage at midnight and
> knocked at the door. The father, still grieving asked: "Who is it?"
> The child answered, it is me papa, open the door!" But in his agitated
> state of mind, convinced his son was dead, the father thought that
> some young boy was making fun of him. He shouted: "Go away" and
> continued to cry. After some time, the child left. Father and son
> never saw each other again." After this story, the Buddha said:
> "Sometime, somewhere, you take something to be the truth. If you cling
> to it so much, even when the truth comes in person and knocks on your
> door, you will not open it."
> (http://viewonbuddhism.org/resources/buddhist_stories.html)
Asked by KumÄra Bhikkhu
(552 rep)
Jun 25, 2020, 02:59 AM
Last activity: Jun 26, 2020, 01:00 AM
Last activity: Jun 26, 2020, 01:00 AM