CHUDAPANTHAKA

Chudapanthaka was a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha. But try as he might, he could never learn the Buddha's teachings by heart. Even worse, his brother was very smart and could remember many verses. This made Chudapanthaka feel like his brother was much better than he was.

One day he had even more trouble than usual remembering a verse. His brother turned to him and said, "You are always the last person to memorize a new phrase. Why don't you just give up and go home?"

Feeling down on himself, Chudapanthaka did as his brother said. On the way home, he could not stop the tears from streaming down his face. He liked Shakyamuni Buddha so much, and wished he could always be near him. Suddenly, Chudapanthaka came across the Buddha in his path.

"Why are you crying?" the Buddha asked Chudapanthaka.

"I'm sad because I have to go home. I'm disturbing the other disciples' training."

"Don't worry, Chudapanthaka," Shakyamuni Buddha gently said, "You don't have to leave. Stand outside the monastery with a rag. Help the other disciples to clean their feet as you say in your heart, 'Let me clear away the dirt.'"

Chudapanthaka was overjoyed and ran back to the monastery. That day, and every day thereafter, he stood at the entrance with a rag to welcome back the other disciples returning to the monastery. Their feet were very dirty, but he was glad to clean them.



"Let me clear away the dirt … Let me clear away the dirt…," he would recite to himself, happy to help each monk whose feet he cleaned.

Then one day, he realized, "I'm cleaning other people's feet, but what I'm really doing is, by helping others, I'm dusting off the dirt that covers my buddha nature and making it shine!" He joyfully kept up such efforts, and he, too, could finally take his place as one of Shakyamuni Buddha's holy disciples.