Buddha walked slowly in the shade of the mangrove. The early morning sun had already started shooting golden arrows through the foliage of the trees. The chatter of birds had started subsiding slowly. The path to the nearby village from where he is going to beg for food laid waiting for embracing the Exalted One's footsteps. The whole surrounding seemed to be reveling in the glory of having his presence.
A squirrel residing in a nearby tree saw Buddha coming. He had wanted to discuss about a certain thought that has been pestering him for some time now. He hopped on to a fallen log of wood nearby the path and waited for the Exalted One. As Buddha reached near him, he saw the squirrel and bowed with his radiant smile.
The squirrel bowed in return and said.
“Oh Siddhartha, my name is Soumitra and I live here in a nearby tree. Can I take a few moments of yours to dispel a certain concern of mine?”
The Exalted One’s large eyes became brighter at Soumitra’s request. He said.
“Soumitra, my friend, how can I be of service to you? In what way shall I help you?”
Soumitra was happy to see that Buddha does not have to move on in haste and can spend some time with him. He straight away brought out his point.
“O Perfected One, among men can only princes attain Buddhahood? Among princes can only Siddhartha, Suddhodana’s son, attain Buddhahood?”
Though Buddha’s face remained tranquil at this, his eyes reflected the ripples of pain produced by this tiny stone thrown in the river of his heart. A perturbing thought which had already sprouted and grown into a thorny bush in his mind had been expressed so openly by Soumitra. A small cut is knifed and opened to a mortal wound by this friend.
As if to hide his pain the Exalted One shut his eyes for some time and replied. Taking great pains he told the truth.
“Soumitra, my friend, among men nobody would ever want Buddhahood other than princes. Among princes nobody would ever attain Buddhahood other than Suddhodana’s son.”
As he uttered these words he felt like cutting down a tree which he had planted, watered and nurtured since youth.
Soumitra felt sympathetic towards the Exalted One’s difficulty. He instantly understood that his question has cut opened into the deepest recesses of the Exalted One’s heart. He wanted to somehow console the Exalted One but still his next question was as much agonizing.
He asked “Then why do you exert so much for the sake of the unattainable?"
Buddha took a deep breath and looked far away without seeing anything before answering. “Because, unlike you, we men are weak, so weak that we cannot make a step forward without leaning on to the stick of hope. I lie to myself that I am not the last among human beings to attain Buddhahood. That is how I convince myself to live and make myself believe that it is worthwhile to walk among people talking. Now regarding how I give them hope - I have shown them that Buddhahood is attainable and that is how I give them hope.”
Soumitra felt that anymore questions asked will put himself in the difficult situation of being a cause for deepening the Exalted One’s grief.
Soumitra bowed again and said to the Exalted One – “I apologize for stirring your mind and I thank you for sharing your agonies with me. I shall from now on be more compassionate towards humankind. With you permission let me now take my leave.”
Buddha bowed in return said “I owe you a lot for making me braver. Farewell to you, my good friend.”
After Soumitra left, Buddha continued his walk to the village thinking about how soon his words will be forgotten by people because of humankind’s inherent ineptitude to face suffering unlike animals.
