The Begining Of The 500 Years - Part II

When the moment had passed, the Buddha once again manifested himself and asked the love struck girl if she was happy that her wish had been finally fulfilled. She shook her head sadly asking why she was not built in the middle of the bridge so that she could have at least had a touch of him when he brushed past her. To which the answer was it would take another 500 years of meditation for a chance at a closer look and a touch. The Buddha posed her this thought if she would regret her decision and be willing to endure all suffering again for yet another 500 years just for that one more opportunity and the answer was once again a firm affirmative no to regret and yes to another five centurion wait.

She was thus turned into a seedling buried deep in the ground on a busy street and over the years bloomed into a big sturdy tree with lush leaves providing wonderful shade to all that walked under. This time being on a busy street many walks of life went by keeping her company unlike the previous situation. Each approaching man raised her hope and dashing it when they walked past as none were who she was waiting for. Eventually, she understood that she had to fulfill her part bargain of meditating for 500 years before that can ever happen again. With that she patiently waited through century after century.

Like clockwork, on the final day of her mediation, she saw him again. Handsome as ever, he was strolling this time unlike the last time she set her eyes on him. The weather was scorching that day and the young man came to the lush tree seeking some respite and rest. He leaned against her body as he sat down and soon fell into a slumber under the cool shade. She spread her branches out and gently swayed them creating a cool breeze for the sleeping man. Wakened from his nap, the young man looked up at the tree and gave it a hug as a way of showing his appreciation for shading him as he rested. With that he left to continue on his journey.

The Buddha appeared once more enquiring if the girl had wanted to be the wife of the man next. In reply she said no as it was enough to love someone without having to be married to the person. She further ventured by asking if the man’s wife in currently life had also suffered as long just to be with him. To which the Buddha nodded and she said that being able to finally touch the man of her dreams was more than enough. Upon saying that, she noticed the Buddha heaved a sigh of relieve and she was curious and asked if even the great Buddha had a problem. The Buddha then smiled at her and said a young man, who in order to have an another view of her, had already waited a thousand years but now he doesn’t have to wait yet another thousand years to just meet her again.

Perhaps this girl had already a man for her but because she had wanted to have another look at the young man she saw at the temple fair, she gave up her right to everything else and in the process losing her right to her affinity which had to be started a thousand years later.