Nagarjuna and his begging bowl

Nagarjuna, a respected fakir, was loved by genuine seekers. One day, a queen invited him to her palace and requested his begging bowl. He gave it to her, and in return, she gifted him a golden bowl adorned with diamonds, saying he deserved something precious. Nagarjuna accepted it without hesitation, showing his indifference to material wealth.

As he left the palace, a thief saw the valuable bowl and followed Nagarjuna to steal it. Knowing the thief's intentions, Nagarjuna threw the bowl outside, prompting the thief to enter and express his amazement and shame. The thief's encounter with Nagarjuna's generosity and wisdom led him to realize the futility of his life as a thief. He asked Nagarjuna how long it would take to achieve enlightenment, to which Nagarjuna responded that it could happen immediately, likening it to lighting a candle in the dark.

Nagarjuna shared a meditation practice with the thief, who devotedly followed it. The thief imagined desires as unreal horns on his head, and over time, he saw these horns grow, symbolizing the burden of desires. When Nagarjuna returned after twelve years, he explained that just as the imagined horns were unreal, so were worldly desires and possessions. Realizing this, the thief attained enlightenment and became known as Guru Naga Bodhi, Nagarjuna's successor.

The story illustrates the transformative power of generosity, wisdom, and meditation. Nagarjuna's teachings emphasize that enlightenment can be achieved by seeing through the illusions of desires and realizing the true nature of reality. The thief's journey from darkness to light symbolizes the potential for anyone to attain spiritual awakening through sincere effort and guidance.