the real burden upon our humanity is ingratitude

[BillyTheMountain]

Gratitude has been a valued trait in the Buddhist tradition. In the collection of tales about Shakyamuni’s past existences called The Jataka, he is often depicted as an embodiment of kindness and compassion while Devadatta, Shakyamuni’s adversary, is described as an ingrate. One Jataka tale goes as follows: Once a magnificent white elephant (Shakyamuni in a past life) saved the life of a forester (Devadatta) lost in the Himalayas by nourishing him and showing him the way back to the city. Greedy and ungrateful, this forester repeatedly returned to the elephant’s abode and begged for its tusks. He said he needed them for money to sustain his life and was given a portion of the tusks each time. When the forester took even the stumps of the elephants’ tusks, however, the earth opened up and swallowed the forester into the depths of hell.[2]

The earth could not support the weight of Devadatta’s base ingratitude, and he fell into hell. While some people may view a debt of gratitude as a burdensome obligation, Buddhism teaches that the real burden upon our humanity is ingratitude.

What the heck does THAT mean??!!

[MrBoogiejuice]

There's only so much tusk to go around.

[saskatchewanian]

Accept help when you need it and be grateful, do not abuse those that would help you.

seems like a good moral to me

[Daytripper63]

Accept help when you need it and be grateful, do not abuse those that would help you.

seems like a good moral to me
Sounds good
Besides the REAL burden upon our humanity is LAWYERS without ethics

[BillyTheMountain]

Accept help when you need it and be grateful, do not abuse those that would help you.

seems like a good moral to me

MrBoogie sounds a bit like .... Forrest Gump!

What exactly is a DEBT of gratitude? How quickly should you repay it? What about grattude debts you can never re-pay, like when someone saves your life?

[howdigetsogood]

whyd the elephant have to be white? is there a race issue behind this?

[saskatchewanian]

I am by no means an expert on these maters but white elephants have huge symbolism in Asian and Indian cultures. It is definitely not a race issue.

As for debts of gratitude, I do not live with any but I know people who do. If you feel you need to re-pay someone for a good deed this is a debt of gratitude. I try to be the best person I can be, I have been very lucky in my life with many good experiences but I do not feel that I owe any particular person a good deed (owe a debt of gratitude) any more than I expect a hitchhiker to some day fix my truck (hold others to a debt of gratitude).

P.S. you should watch the movie "pay it forward" it is a very good example of gratitude and ingratitude.

[howdigetsogood]

i think that was a great movie. is it a true story?