Obstacles to Happiness*

A monk, Bhaddiya, was meditating

Long ago in India when

Some other monks heard him exclaim

"My happiness!" again and again.

Assuming that Bhaddiya lamented

The style of life that he had maintained

Before he gave up everything,

Donned his robes, and became ordained.

The other monks went to the Buddha

And told him that Bhaddiya had sunk

Far below the standards required

To be a devout, righteous monk.

"Bring him to me," their master said,

Knowing full well the situation.

The puzzled monk entered the chamber

And bowed to the Buddha in humble prostration.

The Buddha asked, "Bhaddiya, were you

Repeating 'My happiness!' a while ago?

If indeed you were, dear friend,

Is there something that we should know?"

"Master," Bhaddiya replied, "at times

It's hard for me to contain my bliss.

There's absolutely nothing about

My former lifestyle that I miss.

"I was a statesman with power and wealth.

Servants and guards: there were so many.

But reasons to be happy? Well,

I had a hard time finding any.

"Though I had guards, I always feared

Someone would try to kill me and take

All my money and all my possessions.

There was always so much at stake.

"But now I live in utmost freedom.

I have no fears; I feel…elated.

Never have I felt so happy--

So completely liberated!"

The other monks felt slightly ashamed.

How quickly they had jumped to conclusions!

How easily they had let themselves

Be caught off guard and trapped by illusions!

Bhaddiya had already learned his lesson.

Our ideas--he would confess--

Of what can make us happy can be

Obstacles to our happiness.

-by Bob B (4-30-18)

*An old tale retold here in verse