Attachment
The KING AND HIS PANTS
There was once a king who had led a good life and was getting older. He decided to leave the administration of the kingdom in the capable hands of his successor. He then left the palace to live a solitary life in the forest so he could dedicate the remainder of his life in the thoughts of God. He did not take with him any material wealth but left the palace with only the pants he wore.
The king settled in the forest a little distance from a small village. Every day the king would wake early and go to the river to pay respects to the sun as it rose in the east. He would then spend his days in contemplation and chanting of the names of God. One day he noticed that his pants had gotten a hole. There was a mouse where he lived which was chewing away at his pants from time to time. The king got worried about the only pants that he had to wear. He decided he would have to get rid of the mouse so he got a cat. His plan worked very well and soon the mouse had fled from that small house.
Now the king had to keep the cat to ensure no other mice would come and live in his house. He had to get milk for the cat. Instead of spending time in contemplation he had to walk to the village to get milk for the cat. His spiritual practice was disturbed. One day he was telling the man who sold the milk about his trouble. The man suggested he get a cow so he wouldn't have to walk to the village everyday and gave him one of his cows.
The king was happy that he did not have to leave his place in search of milk every day. However, a new problem came with the cow. He had to take care of the cow and ensure it was taken out to the field for grazing. A villager who saw his predicament suggested he get married and his wife would take care of the cow.
The king got married and his wife took good care of the cow and the cat. In time the king had a few children with his wife and was now fully engaged in looking after the welfare of the family.
See all the problems that came to the king from the single attachment to a pants. His spiritual practice and concentration was totally destroyed. He had to give up the goal of his life due to that single attachment.
MORAL :
Unnecessary attachment to things in this world ruin your peace of mind.
You can try and find solutions to your worry but it will lead to even greater entanglement in worldly life.
It is better to leave off the attachment to things in this world and retain your peace of mind.
