Yuvacharya Mahashraman
Faith In Right Conduct
With right belief there can be right behaviour. If one is concerned about a particular belief, he or she will strongly stand by it despite any problems that occur. Some of the rules that are rightly acceptable one should never stray away from them. This story goes back to the times of Acharya Bhikshu.
Once a householder lady insisted that Bhikshuswami should take food from her house. It happened many times and the lady seemed quite adamant in inviting Bhikshuswami over her house.
Once Acharya Bhikshu went to her house. He asked the lady if she had washed her hands to keep them clean.
On hearing this question she replied in the affirmative.
Acharya Bhikshu then wanted to know if she had used hot or cold water.
To this query she replied that she had used the hot water and place was an open drain in the courtyard of her house. Bhikshuswami felt concerned at the number of living beings that got killed in the process and told the lady of her action.
The irate lady snapped back at Bhikshuswami and told him it was no concern of his where and how she washed her hands. It was her habit to wash her hands like this and she had no intention of changing her ways.
Acharya Bhikshu without being offended told the lady if she could not change her ways then he would not think only for food. Because he was very particular about the behaviour of his people who served him food.
Any person who truly stands by his principles and beliefs experiences a sense of elation when he does not give into temptations. People who place importance on high character, rather than money, are great souls.
It is rightly said - Simple living and high thinking is better than people making money their god and putting it first to anything else. Anyone who loses character loses everything.
