The Power of Thoughts: A Story of Integrity and Self-Reflection

Stay with Those Who Have Bad Times, Leave Those Who Have Bad Intentions

A Boy’s Daily Struggle

Today’s story is about a 24-year-old boy who worked for a landlord. His parents were no longer in this world, and his life was full of difficulties. Every day, he would go to work, earn money, come home, cook, eat, and sleep—this was his daily routine.

The Encounter with the Fakir
One evening, while returning home from work, he saw an old fakir carrying three big bundles on his back, traveling from one city to another. The fakir looked very old and tired. After walking some more distance, he stopped to rest under a tree. The young man, walking on the same path, noticed the fakir. As the boy passed by, the fakir called out to him in a pleading voice, “Listen, son, can you help me? These bundles are very heavy, and I am old. I cannot carry them for long distances. Can you take one of my bundles to the next village? I will give you two gold coins in return.”

Helping the Fakir
The boy agreed to help the fakir and took one of the bundles. As soon as he lifted it, he realized how heavy it was. They continued walking until they reached the edge of the village, and the path ahead was deserted. The boy asked the fakir what was in the heavy bundle. The fakir replied, “It is filled with copper coins, which is why it is so heavy.” The boy thought the fakir might be a businessman carrying a lot of copper coins but decided not to dwell on it and continued walking.

Crossing the River
They reached a river, and the boy, being strong and healthy, crossed it easily. The fakir, however, hesitated. He asked the boy to take another bundle across the river, offering him two more gold coins. The boy, willing to help without any reward, agreed and took the second bundle. After crossing the river, he asked the fakir what was in the second bundle. The fakir replied, “It is filled with silver coins.”

Racing Thoughts
The boy’s mind began to race with thoughts of the wealth the fakir must have accumulated. He started thinking that maybe the fakir had sold all his land to gather these coins. However, he controlled his thoughts and continued walking. They reached a deserted road, and the boy’s thoughts of greed resurfaced. He considered taking the coins and running away since the fakir wouldn’t be able to catch him. But he dismissed the idea, thinking about the hard work the fakir must have done to collect the coins.

Climbing the Hill
The boy’s greedy thoughts returned when they approached a hill. The fakir asked him to carry the third bundle, which contained gold coins, offering him two more gold coins. The boy agreed, feeling very happy. He took the third bundle and climbed the hill with difficulty. As they reached the top, he planned to run away with the bundles when the path sloped down.

The Consequences of Greed
Once he reached his home, he eagerly opened the bundles, only to find rusty iron coins in all of them. Shocked and angry, he found a letter inside one of the bundles. The letter revealed that the fakir was the king of the state, searching for an honest person to succeed him. The boy realized he had failed the test due to his uncontrolled thoughts and greed.

The Lesson

Lord Buddha says that thoughts are everything. Our thoughts shape our words and actions, which turn into habits and eventually form our character and destiny. It is crucial to be aware of our thoughts and control them. Lord Buddha advises developing the right intention and being aware of our thoughts. By doing so, we can avoid sorrow and troubles and lead a happy and prosperous life.


I hope you have learned a lot from this story. It would be great if you let me know what you think about the story.