The Minister Burnt Down His House…

- "How can one know where the ghost is on the night of the full moon?"

- "Only a person without intelligence is cheated. No one can cheat an intelligent person."

- Jivram Joshi

T here is a teenager named Chakija. He was so clever that he became a favorite of the King of Burma (Brahmadesh). Work that no one else could do, Chakija would accomplish with his intelligence. The King was extremely pleased. He honored Chakija by giving him the seat on his right-hand side.

The Minister burned up with envy. In the royal court, only the Minister could sit on the King's right side. Now, he had to sit on the left. The Minister was truly irritated in his heart that a sixteen-year-old boy had snatched his seat! The Minister decided that he must defeat this immature boy in some matter or other.

One day, The royal court was assembled. The King was seated on his throne. On the right side was Chakija, and on the left side was the Minister. In the course of conversation, the King asked the Minister: "Tell me, Minister! Is the one who is cheated clever, or is the one who cheats clever?"

The Minister replied: "Only a person without intelligence is cheated. No one can cheat an intelligent person."

Now the King asked Chakija: "Tell me, Chakija, is the Minister's statement correct?"

Immediately, Chakija said: "False."

"Huh?" the King exclaimed in surprise.

The Minister laughed and said: "No one would believe that. An intelligent person is not cheated."

The King said: "That statement seems correct to us as well."

The Minister said: "This happens when someone speaks without understanding. It's a simple, straightforward matter that only foolish people without intelligence are cheated by fraudsters."

The King said to Chakija: "Brother, the Minister has not accepted your statement, and neither do we."

The Minister was greatly delighted. Today, he got his chance. He should ensnare Chakija in it. Time keeps running; the minute that passes never returns. Wise people have said that he who loses an opportunity, loses everything. Therefore, this opportunity must not be let go.

Thinking this, the Minister said: "Your Majesty, he must have just blurted it out. He is of immature intellect, after all!"

The King looked at Chakija and said: "If you blurted it out, it's fine. People make mistakes."

Chakija said: "No, Sir, what I said is correct."

The Minister smiled and said: "That is not something anyone can be convinced of just by saying it."

The King said: "Yes, brother, the Minister speaks the truth. If that statement is true, Chakija must prove it."

Chakija fell into thought. He remained silent. The Minister understood that Chakija seemed nervous in his mind. Now he should not let him escape.

The Minister said: "Your Majesty! What you say is true. If Chakija is right, he should prove it."

Chakija was silent.

The King again asked Chakija: "Is what the Minister says correct? Will you be able to prove it?"

Chakija slightly nodded his head and remained quiet after just saying, "Yes, Sir."

The Minister was even more delighted that Chakija had said yes, but was nervous in his mind.

The King said to the Minister: "Chakija will prove it."

The Minister said: "So be it."

The court time ended. The King went to the palace, and everyone else went to their respective homes. Chakija went to his residence.

There was a hillock on the bank of the river. On this hillock was a small temple. This temple was from ancient times and contained an old idol of Lord Buddha. There was a monastery there. A priest-sage lived there. The Minister had a habit of going to the temple for darshan (viewing) every full moon day (Punem). After the sun set on one side, and the moon, like a silver platter, appeared on the other side, the Minister would return home.

One full moon, the Minister went to the temple. He saw a new sage there. The priest told the Minister that this sage had arrived four days ago. He was a great ascetic and knowledgeable man. The Minister bowed to the sage.

The sage said: "You are a fortunate man."

Saying this, the ascetic sage closed his eyes for a while and then said: "But it would not be a surprise if your honor and position have recently declined. Because of this, your respect decreases and another person's respect increases."

Saying this, the sage again closed his eyes and then spoke: "Yes, that must be happening. The reason for this is that the ghost of an evil spirit has entered your house. Its effect has fallen upon your intellect. What you think is right turns out to be wrong. That is why your honor and position have declined. If you don't heed this now, a time will come when you will have to leave this city dishonored. As long as the ghost of that impure spirit does not leave your house, this will continue to happen."

The Minister folded his hands and asked: "O Holy Sage! I beg of you, is there any remedy to expel that impure ghost?"

The sage closed his eyes again, and after a short while, opened them and said: "That impure ghost will not leave easily, but it will go if you try one remedy. Otherwise, wherever you go, it will follow you. Wherever you live, it will stay there."

The Minister said: "What is the remedy for that?"

The sage said: "On the night of the full moon, that ghost stays exactly where it is. When half the night passes and the moon is halfway across the sky, that ghost becomes almost unconscious. If a fire starts there at that time, the ghost begins to burn. Then it flees from there and never returns."

The Minister said: "How can one know where the ghost is on the night of the full moon?"

The sage said: "That cannot be known by anyone, but it will be in the house. For that, you would have to burn the entire house. That task is a bit difficult."

The Minister said: "Even if it is difficult, I will do it according to your advice and drive out that ghost." Thanking the sage, the Minister went back home. He did not tell anyone else about this. He arranged for another house to live in. He also moved a lot of the household goods there.

The night of the full moon arrived. The Minister arranged a feast one night. He held the feast in the garden on this full moon night. Everyone in the household gathered there. When half the night had passed and the moon was halfway across the sky, the Minister quietly went and set fire to the house. The house flared up. Flames of fire began to rise. The household members started shouting. Other people also rushed over. Eventually, the Minister's large mansion-like house burned down to ashes.

The King's court assembled. The Minister sat on his seat. Chakija was also seated. The King said: "Minister! How did your mansion burn down?"

Before the Minister could answer, Chakija spoke up: Greed destroys virtue And the house catches fire Everyone is cheated by greed Even the clever are deceived

Hearing Chakija's words, the Minister was startled. The King was surprised.

Then Chakija explained the entire matter to the King. "That sage was a fake person. The story he told about the ghost is false and something no intelligent person would believe. But greedy and avaricious people are deceived by it. No matter how clever a person may be, they become foolish. There are no such things as ghosts in this world. Those are just stories made up by deceitful people to cheat good-natured, simple folk. The Minister was intelligent and clever, yet he was deceived. Our statement has been proven that even the clever are cheated."

The Minister was dumbstruck.