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Once upon a time, there was a very beautiful, very rich, but very proud young girl. Women avoided her and young men more often than not hated her for she usually offended her suitors.
For a long time, she remained single while all the other women in the village had begun families. She finally got hitched but she became so bored with him, they divorced each after just six months.
Ascribing her misfortune more to fate than to her nasty nature, she converted to Buddhism. For 20 years, she led a secluded life in a small pagoda in the forest among wild animals.
"Why haven't I met Buddha yet?" she would ask the chief monk. "Who knows the prayers better than I. Who can lead a life as pure as mine?"
One day she decided to pack up her things and go on a quest to the Promised West, or the Land of Buddha (Tay Truc) in the hope of answering these questions and many more. Alone, she set off on the long journey.
After many days, she arrived at the foot of a mountain, where she stumbled across a hut. The host and her daughter gave her a warm welcome.
The nasty nun told the pair about her quest and the woman and her daughter, who were both devote Buddhists, greatly admired her for her patience and faith.
As they wanted to meet Buddha too, they offered to accompany the nun on her quest.
"Come along with me then," said the nun, a little reluctant to let a couple of heathens tag along. So all three women set out and soon arrived in the Land of Buddha. The nun, however, was becoming concerned that one of her companions might be a little more pious than her.
"It would be shameful," she muttered under her breath, "if they were more successful than I." Buddha, who was aware of all three women's intentions, watched as the women approached the gates of heaven.
The nun, who by now wanted to get rid of her companions, said: "Don't you see that enormous banyan tree? It is under that tree that Buddha himself spent his life before attaining enlightenment."
"People say that if you climb to the top of the tree and say a prayer, you can fall right into heaven."
Without suspecting a thing, her companions climbed to the top of the tree and followed the wicked nun's advice. As they fell from the top of the tree, however, Buddha appeared, caught the naive pair and carried them to heaven.
The nun gaped at them, but pulled herself together and climbed to the top of the tree. She said a prayer, closed her eyes and let herself fall. Buddha, however, wanted to punish her for the trick she tried to play on her companions, so didn't catch her in her fall.
Instead, he trapped the nun in an old lime pot, the type old women in the countryside ransack when they make their betel quid. She's been stuck there ever since.
For a long time, she remained single while all the other women in the village had begun families. She finally got hitched but she became so bored with him, they divorced each after just six months.
Ascribing her misfortune more to fate than to her nasty nature, she converted to Buddhism. For 20 years, she led a secluded life in a small pagoda in the forest among wild animals.
"Why haven't I met Buddha yet?" she would ask the chief monk. "Who knows the prayers better than I. Who can lead a life as pure as mine?"
One day she decided to pack up her things and go on a quest to the Promised West, or the Land of Buddha (Tay Truc) in the hope of answering these questions and many more. Alone, she set off on the long journey.
After many days, she arrived at the foot of a mountain, where she stumbled across a hut. The host and her daughter gave her a warm welcome.
The nasty nun told the pair about her quest and the woman and her daughter, who were both devote Buddhists, greatly admired her for her patience and faith.
As they wanted to meet Buddha too, they offered to accompany the nun on her quest.
"Come along with me then," said the nun, a little reluctant to let a couple of heathens tag along. So all three women set out and soon arrived in the Land of Buddha. The nun, however, was becoming concerned that one of her companions might be a little more pious than her.
"It would be shameful," she muttered under her breath, "if they were more successful than I." Buddha, who was aware of all three women's intentions, watched as the women approached the gates of heaven.
The nun, who by now wanted to get rid of her companions, said: "Don't you see that enormous banyan tree? It is under that tree that Buddha himself spent his life before attaining enlightenment."
"People say that if you climb to the top of the tree and say a prayer, you can fall right into heaven."
Without suspecting a thing, her companions climbed to the top of the tree and followed the wicked nun's advice. As they fell from the top of the tree, however, Buddha appeared, caught the naive pair and carried them to heaven.
The nun gaped at them, but pulled herself together and climbed to the top of the tree. She said a prayer, closed her eyes and let herself fall. Buddha, however, wanted to punish her for the trick she tried to play on her companions, so didn't catch her in her fall.
Instead, he trapped the nun in an old lime pot, the type old women in the countryside ransack when they make their betel quid. She's been stuck there ever since.
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