Prince Five-Weapons and Sticky-Hair (The Diamond Weapon)

Once upon a time, the Enlightenment Being was born as the son of the King and Queen of Benares. On the day of his naming, 800 fortune tellers were invited to the palace. As presents, they were given whatever they desired to make them happy for the moment. Then they were asked to tell the fortune of the newborn prince. This was so they could find a good name for him.

One of the fortune tellers was an expert in reading the marks on the body. He said, "My lord, this is a being of great merit. He will be king after you."

The fortune tellers were very clever. They told the king and queen whatever they wanted to hear. They said, "Your son will be skilled in five weapons. He will become famous as the greatest master of all five weapons throughout India." Based on this, the king and queen named their son 'Prince Five-Weapons'.

When the prince turned 16, the king decided to send him to college. He said, "Go, my son, to the city of Takkasila. There you will find a world famous teacher. Learn all you can from him. Give him this money as payment." He gave him a thousand gold coins and sent him on his way.

The prince went to the world famous teacher of Takkasila. He studied very hard and became his best pupil. When the teacher had taught him all he knew, he gave the prince a special graduation award. He gave him five weapons. Then he sent him back to Benares.

On his way home he came to a forest which was haunted by a monster. The local people warned Prince Five-Weapons, "Young man, don't go through the forest. There is a monstrous demon called Sticky-Hair living there. He kills everyone he sees!"

But the prince was self-confident and fearless like a young lion. So he pushed on into the forest, until he came to the dreadful monster. He was as tall as a tree, with a head as big as the roof of a house and eyes as big as dishes. He had two big yellow tusks sticking out of his gaping white mouth filled with ugly brown teeth. He had a huge belly covered with white spots, and his hands and feet were blue.

The monster roared and growled at the prince, "Where are you going in my forest, little man? You look like a tasty morsel to me. I'm going to gobble you up!"

The prince had just graduated from college and had won the highest award from his teacher. So he thought he knew just about everything, and that he could do just about anything. He replied, "Oh fierce demon, I am Prince Five-Weapons, and I have come on purpose to find you. I dare you to attack me! I will kill you easily with my first two weapons - my bow and poison-tipped arrows."

Then he put a poison arrow in his bow and shot it straight at the monster. But the arrow just stuck fast to his hair, like glue, without hurting him at all. Then the prince shot, one after another, all the rest of his 50 poison-tipped arrows. But they also stuck fast to the hair of the one called Sticky-Hair.

Then the beast shook his body, from ugly rooftop-sized head to blue coloured feet. And all the arrows fell harmlessly to the ground.

Prince Five-Weapons drew his third weapon, a 33-inch-long sword. He plunged it into his enemy. But it just stuck fast in the thick coat of sticky hair. He threw his fourth weapon, his spear, at the monster. But this too just stuck to his hair.

Next he attacked with the last of his five weapons, his club. This also stuck fast onto Sticky-Hair.

Then the prince yelled at him, "Hey you, monster - haven't you ever heard of me, Prince Five-Weapons? I have more than just my five weapons. I have the strength of my young man's body. I will break you in pieces!"

He hit Sticky-Hair with his right fist, just like a boxer. But his hand just stuck to the hairy coat, and he couldn't remove it. He hit him with his left fist, but this too just stuck fast to the gooey mess of hair. He kicked him with his right foot and then his left, just like a martial arts master. But they both stuck onto him like his fists. Finally he butted him as hard as he could with his head, just like a wrestler. But, lo and behold, his head got stuck as well.

Even while sticking to the hairy monster in five places, hanging down from his coat, the prince had no fear.

Sticky-Hair thought, "This is very strange indeed. He is more like a lion than a man. Even while in the grasp of a ferocious monster like me, he does not tremble with fear. In all the time I've been killing people in this forest, I've never met anyone as great as this prince. Why isn't he afraid of me?"

Since Prince Five-Weapons was not like ordinary men, Sticky-Hair was afraid to eat him right away. Instead he asked him, "Young man, why aren't you afraid of death?"

The prince replied, "Why should I be afraid of death? There is no doubt that anyone who is born will definitely die!"

Then the Enlightenment Being thought, "The five weapons given to me by the world famous teacher have been useless. Even the lion-like strength of my young man's body has been useless. I must go beyond my teacher, beyond my body, to the weapon inside my mind - the only weapon I need."

The prince continued speaking to Sticky-Hair, "There's one small detail, oh monstrous one, I haven't told you about yet. In my belly is my secret weapon, a diamond weapon you cannot digest. It will cut your intestines into pieces if you are foolish enough to swallow me. So if I die - you die! That's why I'm not afraid of you."

In this way the prince used his greatest inner strength in a way Sticky-Hair could easily understand. He knew this greatest of all weapons, the one inside his mind, was the precious diamond gem of his own intelligence.

Sticky-Hair thought, "No doubt this fearless man is telling the truth. Even if I eat as much as a pea-sized tidbit of such a hero, I won't be able to digest it. So I will let him go." Fearing his own death, he set Prince Five-Weapons free.

He said, "You are a great man. I will not eat your flesh. I let you go free, just like the moon that reappears after an eclipse, so you may shine pleasantly on all your friends and relatives."

The Enlightenment Being had learned from his battle with the monster Sticky-Hair. He had learned the only worthwhile weapon is the intelligence inside, not the weapons of the world outside. And with this diamond weapon he also knew that destroying life brings only suffering to the killer.

In gratitude, he taught the unfortunate demon. He said, "Oh Sticky-Hair, you have been born as a murderous blood sucking flesh eating demon because of unwholesome deeds in your past. If you continue killing in this way, it will lead only to suffering for you - both in this life and beyond. You can only go from darkness to darkness.

"Now that you have spared me, you won't be able to kill so easily. Hear this - destroying life leads to misery in this world, and then rebirth in a hell world, or as an animal or a hungry ghost. Even if you were lucky enough to be reborn as a human being, you would have only a short life!"

Prince Five-Weapons continued to teach Sticky-Hair. Eventually the monster agreed to follow the Five Training Steps. In his way he transformed him from a monster into a friendly forest fairy. And when he left the forest, the prince told the local people about the change in the one-time demon. From then on they fed him regularly and lived in peace.

Prince Five-Weapons returned to Benares. Later he became king. Finally he died and was reborn as he deserved.

The moral is: The only weapon you need is hidden inside you.


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Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda

Brilliant inner light of culture
People's hearts are growing more complex, more confused and harder to understand. The same is true for human institutions. The darkness of this complicated and disturbed age may grow even deeper. This is why there is an even greater need for the brilliant inner light of culture, for education that polishes people's wisdom and character. This is the key to winning in life. 10/7


Viewpoint expands beyond the present boundaries
When open and engaged, we are experiencing the greater self. When closed off, we are putting forth our "lesser self." The lesser self is a deluded condition, while the greater self is synonymous with the Buddha nature. To live for the greater self means to recognize the universal principle behind all things and, thus awakened, rise above the suffering caused by awareness of impermanence. A belief in something eternal is needed to enhance our quality of existence. By believing this lifetime is the be-all and end-all of existence, we will miss out on living a truly profound life. When our viewpoint expands beyond the boundaries of our present existence to include the entire, eternal universe, we can live deeply fulfilling lives. 9/7


Winning
Buddhism concerns itself with winning. When we battle a powerful enemy, either we will triumph or we will be defeated—there is no middle ground. Battling against life's negative functions is an indivisible part of Buddhism. It is by being victorious in this struggle that we become Buddhas. We have to win. Moreover, Buddhism ensures that we can definitely do so. 8/7


Changing Our Karma
Buddhism, which is founded on the law of cause and effect, stresses the concept of karma. This principle explains that life at each moment is subject to the cumulative effects of causes made in the past. What we do, what we say and what we think are all causes. And according to Buddhism, the moment we do something, say something or think something, an effect is registered in the depths of our being. Then, as our lives meet the right circumstances, the effect becomes apparent. Personality traits are strongly connected to our karma. The good news is that, unlike fate, our karma can be changed by causes we make from this moment forward. In fact, the practice of Buddhism is essentially the practice of continually changing our karma. 7/7


Strong Opponent
A strong opponent helps us develop and forge our own strength and ability. When you encounter some challenge, rejoice and say to yourself, "I have met a rare and worthy adversary!" Greet everything positively, weather all storms with a strong, resilient spirit, and emerge triumphant. That is the Buddhist way of life. 6/7


Enjoy Nagging
Having the energy to argue is a sign of good health! When the two people in a relationship share similar conditions, it is only natural that they will lock horns from time to time. On the other hand, if one party begins to outgrow the other, then the two will probably not have serious confrontations, because their states of life are so different.
It would be great if we could live cheerfully, enjoying life to the extent that we regard our partner's nagging as a sign of his or her good health and proof that he or she is still alive and kicking. When we develop a broad state of life, then even our partner's ranting and raving will sound like the sweet song of a bird. 5/7


Inner Revolution of Individual
A great inner revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of an entire society and, further, will cause a change in the destiny of humankind. 4/7


Mentor-disciple relationship
A mentor is indispensable if we are to develop into people of outstanding character. Viewed on a deeper level, our relationship with our mentor can have an even greater significance for us than our relationship with our parents. In the mentor-disciple relationship, we can find the very essence for achieving victory in life. 3/7


Attaining state of Buddhahood
If we attain the state of Buddhahood in this lifetime, that state will forever pervade our lives. Throughout the cycle of birth and death, in each new lifetime, we are endowed with good health, wealth and intelligence, along with a supportive, comfortable environment, and lead lives that overflow with good fortune. Each of us will also possess a unique mission and be born in an appropriate form to fulfill it. 2/7


Debt of Gratitute
If we cherish the spirit to repay our debt of gratitude in the depths of our hearts, then our good fortune will increase by leaps and bounds. No matter how much action people might seem to be taking outwardly, if they lack the spirit to repay their debt of gratitude, their arrogance will destroy their good fortune. 1/7