It comes back
A woman baked chapatti (roti) for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra chapatti on the window sill, for whosoever would take it away. Every day, a hunchback came and took away the chapatti. Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!” This went on, day after day. Every day, the hunchback came, picked up the chapatti and uttered the words: “The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!” The woman felt irritated. “Not a word of gratitude,” she said to herself… “Everyday this hunchback utters this jingle! What does he mean?” One day, exasperated, she decided to do away with him. “I shall get rid of this hunchback,” she said. And what did she do? She added poison to the chapatti she prepared for him!
As she was about to keep it on the window sill, her hands trembled. “What is this I am doing?” she said. Immediately, she threw the chapatti into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window sill. As usual, the hunchback came, picked up the chapatti and muttered the words: “The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!”
The hunchback proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman. Every day, as the woman placed the chapatti on the window sill, she offered a prayer for her son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him.. She prayed for his safe return.
That evening, there was a knock on the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry, starved and weak. As he saw his mother, he said, “Mom, it’s a miracle I’m here. While I was but a mile away, I was so famished that I collapsed. I would have died, but just then an old hunchback passed by. I begged of him for a morsel of food, and he was kind enough to give me a whole chapatti. As he gave it to me, he said, “This is what I eat everyday: today, I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!”
As the mother heard those words, her face turned pale. She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the poisoned chapatti that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life!
It was then that she realized the significance of the words: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!” Do good and Don’t ever stop doing good, even if it is not appreciated at that time. If you like this, share it with others and I bet so many lives would be touched.
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This article is a very good reminder that karma always comes back. What we do is what we get, good or bad. Thank you very much Rinpoche for this short and good story about karma.?
This story is very meaningful. In modern day life, we might not have the indulgence of putting poison onto the chapati to do away someone, but our words and actions towards others are equally damaging. Imagine if it is not the poison chapati that we pass on to others but judgement and poisonous words, it equally “suck the life out” of the unassuming person. While we are exasperated with the injustice of the world and speaking up against it, let’s not forget the little actions that we can do to ensure justice to others in our daily circle. Thank you for this wonderful sharing.
What goes around comes around” or “as you sow, so shall you reap” is the basic understanding of how karma, the law of cause and effect, works. A beautiful and meaning story tell us a thousand words. One’s actions or behaviour will eventually have consequences for one, even if indirectly. We must be always be mindful of what we do.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this to remind us.
Rinpoche, thanks for sharing this post as it serve as a good reminder to us.
We must always remember the law of cause and effect, everything we do will give a result. Hence, being aware of our intention for our action is very important. We should always be alert and to bring our mind back once if goes to negative thought.
Everything you do does come back, good or bad. Thats karma, this story is a good way of showing this and it is a very good and the story has a good meaning to it. It always comes back. Thank you for sharing Rinpoche.
The law of cause and effect is the nature of reality which in fact is changeable by following the fundamental code of moral conduct which is the ten non-virtues: three of body (killing,stealing and sexual misconduct), four of speech (lying,slandering,speaking harshly and gossiping) and three of mind (covetousness, malice and wrong views). Action motivated by the negative emotion will bring negative results. One have to understand the law of cause and effect better than the law set out by human beings which some are stained with the need for power and control. The law of cause and effect need to be instilled, understand, studied and practice. By understanding this universal law, humanity can be restored.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this story.
谢谢仁波切分享这有趣的故事，提醒我们为人要有善心，不要有邪念。
说明做事善有善报，恶有恶报，或者往往想害人且害自己。当然我们不要有害人之心，种什么果就得什么因。所以做事要三思而后行，否则后果自负。
读了这篇文章后，我才发现最近一直收到同修们送我的礼物原来是这个道理。大概两个月前我开始了固定每个月供养上师，有时除了固定供养，我还会添送一些用品。收礼物时只觉得同修们太友爱了。现在我才恍然大悟！
This is a good story to use to illustrate the workings of karma. It is important to be mindful of our actions in order not to hurt others and as a result collect negative karma. The woman was able to see her son again because of her decision not to poison the old man. She finally realises the meaning of the old man’s words.
This is truly cause and effect, the universal law for everybody.
Why do we think actions we do, does not come back to us? Most likely it is due to our denial of the obvious and we don’t think we are truly responsible for all our actions.
this story is so true, karma comes back always, in good ways and bad. this women was good and in the end the goodness payed off and her son was saved. thank you Rinpochge for sharing this.
Most Chinese in Malaysia is not really a Buddhist but what we believe is exactly like karma, what goes around comes around. Therefore we always bear in mind that if we done something bad to others, the repercussion will come back to us, or our family members. This is what my parents teaches me, never do bad things as the bad action will comes back to you or even the people you love.
This story tells the same thing. Glad that the lady didn’t put poison into the chapatti as the chapatti will be given to her own son without her knowing.
The same goes to the good things we do. When we do good things for others, the good deeds will come back to us in anyway, with or without us knowing.
Karma goes beyond religion, everyone believes in doing good deeds brings good result. No matter we have religion or not, we still believe in love and compassion. This is something universal.
What goes round comes around. This is what karmic forces is all about. Somehow, if we do bad deeds, the bad deed will come back to us. If we do good deeds, we will receive good deeds.
The lady was very upset with what the hunch man said everyday but her consciousness told her not to hurt or kill the hunch man. Because of that, she eventually had her son back.
Never harm or hurt anyone, we may indirectly harm someone we love.
This story is powerful. Story like this always tell deep concept like karma and etc in this “visual” way, to make one understand more, to follow and practice the teaching.
“Do good and Don’t ever stop doing good, even if it is not appreciated at that time” – in the end it’s between us and our karma.
Definitely a good story to share. Thank you, Rinpoche.
Very good example of karma, never expect anything in return. Being selfless to every being is a must for every Buddhist. Thank you for sharing dear Rinpoche.
The decision we make or choose everyday will eventually carve out our future. So no matter what do not do things which are harmful to others and the best is to do good and help others.
Thank you Rinpoche
Very good story that make a an explanation about Karma.
Thank You Rinpoche for the story.
Best Regards : Eric kksiow
Dear Rinpoche,
This is truly a great and smart story on teaching people to always do good deeds and people will return your kindness and do bad deeds and you will have to suffer as well.
This story is quite like Karma… Do good and your obstacles will be cleared and your prayers will be answered and do bad you will have to suffer and face a lot of obstacles.
It also goes with the saying “what goes around comes around” which I find very true!
Though it is just a short story it really speaks a lot about doing more good and doing les or even better no bad deeds!
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing and rest well!
Very simple and interesting story on karma. What we do and the decisions we make always have its repercussions. Therefore we must always do good things and we will have good things in return. Even if we are angry, jealous or negative, we must never do things to harm anyone or else we will get something worse in return. Just like the story above. Wonderful story!
A great story as a strong reminder of how powerful karma really works. We may not realize the damage we may be causing with our actions but it would come back to us maybe not now but some day. Another lesson I learnt from this story is that when we want to act out of kindness and compassion to help others to do something good we shouldnt have hidden agendas. We do not need to hear or receive gratitude from someone you have done something good for, that shouldn’t be the reason why we do something good. This should make us reflect more and contemplate on our every actions. Thank you for sharing this story Rinpoche.
Do good and Don’t ever stop doing good, if do good that come back to us its realy nice story dear rinpoche i love it.
I love this story! Short, simple yet has so much wisdom about “karma” and how it can return to you when you least expect it. It also teaches us to “never judge a book by its cover”. An ugly hunchback saying weird stuff could be a “mahasiddha”… well we will never know. Just stop analysing till you go insane and just do good! Actually what he utters every time is actually wise advice if we think about it.
I guess sometimes those that are sweet looking and say nice things and smile all the time are the ones with an axe behind their backs ready to pound on you when they are “unhappy”. Definitely will share this…
Do not think karma does not exist ! It does and is there every minute to manifest. It comes when you are not prepare. This is a very good story, short and reminds me of important of doing good deeds.
A kind reminder with a greater meaning to it.We must do good with the right intention and the correct motivation.The result would not be instantaneous but the outcome would be obvious as karma would be our judge.We human are always give the wisdom of choice .
Choose wisely as the future is determine by the past.
Shelly tai on 5 August 2013 at 507pm
The law of cause and effect apply to every living being but unfortunely there is a lot of us do not believe in karma. I think karma is also been teach in others religion because there is no religion in the world that teach us to be bad. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this story with us
this is such a interesting and very true story. what the hunchback said is so true and karma always comes back in some way. thank you for sharing this Rinpoche.
敬愛的上師
閱讀了這篇文章，讓我明白人正思維的重要性。我們應該小心翼翼觀察自己的每個時段所產生的念頭或想法，當負面想法因外在或內在的波動而產生的負面的行為時，應該學習放下我執，避免讓自己種下惡因，不然，我們將會要面對自己所犯下錯誤帶來的惡果。謝謝。
This is an amazing story. It immediately caught my attention. This is proof that there is god karma. And that if you do something good for others, you will be rewarded. Always helping other people will help yourself. This story brings such a strong message to its readers. Thank You for sharing.
I like the story. It is inspiring. The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this great story.
WOW… What a wonderful story of the workings of karma and how unbeknownst to us, what we create NOW is effecting our “future”… so in a nutshell, the moral of the story for me is to be constantly aware of our actions and our mind and focus out with the correct motivation. We will never know when the tides turn and we will be the ones needing help!
‘The evil you do remains with you: The good you do comes back to you.’It is truly the law of cause and effect. The woman in this story only realized the meaning of the words muttered by the hunchback after her son returned home and told her what has happened to him a mile away from home,his mother was shock and felt lucky that she didn’t put poison into the chapatti or else her son could have died of poison. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
What if the chapatti had been poisoned, taken by the hunchback and then extorted from the hunchback by a bully, then forcibly taken from the bully by the King’s men, brought to the King who then fed it to his dog and his poor dog died?
I suppose the fact is that if you put poison into food, someone or some animal may get poisoned.
The moral of the story is that it may be a loved one. So be very careful when you are thinking of doing something bad, it may boomerang. But if you are doing something good, it may also boomerang but that would be wonderful wouldn’t it?
Dear Rinpoche, Now I understand what does “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!. The woman is a very generous person but when she didn’t understand the line that hunchback always say and she thought it’s was irritating so she tried to poison the hunchback. But she was lucky to change the chapatti.
From this short story, I have learnt that what goes around comes back around. If we do bad, then the bad karma will come back to us; if we do good, then we collect merits and we can dedicate it to our love ones. Never harm or hurt others no matter how much you dislike or hate that person, or we will have to bear with the consequences..
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Very good story, thank you for sharing. 🙂
From this story, I learned that you must be good at all times, when you decide to do something bad, it will bite you harder than before. You may have done many good things, don’t stop, do not try to kill the hunchback. We should not ponder over people’s comments but rather listen to our good selves within.
Sometimes you don’t know why people do this and that,but in some cases you find out that it was actually for someone else good.
Just like this story the lady did not know why the hunchback came everyday to take the bread.
Then later she found out that the hunchback took it for her son.
This is a truly inspiring story that tells us to always be kind no matter what because you never know that someone desperately needs it.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post.
What an example of karma indeed – karma is created by decisions we make at every step of our lives… we can choose to act out of kindness or anger and whatever choice we make will come back to us… so simple yet we often don’t make the right choices then wonder why bad stuff happens to us! A good story and i will share it…
From this story, i have learn that If you are doing good, and sometimes you may get comments, dissatifaction or noise that brings you down, always remember if your action and thoughts are good, it will prevails results and comes back to you. This negativity that comes are just noises…be patience and it will be seen.