Once upon a time, there was a young man named Ravi who lived in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. He was a talented software engineer who worked for a multinational company. He had a good salary, a nice apartment, and a lot of friends. He was also very handsome and charming, and he had no trouble attracting women.
However, Ravi was not happy. He was looking for true love, but he could not find it. He had dated many women, but none of them matched his expectations. He wanted someone who was smart, beautiful, kind, loyal, and faithful. He wanted someone who shared his interests and values. He wanted someone who would love him unconditionally.
One day, he met a woman named Priya who seemed to be everything he was looking for. She was a journalist who worked for a popular newspaper. She was intelligent, gorgeous, compassionate, honest, and devoted. She loved reading books, watching movies, and traveling to new places. She also had a keen interest in Buddhism and meditation.
Ravi fell in love with Priya at first sight. He asked her out on a date, and she agreed. They had a wonderful time together, and they felt a strong connection. Ravi was sure that Priya was the one for him. He decided to propose to her on their third date.
He bought a beautiful ring and booked a table at a fancy restaurant. He planned to surprise her with his proposal after dinner. He was nervous but excited. He hoped that Priya would say yes.
However, things did not go as he expected. When he arrived at the restaurant, he saw Priya sitting with another man. They were holding hands and laughing. Ravi felt a surge of anger and jealousy. He walked up to them and confronted them.
“Who is this?” he demanded.
“Ravi, this is Arjun. Arjun, this is Ravi.” Priya introduced them calmly.
“Arjun is my fiancé. We are getting married next month.”
Ravi was shocked and heartbroken. He could not believe what he heard.
“What? Fiancé? Married? But…but…we were dating! You said you liked me! You said you enjoyed spending time with me! How could you do this to me?” he shouted.
Priya looked at him with pity and sadness.
“Ravi, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. But you misunderstood me. We were not dating. We were just friends.”
“Friends? Friends don’t kiss and hug each other like we did! Friends don’t say sweet things to each other like we did! Friends don’t make plans for the future like we did! You lied to me! You cheated on me! You played with my feelings!” he accused.
Priya shook her head.
“No, Ravi, I didn’t lie or cheat or play with you. I was honest with you from the beginning. I told you that I had someone in my life. I told you that I was not looking for anything serious. I told you that I just wanted to have some fun with you.”
Ravi felt his face turn red.
“You never told me any of that! You never mentioned Arjun! You never said you were engaged! You never said you were not interested in me!”
Priya sighed.
“Yes, I did, Ravi. You just didn’t listen. You only heard what you wanted to hear. You only saw what you wanted to see.”
Ravi felt his eyes fill with tears.
“How could you do this to me? How could you break my heart? How could you reject me like this?”
Priya reached out to touch his arm.
“Ravi, please calm down. Don’t make a scene here. Let’s talk outside.”
Ravi pushed her hand away.
“Don’t touch me! Don’t talk to me! I don’t want to see your face ever again! You are a cruel and selfish woman! You don’t deserve my love!”
He threw the ring on the table and stormed out of the restaurant.
He ran to his car and drove away as fast as he could.
He cried all the way home.
He locked himself in his room and refused to talk to anyone.
He felt like his world had collapsed.
He felt like he had lost everything.
He felt like he had no reason to live.
He wished he could die.
The next day, he received a phone call from his friend Ananda.
Ananda was a Buddhist monk who lived in a monastery near Kurunegala, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. He had been Ravi’s childhood friend before he became a monk. They had kept in touch over the years and often exchanged messages and calls.
Ananda had heard about Ravi’s situation from another friend and he was worried about him.
He wanted to help him.
He wanted to teach him how to deal with rejections.
“Hello, Ravi. How are you?” Ananda asked.
Ravi did not answer. He just sobbed.
Ananda understood. He did not press him.
He just listened.
He listened to Ravi’s pain and sorrow.
He listened to Ravi’s anger and resentment.
He listened to Ravi’s despair and hopelessness.
He listened with compassion and patience.
He listened until Ravi had no more tears to shed.
Then he spoke.
“Ravi, I’m sorry for what happened to you. I know how much it hurts. I know how much you loved Priya. I know how much you wanted to marry her. But you have to accept the reality. She is not the one for you. She has chosen someone else. She has rejected you.”
Ravi felt a pang in his chest.
He hated hearing those words.
He hated accepting those facts.
He hated facing that truth.
But he knew that Ananda was right.
He knew that he had to let go of Priya.
He knew that he had to move on with his life.
But he did not know how.
He did not know how to heal his broken heart.
He did not know how to overcome his bitter feelings.
He did not know how to find happiness again.
He asked Ananda for help.
“Ananda, please help me. How can I deal with this rejection? How can I forget Priya? How can I be happy again?”
Ananda smiled gently.
“Ravi, I’m glad you asked me for help. I have some advice for you. It is based on the teachings of the Buddha, the enlightened one who showed the path to liberation from suffering. If you follow this advice, I’m sure you will be able to deal with this rejection and find happiness again.”
Ravi was curious. He wanted to hear Ananda’s advice. He wanted to learn from the Buddha’s teachings. He wanted to try the path to liberation.
He asked Ananda to tell him more.
“Ananda, please tell me more. What is the advice? What are the teachings? What is the path?”
Ananda nodded.
“Ravi, the advice is simple but profound. It is based on four noble truths and eightfold path. These are the core teachings of Buddhism that explain the nature of suffering and the way to end it.”
Ravi was intrigued. He wanted to know more about the four noble truths and eightfold path. He wanted to understand the nature of suffering and the way to end it.
He asked Ananda to explain them.
“Ananda, please explain them. What are the four noble truths? What are the eightfold path?”
Ananda explained.
“Ravi, the four noble truths are as follows:
- The first noble truth is that there is suffering in life. Suffering is the dissatisfaction, pain, sorrow, and distress that we experience in various situations. Suffering is inevitable and universal. Everyone suffers in some way or another.
- The second noble truth is that there is a cause of suffering. The cause of suffering is craving or attachment. Craving or attachment is the desire for things to be different from what they are. Craving or attachment is the source of our expectations, hopes, fears, and disappointments.
- The third noble truth is that there is an end of suffering. The end of suffering is nirvana or enlightenment. Nirvana or enlightenment is the state of peace, joy, and freedom that arises when we let go of craving or attachment. Nirvana or enlightenment is the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
- The fourth noble truth is that there is a path to the end of suffering. The path to the end of suffering is the eightfold path. The eightfold path is a set of guidelines for living a moral, ethical, and spiritual life. The eightfold path leads to nirvana or enlightenment.”
Ravi listened carefully. He found the four noble truths very logical and realistic. He realized that he was suffering because he was attached to Priya. He realized that he had to let go of his attachment to end his suffering.
He asked Ananda how to do that.
“Ananda, how can I let go of my attachment? How can I follow the eightfold path?”
Ananda answered.
“Ravi, you can let go of your attachment by practicing mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness and meditation are techniques for training your mind to be aware, calm, and clear. Mindfulness and meditation help you to see things as they are, not as you want them to be.
You can follow the eightfold path by cultivating these eight factors:
- Right view: Right view is having a correct understanding of reality based on the four noble truths and other teachings of the Buddha.
- Right intention: Right intention is having a positive and wholesome motivation for your actions based on compassion, kindness, and wisdom.
- Right speech: Right speech is speaking truthfully, kindly, and respectfully without lying, slandering, abusing, or gossiping.
- Right action: Right action is acting morally, ethically, and peacefully without killing, stealing, harming, or exploiting others.
- Right livelihood: Right livelihood is earning a living in a way that does not cause harm or suffering to yourself or others.
- Right effort: Right effort is making an effort to prevent or overcome unwholesome states of mind such as greed, hatred, and delusion and to develop wholesome states of mind such as generosity, love, and wisdom.
- Right mindfulness: Right mindfulness is being aware of your body, feelings, thoughts, and phenomena in the present moment without judgment or distraction.
- Right concentration: Right concentration is developing a focused and stable mind through meditation.”
Ravi was impressed. He found the eightfold path very practical and beneficial. He realized that he had to practice these factors to live a better life.
He asked Ananda how to start.
“Ananda, how can I start practicing these factors? How can I learn mindfulness and meditation?”
Ananda suggested.
“Ravi, you can start practicing these factors by applying them in your daily life. You can learn mindfulness and meditation by reading books, watching videos, listening to podcasts, or joining courses on these topics.
But the best way to learn mindfulness and meditation is by visiting a monastery and learning from a teacher.
That’s why I’m inviting you to come with me to my monastery near Kurunegala.
There you will meet my teacher who is a very wise and compassionate monk.
He will teach you everything you need to know about mindfulness and meditation.
He will guide you on your journey to nirvana.”
Ravi was grateful. He thanked Ananda for his invitation. He accepted it.
He decided to go with Ananda to his monastery.
He decided to learn from Ven. Sariputta.
He decided to follow the eightfold path.
He decided to let go of his attachment to Priya.
He decided to end his suffering.
He decided to find happiness again.
He decided to try the path to liberation.
