Parable 3: The 84th Problem

A farmer came seeking the Buddha. "I have so many problems," she said.

Then she explained: the lack of rain, the endless work, corrupt officials, her lazy husband, her ungrateful children.

Finally she paused, and the Buddha replied, "I cannot help you. You might fix one problem, but another will come. Life will disappoint, your family will die. You too will die. So many problems. We all have 83 problems, and there's nothing you can do about that."

"Then what good is your teaching?"

"The teaching can help with the 84th problem."
"What's that?" 

"Wanting not to have any problems."

~ ~ ~

I've seen this story retold widely, specifically with the numbers 83 and 84, although I do not know the origin of this story or those numbers; I most recently encountered it in a wonderful collection of dharma talks by Katherine Thanas: The Truth of This Life: Zen Teachings on Loving the World as It Is. I suspect it is a modern story, which is fine of course: we need the old stories, and we need new ones too.

Buddha statue