Yesterday suddenly I saw a donkey or an ass grazing on the road side oblivious of it’s surroundings. I saw very heavy vehicles passing by its side, some children, may be for fun, pelting stones at it. There is reason why they pelt stones at the donkey because it is the only animal which will not chase the children when stones are thrown at it. It behaves as if it has reached the stage of ‘nirvana’ Our rishis and munis have to do several years of hard meditation and penance to reach that stage but donkey gets that unique ultimate stage by birth.
A study should be made in this direction as to why they are so calm, patient, very obedient and not demanding. In short they are docile and hard working animals.I have not heard a donkey (do they) cry or bray for food. I learn that it brays only when it is lonely. But one has to admit that it is a stubborn animal. If it refuses to work, not even a strong man, can make it move. It’s only “armoury†is, if I am not mistaken it’s strong hooves. Many a times it does not protest because it must have been made to understand that it is born to carry the burden only. It is a born “coolie†or porter. Take for instance any other animal, it can be used for multiple purposes but donkey is born to carry burden on its back. People who employ the donkeys for carrying loads, do not even place good saddle on it’s back to avoid damage or imjury to it’s back. I have seen gunny bags full of bricks being kept on it’s back because of which they get blisters. No one cares for it. What a pity! People who believe in rebirth may say “it is its karmapala “or the returns which one gets for the misdeeds in the previous life. The old adage can be stated here “You reap as you sow†Perhaps it is a standing example for people to lead a good life or else he will be reborn as a donkey!!
This brings us to the point that these donkeys must have been human beings at one time or the other. At least on that assumption one should treat them with kindness It has become a fashion for teachers or elders to call children if they fail to comprehend “ you are behaving like a donkey!†!! Sometimes hardworking people are described as “ he works like a donkeyâ€.. The donkey is used for carrying goods. It does the job for which it is born without any protest. Still I do not understand why a dull person should be compared to a hard working animal. Let me not talk about human beings because they have emotions or intelligence unlike animals They are rational animals having intelligence. But these rational animals sometimes become irrational and dangerous. But donkeys never get furious like horses or tigers or elephants. But I have not heard a donkey losing its temper. It is always calm, serene and shy because very rarely it raises it’s head. Perhaps it feels that it has attained nirvana and there is nothing else to gain in this wicked world where it has to carry others burden.
All of us know that when a child goes to school, the first word which is taught from the Alphabet by asking the child to understand the word A by asking it to connect to Ass. The child is made to say – A stands for Ass. So a child starts its education by pronouncing the name of ass. Further, children are made to learn the rhyme “ Jack & Jill†It is not that they are not aware that a Male donkey is called ‘Jack’ and as ‘Jill’. The nursery rhyme ‘Jack and Jill’ is the most popular one and teachers make every child to sing that rhyme That is the first step in the journey of the child into education and ultimately, he or she may even become a great literary genius or Scientist etc. But his/her first step like the Astronaut Neil Armstrong who exclaimed after stepping on the moon – one small step for a man, a giant step for mankind. The first word of Ass will bring unthinkable knowledge to that child.- the first word for a child, a giant step into the world of knowledge !!!!