The Three Poisons

Dr. Krishna sees the poison of greed each day. And with greed, the poison of anger. Especially out on the street or down in the market, people let their anger flare with remarkable ease. At each insult, at each challenge, at the smallest thing, the mind becomes outraged and a certain blindness takes over piling suffering upon suffering. As a doctor, he would love to be able to cure this problem, but then, he reminds himself, we have a cure in calming the mind, training the mind, disciplining the mind and building compassion. We we see no separation any more between me and you, between this and that, then we care, then there can be no anger, then we lead lives free of suffering.
And yet, there is another poison the good doctor notes, namely indifference. This inward dullness lets people wallow in their self-made suffering without lifting a finger to help them. Words he uses as a tool to wake them up. Through his own behaviour he hopes that some may wake up, choose a different course for their lives, even become outraged at their own self-centeredness and self-pity and desire to do something about it!
So many years have passed, he thinks with a smile and a sigh. The world is as it is, unloving, unthinking, grinding day in and day out, as his older patients tell him: they have given up all hope and are even bitter, stewing in their anger at the unfairness of it all. The world is no longer a flower, an exciting game, a road filled with possibilities, rather the embodiment of all their suffering. He watches traffic and knows that this suffering is all in their minds. All inside. All theirs. All trapped, going round and round and round. They are unwilling to listen and unwilling to let it go for this has become their world, this is all they know.
But like any decent doctor, Krishna knows there is a cure. He knows there is a medicine. But as any good doctor knows, the patient must be motivated to take the medicine, must desire the cure, must see that there is an illness to begin with.
How funny, he shakes his head with neither smile nor laugh.
How regretful.

A Brave Woman

The frown remains, and this is unusual for this famously light-hearted and care-free village doctor. The bruises and fractures of his patient cover her body from head to foot. A young woman, newly married into a richer family here in the village, Dr. Krishna knows that her family is pleased with the arrangement and their social advancement. To anyone who bothers to take interest, her body tells a very different tale.
"I am afraid he will kill me," she softly weeps.
"He may," the good doctor agrees without lying, "Is there anything your own family can do to stay his heavy hand?"
"They see nothing. They choose to see nothing and are delighted that my husband is well known and rich by our standards," she explains.
This behaviour was not uncommon, he thinks, examining the damage, tending to anything that he can heal. He would kiss the bruises if he thought that he profession would allow it: it did not.
"A wise woman caught in your same predicament had some advice. If you like, i could share it with you," he offers. The silence in the little room he takes as agreement. Clearing his throat, he says, "If you can master your tongue, not only do you run less risk of being beaten, but perhaps you may even, one day, make your husband better, said the unfortunate woman who died peacefully much later in life."
The silence persists, yet he notes the slow nod of the young woman, whose tears have now subsided.
"Yes, when i was a girl my grandmother told me to pray for family, friends and neighbours, but especially for those people i did not like, or feared. She told me that these people needed more compassion because they themselves were lost on dark, unloving roads leading to even darker ends. Now i understand that wonderful woman who i loved like my own mother. No, i shall not provoke him, rather i shall demonstrate daily my courage and faith in a man's transformation."
Now bandaged up, the woman thanks the doctor, picks up her groceries and returns home. Dr. Krishna's frown finally lifts as he shows her out. Such is village life, he thinks, such is the lot of men everywhere who suffer in confusion. He blesses the newlyweds both with a silent prayer.