A Buddha Story: Cutting the Limb

From Fishing Without Bait 255

“Let's tell a tale of the Buddha. The Buddha and his disciples were leaving a village after being there for a certain period of time and the villagers cautioned them about going into a certain part of the country that they termed was wild. They said that there was a bandit Chief there who was ferocious with his band of Desperados and that this Bandit Chief enjoyed cutting off the heads of people and making a necklace out of their little fingers. So the Buddha Says "Thank you for your concern" and they went on their way. So they encountered this Bandit and the Bandit leader said "I'm sure you are warned about me.However, you came anyway." And the Buddha said "I understand and I'd like to make a last request" and the band achieved such sure certainly And the Buddha said" I'd like you to take your sword, your mighty sword, and cut off a branch of the tree beside you" And the Bandit Chief laughed and he said cut it off and he said "that Is easy" And then the Buddha said "now, what I'd like you to do is put the branch back on and make it a whole" and the Bandit said "I can't do that." The Buddha said "It's easy to destroy. The real power is in creating and healing."