When Buddha gave a lesson to the young man: Said – I listen to the question three times so that the seriousness of the other person is known

Story

Gautam Buddha’s satsang was going on. A young man asked Buddha, ‘If you sit to meditate, you do not feel like it.’

Other people sitting in the satsang also heard this question. Buddha opened his eyes and said, ‘Speak again.’

The young man again said the same thing, ‘If you sit to meditate, then you do not feel like it.’

Buddha said, ‘Speak one more time.’

The young man repeated the word again. Buddha said, ‘Now I answer. The absence of mind is called meditation. Thoughts are the food of the mind, then stop giving food to the mind. When the mind becomes inactive, meditation will take place.’

Buddha gave the exact same answer three times.

Then people asked Buddha, ‘We often see that whenever someone asks you a question, you ask that person the same question three times. And then answer it thrice. Why so?’

Buddha said, ‘My experience is that most people ask questions just to ask. Waste our time and ourselves. I listen to the question thrice so that the seriousness of the other person is known. The asker should also be aware of his question. I also give the answer three times, so that the person in front can understand my point properly. By repeating it three times, the thing gets right in the mind.’

Lessons

Here Buddha wants to say that if you ask any question to anyone, then one should be serious about it. Don’t ask questions just to test someone. The question should be such that it clears the doubts of you and others. If someone has to answer, give it in such a way that the person in front can understand it very well. If you have to repeat it over and over again, repeat it.