Summary
Once upon a time, there lived a monk on the outskirts of the capital. He preached the teachings of the Buddha every day, but one day he noticed that the number of visitors had decreased. Troubled, the monk declared, "Soon, I will throw myself into the river and bid farewell to this world." People were surprised and asked, "Why would you do such a thing?" The monk replied, "I want to save the souls of those who have committed wrongdoings until now."
From that day onward, the monk began preparing to chant sutras at the temple for a hundred days. As he spoke, "I will purify myself before entering the water," the rumor spread quickly, and many people began to visit the temple. "That monk is trying to save us," everyone gathered eagerly, and seeing the bustling path, the monk felt satisfied.
However, as the day of his self-immersion approached, the monk found himself increasingly troubled. Finally, on that day, a crowd gathered on the shore, shouting, "It's time! The monk is going to jump in!" The monk boarded a small boat and said, "It is too bright for me to dedicate myself right now; let's wait until sunset."
As the sun began to set, the monk made up his mind. "It's time," he whispered to himself, removed his robe, and jumped into the river. However, his body sank in the water, surfaced, and began flailing his arms and legs in all directions. "It seems this monk is having regrets," someone remarked.
The monk called for help and was pulled back to the shore. "Thank you for saving my life," he said gratefully, but those around him looked at him coldly, shouting, "What a joke, you liar monk!" Some even threw stones at him, and as the fleeing monk heard their jeers, he vowed in his heart, "I will definitely repay you," and he left.
