Refuse to Accept It

The crowd pressed forward, eager to hear the Buddha's teaching. His voice carried across the gathering like water over stones, calm and clear. Then came the disruption.

A raging man burst through the crowd. He shouted obscenities. He hurled insults. He tried everything to provoke the peaceful teacher sitting before him.

The Buddha continued teaching as if nothing had happened.

The heckler doubled down. Louder curses. Crueler words. More desperate attempts to crack the Buddha's composure.

Still, the Buddha taught. His voice never wavered. His expression never changed.

Minutes passed. The man's fury reached a breaking point. He stopped mid-sentence, chest heaving, and cried out: "Don't you even hear me? Why aren't you upset? I'm being so mean!"

The Buddha looked directly at him for the first time.