Japanese parable “Love of chrysanthemums”


One person loved chrysanthemums very much. He planted a garden with these flowers and took care of them all his time. Chrysanthemums, this gentleman gave much more time than the au pair and the family. Strict punishment awaited everyone who inflicted the most insignificant, even unintentional harm to the flower garden. Because of the owner’s predilection for chrysanthemums, the life of the inhabitants of the estate became unbearable.

One day a young gardener accidentally broke the stem of one flower. The master was so angry that he put the young man in prison. This case was learned by the wise Sengai. He decided to end the predilection for chrysanthemums, from which many people suffered. Late at night, Sengai entered the garden and cut off all the flowers. The owner had long since lost a sound sleep, so when he heard a rustling in the flower garden, he jumped up, grabbed his sword and ran out into the yard. When he heard the sage, he was very surprised:

– What are you doing here? Why did you destroy my flower garden?

Sengai calmly replied:

– Any grass, if it is not weeded, grows. Have you forgotten about that, sir?

Since then, this man has never grown chrysanthemums.


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Japanese parable “Love of chrysanthemums”