The story of 3 laughing monks.

 “Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand”.

Once upon a time there lived three unnamed monks in ancient China. They were given the name of the three laughing monks because when asked about their names, they would not answer but laugh. They were poor and without worldly goods or fine clothing but were full of joy. The three monks used to travel together and do nothing but laugh.

They used to enter a village or a town, stand at the Centre of its main square and start laughing. Looking at them, slowly but surely people who lived or worked in the surroundings couldn’t resist and had to start laughing as well. Then others would also get the infection and eventually the whole village or town would laugh along. Then the monks would move to another place.

The old monks believed that laughter was their only prayer and their teachings as they would not utter a word to the folks but laugh. All over China, they were loved and respected. They believed that there have not been any such spiritual teachers till today. According to them, one should always take life to be the greatest opportunity to laugh.

So, they travelled and laughed for many years spreading joy and happiness throughout China. Until one day while being at a particular village in the northern province, one of them died.

The people were shocked and came running from afar leaving the fields unattended for the day only to witness the other two monks’ reaction to this dramatic event.
They were expecting them to show sorrow or even cry and the whole village came to the place where the three monks were.

Two alive and one DEAD!

But the two remaining monks were laughing only harder.
They were laughing and laughing and could not seem to stop.

So that a few of the good people who were assisting to this scene in this belief approached them and asked them why they weren’t mourning at all for their deceased friend.

And for one time the monks actually responded “Because yesterday on our way to your village he proposed the bet on who of us would beat the other two and die first and now he won, The old rogue, he even had a testament prepared.

The tradition required washing the dead and change his clothes before putting him on the funeral pyre.

But the old monk had explicitly asked to leave the old clothes on him.

Since he had never been filthy for one day, I never allowed any of the filth of this world to reach me through my laughter” his testament stated.

So the old man’s body was placed on the pyre with the garments he was wearing when he had arrived and as the fire was lit and started licking on his clothes.

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. — Victor Borge

To everyone’s astonishment, suddenly fireworks of a hundred colours went exploding up and down and to all directions and finally, the people who had gathered there also joined the laughter of the two wise men.

So always give a little laughter. Face your problems with a smile on. Create a ripple of laughter wherever you are. There is a very deep cause for laughter. Boredom and laughter are the polar dualities, these are the polar opposites. They go together. And man is the only animal that is bored.