Everfresh Lotus Flower

Once Mahatma Budha visited a state where there was famine and drought and due to acute shortage of water there were no plants, they had all withered.

The head of the state wanted to meet Gautam Budha to apprise him of his state's condition. He wanted to offer him something. On the way he met one very poor mali(gardener). He was holding one beautiful lotus in his hand. He was wondering despite of so much drought how could he get this lotus. The Head asked him how could he get this lotus.. The gardener replied that in his garden after ages this lotus has bloomed with my effort and by saving some water from my house. I used to consume less water and water this plant and in result I got this lotus. The head offered him thousand of rupees and told him to give him this lotus. The gardener being poor was little amused seeing the money and was about to offer him lotus in exchange of money, but that minute the king of the state appeared and he offered him lakhs of rupees for the lotus. The gardener was surprised to see the king and the head of state auctioning the price of lotus.

He politely asked them that why are they paying so much for this simple lotus. Both of them replied that Mahatma Budha has come to our state and we want to offer him something and since there are no flowers in our state due to drought, we thought of buying it from you to offer it to the Mahatma so that by his blessings our state may come out of this suffering and for that we wanted to take the credit. The gardener smiled and said" Oh! Mahatma Budha, for him I will not sell the flower, I don't want money. I will touch his feet and offer this flower if he accepts it.

The king and the head of the state went to Mahatma without offering anything and narrated the incident to him.

After sometime when the gardener came near Gautam Budha, he being poor, was little hesitant and then slowly kept the lotus near his feet. Gautam Budha immediately took him in his arms and with tears in his eyes hugged him. He said you have true faith in me. Being so poor and despite acute shortage of water, you took care of the lotus and offered me, I am very much moved by your unconditional love. You refused lakhs of rupees. You are a great human being. This lotus will remain everfresh, it will never wither. It is said that this lotus remained fresh for ever and it was passed on from generation to generation after Mahatma Budha.