Most people love themselves so much that they lose their intrinsic great love for all living creatures.

When the Buddha was still alive, there was a small country called Royee that still had some quaint customs. For example, people there believed that good health was the result of the gods' blessings and illness was the gods' means of punishment. So they thought that when they were sick, they had to make sacrifices to please the gods.

The empress dowager was severely ill. The king had offered several sacrifices to the gods, but all in vain. He gathered together two hundred Brahmans, hoping that they could find a solution. One Brahman suggested that the sacrifice be expanded to include a hundred cows, a hundred sheep and a boy. The king was very worried about his mother's illness and he wanted her to get well, so he accepted this suggestion.

When the day for the big sacrifice came, the king and the empress dowager traveled together by carriage to an altar that had been set up in the countryside. All the cows and sheep seemed aware of what was going to happen, and they kept wailing along the way. The boy chosen to be sacrificed was also terrified, his face twisted with fear. His parents, following behind, could do nothing but sob with grief.

The Buddha heard the sad news and went to wait for the king under a tree near the altar. On seeing the Buddha, the king immediately descended from the carriage and bowed respectfully. He then explained to the Buddha what he was about to do.

The Buddha spoke: "If farmers hope for a good harvest, they must first work hard and plow the land. If people look for wealth, they must first give. If they seek wisdom, they must study the dharma. If they hope for a long life, they must love all creatures. It is quite unwise to try to make yourself live longer by killing other innocent creatures. Every disease has its cause. Your mother will only recover when the cause of her illness is found and she gets proper treatment."

The empress dowager in the carriage heard what the Buddha said and was suddenly enlightened. "How can I be so cruel as to take so many lives, including that of this darling boy, for the sake of my own health?" She got down from the carriage and walked toward the Buddha to confess how mistaken she had been. "After listening to what you just said, I understand that I should cherish all living creatures and treat them with kindness, because all lives are precious."

The Buddha blessed her with a smile. "With your great compassion, you will certainly have good fortune and wisdom." The king's mother suddenly felt healthy and spirited. Her illness seemed to have vanished. She prostrated herself in front of the Buddha to thank him for his teachings and blessings.

We reap what we sow. When we treat others with great love, we will be rewarded with joy and blessings. If a person really loves himself, he must cultivate his good fortune by treating all living creatures with love and compassion.