The Willing Gift
El Regalo Voluntario--por Autor Desconocido
El sol brillaba con poca intensidad esa mañana y la brisa traía el olor a tierra mojada. Los pájaros volaban bajo sobre los campos mientras Acharya Vinoba Bhave caminaba descalzo por un polvoriento sendero de la aldea.
Caminaba despacio, no porque estuviera cansado, sino porque le gustaba sentir la tierra bajo sus pies. Cada hoja, cada piedra, cada ondulación del aire le importaba.
Un grupo de niños lo vio a lo lejos y corrió hacia él. Un niño sostenía un mango maduro en la mano, cuya piel dorada brillaba a la luz del sol.
"¡Vinoba ji!", gritó sonriendo. "¡Te traje esto! ¡Es de nuestro árbol de mango!"
Vinoba miró al niño con ojos amables y luego a la fruta. "Se ve dulce", dijo. Luego, en voz baja, preguntó: "Dime, ¿se cayó sola del árbol?".
El niño hizo una pausa y se rascó la cabeza. "No, yo... sacudí la rama un poco".
No había regaños en el rostro de Vinoba. Solo una sonrisa discreta.
“Ah”, dijo, devolviendo el mango. “Entonces no puedo aceptarlo”.
El niño parecía confundido. “Pero... ¡es solo un mango! Todo el mundo sacude los árboles para conseguirlos”.
Vinoba se arrodilló a su lado. “Sí, es algo pequeño. Pero incluso las cosas pequeñas importan cuando intentamos vivir con dulzura”.
Recogió una hoja seca del suelo y la extendió. “¿Ves esta hoja? Ha caído sola. La naturaleza me la dio. Pero cuando sacudimos un árbol, le estamos pidiendo que ceda antes de estar listo. Eso también es un tipo de fuerza”.
Los niños escucharon con los ojos abiertos.
“Intento comer solo lo que la naturaleza me ofrece de buena gana”, dijo Vinoba. “Cuando una fruta cae sola, significa que ha llegado el momento. Hasta entonces, debo esperar”.
El niño miró el mango que tenía en la mano. Todavía olía dulce. Pero ahora, la sensación era diferente. Vinoba puso una mano suavemente sobre el hombro del niño. "No te preocupes. La próxima vez, si un mango se cae solo, lo comeré con gran alegría".
Y así, siguió caminando, descalzo, en silencio, ligero como la brisa de la mañana.
Incluso los actos más pequeños, como coger una fruta, pueden estar llenos de cuidado, respeto y no violencia. Vinoba Bhave nos enseña a vivir de tal manera que nunca tomemos más de lo que se nos da libremente y siempre escuchemos el tranquilo ritmo de la naturaleza.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Qué opinas de la idea de que vivir con afabilidad implica esperar a que la naturaleza ofrezca sus dones voluntariamente, como demostró Vinoba Bhave con el mango caído? ¿Podrías compartir una historia personal que refleje un momento en el que elegiste la paciencia por encima de la gratificación inmediata, quizás esperando a que la oportunidad madura se presentara de forma natural? ¿Qué te ayuda a cultivar el hábito de escuchar el tranquilo ritmo de la naturaleza en tu vida diaria, asegurándote de que tus acciones se alineen con un sentido de respeto y no violencia?
Vinoba Bhave fue el sucesor de Gandhi en la India. Más sobre su trayectoria en “King of Kindness”
Vinoba Bhave was the successor of Gandhi, in India. More about his journey in King of Kindness.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What do you make of the notion that living gently involves waiting for nature to offer its gifts willingly, as Vinoba Bhave demonstrated with the fallen mango? Can you share a personal story that reflects a moment when you chose patience over immediate gratification, perhaps waiting for the ripe opportunity to present itself naturally? What helps you cultivate the habit of listening to the quiet timing of nature in your daily life, ensuring that your actions align with a sense of respect and non-violence?
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12 Past Reflections
On Nov 16, 2025 Usha wrote :
I respect Vinoba Bhaveji. But I disagree to the concept of waiting for the nature to give. The coin has two sides but we often see just the one we want to notice, rest is just left unnoticed. One side of the picture is Vinoba Bhaveji is waiting for the nature - good. But I equally respect the boy - What he gave was not just the fruit - it was an affection. The boy also taught we need to put effort in our lives - nothing is free. Am sad that people saw Vinoba Bhave's ideas but why is innocent boy neglected? We all here have accepted from the nature by will, force - directly or indirectly. If not, will it be possible for farmers to survive? What about the massive population will we be able to survive?
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On Jul 30, 2025 Uday wrote :
I watch the series, Primal Survivor on the NatGeo channel. In the show, Hazen Audel attempts to stay alive in some of the world's most inhospitable places by using the same techniques people have for thousands of years.
On several occasions when he is hungry, he catches a snake or a lizard or some other animal but sets it free again when he realises that it's a baby - even though he is starving.
I think that is compassion towards other living things.
On several occasions when he is hungry, he catches a snake or a lizard or some other animal but sets it free again when he realises that it's a baby - even though he is starving.
I think that is compassion towards other living things.
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On Jul 27, 2025 Anupam wrote :
This is gratutious & virtue signalling of the basest type, it mocks all progress made in agriculture that feeds the world...You should refrain from such drivel
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On Jul 24, 2025 Munirah wrote :
You'd have to be a vegetarian. Wouldn't work for meat eaters at all unless the animal died naturally.
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On Jul 22, 2025 Susan wrote :
What a lovely, gentle story that teaches us, metaphorically, to be gentle, beginning with ourselves as it brings awareness to the fore, and then our gentleness can ripple out to others. I needed this message and gentle reminder this morning.
Reading the story, I was struck by the thought of the ripple effect of my actions and behaviors. The shaking of the branch to release the fruit is a metaphor for how often we press ourselves and one another for something that we hope will give us understanding... or how the stresses and strains of life and living cause us to agressively move forward in life to get what we think we need to ease our burdens... or how our judgement of another person and their choices can create discomfort, sadness, and turmoil for them.
I recognized that at times in my life, I have not walked gently, but rather I have shaken the branch to get what I thought I needed. The reading is a huge reminder for me to strive for awareness of all things around me (the peb... [View Full Comment]
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On Jul 22, 2025 indira wrote :
Thank you for sharing this life lesson. Reflection on this leads me to the space of not demanding that someone act or do this a certain way that I think is appropriate, rather accepting how they are able to be, in this moment. This letting go of my expectations that the world has to be the way i want it to be or what I think is the right way, is a daily sadhana for me. This leads me to Sthane’ ( all is, as all needs to be). Gratitude🙏
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On Jul 19, 2025 David Doane wrote :
The story reinforces for me the value of being in harmony with nature, taking action when the time is right, and not trying to force or control. Until recently we raised sheep, and I learned especially during lambing how important it is to be patient, let nature take its course, and intervene only when it seems clearly necessary and isn't too soon or really more for me than for the ewe. All that works for me with people too. I've learned it's important to listen closely and be with the other. I may say what I think, see, believe or feel but not push or try to make the other move in the way I think is best. The other's life is theirs. When I am this way with others, I cultivate a habit of listening and being responsive which for me aligns with a sense of respect and nonviolence. This holds true for me in dealing with all nature, that is to go with nature and not try to make nature go my way.
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On Jul 18, 2025 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
Reading this short, simple, beautiful and profound dialogue between Vinobaji and the little boy picking up a beautiful golden skin mango deeply touches my mind and heart. The story shows the spiritual foundation of Gandhiji and Vinobaji. Both followed the path of living a life built on the foundation of truth, love, gentleness, selfless service, simplicity, kindness and compassion.
We all value giving gifts to others with an expectation of 'thank you' in return. Vinobabaji refers to giving simple but very valuable spiritual gifts like kindness and compassion with no expectation in return. In the Bhagavad Gita this way of living is called Karma Yoga.
I am a teacher and a counselor. I chose my profession as a way of serving people, a kind of Karma Yoga. I get rewards of gratitude, affection and
reverence from people whom I serve. Teaching and counseling requires kindness, gentleness, patience and perseverance. It builds bridges of
relationships.
I value quiet time listeni... [View Full Comment]
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On Jul 17, 2025 Rebecca wrote :
This is so powerfully beautiful in its simplicity. Much food for thought. Thank you!
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On Jul 17, 2025 Allie Middleton wrote :
Waiting for the right time to receive the gentle kisses of the path of deep and connected awareness is a blessing. When the boy shook the tree to ‘get’ a mango fruit, his action might be in sync what others have been doing, yet, as we are reminded by barefoot Vinoba, it might be sweet but doesn’t feel right. The force used to shake or rush a ripening in any way creates a dent or interruption in a natural order of being and becoming harmony.