212. L2 - A Cracked Pot

A Cracked Pot

A water bearer（挑水工） in India had two large pots, each hung on one end of a pole. One of the pots had a crack(裂缝)in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full load of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full．
　　For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments（成就）． But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own flaw（缺陷）．After two years, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream．
　　“I am ashamed of myself and I want to apologize to you．”
　　“Why?”asked the bearer．“What are you ashamed of?”
　　“I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house．Because my flaw, you don’t get full value from your efforts”the pot said．
　　The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot and then he said,“As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path．”
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a bit．But at the end of the trail（小路）,it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path but not on the other pot's side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them．For two years I have been able to pick those beautiful flowers to decorate（装饰） my master's table．Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace（为…增色）his house．”