Inner sacrifice

Many people said they would sacrifice for their loved ones..
What do they actually mean?? In traditional culture of Bali, we acknowledge sacrifice as one man's offerings to god and goddess. This can be in form of flowers, fruits and even meat. This we believe to please the god and goddess as the mother nature whom will bring harmonious and balance to life.


In other belief, form of sacrifice is by donating cows or goat meat to the poor, so they can enjoy the same happiness like the rich. This too, a very good form of sacrifice as in many religion belief every form of kindness is highly suggested.

Once there was a very good story of the enlighten ones.
In one of his life, he was once born as a prince.
Having 2 older brothers, making him the youngest in his castle.

One day, this 3 prince was walking outside the castle for refreshment.
Suddenly they found a female tiger with her 3 babies starving to death.
They starve so much, until the mother tiger cannot bear the pain. She nearly eats her child because of it.

The youngest prince saw what happened and have great empathy towards the tigers. A mother who usually protects and cares for her children, but for these circumstances, she nearly eat her own. With a great love and compassion, this young prince would like to help the tigers from their suffering. He then leave his two older brothers in mid of the way and go to hike the hills.

From this hills he drop himself to death, where his body finally stop in front of the tigers, so that the tiger can eat him to survive. But it comes out he did not dead after these action, his body was in front of the tiger but the tigers just stood still, in confused mind. The prince then cut his leg, so bloods running out and the tiger can smell it and willing to eat him. As he died, heavy storm, thunder and earth quake happens, as a form of nature's great respect to one's great kindness and compassion for sacrificing himself to the hungry tiger.

The above story could probably a true story or a folk story. But it has taught us the value of kindness and compassion. Where one's true offering is not the offering from outside, ex: money, clothes, meat and etc. One's true offering is by offering one's true self. That's what our old teachers called.. An inner sacrifice.

In final words, any small sacrifice with a great compassion matters.
Have you done yours today?

With Love,
Satwika Lestari