What If?

 
This 1994 Pulitzer Prize winning photo, which shocked the world, was taken during the Sudan famine. It shows a starving child crawling to a food camp 'nearby'. Behind the child, a vulture waits for her to die, so that he can eat her. No one knew what happened later, including the photographer Kevin Carter, who unfortunately committed suicide three months later, due to depression.

What if I were the hungry child?
Would I strive on in this endless wild?
Would I give up and lay to die?
Let the bird come from behind?
 
If I cannot fill me,
I can fill thee (you).*

What if I were the hungry bird of Death?
Would I kill her to give her 'rest'? (But would this not be 'hell'?)
What if I wait too long for her to die?
What if Death himself takes me alive?

If I do not fill me,
I can fill thee.**

What if I were the passing photographer?
Would I slice me and be a meat-giver?
Like the Buddha in a previous life,
Giving flesh to an eagle to save a dove's life.****
 
I might kill me,
But I can fill both of thee.***
 
What if?
What if?
What if?

*   If I (child) cannot feed myself, I can feed myself to the vulture.
**  If I (vulture) do not feed on the child, I can feed myself to the child.
*** If I (photographer) sacrifice myself, I can feed myself to the child and vulture.
**** The Buddha was a king in one of his previous lives, who vowed to save all beings from suffering. The deity-king Sakra (a powerful god or deva) decided to test his sincerity. Transforming one of his servants into a dove, he became an eagle which chased after the dove. The dove kept flying till it reached the king, who assured the dove that he would protect it unconditionally.

As the eagle insisted on eating the dove for his survival, the king decided to offer his own flesh in exchange for the dove's life. However, the eagle gave a condition - the king's flesh had to be equal in weight to the dove. The king cut off a piece of his flesh and placed it on a scale, but as it was always too light, the king cut off more and more flesh. It was futile as Sakra was using his powers to tip the scale. As a last resort, the king threw his whole body onto the scale.

Touched by his noblilty, Sakra appeared in his true form and asked him the reason for his sacrifice. The king replied that as long as his body and possessions can be of any use for helping others gain happiness, he is always willing to give them away. Asked if he had any regrets, the king vowed that "if he had any regrets, no flesh would grow back on his body; but that if he had no regrets, all of his flesh would grow back." By the power of truth, the king's body miraculously restored itself. Sakra and all the deities thus praised the king for his pure selfless compassion. In a future life, Sakra and many of the deities became disciples of the Bodhisattva king, who had then become the Buddha. Like the Buddha, may we always share our blessings. May we learn to give and give, till we perfect our giving.

- Shen Shi'an: (pic:picturenet.co.za)