One of Buddha's contemporaries was Makkhali Gosala, also known as Maskarin, and was the founder of the Ajivikas' sect. Gosala's central teaching was that absolutely everything is predetermined by fate and hence human action has no consequence one way or the other. According to the Ajivikas, each soul's course was like a ball of thread unravelling. When he encounters one of Gosala's followers he decides to provide some lessons.

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Today's story addresses the concept of merit. In Buddhism, merit is the positive force or spiritual wealth accumulated through virtuous actions like generosity, ethical conduct, and meditation. These actions are considered meritorious because they lead to favorable outcomes. Merit, and it's virtues, was often misunderstood especially amongst Brahmins who were conditioned to pay their priests to provide it.

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There are references in the sutras of “Perfumed Chambers” where Buddha would sit or rest. At first I thought it odd that Buddha would accept accomodations that seemed like pampering, so I had to look into this.

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On the night of the Komudi full moon, Brahmin families gather on the temple grounds. The air is thick with incense and expectation — a night for renewal, when vows were rehearsed and the white lotus was said to open under moonlight. But on this Komudī night, a young man named Uddalaka would glimpse something that neither ritual nor doctrine had prepared him for — a meeting that would change how he understood purity, desire, and the truth of his own path.

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With this story, I try to fill in one of the significant missing pieces of Siddhartha’s journey. He was seeking teachers who promised release from the wheel of birth and death. After two unsatisfying experiences with other teachers he decides to try the Sramana path. This was a group of wanderers who renounced all bodily ties, and followed a path of fierce simplicity.

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There are two short stories in this Episode: Auntie Flora the Healer and What Does Compassion Look Like? In story one I explore the health of the Buddha and the role of a healer called Auntie Flora. In the second story, a young monk wants to learn how to identify compassion. Is the pre-eminent goal of Mayahana Buddhism something that can be seen or is it something else? 

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This week's episode is called The Umdze. Umdze is the Tibetan term for the Chant Master in Buddhist Monasteries. I have invented this story to make up for not being able to find out when prayer wheels were first used in Tibet or who invented them. Consequently the period for this story is somewhat vague but the first hand-held prayer wheels were most likely created between the 7th and 9th centuries. But in the end, this is a story about compassion.

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Archira's mind becomes clouded with doubt. A young man determined to become a monk is rudely sidetracked when his dream is threatened by unresolved doubts. Some sage advice is provided by a caring grandfather.

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Echoes and Commentaries is a companion to the stories — a place to pause, look deeper, and trace the ideas that echo through them. Here I share context, history, and personal insights that may help the stories connect more closely with your own experience. Each of these reflections is just one way of hearing the story’s echo. I hope they resonate with you — or raise new questions. 

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The story of Angulimala is one of the best-known narratives in the Buddhist tradition. Here, I've tried to reframe it with compassion. Buddhist fiction is rare, but stories have always carried wisdom across generations. Tales for the Journey is my way of giving voice to that tradition—short fictional tales inspired by Buddhist thought and practice.

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