The Cave of the Yellow Dog

Quotes: « Oldest daughter: Will I be reborn as a person in my next life? » « Older woman: Come here, I'll show you something. » [dropping a palm-full of rice grains onto an upward needle] « Older woman: [handing the needle to the girl] Tell me when a grain of rice balances on the tip of the needle. » « Oldest daughter: [dropping rice onto the needle for a while] « Older woman: [chuckles] « Oldest daughter: That's impossible! » « Older woman: See, my child? That's how hard it is to be born again as a person. That's why a human life is so valuable. » « Mother: Stretch your hand, like I'm doing. Now, try to bite the palm of your hand. » « Oldest daughter: I can't! » « Mother: You can't? Try again. And now? » « Oldest daughter: It doesn't work. » « Mother: Although it seems so close, it's still too far away to bite. You can't have everything that you see. » « Oldest daughter: Mom, can I have some dung? » « Mother: Go ahead and take some. »