Compassion for trees

A man was once chopping dead leaves off an almond tree to the north of Bhagavan's hall. Bhagavan seeing him, winced with pain and called out:

Hey, what are you doing? You are hurting the tree so much, Don't you know it is alive?
You people can do nothing without causing pain. Imagine what would happen if I suddenly grabbed you by the hair and pulled. Your hair my have no life, yet you would feel it. Better leave the tree alone and go away!