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Sunday, 28 July 2019

Sloth Defeats Spirituality & Spiritual Strength Is Undefeatable1 (6)
The Story of Monk Mahàkàla (Verses 7 & 8)
While residing in the neighbourhood of the town of Setavya, the Buddha uttered these verses, with reference to Mahàkàla and his brother Cålakàla. For Cålakàla, Majjhima Kàla, and Mahàkàla were three householders who lived in Setavya, and they were brothers. Cålakàla and Mahàkàla, the oldest and youngest respectively, used to travel abroad with their cara-van of five hundred carts and bring home goods to sell, and Majjhima Kàla sold the goods they brought. Now on a certain occasion the two brothers, taking wares of various kinds in their five hundred carts, set out for Sàvatthi, and halting between Sàvatthi and Jetavana, unharnessed their carts. In the evening Mahàkàla saw Noble Disciples, residents of Sàvat-thi, with garlands and perfumes in their hands, going to hear the Law. “Where are they going?” he asked. Receiving the answer that they were going to hear the Law, he thought to himself, “I will go too.” So he addressed his youngest brother, “Dear brother, keep watch over the carts; I am going to hear the Law.” So saying, he went and paid obeisance to the Buddha and sat down in the outer circle of the congregation.On that day the Teacher preached the Law in orderly sequence with reference to Mahàkàla’s disposition of mind, and quoting the Sutta on the Aggregate of Suffering, and other Suttas, discoursed on the sinfulness and folly and con-tamination of sensual pleasures. Mahàkàla, after listening to the discourse, became a monk under the Teacher. Cålakàla likewise became a monk. But the thought in Cålakàla’s mind was, “After a time I will return to the world and take my brother with me.”Somewhat later Mahàkàla made his full profession, and approaching the Teacher, asked him, “How many duties are there in this Religion?” The Teacher informed him that there were two. Said Mahàkàla, “Venerable, since I became a monk in old age, I shall not be able to fulfill the Duty of Study, but I can fulfill the Duty of Contemplation.” So he had the Teacher instruct him in the Practice of meditation in a cemetery, which leads to Arahatship. At the end of the first watch, when every-one else was asleep, he went to the cemetery; and at dawn, before anyone else had risen, he returned to the Monastery.Now a certain young woman of station was attacked by a disease, and the very moment the disease attacked her, she died, in the evening, without a sign of old age or weakness. In the evening her kinsfolk and friends brought her body to the burning-ground, with firewood, oil, and other requisites, and said to the keeper of the burning-ground, “Burn this body.” And paying the keeper the usual fee, they turned the body over to her and departed. When the keeper of the burning-ground removed the woman’s dress and beheld her beautiful golden-hued body, she straightway thought to herself, “This corpse is a suitable Subject of Meditation to show to His rever-ence.” So she went to the Venerable, paid obeisance to him, and said, “I have a remarkably good Subject of Meditation; pray look at it, Venerable.” “Very well,” said the Venerable. So he went and caused the dress which covered the corpse to be removed, and surveyed the body from the soles of the feet to the tips of the hair. Then he said, “Throw this beautiful golden-hued body into the fire, and as soon as the tongues of fire have laid hold of it, please tell me.” So saying, he went to his own place and sat down. The keeper of the burning-ground did as she was told and went and informed the Venerable. The Venerable came and surveyed the body. Where the flames had touched the flesh, the colour of her body was like that of a mottled cow; the feet stuck out and hung down; the hands were curled back; the forehead was without skin. The Vener-able thought to himself, “This body, which but now caused those who looked thereon to forget the Sacred Word, has but now attained decay, has but now attained death.” And going to his night-quarters, he sat down, discerning clearly Decay and Death. Mahàkàla developed Spiritual Insight and attained Arahatship, together with the Supernatural Faculties.When Mahàkàla attained Arahatship, the Buddha, sur-rounded by the Congregation of Monks, travelling from place to place, arrived at Setavya and entered the Simsapà forest. Cålakàla’s wives, hearing that the Buddha had arrived, thought to themselves, “Now we shall recover our husband.” So they went and invited the Buddha. Now when a visit is expected from the Buddha, it is customary for a single monk to go in advance and give warning. When Cålakàla went home to prepare for alms-giving his wives tore off his robes. Mahàkàla’s eight wives also thought that they would get their husband to give up the robes. One day, they arranged an alms-giving for the Buddha and the Disciples and asked the Buddha to leave Mahàkàla behind to pronounce the formula of thanksgiving after alms-giving. The Buddha left him at his former home and went away with the other disciples.When the Buddha reached the village gate, the congre-gation of monks was offended and said, “What a thing for the Buddha to do! Did he do it wittingly or unwittingly? Yester-day Cålakàla came and that was the end of his monastic life. But today, a different monk came and nothing of the sort hap-pened.” The Buddha sent Mahàkàla back and continued on his way. Said the monks, “The monk Mahàkàla is virtuous and upright. Will they put an end to his monastic life?” Mahàkàla’s wives tried to make him a layman but he rose into the air through his psychic power as an Arahat and appeared before the Buddha as he was reciting these two verses. Monk Mahàkàla paid obeisance to the Buddha and the Buddha told the other monks that they were wrong about Arahat Mahàkàla to compare him with Monk Cålakàla.



Explanatory Translation (Verse 7)subhànupassiü viharantaü indriyesu asaüvutaübhojanamhi ca amatta¤¤uü kusãtaü hãnavãriyaütaü ve pasahati Màro vàto dubbalaü rukkhaü ivasubhànupassiü: dwelling on the attractiveness of sensual pleasures; viharantaü: he who lives; indriyesu: in senses; asaüvutaü: unguarded; bhojanamhica: in food also; amatta¤¤uü: immoderate; kusãtaü: lazy; hãnavãriyaü: weak in making an effort; taü: that person; Màro: emotion per-sonified as ‘Màra’ (the equivalent of ‘Devil’); ve: indeed
pasahati: overpowers; vàto: the wind; dubbalaü: weak; rukkhaü: tree; iva: like. 

Those who dwell on the attractiveness of sensual enjoyments, and live with the senses unguarded, and are immoderate in eating, they are slothful and weak in perseverance and will-power. Emotions overpower such persons as easily as the wind overpowers a weak tree.


Explanatory Translation (Verse 8)asubhànupassiü viharantaü indriyesu susaüvutaü bhojanamhi ca matta¤¤uü saddhaü àraddha vãriyaü Màro taü ve nappasahati vàto selaü pabbataü iva.asubhànupassiü: dwelling on the unattractiveness of sensual pleasure; viharantaü: he who lives; indriyesu: in senses; susaüvutaü: well guarded; bhojanamhica: in food also; matta¤¤uü: moderate; saddhaü: devoted; àraddhavãriyaü: strong in effort; taü: that person; Màro: emotions personified as ‘Màra’ (the equivalent of ‘Devil’); nappasa-hati: does not overpower; vàto: the wind; selaüpabbataü: rocky mountain; iva: like. 

Those who dwell on the unattractiveness of sensual enjoy-ments, and live with the senses well guarded, and moderate in eating, they are devoted to the Teaching and to persistent methodical practice. Such persons are not overpowered by emotions just as a rocky mountain is not shaken by the wind.

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Recollection Of Death Brings Peace

Recollection Of Death Brings Peace

(5) The Story of Kosambi Monks (Verse 6)While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Sàvatthi, the Buddha uttered this verse, with reference to the monks of Kosambi.The monks of Kosambi had formed into two groups. One group followed the master of Vinaya and the other fol-lowed the teacher of the Dhamma. Once they were quarrel-ling among themselves over a minor Vinaya rule. Even the Buddha could not stop them from quarrelling; so he left them and spent the vassa, religious retreat in the monsoon season, all alone in Rakkhita Grove near Pàrileyyaka forest. There, the elephant Pàrileyya waited upon the Buddha.The lay disciples of Kosambi, on learning the reason for the departure of the Buddha, refused to make offerings to the remaining monks. This made them realize their mistake and reconciliation took place among themselves. Still, the lay dis-ciples would not treat them as respectfully as before, until they owned up their fault to the Buddha. But the Buddha was away and it was in the middle of the vassa; so the monks of Kosambi spent the vassa in misery and hardship.At the end of the vassa, the Venerable ânanda and many monks approached the Buddha and gave the message from Anàthapiõóika and other lay disciples imploring him to return. In due course the Buddha returned to the Jetavana Monastery in Sàvatthi. The monks followed him there, fell down at his feet, and admitted their fault. The Buddha rebuked them for disobeying Him. He told them to remember that they must all die some day and therefore, they must stop their quarrels and must not act as if they would never die.Explanatory Translation (Verse 6)etthaparemayaüyamàmasenacavijànantitatthayecavijànantitatomedhagàsammanti.ettha: in this place; pare: those others; mayaü: we; yamà-mase: die; navijànanti: do not know; tattha: here; yeca: some; vijànanti: know (it); tato: due to that (awareness); medhagà: conflicts and disputes; sammanti: subside.Most of us are not willing to face the reality of impermanence and death. It is because we forget this fact that our lives are tran-sitory, that we quarrel with each other, as if we are going to live for ever. But, if we face the fact of death, our quarrels will come to an end. We will then realize the folly of fighting when we ourselves are doomed to die. Excited by emotions our thought being clouded, we cannot see the truth about life. When we see the truth, however, our thoughts become free of emotions. 

CommentaryThe essence of Buddhism is facing the reality of death and imperma-nence. Why we suffer is because we run away from reality, carried away by emotions. Emotions are in conflict with reality; therefore, they are bound to be thwarted by reality. Not only anger but all self-centred emotions come to an end when we face the reality of death. It is a realistic thought that ends all unhappiness. Those who do not face reality in this Buddhist way, continue to be frustrated and angry, and suffer in consequence.

 Generally, people are not aware that death will overtake them one day. They act unmindful of this universal truth. Both monks and laymen, unmindful of death and considering themselves as immor-tals, are often heedless in cultivating virtues. They engage themselves in strife and arguments and are often dejected, with their hopes and aspirations shattered. At times, they postpone their work with the hope of doing it on a grand scale in the future, and end up without being able to do anything. Therefore, it is only proper that one should daily reflect on death.Being mindful of death is central to the Buddhist way of under-standing the real nature of life. There are people in this world, people in various walks of life, who resent the very word ‘death’, let alone reflect on it. Infatuated by long life, good health, youth and prosperity, they completely forget the fact that they are subject to death. Immersed in the evanescent pleasures of the five-fold senses, they seek only material satisfaction in this world, completely disregarding a future life, and indulging in vice through the mind, body and speech. They regard this impermanent and evanescent life as permanent and ever-lasting. It is to arouse a sense of dissatisfaction in such blind and igno-rant people, to allay the pangs of sorrow caused by the separation of parents and children, and from wealth and property, to inculcate the doctrine of impermanence in all beings, and thereby convince them of the unsatisfaction of life, and direct them towards the attainment of everlasting peace, that the Buddha preached these words.A person who has not comprehended the doctrine of the Buddha is infatuated by long life and considers himself as immortal, even though he may see many deaths around him; he is infatuated by good health and considers himself free from disease even though he may see countless diseased persons around him; he is infatuated by youth even though he may see many aged persons and considers him-self as one who is not subjected to old age; he is infatuated by wealth and prosperity even though he may see countless persons rendered destitute through loss of wealth; and he never thinks for a moment, that he too, might be subjected to such a state.
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Monday, 22 July 2019

Uncontrolled Hatred Leads To Harm &Overcoming Anger1 (3) (4) The Story of Monk Tissa (Verses 3 & 4)

Uncontrolled Hatred Leads To Harm &
Overcoming Anger
1 (3) (4) The Story of Monk Tissa (Verses 3 & 4)
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Sàvatthi, the
Buddha uttered these Verses, with reference to Monk Tissa.
Tissa, son of the Buddha’s maternal aunt, was at one time
staying with the Buddha. He had become a monk only in his
old age, but he posed as a senior monk and was very pleased
when visiting monks asked his permission to do some service
for him. On the other hand, he failed to perform the duties
expected of junior monks; besides, he often quarrelled with
the younger monks. Should anyone rebuke him on account of
his behaviour, he would go complaining to the Buddha, weep-
ing, very much dissatisfied and very upset.
Once, the Teacher asked him, “Tissa, why have you come
to me so sad and sorrowful with tears in your eyes, weeping?”
The other monks had discussed among themselves, “If he
goes alone, he may cause trouble.” So they too went along with
him, paid obeisance to the Teacher, and sat down respectfully
on one side. Tissa answered the Teacher’s question, “Venerable,
these monks are abusing me.” The Teacher asked, “But where
were you sitting?” “In the centre of the monastery in the Hall
of State, Venerable.” “Did you see these monks when they
came?” “Yes, Venerable I saw them.” “Did you rise and go to
meet them?” “No, Venerable, I did not.” “Did you offer to take
their monastic utensils?” “No, Venerable, I did not offer to
take them.” “Tissa, do not act thus. You alone are to be blamed;
ask their pardon.” “I will not ask their pardon, Venerable.”
The monks said to the Teacher, “He is an obstinate monk,
Venerable.” The Teacher replied, “Monks, this is not the first
time he has proved obstinate; he was obstinate also in a previ-
ous state of existence.” “We know all about his present obsti-
nacy, Venerable; but what did he do in a previous state of
existence?” “Well then, monks, listen,” said the Teacher. So
saying, he told the following story.
Once upon a time, when a certain king reigned at
Benàres, an ascetic named Devala, who had resided for eight
months in the Himàlaya country, desiring to reside near the
city during the four months of the rains, for salt and vinegar
returned from the Himàlayas. Seeing two boys at the gate of
the city, he asked them, “Where do monks who come to this
city spend the night?” “In the potter’s hall, Venerable.” So
Devala went to the potter’s hall, stopped at the door, and said,
“lf it is agreeable to you, Bhaggava, I would like to spend one
night in your hall.” The potter turned over the hall to him,
saying, “I have no work going on in the hall at night, and the
hall is a large one; spend the night here as you please, Vener-
able.” No sooner had Devala entered the hall and sat down
than another ascetic named Nàrada, returning from the
Himàlayas, asked the potter for a night’s lodging. The potter
thought to himself, “The ascetic who arrived first may or may
not be willing to spend the night with him; I will therefore
relieve myself of responsibility.”
So he said to the ascetic who had just arrived, “Venera-
ble, if the ascetic who arrived first approves of it, spend the
night at your pleasure.” So Nàrada approached Devala and
said, “Teacher, if it is agreeable to you, I would like to spend
one night here.” Devala replied, “The hall is a large one; there
fore come in and spend the night on one side.” So Nàrada
went in and sat down beside the ascetic who had gone in
before him. Both exchanged friendly greetings.
When it was bedtime, Nàrada noted carefully the place
where Devala lay and the position of the door, and then lay
down. But when Devala lay down, instead of lying down in
his proper place, he lay down directly across the doorway. The
result was that when Nàrada went out at night, he trod on
Devala’s matted locks. Thereupon Devala cried out, “Who is
treading on my locks?” Nàrada replied, “Teacher, it is I.” “False
ascetic,” said Devala, “You come from the forest and tread on
my locks.” “Teacher, I did not know that you were lying here;
please pardon me.” Nàrada then went out, leaving Devala
weeping as if his heart would break. Devala thought to him-
self, “I will not let him tread on me when he comes in also.” So
he turned around and lay down, placing his head where his
feet had been before. When Nàrada came in, he thought to
himself, “The first time I injured the teacher; this time I will go
in past his feet.” The result was that, when Nàrada entered, he
trod on Devala’s neck. Thereupon Devala cried out, “Who is
that?” Nàrada replied, “It is I, teacher.” “False ascetic,” said
Devala, “The first time you trod on my locks. This time you
tread on my neck. I will curse you.” “Teacher, I am not to
blame. I did not know that you were lying in this position.
When I came in I thought to myself, ‘The first time I injured
the teacher; this time I will go in past his feet.’ Please pardon
me.” “False ascetic, I will curse you.” “Do not do so, teacher.”
But Devala, paying no attention to what Nàrada said, cursed
him all the same, saying, “May your head split into seven
pieces at sunrise.”
Now Nàrada, perceiving that the curse would fall back
on his brother-ascetic, he felt compassion for him, and there-
fore put forth the power of his meditation and prevented the
sunrise. When the sun did not rise, the king had to intervene
and ask Devala to apologise. Devala refused. Then said
Nàrada to Devala, “Teacher, I will put forth my power of
meditation and make the sun to rise. At the moment of sun-
rise please keep a lump of clay on your head and submerge in
water and rise in different places as you go your way.” As
soon as the sun’s rays touched the lump of clay on his head, it
divided into seven pieces. Thereupon Devala ducked in the
water, and came up in a different place, and ran away. When
the Buddha had given his instruction, he said, “Monks, at that
time the king was ânanda, Devala was Tissa, and Nàrada
was myself, when at that time he was obstinate.” The Buddha
advised them not to keep thoughts of enmity, for this could
be only appeased by thoughts of friendliness.
Explanatory Translation (Verse 3)
maü akkocchi maü avadhi maü ajini me ahàsi
ye taü upanayhanti tesaü veraü na saümati
maü: me; akkocchi: (he) insulted; maü: me; avadhi: (he)
assaulted; maü: me; ajini (he) defeated; ahàsi: (he) robbed;
me: my (belongings); ye: those who; taü: such thoughts;
upanayhanti: keep coming back to; tesaü: their; veraü:
enmity; na saümati: never ceases.
When a person holds that he was insulted, assaulted, defeated,
or robbed, his anger continues to increase. The anger of such a
person has no way of subsiding. The more he goes over his
imaginary trouble the greater becomes his desire to avenge it.
Explanatory Translation (Verse 4)
maü akkocchi maü avadhi maü ajini me ahàsi
ye taü na upanayhanti tesaü veraü saümati.
maü: me; akkocchi: (he) insulted; maü: me; avadhi: (he)
assaulted; maü: me; ajini: (he) defeated; ahàsi: (he) robbed;
me: my (belongings); ye: those who; taü: such thoughts;
na upanayhanti: does not constantly return to; tesaü: their;
veraü: enmity; saümati: ceases.
Living in human society, people often quarrel with one
another. When such conflicts occur, people often keep think-
ing about the wrongs done to them by others. When that hap-
pens, their anger tends to grow. But in those who forgive and
forget the wrongs done to them, anger quickly vanishes. They
are then at peace.
Commentary
This pair of verses reveals the psychological principle that is basic to emotional
control. Emotion is an excitement of the body that begins with a thought. A
thought creates a mental picture which, if held onto, excites a corresponding
emotion. It is only when this mental picture is discarded and paid no attention
to, that the emotion subsides. The Buddha’s constant advice to His followers
was not to retaliate but to practice patience at all times and places, even under
provocation. The Buddha praises those who forebear the wrongs of others, even
though they have the power to retaliate. In the Dhammapada itself there are
many instances that show how the Buddha practiced patience, even when he
was severely criticised, abused, and attacked. Patience is not a sign of weakness
or defeatism but the unfailing strength of great men and women. The secret of
patience is to change the mental picture or how you interpret a situation. An
example is given in the Shàntivàdi Jàtaka, where the saint Shàntivàdi was the
Buddha Gotama in his former life. The saint kept repeating the thought, “Long
live the king may he be free from harm,” while his limbs were severed until
death, by this cruel king who wanted to test his patience.
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Friday, 19 July 2019

Dependent Origination


“If this exists, that exists; if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist.”

12 links
1) Blind woman: ignorance
2) Potter: mental formations (potter forms a shape out of clay setting into motion
3) Monkey: consciousness (monkey mind = unsettled mind)
4) People sailing in a boat: the boat represents form and the people represent mental aggregates
5) House with six windows: the six windows represent the six senses: eye, ear, nose, tongue, touch, and mind.
6) Embracing couple: Contact
7) Eye pierced by an arrow: “Feeling”
8) Drinking alcohol: addictions of “Craving” which arose as a result of “feeling.”
9) Monkey reaching for fruit: “Grasping” or “wanting.”
10) A pregnant woman: representing “becoming” as she is just about to give birth.
11) A mother with child: “Birth”, which ultimately,
12) ageing and dying and death

 

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