April 2019 — Page 2 of 6 — Jendhamuni-Buddhism

The Story of Thera Mahakaccayana

Comment April 19, 2019

Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants – such an arahat is held dear even by the devas.

1. tadino: one who is calm and tranquil or unperturbed by the ups and downs of life (Lokadhamma).

The Story of Thera Mahakaccayana

While residing at the Pubbarama monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (94) of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakaccayana.

On a full moon day, which was also the end of the vassa, Sakka with a large company of devas came to pay homage to the Buddha, who was then in residence at Pubbarama, the monastery built by Visakha. At that time, the Buddha was being attended upon by the Chief Disciples and all the senior bhikkhus. Thera Mahakaccayana, who spent the vassa in Avanti, had not yet arrived, and a seat was kept vacant for him. Sakka paid homage to the Buddha with flowers, incense and perfumes. On seeing a vacant seat he declared how he wished that Thera Mahakaccayana would come so that he could pay obeisance to him also. At that instant Mahakaccayana arrived; Sakka was very pleased and eagerly paid obeisance to him with flowers, incense and perfumes.

The bhikkhus were awed by Sakka paying obeisance to Mahakaccayana, but some bhikkhus thought that Sakka was being partial to Mahakaccayana. To them, the Buddha said, “One who is restrained in his senses is loved by both men and devas.”

The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants – such an arahat is held dear even by the devas.

Dhammapada Verse 94
Mahakaccayanatthera Vatthu

Yassindriyani samathangatani
assa yatha sarathina sudanta
pahinamanassa anasavassa
devapi tassa pihayanti tadino1.

Source: Tipitaka
This is the Dhamma

Comment April 18, 2019

Sometimes there is happiness,
Sometimes suffering,
Sometimes comfort,
Sometimes pain…
This is the Dhamma.
Do you see it?

~Ajahn Chah
The value of compassion

Comment April 18, 2019

The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands. ~Arthur H. Stainback
Anger is an illusion

Comment April 18, 2019

[Screengrab/Al Jazeera]
When anger arises in what we think of as our minds, we become oblivious even to the dangers that might threaten us. Our faces flushed with rage, we seize our weapons and could even kill a lot of people. But this anger is an illusion; it is not at all some great force that comes rushing into us. It achieves one thing only and that is to send us to hell, and yet it is nothing but thought, insubstantial thought. It is only thought, and yet!

At this moment, while I am teaching Dharma, let us consider the mental experience, or thought, which you have, of listening carefully to me. Does this have a form or color? Is it to be found in the upper or lower part of the body, in the eyes or the ears?

What we call the mind is not really there at all. You can find out whether the mind exists or not by just turning inwards and reflecting carefully. You will see that the mind does not begin, or end, or stay, anywhere; that it has no color or form and is to be found neither inside nor outside the body. And when you see that it does not exist as any thing, you should stay in that experience without an attempt to label or define it. ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
How to make the mind positive

Comment April 18, 2019

When the mind is positive, body and speech, the servants of the mind, will of course be positive also. But how are we to make the mind positive? At the moment, we cling to the notion that our minds are real entities. When someone helps us, we think, ‘That person has been so good to me. I must be kind to him in return and make him my friend for lives and lives to come.’ This only goes to show that we do not know about the empty nature of the mind. As for our enemies, we think of how to harm them as much as possible… We think like that simply because we think our anger is a true and permanent reality – while in fact it is nothing at all. We should therefore rest in the empty nature of the mind beyond all mental elaborations, in that state which is free from clinging, a clarity beyond concepts. ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
River facts

Comment April 18, 2019

Small rivers often have different names which include creek, stream and brook.

Rivers normally contain freshwater.

The word upriver (or upstream) refers to the direction of the river’s water source, while downriver (or downstream) refers to the direction in which the water flows, i.e. towards the end of the river.

Source: Science Kids
The way I treat my body

Comment April 17, 2019

The way I treat my body is not disconnected from the way I treat my family or the commitment I have to peace on our earth. ― Jack Kornfield
The Story of Thera Anuruddha

Comment April 16, 2019

[Photo credit: Al Jazeera]
Verse 93: The arahat is free from moral intoxicants (asavas); he is not attached to food. He has as his object liberation from existence, i.e., Nibbana which is Void and Signless. His path, like that of birds in the air, cannot be traced.

The Story of Thera Anuruddha

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (93) of this book, with reference to Thera Anuruddha.

Thera Anuruddha was one day looking for some discarded pieces of cloth in a rubbish heap to make into a robe as his old robe was getting soiled and torn. Jalini, his wife of a previous existence, who was now in a deva world, saw him. Knowing that he was looking for some cloth, she took three pieces of good deva material and put them in the rubbish heap, making them barely visible. The thera found the pieces of cloth and took them to the monastery. While he was making the robe, the Buddha arrived with his Chief Disciples and senior disciples and they also helped stitch the robe.

Meanwhile, Jalini, assuming the form of a young lady, came to the village and learnt about the arrival of the Buddha and his disciples and also how they were helping Thera Anuruddha. She urged the villagers to send good delicious food to the monastery and consequently there was more than enough for all. Other bhikkhus, seeing so much surplus, put the blame on the thera and said, “Thera Anuruddha should have asked his relatives and lay disciples to send just enough food; may be, he just wanted to show off that he had so many devotees.” To those bhikkhus, the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus, do not think my son Anuruddha has asked his relatives and lay disciples to send rice gruel and other foods. My son the thera did not ask for anything; arahats do not talk about such things like food and clothing. The excessive amount of food brought to the monastery this morning was due to the promptings of a celestial being and not of a man.”

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 93: The arahat is free from moral intoxicants (asavas); he is not attached to food. He has as his object liberation from existence, i.e., Nibbana which is Void and Signless. His path, like that of birds in the air, cannot be traced.

Dhammapada Verse 93
Anuruddhatthera Vatthu

Yassasa va parikkhina
ahare ca anissito
sunnato animitto ca
vimokkho yassa gocaro
akaseva sakuntanam
padam tassa durannayam.

Source: Tipitaka
Looking at things truthfully

Comment April 15, 2019

The external world is only a manifestation of the activities of the mind itself, and the mind grasps it as an external world simply because of its habit of discrimination and false-reasoning. The disciple must get into the habit of looking at things truthfully. ~Buddha
To let go is to release the images and emotions

Comment April 15, 2019

The knowledge of the past stays with us. To let go is to release the images and emotions, the grudges and fears, the clinging’s and disappointments of the past that bind our spirit. – Jack Kornfield