Superior man seeks …
What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. ~Confucius
What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. ~Confucius
Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools. ― Dōgen Zenji
Real friendship, like real poetry, is extremely rare — and precious as a pearl. – Tahar Ben Jelloun
Thank you so much for one of the most precious photos, Randy Neufeldt! ~ Jendhamuni
A best friend is someone who makes you laugh even when you think you’ll never smile again. – Unknown
Verse 109: For one who always respects and honours those who are older and more virtuous, four benefits, viz., longevity, beauty, happiness and strength, will increase.
The Story of Ayuvaddhanakumara
While residing in a village monastery near Dighalanghika, the Buddha uttered Verse (109) of this book, with reference to Ayuvaddhanakumara.
Once, there were two hermits who fixed together practising religious austerities (tapacaranam) for forty eight years. Later, one of the two left the hermit life and got married. After a son was born, the family visited the old hermit and paid obeisance to him. To the parents the hermit said, “May you live long,” but he said nothing to the child. The parents were puzzled and asked the hermit the reason for his silence. The hermit told them that the child would live only seven more days and that he did not know how to prevent his death, but Gotama Buddha might know how to do it.
So the parents took the child to the Buddha; when they paid obeisance to the Buddha, he also said, “May you live long” to the parents only and not to the child. The Buddha also predicted the impending death of the child. To prevent his death, the parents were told to build a pavilion at the entrance to the house, and put the child on a couch in the pavilion. Then some bhikkhus were sent there to recite the parittas* for seven days. On the seventh day the Buddha himself came to that pavilion; the devas from all over the universe also came. At that time the ogre Avaruddhaka was at the entrance, waiting for a chance to take the child away. But as more powerful devas arrived the ogre had to step back and make room for them so that he had to stay at a place two yojanas away from the child. That whole night, recitation of parittas continued, thus protecting the child. The next day, the child was taken up from the couch and made to pay obeisance to the Buddha. This time, the Buddha said, “May you live long” to the child. When asked how long the child would live, the Buddha replied that he would live up to one hundred and twenty years. So the child was named Ayuvaddhana.
When the child grew up, he went about the country with a company of five hundred fellow devotees. One day, they came to the Jetavana monastery, and the bhikkhus, recognizing him, asked the Buddha, “For beings, is there any means of gaining longevity?” To this question the Buddha answered, “By respecting and honouring the elders and those who are wise and virtuous, one would gain not only longevity, but also beauty, happiness and strength.”
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 109: For one who always respects and honours those who are older and more virtuous, four benefits, viz., longevity, beauty, happiness and strength, will increase.
At the end of the discourse, Ayuvaddhana and his five hundred companions attained Sotapatti Fruition.
*Parittas: religious stanzas that are usually recited for protection against harmful influences.
Dhammapada Verse 109
Ayuvaddhanakumara Vatthu
Abhivadanasilissa
niccam vuddhapacayino
cattaro dhamma vaddhanti
ayu vanno sukham balam.
Source: Tipitaka
HATE has 4 letters, but so does LOVE
ENEMIES has 7 letters, but so does FRIENDS…
LYING has 5 letters, but so does TRUTH…
HURT has 4 letters, but so does HEAL…
Transform every negative energy into an aura of positivity…
It’s your perception that makes the difference in the way you feel.
Soure: http://rishikajain.com/
Verse 108: In this world, one may make sacrificial offerings, great and small, all the year round, in order to gain merit; all these offerings are not worth a quarter of the merit gained by worshipping the Noble Ones (Ariyas) who walk the right path.
The Story of Thera Sariputta’s Friend
While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (108) of this book, with reference to a friend of Thera Sariputta.
On one occasion Thera Sariputta asked his friend, a brahmin, whether he was doing any meritorious deeds and he replied that he had been making sacrificial offerings on a big scale, hoping to get to the Brahma world in his next existence. Thera Sariputta told him that his teachers had given him false hopes and that they themselves did not know the way to the Brahma world. Then he took his friend to the Buddha, who showed him the way to the Brahma world. To the friend of Thera Sariputta, the Buddha said, “Brahmin, worshipping the Noble Ones (Ariyas) only for a moment is better than making sacrificial offerings, great and small, throughout the year.”
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 108: In this world, one may make sacrificial offerings, great and small, all the year round, in order to gain merit; all these offerings are not worth a quarter of the merit gained by worshipping the Noble Ones (Ariyas) who walk the right path.
At the end of the discourse the brahmin attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 108
Sariputtattherassa sahayaka brahmana Vatthu
Yamkinci yittham va hutam va loke
samvaccharam yajetha punnapekkho
sabbampi tam na catubhagameti
abhivadana ujjugatesu seyyo.
Source: Tipitaka