He who drinks in the law lives happily with a serene mind: the sage rejoices always in the law, as preached by the elect (Ariyas). —The Dhammapada
Happy indeed we live without hate among the hateful.
We live free from hatred amidst hateful men.
SAYINGS OF THE BUDDHA
Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda
Let us live happily then, free from ailments among the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments! —The Dhammapada
Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
If a man find no prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and lives soberly, let him walk alone, like a king who has left his conquered country behind,–like an elephant in the forest. —The Dhammapada
Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
Instead of having a fault-finding mind, develop the beautiful attitude of gratitude. ~Ajahn Brahm
Lotus Water Lily. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
A mind committed to compassion is like an overflowing reservoir — a constant source of energy, determination, and kindness. Or this mind can be likened to a seed; when cultivated, it gives rise to many other qualities, such as tolerance, inner strength, and the confidence to overcome fear and insecurity. Compassion also brings us an inner strength. Once it is developed, it naturally opens an inner door, through which we can communicate with fellow human beings, and even other sentient beings, with ease, and heart to heart. ~Dailai Lama
Life is beautiful
When you find love
When you find the place
You’re meant to be
When you find the one
You can give your whole heart to…
Hatred and fear blind us. We no longer see each other. We only see the faces of monsters, and that gives us the courage to destroy each other. ~Thich Nhat Hanh
Verse 112: Better than a hundred years in the life of a person who is idle and inactive, is a day in the life of one who makes a zealous and strenuous effort (in Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice).
1. kusito: an idle person; according to the Commentary, an idle person is one who passes his time only in evil thoughts.
The Story of Thera Sappadasa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (112) of this book, with reference to Thera Sappadasa.
Once a bhikkhu was not feeling happy with the life of a bhikkhu; at the same time he felt that it would be improper and humiliating for him to return to the life of a householder. So he thought it would be better to die. So thinking, on one occasion, he put his hand into a pot where there was a snake but the snake did not bite him. This was because in a past existence the snake was a slave and the bhikkhu was his master. Because of this incident the bhikkhu was known as Thera Sappadasa. On another occasion, Thera Sappadasa took a razor to cut his throat; but as he placed the razor on his throat he reflected on the purity of his morality practice throughout his life as a bhikkhu and his whole body was suffused with delightful satisfaction (piti) and bliss (sukha). Then detaching himself from piti, he directed his mind to the development of Insight Knowledge and soon attained arahatship, and he returned to the monastery.
On arrival at the monastery, other bhikkhus asked him where he had been and why he took the knife along with him. When he told them about his intention to take his life, they asked him why he did not do so. He answered, “I originally intended to cut my throat with this knife, but I have now cut off all moral defilements with the knife of Insight Knowledge.” The bhikkhus did not believe him; so they went to the Buddha and asked. “Venerable Sir, this bhikkhu claims, that he has attained arahatship as he was putting the knife to his throat to kill himself. Is it possible to attain Arahatta Magga within such a short time?” To them the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus! Yes, it is possible; for one who is zealous and strenuous in the practice of Tranquillity and Insight Development, arahatship can be gained in an instant. As the bhikkhu walks in meditation, he can attain arahatship even before his raised foot touches the ground.”
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 112: Better than a hundred years in the life of a person who is idle and inactive, is a day in the life of one who makes a zealous and strenuous effort (in Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice).
Dhammapada Verse 112
Sappadasatthera Vatthu
Yo ca vassasatam jive
kusito1 hinaviriyo
ekaham jivitam seyyo
viriyamarabhato dalham.
Source: Tipitaka
Introduction
The body of this sutta consists of a narrative illustrating the power of skillful action. The narrative states that, in the past, unskillful behavior was unknown among the human race. As a result, people lived for an immensely long time—80,000 years—endowed with great beauty, wealth, pleasure, and strength. Over the course of time, though, they began behaving in various unskillful ways. This caused the human life span gradually to shorten, to the point where it now stands at 100 years, with human beauty, wealth, pleasure, and strength decreasing proportionately. In the future, as morality continues to degenerate, human life will continue to shorten to the point were the normal life span is ten years, with people reaching sexual maturity at five. “Among those human beings, the ten courses of action (see AN 10:176) will have entirely disappeared.… The word ‘skillful‘ will not exist, so from where will there be anyone who does what is skillful? Those who lack the honorable qualities of motherhood, fatherhood, contemplative-hood, & brahman-hood will be the ones who receive homage.… Fierce hatred will arise, fierce malevolence, fierce rage, & murderous thoughts: mother for child, child for mother, father for child, child for father, brother for sister, sister for brother.”
Ultimately, conditions will deteriorate to the point of a “sword-interval,” in which swords appear in the hands of all human beings, and they hunt one another like game. A few people, however, will take shelter in the wilderness to escape the carnage, and when the slaughter is over, they will come out of hiding and resolve to take up a life of skillful and virtuous action again. With the recovery of virtue, the human life span will gradually increase again until it reaches 80,000 years, with people attaining sexual maturity at 500. Only three diseases will be known at that time: desire, lack of food, and old age. Another Buddha—Metteyya (Maitreya)—will gain awakening, his monastic Saṅgha numbering in the thousands. The greatest king of the time, Saṅkha, will go forth into homelessness and attain arahantship under Metteyya’s guidance.
The story, after chronicling the ups and downs of human wealth, life span, etc., concludes with the following lesson on kamma and skillful action. Continue reading
