August 2020 — Page 3 of 4 — Jendhamuni-Buddhism

The Story of Khanu-Kondanna

Comment August 17, 2020

Verse 111: Better than a hundred years in the life of an ignorant person, who has no control over his senses, is a day in the life of a wise man who cultivates Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice.

The Story of Khanu-Kondanna

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (111) of this book, with reference to Khanu Kondanna.

Thera Kondanna, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went into the jungle to practise meditation and there attained arahatship. Coming back to pay homage to the Buddha, he stopped on the way because he was very tired. He sat on a large stone-slab, his mind fixed in jhana concentration. At that moment five hundred robbers after looting a large village came to the place where the thera was. Taking him for a tree stump they put their bundles of loot all over and around the body of the thera. When day broke they realized that what they took to be a tree stump was, in fact, a living being. Then again, they thought it was an ogre and ran away in fright.

The thera revealed to them that he was only a bhikkhu and not an ogre and told them not to get frightened. The robbers were awed by his words, and asked his pardon for having wronged him. Soon after wards, all the robbers requested the thera to admit them into the Order. From that time, Thera Kondanna came to be known as “Khanu Kondanna” (tree-stump Kondanna)

The thera accompanied by the new bhikkhus went to the Buddha and told him all that had happened. To them the Buddha said, “To live for a hundred years in ignorance, doing foolish things, is useless; now that you have seen the Truth and have become wise, your life of one day as a wise man is much more worthwhile.”

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 111: Better than a hundred years in the life of an ignorant person, who has no control over his senses, is a day in the life of a wise man who cultivates Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice.

Dhammapada Verse 111
Khanu Kondannatthera Vatthu

Yo ca vassasatam jive
duppanno asamahito
ekaham jivitam seyyo
pannavantassa jhayino.

Source: Tipitaka
Our mind Is like the open sky

3 August 16, 2020

The sky is pure, open space, free from all obstructions. The nature of our mind is similar: the afflictions, self-centered attitude, and other obscurations are not in its essential nature. Just as clouds may temporarily obscure the open sky, anger, attachment, and confusion can temporarily obscure our mind. When they do, the pure, open nature of the mind still remains; we just can’t see it at the time.

By generating the wisdom realizing the emptiness of inherent existence, we will be able to eradicate obscurations from our mind forever and enjoy the sky-like spaciousness of a purified mind. ~Thubten Chodron

Jendhamuni at Kiryvongsa Bopharam Pagoda on August 8, 2020.
Merit is not something you store up

Comment August 14, 2020

Merit is not something you store up for a future life, it’s what you put into your heart for now. ~Ajahn Brahm

Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha Vey Ve and Novice Ananda on June 30, 2019.
The Story of Samanera Samkicca

Comment August 13, 2020

Verse 110: Better than a hundred years in the life of an immoral person who has no control over his senses, is a day in the life of a virtuous person who cultivates Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice.

The Story of Samanera Samkicca

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (110) of this book, with reference to Samanera Samkicca.

On one occasion, thirty bhikkhus each took a subject of meditation from the Buddha and left for a large village, one hundred and twenty yojanas away from Savatthi. At that time, five hundred robbers were staying in a thick jungle, and they wanted to make an offering of human flesh and blood to the guardian spirits of the forest. So they came to the village monastery and demanded that one of the bhikkhus be given up to them for sacrifice to the guardian spirits. From the eldest to the youngest, each one of the bhikkhus volunteered to go. With the bhikkhus, there was also a young samanera by the name of Samkicca, who was sent along with them by Thera Sariputta. This samanera was only seven years old, but had already attained arahatship. Samkicca said that Thera Sariputta, his teacher, knowing this danger in advance, had purposely sent him to accompany the bhikkhus, and that he should be the one to go with the robbers. So saying, he went along with the robbers. The bhikkhus felt very bad for having let the young samanera go. The robbers made preparations for the sacrifice; when everything was ready, their leader came to the samanera, who was then seated, with his mind fixed on jhana concentration. The leader of the robbers lifted his sword and struck hard at the young samanera, but the blade of the sword curled up without cutting the flesh. He straightened up the blade and struck again; this time, it bent upwards right up to the hilt without harming the samanera. Seeing this strange happening, the leader of the robbers dropped his sword, knelt at the feet of the samanera and asked his pardon. All the five hundred robbers were amazed and terror-stricken; they repented and asked permission from Samkicca to become bhikkhus. He complied with their request.

The young samanera accompanied by five hundred new bhikkhus returned to the village monastery and the thirty bhikkhus felt very much relieved and happy on seeing him. Then Samkicca and the five hundred bhikkhus continued on their way to pay respect to Thera Sariputta, his teacher, at the Jetavana monastery. After seeing Thera Sariputta they went to pay homage to the Buddha. When told what had happened, the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus, if you rob or steal and commit all sorts of evil deeds, your life would be useless, even if you were to live a hundred years. Living a virtuous life even for a single day is much better than a hundred years of a life of depravity.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 110: Better than a hundred years in the life of an immoral person who has no control over his senses, is a day in the life of a virtuous person who cultivates Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice.
At the end of the discourse, the five hundred bhikkhus attained arahatship.

Dhammapada Verse 110
Samkiccasamanera Vatthu

Vo ca vassasatam jive
dussilo asamahito
ekaham jivitam seyyo
silavantassa jhayino.

Source: Tipitaka
One moment of impatience

1 August 13, 2020

One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life. ~Vikas Runwal
A moment of patience

2 August 13, 2020

A moment of patience in a moment of anger prevents a thousand moments of regret. ~ Ali Ibn Abi Talib
Beautiful just in what they are

305 August 12, 2020

Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are.

~ Markus Zusak

Variegated Rose. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
Be simply yourself

2 August 9, 2020

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you. ― Lao Tzu

Jendhamuni in Washington, D.C.
If you are quiet enough

Comment August 9, 2020

If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.

Jendhamuni in front of the reclining Buddha a Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam on August 8, 2020.
Be a reflection of what you’d like to see in others

3 August 7, 2020

Be a reflection of what you’d like to see in others. If you want love, give love, if you want honesty, give honesty, if you want respect, give respect. You get in return, what you give. ~Anonymous

Ananda and Kali at the Japanese Pagoda