1. The importance of human life

    Comment August 31, 2021

    Novice Ananda at Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam

    If we realize, “I am a human being. A human being can do anything,” this determination, courage, and self-confidence are important sources of victory and success. Without will power and determination, even something that you might have achieved easily cannot be achieved. If you have will power and reasonable courage — not blind courage but courage without pride — even things that seemed impossible at a certain stage turn into being possible because of continuing effort inspired by that courage. Thus, determination is important.

    How can this be developed? Not through machines, not by money, but by our own inner strength based on clear realization of the value of human beings, of human dignity. For, once we realize that a human being is much more than just material, much more than just money, we can feel the importance of human life, from which we can feel the importance of compassion and kindness. ~ 14th Dalai Lama

  2. The Story of Devadatta

    Comment August 31, 2021

    Verse 162: As the creeper (maluva) strangle the sal tree, so also, a really immoral person (overwhelmed by Craving) does to himself just what his enemy wishes him to do.

    The Story of Devadatta

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (162) of this book, with reference to Devadatta.

    One day, some bhikkhus were talking amongst themselves when the Buddha came in and asked the subject of their talk. They answered that they were talking about Devadatta and then continued as follows:

    “Venerable Sir! Devadatta is, indeed, a man without morality; he is also very avaricious. He has tried to gain fame and fortune by getting the confidence of Ajatasattu by unfair means. He has also tried to convince Ajatasattu that by getting rid of his father, he (Ajatasattu) would immediately become a powerful king. Having been thus misled by Devadatta, Ajatasattu killed his father, the noble king, Bimbisara. Devadatta has even attempted three times to kill you, our most Venerable Teacher. Devadatta is, indeed, very wicked and incorrigible!”

    After listening to the bhikkhus, the Buddha told them that Devadatta has tried to kill him not only now but also in his previous existences. The Buddha then narrated the story of a deer-stalker.

    “Once, while King Brahmadatta was reigning in Baranasi, the future Buddha was born as a deer, and Devadatta was then a deer-stalker. One day, the deer-stalker saw the footprints of a deer under a tree. So, he put up a bamboo platform in the tree and waited with the spear ready for the deer. The deer came but he came very cautiously. The deer-stalker saw him hesitating, and threw some fruits of the tree to coax him. But that put the deer on guard; he looked more carefully and saw the deer-stalker in the tree. He pretended not to see the deer stalker and turned away slowly. From some distance, he addressed the tree thus: Continue reading →

  3. Nature teaches more than she preaches

    2 August 27, 2021

    Nature teaches more than she preaches. There are no sermons in stones. It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral. —John Burroughs

    Jendhamuni on July 16, 2021

  4. Tanhavagga: Craving

    Comment August 26, 2021

    1. The craving of one given to heedless living grows like a creeper. Like the monkey seeking fruits in the forest, he leaps from life to life (tasting the fruit of his kamma).

    2. Whoever is overcome by this wretched and sticky craving, his sorrows grow like grass after the rains.

    3. But whoever overcomes this wretched craving, so difficult to overcome, from him sorrows fall away like water from a lotus leaf.

    4. This I say to you: Good luck to all assembled here! Dig up the root of craving, like one in search of the fragrant root of the birana grass. Let not Mara crush you again and again, as a flood crushes a reed.

    5. Just as a tree, though cut down, sprouts up again if its roots remain uncut and firm, even so, until the craving that lies dormant is rooted out, suffering springs up again and again.

    6. The misguided man in whom the thirty-six currents of craving strongly rush toward pleasurable objects, is swept away by the flood of his passionate thoughts.

    7. Everywhere these currents flow, and the creeper (of craving) sprouts and grows. Seeing that the creeper has sprung up, cut off its root with wisdom. Continue reading →

  5. The Story of Mahakala Upasaka

    Comment August 26, 2021

    Verse 161: The evil done by oneself, arising in oneself, and caused by oneself, destroys the foolish one, just as a diamond grinds the rock from which it is formed.

    The Story of Mahakala Upasaka

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (161) of this book, with reference to Mahakala, a lay disciple.

    On a certain sabbath day, Mahakala, a lay disciple, went to the Jetavana monastery. On that day, he kept the sabbath by observing the eight moral precepts (Uposatha sila) and listened to the discourses on the Dhamma throughout the night. It so happened that on that same night, some thieves broke into a house; and the owners on waking up went after the thieves. The thieves ran away in all directions. Some ran in the direction of the monastery. It was then nearing dawn, and Mahakala was washing his face at the pond close to the monastery. The thieves dropped their stolen property in front of Mahakala and ran on. When the owners arrived, they saw Mahakala with the stolen property. Taking him for one of the thieves they shouted at him, threatened him and beat him hard. Mahakala died on the spot. Early in the morning, when some young bhikkhus and samaneras from the monastery came to the pond to fetch water, they saw the dead body and recognize it.

    On their return to the monastery, they reported what they had seen and said to the Buddha, “Venerable Sir! The lay disciple who was at this monastery listening to the religious discourses all through the night has met with a death which he does not deserve.” To them the Buddha replied, “Bhikkhus! If you judge from the good deeds he has done in this existence, he has indeed met with a death he does not deserve. But the fact is that he has only paid for the evil he had done in a past existence. In one of his previous existences, when he was a courtier in the palace of the king, he fell in love with another man’s wife and had beaten her husband to death. Thus, evil deeds surely get one into trouble; they even lead one to the four apayas.” Continue reading →

  6. Quality of air that emanation from old trees

    1 August 25, 2021

    It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.  — Robert Louis Stevenson

    Jendhamuni on July 14, 2021

    To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.  — Mahatma Gandhi

     

    Jendhamuni on July 14, 2021

  7. Nagavagga: The Elephant

    Comment August 25, 2021

    1. As an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure abuse. There are many, indeed, who lack virtue.

    2. A tamed elephant is led into a crowd, and the king mounts a tamed elephant. Best among men is the subdued one who endures abuse.

    3. Excellent are well-trained mules, thoroughbred Sindhu horses and noble tusker elephants. But better still is the man who has subdued himself.

    4. Not by these mounts, however, would one go to the Untrodden Land (Nibbana), as one who is self-tamed goes by his own tamed and well-controlled mind.

    5. Musty during rut, the tusker named Dhanapalaka is uncontrollable. Held in captivity, the tusker does not touch a morsel, but only longingly calls to mind the elephant forest.

    6. When a man is sluggish and gluttonous, sleeping and rolling around in bed like a fat domestic pig, that sluggard undergoes rebirth again and again. Continue reading →

  8. The Story of the Mother of Kumarakassapa

    Comment August 25, 2021

    Verse 160: One indeed is one’s own refuge; how can others be a refuge to one? With oneself thoroughly tamed, one can attain a refuge (i.e., Arahatta Phala), which is so difficult to attain.

    The Story of the Mother of Kumarakassapa

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (160) of this book, with reference to the mother of Kumarakassapa.

    Once, a young married woman asked permission from her husband to become a bhikkhuni. Through ignorance, she went to join some bhikkhunis who were the pupils of Devadatta. This young woman was pregnant before she became a bhikkhuni, but she was not aware of the fact at that time. But in due course, the pregnancy became obvious and the other bhikkhunis took her to their teacher Devadatta. Devadatta ordered her to go back to the household life. She then said to the other bhikkhunis, “I have not intended to become a bhikkhuni under your teacher Devadatta; I have come here by mistake. Please take me to the Jetavana monastery, take me to the Buddha.” Thus she came to the Buddha. The Buddha knew that she was pregnant before she became a bhikkhuni and was therefore innocent; but he was not going to handle the case. The Buddha sent for King Pasenadi of Kosala, Anathapindika, the famous rich man, and Visakha, the famous donor of the Pubbarama monastery, and many other persons. He then told Thera Upali to settle the case in public.

    Visakha took the young girl behind a curtain; she examined her and reported to Thera Upali that the girl was already pregnant when she became a bhikkhuni. Thera Upali then declared to the audience that the girl was quite innocent and therefore had not soiled her morality (sila). In due course, a son was born to her. The boy was adopted by King Pasenadi and was named Kumarakassapa. When the boy was seven years old, on learning that his mother was a bhikkhuni, he also became a samanera under the tutelage of the Buddha. When he came of age he was admitted to the Order; as a bhikkhu, he took a subject of meditation from the Buddha and went to the forest. There, he practised meditation ardently and diligently and within a short time attained arahatship. However, he continued to live in the forest for twelve more years. Continue reading →

Hermit of Tbeng Mountain

Sachjang Phnom Tbeng សច្ចំ​​ ភ្នំត្បែង is a very long and interesting story written by Mr. Chhea Sokoan, read by Jendhamuni Sos. You can click on the links below to listen. Part 1 | Part 2

List of Khmer songs