1. The Story of King Suddhodana

    1 January 25, 2022

    Anjali

    Verse 168: Do not neglect the duty of going on alms-round; observe proper practice (in going on alms-round). One who observes proper practice lives happily both in this world and in the next.

    Verse 169: Observe proper practice (in going on alms-round); do not observe improper practice. One who observes proper practice lives happily both in this world and in the next.

    1. dhammam sucaritam: proper practice. The Commentary says that here proper practice means stopping for alms-food at one house after another in the course of the alms-round except where it is not proper to go (such as a courtesan’s house).

    2. na nam duccaritam: improper practice. Here it means not observing the above rules.

    The Story of King Suddhodana

    While residing at the Nigrodharama monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (168) and (169) of this book, with reference to King Suddhodana, father of Gotama Buddha. Continue reading →

  2. Anxiety, heartbreak, and tenderness

    5 January 20, 2022

    Jendhamuni at home on December 17, 2021

    Anxiety, heartbreak, and tenderness mark the in-between state. It’s the kind of place we usually want to avoid. The challenge is to stay in the middle rather than buy into struggle and complaint. The challenge is to let it soften us rather than make us more rigid and afraid. Becoming intimate with the queasy feeling of being in the middle of nowhere only makes our hearts more tender. When we are brave enough to stay in the middle, compassion arises spontaneously. By not knowing, not hoping to know, and not acting like we know what’s happening, we begin to access our inner strength. ~ Pema Chödron

  3. The Story of a Young Bhikkhu

    Comment January 19, 2022

    Young Bhikkhu

    Verse 167: Do not follow ignoble ways, do not live in negligence, do not embrace wrong views, do not be the one to prolong samsara (lit., the world).

    The Story of a Young Bhikkhu

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (167) of this book, with reference to a young bhikkhu.

    Once, a young bhikkhu accompanied an older bhikkhu to the house of Visakha. After taking rice gruel, the elder bhikkhu left for another place, leaving the young bhikkhu behind at the house of Visakha. The granddaughter of Visakha was filtering some water for the young bhikkhu, and when she saw her own reflection in the big water pot she smiled. Seeing her thus smiling, the young bhikkhu looked at her and he also smiled. When she saw the young bhikkhu looking at her and smiling at her, she lost her temper, and cried out angrily, “You, a shaven head! Why are you smiling at me ?” The young bhikkhu reported, “You are a shaven head yourself; your mother and your father are also shaven heads!” Thus, they quarrelled, and the young girl went weeping to her grandmother. Visakha came and said to the young bhikkhu, “Please do not get angry with my grand daughter. But, a bhikkhu does have his hair shaved, his finger nails and toe nails cut, and putting on a robe which is made up of cut pieces, he goes on alms-round with a bowl which is rimless. What this young girl said was, in a way, quite right, is it not?” The young bhikkhu replied. “It is true but why should she abuse me on that account ?” At this point, the elder bhikkhu returned; but both Visakha and the old bhikkhu failed to appease the young bhikkhu and the young girl.

    Soon after this, the Buddha arrived and learned about the quarrel. The Buddha knew that time was ripe for the young bhikkhu to attain Sotapatti Fruition. Then, in order to make the young bhikkhu more responsive to his words, he seemingly sided with him and said to Visakha, “Visakha, what reason is there for your grand daughter to address my son as a shaven head just because he has his head shaven? After all, he had his head shaven to enter my Order, didn’t he?” Continue reading →

  4. How you perceive the situation

    1 January 19, 2022

    Nothing is intrinsically or ultimately bad. Any situation that arises is only relatively good or bad based on many factors, including — most significantly — how you perceive the situation and how you respond to it. ~ 17th Karmapa

    Ananda at Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam on November 8, 2021.

     

  5. The Story of Thera Attadattha

    3 January 5, 2022

    Anjali

    Verse 166: For the sake of another’s benefit, however great it may be, do not neglect one’s own (moral) benefit. Clearly perceiving one’s own benefit one should make every effort to attain it.

    1. Attadattham: one’s own benefit. According to the Commentary, in this context, one’s own benefit means Magga, Phala and Nibbana. (N.B. The above was uttered by the Buddha in connection with Insight Meditation.)

    The Story of Thera Attadattha

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (166) of this book, with reference to Thera Attadattha.

    When the Buddha declared that he would realize parinibbana in four months’ time, many puthujjana bhikkhus* were apprehensive and did not know what to do; so they kept close to the Buddha. Attadattha, however, did not go to the Buddha and, having resolved to attain arahatship during the lifetime of the Buddha, was striving hard in the meditation practice. Other bhikkhus, not understanding him, took him to the Buddha and said, “Venerable Sir, this bhikkhu does not seem to love and revere you as we do; he only keeps to himself.” The thera then explained to them that he was striving hard to attain arahatship before the Buddha realized parinibbana and that was the only reason why he had not come to the Buddha. 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