Jendhamuni - Buddhism and inspiring quotes

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 →
Remembering my meditation master Ven. Dejapanno

4 July 7, 2021

Bhikkhu Dejapanno Phorn Pheap (Meditation teacher)
February 1, 1943 – June 21, 2021

On Sunday, May 30, 2021 my family and I went to pick up my meditation master Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap, Ven. Buddha Saddha Vey Ve and Ven. Indajoto Trang Dong at Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam, Peace Meditation Center for the ceremony at the graveyard of my late uncle Yoeun Nget. It was raining very hard that day. We arrived at the temple around 8:30 am, but were told by Ven. Buddha Saddha that Ven. Dejapanno could not go to my late uncle’s graveyard because he was literally unconscious in his room. After that, Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha called me to go inside my master’s room for a short while just to witness the scene.

Ven. Buddha Saddha and Ven. Indajoto were the first two monks who found Ven. Dejapanno unconscious in his room. They found him lying on the floor during wellness check (because Ven. Dejapanno did not show up for breakfast). Mr. Piseth Kien, president of the temple, arrived at the scene shortly before my family and I got there.

Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, Mr. Piseth Kien, and Mr. Sakal Kim went inside Ven. Dejapanno’s room and called an ambulance to examine him. When the EMTs carried my master to the ambulance, I followed them just to see if my master was conscious. After seeing his eyes, I felt relief knowing he’s awake because his eyes were blinking. And I was told that his life was not endangered.

Samanera Ananda ordained 15 days to honor Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap.

Continue reading →
The Lessons of Gratitude

Comment July 7, 2021
Jendhamuni at the funeral service of Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap (meditation teacher) at Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam, Peace Meditation Center on June 24, 2021.

These two people are hard to find in the world. Which two? The one who is first to do a kindness, and the one who is grateful and thankful for a kindness done.”

— AN 2.118

In saying that kind and grateful people are rare, the Buddha isn’t simply stating a harsh truth about the human race. He’s advising you to treasure these people when you find them, and — more importantly — showing how you can become a rare person yourself.

Kindness and gratitude are virtues you can cultivate, but they have to be cultivated together. Each needs the other to be genuine — a point that becomes obvious when you think about the three things most likely to make gratitude heartfelt:

You’ve actually benefitted from another person’s actions.

You trust the motives behind those actions.

You sense that the other person had to go out of his or her way to provide that benefit.

Points one and two are lessons that gratitude teaches kindness: If you want to be genuinely kind, you have to be of actual benefit — nobody wants to be the recipient of “help” that isn’t really helpful — and you have to provide that benefit in a way that shows respect and empathy for the other person’s needs. No one likes to receive a gift given with calculating motives, or in an offhand or disdainful way. Continue reading →
Nirayavagga: Hell

Comment July 7, 2021
The liar goes to the state of woe; also he who, having done (wrong), says, “I did not do it.” Men of base actions both, on departing they share the same destiny in the other world.

There are many evil characters and uncontrolled men wearing the saffron robe. These wicked men will be born in states of woe because of their evil deeds.

It would be better to swallow a red-hot iron ball, blazing like fire, than as an immoral and uncontrolled monk to eat the alms of the people.

Four misfortunes befall the reckless man who consorts with another’s wife: acquisition of demerit, disturbed sleep, ill-repute, and (rebirth in) states of woe.

Such a man acquires demerit and an unhappy birth in the future. Brief is the pleasure of the frightened man and woman, and the king imposes heavy punishment. Hence, let no man consort with another’s wife.

Just as kusa grass wrongly handled cuts the hand, even so, a recluse’s life wrongly lived drags one to states of woe.

Any loose act, any corrupt observance, any life of questionable celibacy — none of these bear much fruit. Continue reading →
The Story of Thera Padhanikatissa

Comment July 6, 2021

Verse 159: One should act as one teaches others; only with oneself thoroughly tamed should one tame others. To tame oneself is, indeed, difficult.

The Story of Thera Padhanikatissa

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (159) of this book, with reference to Thera Padhanikatissa.

Thera Padhanikatissa, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, left for the forest with five hundred other bhikkhus. There, he told the bhikkhus to be ever mindful and diligent in their meditation practice. After thus exhorting others he himself would lie down and go to sleep. The young bhikkhus did as they were told. They practised meditation during the first watch of the night and when they were about to go to bed, Padhanikatissa would get up and tell them to go back to their practice. When they returned after meditation practice during the second and third watches also he would say the same thing to them.

As he was always acting in this way, the young bhikkhus never had peace of mind, and so they could not concentrate on meditation practice or even on recitation of the texts. One day, they decided to investigate if their teacher was truly zealous and vigilant as he posed himself to be. When they found out that their teacher Padhanikatissa only exhorted others but was himself sleeping most of the time, they remarked, “We are ruined, our teacher knows only how to scold us, but he himself is just wasting time, doing nothing.” By this time, as the bhikkhus were not getting enough rest, they were tired and worn out. As a result, none of the bhikkhu made any progress in their meditation practice.

At the end of the vassa, they returned to the Jetavana monastery and reported the matter to the Buddha. To them the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus! One who wants to teach others should first teach himself and conduct himself properly.” Continue reading →
Pakinnakavagga: Miscellaneous

Comment July 6, 2021
If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness, let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater.

Entangled by the bonds of hate, he who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others, is never delivered from hatred.

The cankers only increase for those who are arrogant and heedless, who leave undone what should be done and do what should not be done.

The cankers cease for those mindful and clearly comprehending ones who always earnestly practice mindfulness of the body, who do not resort to what should not be done, and steadfastly pursue what should be done.

Having slain mother (craving), father (self-conceit), two warrior-kings (eternalism and nihilism), and destroyed a country (sense organs and sense objects) together with its treasurer (attachment and lust), ungrieving goes the holy man.

Having slain mother, father, two brahman kings (two extreme views), and a tiger as the fifth (the five mental hindrances), ungrieving goes the holy man.

Those disciples of Gotama ever awaken happily who day and night constantly practice the Recollection of the Qualities of the Buddha. Continue reading →
The Story of Thera Upananda Sakyaputta

Comment July 6, 2021

Verse 158: One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only one should teach others. A wise man should not incur reproach.

The Story of Thera Upananda Sakyaputta

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (158) of this book, with reference to Upananda, a thera of the Sakyan Clan.

Upananda was a very eloquent preacher. He used to preach to others not to be greedy and to have only a few wants and would talk eloquently on the merits of contentment and frugality (appicchata) and austere practices (dhutangas). However, he did not practise what he taught and took for himself all the robes and other requisites that were given up by others.

On one occasion, Upananda went to a village monastery just before the vassa. Some young bhikkhus, being impressed by his eloquence, asked him to spend the vassa in their monastery. He asked them how many robes each bhikkhu usually received as donation for the vassa in their monastery and they told him that they usually received one robe each. So he did not stop there, but he left his slippers in that monastery. At the next monastery, he learned that the bhikkhus usually received two robes each for the vassa; there he left his staff. At the next monastery, the bhikkhus received three robes each as donation for the vassa; there he left his water bottle. Finally, at the monastery where each bhikkhu received four robes, he decided to spend the vassa.

At the end of the vassa, he claimed his share of robes from the other monasteries where he had left his personal effects. Then he collected all his things in a cart and came back to his old monastery. On his way, he met two young bhikkhus who were having a dispute over the share of two robes and a valuable velvet blanket which they had between them. Since they could not come to an amicable settlement, they asked Upananda to arbitrate. Upananda gave one robe each to them and took the valuable velvet blanket for having acted as an arbitrator. Continue reading →
Maggavagga: The Path

1 July 4, 2021
Of all the paths the Eightfold Path is the best; of all the truths the Four Noble Truths are the best; of all things passionlessness is the best: of men the Seeing One (the Buddha) is the best.

This is the only path; there is none other for the purification of insight. Tread this path, and you will bewilder Mara.

Walking upon this path you will make an end of suffering. Having discovered how to pull out the thorn of lust, I make known the path.

You yourselves must strive; the Buddhas only point the way. Those meditative ones who tread the path are released from the bonds of Mara.

“All conditioned things are impermanent” — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.

“All conditioned things are unsatisfactory” — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification. Continue reading →
Bringing heart and mind together

2 June 21, 2021

Jendhamuni visiting Master Dejapanno Phorn Pheap at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts on Saturday June 19, 2021.

Gratitude is a value of interdependence. It is an inner orientation that aligns us emotionally with the outer reality of our lives. Bringing heart and mind together, gratitude is an affective state that can be produced by an awareness of interdependence. We identify interdependence at work and train ourselves to respond to that awareness with gratitude. Like other values of interdependence, gratitude can lead us from awareness to feelings and, eventually, can culminate in action. ~ 17th Karmapa

ព្រះភិក្ខុ ពុទ្ធសត្ថា, ព្រះភិក្ខុ ឥន្ទជោតោ, លោក កៀង ពិសិដ្ឋ, លោក គិម សកល, គិម អានន្ទ, អ្នកស្រី អ៍ូ សាន និង សុស ចិន្ដាមុនី បានទៅសួរសុខទុក្ខព្រះភិក្ខុ តេជប្បញ្ញោ ផន ភាពនៅឯមន្ទីរពេទ្យ បេស្ដេត ទីក្រុងស្ព្រីងហ្វៀដ៍ រដ្ឋម៉ាសាឈូសិត្ដស៍ នាថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍ ទី១៧ ខែមិថុនា ព.ស.២៥៦៥ គ.ស.២០២១។ ព្រះតេជគុណម្ចាស់ តេជប្បញ្ ផន ភាព ត្រូវបានរថយន្ដពេទ្យសង្គ្រោះជាបន្ទាន់ដឹកពីវត្ដគិរីវង្សាបុប្ផារាម អាស្រមសមាធិសន្ដិភាព ទៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យ បេស្ដេត នៅថ្ងៃអាទិត្យ ទី៣០ ខែឧសភា ព.ស.២៥៦៥ គ.ស.២០២១ វេលាម៉ោងប្រមាណ ៩ៈ០០នាទីព្រឹក។ ព្រះភិក្ខុ ពុទ្ធសត្ថា, ព្រះភិក្ខុ ឥន្ទជោតោ, លោក កៀង ពិសិដ្ឋ, លោក គិម សកល, ឧបាសិកា គិម វណ្ណ មុនី, គិម អានន្ទ និង សុស ចិន្ដាមុនី មានវត្ដមាននៅកន្លែងកើតហេតុ ហើយបានទាក់ទងឱ្យ រថយន្ដពេទ្យសង្គ្រោះជាបន្ទាន់មកពិនិត្យព្រះតេជគុណនៅក្នុងកុដិរបស់ព្រះអង្គមុននឹងគេដឹកព្រះអង្គទៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យខាងលើនេះ។

Maha Thera Siripanno Sophon Thon, Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, . Bhikkhu Munindathero Maha Nhor Tepmony, Mr. Piseth Kien, Mr. Sakal Kim, Mrs. San Ou, Ananda Kim, Jendhamuni Sos, Ven. Sirip visiting Bhikkhu Dejapanno, our meditation master, at the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts on Thursday June 17, 2021. Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, Mr. Piseth Kien, Mr. Sakal Kim, Upāsikā Mony Kim, Ananda Kim and Jendhamuni Sos were at the scene on Sunday, May 30, B.E.2565 A.D.2021 and called an ambulance to examine Bhikkhu Dejapanno Pheap Phorn in his room before he was transported from the Kiryvongsa Bopharam Temple to the Baystate Medical Center around 9 a.m. during that morning.

Continue reading →
The Story of Bodhirajakumara

2 June 12, 2021
Verse 157: If one knows that one is dear to oneself, one should protect oneself well. During any of the three watches (of life) the wise man should be on guard (against evil).

If one knows that one is dear to oneself, one should protect oneself well. During any of the three watches (of life) the wise man should be on guard (against evil).

yamam: A night is divided into three watches. According to the Commentary, the watches in this context are the three stages in Man’s life, viz., childhood, youth and old age.

The Story of Bodhirajakumara

While residing at the Bhesakala wood, the Buddha uttered Verse (157) of this book, with reference to Prince Bodhi (Bodhirajakumara).

Once, Prince Bodhi built a magnificent palace for himself. When the palace was finished he invited the Buddha for alms-food. For this special occasion, he had the building decorated and perfumed with four kinds of scents and incense. Also, a long length of cloth was spread on the floor, starting from the threshold to the interior of the room. Then, because he had no children, the prince made a solemn asseveration that if he were to have any children the Buddha should step on the cloth. When the Buddha came, Prince Bodhi respectfully requested the Buddha three times to enter the room. But the Buddha, instead of moving, only looked at Ananda. Ananda understood him and so asked Prince Bodhi to remove the cloth from the door-step. Then only, the Buddha entered the palace. The prince then offered delicious and choice food to the Buddha. After the meal, the prince asked the Buddha why he did not step on the cloth. The Buddha in turn asked the prince whether he had not spread the cloth making a solemn asseveration that if he were to be blessed with a child, the Buddha would step on it; and the prince replied in the affirmative. To him, the Buddha said that he and his wife were not going to have any children because of their past evil deeds. The Buddha then related their past story. Continue reading →

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Shantidevas’ Bodhisattva vows

Should anyone wish to ridicule me and make me an object of jest and scorn why should I possibly care if I have dedicated myself to others?

Let them do as they wish with me so long as it does not harm them. May no one who encounters me ever have an insignificant contact.

Regardless whether those whom I meet respond towards me with anger or faith, may the mere fact of our meeting contribute to the fulfilment of their wishes.

May the slander, harm and all forms of abuse that anyone should direct towards me act as a cause of their enlightenment.