1. The Story of Thera Sariputta’s Uncle

    Comment June 30, 2020

    Verse 106: Month after month for a hundred years, one may make offerings (to ordinary people) to the value of a thousand Kahapanas; yet if, only for a moment one pays homage to a bhikkhu who has practised Insight Development, this homage is, indeed, better than a hundred years of making offerings (to ordinary people).

    1. sahassa: one thousand; in this context, one thousand kahapanas. A kahapana coin can be in copper, silver or gold.

    The Story of Thera Sariputta’s Uncle

    While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (106) of this book, with reference to a brahmin, who was the maternal uncle of Thera Sariputta.

    On one occasion, Thera Sariputta asked his uncle the brahmin whether he was doing any meritorious deeds. The brahmin answered that he was making offerings to the value of one thousand Kahapanas every month to the Nigantha ascetics, hoping to get to the Brahma world in his next existence. Thera Sariputta then explained to him that his teachers had given him false hopes and that they themselves did not know the way to the Brahma world. So saying, he took his uncle the brahmin to the Buddha, and requested the Buddha to expound the Dhamma, which would surely take one to the Brahma world.

    The Buddha said to the brahmin, “Brahmin, an offering of a spoonful of alms-food to a bhikkhu would be much better than your present offering of one thousand Kahapanas to your teachers.”

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

    Verse 106: Month after month for a hundred years, one may make offerings (to ordinary people) to the value of a thousand Kahapanas; yet if, only for a moment one pays homage to a bhikkhu who has practised Insight Development, this homage is, indeed, better than a hundred years of making offerings (to ordinary people).
    At the end of the discourse, the brahmin, who was the maternal uncle of Thera Sariputta, attained Sotapatti Fruition.

    Dhammapada Verse 106
    Sariputtattherassa Matula Brahmana Vatthu

    Mase mase sahassena1
    yo vajetha satam samam
    ekanca bhivatattanam
    muhuttamapi pujaye
    sa yeva pujana seyyo
    yance vassasatam hutam.

    Source: Tipitaka

  3. We Have to Be Honest With Ourselves

    Comment May 23, 2018

    Many people try to find a spiritual path where they do not have to face themselves but where they can still liberate themselves ~ liberate themselves from themselves, in fact. In truth, this is impossible. We cannot do that. We have to be honest with ourselves. We have to see our gut, our most undesirable parts. We have to see that. That is the foundation of warriorship and the basis of conquering fear. We have to face our fear; we have to look at it, study it, work with it, and practice meditation with it. ~ Chögyam Trungpa

     

  4. The Story of Satthikutapeta

    Comment October 6, 2017

    Verse 72: The skill of a fool can only harm him; it destroys his merit and his wisdom (lit., it severs his head).

    1. sukkamsa: sukka + amsa : sukka means white, bright, pure or good; amsa means portion. According to the Commentary, sukkamsa means merit.

    2. muddha: head, top, summit. According to the Commentary, it means knowledge.

    The Story of Satthikutapeta

    While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (72) of this book with reference to a peta-ghost named Satthikutapeta.

    The Chief Disciple Maha Moggallana saw this enormous peta-ghost while going on an alms-round with Thera Lakkhana. In this connection, the Buddha explained that Satthikutapeta, in one of his previous existences, was very skilful in throwing stones at things. One day, he asked permissions from his teacher to try out his skill. His teacher told him not to hit a cow, or a human being as he would have to pay compensation to the owner or to the relative, but to find a target which was ownerless or guardianless.

    On seeing the paccekabuddha, the idiots lacking in intelligence, thought the paccekabuddha, having no relative or guardian, would be an ideal target. So he threw a stone at the paccekabuddha who was on an alms-round. The stone entered from one ear and came out of the other. The paccekabuddha expired when he reached the monastery. The stone-thrower was killed by the disciples of the paccekabuddha and he was reborn in Avici Niraya. Afterwards, he was reborn as a peta-ghost and had since been serving the remaining term of the evil consequences (kamma) of his evil deed. As a peta-ghost his enormous head was being continuously hit with red-hot hammers.

    In conclusion, the Buddha said, “To a fool, his skill or knowledge is of no use; it can only harm him.”

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
    Verse 72: The skill of a fool can only harm him; it destroys his merit and his wisdom (lit., it severs his head).

    Dhammapada Verse 72
    Satthikutapeta Vatthu

    Yavadeva anatthaya
    nattam balassa jayati
    hanti balassa sukkamsam1
    muddhamassa2 vipatayam.

    Source: Tipitaka

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My Reflection

This site is a tribute to Buddhism. Buddhism has given me a tremendous inspiration to be who and where I am today. Although I came to America at a very young age, however, I never once forget who I am and where I came from. One thing I know for sure is I was born as a Buddhist, live as a Buddhist and will leave this earth as a Buddhist. I do not believe in superstition. I only believe in karma.

A Handful of Leaves

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Tipitaka: The pali canon (Readings in Theravada Buddhism). A vast body of literature in English translation the texts add up to several thousand printed pages. Most -- but not all -- of the Canon has already been published in English over the years. Although only a small fraction of these texts are available here at Access to Insight, this collection can nonetheless be a very good place to start.

Major Differences

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Major Differences in Buddhism: There is no almighty God in Buddhism. There is no one to hand out rewards or punishments on a supposedly Judgement Day ...read more

Problems we face today

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Of the many problems we face today, some are natural calamities and must be accepted and faced with equanimity. Others, however, are of our own making, created by misunderstanding, and can be corrected...

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