1. The Story of Koka the Huntsman

    Comment December 14, 2020

    Verse 125: If one wrongs a person who should not be wronged, one who is pure and is free from moral defilements, viz., an arahat, the evil falls back upon that fool, like fine dust thrown against the wind.

     

    The Story of Koka the Huntsman

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (125) of this book, with reference to Koka the huntsman.

    One morning, as Koka was going out to hunt with his pack of hounds, he met a bhikkhu entering the city for alms-food. He took that as a bad omen and grumbled to himself, “Since I have seen this wretched one, I don’t think I would get anything today,” and he went on his way. As expected by him he did not get anything. On his way home also he again saw the same bhikkhu returning to the monastery after having had his alms-food in the city, and the hunter became very angry. So he set his hounds on the bhikkhu. Swiftly, the bhikkhu climbed up a tree to a level just out of reach of the hounds. Then the hunter went to the foot of the tree and pricked the heels of the bhikkhu with the tip of his arrow. The bhikkhu was in great pain and was not able to hold his robes on; so the robes slipped off his body on to the hunter who was at the foot of the tree.

    The dogs seeing the yellow robe thought that the bhikkhu had fallen off the tree and pounced on the body, biting and pulling at it furiously. The bhikkhu, from his shelter in the tree, broke a dry branch and threw it at the dogs. Then the dogs discovered that they had been attacking their own master instead of the bhikkhu, and ran away into the forest. The bhikkhu came down from the tree and found that the hunter had died and felt sorry for him. He also wondered whether he could be held responsible for the death, since the hunter had died for having been covered up by his yellow robes. Continue reading →

  2. The Story of the Bhikkhu who Contemplates the Body as a Mirage

    Comment February 22, 2016

    buddha statues

    Dhammapada Verse 46
    Maricikammatthanika bhikkhu Vatthu

    Phepnupamam1 kayamimam viditva
    maricidhammam2 abhisambudhano
    chetvana marassa papupphakani3
    adassanam maccurajassa gacche4

    Verse 46: One who knows that this body is impermanent like froth, and comprehends that it is insubstantial like a mirage, will cut the flowers of Mara (i.e., the three kinds of vatta or rounds), and pass out of sight of the King of Death.

    1. Phepnupamam: like froth; it means that this body is perishable and impermanent like froth.

    2. maricidhammam: lit., mirage + nature; nature of a mirage, i. e., insubstantial like a mirage.

    3. marassa papupphakani: flowers or flower-tipped arrows of Mara. These flowers or arrows of Mara represent the tivattam or the three kinds of vattam (rounds), viz., kilesavattam ( the round of moral defilements), kammavattam (the round of volitional action) and vipakavattam (the round of resultant effects). According to the Commentary, this chain or round is broken when cut by the sword of ariya magga nana.

    4. adassanam maccurajassa gacche: In this context, out of sight of the King of Death means the realization of Nibbana.

    The Story of the Bhikkhu who Contemplates the Body as a Mirage

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (46) of this book, with reference to a certain bhikkhu.

    On one occasion, a certain bhikkhu, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went to the forest. Although he tried hard he made little progress in his meditation; so he decided to go back to the Buddha for further instruction. On his way back he saw a mirage, which, after all, was only an illusive appearance of a sheet of water. At that instant, he came to realize that the body also was insubstantial like a mirage. Thus keeping his mind on the insubstantiality of the body he came to the bank of the river Aciravati. While sitting under a tree close to the river, seeing big froths breaking up, he realized the impermanent nature of the body.

    Soon, the Buddha appeared in his vision and said to him, “My son, just as you have realized, this body is impermanent like froth and insubstantial like a mirage.”

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

    Verse 46: One who knows that this body is impermanent like froth, and comprehends that it is insubstantial like a mirage will cut the flowers of Mara (i.e., the three kinds of vatta or rounds), and pass out of sight of the King of Death.
    At the end of the discourse the bhikkhu attained arahatship.

    Source: Tipitaka

  3. The Story of Two Friends

    Comment November 10, 2015
    RFA/Chin Chetha

    RFA/Chin Chetha

    Verse 19: Though he recites much the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but is negligent and does not practise according to the Dhamma, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others, he has no share in the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala).

    Verse 20: Though he recites only a little of the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but practises according to the Dhamma, eradicating passion, ill will and ignorance, clearly comprehending the Dhamma, with his mind freed from moral defilements and no longer clinging to this world or to the next, he shares the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala).

    1. suvimuttacitto: Mind freed from moral defilements; this has been achieved through perfect practice and clear comprehension of the Dhamma.

    2. sa bhagava samannassa hoti: lit., shares the benefits of the life of a samana (a bhikkhu). According to the Commentary, in this context, it means, “Shares the benefits of Magga-phala.”

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (19) and (20) of this book, with reference to two bhikkhus who were friends.

    Once there were two friends of noble family, two bhikkhus from Savatthi. One of them learned the Tipitaka and was very proficient in reciting and preaching the sacred texts. He taught five hundred bhikkhus and became the instructor of eighteen groups of bhikkhus. The other bhikkhu striving diligently and ardently in the course of Insight Meditation attained arahatship together with Analytical Insight.

    On one occasion, when the second bhikkhu came to pay homage to the Buddha, at the Jetavana monastery, the two bhikkhus met. The master of the Tipitaka did not realize that the other had already become an arahat. He looked down on the other, thinking that this old bhikkhu knew very little of the sacred texts, not even one out of the five Nikayas or one out of the three Pitakas. So he thought of putting questions to the other, and thus embarass him. The Buddha knew about his unkind intention and he also knew that as a result of giving trouble to such a noble disciple of his, the learned bhikkhu would be reborn in a lower world.

    So, out of compassion, the Buddha visited the two bhikkhus to prevent the scholar from questioning the other bhikkhu. The Buddha himself did the questioning. He put questions on jhanas and maggas to the master of the Tipitaka; but he could not answer them because he had not practised what he had taught. The other bhikkhu, having practised the Dhamma and having attained arahatship, could answer all the questions. The Buddha praised the one who practised the Dhamma (i.e., a vipassaka), but not a single word of praise was spoken for the learned scholar (i.e., a ganthika).

    The resident disciples could not understand why the Buddha had words of praise for the old bhikkhu and not for their learned teacher. So, the Buddha explained the matter to them. The scholar who knows a great deal but does not practise in accordance with the Dhamma is like a cowherd, who looks after the cows for wages, while the one who practises in accordance with the Dhamrna is like the owner who enjoys the five kinds of produce of the cows*. Thus, the scholar enjoys only the services rendered to him by his pupils but not the benefits of Magga-phala. The other bhikkhu, though he knows little and recites only a little of the sacred texts, having clearly comprehended the essence of the Dhamma and having practised diligently and strenuously, is an ‘anudhammacari’**, who has eradicated passion, ill will and ignorance. His mind being totally freed from moral delilements and from all attachments to this world as well as to the next, he truly shares the benefits of Magga-phala.

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

    Verse 19: Though he recites much the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but is negligent and does not practise according to the Dhamma, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others, he has no share in the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala).

    Verse 20: Though he recites only a little of the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but practises according to the Dhamma, eradicating passion, ill will and ignorance, clearly comprehending the Dhamma, with his mind freed from moral defilements and no longer clinging to this world or to the next, he shares the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala). Continue reading →

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