(3:2) Recollection of Death Brings Peace

The Story of Kosambi Monks (Verse 6)

While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (6) of this book, with reference to the bhikkhus of Kosambi.

The bhikkhus of Kosambi had formed into two groups. One group followed the master of Vinaya and the other followed the teacher of the Dhamma and they were often quarrelling among themselves. Even the Buddha could not stop them from quarrelling; so he left them and spent the vassa, residence period of the rains, all alone in Rakkhita Grove near Palileyyaka forest. There, the elephant Palileyya waited upon the Buddha.

This picture is of one episode in the Buddha's life, when he went to spend a rains retreat by himself, with no monks or lay people in attendance. The forest that he stayed in that year was a very big forest, the home of a big tusker elephant known as palilayaka, and the forest was named after that elephant. In Thailand it is called the "palelai forest."

The reason that the Buddha spent the rains retreat on his own that year is that he was tired of the monks of Kosambi who had split into two groups and were not in harmony, refusing to perform the duties of the order (sanghakamma) together. When the Buddha heard of this he went to see them to try to put a stop to their discord, but both sides refused to listen to him. That is why the Buddha went to stay on his own.

Due to the Buddha's great powers and kindness, the elephant known as palilayaka attended on him. In the morning he would bring fruits from the forest to offer to the Buddha and in the evening boil water for him by rolling rocks heated in a fire into a pool of water.

A monkey saw the elephant serving the Buddha and brought a honeycomb to offer. The Buddha received it but did not eat the honey, so the monkey took back the honeycomb and considered it. Seeing bee larvae inside, he took them all out and then took only pure honey to offer. This time the Buddha accepted it and ate the honey. The monkey, watching the Buddha from atop a tree, was overjoyed. Jumping about with excitement, he fell from the tree and was run through and killed by a sharp tree stump.

After the rains retreat the monks who had split into two groups agreed to make up their differences because the local lay people were not making any offerings to them. The monks sent a representative to see the Buddha and invite him to go back to the city. The elephant palilayaka was heartbroken to see the Buddha go, and followed him out of the forest, and even made as if he would follow the Buddha into the city. The Buddha turned to him and said, "Palilayaka. This is the limits of your territory. From here on is the territory of man, which are a great danger to animals such as you. You cannot come with me!"
Palilayaka the elephant stood and roared in grief, but did not dare follow the Buddha. 

As soon as the Buddha was out of sight, his heart broke and he died right there. The texts state that the elephant and the monkey, after dying at that time, were reborn as devas in the Tavatimsa heaven.

The lay disciples of Kosambi, on learning the reason for the departure of the Buddha, refused to make offerings to the remaining bhikkhus. This made them realize their mistake and reconciliation took place among themselves. Still, the lay disciples would not treat them as respectfully as before, until they owned up their fault to the Buddha. But the Buddha was away and it was in the middle of the vassa; so the bhikkhus of Kosambi spent the vassa in misery and hardship.

Annathapindika

At the end of the vassa, the Venerable Ananda and five hundred bhikkhus approached the Buddha and gave the message from Annathapindika and other lay disciples imploring him to return. In due course the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi. The bhikkhus followed him there, fell down at his feet, and owned up their fault. The Buddha rebuked them for disobeying him. He told them to remember that they must all die some day and therefore, they must stop their quarrels and must not act as if they would never die.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 6: People, other than the wise, do not realize, "We in this world must all die," (and not realizing it continue their quarrels). The wise realize it and thereby their quarrels cease.

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Most of us are not willing to face the reality of impermanence and death. It is because we forget this fact that our lives are transitory, that we quarrel with each other, as if we are going to live for ever. But, if we face the fact of death, our quarrels will come to an end. We will then realize the folly of fighting when we ourselves are doomed to die. Excited by emotions our thought being clouded, we cannot see the truth about life. When we see the truth, however, our thoughts become free of emotions.

(3:1)Hatred is Overcome Only by Non-Hatred

The Story of Kaliyakkhini (Verse 5)

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 5: Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.

While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to a certain woman who was barren and another capable of bearing a child. 

Once there lived a householder, whose wife was barren. Being unable to bear a child and afraid that she would be mistreated by her husband and her mother-in-law, she arranged for her husband to marry another woman. But on two occasions, as soon as she knew the second wife was pregnant, the barren wife gave her food mixed with drugs causing her to have a miscarriage. On her third pregnancy, the pregnant wife kept it to herself without informing the barren wife. But when the latter came to know about it, she again caused an abortion. Eventually the second wife died in childbirth. Before her death, the unfortunate woman was filled with hatred and vowed vengeance on the barren wife and her future offspring. Thus a feud started.

Among their later existences the two were reborn as a hen and a female cat; a doe and a leopard; and finally as the daughter of a nobleman in Savatthi and a female evil spirit. One day she (Kali Yakkhini) was in pursuit of the nobleman's daughter and her baby. When this lady heard that the Buddha was giving a religious discourse at the Jetavana Monastery, she fled to him and placed her son at his feet for protection. The evil spirit was prevented from entering the Monastery. She was later called in and both the lady and the evil spirit were admonished by the Buddha. The Buddha told them about their past trouble as rival wives and how they had been harboring hatred towards each other. They were made to see that hatred could only cause more hatred, and that it could only cease through friendship, understanding, and goodwill. Both realised their mistake, and on the admonition of the Buddha, made their peace with each other.

The Buddha then requested the woman to hand over her son to the evil spirit. Fearing for the safety of her son, she hesitated, but because of her devotion and confidence in the Buddha she did hand over her son.

The child was warmly received by the evil spirit. After kissing and caressing the child tenderly like her own son, she handed back the child to his mother. As a result, there was no more hatred.

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Those who attempt to conquer hatred by hatred are like warriors who take weapons to overcome others who bear arms. This does not end hatred, but gives it room to grow. But, ancient wisdom has advocated a different timeless strategy to overcome hatred. This eternal wisdom is to meet hatred with non-hatred. The method of trying to conquer hatred through hatred never succeeds in overcoming hatred. But, the method of overcoming hatred through non-hatred is eternally effective. That is why that method is described as eternal wisdom.

Commentary

The principle revealed in this verse is clear. Quarrels can never come to an end by quarrelling. War can never end through further wars. Enmity never ends by returning enmity for enmity. Only by giving up anger, enmity, quarrelling and wars can these evils be stopped. It is through friendliness, forgiving and forgetting that enmity ceases.

(2:1 & 2:2) Uncontrolled Hatred Leads To Harm & Overcoming Anger

The Story of Thera Tissa (Verses 3 & 4) -- The Twin Verses 2:1 & 2:2 

While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered these Verses, with reference to Monk Tissa. Tissa, son of the Buddha's maternal aunt, was at one time staying with the Buddha. He had become a monk only in his old age, but he posed as a senior monk and was very pleased when visiting monks asked his permission to do some service for him. On the other hand, he failed to perform the duties expected of junior monks; besides, he often quarrelled with the younger monks. Should anyone rebuke him on account of his behaviour, he would go complaining to the Buddha, weeping, very much dissatisfied and very upset.

Once, the Teacher asked him, 'Tissa, why have you come to me so sad and sorrowful with tears in your eyes, weeping?" The other monks had discussed among themselves, "If he goes alone, he may cause trouble." So they too went along with him, paid obeisance to the Teacher, and sat down respectfully on one side. Tissa answered the Teacher's question, "Venerable, these monks are abusing me." The Teacher asked, "But where were you sitting?" "In the centre of the monastery in the Hall of State, Venerable." "Did you see these monks when they came?" "Yes, Venerable I saw them." "Did you rise and go to meet them?" "No, Venerable, I did not." "Did you offer to take their monastic utensils?" "No, Venerable, I did not offer to take them." "Tissa, do not act thus. You alone are to be blamed; ask their pardon." "I will not ask their pardon, Venerable."

The monks said to the Teacher, "He is an obstinate monk, Venerable." The Teacher replied, "Monks, this is not the first time he has proved obstinate; he was obstinate also in a previous state of existence." "We know all about his present obstinacy, Venerable; but what did he do in a previous state of existence?" "Well then, monks, listen," said the Teacher. So saying, he told the following story.

Once upon a time, when a certain king reigned at Benares, an ascetic named Devala, who had resided for eight months in the Himalaya country, desiring to reside near the city during the four months of the rains, for salt and vinegar returned from the Himalayas. Seeing two boys at the gate of the city, he asked them, "Where do monks who come to this city spend the night?" "In the potter's hall, Venerable." So Devala went to the potter's hall, stopped at the door, and said, "If it is agreeable to you, Bhaggava, I would like to spend one night in your hall." The potter turned over the hall to him, saying, "I have no work going on in the hall at night, and the hall is a large one; spend the night here as you please, Venerable." No sooner had Devala entered the hall and sat down than another ascetic named Narada, returning from the Himalayas, asked the potter for a night's lodging. The potter thought to himself, "The ascetic who arrived first may or may not be willing to spend the night with him; I will therefore relieve myself of responsibility." 

So he said to the ascetic who had just arrived, "Venerable, if the ascetic who arrived first approves of it, spend the night at your pleasure." So Narada approached Devala and said, "Teacher, if it is agreeable to you, I would like to spend one night here." Devala replied, "The hall is a large one; therefore come in and spend the night on one side." So Narada went in and sat down beside the ascetic who had gone in before him. Both exchanged friendly greetings.

When it was bedtime, Narada noted carefully the place where Devala lay and the position of the door, and then lay down. But when Devala lay down, instead of lying down in his proper place, he lay down directly across the doorway. The result was that when Narada went out at night, he trod on Devala's matted locks. Thereupon Devala cried out, "Who is treading on my locks?" Narada replied, "Teacher, it is I." "False ascetic," said Devala, "You come from the forest and tread on my locks." "Teacher, I did not know that you were lying here; please pardon me." Narada then went out, leaving Devala weeping as if his heart would break. Devala thought to himself, "I will not let him tread on me when he comes in also." So he turned around and lay down, placing his head where his feet had been before. When Narada came in, he thought to himself, "The first time I injured the teacher; this time I will go in past his feet." The result was that, when Narada entered, he trod on Devala's neck. Thereupon Devala cried out, "Who is that?" Narada replied, "It is I, teacher." "False ascetic," said Devala, "The first time you trod on my locks. This time you tread on my neck. I will curse you." "Teacher, I am not to blame. I did not know that you were lying in this position. When I came in I thought to myself, The first time I injured the teacher; this time I will go in past his feet.' Please pardon me." "False ascetic, I will curse you." "Do not do so, teacher." But Devala, paying no attention to what Narada said, cursed him all the same, saying, "May your head split into seven pieces at sunrise."

Now Narada, perceiving that the curse would fall back on his brother-ascetic, he felt compassion for him, and therefore put forth the power of his meditation and prevented the sunrise. When the sun did not rise, the king had to intervene and ask Devala to apologise. Devala refused. Then said Narada to Devala, 'Teacher, I will put forth my power of meditation and make the sun to rise. At the moment of sunrise please keep a lump of clay on your head and submerge in water and rise in different places as you go your way." As soon as the sun's rays touched the lump of clay on his head, it divided into seven pieces. Thereupon Devala ducked in the water, and came up in a different place, and ran away. When the Buddha had given his instruction, he said, "Monks, at that time the king was Ananda, Devala was Tissa, and Narada was myself, when at that time he was obstinate." The Buddha advised them not to keep thoughts of enmity, for this could be only appeased by thoughts of friendliness.

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When a person holds that he was insulted, assaulted, defeated, or robbed, his anger continues to increase. The anger of such a person has no way of subsiding. The more he goes over his imaginary trouble the greater becomes his desire to avenge it.

Verse 3

 "He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;"... the enmity of those harbouring such thoughts cannot be appeased.

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Verse 4

"He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;" ... the enmity of those not harbouring such thoughts can be appeased.

Living in human society, people often quarrel with one another. When such conflicts occur, people often keep thinking about the wrongs done to them by others. When that happens, their anger tends to grow. But in those who forgive and forget the wrongs done to them, anger quickly vanishes. They are then at peace.

Commentary

This pair of verses reveals the psychological principle that is basic to emotional control. Emotion is an excitement of the body that begins with a thought. A thought creates a mental picture which, if held onto, excites a corresponding emotion. It is only when this mental picture is discarded and paid no attention to, that the emotion subsides. The Buddha's constant advice to His followers was not to retaliate but to practice patience at all times and places, even under provocation. The Buddha praises those who forebear the wrongs of others, even though they have the power to retaliate. In the Dhammapada itself there are many instances that show how the Buddha practiced patience, even when he was severely criticised, abused, and attacked. Patience is not a sign of weakness or defeatism but the unfailing strength of great men and women. The secret of patience is to change the mental picture or how you interpret a situation. An example is given in the Shantivadi Jataka, where the saint Shantivadi was the Buddha Gotama in his former life. The saint kept repeating the thought, "Long live the king may he be free from harm," while his limbs were severed until death, by this cruel king who wanted to test his patience.

The group who stayed called themselves the Elders (Thera in Pali). They felt they were in keeping with the original spirit of the Buddha's teachings. The other group, the Great Community (Mahasanghika in Sanskrit), interpreted Buddha's teachings more liberally, but in a way that they felt was more true to his intentions. These two groups would eventually evolve into Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.

(1:2) - Happiness Follows The Doer of Good

CHAPTER I : THE PAIRS (YAMAKAVAGGA)
The Story of Mattakundali (1:2)

(Verse 2)

While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (2) of this book, with reference to Matthakundali, a young Brahmin Matthakundali was a young brahmin, whose father, Adinnapubbaka, was very stingy and never gave anything in charity. Even the gold ornaments for his only son were made by himself to save payment for workmanship. When his son fell ill, no physician was consulted, until it was too late. When he realized that his son was dying, he had the youth carried outside on to the verandah, so that people coming to his house would not see his possessions.

On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his deep meditation of compassion saw, in his Net of Knowledge, Matthakundali lying on the verandah. So when entering Savatthi for alms-food with his disciples, the Buddha stood near the door of the brahmin Adinnapubbaka. The Buddha sent forth a ray of light to attract the attention of the youth, who was facing the interior of the house. The youth saw the Buddha; and as he was very weak he could only profess his faith mentally. But that was enough. When he passed away with his heart in devotion to the Buddha he was reborn in the Tavatimsa celestial world.

From his celestial abode the young Matthakundali, seeing his father mourning over him at the cemetery, appeared to the old man in the likeness of his old self. He told his father about his rebirth in the Tavatimsa world and also urged him to approach and invite the Buddha to a meal. At the house of Adinnapubbaka the question of whether one could or could not be reborn in a celestial world simply by mentally professing profound faith in the Buddha, without giving in charity or observing the moral precepts, was brought up. So the Buddha willed that Matthakundali should appear in person; Matthakundali soon appeared fully decked with celestial ornaments and told them about his rebirth in the Tavatimsa world. Then only, the audience became convinced that the son of the brahmin Adinnapubbaka by simply devoting his mind to the Buddha had attained much glory.

At the end of the discourse Matthakundali and his father Adinnapubbaka attained Sotapatti Magga and Sotapatti Phala. Adinnapubbaka also donated almost all his wealth to the cause of the Buddha's Teaching.


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All that man experiences springs out of his thoughts. If his thoughts are good, the words and deeds will also be good. The result of good thoughts, words and deeds will be happiness. This happiness never leaves the person whose thoughts are good. Happiness will always follow him like his shadow that never leaves him.

Verse 2:

All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness (sukha) follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.

Source:
http://www.metta.lk/english/Narada/01-Yamaka%20Vagga.htm
http://www.vipassana.info/a.htm
http://www.egreenway.com/meditation/dpv1.htm
http://salmun.cwahi.net/wrel/rbud/scrip/totid/totid.htm

(1:1) - Suffering Follows The Evil-Doer

CHAPTER I : THE PAIRS (YAMAKAVAGGA)
The Twin Verses -- 1:1 & 1:2 ; 2:1 & 2:2 ; 3:1 & 3:2; 4:1 & 4:2

Story of Cakkhupala Thera (1:1)
Suffering Follows The Evil-Doer

Story
A middle-aged devout person, named Cakkhupàla, became a monk and was energetically leading a contemplative life. As a result of his strenuous endeavour he realized Arahantship, ⁴ the final stage of Sainthood, but unfortunately went blind.

One day as he was pacing up and down the ambulatory he unintentionally killed many insects. Some visiting monks, noticing the blood-stained ambulatory, complained to the Buddha that he had committed the offence of killing. The Buddha explained that the monk had killed them unintentionally and that he was an Arahant.

The monks then wished to know the cause of his blindness.
The Buddha related that in a past birth, as a physician, that particular monk had given an ointment to a poor woman to restore her eyesight. She promised that, with her children, she would become his servants if her eyesight was restored. The physician’s remedy proved effective, but the woman, not willing to keep her promise, pretended that her eyes were getting worse. The cruel physician, yielding to a wicked thought, retaliated by giving her another ointment which blinded her eyes. In consequence of his past evil action the Arahant became blind.

* * *

This is the retributive aspect of the law of Kamma, the other being the continuative aspect, that is – the transmission of individual characteristics, impressions, tendencies, etc. throughout one’s wanderings in Samsàra.

An Arahant, though free from all impurities, has to reap the fruit of the seed he himself had sown in the remote past.

The Buddhas and Arahants do not accumulate fresh Kamma as they have eradicated the roots – ignorance and craving- but, as every other being, they are not exempt from the inevitable consequences of both good and bad past actions.

Verse 1

1. Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) states. ³ Mind is chief; mind-made are they. If one speaks or acts  with wicked mind, because of that, suffering follows one, even as the wheel follows the hoof of the draught-ox. 1.

Source:
http://www.metta.lk/english/Narada/01-Yamaka%20Vagga.htm
http://www.vipassana.info/a.htm
http://www.egreenway.com/meditation/dpv1.htm
http://salmun.cwahi.net/wrel/rbud/scrip/totid/totid.htm