dhammapada12

Chapter 12

ATTA VAGGA (The Self^l)

Contents

1 The prince who has no offspring - Bodhiraja Kumara
2 The greedy monk - Upananda
3 The monk who preached without practicing - Padhanika Tissa
4 The son of a bhikkhuni - Kumara Kassapa
5 The untimely death of a devotee - Mahakala
6 The story of Devadatta, the opponent of the Buddha
7 The story of schism in the Order
8 The jealous monk - Kala
9 A devotee protected by courtesans - Culakala
10 The story of a diligent monk - Attadatta

Note:

1. According to Buddhism there is no permanent soul or unchanging entity (atta) either created by a God or emanating from a Paramatma. Here the term atta (self) is applied to the whole body, or one’s personality, or mind, or life flux.

XII:1 BE VIGILANT

Attanam ce piyam janna - rakkheyya nam surakkhitam
Tinnam annataram yamam - patijaggeyya pandito.

If one holds oneself dear, one should protect oneself well. During every one of the three watches (of life) the wise man should keep vigil (against evil).

XII:1 The prince who had no offspring (Bodhiraja Kumara)

Once, there was a prince called Bodhi who had built a magnificent palace. When the palace was completed he invited the Buddha for blessing and offering of almsfood. For this special occasion, he perfumed the palace with scents and incense. As the prince had no children, he spread out a long piece of cloth on the floor of the dining hall and made a solemn wish that if ever his wife was to be blessed with children, the Buddha would step on the cloth.

When the Buddha came, Prince Bodhi respectfully requested him to enter the hall. But instead of moving, he only looked at Ananda who understood him and asked Prince Bodhi to have the cloth removed. Only then did the Buddha enter the palace. The prince then offered the food to the Enlightened One. After the meal, the prince asked why he had not stepped on the cloth. The Buddha in turn asked the prince whether he had not spread the cloth making a solemn wish that if he were to be blessed with a child, the Enlightened One would step on it; and the prince replied in the affirmative. The Buddha then explained that he and his wife would not be able to have any children because of their past bad deeds and related what they had done.

In one of their past existences, the prince and his wife were the sole survivors of a shipwreck. They were stranded on a deserted island, and there they lived by eating birds’ eggs, fledglings and birds without any feeling of remorse at any time. They were so concerned about their own survival that they selfishly destroyed not only the lives of innocent birds, but those of their young as well. For those evil deeds, they would not be able to have any children. If they had felt even a slight remorse for their deeds at any stage of their lives, they could have had children in this existence.

XII:2 ADVISERS SHOULD SET THE EXAMPLE FIRST

Attanam eva pathamam - patirupe nivesaye
Ath’ annam anusaseyya - na kilisseyya pandito.

Let one first establish oneself in what is proper, and then instruct others. Such a wise man will not be defiled¹.

XII:2 The greedy monk (Upananda)

Venerable Upananda was a very eloquent preacher. He used to preach to others not to be greedy and to have only a few wants and he 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 by devotees.

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. He did not want to stay 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, he decided to spend the vassa at the monastery where each bhikkhu received four robes. At the end of the vassa, he claimed his share of robes as if he had observed the vassa in the monasteries where he had left his personal effects. Then he collected all the gifts and returned 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 the arbitrator.

The two young bhikkhus were not satisfied with the decision although they could do nothing about it. With a feeling of dissatisfaction and dejection, they reported the matter to the Buddha who commented, ‘One who teaches others should first teach himself and act as he has preached.’

Note:

1.Will not be blamed by others.

XII:3 ACT AS YOU INSTRUCT

Attanam ce tatha kayira - yathannamanusasati
Sudanto vata dammetha - atta hi kira duddamo.

As he instructs others so should he himself act. Himself fully controlled, he should control (others); for oneself, indeed, is difficult to control.

XII:3 The monk who preached without practising (Padhanika Tissa)

Venerable Padhanika Tissa, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, left for the forest with a large group of bhikkhus. There, he advised 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, Padhanika Tissa would get up and tell them to go back to their practice. When they returned after meditation practice during the second and third watches 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 suttas. One day, they decided to investigate if their teacher was truly as zealous and vigilant as he said he was. When they found out that their teacher only exhorted others but was himself sleeping most of the time, they remarked, ‘Our teacher knows only how to advise us, but he himself is just wasting his time, doing nothing.’ By this time, as the bhikkhus were not getting enough rest, they were tired. As a result, none of the bhikkhus 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 who said, ‘Bhikkhus! One who wants to teach others should first teach himself and conduct himself properly.’

XII:4 SELF IS ONE’S REFUGE

Atta hi attano natho - ko hi natho paro siya
Attana’ va sudantena - natham labhati dullabham.

Oneself is one’s own protector (refuge); what other protector (refuge) can there be? With oneself fully controlled, one obtains a protection (refuge) which is hard to gain.

XII:4 The son of a bhikkhuni (Kumara Kassapa)

Once, a young married woman having received permission from her husband, became a bhikkhuni. She joined the bhikkhunis who were the pupils of Devadatta. This young woman was already pregnant when she became a bhikkhuni but she was not aware of that. But in due course, the pregnancy became obvious and the other bhikkhunis took her to their teacher, Devadatta, who told her to go back to the household life.

She then said to the other bhikkhunis, 'I had not intended to become a bhikkhuni under your teacher Devadatta. I have come here by mistake. Please take me to the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha lives.' Thus she came to the Buddha. The Master knew that she was pregnant before she became a bhikkhuni and was therefore innocent, but he did not want to handle the case. The Buddha sent for King Pasenadi of Kosala, Anatha Pindika and Visakha, the famous lay devotees of the Buddha.Then he told Venerable Upali (master of Vinaya - rules of conduct) to settle the case in public.

Lady Visakha examined the young bhikkhuni and reported to Upali that she had already been pregnant when she became a bhikkhuni. Upali then declared to the audience that the nun had not violated her morality (sila). In due course, she gave birth to a son. King Pasenadi adopted the boy who was named Kumara Kassapa. When the boy was seven years old, and on learning that his mother was a bhikkhuni, he also became a novice monk. When he came of age he was admitted to the Order as a bhikkhu.

One day, 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 Arahanthood. However, he continued to live in the forest for twelve more years.

Thus, his mother had not seen him for twelve years and she longed to see her son very much. One day, on seeing him, the mother bhikkhuni ran after her son weeping and calling out his name. Seeing his mother, Kumara Kassapa thought that if he were to speak pleasantly to his mother she would still be attached to him. So for the sake of her spiritual progress he deliberately addressed her in an indifferent way: 'How is it that you, a member of the Order, cannot even cut off this affection for a son?' The mother thought that her son was very ungrateful to her, and she asked him what he meant. Kumara Kassapa repeated what he had said before. On hearing his answer, she reflected: 'O yes, for twelve years, I have shed tears for this son of mine. Yet, he has spoken harshly to me.

What is the use of my affection for him?' Then, the futility of her emotional attachment to her son dawned upon her, and uprooting affection for her son, on that very day she attained Arahanthood.

At the monastery, some bhikkhus told the Buddha, 'Venerable Sir! You are a refuge to them. If the mother of Kumara Kassapa had listened to Devadatta, she and her son would not have become Arahants. Surely

Devadatta had judged her wrongly.' The Buddha answered, 'Bhikkhus! In trying to reach the deva world, or in trying to attain Arahanthood, you cannot depend on others, you must strive on your own.'

XII:5 ONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ONE’S EVIL

Attana’ va katam papam - attajam atta sambhavam
Abhimanthati dummedham - vajiram v’asmamayam manim.

The evil done by oneself, arising in oneself, and caused by oneself, destroys the foolish one, just as a diamond grinds a hard gem

XII:5 The untimely death of a devotee (Mahakala)

On a certain holy day, Mahakala, a lay disciple, went to the Jetavana monastery. On that day, he observed the eight moral precepts (Uposatha Sila) and listened to the discourses on the Dhamma throughout the night. It so happened that on that same night, some thieves broke into a house and the owners on waking up went after the thieves who ran away in all directions. Some ran in the direction of the monastery. It was then nearing dawn, and Mahakala was washing his face at the pond close to the monastery.

The thieves dropped their stolen property in front of Mahakala and ran off. When the owners arrived they saw Mahakala with the stolen property. Taking him for one of the thieves, they caught hold of him and beat him. Mahakala died on the spot. Early in the morning, when some young bhikkhus from the monastery came to the pond to fetch water, they saw the dead body.

On their return to the monastery, they reported to the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir! The lay disciple who was at this monastery listening to the religious discourses all through the night has met with a death which he does not deserve.’ The Buddha replied, ‘Bhikkhus! If you judge from the good deeds he has done in this existence, he has indeed met with a death he does not deserve. But the fact is that he has only paid for the evil he had done in a past existence. In one of his previous existences, he fell in love with another man’s wife and had beaten her husband to death. Thus, evil deeds surely get one into trouble; they even lead one to Hell.’

XII:6 THE CORRUPT BRING ABOUT THEIR OWN RUIN

Yassa accanta dussilyam - maluva salam iv’ otatam
Karoti so tatha’ ttanam - yatha nam icchati diso.

As the creeper (maluva) strangles the sal tree, so also, a really immoral person
(overwhelmed by craving) does to himself just what his enemy wishes him to suffer.

XII:6 The story of Devadatta, the opponent of the Buddha

One day, some bhikkhus were talking amongst themselves when the Buddha came in and questioned them about the subject of their conversation. They answered that they were talking about Devadatta and then continued as follows: ‘Venerable Sir! Devadatta is indeed a man without morality; he is also very avaricious.

He has tried to gain name and fame by getting the confidence of King Ajatasattu by unfair means. He has also tried to convince the king that by getting rid of his father, he (Ajatasattu) would immediately become a powerful ruler. Having been thus misled by Devadatta, Ajatasattu killed his father by torturing him. Devadatta, has even attempted three times to kill you. Devadatta is, indeed, very wicked and ambitious.’

After listening to the bhikkhus, the Buddha told them that Devadatta had not only tried to kill him then but had also tried to kill him in his previous existences. Then the Buddha said, ‘Bhikkhus! Just as a creeper strangles the tree to which it clings, so also, those without morality, being overwhelmed by evil desires, will have to suffer for their misdeeds.’

XII:7 EVIL IS EASY BUT GOOD IS DIFFICULT

Sukarani asadhuni - attano ahitani ca
Yam ‘ve hitan ca sadhun ca - tam ve parama dukkaram.

Easy to do are things that are evil and not beneficial to oneself, but very very difficult indeed, to do is that which is beneficial and good.

XII:7 The story of schism in the Order

One day, when the Buddha was giving a discourse in the Veluvana monastery, Devadatta came to him and suggested that since the Buddha was getting old, the duties of the Order should be entrusted to him (Devadatta); but the Enlightened One did not accept his proposal and Devadatta felt very insulted. From that time, he felt very bitter. He even tried to kill the Buddha, but all his attempts failed.

Later he tried another tactic. This time, he came to him and proposed five rules of discipline for the bhikkhus to observe throughout their lives. He proposed (i) that the bhikkhus should live in the forest; (ii) that they should live only on food received on almsrounds; (iii) that they should wear robes made only from pieces of cloth collected from rubbish heaps; (iv) that they should reside under trees; and (v) that they should not take fish or meat.

The Buddha did not have any objections to these rules and did not restrict those who were personally willing to observe them, but for various valid considerations,* he was not prepared to introduce these rules of discipline as binding laws on the Order in general. Devadatta claimed that the rules proposed by him were much better than the existing rules of discipline, and some new bhikkhus agreed with him.

One day, on being questioned by the Enlightened One, Devadatta admitted that he was trying to create a schism in the Order. Devadatta was advised that it was a very serious misdeed, but he paid no heed to the advice. Later, Devadatta informed Venerable Ananda that from that day onwards he would observe all his religious activities and perform monastic duties separately from the Order instituted by the Buddha. Ananda then reported the matter to the Master.

On hearing this, the Buddha reflected ‘Devadatta is committing a very serious misdeed in dividing the Sangha Community, and he will have to suffer for his evil intention.’ Then the Enlightened One said, ‘For a virtuous person, it is easy to do good deeds and it is difficult to do evil; but for an evil one, it is easy to do evil and difficult to do good. Indeed, it is easy to do something which is not beneficial, but it is very difficult to do something which is good and wholesome.’

Then Devadatta, followed by a group of bhikkhus, broke off from the Order, and went to Gayasisa. However, the two Chief Disciples, Sariputta and Moggallana, were able to make many of those bhikkhus realise their mistakes and they returned to the Buddha.

Note:

Some of these considerations are:

(a) Discipline should be self-imposed and not dictated by rigid rules.
(b) A rigid set of rules could be easily used by groups of people to repress individual freedom.
(c) Rules may not always be practical due to changes in locale and time.

Today, in the light of modern times, we can appreciate the wisdom of the Buddha in not having adopted these suggestion of Devadatta.

XII:8 SCORN NOT THE NOBLE

Yo sasanam arahatam - ariyanam dhamma jivinam
Patikkosati dummedho - ditthim nissaya papikam
Phalani katthakass’ eva - attaghannaya phallati.

The foolish man, who, on account of false views, scorns the teaching of the Arahants, the Noble Ones, and the Righteous, produces fruit like the bamboo, only for self-destruction.

XII:8 The jealous monk (Kala)

Once in Savatthi, an elderly woman was looking after a monk named Kala, like her own son. One day, hearing from her neighbours about the virtues of the Enlightened One she wished to go to the Jetavana monastery and listen to his discourse. So she told Kala about her wish; but he advised her against it. Three times she spoke to him about her wish but he always dissuaded her.

But one day, in spite of his objections, the lady went to the Jetavana monastery. When the monk came to know that she had left for the monastery, he reflected selfishly, ‘If she hears the Dhamma from the Master, she will have no more use for me.’ He hurried to the monastery, and found her listening to a discourse given by the Buddha. He approached him respectfully and said, ‘Venerable Sir! This woman is very dull. She will not be able to understand the sublime Dhamma. Please teach her only about charity (dana) and morality (sila)’.

The Buddha knew that Kala was talking out of spite and with an ulterior motive. So he admonished him, ‘Because of your foolishness and wrong view, you have abused my Teaching. You are only destroying yourself.’

XII:9 PURITY AND IMPURITY DEPEND ON ONESELF

Attana’ va katam papam - attana samkilissati
Attana akatam papam - attana’ va visujjhati
Suddhi asuddhi paccattam - n’ anno annam visodhaye.

By oneself, indeed, is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself, indeed, is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself. No one purifies another.

XII:9 A devotee protected by courtesans (Culakala)

One day, a devotee called Culakala observed the eight precepts and spent the night at the Jetavana monastery, listening to religious discourses all through the night. Early in the morning as he was returning home he saw a group of angry people chasing some thieves who had stolen some valuables and money from them. In their haste to get away, the thieves threw down the stolen loot in front of Culakala.

Blinded by their anger, the people mistook him for the thief; caught hold of him and started to beat him up. Fortunately, some courtesans who were on their way to fetch water from a nearby river, intervened, saying that they knew him and that he was not the thief. Culakala was let off.

When the Buddha was told about it,he said to Culakala,’You have been let off not only because the courtesans said that you were not the thief but also because you did not steal and are therefore innocent.’

XII:10 STRIVE FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL WELFARE

Atta dattham paratthena - bahuna’ pi na hapaye
Atta dattham abhinnaya - sadattha pasuto siya.

For the sake of others’ welfare, however great, let not one neglect one’s own welfare¹. Clearly perceiving one’s own welfare, let one be intent on one’s own goal.

XII:10 The story of a diligent monk (Attadatta)

When the Buddha declared that he would attain parinibbana in four months’ time, many bhikkhus (i.e. those who had not yet gained Arahanthood) were sad and did not know what to do. So, they kept close to him. A monk named Attadatta, however, did not go to see him and, having resolved to attain Arahanthood during the lifetime of the Buddha, was striving hard in the meditation practice.

Other bhikkhus, not understanding him, took him to the Enlightened One and said, ‘Venerable Sir! This bhikkhu does not love and revere you as we do. He is egoistic and keeps to himself.’ The monk then respectfully explained that the greatest homage he could pay the Buddha was to attain Arahanthood before his parinibbana.

In applauding the monk, the Buddha told the bhikkhus, ‘Those who love and revere me should act like Attadatta. You are not paying me homage by coming to see me; you pay me homage only by practising the Dhamma I have taught you.’

Note:

1.Here “welfare” denotes one’s ultimate goal, i.e., Nibbana.

Personal sanctification should not be sacrificed for the sake of external homage.
One must not misunderstand this verse to mean that one should not selflessly work for the weal of others. Selfless service is highly commended by the Buddha.