LOKA VAGGA (The World)
 

Contents

  1 A bhikkhu who quarrelled with a young girl
  2 The Buddha visits Kapilavatthu
  3 Meditation on a mirage
  4 How the Buddha consoled a sad prince - Abhaya
  5 The monk with a broom - Sammunjjani
  6 A murderer who attained Sainthood - Angulimala
  7 The weaver-girl who realised the nature of Life
  8 Thirty bhikkhus who suddenly disappeared
  9 Cinca Manavika falsely accuses the Buddha
10 The almsgiving competition
11 The story of Kala, son of Anatha Pindika

XIII:1 BASE DESIRES

Do not follow a life of evil; do not live heedlessly; do not have false views; do not value worldly things.(In this way one can get rid of suffering).
 

XIII:1 A bhikkhu who quarrelled with a young girl

‘The young bhikkhu replied ‘You are a shaven head yourself. Your mother and your father are also shaven heads!’ Hearing the remarks, the young girl went weeping to her grandmother. Visakha immediately told the young bhikkhu, ‘Please don’t get angry with my granddaughter. She does not mean to be disrespectful. But, a bhikkhu does have his head shaved, and putting on a robe which is made up of cut pieces, he goes on the almsround with a bowl which is rimless. What this young girl said was, in a way, quite right, is it not? ‘ The young bhikkhu replied, ‘It is true, but why should she abuse me on that account?’ At this point, the elder bhikkhu returned, but both Visakha and the old bhikkhu failed to appease the young bhikkhu and the young girl.

Soon after this, the Buddha arrived and learned about the misunderstanding. He knew that time was ripe for the young bhikkhu to attain the first stage of Sainthood, and to make the young bhikkhu more responsive to his words, the Buddha asked Visakha, ‘Is there any reason for your granddaughter to address my son as a shaven head just because he has his head shaven?

After all, he had his head shaven to enter my Order.’ Hearing these words, the young bhikkhu paid his respects to the Buddha, and said ‘Venerable Sir! You alone understand me; neither my teacher nor this grandmother understands me.’ The Buddha knew that the young bhikkhu was then in a receptive mood to comprehend the Dhamma and so he said, ‘To enjoy with sensual desire is ignoble; it is not right and proper to have ignoble thoughts.’
 

XIII:2 THE RIGHTEOUS ARE HAPPY

A man should not live heedlessly but should exert himself to live righteously. Such a man is happy in this world and in the next.
 

XIII:2 BE RIGHTEOUS

A man should live righteously and not wrongly. Such a man is happy in this world and in the next.
 

XIII:2 The Buddha visits Kapilavatthu

As there was no special invitation for almsgiving on that day, the Buddha and his bhikkhus went for their alms round. Before proceeding he considered within himself, ‘Did the Buddhas of the past, upon entering the city of their kinsfolk, straightaway enter the houses of the relatives, or did they go from house to house to receive alms?’ Perceiving that they did go from house to house, the Buddha went along the streets of Kapilavatthu seeking alms.

On hearing of this seemingly humiliating conduct of the Buddha from his daughter-in-law, Yasodhara, the King greatly perturbed, went to the Buddha and said, ‘Son, why do you ruin me? I am overwhelmed with shame to see you begging alms. Is it proper for you, who used to travel in a golden palanquin, to seek alms in this very city? Why do you put me to shame?’

Whereupon the Buddha replied, ‘O King, I am not putting you to shame. I am following the custom of my Buddha lineage. All previous Buddhas have lived by seeking alms.’ The King understood that this was the way of the Buddhas and accepted it.
 

XIII:3 LIKE A BUBBLE IS THIS WORLD

Just as one would look upon a bubble, just as one would look upon a mirage¹ - if a person thus looks upon the world, the King of Death sees him not.
 

XIII:3 Meditation on a mirage

Note:

1.This psycho-physical organism is to be regarded as being as empty as a bubble and as illusive as a mirage. The wise man who could so regard it would end the ills of life.
 

XIII:4 THE WISE ARE NOT ATTACHED TO THE WORLD

Come, behold this world¹ which is like unto an ornamented royal chariot, wherein fools flounder, but for the wise there is no attachment.
 

XIII:4 How the Buddha consoled a sad prince (Abhaya)

Sorrowfully, he went for solace to the Buddha who said, ‘O prince, the tears you have shed all through the round of rebirths cannot be measured. This world of component things* is the place where fools flounder.’
 

Note:

1.This body, composed of the five Aggregates.
 

XIII:5 THE HEEDFUL ILLUMINE THE WORLD

A man, who is free from heedlessness and is heedless no more, purifies himself and shines in this world like the moon which is freed from a cloud.
 

XIII:5 The monk with a broom (Sammunjjani)

Don’t you think you should sometimes sweep the floors or the compound or some other place?’ Revata replied, ‘Friend, a bhikkhu should not spend all his time sweeping. He should sweep early in the morning, then go out on the almsround. After the meal, contemplating his body he should try to perceive the true nature of life, or else, recite the suttas until night fall.  Then he can do the sweeping again if he so wishes.’ Sammunjjani strictly followed the advice given by Revata and soon attained Arahanthood.

Other bhikkhus noticed that Sammunjjani was not sweeping as much as he used to. When questioned by the bhikkhus, Sammunjjani replied, ‘When I was not mindful, I was sweeping all the time, but now I am no longer unmindful.’ When the bhikkhus heard his reply they were sceptical. So, they went to the Buddha and said, ‘Venerable Sir!  Sammunjjani claims to be an Arahant.’ The Buddha assured them that he had indeed attained Arahanthood.
 

XIII:6 EVIL CAN BE ERASED BY GOOD

Whosoever, by a good¹ deed, covers the evil² done, such a one illumines this world like the moon freed from clouds.
 

XIII:6 A murderer who attained Sainthood (Angulimala)

He considered that to kill him would reflect badly on him. So he thought of a plan worse than killing the innocent pupil. He told Ahimsaka to kill a thousand human beings and to bring one right-hand finger of each as payment for teaching him. In obedience to the teacher, though with great reluctance, he started killing people. The fingers so collected were hung on a tree, but as they were destroyed by crows and vultures, he later wore a garland of those fingers to ascertain the exact number.

Because of this he came to be known as Angulimala (finger garland) and became the terror of the countryside. The king himself heard about the exploits of Angulimala and he decided to capture him. When Mantani, the mother of Angulimala, heard about the king’s intention, she went into the forest in a desperate bid to save her son. By this time, the chain around the neck of Angulimala had nine hundred and ninety-nine fingers in it, just one finger short of one thousand.

Early in the morning on that day, the Buddha saw him in his vision, and reflected that if he did not intervene, Angulimala who was on the look out for the last person to make up the one thousand would see his mother and might kill her. In that case, he would have to suffer in hell for an even longer period. So out of compassion, the Buddha left for the forest.

Angulimala, after many sleepless days and nights, was very tired and near exhaustion. At the same time, he was very anxious to kill the last person to make up his full quota of one thousand and so complete his task. He made up his mind to kill the first person he met. Just then, as he looked out he saw the Buddha and ran after him with his knife raised. But the Buddha kept moving ahead of him.
Angulimala just could not catch up with him. Finally, he cried out, ‘O Bhikkhu, stop!  stop!’ and the Enlightened One replied, ‘I have stopped. It is you who have not stopped.’ Angulimala did not get the significance of the words, so he asked, ‘O bhikkhu! Why do you say that you have stopped while I have not?’

The Buddha replied, ‘I say that I have stopped because I have given up killing all beings, I have given up ill-treating all beings, and have established myself in universal love, patience, and knowledge through reflection. But you have not given up killing or ill treating others and you are not yet established in universal love and patience. Hence, you are the one who has not stopped.’ On hearing these words Angulimala reflected, ‘These are the words of a wise man. This monk is so very wise and so very brave that he must be the leader of the monks.

Indeed, he must be the Enlightened One himself! He must have come here specially to make me see the light.’ So thinking, he threw away his weapon and asked the Enlightened One to admit him to the Order of the bhikkhus which the Buddha did.

Angulimala’s mother looked for her son everywhere in the forest shouting out his name, but failing to find him, she returned home. When the king and his men came to capture Angulimala, they found him at the monastery of the Buddha. Finding that Angulimala had given up his evil ways and had become a bhikkhu, the king and his men agreed to leave him alone. During his stay at the monastery, Angulimala ardently and diligently practised meditation.

Angulimala had no peace of mind, because even in his solitary meditation he used to recall memories of his past and the pathetic cries of his unfortunate victims. As a result of his evil kamma, while seeking alms in the streets he would become a target of stray stones and sticks and he would return to the Jetavana monastery with broken head and flowing blood, cut and bruised to be reminded by the Buddha: ‘My son Angulimala! You have done away with evil. Have patience. This is the effect of the evil deeds you have committed in this existence. Your evil kamma would have made you suffer for innumerable years in hell had I not met you.’

One morning while going on an alms round in Savatthi, Angulimala heard someone crying out in pain. When he came to know that a pregnant lady was having labour pains and facing difficulty to deliver the child, he reflected, ‘All worldlings are subject to suffering.’ Moved by compassion, he reported this pathetic woman’s suffering to the Buddha who then advised him to recite the following words of truth, which later came to be known as Angulimala Paritta. Going to the presence of the suffering woman, he sat on a seat separated from her by a screen, and uttered these words.

Yato’ ham bhagini ariyaya
jatiya jato n’abhijanami
sancicca panam jivita voropeta
Tena saccena sotthi te hotu,
Sothi gabbhassati

(‘Sister, since the day I became an Arahant I have not consciously destroyed the life of any living beings. By this truth, may you be well and may your unborn child be well!’)

Instantly the woman delivered her child with ease. Both the mother and child were well and healthy. The efficacy of this paritta persists to this day.

Angulimala liked living in solitude and in seclusion. Later he passed away peacefully. As an Arahant, he had attained parinibbana.

Other bhikkhus asked the Buddha where Angulimala was reborn, and when he replied, ‘My son Angulimala has attained parinibbana,’ they could hardly believe it. So they asked whether it was possible that a man who had killed so many people could have attained parinibbana.  To this question, the Buddha replied, ‘Bhikkhus! Angulimala had done much evil because he did not have good friends.

But later, he found good friends and through their help and good advice he had been steadfast and mindful in his practice of the Dhamma and meditation.  Therefore, his evil deeds have been overwhelmed by good kamma and his mind has been completely rid of all defilements.’
 

Note:

1.By the Path of Arahanthood.
 

XIII:7 FEW ARE THE CLEAR-SIGHTED

Blind is this world. Few are those who clearly see. As few birds escape from a net, few go to a blissful state¹.
 

III:7 The weaver-girl who realised the nature of Life

Uncertain is my life, certain is my death, certainly one day I have to face death.’

The Buddha also exhorted his listeners to be always mindful and to strive to perceive the true nature of life. He also said, ‘As one who is armed with a stick or spear is prepared to meet an enemy and some other poisonous and dangerous animals, so also, one who is ever mindful of death should face death mindfully. He will then leave this world for a good destination.’ Many people could not grasp the essence of the discourse, but a young girl of sixteen who was a weaver clearly understood the Buddha’s discourse. After the sermon, the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery.

One day, when the Buddha was surveying the world, he saw the young weaver in his vision, and knew that time was ripe for the girl to attain the first stage of Sainthood. So he came to the village of Alavi to expound the Dhamma for the second time. When the girl heard that the Buddha had come again with a few hundred bhikkhus, she wanted to go and listen to the religious discourse. However, her father had also asked her to wind some thread spools which he needed urgently, so she promptly wound the spools and took them to her father. On the way, she stopped for a moment at the outer fringe of the audience who had come to listen to the Buddha.

Meanwhile, the Buddha knew that the young weaver would come to listen to his discourse. He also knew that it was very important that she should listen to the Dhamma on her way to the weaving shed and not on her return, as her future existence was uncertain because her kammic energy for survival was going to be extinguished very soon.  So, when the young weaver appeared on the fringe of the audience, the Buddha looked at her. When she saw him looking at her, she dropped her basket and respectfully approached the Enlightened One. Then, he put four questions to her and she answered all of them.

The Buddha : Where have you come from?
Girl : I don’t know.
The Buddha : Where are you going?
Girl : I don’t know.
The Buddha : Don’t you know?
Girl : Yes, I know.
The Buddha : Do you know?
Girl : I don’t know, Venerable Sir.

Hearing her answers, the audience thought that the weaver was being very disrespectful. Then, the Buddha asked her to explain what she meant by her answers, and she said:

‘Venerable Sir! Since you know that I have come from my house, I take it that by your first question, you meant to ask me from what past existence I have come here, hence my answer, ‘I don’t know.’ The second question meant, to what future existence would I be going from here, hence my answer, ‘I don’t know’. The third question meant whether I don’t know that I would die one day, hence my answer, ‘Yes, I do know’. The last question meant whether I know when I would die, hence my answer, ‘I don’t know’. The Buddha applauded her for the explanation of her answers. At the conclusion of the discourse she attained the first stage of Sainthood.

Then, she continued on her way to the weaving shed. When she got there, her father was asleep on the weaver’s seat. As he woke up suddenly, he accidentally pulled the shuttle, and the point of the shuttle struck the girl at her breast. She died on the spot and was reborn in the Tusita deva world. Her father was broken-hearted, and with eyes full of tears, yet realising the uncertainty of life, he went and requested the Buddha to admit him into the Order. Thus he became a bhikkhu, and not long afterwards, attained Arahanthood.
 

Note:

1.Sagga - blissful states, not eternal heavens.
 

XIII:8 THE WISE SEEK AN ESCAPE FROM THIS WORLD

Swans wing along on the path of the sun. (Men) go through air by psychic powers¹. The wise are led away from the world² having conquered Mara and his host³.
 

XIII:8 Thirty bhikkhus who suddenly disappeared

The Buddha replied, ‘All those bhikkhus have gone.’ ‘By what path did they go, Venerable Sir?’ ‘Through the air, Ananda.’ ‘But Venerable Sir, have they attained Arahanthood?’ ‘Yes, Ananda. After hearing the Dhamma, they have attained Arahanthood with supernormal powers.’

At that moment the Buddha saw some swans flying through the air. He commented, ‘Ananda, those who have attained Sainthood, fly through the air like swans.’
 

Notes:

1. Iddhi. By mental development it is possible to fly through the air, walk on water, dive into the earth, etc. Such kinds of powers are psychic and supernormal, but not miraculous.

2. That is, the Arahants attain Parinibbana without coming into birth again.

3. The host of Mara, the Evil One, is described as comprising ten kinds of passions (kilesa). They are: 1. material pleasures (kama). 2. aversion for the Holy Life (arati), 3. hunger and thirst (khuppipasa), 4. craving (tanha), 5. sloth and torpor (thina middha), 6. fear (bhaya), 7. doubt (vicikiccha), 8.  detraction and obstinacy (makkhathambha), 9. gain (labha), praise (siloka) honour (sakkara) and ill-gotten fame (yasa), 10.  Extolling of oneself and contempt for others (attukkamsana-para-vambhana).
 

XIII:9 THERE IS NO EVIL THAT A LIAR CANNOT COMMIT

There is no evil that cannot be done by the liar, who has transgressed the one law (of truthfulness) and who is indifferent to a world beyond.
 

XIII:9 Cinca Manavika falsely accuses the Buddha

That same evening, she took some flowers and went in the direction of the Jetavana monastery. When people asked her where she was going, she replied, ‘What is the use of you knowing where I am going?’ Then she would go to the place of the other ascetics near the Jetavana monastery and would come back early in the morning to make it appear as if she had spent the night at the Jetavana monastery. When asked, she would reply, ‘I spent the night with the Buddha at the monastery.’ After three or four months had passed, she wrapped some cloth around her stomach to make herself look pregnant. Then, after nine months, she created the impression of a woman in an advanced stage of pregnancy and she went to the monastery to confront the Buddha.

The Buddha was then expounding the Dhamma to a congregation of bhikkhus and laymen. Seeing him preaching she accused him, ‘O you big Samana! You are clever to preach to others. I am now pregnant by you, yet you do nothing for my confinement. You only know how to enjoy yourself!’ The Buddha stopped preaching for a while and said to her, ‘Sister, only you and I know whether you are speaking the truth or not,’ and she replied, ‘Yes, you are right, how can others know what only you and I have done?’

At that instant, Sakka, king of the devas became aware of the trouble taking place at the Jetavana monastery. So he sent four of his devas in the form of young rats, who got under her clothes and bit off the strings that held the cloth around her belly. Thus, her deception was uncovered, and many from the crowd reprimanded her, ‘O you wicked woman! Liar and cheat! How dare you accuse our noble Teacher!’ Fearing for her safety, she ran from the monastery as fast as she could.  However after some distance she met with an unfortunate accident and had to face a miserable and untimely death.

The next day, while the bhikkhus were talking about Cinca Manavika, the Buddha told them ‘Bhikkhus, one who is not afraid to tell lies, and who does not care what happens in the future existences, will not hesitate to do any evil.’

The Buddha then revealed that Cinca Manavika in one of her past existences was born as the chief consort to a King. She fell in love with the King’s son but the Prince did not reciprocate her love. So she conceived an evil plan to harm him. She disfigured her body with her own hands. Then she went to the King and falsely accused that his son had done this to her when she refused his advances.
Without investigating, the King banished him from his kingdom. When the King came to know of the true situation, she was duly punished for her evil deeds.
 

Note:

1. An untruthful person, devoid of self-respect, who has no belief in an after life and who has no fear for the attendant consequences of evil, is liable to commit any evil. Such a person does not see earthly bliss or heavenly bliss or Nibbanic bliss (Commentary).
 

XIII:10 THE STINGY ARE NOT HAPPY

Verily, misers go not to the celestial realms.  Fools do not indeed praise liberality. The wise man rejoices in giving and thereby becomes happy thereafter.
 

XIII:10 The almsgiving competition

Next, she asked for a few hundred white umbrellas and a few hundred tame elephants. The elephants were to hold the white umbrellas over the bhikkhus. In the middle of the pavilion, they kept ten boats which were filled with perfumes and incense. There were also many princesses to serve the food. Since the subjects of the king had no princesses, nor white umbrellas, nor elephants they could no longer compete with the king.  When all preparations were made, alms food was offered. After the meal, the king made an offering of all the things in the pavilion to the Buddha.

At the time, two ministers of the king were present. One was very happy and praised the king for having offered alms so generously to the Buddha and the bhikkhus. He also reflected that such offerings could only be made by a king. He was very glad because the king would share the merit of his good deeds with all beings. In short, the minister rejoiced with the king in his unrivalled charity. The other minister, on the other hand, thought that the king was only squandering his wealth and that the bhikkhus after their meal would just go back to the monastery and sleep.

After the meal, the Buddha looked over at the audience and knew how the second minister was feeling. Then, he reflected that if he were to deliver a lengthy discourse of appreciation (anumodana) the minister would get more dissatisfied. So, out of compassion for him the Buddha delivered only a short discourse and returned to the monastery. The king had expected a lengthy discourse of appreciation, and so he was disappointed because the Buddha only gave a brief sermon. The king wondered if he had failed to do something which should have been done. He decided to go to the monastery to find out.

On seeing the king, the Buddha said, ‘Great King! You should rejoice that you have succeeded in making the offering of unrivalled charity.  Such an opportunity comes very rarely. It comes only once during the appearance of each Buddha. But one of your ministers had felt that it was a waste, and was not at all appreciative. So, if I had given a lengthy discourse, he would have become more and more dissatisfied and accrued more bad kamma. That was why I preached so briefly.’ Then the Buddha added, ‘O King! Fools do not rejoice in the charities given by others and go to the lower worlds. The wise rejoice in other people’s charities, and through appreciation, they share in the merit gained by others and go to the abode of the devas’.
 

XIII:11  SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT IS BETTER
THAN WORLDLY SOVEREIGNTY

Better than absolute sovereignty¹ over the earth, better than going to heaven, better than even lordship over all the worlds is the Fruit of a Stream-Winner².
 

XIII:11 The story of Kala, son of Anatha Pindika

The next day, the father said, ‘My son, if you can recite a stanza of the Buddha’s teaching, I will give you one thousand pieces of gold on your return.’ So Kala went to the monastery again. The Buddha delivered a sermon but at the same time he willed that he would not be able to memorise anything. He knew that Kala was only interested in the money and was not sincere to learn the Dhamma. Thus, the youth had to repeat a single stanza many times. As he did this, he came to perceive the full meaning of the Dhamma, and attained the first stage of Sainthood.

Early on the next morning, he followed the Buddha and the bhikkhus to his own house. But on that day, he was silently hoping, ‘I wish my father would not give me the money in the presence of the Buddha. I do not wish the Buddha to know that I observed the precepts just for the sake of money.’
After offering almsfood to the Buddha and the bhikkhus, Anatha Pindika brought one thousand pieces of gold, and asked Kala to take it, but surprisingly he refused. Then, Anatha Pindika told the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir! My son has changed his mind; he now behaves in a very noble manner.’ Then he related to the Buddha how he had enticed him with money to go to the monastery to learn the Dhamma. The Buddha replied, ‘Anatha Pindika, your son has realised the Dhamma which is much better than the riches of the Universal Monarch or that of the devas or that of the brahmas.’
 

Note:

1. Internal purification is far superior to fleeting worldly possessions or transitory heavenly bliss.

2. Sotapatti.

Here Sota means the stream that leads to Nibbana. It is the noble Eightfold Path. 'A' means for the first time. 'Patti' means attainment, Sotapatti means the attainment of the stream for the first time. It is the realization of Nibbana for the first time. This is the first stage of Sainthood. The Stream-Winners are not born in woeful states.