dhammapada16

Chapter 16

PIYA VAGGA (Affection)

Contents

1 Attachment hinders spiritual development
2 The Buddha comforts the afflicted
3 The Buddha comforts Visakha
4 The princes who fought over a courtesan
5 Anitthi Gandha Kumara loses his bride
6 From craving springs sorrow
7 Kassapa receives baskets of cakes
8 The elderly monk who was reborn in the pure abode
9 Nandiya attains heavenly glory

XVI:1 AVOID THAT WHICH SHOULD BE SHUNNED

Ayoge yunjam attanam - yogasmin ca ayojayam
Attham hitva piyaggahi - pihet’ attanuyoginam.

Applying oneself to that which should be avoided¹, not applying oneself to that which should be pursued,² and giving up the quest,³ one who goes after pleasure envies those who exert themselves.⁴

XVI:1 GIVE UP BOTH WHAT IS DEAR AND NOT DEAR

Ma piyehi samaganchi - appiyehi kudacanam.
Piyanam adassanam dukkham - appiyanan ca dassanam.

Consort not with those that are dear,⁵ never with those that are not dear; not seeing those that are dear and seeing those that are not dear, are both painful.⁶

XVI:1 HOLD NOTHING DEAR

Tasma piyam na kayiratha - piyapayo hi papako
Gantha tesam na vijjanti - yesam natthi piyappiyam.

Hence hold nothing dear, for separation from those that are dear is painful; bonds do not exist for those to whom nothing is dear or not dear.

XVI:1 Attachment hinders spiritual development

Once in Savatthi, the only son of a family became a bhikkhu without his parents’ approval. Because of their strong attachment to their son, the father and mother also became a bhikkhu and a bhikkhuni. They could not live separated from one another, and could not give up their affection. The family stayed in the monastery as if they were in their own house, talking and eating together, thus making themselves a nuisance to others.

Other bhikkhus reported their behaviour to the Buddha who admonished them, ‘Once you have joined the Order, you should no longer stay together like a family. There is no doubt that not seeing those who are dear and seeing those that are not dear to one, are both painful.

Even so, you should not hold any being or anything dear to you, because emotional attachment hinders spiritual development.’

Notes:

1. That is, frequenting places undesirable for bhikkhus.

2. That is, right attention (yoniso manasikara).

3. The practice of higher Morality, Concentration, and Insight.

4. The bhikkhu, with no right discrimination, gives up his quest, and being attached to sensual pleasures, returns to lay life. Later, he sees successful bhikkhus and envies them.

5. Application to both animate and inanimate objects, pleasant persons or things.

6. Attachment in one case and aversion in the other.

XVI:2 GRIEF SPRINGS FROM ENDEARMENT

Piyato jayati soko - piyato jayati bhayam
Piyato vippamuttassa - natthi soko kuto bhayam.

From endearment springs grief, from endearment springs fear; for him who is wholly free from endearment there is no grief, much less fear.

XVI:2 The Buddha comforts the afflicted

Once, a rich householder was very depressed over the death of his son. He used to go to the cemetery and weep there. Early one morning, when the Buddha saw this householder in his vision he went to see him and asked why he was feeling so sad. Then the man related the death of his son and about the pain and sorrow he was suffering. The Buddha consoled him, ‘Death does not occur only in one place. All beings that are born must die one day. Indeed, life ends in death.

You must ever be mindful of the fact that life ends in death. Do not think that only your beloved son was subject to death. Do not be so distressed or be so shaken. Sorrow and fear arise out of endearment. Perceiving the fleeting nature of life, the rich householder attained the first stage of Sainthood.

XVI:3 GRIEF SPRINGS FROM AFFECTION

Pemato jayati soko - pemato jayati bhayam
Pemato vippamuttassa - natthi soko kuto bhayam.

From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear; for him who is wholly free from affection there is no grief, much less fear.

XVI:3 The Buddha comforts Visakha

One day, a granddaughter, of Visakha named Sudatta died and she felt very deeply grieved by her loss. So she went to the Buddha and expressed her grief. Then the Buddha said, ‘Visakha, don’t you realise that many people die in Savatthi every day? If you were to regard all of them as your grandchildren, you would have to be endlessly weeping and mourning. Let not the death of one child affect you too much. Sorrow and fear arise out of affection.’

XVI:4 GRIEF SPRINGS FROM ATTACHMENT

Ratiya jayati soko - ratiya jayati bhayam
Ratiya vippamuttassa - natthi soko kuto bhayam

From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear; for him who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, much less fear.

XVI:4 The princes who fought over a courtesan

On one festival day, the Buddha entered the town of Vesali, accompanied by a group of bhikkhus. On their way, they met some Licchavi princes, who were elegantly dressed. The Buddha seeing them in full regalia said, ‘Bhikkhus, those who have not been to the Tavatimsa deva world should have a good look at these Licchavi princes.’ On their way to a pleasure garden, the princes met a beautiful courtesan and invited her to join them. There they quarrelled over her and soon came to blows. As a result, some of them had to be carried home bleeding.

On their way back after the alms round, the Buddha and the bhikkhus saw the wounded princes being carried home. The bhikkhus remarked, ‘For the sake of a woman, these Licchavi princes are ruined.’ The Buddha then replied, ‘Bhikkhus, sorrow and fear arise out of enjoyment of sensual pleasures and attachments.’

XVI:5 GRIEF SPRINGS FROM LUST

Kamato jayati soko - kamato jayati bhayam
Kamato vippamuttassa - natthi soko kuto bhayam.

From lust springs grief, from lust springs fear; for him who is wholly free from lust there is no grief, much less fear.

XVI:5 Anitthi Gandha Kumara loses his bride

Anitthi Gandha Kumara lived in Savatthi. He was to marry a beautiful young girl from the city of Sagala. As the bride was coming from her home to Savatthi, she became ill and died on the way. When the bridegroom learned of the tragic death of his bride, he was overwhelmed with grief and pain.

At this juncture, the Buddha went to his house knowing that the time was ripe for the young man to realise the Dhamma. The parents of the young man offered almsfood to the Buddha. After the meal, the Buddha sent for the young man and asked him why he was in such pain and distress. He related the whole story of the tragic death of his young bride. Then the Enlightened One said to him, ‘Lust begets sorrow; it is due to lust for things and lust for sensual pleasures that sorrow and fear arise.’ On reflecting upon the advice of the Buddha, he overcame his grief and pain and realised the fleeting nature of sensual desires.

Soon after, Anitthi Gandha Kumara attained the first stage of Sainthood.

XVI:6 GRIEF SPRINGS FROM CRAVING

Tanhaya jayati soko - tanhaya jayati bhayam.
Tanhaya vippamuttassa - natthi soko kuto bhayam.

From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear; for him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief, much less fear.

XVI:6 From craving springs sorrow

A brahmin lived in Savatthi, and he was a follower of another religion. But the Buddha knew that the brahmin would attain the first stage of Sainthood in the near future. So the Enlightened One went to the place where the brahmin was ploughing his field and talked to him. The brahmin became friendly and was thankful to the Buddha for taking an interest in him and his work in the field. So, he said, ‘When I have harvested my rice from the field, I will first offer you some before I take it. I will not eat my rice until I have given you some.’ However, the Buddha knew beforehand that the brahmin would not have the opportunity to harvest the rice from his field that year, but he kept silent.

One day before the brahmin could harvest his rice, there was a heavy downpour of rain and his entire crop of rice was destroyed. The brahmin was very sad because he would no longer be able to offer any rice to his friend, the Buddha. The Buddha visited the brahmin to console him and the Brahmin related the great disaster that had befallen him. The Buddha advised him, ‘Brahmin, sorrow and fear will never arise, if there is no craving.’*

Notes:

Craving (Tanha): There are three kinds of craving.

1. Kamatanha is the common form of craving, which is simple attachment to all sensual pleasures.

2. Bhavatanha is attachment to existence or Realms of Form.

3. Vibhavatanha is attachment to non-existence or Formless Realms.

According to the commentaries, bhavatanha and vibhavatanha are attachment to sensual pleasures connected with the belief of Eternalism (sassataditthi) and that which is connected with the belief of Nihilism (ucchedaditthi).

This craving is a powerful mental force latent in all, and is the chief cause of most of the ills in life. It is this craving, gross or subtle, that leads to repeated births in Samsara and that which makes one cling to all forms of life.

XVI:7 THE VIRTUOUS ARE DEAR TO ALL

Sila dassana sampannam - dhammattham sacca vedinam
Attano kamma kubbanam - tam jano kurute piyam.

He who is perfect in virtue,¹ and insight,² is established in the Dhamma,³ has realised the Truths,⁴and fulfils his own duties,⁵ is loved by all men.

XVI:7 Kassapa receives baskets of cakes

On one festival day, the Buddha entered the city of Rajagaha for almsfood, accompanied by a group of bhikkhus. On their way, they met some boys going to a garden. The boys were carrying some baskets of cakes. They paid homage to the Buddha but did not offer their cakes. The Buddha said to his bhikkhus,

‘Although these boys did not offer any of the cakes, yet a bhikkhu who will receive the cakes is coming close behind us. We will proceed only after these boys have made their offering.’ After saying this, the Buddha and his bhikkhus rested under the shade of a tree.

Just at that moment Venerable Kassapa came along. The boys took a liking to him immediately, paid homage and offered the cakes to him. Kassapa then advised the boys, ‘My teacher the Exalted One is resting beneath a tree over there, accompanied by some bhikkhus. Go and make an offering of your cakes to him.’ The boys did as they were told.

The Buddha accepted their offering. Later, some bhikkhus remarked that the boys were showing favouritism to Kassapa. The Buddha then explained, ‘Bhikkhus, all bhikkhus who are like my son Kassapa, are liked by both devas and men. Such bhikkhus always receive the four requisites of bhikkhus.’*

Notes:

1.Four kinds of morality.

2.Connected with the supramundane Paths and Fruits.

3. Nine supramundane states. The nine Supramundane states - namely, the four Paths, the four Fruits, and Nibbana.

4. Saccavedinam, ‘speaketh truth’ (Mrs. Rhys Davids). The four Noble Truths are implied here.

5. The three modes of discipline, Morality (Sila), Concentration (Samadhi), and Wisdom (Panna).

The four requisites of bhikkhus are: (i) robes (ii) food (iii) shelter (iv) medicine.

XVI:8 THE NON-ATTACHED GO UPSTREAM

Chandajato anakkhate¹- manasa ca phuto siya
Kamesu ca appatibaddha citto - uddhamsoto’ti vuccati.

He who has developed a wish for the Ineffable (Nibbana), he whose mind realises it (with the three Fruits),²he whose mind is not bound by material pleasures, such a person is called an ‘Upstream-bound One’.³

XVI:8 The elderly monk who was reborn in the pure abode

On one occasion the pupil of an elderly monk asked him whether he had attained Arahanthood; but he did not say anything although he had actually attained the third stage of Sainthood. He kept silent because he had resolved not to talk about his attainment until he had attained Arahanthood.
But he passed away without attaining Arahanthood, and also without saying anything about his attainment.

His pupils thought that their teacher had passed away without attaining Sainthood and they felt sorry for him. They asked the Buddha where their teacher was reborn. He replied, ‘Bhikkhus! Your teacher, who was an Anagami before he passed away, is now reborn in the abodes of the Brahmas (Suddhavasa Brahmaloka).* He did not reveal his attainment because he felt ashamed that he had achieved only that much. He was ardently striving to attain Arahanthood. Your teacher is now freed from attachment to the sensual world (kamaloka).’

Notes:

1. Anakkhata — Nibbana. It is so called because it should not be said that Nibbana was created by any or that it is of some such hue as blue etc. (Commentary).

2. The first three stages of Sainthood. Sotapatti, Sakadagami, and Anagamis.

3. The reference is to the Anagamis (Never-Returners) who, after death, are born in the Pure Abodes. They are not born in the sense sphere as they have eradicated sense-desires.

The Suddhavasas or Pure Abodes are a group of five heavens. They are the exclusive Planes of Anagamis or Never-Returners (those who have attained the third stage of Sainthood). Ordinary beings are not born in these states. Those who have attained Anagami in other planes are reborn in these Pure Abodes. Later, they attain Arahanthood and reside in those planes until that life-term ends.

The names of the inhabitants of these Pure Abodes are: Aviha, Atappa, Sudassa, Sudassi and Akanittha.

XVI:9 MERIT WELCOMES THE DOERS OF GOOD

Cirappavasim purisam - durato sot him agatam
Nati mitta suhajja ca - abhinandanti sagatam.

Tath’ eva kata punnam pi - asma loka param gatam.
Punnani patiganhanti - piyam natim’ va agatam.

A man long absent and returned safe from afar, his kinsmen, friends, and well-wishers welcome on his arrival. Likewise, his good deeds will receive the well-doer who has gone from this world to the next, as kinsmen will receive a dear one on his return.

XVI:9 Nandiya attains heavenly glory

Nandiya was a rich man from Benares. After listening to the Buddha’s discourses on the benefits of building monasteries for bhikkhus, Nandiya built the Mahavihara monastery at Isipatana. The building was pinnacled and fully furnished. As soon as the monastery was offered to the Buddha, a mansion came up for Nandiya in the Tavatimsa deva world.

One day, when Venerable Moggallana visited the Tavatimsa deva world he saw the mansion which was meant for the donor of the Mahavihara monastery at Isipatana. On his return from the Tavatimsa deva world, Moggallana asked the Buddha. ‘Venerable Sir! Are those who perform meritorious deeds able to receive the fruits of mansions and other riches in the deva world even while they are still living in this world?’

The Buddha replied, ‘Why do you ask this question? You yourself have seen the beautiful palace and riches waiting for Nandiya in the Tavatimsa deva world. The devas await the coming of the good and generous ones, as relatives await the return of one who is long absent. When the good ones die, they are welcomed joyously to the abode of the devas.’*

Note:

The Vimana Vatthu Commentary goes on to say that Nandiya, after a life devoted to almsgiving, died and was reborn in the Tavatimsa deva world.