dhammapada17

Chapter 17

KODHA VAGGA (Anger)

Contents

1 The lady who was cured of her skin disease - Rohini
2 A monk and the tree spirit
3 Metta protects Lady Uttara from boiling oil
4 The way to heaven
5 A brahmin greets the Buddha as his son
6 It is the giver that makes the gift - Punna
7 Nothing too much and too little - Atula
8 A group of bhikkhus who wore wooden sandals

XVII:1 GIVE UP ANGER

Kodham jahe vippajaheyya manam - sannojanam sabbam atikkameyya
Tam nama rupasmim asajjamanam - akincanam nanupatanti dukkha.

Put away anger, abandon pride, overcome every attachment, cling not to Mind and Body and thus be free from sorrow.

XVII: 1 The lady who was cured of her skin disease (Rohini)

On one occasion, Venerable Anuruddha visited Kapilavatthu. While he was staying at the monastery there, all his relatives, with the exception of his sister Rohini, came to see him. On learning from them that Rohini did not come because she was suffering from a skin disease, he sent for her. Covering her head in shame, Rohini went to see Anuruddha. He advised her to do some meritorious deeds. He told her to raise some money by selling off her jewellery to build a community hall where people could perform meritorious deeds. Rohini did as she was told. Anuruddha also requested his relatives to help in the construction of the hall. Further, he advised Rohini to sweep the floor and fill the water-pots every day even while the construction was still going on. She followed his advice and she began to get better.

When the hall was completed, the Buddha and his bhikkhus were invited for alms food. After the meal, the Enlightened One asked for the donor of the building but Rohini was not around. So he sent for her. She came and paid her homage to the Buddha, and he then revealed that she had to suffer this terrible disease because of an evil deed she had done out of anger in one of her past existences. He told her that she was at one time the chief queen of the king of Benares. The king had a favourite dancer and she was very jealous of the dancer. One day, she instructed her attendants to put some itching powder in the dancer’s bed and her blankets, and to humiliate her by throwing some itching powders on her. The poor dancer itched all over and was in great pain and discomfort. Thus itching unbearably, she ran to her bed, which made her suffer even more.

As a result of that evil deed, Rohini had to suffer the skin disease in this existence. The Buddha then exhorted the congregation not to act foolishly in anger and not to bear any ill will towards others.

At the end of the discourse, many in the congregation, including Rohini, attained Sainthood. At the same time her skin disease disappeared, and her complexion became clear and smooth.

XVII:2 CONTROL YOUR ANGER

Yo ve uppatitam kodham - ratham bhantam’va dharaye
Tam aham sarathim brumi - rasmiggaho itaro jano.

He who holds back arisen anger as one checks a whirling chariot, him I call a charioteer; other folk only hold the reins.

XVII:2 A monk and the tree spirit

Once a bhikkhu from Alavi wanted to build a hut for him. So he started to cut down a tree, but the deva who was dwelling in that tree with her infant son urged him not to cut it down. The bhikkhu ignored her. Failing to stop him she put her son on a branch, hoping that this would stop him from cutting the tree. By then, he was already swinging his axe and he could not stop it in time and unintentionally cut off the arm of the child. Seeing her child being harmed in this way, the mother flew into a rage and was about to kill the bhikkhu.

As she raised her hands to strike him, she suddenly checked herself and reflected: ‘If I were to kill a bhikkhu, I would be killing one who is observing precepts (sila); in that case, I would surely suffer. This might set an example for other bhikkhus to be killed also. But this bhikkhu has a Master. I must go and see his Master.’ So she went weeping to the Buddha and related all that had happened.

The Buddha said to her ‘O devata! You have done well to control yourself’. He then expounded the Dhamma to her.

Reflecting mindfully on the admonition, the deva realised the Dhamma, and for her dwelling place, she was offered a tree near the Jetavana monastery. After this incident, the Buddha advised the bhikkhus to avoid destroying plant life.

XVII:3 OVERCOME ANGER BY LOVE

Akkodhena jine kodham - asadhum sadhuna jine
Jine kadariyam danena - saccena alikavadinam.

Conquer anger by love, evil by good; conquer the miser with liberality, and the liar with truth.

XVII:3 Metta protects Lady Uttara from boiling oil

Uttara was the daughter of a farm labourer named Punna who worked for a rich man named Sumana. One day, Punna and his wife offered alms food to Venerable Sariputta, soon after his arising from sustained mental absorption (nirodha samapatti), and as a result of that good deed, they became very rich.

Punna found gold in the field he was ploughing, and the king officially declared him the royal banker. On one occasion, Punna offered alms food to the Buddha and the bhikkhus for seven days, and on the seventh day, after hearing the Buddha’s discourse, all the three members of the family realised the Dhamma.

Later, Punna married Uttara off to the son of the rich man Sumana. Uttara was unhappy in her husband’s home because she could not offer alms food to the Buddha or listen to the Dhamma. So, she told her father, ‘Why have you put me in this cage? Here I cannot see any bhikkhus and I have no opportunity to perform any meritorious deed.’ Her father felt sorry for her and sent her a large sum of money. And with the permission of her husband, Uttara engaged a lady named Sirima to look to the needs of her husband for a number of days.

During that time, Uttara offered alms food to the Buddha and the bhikkhus. On the fifteenth day, her husband smiled when he saw her busy preparing food in the kitchen. He commented, ‘How foolish she is! She does not know how to enjoy herself. She is tiring herself out with this almsgiving ceremony!’ Sirima saw him smile and forgetting that she was only a paid woman felt very jealous of Uttara.

Being unable to control herself, Sirima went into the kitchen and got some boiling oil with the intention of pouring it over the head of Uttara. The lady saw Sirima coming but bore no ill will. She reflected that because Sirima had stood in for her, she had been able to listen to the Dhamma, fulfils her religious duties and performs other acts of charity. Thus she was quite thankful and grateful to Sirima. Suddenly, she realised that Sirima was going to pour boiling oil over her, so she made this firm resolution:

‘If I bear any ill-will towards Sirima, may this boiling oil scald me. If I have no ill will towards her, may it not scald me.’

As Uttara had no ill will towards Sirima, the boiling oil proved as harmless as if it was just like cold water. Then Sirima thought the oil must have gone cold and went to get another pot of boiling oil. The attendants of Uttara caught her and beat her. Uttara stopped her attendants and instructed them to rub Sirima with medicinal ointment.

Then, Sirima remembered her true position and she regretted that she had done wrong to Uttara and asked her mistress to forgive her. Uttara then told her, ‘I have my father, I shall ask him whether I should accept your apology.’ Sirima agreed to go and apologise to Punna but Uttara explained, ‘When I said ‘my father’, I did not refer to the father who had brought me into this round of rebirth. I was referring to my father the Buddha, who has helped me break the chain of rebirths, who has taught me the Dhamma, the Noble Truths.’ Sirima then expressed her wish to see the Buddha. So it was arranged that Sirima would offer alms food to the Buddha and the bhikkhus on the following day at the house of Uttara.

After the meal, the Buddha was told about what had happened between Sirima and Uttara. Sirima admitted her mistakes and begged the Buddha to advise Uttara to forgive her. He then asked Uttara how she felt when Sirima poured boiling oil on her head, and Uttara answered, ‘Venerable Sir, because I am grateful to Sirima I bear no hatred or ill will towards her. I only radiate my loving kindness towards her.’ The Buddha then applauded her, ‘Well done, well done, Uttara! By not bearing any ill-will you have been able to conquer one who abuses you; by being generous, you should conquer one who is stingy; by speaking the truth you should conquer one who tells lies.’ On the advice of the Buddha, Uttara forgave Sirima.

XVII:4 BE TRUTHFUL, PATIENT AND GENEROUS

Saccam bhane na kujjheyya - dajja’ ppasmim pi yacito
Etehi tihi thanehi - gacche devana santike.

One should utter the truth. One should not be angry. One should give even from a scanty store to him who asks. Along these three paths one may go to the presence of the gods.

XVII:4 The way to heaven

Once Venerable Moggallana visited the deva world and found many devas living in luxurious mansions. He asked them what good deeds they had done to be reborn in the deva world. They gave him different answers. One of them said he was reborn in the deva world not because he was charitable or because he had listened to the Dhamma, but just because he had always spoken the truth. Another female deva said she was reborn in the deva world because she did not get angry with her master and had no ill will towards him even though he often beat her and abused her. For keeping her temper and abandoning hatred, she was reborn in the Deva world. Then, there were others who were reborn in the Deva world because they had offered something within their means for the benefit of others.

On his return from the deva world, Moggallana asked the Buddha whether it was possible to gain such great benefits by just speaking the truth, or by restraining one’s anger or by giving small amounts of such trifling things. The Buddha then answered, ‘Have you not seen for yourself and heard what the Devas said? You should not have any doubt. Even little deeds of merit surely leads one to the world of the Devas.’

XVII:5 THE HARMLESS ATTAIN THE DEATHLESS

Ahimsaka ye munayo - niccam kayena samvuta
Te yanti accutam thanam - yattha gantva na socare.

Those sages who are harmless, and are ever restrained in body, go to the deathless state (Nibbana), whither gone they never grieve.

XVII:5 A brahmin greets the Buddha as his son

Once the Buddha with a retinue of bhikkhus entered the town of Saketa for almsfood. An old brahmin, on seeing the Buddha, addressed him, ‘O son, you have not come to see us for a long time! Come with me and let your mother also see you.’ So saying, he invited the Enlightened One to his house. On reaching the house, the wife of the brahmin also said the same thing and introduced him as ‘Your big brother’ to her children and made them pay respects to him. From that day, the couple offered alms food to the Buddha and having heard the Dhamma, both the brahmin and his wife attained the third stage of Sainthood.

The bhikkhus were puzzled as to why the brahmin couple called the Buddha their son. He explained, ‘Bhikkhus, they called me son because I had been a son or a nephew to each of them for so many previous existences in the past.’ The Buddha stayed near the brahmin couple for three months and during that time both the brahmin and his wife attained Arahanthood and later passed away.

The bhikkhus, not knowing that the brahmin couple had already attained parinibbana, asked the Buddha where they were reborn. The Buddha explained, ‘Those who have become Arahants are not reborn anywhere; they have attained Nibbanic bliss.’

XVII:6 HE EVER VIGILANT GIVE UP DEFILEMENTS

Sada jagaramananam - ahorattanusikkhinam
Nibbanam adhimuttanam - attham gacchanti asava.

The defilements¹ of those who are ever vigilant, who discipline themselves day and night, who are wholly intent on Nibbana, are destroyed.

XVII:6 It is the giver that makes the gift (Punna)

One night, Punna the slave girl was up pounding rice for her master. As she got tired she rested for a while. While resting, she saw Venerable Dabba leading some bhikkhus to their respective rooms after listening to the Dhamma. The girl seeing them up so late, pondered, ‘I have to be up at this late hour because I am so poor and have to work hard, but why are these religious people up at this late hour? Maybe a bhikkhu is sick or they are being troubled by something.’

Early in the morning, Punna took some rice, soaked it in water and made a pancake out of it. Then, intending to eat it at the riverside, she took her cheap, coarse pancake along with her. On the way she saw the Buddha on his alms round. She thought to herself: ‘On other days when I saw the Buddha, I had nothing to offer him, and when I had something to offer, I had no opportunity to see the Buddha. But today I have seen the Buddha and also have something to offer.’ She then decided to offer her pancake to him, but she was not sure whether he would like to eat such coarse food. The Buddha knew her thoughts.

He accepted her pancake and asked Venerable Ananda to spread a mat on the ground. The Buddha sat on the mat and ate the pancake offered by the slave girl. After the meal, he clarified the doubt that was puzzling her, ‘You have no time to sleep because you are poor and so have to work hard. As for my sons the bhikkhus, they do not go to sleep because they have to be always vigilant and mindful. No matter what position one has in life, one must ever tire of being mindful and vigilant.’ Reflecting on the admonition, Punna realised the Dhamma.

Note:

1.There are four kinds of defilements or corruptions (Asavas), namely, sensual pleasures (kama), becoming (bhava), false views (ditthi), and ignorance (avijja). The first asava is attachment to Sense Sphere, the second is attachment to the Realms of Form and the Formless Realms.

XVII:7 THERE IS NONE WHO IS BLAMELESS

Poranam etam atula - n’etam ajjatanam iva
Nindanti tunhim asinam - nindanti bahu bhaninam
Mita bhaninam pi nindanti - natthi loke anindito.

It is not new, O Atula!¹ It has always been done from ancient times. They blame one who is silent, they blame one who speaks much, and they blame one who speaks little. There is no one in this world who is not blamed.

XVII:7 Nothing too much and too little (Atula)

Once Atula and his companions wanted to listen to the Dhamma. They went to see Venerable Revata, but he was very aloof and he did not say anything to them. They were very disappointed and went to Venerable Sariputta. When he learned why they had come, Sariputta expounded very deep Dhamma to them.

His preaching also was not to their liking, and they grumbled that Sariputta had been too lengthy and too profound. Next Atula and his party approached Venerable Ananda, who expounded to them the bare essentials of the Dhamma. This time they remarked that Ananda had been too brief and too sketchy. Finally they came to the Buddha and said to him, ‘Venerable Sir, we have come to listen to your teaching. We have been to other preachers before we came here, but we are not satisfied with any of them. Venerable Revata did not bother to teach us and he kept silent;

Venerable Sariputta was too exhaustive and the Dhamma he taught us was too difficult for us. As for Venerable Ananda, he was too brief and too sketchy. We did not like any of their discourses.’

To them the Buddha said, ‘My disciples, blaming others is not something new. There is no one in this world who is never blamed; people would blame even a king, or even a Buddha. To be blamed or to be praised by a narrowminded one is of no consequence. One is truly criticised only when he is censured by a wise man, and truly praised when commended by a wise man.’

Note:

1.Atula is the name of a person.

XVII:8 BE PURE IN DEED

Kayappakopam rakkheyya - kayena samvuto siya
Kaya duccaritam hitva - kayena sucaritam care.

Guard against evil deeds, control your body.
Giving up evil deeds, cultivate good deeds.

XVII:8 BE PURE IN SPEECH

Vacipakopam rakkheyya - vacaya samvuto siya
Vaci duccaritam hitva - vacaya sucaritam care.

Guard against evil speech, control your speech. Giving up evil speech, cultivate good speech.

XVII:8 BE PURE IN THOUGHT

Manopakopam rakkheyya - manasa samvuto siya
Mano duccaritam hitva - manasa sucaritam care.

Guard against evil thoughts, control your mind. Giving up evil thoughts, cultivate good thoughts.

XVII:8 BE PURE IN DEED, SPEECH AND THOUGHT

Kayena samvuta dhira - atho vacaya samvuta
Manasa samvuta dhira - te ve suparisamvuta.

The wise are controlled in deed, they are controlled in speech, they are controlled in thought. Indeed they are perfectly self-controlled.

XVII:8 A group of bhikkhus who wore wooden sandals

Six bhikkhus wearing wooden sandals, and each holding a staff with both hands, were walking to and from on a big stone slab, making much noise. The Buddha hearing the noises asked Venerable Ananda what was going on, and Ananda told him about the six bhikkhus. The Buddha then explained that one must always be considerate and not disturb the peace. He further exhorted the bhikkhus to restrain themselves in word and deed. From that time onwards the Buddha discouraged bhikkhus from wearing wooden sandals.