APPAMADA VAGGA (Heedfulness)
 

Contents

  1 Magandiya’s plot against Queen Samavati
  2 The voice of a rich man - Kumbha Ghosaka
  3 How a dullard attained Sainthood - Cula Panthaka
  4 Childish behaviour at a festival.
  5 Kassapa wants to know the number of births and deaths
  6 The goal of the religious life
  7 How Magha became Sakka
  8 The fire of knowledge
  9 The monk who developed contentment - Tissa
 

II:1 THE HEEDLESS DIE ; THE HEEDFUL DO NOT

Etam visesato natva - appamadamhi pandita
Appamade pamodanti - ariyanam gocare rata

Te jhayino satatika - niccam dalha parakkama
Phusanti dhira nibbanam - yogakkhemam anuttaram.

Heedfulness¹ is the path to the deathless, heedlessness² is the path to death. The heedful do not die³, the heedless are like the dead.

Distinctly understanding this (difference⁴,) the wise (intent) on heedfulness rejoice in heedfulness, delighting in the realm of the Ariyas⁵.

The constantly meditative⁶, the ever steadfast ones realise the bond-free⁷, supreme Nibbana⁸.
 

II:1 Magandiya’s plot against queen Samavati

From that day, Khujjuttara did not have to do any major work, but was looked upon as mother and teacher to Samavati.  Being an extremely intelligent person, she listened to the discourses of the Buddha and repeated them to Samavati and her maids. So great was her intellect that in the course of time, Khujjuttara even mastered the Dhamma.  Samavati and her maids liked to see and pay homage to the Buddha; but were afraid that the king might disapprove, so they would look at the Buddha by peeping through openings in the palace walls. They paid respects to the Buddha in this manner every time he passed the palace on his way to the homes of other devotees.

At that time, the king had another consort by the name of Magandiya. She was the daughter of a brahmin. The brahmin once decided that the Buddha was the only person who was worthy enough to marry his very beautiful daughter. So, he offered to give his daughter in marriage to the Buddha.  Turning down his offer, the Buddha said, ‘Even after seeing the most beautiful girls, Tanha, Arati and Raga, the daughters of Mara, I felt no desire in me for sensual pleasures. After all, what is this body which is full of filth?”

The Buddha knew from the beginning that the brahmin and his wife had reached the stage of mental purification where they could attain Anagami that very day, hence his reply to the brahmin in the above manner.  On hearing those words of the Buddha, both the brahmin and his wife realised that all beauty is impermanent, and attained the third stage of Sainthood. They entrusted their daughter to the care of her uncle and both joined the Order. Eventually, they attained Arahanthood. But the story does not end there. The daughter, Magandiya, was very proud and she took the Buddha’s words as a personal insult. She became very bitter and vowed to take revenge when the opportunity arose.

Later, her uncle presented Magandiya to King Udena and she became one of his consorts. Magandiya learned of the arrival of the Buddha in Kosambi and how Samavati and her maids paid homage to him through holes in the walls of their living quarters. She planned to take her revenge on the Buddha and to harm Samavati and her maids. Magandiya told the king that Samavati and her maids had made holes in the walls of their living quarters and were being unfaithful to him. King Udena saw the holes in the walls, but when the matter was explained to him he did not get angry.

But Magandiya persisted in trying to make the king believe that Samavati was not loyal to him and was trying to kill him. On one occasion, knowing that the king would be visiting Samavati within the next few days and that he would be taking along his lute with him, Magandiya inserted a snake into the lute and covered the hole with a bunch of flowers. Magandiya followed King Udena to Samavati’s quarters after trying to stop him on the pretext that she had some premonition and that she was worried about his safety.

At Samavati’s place Magandiya removed the bunch of flowers from the hole of the lute. The snake came out hissing and coiled itself on the bed. When the king saw the snake he believed Magandiya’s words that Samavati was trying to kill him. The king was furious. He commanded Samavati to stand and all her ladies to line up behind her. Then he fitted his bow with an arrow dipped in poison and shot the arrow. But Samavati and her ladies bore no ill towards the king and through the power of goodwill (metta), the arrow did not hit the target although the king was an excellent archer. Seeing this obvious miracle, the king realised the innocence of Samavati and he gave her permission to invite the Buddha and his disciples to the palace for alms food and religious discourses.

Magandiya, realising that none of her plots had materialised, made a final, infallible plan. She sent a message to her uncle with full instructions to go to Samavati’s palace and burn down the building with all the women inside.  As the house was burning, Samavati and her maids-of-honour being advanced in spiritual attainment, continued to meditate in spite of the danger. Thus, some of them attained the second stage of Sainthood and the rest were also benefited before the palace was gutted with them inside.

As soon as he heard the news, the king rushed to the scene, but it was too late. He suspected that it was done at the instigation of Magandiya but he did not show that he was suspicious. Instead, he said, While Samavati was alive I had been fearful and alert thinking I might be harmed by her; only now is my mind at peace. Who could have done this? It must only have been done by someone who loves me very dearly.’ Hearing this, the foolish Magandiya promptly admitted that it was she who had instructed her uncle to do this terrible deed.

Thereupon the king pretended to be very pleased with her and said that he would grant her a great favour, and honour all her relatives. So, the relatives were sent for and they came gladly. On arrival at the palace, all of them, including Magandiya, were seized and put to death in the palace courtyard. Thus the evil Magandiya was punished for plotting the death of the holy queen and her attendants.

When the Buddha was told about these two incidents, he said that those who are mindful do not die; but those who are negligent are as dead even while living.
 

Notes:

1.Appamada, literally, means non-infatuation, i.e., ever-present mindfulness, watchfulness, or earnestness in doing good. The ethical essence of Buddhism may be summed up by this word — appamada. The last words of the Buddha were — appamadena sampadetha — strive on with diligence.

2.Amata — Nibbana, the ultimate goal of Buddhists. As this positive term clearly indicates, Nibbana is not annihilation or a state of nothingness as some are apt to believe. It is the permanent, immortal, supramundane state which cannot be expressed in mundane terms.

3.This should not be understood to mean that they are immortal. No being is immortal, not even Buddhas or Arahants. The idea implied herein is that the heedful, who realize Nibbana, are not reborn, and so do not die. The heedless are regarded as dead because they are not intent on doing good, and are subject to repeated births and deaths.

4.Knowing well that there is emancipation for the heedful, but not for the heedless.

5.Here Ariyas mean the pure ones like the Buddhas and Arahants.
The realm of the Ariyas means the thirty-seven factors of Enlightenment (Bodhipakthiyadhamma) and the nine supramundane states. The thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment  (Bodhipakkhiyadhamma) are:—

I.The four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana) — namely,

1. contemplation of the body (kayanupassana)
2. contemplation of the feelings (vedananupassana)
3. contemplation of thoughts (cittanupassana) and
4. contemplation of phenomena (dhammanupasana).

II.The four Supreme Efforts (Sammappadhana) — namely,

1.the effort to prevent evil that has not arisen
2.the effort to discard evil that has already arisen
3. the effort to cultivate unarisen good and
4.the effort to promote good that has already arisen.

III.The four Means of Accomplishment (Iddhipada) — namely,

1. will (chanda),
2. energy (uiriya),
3. thought (citta), and
4. wisdom (vimamsa).

IV.The five Faculties (Indriya) — namely,

1. confidence (saddha),
2. energy (viriya),
3. mindfulness (sati),
4. concentration (samadhi), and
5. wisdom (panna).

V.The five Forces (Bala), having the same names as the Indriyas.

VI.The seven Constituents of Enlightenment (Bojjhanga) — namely,

1. mindfulness (sati),
2. investigation of the Truth (Dhammavicaya),
3. energy (viriya),
4. joy (piti),
5. serenity (passaddhi),
6. concentration (samadhi), and
7. equanimity (upekkha).

VII.The Eightfold Path (Atthangikamagga) — namely,

1. right views (samma ditthi),
2. right thoughts (samma samkappa),
3. right speech, (samma vaca),
4. right actions (samma kammanta),
5. right livelihood (samma ajiva),
6. right endeavour (samma vayama),
7. right mindfulness (samma sati) and
8. right concentration (samma samadhi).

The nine supramundane States — namely, the four Paths, the four Fruits, and Nibbana

6.Here meditation includes both concentration (samatha) and contemplation or insight (vipassana).

7.Yogakkhema — free from the four bonds of sense-desires (kama), craving for existence (bhava), false views (ditthi), and ignorance (avijja).

8.Nibbana = ni + vana, lit., departure from craving. It is a supramundane state that can be attained in this life itself. It is also explained as extinction of passions, but not a state of nothingness. It is an eternal blissful state of relief that results from the complete eradication of the passions.

Metaphysically Nibbana is the extinction of suffering; psychologically it is the elimination of egoism; ethically it is the eradication of lust, hatred and ignorance.
 

II:2 THE ENERCETIC PROSPER

Whosoever is energetic, mindful, pure in conduct, discriminating, self-restrained, right-living, vigilant, his fame steadily increases.
 

II:2 The voice of a rich man (Kumbha Ghosaka)

He went to the place where his parents had said the treasure was hidden and found it intact. But he realised that if he were to unearth the buried treasure, people might think a poor young man had become wealthy by wrongful means and that he might be reported to the king. In that case, his property would be confiscated. So, he decided not to unearth the treasure and went to look for work to support himself.  He was given the job of waking up and rousing the people early in the morning and of going round announcing that it was time to prepare food, time to fetch carts, yoke the bullocks and similar chores. He was a kind of town-crier whose services were necessary in the absence of clocks and alarms.

One morning, King Bimbisara heard him. The king who was very good at judging character by listening to voices commented, ‘This is the voice of a man of great wealth.’ A female attendant hearing the king’s remark, sent someone to investigate. She reported that the youth was only a hireling of the labourers. In spite of this report the king repeated the same remark on two subsequent days. Again, enquiries were made but with the same result.  The attendant thought that this was very strange, so she requested the king’s permission to go and investigate the matter personally.

Disguised as peasants the attendant and her daughter set out for the homes of the labourers. Saying that they were travellers, they asked for shelter and were given accommodation in his house. They managed to prolong their stay there. During the period, the king proclaimed twice that a certain ceremony must be performed in the locality where the labourers lived, and that every household must make contributions. Kumbha Ghosaka had no ready cash for such an occasion.

So, he was forced to get some gold coins from his treasure. As these coins were handed over, the attendant substituted them with her own money and sent the coins to the king. After some time, she sent a message to the king asking him to send some men and summon the young man to the court. Kumbha Ghosaka very reluctantly went along with the men.  The attendant and her daughter also went to the palace, ahead of him.  At the palace, the king told him to tell the truth and gave him due assurance that he would not be harmed if he were innocent.

He then admitted that those gold coins were his and also that he was the son of the city banker of Rajagaha, who had died in the plague years ago. He further revealed the place where the treasure was hidden. Subsequently, all the buried treasure was brought to the palace. The king appointed him to his father’s position as a city banker and gave him one of his daughters in marriage.

Afterwards, taking Kumbha Ghosaka along with him, the king went to pay homage to the Buddha at the Veluvana monastery and told him how the youth, though rich, had earned his living as a servant of the labourers, and how he had appointed the youth as a banker because he was impressed by the young man’s willingness to do even the most menial of jobs. When he was introduced to the Buddha, the Blessed One described the characteristics of those who can be prosperous.
 

II:3 BY THEIR EFFORTS THE WISE CREATE THEIR OWN HEAVENS

By sustained effort, earnestness, discipline, and self-control, let the wise man make for himself an island¹ which no flood overwhelms.
 

II:3 How a dullard attalned Salnthood (Cula Panthaka)

One day, Jivaka the doctor invited the Buddha and the resident bhikkhus to his  house for alms food. Cula Panthaka’s name was not on the list of the bhikkhus who could go. When he learnt about this he was very depressed and decided to return to the life of a householder. Knowing his intention, the Buddha made him sit in front of the monastery where the Buddha was residing at that time. He was given a clean piece of cloth and told to sit there facing the East and to simply rub the piece of cloth. At the same time, he was to repeat the word ‘Rajoharanam’ which means ‘ taking off impurity.’ The Buddha then went to the residence of Jivaka, accompanied by the bhikkhus who had been selected by his brother.

When the Buddha was away, Cula Panthaka went on rubbing the piece of cloth diligently, all the time muttering the word ‘Rajoharanam’. Very soon, the cloth became soiled. Seeing this change in the condition of the cloth, his previous good kamma finally bore fruit and he came to realise the impermanent nature of all conditioned things. From the house of Jivaka, the Buddha through his supernormal power learnt about the progress of this young bhikkhu.

He sent forth a radiance so that the Buddha appeared to be sitting in front of him saying, ‘It is not the piece of cloth alone that is made dirty by the dust; within oneself also there exist the dust of passion (raga), the dust of ill-will (dosa), and the dust of ignorance (moha), (i.e. the ignorance of the Four Noble Truths). Only by removing these can one achieve one’s goal and attain Sainthood.’ Cula Panthaka understood the message and continued meditating and in a short while attained Arahanthood* together with extraordinary knowledge and mental powers.

At the house of Jivaka, they were about to pour water into a bowl as a symbol of offering but the Buddha covered the bowl with his hand to prevent the offering and asked, ‘Are there any bhikkhus left at the monastery?’ On being told that there were none, the Buddha replied that there was one and directed them to fetch Cula Panthaka from the monastery. When the messenger from the house of Jivaka arrived at the monastery he found not only one bhikkhu, but a large number of bhikkhus, all identical! They had all been created by Cula Panthaka, who by now possessed supernormal powers.

The messenger was baffled and he reported the matter to Jivaka. The messenger was sent to the monastery for the second time and was instructed to say that the Buddha summoned the bhikkhu by the name of Cula Panthaka. But when he delivered the message, many voices responded, ‘I am Cula Panthaka.’ Again baffled, he returned for the second time. Then he was sent to the monastery for the third time. This time, he was instructed to get hold of the bhikkhu who first said that he was Cula Panthaka. As soon as he got hold of that bhikkhu all the rest disappeared, and Cula Panthaka accompanied the messenger to the house of Jivaka. After the meal, as directed by the Buddha, Cula Panthaka delivered a religious discourse confidently.

Later, when the subject of Cula Panthaka cropped up among the bhikkhus, the Buddha said that one who was diligent and steadfast in his striving would certainly attain Arahanthood.
 

Notes:

1. An island situated on a higher level cannot be flooded although the surrounding low lying land may be inundated. Such an island becomes a refuge to all. In the same way the wise man who develops insight should make an island of himself by attaining Arahanthood so that he may not be drowned by the four floods of sense-desires (kama), false beliefs (ditthi), craving for existence (bhava) and ignorance (avijja).

* We must understand that Cula Panthaka did not attain Arahanthood in a short period. He had prepared himself over many life times. The Buddha helped him to remove his residual impurities and finally release his mind from the defilements created by ignorance.
 

II:4 BE HEEDFUL, NOT HEEDLESS

Ma pamadamanuyunjetha - ma kamaratisanthavam
Appamatto hi jhayanto - pappoti vipulam sukham.

Fools, men of little intelligence, give themselves over to negligence, but the wise man protects his diligence as a supreme treasure.

Therefore, one should not be negligent, nor be addicted to sensual pleasures. The man who meditates with diligence attains much happiness.
 

II:4 Childish behaviour at a festival

At that time also there were many lay disciples of the Buddha living in Savatthi. Knowing about these troublesome youths, they sent word to the Buddha requesting him to keep to the monastery and not to enter the city for seven days. They sent alms food to the monastery and they themselves kept to their own residences. On the eighth day, when the festival was over, the Buddha and his disciples were invited into the city to deliver religious discourses.

On being told about the childish behaviour of the young men during the festival, the Buddha commented that it was in the nature of those who were ignorant to behave without dignity and nobility.

The Buddha then advised the lay disciples not to be negligent nor to be addicted to sensual pleasures but at all times to try to practise mindfulness. Through mindfulness, one will be able to gain happiness and realise Nibbana - the bliss supreme.

While listening attentively to the discourse given by the Enlightened One himself, the lay disciples were filled with joy and happiness. Thus they developed more confidence (saddha) in the sublime truth of the Dhamma.
 

II:5 HEEDLESSNESS SHOULD BE CONQUERED BY HEEDFULNESS

The wise one dispels negligence by means of mindfulness; he ascends the tower of wisdom and being free from sorrow looks at the sorrowing beings. Just as one on the mountain top looks at those on the plain below, so also, the wise one (the Arahant) looks at the ignorant^1.’
 

II:5 Kassapa wants to know the number of births and deaths

From his monastery, the Buddha saw through his Divine Vision what Kassapa was doing and wanted to advise him that he was wasting his time *. So, he sent forth his radiance and appeared before Kassapa and exhorted him thus: ‘My son Kassapa, the knowledge of the cycle of births and deaths of living beings is incomprehensible. It is beyond your wisdom to understand.  Only Enlightened Buddhas can understand and explain the cycle of births and deaths of living beings.’
 

Notes:

1.The sorrowless Arahants look compassionately with their Divine Eye upon the ignorant folk, who, being subject to repeated births, are not free from sorrow.

* This story tells that one should not overreach oneself by trying to do things which do not bring benefit. Knowledge of the things Maha Kassapa was trying to discover would not help him to understand the true nature of existence. The Buddha constantly advised his disciples to clearly understand the nature of existence and to strive only to escape rebirth in samsara. All other pursuits are fruitless. Through heedfulness one attains Arahanthood. Such knowledge comes naturally to Buddhas who have supreme enlightenment.
 

II:6 THE STRENUOUS AND THE ALERT OVERTAKE THE
THOUGHTLESS AND THE INDOLENT

Heedful among the heedless, watchful among the sleeping, the wise man outstrips the foolish man as a race horse outstrips an old horse.
 

II:6 The goal of the religious life

At the end of the rainy season (vassa) both of them went to pay homage to the Buddha, and he asked them how they had spent their time during the vassa. The lazy and negligent bhikkhu answered that the other bhikkhu had been idling away his time just lying down and sleeping. The Buddha then asked the lazy bhikkhu, ‘But, what about you?’ He replied that he generally sat warming himself by the fire during the first watch* of the night and then sat up without sleeping. But the Buddha knew quite well how the two bhikkhus had spent their time.

So he said to the idle one: ‘Though you are lazy and negligent yet you claim to be diligent and ever mindful; but you have made the other bhikkhu appear to be lazy and negligent even though he is diligent and ever mindful. You are like a weak and slow horse compared to my son who is like a strong, fleet-footed horse.’
 

Notes:

*Watch: During the Buddha’s time, the night was divided into three periods: first watch of the night (from 6.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.), second watch (from 10.00 p.m. to 2.00 a.m.) and the last watch (from 2.00 a.m. to 6.00 a.m.). Sometimes, the second watch is referred to as the middle watch.
 

II:7 EARNESTNESS LEADS TO SOVEREIGNTY

Maghava, the king of gods, attained such great supremacy over the gods through heedfulness.
Heedfulness is always praised and heedlessness is always blamed.
 

II:7 How Magha became Sakka*

(1) he would support his parents,
(2) he would respect the elders,
(3) he would be gentle of speech,
(4) he would avoid back-biting,
(5) he would not be avaricious, but would be generous,
(6) he would speak the truth, and,
(7) he would restrain himself from losing his temper.

It was because of his enormous good deeds and right conduct in that existence that Magha was reborn as Sakka, king of the devas.
 

Notes:

* Sakka is synonymous with Magha king of the gods. This story is related in detail in the Maghamanavaka Jataka.

** Devas Lit., sporting or shining ones, are a class of beings with subtle physical bodies invisible to the naked eye. They live in the celestial planes. There are also earth-bound deities.
 

II:8 THE HEEDFUL ADVANCE

The Bhikkhu¹ who delights in heedfulness, and looks with fear on heedlessness, advances like fire, burning all fetters great and small.
 

II:8 The fire of knowledge

Meanwhile, the Buddha was aware of what the bhikkhu was thinking. So, he transmitted his radiance and appeared to the bhikkhu and spoke to him.  ‘My son,’ he said, ‘You are on the right line of thought; keep it up. Even as fire consumes all obstacles, both great and small, a bhikkhu, who delights in heedfulness and who views heedlessness with fear, consumes all fetters* both great and small.’

Reflecting mindfully on the admonition given, the bhikkhu later attained Arahanthood.
 

Notes:

1. A fully ordained disciple of the Buddha is called a Bhikkhu. 'Mendicant monk' may be suggested as the closest equivalent for 'Bhikkhu' . He is not a priest as he is no mediator between God and man. He has no vows for life, but he is bound by his rules which he takes of his own accord. He leads a life of voluntary poverty and celibacy. If he is unable to live the Holy Life, he can discard the robe at any time.

* Fetters: There are ten kinds of fetters - namely,

1. self-illusion (sakkayaditthi),
2. doubts (vicikiccha),
3. indulgence in (wrongful) rites and ceremonies (silabbataparamasa),
4. sense-desires (kamaraga),
5. hatred (patigha),
6. attachment to the Realms of Form (ruparaga),
7. attachment to the Formless Realms (aruparaga),
8. conceit (mana),
9. restlessness (uddhacca) and
10. ignorance (avijja).

The first five, which relate to the sensual sphere and pertaining to this shore (orambhagiya) are regarded as small. The remaining five, relate to the further Shore (Uddhambhagiya) and are regarded as higher.

Of the first five, three are eradicated on attaining the first stage of Sainthood (Sotapatti). The next two in this set are attenuated in the second stage of Sainthood (Sakadagami) and destroyed on attaining the third stage (Anagami).

The 'further-shore' fetters, which form the remaining five are eradicated on attaining the fourth and final stage of Sainthood (Arahant).
 

II:9 THE HEEDFUL ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF NIBBANA

The Bhikkhu who delights in heedfulness, and looks with fear on heedlessness, is not liable to fall¹. He is in the presence of Nibbana.
 

II:9 The monk who developed contentment (Tissa)

Some bhikkhus then started talking about him. They accused him of keeping close to his relatives and not caring to go even when people like Anatha Pindika and King Pasenadi were making offerings on a grand scale and so on. When the Buddha was told about this, he sent for this monk to give him the opportunity to explain that while it was true he frequently went to his village, it was only to get alms food, and when he had received enough food, he did not go any further, never caring whether the food was delicious or not.

Whereupon, the Buddha applauded him for his conduct in the presence of the other bhikkhus. He also told them that to live contentedly with only a few wants is in conformity with the teaching of the Buddha and the Noble Ones and that all bhikkhus should, indeed, be like Tissa. In this connection, he further related the story of the king of the parrots.

Once upon a time, the king of the parrots lived in a grove of fig trees on the banks of the Ganges River, with a large number of his followers. When the fruits were eaten, all the parrots left the grove, except the parrot king who was well contented with whatever was left in the trees where he dwelt, be it shoot or leaf or bark. Sakka, knowing this and wanting to test the virtue of the parrot king withered up the trees by his supernormal power.

Then, assuming the form of geese, Sakka and his queen came to where the parrot king was and asked him why he did not leave the old withered tree that had stopped bearing fruit plentifully. The parrot king replied, ‘Because of a feeling of gratitude towards the tree I did not leave and so long as I can get just enough food to sustain myself I shall not forsake it.’

Much impressed by this reply, Sakka revealed himself. He took water from a river and poured it over the withered fig tree and it was revived.
 

Notes:

1.Because of the spiritual height which he has attained he is not liable to fall.