SAHASSA VAGGA (Thousand)
 

Contents

1 An executioner and his fate - Tambadathika
2 The fastest way to attain Arahanthood - Bahiya
3 The rich girl who married a thief - Kundala Kesi
4 Gain and loss in gambling
5 The way to the Brahma world
6 Fire worshipping is not the way
7 The brahmin who sacrificed animals
8 How the Buddha protected a child - Ayu Waddhana
9 The miracle of a young novice monk - Samkicca
10 Venerable Kodanna and the robbers
11 Attaining Sainthood while attempting suicide - Sappadasa
12 Patacara is bereft of all her family
13 The cure for death - Kisa Gotami
14 The children who neglected their mother - Bahu Puttika
 

VIII:1 ONE USEFUL SENTENCE IS BETTER
THAN A THOUSAND USELESS WORDS

Better than a thousand utterances, comprising useless words, is one single beneficial utterance by hearing which one is calmed.
 

VIII:1 An executioner and his fate (Tambadathika)*

After the meal, Sariputta taught him the Dhamma, but Tambadathika could not pay attention, because he was extremely disturbed as he recollected his past career as an executioner. This mental disturbance did not allow him to concentrate properly. Sariputta knew this, and in order to put him in a proper frame of mind, he asked Tambadathika tactfully whether he killed the thieves because he wished to kill them out of anger or hate, or simply because he was ordered to do so. Tambadathika answered that he was ordered to kill them by the king and that he had no ill will or wish to kill.

‘If that is the case,’ Sariputta asked, ‘What wrong did you do?’ Thus reassured, his mind became calmer and he requested Sariputta to continue his sermon. As he listened to the Dhamma attentively, his mind became tranquil and he developed the virtues of patience and understanding. After the discourse, Tambadathika accompanied Sariputta for some distance and then returned home. On his way home he died due to an accident. When the Buddha came to the congregation of the bhikkhus in the evening, they informed him about the death of Tambadathika. When asked where Tambadathika was reborn, the Buddha told them that although Tambadathika had committed evil deeds throughout his life, because he comprehended the Dhamma, he was reborn in the Tusita deva world.

The bhikkhus wondered how such an evil-doer could have such great benefit after listening to the Dhamma just once. To them the Buddha said that the length of a discourse is of no consequence, for one single sentence of the Dhamma, correctly understood can produce much benefit.

*In this story we can see that the doing of evil and the bad effect that follows both happen in the mind. There is no external factor which determines the punishment. Although willful killing in itself is wrong, Tambadathika’s mind was free of guilt and direct responsibility although at first he was confused and overcome with doubt. When he listened to the Dhamma his mind was freed from many other defilements and he was reborn in a blissful state.

This is because rebirth is determined by the state of mind at death. However, he is not free from the effect of killing even though he was not solely responsible for the act of killing.  Although rebirth has taken place in the Tusita deva world due to his immediate good kamma, the bad effects of his act of killing can follow later when his good kamma has been all expended. This is the nature of kamma. The only way to completely negate the effect of kamma is to attain Arahanthood (i.e. remove all residual mental defilements). This happened in the case of Angulimala. See Chapter XIII Story (6).
 

VIII:2 ONE USEFUL VERSE IS BETTER
THAN A THOUSAND USELESS VERSES

Better than a thousand verses, comprising useless words, is one beneficial single verse, by hearing which one is calmed.
 

VIII:2 The fastest way to attain Arahanthood (Bahiya)

Passers-by gave him food; some thought that he was a holy man and paid respects to him. Some brought clothes for him to wear but he refused. fearing that by wearing clothes, people would give him less respect. Besides, because some said that he was an Arahant, he mistakenly came to think that he really was one. Thus, because he was a man of wrong views who was wearing a piece of bark as his clothing, he came to be known as Bahiya Daruciriya.

At about this time, Maha Brahma, who had been his friend in one of his previous existences, saw him going astray and felt that it was his duty to put Bahiya on the right path. So, Maha Brahma came to him in the night and said to him, ‘Bahiya, you are not an Arahant yet, and what is more, you do not have the qualities that make one an Arahant.’ Faced with the truth, Bahiya looked up at Maha Brahma and said, ‘Yes, I must admit that I am not an Arahant, as you have said. I now realise that I have done a great mistake.  But is there anyone in this world now who is an Arahant?’ Maha Brahma then advised him to go and seek help from the Buddha who was staying in Savatthi.

Bahiya, realising the enormity of his guilt, felt very much distressed and travelled all the way to Savatthi to see the Buddha. Bahiya found the Buddha going on an alms round with other bhikkhus and respectfully followed him. He pleaded with the Buddha to teach him the Dhamma, but the Buddha replied that since they were on an alms round it was not yet time for a religious discourse. And again, Bahiya pleaded, ‘Venerable Sir, one cannot know the danger to your life or to my life, so please teach me the Dhamma.’

The Buddha knew that Bahiya’s mental faculties were not yet ready to completely realize the Dhamma. The Buddha also knew that Bahiya’s mind was not receptive at that time because he had just made the long journey and also because he was overwhelmed with joy at seeing him. The Enlightened One did not want to expound the Dhamma immediately but wanted him to calm down to enable him to absorb the Dhamma properly. Still, Bahiya persistently pleaded. So, while standing on the road, the Buddha said to him, ‘Bahiya, when you see an object, be conscious of just the visible object; when you hear a sound, be conscious of just the sound; when you smell or taste or touch something, be conscious of just the smell, the taste or the touch; and when you think of anything, be conscious of just that mind-object.’

Bahiya did as he was told and because of his deep concentration, the accumulated kammic force of his past good deeds became dominant and he attained Arahanthood. He asked permission from the Buddha to join the Order. The Buddha told him to first collect the robes, the bowl and other requisites of a bhikkhu. On his way to get them, he was attacked by an animal and died. When the Buddha and the other bhikkhus came out after having had their meal, they found Bahiya lying dead on the road. As instructed by the Buddha, the bhikkhus cremated the body of Bahiya and his ashes were enshrined in a stupa.

Back at the Jetava monastery, the Buddha told the bhikkhus that Bahiya had attained Nibbana. He also told them that as far as the time factor was concerned in attaining Insight (abhinna) Bahiya was the fastest, the best. The bhikkhus were puzzled by the statement made by the Buddha and they asked him how and when Bahiya had become an Arahant. To this, the Buddha replied, ‘Bahiya attained Arahanthood while he was listening to my instructions given to him on the road when we were on the alms round.’

The bhikkhus wondered how one could attain Arahanthood after listening to just a few words of the Dhamma. So, the Buddha told them that the number of words or the length of a speech does not matter if it was beneficial to someone.
 

VIII:3 BETTER THAN A HUNDRED USELESS WORDS
IS ONE WORD OF THE DHAMMA

Should one recite a hundred verses, comprising useless words, better is one single word of the Dhamma, by hearing which one is pacified.
 

VIII:3 SELF CONQUEST IS THE BEST OF ALL CONQUESTS

Though one should conquer a million men in the battlefield, yet he, indeed, is the noblest victor who has conquered himself.
 

VIII:3 The rich girl who married a thief (Kundala Kesi)

Her parents had to bribe the king’s officer to secure his freedom and they married her off to him. Although she loved her husband very much, her husband being a thief, was only attracted to her wealth.

One day, he persuaded her to put on all her jewellery and led her to the top of the mountain saying that he wanted to make some offerings to the guardian spirit of the mountain for saving his life when he was in danger. Kundala Kesi went along with her husband, but when they reached their destination, the thief revealed that he wanted to kill her and take her jewels. She pleaded with him to take her jewels, but to spare her life, but it was of no avail. She then realised that if she did not get rid of her husband, there would be no way of escape for her. She felt she must be cautious and crafty. So she told her husband that as they would be together only for a few moments more, she wanted to pay respects to him for the last time. So saying, while going round the man, she pushed him off the mountain from behind.
The deva dwelling at the top of the mountain who had witnessed the whole episode applauded the woman and commented, ‘Wisdom is not always confined to men; a woman, too, is wise, and shows it now and then.’

After this, she had no desire to return home. She left all her jewellery, hanging on a tree, and went on her way, without any idea where she was going. She happened to come to a place where Paribbajikas (female wandering ascetics) lived and she herself become a paribbajika. They taught her all their skills in sophistry and being intelligent, she mastered all of them within a short time. Then her teachers told her to go out and should she find somebody who could answer all her questions, she should become his pupil. Kundala Kesi went throughout the length and breadth of the country, openly challenging everyone else to compete with her. She met many famous men, but none could answer all her questions.

Finally, she came to Savatthi. Before entering the city for alms food she made a mound of sand and stuck a branch of a tree on it, her usual sign of invitation to all others to take up her challenge. Venerable Sariputta took up her challenge. She asked him innumerable questions and Sariputta answered them all. When his turn came to question her, he asked her just this, ‘What is the meaning of One?’* She could not answer,so she asked Sariputta to teach her the answer to the question. Sariputta replied that she should first become a bhikkhuni; so she became a bhikkhuni. She practised diligently what Sariputta taught her and within a few days, she attained Arahanthood. Soon after this, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha, ‘Could it be possible for Bhikkuni Kundala Kesi to become an Arahant after listening to the Dhamma only a little?’ The Buddha replied, ‘Bhikkhus, don’t judge the Dhamma as `little’ or ‘much’. One sentence of the Dhamma is better than a hundred sentences that are meaningless.’
 

Notes:

1.Sahassam sahassena, thousand multiplied by a thousand, that is, one million. (Commentary)

*There is only one thing in this world which living beings need to survive - that is food.
 

VIII:4    BE RATHER A VICTOR OF YOURSELF THAN A VICTOR
OF OTHERS NONE CAN TURN SELF-VICTORY INTO DEFEAT

N’eva devo na gandhabbo - na maro saha brahmuna
Jitam apajitam kayira - tatharupassa jantuno.

Self-conquest¹ is, indeed, far greater than the conquest of all other folk; neither a god nor a gandhabba², nor Mara³, nor Brahma⁴, can win back the victory of such a person who is self-subdued and ever lives in restraint.
 

VIII:4 Gain and loss in gambling

Further, the Buddha asked the brahmin how he earned his living, and the brahmin replied that he earned his living by playing dice, i.e. by gambling.* Next, the Buddha asked him whether he had won or lost. When the brahmin answered that he sometimes lost and sometimes won, the Buddha said to him, ‘To win in a game of dice is nothing compared to a victory over moral defilements.’
 

Notes:

1. Atta - The Buddha often uses this term in the sense of oneself or mind but not in the sense of a soul or special self.

2. A class of beings who are supposed to be heavenly musicians.

3. Here Mara is used in the sense of a god.

4. Another class of beings, even superior to the gods in heaven, who have developed the Jhanas (ecstasies).

*In the Parabhava Sutta the Buddha says that gambling is one of the causes of a man’s downfall.
 

VIII:5 A MOMENT’S HONOUR TO THE WORTHY IS BETTER
THAN LONG CONTINUED HONOUR TO THE UNWORTHY

Though month after month, with a thousand sacrifices, one should make an offering for a hundred years, yet, if, only for a moment, one should honour (a Saint) who has perfected himself - that honour is, indeed, better than a century of sacrifice.
 

VIII:5 The way to the Brahma world

The Buddha said to the brahmin, ‘An offering of a spoonful of alms food to a genuinely holy man would be much better than your offerings to others who are not worthy of honour.’
 

VIII:6 A MOMENT’S HONOUR TO THE PURE IS BETTER THAN
A CENTURY OF FIRE-SACRIFICE

Though for a century a man should tend the (sacred) fire in the forest, yet, if, only for a moment, he should honour (a Saint) who has perfected himself, - that honour is, indeed, better than a century of fire-sacrifice.
 

VIII:6 Fire worshipping is not the way*

Then he took his nephew, the young brahmin, to the Buddha. There, the Buddha taught him the Dhamma that would lead one to the Brahma world and said to the brahmin, ‘Paying homage to the holy men for a moment would be far better than making sacrifices in fire-worship for a hundred years.’
 

Note:

*Fire worshipping was a common practice in Iran and India at that time. Some people regarded the fire element as one of their gods. Some others believed that through fire worshipping they can please the gods in order to receive their blessings and protection.

The other common practices were animal sacrifice and taking bath in holy rivers.  The Buddha was the only religious teacher at that time who pointed out the futility of such practices.
 

VIII:7 BETTER THAN SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER OF
ANIMALS IS HONOUR TO THE PURE ONES

In this world whatever gift¹ or alms a person seeking merit should offer for a year, all that is not worth a single quarter of the reverence towards the Upright² which is excellent.
 

VIII:7 The brahmin who sacrificed animals

Notes:

1. According to the commentary ittham is that which is given on festival occasions, and hutam is that which is prepared and given either to guests or with a belief in kamma and results. The idea conveyed by this stanza is that reverence paid to a Saint is far superior to gifts and alms given to worldlings.

2. They are the Sotapannas (Stream-Winners) and others who have attained sanctification.
 

VIII:8 BLESSED INDEED ARE THEY WHO
HONOUR THOSE WORTHY OF HONOUR

For one who is in the habit of constantly honouring and respecting the elders, four blessings increase - age, beauty, bliss, and strength.
 

VIII:8 How the Buddha protected a child (Ayu Waddhana)

So the parents took the child to the Buddha. When they paid homage to the Buddha, he also said, ‘May you live long’ to the parents only and not to the child. The Buddha also knew of the impending death of the child. To prevent his death, the parents were told to build a pavilion at the entrance to the house, and put the child on a couch in the pavilion. Then some bhikkhus were sent there to chant the Parittas* for seven days.

On the seventh day, the Buddha himself came to that pavilion; the devas were also in attendance. At that time, an evil spirit was at the entrance, waiting for a chance to attack the child, but as more powerful devas arrived the demon had to step back and make room for them so that he had to stay at a place very far away from the child. That whole night, recitation of parittas continued, thus protecting the child. The next day, the child was taken up from the couch and made to pay respects to the Buddha. This time, the Buddha said, ‘May you live long’ to the child. When asked how long the child would live, the Buddha replied that he would live up to one hundred and twenty years. So the child was named Ayu Waddhana.

When the child grew up, he went about the country with his friends and fellow devotees. One day, they came to the Jetavana monastery, and the bhikkhus, recognising him, asked the Buddha, ‘For living beings, is there any means of gaining longevity?’ To this question, the Buddha answered, ‘By respecting and honouring the elders and those who are wise and virtuous, one would gain not only longevity but also beauty, happiness and strength.’

*Partitas are religious stanzas or suttas (like the Metta Sutta and the Ratana Sutta) that are usually recited for protection against harmful influences.
 

VIII:9 A SHORT BUT VIRTUOUS LIFE IS BETTER THAN
A LONG BUT IMMORAL LIFE

Though one should live a hundred years, immoral and uncontrolled, yet better, indeed, is a single day’s life of one who is moral and meditative.
 

VIII:9 The miracle of a young novice monk (Samkicca)

From the eldest to the youngest, each one of the bhikkhus volunteered to go. Among the bhikkhus was a young samanera (novice monk) by the name of Samkicca, who was sent with them by Venerable Sariputta. Although he was very young, as a result of great perseverance in his past lives, had already attained Arahanthood. Samkicca revealed that Sariputta, his teacher, knowing of this danger in advance, had purposely sent him to accompany the bhikkhus, and that he should be the one to go with the robbers. The bhikkhus were very reluctant but because they had confidence in the wisdom of Sariputta they agreed to let him go.

When the preparations for the sacrifice were completed, the leader of the robbers lifted his sword and struck hard at the young samanera who was then in deep jhana concentration. Instead of cutting the flesh the sword curled up.

He got another sword and struck again. This time, it bent upwards right up to the hilt without harming Samkicca. Seeing this strange happening, the leader of the robbers dropped his sword, knelt at the feet of the samanera and asked his pardon. All the other robbers were amazed and terror-stricken; they also admitted their mistake and asked permission from Samkicca to follow his religious way of life. He complied with their request. Samkicca then returned to the village monastery accompanied by the new bhikkhus. The other bhikkhus felt very much relieved and happy on seeing him.

Then Samkicca and the bhikkhus went to pay respects to Sariputta, their teacher, at the Jetavana monastery. After seeing Sariputta they went to pay homage to the Buddha. The Buddha admonished them, ‘Bhikkhus if you rob or steal and commit all sorts of evil deeds, your lives would be meaningless, even if you were to live a hundred years. Living a virtuous life even for a single day is much better than a hundred years of a life of depravity.’
 

VIII:10  A BRIEF LIFE OF WISDOM IS BETTER THAN
A LONG LIFE OF FOOLISHNESS

Though one should live a hundred years without wisdom and control, yet better, indeed, is a single day’s life of one who is wise and meditative.
 

VIII:10  Venerable Kondanna and the robbers

He sat on a stone-slab, his mind fixed in jhana concentration. At that moment, a group of robbers after looting a village came to the place where the monk was. Taking him for a tree stump they put their bundles of loot all over and around the body of the monk. When day broke they realised that what they took to be a tree stump was, in fact, a living being. Then again, they thought it was an evil spirit and tried to run away in fright.  The monk revealed to them that he was only a bhikkhu and not a spirit and told them not to get frightened. The robbers were awed by his words, and asked his pardon for mistaking him to be a tree stump.

Soon afterwards, the robbers also decided to follow his religious way of life.  The monk, accompanied by the new bhikkhus reported the matter to the Buddha who admonished them, ‘To live for a hundred years in ignorance, doing foolish things, is meaningless. Now that you have seen the Truth and have become wise, your lives of one day as wise men are much more worthwhile.’

The new bhikkhus practised what they were taught and strove diligently to work for their spiritual development.
 

VIII:11  A BRIEF LIFE OF EFFORT IS
BETTER THAN A LONG LIFE OF INACTION

Though one should live a hundred years idle and inactive, yet better, indeed, is a single day's life of one who makes an intense effort.
 

VIII:11   Attaining Sainthood while attempting suicide* (Sappadasa)

On another occasion, he took a razor to cut his throat; but as he placed the razor on his throat he reflected on the purity of his moral practices throughout his life as a bhikkhu and his whole body was suffused with delightful, satisfaction (piti) and bliss (sukha). Then detaching himself from bliss, he directed his mind to the development of Insight Knowledge and soon attained Arahanthood.

On arrival at the monastery, other bhikkhus asked him where he had been. He told them he had tried to take his life and they asked him why he did not done so. He answered, ‘I intended to cut my throat with this knife, but I have now cut off all moral defilements with the knife of Insight Knowledge.’ The bhikkhus then reported to the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir, Sappadasa claims that he has attained Arahanthood while trying to kill himself. Is it possible to attain Arahanthood at such a critical moment?’ The Buddha replied, ‘Yes, it is possible; for one who is zealous and strenuous in the practice of Tranquility and Insight Development. Arahanthood can be gained in an instant.

As the bhikkhu walks in meditation, he can attain Arahanthood even before his raised foot touches the ground.’
 

Note:

*The attainment of Arahanthood is pure mental achievement which has no relevance to time and space in a mundane sense.
 

VIII:12  A BRIEF LIFE OF REFLECTION IS BETTER THAN
A LONG LIFE OF NON-REFLECTION

Though one should live a hundred years without comprehending how all things rise and pass away, yet better, indeed, is a single day’s life of one who comprehends how all things rise and pass away.
 

VIII:12  Patacara is bereft of all her family

So, one day, while her husband was away, she set out for the home of her parents. Her husband managed to catch up with her on the way and pleaded with her to return home, but she refused. Since the delivering time was due, she gave birth to a son near a bush. After the birth of her son, she returned home with her husband.  Then, she became pregnant again and she made the same request as before and received the same answer.

As the time for the second confinement drew near she again set out for the home of her parents in Savatthi, taking her son with her. Her husband followed her and caught up with her on the way; but her time for delivery was coming on very fast and it was also raining heavily.  The husband went to look for a suitable place and while he was clearing a little patch of land, he was bitten by a poisonous snake, and died on the spot.

Patacara while waiting for his return, gave birth to her second son. In the morning, she searched for her husband, but only found his dead body. Full of grief, and blaming herself for the death of her husband, she continued on her way to her parents.

Because it had rained incessantly the whole night, the river was swollen so it was not possible for her to cross the river carrying both her sons. Leaving the elder boy on one bank of the river, she crossed the stream with her day-old son and left him on the other bank. She then went back for the elder boy.

While she was in the middle of the river, a hawk hovered over the baby thinking it was a piece of meat. She shouted to frighten away the hawk, but it was all in vain; the hawk carried the baby away. Meanwhile, the elder boy heard his mother shouting from the middle of the river and thought she was calling for him. He tried to go to his mother, but was carried away by the strong current. Thus, Patacara lost her two sons as well as her husband.

So she wept and lamented loudly, ‘A son is carried away by a hawk, another son is carried away by the current, my husband is also dead, bitten by a poisonous snake!’ Then, she met a man from Savatthi and tearfully asked after her parents. The man replied that due to a violent storm in Savatthi the previous night, the house of her parents had fallen down and that both her parents, together with her only brother had died, and had been cremated.  On hearing this tragic news, Patacara went stark mad. She did not even notice that her clothes had fallen off from her and that she was half-naked. She went about the streets, shouting out, ‘Woe is me!’

At this time the Buddha was preaching at the Jetavana monastery, and he saw Patacara at a distance; so he willed that she should come to the congregation. The crowd seeing her coming tried to stop her saying, ‘Don’t let the mad woman come in.’ But the Buddha told them not to prevent her coming in. When Patacara was close enough to hear him, he told her to control her mind and to keep calm.

As she became aware of herself, she realised that she did not have her skirt on and quietly sat down. Someone gave her a piece of cloth to cover herself. She then told the Buddha how she had lost her sons, her husband, her parents, and her only brother. The Buddha consoled her, Patacara, have no fear; you have now come to one who can protect you and can really guide you. Throughout this round of existences (samsara), the amount of tears you have shed on account of the death of sons, husbands, parents and brothers is voluminous.’

Then, the Buddha expounded to her the Anamatagga Sutta, which dealt with countless existences, and she felt relieved and calmed. The Buddha added that one should not worry too much about those who were gone, but that one should purify oneself and strive to realise Nibbana. On hearing this discourse Patacara realised the uncertainty and futility of existence and became established in the Path that leads to the attainment of liberation from Samsara.  Patacara became a bhikkhuni. One day, she was cleaning her feet with water from a water-pot. As she poured the water for the first time, it flowed only a short distance and disappeared; then she poured for the second time and the water went a little farther, but the water she poured for the third time went the farthest.

As she looked at the flow and the disappearance of water poured out successively for three times, she came to perceive clearly the three stages in the life of beings. The Buddha, seeing her through his supernormal powers from the Jetavana monastery sent forth his radiance and exhorted her, ‘Patacara, you are now on the right path, and you now have the true perception of the component things (khandhas) of life. One who does not perceive the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and insubstantiality of the component things is useless even if he were to live for a hundred years.’ Soon after, Patacara attained Arahanthood.
 

VIII:13  ONE DAY OF EXPERIENCING
THE DEATHLESS IS BETTER THAN
A CENTURY WITHOUT SUCH AN EXPERIENCE

Though one should live a hundred years without perceiving the Deathless State¹, yet better, indeed, is a single day’s life of one who perceives the Deathless State.
 

VIII:13  The cure for death (Kisa Gotami)

He advised her, ‘Sister, the Buddha is the person you should approach. He has the medicine you want. Go to him.’ Thus she went to the Buddha and asked him to give her the medicine that would restore her dead son to life. The Buddha knowing her distracted mental condition told her to get some mustard seeds from a home where there had been no death. Overjoyed at the prospect of having her son restored to life, Kisa Gotami ran from house to house, begging for some mustard seeds.

Everyone was willing to help her but she could not find a single home where death had not occurred. The people were only too willing to part with their mustard seeds, but they could not claim to have not lost a dear one in death. As the day dragged on, she realised that hers was not the only family that had faced death and that there were more people dead than living.

As soon as she realised this, her attitude towards her dead son changed; she was no longer attached to the dead body of her son and she realised how simply the Buddha had taught her a most important lesson: that everything that is born must eventually die.

She buried her dead son and told the Buddha that she could find no family where death had not occurred. Then the Buddha said, ‘Gotami, you should not think that you are the only one who has lost a son. As you have now realised, death comes to all beings. Before their desires are satiated death takes them away.’

Perceiving the fleeting nature and impermanency of life, Kisa Gotami decided to renounce the worldly life. She then requested the Enlightened One to admit her to the Order of Bhikkhunis. Accordingly, the Buddha sent her to the community of nuns and directed that she be admitted. Thus she was admitted as Bhikkhuni Kisa Gotami.

She was a very hardworking bhikkhuni and was always mindful and conscientious of her religious duties, and strove diligently for her spiritual development to purify her mind of all mental defilements.

One night, she lighted some oil lamps. Having lighted the oil lamps, she went and sat down a short distance away. Then she started to look at the flames. With her mind focussed on the flames she noticed that while some flames flared up some others flickered out. With her mind concentrating on the flames as her Subject of Meditation, she meditated as follows, ‘Even as it is with these flames, so also is it with living beings in this world: Some flare up, while others flicker out; only those who have attained Nibbana are no more seen.’

The Buddha through his supernormal power, saw Kisa Gotami from the Jetavana Monastery. He sent forth his radiance and exhorted her to continue meditating on the impermanent nature of all component things. The Buddha also commented, ‘Though one should live a hundred years without perceiving the Deathless State (Nibbana), yet better indeed, is a single day’s life of one who perceives the Deathless State.’ At the conclusion of the discourse, Kisa Gotami attained Arahanthood.
 

Note:

1. Amatam padam, the unconditioned state of Nibbana, free from birth, decay and death.
 

VIII:14  ONE DAY OF PERCEIVING THE DHAMMA IS BETTER THAN A CENTURY WITHOUT SUCH PERCEPTION

Though one should live a hundred years not comprehending the Truth Sublime¹, yet better, indeed, is a single day’s life of one who comprehends the Truth Sublime.
 

VIII:14  The children who neglected their mother (Bahu Puttika)

After the division of the property, she first went to stay with her eldest son, but her daughter-in-law complained and said, ‘She has come to stay with us, as if she has given us two shares!’ Then Bahu Puttika went to stay with her second son, and the same things were said. Thus, she went from one son to another, and from one daughter to the next; but none of them was willing to support her for a long stretch of time and none paid her due respect.

Greatly disappointed with her children she became a bhikkhuni. Bahu Puttika realised that she became a bhikkhuni only in her old age and that she must not be negligent, but must make use of the remaining period of her life to the utmost. So, for the whole night, she meditated on the Dhamma. The Buddha through supernormal power, saw her from the Jetavana monastery; sent forth his radiance and exhorted her, ‘The life of one who does not practise the Dhamma is useless, even if he were to live for a hundred years.’ Reflecting mindfully on the advice given by the Buddha, Bahu Puttika attained Arahanthood.
 

Notes:

1. The nine supramundane States - namely, the four Paths, the four Fruits, and Nibbana.

*For a similar story, see (Chapter XXIII Story (3)