PAPA VAGGA (Evil)
 

Contents

1 The great offering of a poor brahmin
2 Refrain from sexual abuse - Seyyasaka
3 A female deva attends to Maha Kassapa
4 Anatha Pindika and the guardian spirit
5 The careless bhikkhu
6 The rich man who gave little -Bilala Padaka
7 A journey beset with danger - Maha Dhana
8 Kukkuta Mitta the hunter and his family comprehend the Dhamma
9 A hunter who was attacked by his own dogs - Koka
10 The gem polisher who beat an innocent monk
11 Nobody can escape from the effects of evil kamma
12 King Suppabuddha blocks the Buddha's path
 

IX:1 BE QUICK IN DOING GOOD; SUPPRESS EVIL

Make haste in doing good¹; check your mind from evil²;
for the mind of him who is slow in doing meritorious³ actions delights in evil.
 

IX:1 The great offering of a poor brahmin

Thus, the first and second watches of the night passed. Came the third watch and he said to himself, ‘If I am hesitant, I will miss the opportunity of ending worldly suffering. I shall now offer my outer garment.’ So saying, he placed the piece of cloth at the feet of the Buddha and cried out, ‘I have won! I have won!’

King Pasenadi of Kosala, who was in the audience, heard those words and ordered a courtier to investigate. Learning about the brahmin’s offering to the Buddha, the king commented that the brahmin had done something which was not easy to do and so should be rewarded. The king ordered his men to give him a piece of cloth as a reward for his faith and generosity.  The brahmin offered that piece of cloth also to the Buddha, again the king rewarded him with two pieces of cloth. Again, he offered the two pieces of cloth to the Buddha.

Whatever the king gave him (each time doubling the reward) the brahmin offered to the Buddha. When the reward came to thirty-two pieces of cloth, the brahmin kept one piece for himself and another for his wife at the request of the king. He offered the remaining thirty pieces to the Buddha. Then, the king again commented that the brahmin had truly performed a very difficult task and so must be rewarded fittingly. The king sent a messenger to the palace to bring two pieces of very expensive velvet blanket and gave them to the brahmin. This time the Brahmin made two canopies and offered one to the Buddha and kept the other for his own use.

When the king next went to the Jetavana monastery, he saw the velvet canopy and recognised it as the offering made by the brahmin and he was very pleased.  This time, he made another reward to him.

When the bhikkhus heard about this, they asked the Buddha, ‘How is it that, in the case of this brahmin, a good deed done at present bears fruit immediately?’ The Buddha replied, ‘If the brahmin had offered his outer garment in the first watch of the night, he would have been rewarded more; since he had made his offering only during the last watch of the night, he was rewarded less.

So when one wants to give in charity, one should do so quickly; if one hesitates the reward comes slowly and only sparingly. Also, if one is too slow in doing good deeds, one may not be able to do it at all, for the mind tends to take delight in doing evil.’
 

Notes:

1.There should be no delay in doing good deeds. One must avail oneself of every opportunity to do good. Such good actions redound to one's eternal happiness. Every effort also should be made to control the mind as it is prone to evil. The impure mind rejoices in evil thoughts.

2.Papa, evil, is that which defiles one's mind. It is that which leads to woeful states. 'Sin', purely a Christian term, is not a good English equivalent for papa. What is associated with the three immoral roots such as lust (raga), anger (dosa), and delusion (moha) is evil.

There are ten kinds of evil. They are killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct (which are committed by deed); lying, slandering, harsh speech, and frivolous talk (which are committed by word); and covetousness, ill-will, and false views (which are committed by mind).

3. Punna, merit is that which cleanses the mind. Kusala is another term for punna. There are ten kinds of meritorious deeds - namely, 1. generosity 2. morality 3. meditation 4. reverence 5. service 6. transference of merit 7. rejoicing in others' merit 8. hearing the doctrine 9. expounding the doctrine and 10. straightening one's views.
 

IX:2 DO NO EVIL AGAIN AND AGAIN

Should a person commit evil, he should not do it again and again;
he should not find pleasure therein;
painful is the accumulation of evil.
 

IX:2 Refrain from sexual abuse (Seyyasaka)

IX:3 DO GOOD AGAIN AND AGAIN AND TAKE DELIGHT IN IT

Should a person perform a meritorious action, he should do it again and again;
he should find pleasure therein: blissful is the accumulation of merit.
 

IX:3 A female deva attends to Maha Kassapa

At one time, Venerable Maha Kassapa stayed in the Pipphali cave and maintained sustained absorption in concentration (samapatti) for seven days.  Soon after he had arisen from samapatti, and wishing to give someone a chance to offer something to a holy man just arisen from samapatti, he saw a young maid cooking her food. So he stood at her door for alms food.

When the young maid saw the Elder, her whole body was suffused with delightful joy and happiness. Respectfully she said, ‘Venerable Sir, with this humble offering of mine, may I be able to realise the Truth.’ ‘So be it,’ replied Kassapa when expressing his appreciation (anumodana).

Later, she was bitten by a poisonous snake and died. She was reborn as a deva in Tavatimsa heaven and was lavishly bestowed with the luxuries of the heavenly world. The deva realised that she was reborn in Tavatimsa because she had offered alms food to Kassapa and felt very grateful to him. Then she decided to keep on doing meritorious deeds in order to make her good fortune more enduring.  So every morning she went to the monastery and swept the premises, filled up water pots, and did other services. At first, Kassapa thought that young novices had done those services.

One day, however, he discovered that a female deva had been performing those services. So he advised her not to come to the monastery again, as people might start talking if she was often seen at the monastery. She was very upset and pleaded with him and cried, ‘Please don’t destroy my riches, my wealth.’

The Buddha heard her cries and sent forth his radiance and consoled her saying that although meritorious deeds are very important, as a young girl it is not advisable for her to come alone and do all the activities in the monastery.
 

IX:4 BY ITS EFFECTS EVIL IS KNOWN

Even an evil person may still find happiness so long as his evil deed does not bear fruit; but when his evil deed does bear fruit he will meet with evil consequences¹.
 

IX:4 BY ITS EFFECTS GOOD IS KNOWN

Even a good person may still meet with suffering so long as his good deed does not bear fruit; but when it does bear fruit he will reap the benefits of his good deed².
 

IX:4 Anatha Pindika and the guardian spirit

One night, a guardian spirit residing in his house appeared before him in person, and said, ‘I am the guardian spirit. You have been offering your property to the Buddha with no thought for your future. That is why you are a poor man today. Therefore, you should make no more offering to him and should look after your own business affairs and get rich again.’

Anatha Pindika requested the guardian spirit to leave his house for saying such things, and as he was highly developed spiritually the guardian spirit could not disobey him and so had to leave the premises. He had nowhere to go and wanted to return but was afraid of Anatha Pindika. So, he approached Sakka, king of the devas.

Sakka advised him first to do a good turn to Anatha Pindika, and after that, to ask his pardon, Then Sakka continued, ‘There are debts taken as loans by some traders which are not yet repaid to Anatha Pindika, certain valuables buried by the ancestors of Anatha Pindika, which have been washed away into the ocean, some treasures which belong to no one, buried in a certain place. Go and recover all this wealth and fill up the rooms of Anatha Pindika.’ The guardian spirit did as instructed by Sakka, and Anatha Pindika again became rich.

When the guardian spirit told Anatha Pindika what he had done for him, permission was granted for the spirit to reside in his house. Then Anatha Pindika took him to the Buddha. To both of them the Buddha said, ‘One may not enjoy the benefits of a good deed, or suffer the consequences of a bad deed for a long time, but the time will surely come when good or bad deeds will bear fruit and ripen.’
 

Notes:

1. A wicked person may lead a prosperous life as the result of his past good deeds. He will experience happiness owing to the potentiality of his past good over the present evil, - a seeming injustice which often prevails in this world. When once, according to the inexorable law of kamma, his evil actions fructify, then he perceives the painful effects of his wickedness.

2. A virtuous person, as often happens, may meet with adversity owing to the potentiality of his past evil actions over his present good acts. He is convinced of the efficacy of his present good deeds only when, at the opportune moment, they fructify, giving him abundant bliss.

The fact that at times the wicked are prosperous and the virtuous are unfortunate is itself strong evidence in support of the belief in kamma and rebirth.
 

IX:5 THINK NOT LIGHTLY OF EVIL

Do not think lightly of evil, saying: ‘It will not come to me.’
Even a water-pot is filled by the falling of drops.
Likewise the fool, gathering it drop by drop, fills himself with evil.
 

IX:5 The careless bhikkhu

IX:6 THINK NOT LIGHTLY OF GOOD

Do not think lightly of good, saying: ‘It will not come to me’.
Even a water-pot is filled by the falling of drops,
so the wise man, gathering it drop by drop, fills himself with good.
 

IX:6 The rich man who gave little (Bilala Padaka)

The rich man, Bilala Padaka, seeing the man going round from house to house murmured to himself, ‘O this wretched man! Why did he not invite as many bhikkhus as he himself could afford to look after, instead of going round begging from people?’ So, he asked the man to bring his bowl and put only a little rice, butter and honey into the bowl. These were taken away separately and not mixed with what others had given.

The rich man could not understand why his things were kept separately, and he thought perhaps that the man wanted others to know that a rich man like him had contributed very little and so put him to shame.  Therefore, he sent a servant to find out.

The promoter of charity put a little of everything that was given by the rich man into various pots of rice and curry and sweetmeats so that the rich man could gain much merit. His servant reported what he had seen. But Bilala Padaka did not get the meaning and was not sure of the intention of the promoter of charity. However, the next day he went to the place where almsfood was being offered.

At the same time, he took a knife with him, intending to kill the chief promoter of charity, if he were to reveal in public just how little a rich man like him had contributed.  But the promoter of charity said to the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir, this charity is a joint offering of all; whether one has given much or little is of no account; each of us has given in faith and generosity; so may all of us gain equal merit.’

When he heard those words, Bilala Padaka realised that he had wronged the man and asked for forgiveness. So he said, ‘My friend, I have done you a great wrong by thinking ill of you, please forgive me.’ The Buddha heard the rich man asking for pardon and knowing the reason he said, ‘My disciple, you should not think lightly of a good deed, however small it may be, for small deeds will become big if you do them habitually.’
 

Note:

1. Mappamannetha in most texts.
 

IX:7 SHUN EVIL LIKE A PERILOUS PATH

Just as a merchant, with a small escort and great wealth, avoids a perilous route; just as one desiring to live avoids poison, even so should one avoid evil.
 

IX:7 A journey beset with danger (Maha Dhana)

Maha Dhana also invited the bhikkhus who would like to go on the same journey to accompany him, and he promised to look to their needs on the way. So, a group of bhikkhus accompanied him. The robbers got news of the trip and went ahead to hide and wait for the caravan of the merchant. But the merchant stopped at the outskirts of the forest where the robbers were waiting. The caravan was to move on after camping there for a few days.

The robbers got news of the impending departure and made ready to loot the caravan. The merchant, in his turn, also got news of the movement of the bandits and he decided to return home. The bandits now heard that the merchant would go home, so they waited on the homeward way. Some villagers sent word to the merchant about the movements of the bandits, and the merchant finally decided to remain in the village for some time.

When he told the bhikkhus about his decision, the bhikkhus returned to Savatthi by themselves and informed the Enlightened One about the cancellation of their trip. To them, the Buddha said, ‘Bhikkhus, Maha Dhana keeps away from the journey beset with bandits. One who does not want to die should keep away from poison, so also, should a wise bhikkhu, realising that existence is like a journey beset with danger, strive to keep away from doing evil.’
 

IX:8 NO EVIL BEFALLS THOSE WHO HAVE NO BAD INTENTION

If no wound there be in one’s hand, one may carry poison in it.
Poison does not affect one who has no wound.
There is no ill for him who does no wrong¹.’
 

IX:8 Kukkuta Mitta the hunter and his family comprehend the Dhamma

One day, the Buddha surveyed the world early in the morning and found that the hunter, his children and their wives were due to realise the Dhamma. So, the Buddha went to the place where the hunter had set his trap in the forest. He put his footprint close to the trap and seated himself under the shade of a bush, not far from the trap.  When the hunter came, he saw no animal in the trap but a footprint and surmised that someone must have come before him and let out the animal.

So, when he saw the Buddha under the shade of the bush, he took him for the man who had freed the animal from his trap and flew into a rage. He took out his bow and arrow to shoot at the Buddha, but as he drew his bow, he became immobilised and remained fixed in that position like a statue. His children followed and found their father. They also saw the Buddha at some distance and thought he must be their father’s enemy. All of them took out their bows and arrows to shoot at the Buddha, but they also became immobilised and remained fixed in their respective postures. When the hunter and his children failed to return, the hunter’s wife followed them into the forest, with her in-laws. Seeing her husband and her children with their arrows aimed at the Buddha, she raised both her hands and shouted, ‘Don’t kill my father.’

When her husband heard her words, he thought, ‘This must be my father-in-law’, and her children thought, ‘This must be our grandfather’, and thoughts of loving-kindness appeared in their minds. Then the lady said to them, ‘Put away your bows and arrows and pay respect to my father.’ The Buddha knew that, by this time, the minds of the hunter and his children had softened and so he willed that they should be able to move and put away their bows and arrows. After putting away their bows and arrows, they paid their respects to the Buddha. He expounded the Dhamma to them. In the end, all of them understood the Dhamma.

The Buddha returned to the monastery and told the other bhikkhus about the hunter and his family. They then asked the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir, is the wife of the hunter who has comprehended the Dhamma also not guilty of taking life, if she had been getting things like nets, bows and arrows for her husband when he went out hunting?’ The Buddha replied, ‘Bhikkhus, those who are sotapannas don’t kill, they don’t wish others to get killed. The wife of the hunter was only obeying her husband in getting things for him.  It never occurred to her to think she was helping her husband to commit evil deeds. Just as the hand that has no wound is not affected by poison, so since she has no intention to commit evil she has not created any bad kamma.’
 

Note:

1. That is, for one who has no evil intention.
 

IX:9 WHO HARMS THE INNOCENT COMES TO GRIEF

Whoever harms a harmless person, one pure and guiltless, upon that very fool the evil recoils like fine dust thrown against the wind.
 

IX:9 A hunter who was attacked by his own dogs (Koka)

The dogs seeing the yellow robe thought that the bhikkhu had fallen off the tree and pounced on the body, biting and pulling at it furiously. The bhikkhu, from his shelter in the tree, broke a dry branch and threw it at the dogs. Then the dogs discovered that they had been attacking their own master instead of the bhikkhu and ran away. He came down from the tree and found that the hunter had died and felt sorry for him. He also wondered whether he could be held responsible for the death, since the hunter had died by having been covered up by his yellow robes.

So, he went to the Buddha to clear his doubt. The Buddha consoled him, ‘You are not responsible for the death of the hunter; your morality (sila) is also not soiled on account of that death. Indeed, that hunter did a great wrong to one to whom he should have done no wrong and so had come to this grievous end.’
 

IX:10 BIRTH DEPENDS ON ACTIONS

Some are reborn as human beings, the wicked are reborn¹ in woeful states², the righteous go to blissful states³, and those who are free⁴ from mental defilements pass away into Nibbana.
 

IX:l0 The gem polisher who beat an innocent monk

The gem polisher took the ruby with his hand which was covered with blood, put it on a table and went to wash his hands. The pet bird of the family, seeing the blood-stained ruby and taking it for a piece of meat picked if up and swallowed it in the presence of the monk. When the gem polisher returned, he found that the ruby was missing. He questioned his wife and his son and they answered that they had not taken it. Then he asked the monk who also replied that he did not take it, but the gem polisher was not satisfied.

As there was no one else in the house he concluded that the monk might have taken the precious ruby.  So, he told his wife that he must torture him to get him to admit the theft.  But his wife replied, ‘This monk has been our religious teacher for the last twelve years, and we have never seen him doing anything evil. Please don’t accuse him. It would be better to take the king’s punishment than to accuse a noble one.’ But her husband paid no heed to her words. He took a rope and tied up the monk and beat him many times with a stick, as a result of which the monk bled profusely from the head and nose.

The bird, seeing blood and wishing to take it, came close to the monk. The gem polisher who was by then in great rage, kicked the bird with all his might and the bird died on the spot. Then, the monk said, ‘Please see whether the bird is dead or not’ and the man replied, ‘You too shall die like this bird.’ When the monk was sure the bird had died, he said softly, ‘My disciple, the bird had swallowed the ruby.’

Hearing this, the gem polisher cut up the bird and found the ruby in its stomach. Then, he realised his mistake and trembled with fear. He pleaded with the monk to pardon him and also to continue standing at his door for alms. The monk replied, ‘It is not your fault, nor is it mine. This has happened on account of what has been done in our previous existences; it is just our debt in samsara. I feel no ill-will towards you. As a matter of fact, this has happened because I have entered a house. From today, I will not enter any house. I will only stand at the door.’

Soon after, the monk collapsed and passed into Nibbana as a result of his injuries. The bird was reborn as the son of the gem polisher. When the gem polisher died he was reborn in Hell. When the wife died she was reborn, because of her soft-heartedness towards the monk, in one of the deva worlds.
 

Notes:

1. According to Buddhism there are four kinds of birth - namely, egg-born (andaja), womb-born (julabuja), moisture-born (samsedaja), and spontaneous birth (opapatika).

2. Niraya = ni + aya = devoid of happiness. There are four kinds of niraya - namely, woeful state (apaya), the animal kingdom (tiracchanayoni), the plane of Petas (petayoni) and the plane of Asura-demons (asurayoni). None of these states is eternal. According to their evil kamma beings may be born in such woeful states. Departing from those states, they may be born in blissful states according to their past good kamma.

3.Sagga = su + agga = full of happiness. In the sense-sphere (kamaloka) the human plane and the six celestial planes are regarded as blissful states. They too are not eternal.

4. Arahants, after death, are not born any more, but attain Parinibbana.
 

IX:11 NOBODY IS EXEMPT FROM THE EFFECTS OF EVIL KAMMA

Not in the sky, nor in mid-ocean, nor in a mountain cave, is found that place on earth where abiding, one may escape from (the consequences of) one’s evil deed.
 

IX:11 Nobody can escape from the effects of evil kamma

Another group of bhikkhus were travelling in a boat; they too were on their way to see the Buddha. When they were in the middle of the ocean the boat could not be moved. So, lots were drawn to find out who the unlucky one was; three times the lot fell on the wife of the skipper. Then the skipper said sorrowfully, ‘Many people should not die on account of this unlucky woman.

Tie a pot of sand to her neck and throw her into the sea so that I will not see her.’ The woman was thrown into the sea as instructed by the skipper so that the ship could move on.

On arrival at their destination, the bhikkhus disembarked and continued on their way to the Buddha. They also intended to ask the Buddha due to what evil kamma the unfortunate woman was thrown overboard.

A third group of bhikkhus were also on their way to see the Buddha.  On the way, they enquired at a monastery whether there was any suitable place for them to take shelter for the night in the neighbourhood. They were directed to a cave, and there they spent the night, but in the middle of the night, a large boulder slipped off from above and effectively closed the entrance. In the morning the bhikkhus from the nearby monastery coming to the cave saw what had happened and they went to seek help from the village. With the help of those people they tried to move the boulder, but it was of no avail.

Thus, the bhikkhus were trapped in the cave without food or water for a few days. On the seventh day, the boulder miraculously moved by itself, and the bhikkhus came out and continued their journey to the Buddha. They too intended to ask the Buddha due to what previous evil deed they were thus shut up for a few days in a cave.

The three groups of bhikkhus met on the way and together they went to the Buddha. Each group related what they had seen or experienced on their journeys.

The Buddha’s answer to the first group: ‘Bhikkhus, once there was a farmer who had an ox. The ox was very lazy and also very stubborn. It could not be coaxed to do any work, it would just lie down chewing the cud or else go to sleep. The farmer lost his temper many times on account of this lazy animal. So, in anger, he tied a straw rope round the neck of the ox and set fire to it, and the ox died. On account of this evil deed the farmer has suffered for a long time and in serving out the remaining part of the bad kamma, he has been burnt to death in the last few previous existences.’

The Buddha’s answer to the second group: ‘Bhikkhus, once there was a woman who had a dog. Whatever she did and wherever she went the dog always followed her.* As a result some young boys would poke fun at her. She was very angry and felt so ashamed that she planned to kill the dog. She filled a pot with sand, tied it round the neck of the dog and threw it into the water; and the dog was drowned. On account of this evil deed that woman had suffered for a long time and in serving the remaining part of the bad effect, she had been thrown into the water to be drowned.’

The Buddha’s answer to the third group: ‘Bhikkhus, once, seven cowherds saw an iguana going into a mound and for fun, they closed all the outlets of the mound. After closing the outlets they went away, completely forgetting the iguana that was trapped in the mound. Only after seven days, they remembered what they had done and hurriedly returned to the scene of their mischief and let out the iguana.

On account of this evil deed, you seven had been imprisoned together for seven days without any food.’ Then, a bhikkhu remarked, ‘O indeed! There is no escape from evil consequences for one who has done evil, even if he were in the sky, or in the ocean, or in a cave’. The Buddha replied, ‘Yes, bhikkhu, you are right.; even in the sky or anywhere else, there is no place which is beyond the reach of the consequences of evil.’

*This dog, in one of his previous existences, had been the woman’s husband. In samsasa (which has no conceivable beginning) there is no one who has not at some time or other been the relative of somebody else. Because of his strong and intense affection for the woman, the dog simply could not leave his mistress. That is why the Buddha says there is no grip like affection.
 

IX:12 DEATH CANNOT BE OVERCOME

Not in the sky, nor in mid-ocean, nor in a mountain cave, is found that place on earth where abiding, one will not be overcome by death.
 

IX:l2 King Suppabuddha blocks the Buddha’s path

One day, knowing that the Buddha would be coming for alms food, he got himself drunk and blocked the way. When the Buddha and the bhikkhus came, Suppabuddha refused to make way, and sent a message saying, ‘I cannot give way to the Buddha, who is so much younger than I.’ Finding the road blocked, the Buddha and the bhikkhus turned back. The king then sent someone to follow the Buddha secretly and find out what the Buddha said and to report to him.

As the Buddha turned back, he said to Ananda, ‘Because the king has refused to give way to a Buddha, he has commited a bad kamma and before long he will have to face the consequences.’ When informed of the prediction by the Buddha, the king said that he would take special precautions to prove that the Buddha was wrong. Further, he instructed his men to pay more attention to him and also be vigilant in their duties.

When the Buddha was told about the king’s instructions to his men, he said, ‘Bhikkhus! Whether the king lives in a pinnacled tower, or up in the sky, or in an ocean, or in a cave, he will have to face the effect of his own action.’

On the seventh day, about the time of the alms meal, the royal horse got frightened for some unknown reason and started neighing loudly and kicking about furiously. Hearing frightened noises from his horse, the king felt that he must handle his pet horse and forgetting all precautions, he went towards the door. The king fell down the stairs, collapsed and died and was born in a suffering state. Thus, no matter how hard he tried, the foolish king was unable to escape the effects of his evil kamma.