MANGALA
SUTTA VANANA
13. Anakula ca Kammanta
To Be Engaged In Undisputed Undertaking Is Most Blissful.
Seek a wholesome trade or occupation. It may not pay you what you wish, but as long as your undertaking is honest clean and sincere with no evil purpose to deceive or to do harm so as to get the desired result, you will have all the peace and contentment rightly earned from those with whom you deal. Your course is open, therefore, it bears no ill will or malice against anyone. You are a friend to all your colleagues, your neighbours or your competitors and their failures shall not be the subject of your concern. Instead, you feel you are a part of the whole machine, that co-ordination is essential for your contribution to bring about peace and harmony among mankind.
Be diligent in your work. Fill your time with earnest
occupation that inactivity and idleness shall not have their way. Time
slips by pretty fast without your being aware of it. A store of golden
opportunity may have been lost if you do not make good use of your precious
moments. Happy is the man who has his dreams materialised directly from
the sweat of his own labour. Does not the fruit of his own orchard taste
sweeter and the feeling that it is grown by his own hands give him joy
and contentment? To be directly independent and not proving an added burden
to anyone else, should be the aim in order to have a happy and peaceful
frame of mind.
Illustration.
Once there lived in Benares a rich man by the name of Cullasetthi. He was widely known in Benares for his wisdom; he was also a renowned astrologer. One day, it happened that while he was passing along the highway, he came by chance to see a rat apparently dead, lying on the road. He began to muse on the object with interest that from the opportune time he reckoned, it would not be strange to predict the amassing of a great wealth only if the right and fortunate man were to take immediate possession of the dead rat, and dispose of it at the first opportunity.
Little was it known to the astrologer that his fortuitous remark on the tale of the dead rat would have caught the ears of a poor man, Cullantevasika. Pondering that he would have nothing to lose in the bargain, he quietly picked up the dead rat and went on his way.
Not long later, Cullantevasika saw a man looking for some food to feed his hungry cat. It came in handy to be rid of his priceless possession for a few paltry coppers, which would give the poor Cullantevasika the confidence to eke out his miserable existence. He thought it over in his mind the idea to make his little means earn what it possibly could. He spent ail that he had on a few pieces of candy and from the fresh water he could obtain, he offered it for sale as plain sweetened drinks to the florists. For his trouble, he was given a few handfuls of flowers which he sold in the market place and with the proceeds, he bought more candy to turn into a bigger supply of drinks for his customers, the florists. This time they offered him the rest of the unplucked flowers. It enriched him by a few extra coppers, which gave him the security to stand on his own feet and to make him work harder for his living.
One day a heavy storm came and in its fury, trees were uprooted and branches blown all over the park. But, to Cullantevasika, it meant for him a day in the park to clear and tidy up the place clean off the litter of broken branches, dead trunks and fallen leaves. They were given to him as payment for his labour and he sold them as firewood. Again, he went back to his business of candy drinks, which he made a quick sale to the weary travellers outside the city gates. A band of five hundred grass cutters were making their way to the city and at the gate they rested themselves and Cullantevasika was able to supply them with his candy water to quench their thirst. In this way, he managed to have the friendship of the grass-cutters who responded to his cheerful disposition and the friendly manner he conducted his small and humble trade.
Nevertheless, Cullantevasika was on the move for any likely chance to change over to a new trade when it came to him one day that he received news of some merchants sending five hundred horses to the city for sale. He at once thought of his friends the grass-cutters and proceeded immediately on his plan that they all supply him one thousand bundles of grass to be twice their usual bulk on each bundle. On the following day, the merchants and that five hundred horses arrived in the city and they went about in search of fodder for their horses, but none could be found except in the store kept by Cullantevasika. They bought all the stock from him for one thousand coins.
Again, the water labourers brought him the news that a big merchant boat was due to arrive in the port. He bought the best cart in the city and dressed himself up as a rich merchant. Upon the boat’s arrival, he approached the owner of the vessel and offered him an expensive ring in order to solicit his help to use his influence to induce all the merchants to deal with him. As a result all the other merchants who came later failed to secure any business. He acted in the capacity as their agent and the profits he earned rose steadily to the sum of two hundred thousand coins.
Cullantevasika became a rich man and his thought went back to the incident on the highway when he realised the truth of Cullasetthi’s prediction. He paid a courteous visit to Cullasetthi and offered him a gift of one hundred thousand coins with an explanation that he wished to repay him (Cullasetthi) as an appreciation for his good fortune, following the advice on the prediction about the dead rat. And here again, his good fortune served him sell; Cullasetthi seeing his unselfish nature offered him the hand of his (Cullasetthi’s) daughter. They lived happily and on the death of Cullasetthi he inherited all his wealth as well as the high office of treasurer to the king.
So we turn our thoughts, on the conclusion of this story,
that work should be performed in a manner clean and free from any intention
to jeopardise the living of others, and without inciting a loss or harm.
This undertaking alone is noble and unselfish.
14. Danam
The Practice Of Charity Is Most Blissful.
Charity is not an act of giving with a deep concern for its ultimate reward now or hereafter. If it is so, then charity is very much looked forward to as a compensating act. The essential point to remember is that charity should be an act prompted by the sole desire, to give, however great it may be, so as to free oneself of the strong passion to crave. This then would not burden the donor himself of an added desire to anticipate a future gain. He should be wholly in sympathy with the recipient and that his own unselfish action has served one good cause further in allaying the sufferings of his fellowmen. It is a great deed to first purify and make his actions divine and then to bring bliss to the world.
A man may be charitable yet he enslaves himself to his
own greed. He is known as a slave to charity. He is motivated by a momentary
desire to give and in so doing he chooses that which he does not treasure,
because of its poor value and then gives it away. Another man has a different
disposition in regard to his view on charity. He does not feel the sting
to be deprived of his possession whichever he chooses and to give away
in equal degree that which he himself closely regards. He is a friend
to charity. But the man who ranks supreme in his love for charity thinks
not of himself nor of his possession but willingly makes greater sacrifices
in consideration that the needs of others are greater than his. He is a
master of charity.
Illustration.
During the reign of Brahmadatta, the Bodhisatta was born into a rich family. His parents called him Visayha. When he grew up it became his daily routine to observe the five precepts and on weekends the eight precepts. Apart from his virtue to live clean and in a wholesome way, he had one strong wish and that was the giving of alms which he planned to carry out extensively. He put through his noble scheme and built four alms-houses around the suburbs of the city of Benares where he lived; one in the mid-city and one close to his home. For the maintenance of these homes for the poor, he spent one hundred thousand coins a day.
The virtue of Visayha in his unfailing strength to carry out his good work soon spread to the Deva and Brahma realms. Sakkadevaraja, who felt keenly to put to test the virtue of Visayha, caused a wholesale destruction of Visayha’s wealth, possession and food. What was left among the ruins were two baskets, a pole and a sickle. His wife was much distressed to see him face the grimness of poverty, but he assured her that as long as he had his life spared, he would endeavour through his present plight to proceed with his good work.
On this decision, he gathered the only remnant of his possession and wandered forth into the woods. As a grass-cutter, he kept on to his trade and made a provision to set aside half the proceeds of his sale for charity. But often, he delved more into his scanty reserve for his family and carried on ungrudgingly, the humanitarian work. Due to his incessant labour and the impoverished state he was in, he fainted. Sakkadevaraja appeared before him when he regained consciousness.
“You are now in a state of exhaustion. How can you carry on the task you so rigidly impose on yourself day by day, with utmost disregard to your health? Would it not be of interest to you to divert your devotion and attend to your own personal needs, instead of to nurse the suffering of others?”
“May I be permitted to know who you are?” asked Visayha.
“I am Sakkadevaraja,” was the reply.
“As Sakkadevaraja, then it is easier for you to account the many meritorious deeds you have acquired in the past. For you to advise me not to carry on my present good work seems a complete contradiction against your own ideal to become a Sakkadevaraja. Even if a thousand Sakkadevarajas were to join you, it would not help to relax the firm resolution that I have taken. I have set for myself a great task and with my full compassion and devotion in this life and here-after, may the ignorance of many living beings be cleared and gain the wisdom of the Noble Path. I labour not for the attainment of glory and bliss of Sakkadevaraja, nor the deities of other happy state of existence, nor the rich possession of things mundane, but I strive for the higher course to free the unhappy and sorrowful state of existence; I strive to become a Buddha.”
Sakkadevaraja was happy to learn the truth about Visayha’s
great aim for Buddhahood and he restored all his possessions with increased
wealth which Visayha gave away in charity. When Visayha died, he found
a happier existence in the heavenly plane.
15. Dhammacariya
To Behave In Accordance With The Dhamma Is Most Blissful.
In life are oceans of sorrow, fierce and boundless. Men are tossed and lashed by its angry waves and found himself more often on the rocks of disaster. Yet in this brief span of time, many strive vainly in search for power, glory and wealth. They rage madly for a possession; they plunder, they kill almost like an infuriated bull just to satisfy their miserable wants; they give no security to their comrades who live in fear and sorrow.
Countless are the evils of men that they must destroy.
Aeons upon aeons would have to pass before even one of his evils could
fade away. It means a doom to boundless sufferings in the ocean of
Samsara. “Seek no refuge, but unto your own,” so said the Lord Buddha.
Evil is overcome only by one who is steadfast in purpose, so the good shall
prevail. Perfect happiness comes always as a result of a good action
that is being heedful of the Dhamma’s way. The merits so accrued would
gain for the worker of the Dhamma an unlimited wealth of wisdom until the
final realisation of Nibbana.
Illustration.
There was once in the city of Savatthi five hundred men who were religious and who devoted most of their time for the cause of their faith. Each of them had five hundred followers. From among this body of righteous men, there was one who was the most devout in his practice and was elected their headman. He had many children, numbering seven sons and seven daughters.
He became very ill one day and was conscious of his approaching death, but before his end was over, he expressed his desire to listen to the Dhamma from the lips of the bhikkhus. His request was conveyed to the Lord Buddha and eight bhikkus were sent to his home to comply with his dying wish. When the headman saw the bhikkhus, his heart overflowed with joy and he exclaimed, “This is a very fortunate moment in my household. I feel my hour is drawing near and before I breath my last, I would appreciate it to hear a discourse from you.” And when asked, he selected the discourse on Satipatthana, that is, the contemplation on the four Satipatthanas referring to the body, the sensations, the mind and the phenomena.
Just at that moment, six devalokas, appeared with six carriages that were profusely decorated, and the dying man turned eagerly in their direction. Whence he heard a voice, sweet and clear, come floating by, “Make haste, good man, make haste; linger not in your earthly life. The hour has come that you part with your earthly possession; choose now the one that is priceless to thee; the role that is life celestial.” The headman became conscious of this divine call, and remained calm. He replied, “Aware I am of thy company, but thy call has been loud to distract my attention which I have set my heart open to the Lord Buddha’s Triple Gem. Pray thee, stop for this brief moment thy welcome to the abode beyond.”
The eight bhikkhus being unaware of the presence of the Devalokas, assumed it was the request of the headman to discontinue the discourse on the Lord Buddha’s doctrine and all of them remained quiet. But to the children of the headman, they thought it was the fear of death which haunted their father who, though a very virtuous man throughout his life, feared the approach of death. They wailed aloud and the din of their cry lent an added confusion. The bhikkhus left quietly for the temple, as they believed they could not do anything further.
Meantime the headman became conscious of the distress of his children and instead of peace and quietness that prevailed a short time ago, he could not understand the sudden outburst of grief and incessant crying, and turning to his children, he said, “My good children, do not be grieved over what is to come.
Rejoice with me that I am blessed with the presence of the Devalokas this hour who beckon me to hasten my journey to their pure abode that is pure and sorrowless. Now, my children, tell me which is the most sublime of the six heavenly planes?” “It is Tusita, the pure abode of the Bodhisattas,” came the reply from his children. “Then fetch me a garland of flowers, make your wish when you throw it high, let it hang on the carriage from Tusita where I will sojourn.” The children brought a garland of flowers and threw it in the direction their father indicated. “Now, my children, can you see the flowers hanging on the carriage from Tusita?”
“We can see the flowers, but not the carriage you mentioned father.” “The position of the flowers is where my carriage is; my time is up; lament not my parting; be heedful in the continuance of your good work on earth and when your task is done may you all seek your birth in the Tusita heaven.” With the end of his last message, he passed away and was born in Tusita’s pure abode.
The eight bhikkhus on their return to the temple narrated to the Lord Buddha the incident relating to their abrupt departure. The Lord Buddha said, “You cannot see with your eyes the divine presence of the six Devalokas and the Upasika’s seemingly request to discontinue in the midst of your reciting the sutta, is in truth, a request to the Devalokas to allow him to listen to my doctrine. “Oh! Lord, then what happened to him on his next rebirth?” asked the bhikkhus. “He seeks his happiest rebirth in the pure abode of Tusita. Like this Upasika, many who are in quest of this very happy birth may seek with diligence the path by following well my Dhamma.”
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