365bet娱乐

While the Buddha was staying at Jetavana monastery, 厂腻惫补迟迟丑颈, the Buddha鈥檚 son, 搁腻丑耻濒补, was then a novice of eighteen years of age. He had then reached the eleventh year as a 蝉腻尘补峁噀谤补.

One day the Buddha entered the city of 厂腻惫补迟迟丑颈 in the morning for alms-food. The S膩ma峁噀ra 搁腻丑耻濒补 followed the Buddha closely.

When the Buddha and 搁腻丑耻濒补 were thus walking, the latter close behind the former, the Buddha was as splendid looking as a grand bull elephant that marches out of a jungle to come upon the pleasant ground in a grove of 蝉腻濒补 tree in full bloom. 搁腻丑耻濒补 too was as splendid looking as a young elephant that comes close behind the bull elephant. The Buddha was as splendid looking as the lion-king that marches out of his ruby cave to look for food in the evening. 搁腻丑耻濒补 too was as splendid as a young lion that comes close behind the great lion king. The Buddha was as splendid as the tiger king that marches out of his forest resembling a jade cave. 搁腻丑耻濒补, too, was as splendid as a young tiger that comes close behind the tiger king.

The Buddha was as splendid as the 驳补谤耻岣穉-bird king that emerges out of a forest of cotton trees while 搁腻丑耻濒补 was as splendid as a young 驳补谤耻岣穉 that comes close behind the 驳补谤耻岣穉 king. The Buddha was as splendid as the golden 丑补峁僺补 king that flies up to the sky from 颁颈迟迟补办奴峁璦 Mount while 搁腻丑耻濒补 was as splendid as a young golden 丑补峁僺补 that comes close behind the 丑补峁僺补-king. The Buddha was as splendid as a large golden boat that sails in Lake Chaddanta while 搁腻丑耻濒补 was as splendid as a smaller golden boat that comes behind the larger one. The Buddha was as splendid as the Universal Monarch that roams in space by the power of his Wheel-Treasure while 搁腻丑耻濒补 was as splendid as the eldest royal son that comes close behind the Monarch. The Buddha was as splendid as the moon, the lord of stars that roams in the cloudless sky while 搁腻丑耻濒补 was as splendid as the morning star that comes behind the moon.

The Buddha was born in the lineage of King 翱办办腻办补, a descendent from the 惭补丑腻蝉补尘尘补迟补. So was the S膩ma峁噀ra 搁腻丑耻濒补. The Buddha belonged to the Khattiya birth that was as pure as the milk poured into a conch. So was 搁腻丑耻濒补. The Buddha鈥檚 body was adorned with the thirty two marks of a great person and was attractive to the hearts of others as a jewel gate-post well erected at the gate of a celestial city or as a P膩richattaka tree in full bloom. So was 搁腻丑耻濒补鈥檚 body.

In this manner the two extraordinary men, Noble Ones, who had realized their unique aspirations of the past, who had become ascetics from the ruling class, who had possessed royal gentleness, who had golden complexion, and who had borne the marks of a Great Man, walked along the same road, being resplendent as though they were to overcome by means of their own splendour, the splendour of two moons, two suns, and each pair of such deities as Sakka, 厂耻测腻尘补, Santusita, Sunimmita, 痴补蝉补惫补迟迟墨, 惭补丑腻-叠谤补丑尘腻, and others.

While they were thus resplendent, 搁腻丑耻濒补 closely following the Buddha from behind, watched his father carefully from the surface of the soles up to the tip of the hair and saw his father鈥檚 resplendence generated by the glory of a Buddha.

Wonder-struck, he thought thus:

鈥淎s His body frame is exquisite with the thirty-two major marks and surrounded by body lustre, He is resplendent as though He were amidst gold dust drizzled all over, as a golden mountain encircled by streaks of lightening, as a golden gatepost exquisite with seven kinds of gems that are strung on mechanical threads, as a golden mountain screened by red rugs though He is attired in dark-red rag-robes, as a golden gate-post inlaid and adorned with coral creeps, as a golden shrine honoured with vermilion powder, as a golden sacrificial post painted with liquid of lac, as the moon that rises all of a sudden from between red clouds. The Buddha鈥檚 possession of splendour, that is effected by the power of His Perfections thirty in all, is amazing endlessly!鈥�

Thereafter he looked at his own self and developed craving associated with household life on account of his own frame: 鈥淚 am of beauty, too. If the Buddha were a Universal Monarch, Lord of the four continents, He would have appointed me pro-leader (辫补谤颈苍腻测补办补), the position reserved for the eldest son. In that case, the whole of Jambudipa would become splendid.鈥�

While the Buddha was walking ahead it occurred to Him thus: 鈥淣ow the body of my son 搁腻丑耻濒补 has grown with flesh and blood. It is a time when one鈥檚 mind restlessly wanders about all attractive objects such as sights, etc. I wonder by what thoughts he is being occupied to pass away his time!鈥� While the Buddha was thus reflecting, He found out clearly His son鈥檚 thoughts that were accompanied by greedy inclinations towards household life (gehassita ta峁噃膩lobha), He found out 搁腻丑耻濒补鈥檚 thoughts as though He saw the moving fish in the clear water, and as though He saw His own image in the round mirror. This led Him to decide as follows: 鈥淲hile following behind Me, My son, the S膩ma峁噀ra 搁腻丑耻濒补, had developed craving for household life on account of his own body, thinking: 鈥業 am beautiful. My appearance is pure and clean. Landing not at a right path and following a wrong path, he directs his mind to the unworthy sense objects. Like a travelling man who has lost his way, he is heading for a place which is not worth visiting. If the arising defilement of greed were to stay in him and allowed to grow, this would not give him a chance to see clearly the welfare of oneself, as well as that of another, in their true perspective. This will lead him to the four woeful states of purgatory, animals, petas, and 补蝉耻谤补办腻测补蝉, and also to conception in the mother鈥檚 cramped womb. Thus will he be thrown into the wheel of 蝉补峁僺腻谤补 that knows no beginning (anamatagga). In fact, this greed produces what is fruitless. It destroys the meritorious consciousness. Owing to it, a terrible danger may occur in one鈥檚 mental continuum. This is not seen by men.

One who craves, does not see the cause and its effect clearly. When a being is overwhelmed by greed, complete darkness reigns.

A big mechanized boat, fully loaded with treasures, is not to be neglected, even for a moment, if water is seeping in through the breakage of the planks. As the breakage should be blocked up quickly, so the S膩ma峁噀ra 搁腻丑耻濒补 should not be negligently left aside. Before the defilement of greed destroys the treasures of the virtuous, such as morality and the like, that have accrued to him, I shall subdue those moral defilements of his.鈥�

In such an event the Buddha used to look back by turning round His whole body like a bull elephant which is called 苍腻驳补-vilokana, 鈥榓n elephant鈥檚 looking.鈥�

The Buddha stood, after turning His whole body as though a golden statue turned mechanically, and He addressed 搁腻丑耻濒补:

鈥湼槟宄蟪鼙舨�, there is matter (谤奴辫补) of the past, matter of the future, and matter of the present (3), matter inside the body and matter outside the body (2), rough matter and soft matter (2), bad matter and good matter (2), far matter and near matter (2). All this matter of eleven kinds is not mine; it is not I; it is not my self; thus must matter be contemplated as it really is through 痴颈辫补蝉蝉补苍腻 Knowledge and Wisdom.鈥�

When 搁腻丑耻濒补 asked: 鈥淓xalted Buddha, must only matter be (thus) contemplated? Speaker of Good Words, must only matter be (thus) contemplated?鈥� The Buddha answered: 鈥淢atter must be (thus) contemplated, 搁腻丑耻濒补; sensation (惫别诲补苍腻) must be (thus) contemplated;perception (蝉补帽帽腻) must be (thus) contemplated; mental formations (蝉补峁卥丑腻谤补) must be (thus) contemplated; consciousness (惫颈帽帽腻峁嘺) must be (thus) contemplated.鈥�

(Herein the reason for 搁腻丑耻濒补鈥檚 question, 鈥渕ust only matter be (thus) contemplated?鈥�, was as follows:

(On hearing the Buddha鈥檚 instruction that 鈥淎ll this matter of eleven kinds is not mine; it is not I; it is not my self: thus this matter be contemplated as it really is, through 痴颈辫补蝉蝉补苍腻 Knowledge and Wisdom,鈥� it occurred to 搁腻丑耻濒补, who developed skill in application of methods (nayakusala-帽腻峁嘺), thus: 鈥淭he Exalted One said: 鈥楢ll matter must be thus contemplated through 痴颈辫补蝉蝉补苍腻 Knowledge and Wisdom鈥�; how must the remaining four aggregates, such as sensation, etc., be contemplated? It should follow that they must also be contemplated as in the case of the aggregate of matter!鈥� Hence his question on the basis of his skill in application of methods (nayakusula-帽腻峁嘺).

(Indeed, the Venerable 搁腻丑耻濒补 possessed nayakusala-帽腻峁嘺 (a high degree of intelligence). When taught just one thing saying 鈥淭his should not be done,鈥� he would then ponder this too should not be done; this too should not be done" and penetratingly proceeded in hundreds of thousands of ways. Similarly, when instructed just one thing, saying, 鈥淭his should be done鈥�, he would then ponder, 鈥淭his too should be done; this too should be done鈥�, he was able to penetrate by hundreds of thousands of means.

(Besides, Venerable 搁腻丑耻濒补 cherished the threefold training. Early in the morning, in the precincts of the Buddha鈥檚 Scented Chamber, he would scatter daily a pattha^[1] of grains of sand and utter: 鈥淢ay I today get from the Exalted One or from my preceptor Thera 厂腻谤颈辫耻迟迟补 words of advice as much as this sand.鈥� (He put forward his questions because he wished to practise fully as he possessed nayakusala intelligence and cherished the three training.)

On receiving the Buddha鈥檚 reply the Venerable 搁腻丑耻濒补 considered thus:

鈥淎fter knowing the craving that has its base in my body, the Exalted One did not admonish me indirectly saying to the effect that, 鈥楢 monk should not have such an idea!鈥� Neither did He send a messenger to me saying: 鈥楪o, monk, ask him not to have such an idea!鈥� In fact, He stood face to face with me and gave me a Buddha鈥檚 instruction presently as though He seized a thief together with the stolen property, catching hold of his top knot. Hard is to get a Buddha鈥檚 advice even in the long duration 补蝉补峁卥丑测别测测补 aeons! Who, on getting the instruction of a Buddha in person, would care to enter a town or a village for food if he were truly wise?鈥�

Accordingly, 搁腻丑耻濒补 gave up his alms-food round and turned back from the spot where he heard the Buddha鈥檚 exhortation (without following the Buddha further) and sat down at the foot of a tree.

Though the Buddha saw 搁腻丑耻濒补 turning back, He did not forbid him by saying: 鈥湼槟宄蟪鼙舨�, do not go back yet. This is the time for you to go on alms-round,鈥� for he had conceived an idea: 鈥淟et 搁腻丑耻濒补 take the food of immortality the 办腻测补驳补迟腻-蝉补迟颈, body-related mindfulness, meditation, for the day!鈥�

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Pattha: a certain measure of capacity. Grains of rice measuring eight times (of a condensed milk tin) is a pattha in 笔腻濒颈 and pyi in the Myanma Language.