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(BUDDHA VERSES)
The Envious Are Not At Peace... People give as they have faith,
as they are bright with joyfulness. Who’s troubled over gifts received, the food and drink that others get, neither in daytime nor by night will come to a collected mind.
(Explanation: The people give in terms of the faith they have in the recipient. They give in terms of their pleasure. If one were to be jealous when they receive, food and drink, he will never attain tranquillity of mind day or night.)
The Just And The Impartial Judge Best... Whoever judges hastily does Dhamma not uphold, a wise one should investigate
truth and untruth both.
(Explanation: If for some reason someone were to judge what is right or wrong, arbitrarily, that judgment is not established on righteousness. But, the wise person judges what is right and what is wrong discriminately, without prejudice.)
Who Gives Up Jealousy Is Good-Natured... Not by eloquence alone or by lovely countenance is a person beautiful if jealous, boastful, mean.
(Explanation: Merely because of one’s verbal flourishes, impressive style of speaking, or the charming presence, a person who is greedy, envious and deceitful, does not become an acceptable individual.)
Buddhism is the most ancient of the four world religions... The majority of its followers live in south, south-east, and east asian countries, such as Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, China (including the Chinese population of Singapore and Malaysia), Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Tibet and Laos. In Russia, Buddhism has been traditionally confessed by the residents of Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva. In recent years, Buddhist communities emerged in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and many other cities of Russia. In the end of the 19th century and early years of the 20th century, Buddhists appeared in Europe and in the USA; so almost every oriental school of any importance is represented there today. The total number of Buddhists in the world is difficult to evaluate: such a census has never been performed; nor would it be consistent with legal regulations and ethical norms in many countries. However, one can speak of approximately 500 million lay practitioners and 1.5 million Buddhist monks and nuns in the world. Buddhism emerged in India more than 2500 years ago as a religious and philosophical teaching. It has created manifold religious institutions and canonical literature, which is unique in its scale and diversity. Broad interpretation of the philosophical doctrines of Buddhism contributed to its symbiosis, compromise, and assimilation with various local cultures, religions, and ideologies, that allowed it to penetrate each and every sphere of social life from religious practices and arts to political and economical theories. Depending on the point of view, Buddhism may be considered as either a religion, a philosophy or an ideology, as well as a cultural complex or a lifestyle. The term Buddha is not a personal name but a mere designation meaning the Enlightened One, The Awakened One. His personal name was Siddhatta (Siddhartha) and the family name Gotama (Gautama). He belonged to the Sakya clan and warrior class, and lived in North India (in modern Nepali) in the 6th century B.C. He was born in Lumbini. His parents were Suddhodana and Maya. (Mahamaya). At that time Suddhodana was the ruler of the kingdom of Sakyas, which followed a republican system of government. His mother died when he was just one week old and he was affectionately brought up by his maternal aunt, who married Suddhodana. Being the son of a rich and important family, Siddhatta had a comfortable childhood. Tradition records that he was a very sensitive and a studious child who mastered the relevant subjects with much ease. According to the custom of the time, he married at the age of 16, the beautiful young princess Yasodhara, whom tradition describes as his first cousin. The young couple led a happy married life in full luxury for 13 Years. All these luxuries failed to veil the realities of life with which he was struck and overwhelmed. This made him renunciate everything, even his new born son Rahula and leave household life and enter the state of homelessness, leading an ascetic life in search of a solution to the problems of life. At that time he was in the prime of youth - just 29 years of age. During his quest for a solution, which lasted for six years, he wandered about learning from famous teachers of the time. With his usual brilliance he mastered all the current philosophical and religious thoughts, but none satisfied him. He followed the most accepted traditional practices, the severe ascetic practices, which only left him physically battered. He resolved to break away from traditional extremes and follow his own way. Firmly resolving to reach his goal, one day he sat under the Bodhi tree, in Gaya near modern Bihar. Before the following dawn he realized, through his own higher wisdom, the truth, the problem of life and its cessation. This was his Enlightenment and since then he was called the Enlightened One, (The Buddha). After that he started his mission, first preaching to five ascetics, his former colleagues, and continued his missionary activities for 45 years. During this period he toured on foot a fairly wide area in North western India, meeting people of all walks of life and preaching to them and guiding them to see the truth. Soon there grew a large group of disciples who took this message to the people. The Buddha's great compassion and wisdom, his unique qualities as a teacher, his unblemished character, frankness, straightforwardness and simplicity, and many other simple human qualities, won the hearts of the people. This comparatively young teacher soon over-shadowed his senior contemporaries. Novelty of his Dharma with its liberal philosophy had a great appeal in the people. Just as the Buddha himself, his disciples also dedicated themselves tirelessly to the task of spreading the message for the welfare of the people. Soon, people of all classes - kings, ministers, nobles, millionaires and even beggars and outcasts - became the followers of the Buddha's teachings. His teaching was open to all those who wished to learn. The Buddha continued his missionary activities to the ripe age of 80 years, till his feet could not carry him any longer. His compassion was such that even in his death bed he preached to those who sincerely approached him to learn. He was on one of his usual barefoot tours, in his 80th year, when he fell ill with dysentery and passed away in the small town of Kusinara in Uttar Pradesh in India. Based on this historical Buddha, there developed a Buddha-concept in which the human Buddha got gradually transformed into a super-human being and in later Buddhism ending up as a metaphysical concept, the ultimate reality of the world - the Dharmakaya. The uniqueness of the virtues with which the Buddha was endowed, some explanatory utterances of the Buddha himself concerning his personality, the rich imagination of his devoted followers, analysis of the Buddha personality by his metaphysically bent disciples popular beliefs, specially, those pertaining to ‘Great Beings’ that were prevalent at the time and such other numerous factors contributed to this transition. This process of transition which started while the Buddha was living, became accelerated after his passing away. Many other connected beliefs developed alongside the Buddha-concept. Plurality of Buddhas, past and future Buddhas, Bodhisattvas (or Buddha aspirants) are some of those affiliated beliefs .The study of the personality of the Buddha in its transition from that of a human being into a universal principle and the other related developments, is a special area of study, and it is called Buddhology. The Buddha, unlike most of the other founders of religions, was a human being, one among us, who rose from an ordinary worldling level to that of a noble being. He himself, being a man, emphatically stated that man is supreme and that there is no higher being or power that controls and directs his deeds and sits in judgement over his destiny. Consequently, the Buddha was able to present the teaching that man is a free being with a free will, freedom of thought and investigation. Hence, Buddhism does away completely with dogmatism and adopts an open-minded attitude. This Buddhist attitude makes Buddhism discard the 'This only is true, all the rest is false' outlook and adopt a more sympathetic, understanding and tolerant approach to other views, beliefs and religions. This open minded attitude of Buddhism helps also to break away from the shackles of regressive traditions, not only with regard to matters pertaining to a religious sphere but also with regard to social, political, economic and such other related spheres as well. This explains how Buddhism succeeded in evolving a new world view and presenting a clear philosophy and dynamic religion. The philosophy lays beare the problems of man while the religion presents a very practical and realistic method of solving them. This is why Buddhism is relevant to all climes and times.
The Bodhisattva Ideal - Buddhism and the Aesthetics of Selflessness... A group of people was once traveling through a desert, when it so happened that three of them strayed away and got lost. Tired and thirsty, this trio wandered around the desert in the hope of finding some respite. Finally their quest came to an end when they discovered a high well. The first man rushed to it, looked over the wall and found it full of delicious ambrosial water. He immediately exclaimed in a gesture of frenzied euphoria and jumped into it never to come back. The second also did the same. The third man finally walked quietly over to the well, peeped over its high wall and then turned around and went back, returning to the desert to search for his other fellow travelers, to help guide them to this paradise. The life of a Bodhisattva is also made of similar stuff. In strictly canonical terms, a Bodhisattva is defined as an individual who discovers the source of the Ultimate Truth better known as Nirvana, but postpones his own Enlightenment until he has guided all his fellow beings to this same source of fulfillment. A formidable task to say the least. The path of the Bodhisattva is thus one of extreme self-denial and selflessness. According to the Lankavatara Sutra (4th century BC): "A Bodhisattva wishes to help all beings attain Nirvana. He must therefore refuse to enter Nirvana himself, as he cannot apparently render any services to the living beings of the worlds after his own Nirvana." He thus finds himself in the rather illogical position of pointing the way to Nirvana for other beings, while he himself stays in this world of suffering in order to do good to all creatures. This is his great sacrifice for others. He has taken the great Vow: "I shall not enter into final Nirvana before all beings have been liberated." He does not realize the highest liberation for himself, as he cannot abandon other beings to their fate. He has said: "I must lead all beings to liberation. I will stay here till the end, even for the sake of one living soul." The word 'Bodhisattva' itself is prone to a rich etymological analysis. It is composed of two words 'bodhi' and 'sattva,' both of which connote deeply spiritually meanings. Bodhi means "awakening" or "Enlightenment," and sattva means "sentient being." Sattva also has etymological roots that mean "intention," meaning the intention to Enlighten other beings. Thus, the composite word Bodhisattva signifies the very essence of the divine beings it refers to. Buddhist aesthetics, very much like its literature, brings home spiritual truths in the simplest manner, graspable by all. The various Bodhisattvas, also, dominate the spectrum of Buddhist art, illustrating this abstract conceptualization in as hard hitting a manner as do the various myths surrounding them. The most prominent Bodhisattva in this regard is Avalokiteshvara. The word 'Avalokiteshvara' is derived from the Pali verb 'oloketi' which means 'to look at, to look down or over, to examine or inspect.' The word avalokita has an active signification, and the name means, 'the lord who sees (the world with pity).' The Tibetan equivalent is spyanras-gzigs (the lord, who looks with eyes). The text known as Karanda-vyuha (8th century AD), explains that he is so called because he views with compassion all beings suffering from the evils of existence. It is interesting to note here that a dominant feature in the description of Avalokiteshvara is his/her capacity to 'see' the suffering of others. No wonder then that he is often represented with a thousand eyes symbolizing his all encompassing ability to view with compassion the suffering of others, thus sharing in their sorrows, a first step towards their ultimate alleviation. Not only that, he further has a thousand hands, also, which help in the mammoth task of delivering innumerable beings to their ultimate spiritual fulfillment. The mythology associated with Avalokiteshvara is as interesting as his iconography: Once, by his sustained efforts, Avalokiteshvara was eventually able to deliver all sentient beings to Enlightenment, managing salvation for everyone. Enthused, he reported the success of his efforts to his spiritual father, Amitabha. Amitabha asked him to look behind himself. Turning back, Avalokiteshvara saw the world again being filled with new sufferers who awaited their escape from the constant cycle of birth and rebirth. Sinking into despair, the eyes of Avalokiteshvara shed tears of compassion. He wept so pitifully that his head burst. Amitabha attempted to assemble the pieces but did not entirely succeed. In the ensuing confusion he put together nine complete faces, each with a gentle expression. Above this he placed the demonic head of Vajrapani that functions to ward off evil, and finally at the very top he placed his own head to ensure that in the future such a happening did not recur. He thus sits on guard at the top of the rows of heads of Avalokiteshvara making definite that Avalokiteshvara in his infinite compassion doesn't
get carried away, leading to his own destruction. In addition to Avalokiteshvara two other important Bodhisattvas are Manjushri and Maitreya: Manjushri - Once at a meeting of numerous Bodhisattvas at the house of Vimalakirti, the lay disciple of Buddha, a debate developed on the meaning of non-duality, an essential precept of Buddhist thought. After many Bodhisattvas had finely expressed their opinions on the subject and their success at understanding its essence, it came to Manjushri's turn. He got up and announced that all the previous speeches were themselves conditioned by linguistic limitations and were subtly dualistic. When Manjushri turned to Vimalakirti and asked for his views, Vimalakirti just maintained silence, thus demonstrating the truth of Manjushri's statement. This story is a beautiful reflection on the irony of scholarship attempting to express itself through a medium (speech/language), which contains within itself a contradiction of the very fundamental ideals which it proposes to expound. In this particular case Manjushri identifies this sublime and intrinsic inconsistency. An exalted individual may wax eloquent upon the virtues of non-duality and his grasp of this abstract concept, but the very language used to express these views is inherently dual as it is composed of word and it's meaning, two exclusive entities. This subtle, nonetheless significant gradation brings home a profound truth, taking the wind out of any sense of achievement derived out of purported scholarship. Verily, thus Manjushri carries in his two hands a book and a sword. This sword is there to cut off fetters born not out of ignorance but those which arise through knowledge, signified by the book. This is not a negation of bookish knowledge, but only an assertion of the realization that unless we gain it we cannot know the futility of it in the quest towards ultimate spiritual truths. Manjushri appropriately suggests not the path of renunciation but that of righteous karma. A Zen story illuminates this aspect: Once the chief cook of a temple on Mount Wutai (the favorite mountain of Manjushri), was busy making lunch. Manjushri repeatedly appeared sitting above the rice pot. This chief cook, who later became a noted Zen master, finally hit Manjushri with his stirring spoon and drove him away, saying, "Even if old man Shakyamuni came, I would also hit him," In Zen temples the position of chief cook is highly esteemed. This story denotes the priority of taking care of everyday life, beyond attention to high-flowing rhetoric. Caring for the details of daily life is sometimes seen as more important than spending time in studying Sutras or in concentration in the meditation halls, and indeed many monks, perhaps including this chief cook, have been encouraged to abandon any preference for meditation over ordinary work. Reconciling Manjushri's actions with his status as a Bodhisattva we realize that here we see a rare but distinctly significant affirmation in Buddhist thought of an existence composed of normal and 'ordinary' family life rather than that of denial. The carrying out of one's duties is as spiritually fulfilling an activity as any other 'Bodhisattvic' deed. Consider for example the activity of cooking. The Bhagvad Gita says that one who cooks for others acquires the highest merit, while that who selfishly cooks food only for his own consumption commits a sin. Likewise the temple cook was engaged in an effort of the highest merit. Indeed for contemporary times this is an ultimate tribute to those women of the house who diligently provide us with sustenance which fulfills not only our physical needs, but also nourishes us spiritually. Maitreya - According to some Buddhist traditions, the period of the Buddhist Law is divided into three stages: a first period of 500 years is of the turning of the Wheel of the Law; a second period of 1,000 years is of the deterioration of the Law, and the third period of 3,000 years is the one during which no one practices the Law. After this, Buddhism having disappeared, a new Buddha will appear who will again turn the Wheel of the Law. This future Buddha known as Maitreya is beloved to be still in the Tushita heaven, in the state of a Bodhisattva. It is believed that Gautama Buddha himself enthroned him as his successor. The word 'maitreya' is derived from the Sanskrit word for 'friendliness.' Thus, this Bodhisattva is fundamentally said to embody the qualities of amiability and an attitude of well-meaning sympathy. According to a legend... there once descended to the earth from Maitreya's Tushita heaven a Chinese layman and teacher named Mahasattva Fu, widely regarded as an incarnation of Maitreya. Fu attracted many students to his Dharma lectures. Living in a time of great hardships and famines for the peasants, he sold all of his possessions to feed the local villagers, and also fasted to give away his food to the needy. Fu once undertook a long hunger fast to protest against the king's treatment of the poor. He announced that he would finish the fast with a fiery self-immolation, as an offering to benefit all suffering beings. At the culmination of his fast, many of his followers offered to burn themselves in his place, some going to the extent of burning their fingers or cutting off their ears as offerings and engaging in other ascetic extremes. They finally convinced Fu to abandon his plan. The notion of a Bodhisattva sacrificing his complete physical self or at least parts of it, conforms to a similar notion expounded in ancient Buddhist texts. For example, the 'Shat-sahasrika Prajna-paramita' (5th century AD) says: "Besides wealth and material objects, a Bodhisattva should be ready to sacrifice his limbs for the good of others, his hand, foot, eye, flesh, blood, marrow, limbs great and small, and even his head." Indeed, in the Jataka tales which are legendary stories about Bodhisattvas, there abound numerous instances where they are shown sacrificing parts of their bodies or even their lives to save that of another. A persistent paradox regarding Maitreya is his visualization as an entity of the future. This presents a contrast to much of Buddhist practice and teaching which emphasizes the importance of the present, the current moment. This is sometimes referred to as the timeless eternal. According to the Buddhist viewpoint, time does not exist as some external container, but is the vital expression and enactment of our own being right now. Time does not exist separate from our own presence. As a Bodhisattva associated with the future, as against the fundamental stress Buddhism places on the present moment of time, Maitreya presents a wondrous amalgamation and a complex composite on the plane of time. Buddhist esoteric thought achieves this is in a skillful manner by associating him with children. Children are but the 'present' of our 'future.' A number of stories abound which illustrate his loving-kindness for children: Once in his incarnation as a spiritual poet, Maitreya was asked by a relative to help in dealing with his son, who was becoming a delinquent. The poet (Maitreya) visited the family and stayed the night without saying anything to the son. The next morning as he prepared to depart, he asked the boy's help in tying up his sandals. As the lad looked up from doing so, he saw a tear roll down the poet's cheek. Nothing was said, but from that time the boy completely reformed. The easy camaraderie with children and attention to young people shown by Maitreyan figures amply justifies the 'friendly' origin of his name as described above. In China too, Maitreya is synonymous with his supposed incarnation as the tenth-century Chinese Zen monk Hotei, popularly known as the Laughing Buddha. Hotei is legendary as a wandering sage with supernatural powers who spent his time in village streets rather than the security of temples. His image is recognizable as the fat, jolly Buddha, whose statue can be seen in all Chinese Buddhist temples. Hotei's name means 'cloth bag,' and he is believed to have carried a sack full of candies and toys to give to children with whom he is often depicted in play. This scruffy, disheveled Buddha adds to our understanding of Maitreya's warmth and loving-kindness. Hotei's fat belly and affinity with children reflects yet another aspect of Maitreya in popular folk religion, that of a fertility deity. He indeed is worshipped by those wanting to have children. This ritual is especially popular in Korea. Conclusion: The Samadhiraja-sutra (4th century), explains why a Bodhisattva does not feel any pain, even when he mutilates himself for the good of others. When Buddha was asked how a Bodhisattva could cheerfully suffer the loss of his hands, feet, ears, nose, eyes and head, he explained that pity for mankind and the love of bodhi sustain and inspire a Bodhisattva in his heroism, just as worldly men are ready to enjoy the five kinds of sensual pleasure, even when their bodies are burning with fever. A Bodhisattva should regard every action and movement of his body as an occasion for the cultivation of friendly thoughts for the good of all creatures. When he sits down he thinks thus: "May I help all beings to sit on the throne of Enlightenment." When he lies on his right side, he thinks thus: "May I lead all beings to Nirvana." When he washes his hands, he thinks thus: "May I remove the sinful propensities of all creatures." When he washes his feet, he thinks thus: "May I take away the dirt of sins and passion from all creatures." In this way the body can be converted into a holy vessel of benediction. Blessed indeed is he who loses his physical existence in doing good to others. A Bodhisattva can never love the body for its own sake, if he cherishes it, he does so only because he will gird himself up to save someone, sometime, somewhere, on some occasion, in the moment of tribulation. By conceptualizing the lofty ideal of a Bodhisattva, Buddhism sets a high standard of virtuous conduct for us ordinary mortals to emulate, thus striving for a spiritually enriched life radiant with the glow of selflessness, indeed the foundation for a meaningful and fulfilling existence, both for the individual and for the world around him, of which he is but a microcosm.
"May every creature abound in well-being and peace. May every living being, weak or strong, the long and the small, the short and the medium-sized, the mean and the great, ay every living being, seen or unseen, those dwelling far off, those near by, those already born, those waiting to be born, may all attain inner peace.
"Let no one deceive another. Let no one despise another in any situation. Let no one, from antipathy or hatred, wish evil to anyone at all. Just as a mother, with her own life, protects her only son from hurt, so within yourself foster a limitless concern for every living creature. Display a heart of boundless love for all the world, in all its height and depth and broad extent, love unrestrained, without hate or enmity. Then, as you stand or walk, sit or lie, until overcome by drowsiness, devote your mind entirely to this - it is known as living here life divine." The Buddha
The Foundation Of All Good Qualities... Please let me see that proper devotion to my Guru, who is foundation of all the good qualities, forms the root of the Path and let me strive with effort and great devotion to him - please inspire me. Please let me understand that this rare, precious body, endowed with freedom is found only once, and may I cultivate both day and night unceasing the mind that grasps its essence - please inspire me. Please let me realize that my unstable body quickly decays and dies, like water bubbles. Convinced that after death - like shadows follow bodies black and white karma ripens - please inspire me. Please let my actions be guided by karmic insight avoiding even smallest wrongful actions and working to complete accumulating merit with mindfulness and caution - please inspire me. Please let me understand that seeking worldly pleasures will never satisfy; they can't be trusted! Aware of all these faults, may I attain the wish to strive for liberation - please inspire me. Please let these pure thoughts give rise to the greatest caution, may mindfulness and watchfulness increase. May I act in accordance with pratimoksha vows; the root of Dharma teachings - please inspire me. Please let me see that all my mother sentient beings are in samsara's ocean just like me, and take upon myself to free all transmigrators with supreme Bodhicitta - please inspire me. Please let me clearly see that with just Bodhicitta, without the practice of the threefold ethics, I will not be Enlightened, thus practice with strong effort the Bodhisattva vows - please inspire me. Please let me pacify distractions to wrong objects, and analyze correct reality's meaning. Thus quickly generating the unifying path of insight and samadhi - please inspire me. Please let me have the fortune trained in the common path to be a vessel, pure enough to enter the holy entrance of the hightest of all yanas, the supreme Vajra Path - please inspire me. Please let me clearly see that keeping all my pledges is the foundation of the two attainments, thus may I keep my vows and all commitments purely, even risking my life - please inspire me. Please let me recognize the heart of tantric practice and grasp the importance of both the stages. Then practice enthusiastic four-session meditation and realize Guru's teachings - please inspire me. Please, may the virtuous Guides who show the Noble Path, and Dharma friends who practice, all have long lives and may all hindrances, internal and external, be pacified completely - please inspire me. May I throughout all lives not part from perfect teachers and enjoy all the Buddha's Noble Teachings. Stages and paths completed may I quickly achieve the state of Vajradhara - please inspire me. (by Lama Tsong Khapa)
The Background to the Metta Sutta... The historical background which led the Buddha to expound the Karaniya Metta Sutta (Sutra) is explained in the commentary written by Acariya Buddhaghosa, who received it from an unbroken line of Elders going back to the days of the Buddha himself. It is told that five hundred monks received instructions from the Buddha in the particular techniques of meditation suitable to their individual temperaments. They then went to the foothills of the Himalayas to spend the four months of the rains' retreat by living a life of withdrawal and intensive meditation. In those days, a month or two before the rains' retreat started, monks from all parts of the country would assemble wherever the Buddha lived in order to receive direct instruction from the Supreme Master. Then they would go back to their monasteries, forest dwellings or hermitages to make a vigorous attempt at spiritual liberation. This was how these five hundred monks went to the Buddha, who was staying at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove in the monastery built by Anathapindika. After receiving instructions they went in search of a suitable place, and in the course of their wandering they soon found a beautiful hillock at the foothills of the Himalayas. This, according to the commentary, "Appeared like a glittering blue quartz crystal: it was embellished with a cool, dense, green forest grove and a stretch of ground strewn with sand, resembling a pearl net or a silver sheet, and was furnished with a clean spring of cool water." The bhikkhus were captivated by the sight. There were a few villages nearby, and also a small market-town ideal as alms-resort. The monks spent a night in that idyllic grove and the next morning went to the market-town for alms. The residents there were overjoyed to see the monks, since rarely did a community of monks come to spend the retreat in that part of the Himalayas. These pious devotees fed the monks and begged them to stay on as their guests, promising to build each a hut near the grove on the sandy stretch so that they could spend their days and nights plunged in meditation under the ancient boughs of the majestic trees. The bhikkhus agreed and the devotees of the area soon built little huts in the fringe of the forest and provided each hut with a wooden cot, a stool and pots of water for drinking and washing. After the monks had settled down contentedly in these huts, each one selected a tree to meditate under, by day and by night. Now it is said that these great trees were inhabited by tree-deities who had a celestial mansion built, appropriately using the trees as the base. These deities, out of reverence for the meditating monks, stood aside with their families. Virtue was revered by all, particularly so by deities, and when the monks sat under the trees, the deities, who were householders, did not like to remain above them. The deities had thought that the monks would remain only for a night or two, and gladly bore the inconvenience. But when day after day passed and the monks still kept occupying the bases of the trees, the deities wondered when they would go away. They were like dispossessed villagers whose houses had been commandeered by the officials of visiting royalty and they kept watching anxiously from a distance, wondering when they would get their houses back. These dispossessed deities discussed the situation among themselves and decided to frighten the monks away by showing them terrifying objects, by making dreadful noises and by creating a sickening stench. Accordingly, they materialized all these terrifying conditions and afflicted the monks. The monks soon grew pale and could no longer concentrate on their subjects of meditation. As the deities continued to harass them, they lost even their basic mindfulness, and their brains seemed to become smothered by the oppressing visions, noise and stench. When the monks assembled to wait upon the senior-most Elder of the group, each one recounted his experiences. The Elder suggested: "Let us go, brethren, to the Blessed One and place our problem before him. There are two kinds of rains' retreat -- the early and the late. Though we will be breaking the early one by leaving this place, we can always take upon ourselves the late one after meeting the Lord." The monks agreed and they set out at once, it is said, without even informing the devotees. By stages they arrived at Savatthi, went to the Blessed One, prostrated at his feet, and related their frightful experiences, pathetically requesting another place. The Buddha, through his supernormal power, scanned the whole of India, but finding no place except the same spot where they could achieve spiritual liberation, told them: "Monks, go back to the same spot! It is only by striving there that you will effect the destruction of inner taints. Fear not! If you want to be free from the harassment caused by the deities, learn this sutta. It will be a theme for meditation as well as a formula for protection (paritta). Then the Master recited the Karaniya Metta Sutta -- the Hymn of Universal Love -- which the monks learned by rote in the presence of the Lord. Then they went back to the same place. As the monks neared their forest dwellings reciting the Metta Sutta, thinking and meditating on the underlying meaning, the hearts of the deities became so charged with warm feelings of goodwill that they materialized themselves in human form and received the monks with great piety. They took their bowls, conducted them to their rooms, caused water and food to be supplied, and then, resuming their normal form, invited them to occupy the bases of the trees and meditate without any hesitation or fear. Further, during the three months of the rains' residence, the deities not only looked after the monks in every way but made sure that the place was completely free from any noise. Enjoying perfect silence, by the end of the rainy season all the monks attained to the pinnacle of spiritual perfection. Every one of the five hundred monks had become an Arahat. Indeed, such is the power intrinsic in the Metta Sutta. Whoever with firm faith will recite the sutta, invoking the protection of the deities and meditating on metta, will not only safeguard himself in every way but will also protect all those around him, and will make spiritual progress that can be actually verified. No harm can ever befall a person who follows the path of metta.
"One may desire a spurious respect and precedence among one's fellow monks, and the veneration of outsiders. 'Both monks and laity should think it was my doing. They should accept my authority in all matters great or small.' This is a fool's way of thinking. His self-seeking and conceit just increase.
"Navies channel water, fletchers fashion arrows, and carpenters work on wood, but the wise disciple themselves.
"Foolish, ignorant people indulge in careless lives, whereas a clever man guards his attention as his most precious possession.
"Don't indulge in careless behaviour. Don't be the friend of sensual pleasures. He who meditates attentively attains abundant joy.
"Careful amidst the careless, amongst the sleeping wide-awake, the intelligent man leaves them all behind, like a race-horse does a mere hack.
"With his mind free from the inflow of thoughts and from restlessness, by abandoning both good and evil, an alert man knows no fear.
"All fear violence, all are afraid of death. Seeing the similarity to oneself, one should not use violence or have it used." Gautama Buddha
Cherishing Others... The main reason we do not cherish all living beings is that we are so preoccupied with ourself, and this leaves very little room in our mind to appreciate others. If we wish to cherish others sincerely we have to reduce our obsessive self-concern. Why is it that we regard ourself as so precious, but not others? It is because we are so familiar with self-cherishing. Since beginningless time we have grasped at a truly existent 'I.' This grasping at 'I' automatically gives rise to self-cherishing, which instinctively feels "I am more important than others." For ordinary beings, grasping at one's own 'I' and self-cherishing are like two sides of the same coin: 'I'-grasping grasps at a truly existent 'I,' whereas self-cherishing feels this 'I' to be precious and cherishes it. The fundamental reason for this is our constant familiarity with our self-cherishing, day and night, even during our sleep. Since we regard our self or 'I' as so very precious and important, we exaggerate our own good qualities and develop an inflated view of ourself. Almost anything can serve as a basis for this arrogant mind, such as our looks, possessions, knowledge, experiences, or status. If we make a witty remark we think "I am so clever!," or if we have traveled round the world we feel that this automatically makes us a fascinating person. We can even develop pride on the basis of things we ought to be ashamed of, such as our ability to deceive others, or on qualities that we merely imagine we possess. On the other hand we find it very hard to accept our mistakes and shortcomings. We spend so much time contemplating our real or imagined good qualities that we become oblivious to our faults. In reality our mind is full of gross delusions but we ignore them and may even fool ourself into thinking that we do not have such repulsive minds. This is like pretending that there is no dirt in our house after sweeping it under the carpet. It is often so painful to admit that we have faults that we make all manner of excuses rather than alter our exalted view of ourself. One of the most common ways of not facing up to our faults is to blame others. For instance, if we have a difficult relationship with someone we naturally conclude that it is entirely their fault - we are unable to accept that it is at least partly ours. Instead of taking responsibility for our actions and making an effort to change our behaviour, we argue with them and insist that it is they who must change. An exaggerated sense of our own importance thus leads to a critical attitude towards other people and makes it almost impossible to avoid conflict. The fact that we are oblivious to our faults does not prevent other people from noticing them and pointing them out, but when they do we feel that they are being unfair. Instead of looking honestly at our own behaviour to see whether or not the criticism is justified, our self-cherishing mind becomes defensive and retaliates by finding faults with them. Another reason why we do not regard others as precious is that we pay attention to their faults whilst ignoring their good qualities. Unfortunately we have become very skilled in recognizing the faults of others, and we devote a great deal of mental energy to listing them, analyzing them, and even meditating on them! With this critical attitude, if we disagree with our partner or colleagues about something, instead of trying to understand their point of view we repeatedly think of many reasons why we are right and they are wrong. By focusing exclusively on their faults and limitations we become angry and resentful, and rather than cherishing them we develop the wish to harm or discredit them. In this way small disagreements can easily turn into conflicts that simmer for months. In Advice from Atisha's Heart it says: Do not look for faults in others, but look for faults in yourself, and purge them like bad blood. Do not contemplate your own good qualities, but contemplate the good qualities of others, and respect everyone as a servant would.
The Karaniya Metta Sutta - Hymn of Universal Love...
Who seeks to promote his welfare, having glimpsed the state of perfect peace, should be able, honest and upright, gentle in speech, meek and not proud.
Contented, he ought to be easy to support, not over-busy, and simple in living. Tranquil his senses, let him be prudent, and not brazen, nor fawning on families.
Also, he must refrain from any action that gives the wise reason to reprove him. Then let him cultivate the thought: May all be well and secure, may all beings be happy!
Whatever living creatures there be, without exception, weak or strong, long, huge or middle-sized, or short, minute or bulky, whether visible or invisible, and those living far or near, the born and those seeking birth, may all beings be happy!
Let none deceive or decry his fellow anywhere; let none wish others harm in resentment or in hate.
Just as with her own life, a mother shields from hurt her own son, her only child, let all-embracing thoughts for all beings be yours.
Cultivate an all-embracing mind of love for all throughout the universe, in all its height, depth and breadth -- love that is untroubled and beyond hatred or enmity.
As you stand, walk, sit or lie, so long as you are awake, pursue this awareness with your might: It is deemed the Divine State here.
Holding no more to wrong beliefs, with virtue and vision of the ultimate, and having overcome all sensual desire, never in a womb is one born again.
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Last update: July 1, 2009
