{ FROM DESIRE SPRINGS GRIEF, FROM DESIRE SPRINGS FEAR. FOR HIM WHO IS WHOLLY FREE FROM DESIRE THERE IS NO GRIEF, WHENCE THEN FEAR? }. .
In the town of Kosambi a courtezan gave birth to a child. Knowing that it was a son, she ordered it to be thrown on a dunghill, upon which a crowd of dogs and crows surrounded the child. A neighbour being attracted by the right, came hither and carried the child home with great affection. A Sitana (a millionaire) of the town, on his way to the palace net the royal astrologer returning home, and equired from him as to the position of the planets on that day. "Any child born today" he said, "will become the chief Sitana of the town."
During the day, his wife was in labour, and he therefore, being anxious to get home hastened to the palace and returned. He then ordered a maid-servant named Kali to bring any male child born in the town on that day by giving for it one thousand pieces of money. She went about enquiring, and finding a child born on that day, paid one thousand pieces of money to the parents and brought it to the Sitana, who thought that if his wife should bring forth daughter she could be married to this child, but if a son, then this child should be destroyed. His wife gave birth to a son, so he resolved to destroy the other child, and various methods were adopted to carry out his design. This child was first left at the gate of a cattle-shed to be trampled on by the cattle, then it was placed on the high road, to be run over by carts or trampled on by oxen. Again it was left in a cemetery, to be eaten by the yakshas (forms of devils), but there it was thrown down a precipice over which condemned criminals were cast. Each time the Sitana spent one thousand pieces of money to get back the child from those who had rescued it on the several occasions. The child now began to grow steadily and was named Gosaka.
The Sitana had a friend, who was a potter by profession, to whom he said, "Friend, do me the favour of destroying my illegitimate son, by throuwing him into your oven, for doing which I now advance you one thousand pieces of money. Tomorrow I shall send the boy on to you", and to this the potter agreed. The following morning the Sitana summoned Gosaka and said to him, "Son, I entrusted some work to that potter yesterday, go and tell him to do that work today." My Gosaka started on this mission, and his brother, who was playing ball, observing him bound on a journey enquired where he was going to, and Gosaka duly informed him; whereupon the brother volunteered to undertake the work, and in turn told Gosaka to make up whatever he had lost in playing. At first Gosaka dislike the idea, but on his brother insisting, Gosaka remained playing and his brother went on the errand. When the brother met the potter, the latter took him up and threw him into the oven.
Sometime afterwards Gosaka went home and the Sitana asked him whether he had gone to the potter and being intormed of what had happened, immediately went running to the potter, only to be told that he had done as he had promised him. The Sitana was overwhelmed with grief and passed his days in great misery. The Sitana committee there crimes owing to the affection he bore towards his own son.
~DHAMMAPADA ATHTHA KATHA
http://buddhasrealteachings.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
LYING IS BIG SIN (STORY OF A FISH) read the reflection of lying
During the time of kasyapa Buddha two brothers were admitted to the order by some of his disciples. The name of the eldest was Sodana and that of the younger, Kapila. Sodana was their mother, and their sister Tapana was a Bhikkhuni (female devotee who had renounced the world).
Sodana and kapila enquired how many Duras (different modes in which a Priest may live) there were, and Sodana decided to pass the Grantha Dura. Having remained with the Teachers for five years he went to the desert and through persistent endeavour became an Arahat. Kapila passed the Grantha Dura and became well versed in the teaching embodied in the three Pitakas. Owing to his deep learning, he had a large number of followers, through whom he began to gain much. He became proud of his erudition and began to contradict what others said; for instance if they said one thing was wrong, he would say it right, and so forth. The elder theras now advised him again and again not to pursue that sort of action, whereupon he derided them. They then induced his brother, the Arahat Sodana, to advise him. Sodana now advised his brother not to continue in expressing opinions which are untenable, and this advice was repeated again and still it was unheeded. He said to Kapila, "You will have to suffer for what you do now", and went his way. Kapila severed his connection with the other Theras and began to do whatever he wished, suppressing the truth in the Dhamma and presenting as truth what is not in the Dhamma. When the Bhikkhus assembled at the Confession Hall, Kapila sat on the dais and questioned them as to whatever they were abiding by the rules prescribed for them. None replied, and he said, "There are no such rules amongst us now," In the Arahat died, and after sometime, Kapila Thera also died, and was born in hell. Their mother and sister, having treated Bhikkhus contemptuously died and were also born in hell.
There were five hundred robbers who, when being chased, ran into the desert, and seeing a Bhikkhu in a cave, entreated him to protect them. He said to them, "Nothing can help you now, my friends, but take as your guide the Three Gems and the Pancha seela." They accordingly did so, but the villagers, who suffered at their haner came and killed them all. They were all born in the Kamavachara Deva Loka. During the time of Gotama Buddha, the chief robber was born as a son of a prominent fisherman in Savaththi, and the rest were also born in the same town. Those five hundred grew old, and they all became good friends.
Kapila, who was undergoing suffering in hell, was born in the river Achirawathi as a very fish, which was golden in colour, but had a most offensive smell in its mouth.
One day a band of young fisherman went out fishing in this river, and having spread their net, Kapila was caught in it. As these young fisherman at their very first attempt caught a huge fish, they took it to the King, who had the fish taken to Buddha, who then resided at the Jetawana monastery. When the fish opened its mouth, the whole monastery was perveded with a most offensive smell. The king enquired, "why, oh lord, does the mouth of this fish, whose colour is golden, have such a putrid smell?" "Mahã Raja", replied the Buddha, "this fish was born as a Bhikkhu during the time of Kasyapa Buddha. He was well versed in the Dhamma, but represented truth as untruth, userting elder priests with contempt and he corrupted the religion. As a result of such actions, he was born in hell and now he has been born as a fish. Owing to his having abided by the precepts for a time, whilst he was a Bhikkhu, he has now acquired this colour. He presented the truth as untruth, he reproached and abused well-conducted priests; on this account a putrid smell now emanates from his mouth. Mahã raja, shall I make this fish talk?" "very well" replied the raja. The Lord then called upon the fish to talk, whereupon it said,
"oh lord, i am kapila."
"from whence have you come?"
"from avici, hell lord."
"why were you born there?"
"for presenting untruth as truth, lord."
"where is your brother, sodana?"
he has attained nibbãna, lord."
"where is sodani, your sister?"
"born in hell lord."
"where is Tapana, your mother?
"born in great hell, lord."
"where will you be born hereafter?"
"in the great hell, lord."
After a while Kapila, striking its head in its struggles, died and was again born in hell. Then the Lord delivered to the assembly a discourse which was thereafter known as kapila sutta.
~Kapila Sutta Aththvannana.
http://buddhasrealteachings.blogspot.com
Sodana and kapila enquired how many Duras (different modes in which a Priest may live) there were, and Sodana decided to pass the Grantha Dura. Having remained with the Teachers for five years he went to the desert and through persistent endeavour became an Arahat. Kapila passed the Grantha Dura and became well versed in the teaching embodied in the three Pitakas. Owing to his deep learning, he had a large number of followers, through whom he began to gain much. He became proud of his erudition and began to contradict what others said; for instance if they said one thing was wrong, he would say it right, and so forth. The elder theras now advised him again and again not to pursue that sort of action, whereupon he derided them. They then induced his brother, the Arahat Sodana, to advise him. Sodana now advised his brother not to continue in expressing opinions which are untenable, and this advice was repeated again and still it was unheeded. He said to Kapila, "You will have to suffer for what you do now", and went his way. Kapila severed his connection with the other Theras and began to do whatever he wished, suppressing the truth in the Dhamma and presenting as truth what is not in the Dhamma. When the Bhikkhus assembled at the Confession Hall, Kapila sat on the dais and questioned them as to whatever they were abiding by the rules prescribed for them. None replied, and he said, "There are no such rules amongst us now," In the Arahat died, and after sometime, Kapila Thera also died, and was born in hell. Their mother and sister, having treated Bhikkhus contemptuously died and were also born in hell.
There were five hundred robbers who, when being chased, ran into the desert, and seeing a Bhikkhu in a cave, entreated him to protect them. He said to them, "Nothing can help you now, my friends, but take as your guide the Three Gems and the Pancha seela." They accordingly did so, but the villagers, who suffered at their haner came and killed them all. They were all born in the Kamavachara Deva Loka. During the time of Gotama Buddha, the chief robber was born as a son of a prominent fisherman in Savaththi, and the rest were also born in the same town. Those five hundred grew old, and they all became good friends.
Kapila, who was undergoing suffering in hell, was born in the river Achirawathi as a very fish, which was golden in colour, but had a most offensive smell in its mouth.
One day a band of young fisherman went out fishing in this river, and having spread their net, Kapila was caught in it. As these young fisherman at their very first attempt caught a huge fish, they took it to the King, who had the fish taken to Buddha, who then resided at the Jetawana monastery. When the fish opened its mouth, the whole monastery was perveded with a most offensive smell. The king enquired, "why, oh lord, does the mouth of this fish, whose colour is golden, have such a putrid smell?" "Mahã Raja", replied the Buddha, "this fish was born as a Bhikkhu during the time of Kasyapa Buddha. He was well versed in the Dhamma, but represented truth as untruth, userting elder priests with contempt and he corrupted the religion. As a result of such actions, he was born in hell and now he has been born as a fish. Owing to his having abided by the precepts for a time, whilst he was a Bhikkhu, he has now acquired this colour. He presented the truth as untruth, he reproached and abused well-conducted priests; on this account a putrid smell now emanates from his mouth. Mahã raja, shall I make this fish talk?" "very well" replied the raja. The Lord then called upon the fish to talk, whereupon it said,
"oh lord, i am kapila."
"from whence have you come?"
"from avici, hell lord."
"why were you born there?"
"for presenting untruth as truth, lord."
"where is your brother, sodana?"
he has attained nibbãna, lord."
"where is sodani, your sister?"
"born in hell lord."
"where is Tapana, your mother?
"born in great hell, lord."
"where will you be born hereafter?"
"in the great hell, lord."
After a while Kapila, striking its head in its struggles, died and was again born in hell. Then the Lord delivered to the assembly a discourse which was thereafter known as kapila sutta.
~Kapila Sutta Aththvannana.
http://buddhasrealteachings.blogspot.com
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