Buddhist Dhammapadha a devout lady and the thieves

Chapter XXV - BHIKKHU VAGGA - The Bhikkhu or The Mendicant

THE BHIKKHU WHO RADIATES LOVING-KINDNESS RADIATES PEACE

THE BHIKKHU WHO RADIATES LOVING-KINDNESS RADIATES PEACE

Metta vihari yo bhikkhu pasanno buddha sasane
Adhigacche padam santam sankharupasamam sukham. [368]

GIVE UP LUST AND HATRED

Sinca bhikkhu imam navam sitta te lahum essati
Chetva ragan ca dosan ca tato nibbanam ehisi. [369]

A FLOOD-CROSSER IS ONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP THE FETTERS

Panca chinde panca jahe panca c'uttari bhavaye
Panca sangatigo bhikkhu oghatinno' ti vuccati. [370]

MEDITATE EARNESTLY

Jhaya bhikkhu ma ca pamado ma te kama gune bhamassu cittam
Ma loha gulam gili pamatto ma kandi dukkham idan'ti dayhamano. [371]

THERE IS NO WISDOM IN THOSE WHO DO NOT THINK

Natthi jhanam apannassa panna natthi ajhayato
Yamhi jhanan ca panna ca sa ve nibbana santike. [372]

HE WHO IS CALM EXPERIENCES TRANSCENDENTAL JOY

Sunnagaram pavitthassa santa cittassa bhikkhuno
Amanusi rati hoti samma dhammam vipassato. [373]

HAPPY IS HE WHO REFLECTS ON RISE AND FALL

Yato yato sammasati khandhanam udayabbayam Labhati piti pamojjam amatam tam vijanatam. [374]

A BHIKKHU MUST POSSESS VIRTUES

Tatrayam adi bhavati idha pannassa bhikkhuno
Indriya gutti santutthi patimokkhe ca samvaro
Mitte bhajassu kalyane suddh' ajive atandite. [375]

A BHIKKHU SHOULD BE CORDIAL IN ALL HIS WAYS

Patisantharavuty' assa acara kusalo siya
Tato pamojja bahulo dukkhass' antam karissati. [376]

The bhikkhu who abides in loving-kindness,¹ who is pleased with the Buddha's Teaching, attains to that state of peace and happiness, ² the stilling of conditioned things. [368]

Empty this boat, ³ O bhikkhu! Emptied by you it will move swiftly. Cutting off lust and hatred, to Nibbana you will thereby go. [369]

Five cut off, ⁴ five give up, ⁵ five further cultivate. ⁶ The bhikkhu who has gone beyond the five bonds ⁷ is called a 'Flood-Crosser'. [370]

Meditate, O bhikkhu! Be not heedless. Don't let your mind whirl on sensual pleasures. Don't be careless and swallow a ball of lead. As you burn cry not 'This is sorrow'. [371]

There is no concentration in one who lacks wisdom, nor is there wisdom in him who lacks concentration. In whom are both concentration and wisdom he, indeed, is in the presence of Nibbana. [372]

The bhikkhu who has retired to a lonely abode, who has calmed his mind, who perceives the doctrine clearly, experiences a joy transcending that of men. ⁸[373]

Whenever he reflects on the rise and fall of the Aggregates, he experiences joy and happiness. To 'those who know' that (reflection) ⁹ is Deathless. [374]

And this becomes the beginning here for a wise bhikkhu: sense control, contentment, restraint with regard to the Fundamental Code (patimokkha), ¹⁰ association with beneficent and energetic friends whose livelihood is pure. [375]

Associate with good friends, who are energetic and whose livelihood is pure; let him be amiable and be correct in his conduct. Then (frequently) feeling much joy he will make an end of dukkha (round of rebirths). [376]

XXV: 07 A devout lady and the thieves

Once there was a very rich lady who had a son called Sona, who had become a bhikkhu. On one occasion, Bhikkhu Sona passed through his home town. On his return from the Jetavana monastery, his mother met him and organised a grand charity in his honour. Having heard that her son could expound the Dhamma very well, she requested him to give a discourse. Sona complied with her request and so she built a pavilion for the purpose. A large crowd, including his mother, turned up to listen to the Dhamma expounded by Sona.

While she was at the pavilion, some thieves broke into her house. However the leader of the thieves went to the pavilion to keep an eye on her. His intention was to kill her should she return home early on learning about the theft at her house. Her maid, left behind to guard the house, went to the pavilion to inform her about the theft, but the lady only said, 'Let the thieves take all my money, I don't care. But don't come and disturb me while I am listening to the Dhamma.' She sent the maid home.

The leader of the thieves, who was sitting close to her, heard these remarks. Her words also kept him thinking, 'If we take away the property of this wise and noble lady, we will surely be punished. We might even be struck by lightning.' The leader got alarmed, hurried back to her house and ordered his thieves to return all the things they had taken. The gang of thieves then went to the pavilion to listen to the Dhamma.

Sona finished his exposition of the Dhamma at the crack of dawn. Then, the leader and all the thieves admitted their mistakes and requested for her forgiveness. Being a kind and devout lady she pardoned them all. Realising the evil of their ways, all the thieves joined the Holy Order. After receiving instructions from Sona, the new bhikkhus went into the forest to practise meditation. The Buddha knowing their mental attitudes sent forth his radiance and exhorted them on the way to gain Purity.

Notes:

Having developed the third and fourth jhanas (ecstasies) with Metta (loving-kindness) as the object of meditation.

That is, Nibbana.

The boat resembles the body, water resembles bad thoughts.

They are the five fetters (orambhagiya samyojana) that pertain to this shore - namely, self-illusion (sakkayaditthi), doubt (vicikiccha), indulgence in (wrongful) rites and ceremonies (silabbataparamasa), sense-desire (kamaraga), and hatred (patigha).

They are the five fetters that pertain to the Farther Shore (uddhambhagiyasamyojana), namely, attachment to the Realms of Form (ruparaga), attachment to the Formless Realms (aruparaga), conceit (mana), restlessness (uddhacca), and ignorance (avijja).

Namely, confidence (saddha), mindfulness (sati), effort (viriya), concentration (samadhi), and wisdom (panna). These five factors have to be cultivated if one desires to destroy the fetters.

There are five kinds of bonds (sanga) - namely, lust, hatred, delusion, pride, and false views.

Amanusi rati = the eight Attainments (atthasamapatt i), the four Rupa Jhanas and the four Arupa Jhanas.

As it leads to Nibbana.

Patimokkha which deals with the rules that a bhikkhu is bound to observe.