Devadatta then decided to kill the Buddha himself. One day, when the Buddha was walking on the slopes of Gijjhakūta, he hurled down on him a great rock.

 Devadatta then decided to kill the Buddha himself. One day, when the Buddha was walking on the slopes of Gijjhakūta, he hurled down on him a great rock.

Devadatta

Son of the Sākiyan Suppabuddha (maternal uncle of the Buddha) and his wife Amitā. He had a sister Bhaddakaccānā, who married Prince Siddhattha.

Mhv.ii.22; MT.136; DhA.iii.44. The Dulva (Rockhill, p.13) calls him the son of Amitodana and brother of Ananda. This is supported by Mtu. (ii.69), which says that after the Buddha’s renunciation, Devadatta tried to tempt Bhaddakaccānā. In one passage in the Vinaya (ii.189), Devadatta is spoken of as Godhiputta. Does this mean that his mother’s name was Godhī? The Sanskrit books (e.g., Mtu) give several stories of his youth which show his malice. When Siddhattha was about to show his skill in the arts, a white elephant was being brought for him, and Devadatta, out of envy, killed it. The carcase blocked the city gates till Siddhattha threw it outside. The Pāli Commentaries (e.g., SA.i.62) say that Devadatta had the strength of five elephants. On another occasion he quarrelled with Siddhattha, who protested against his shooting a goose.

When the Buddha visited Kapilavatthu after the Enlightenment and preached to the Sākiyans, Devadatta was converted together with his friends Ananda, Bhagu, Kimbila, Bhaddiya, Anuruddha, and their barber, Upāli, and he sought the Buddha at Anupiyā and entered the Order (Vin.ii.182). During the rainy season that followed, Devadatta acquired the power of iddhi possible to those who are yet of the world (puthujja-nika-iddhi) (Vin.ii.183; for particulars see Rockhill, p.85). For some time he seems to have enjoyed great honour in the Order, and in one passage he is mentioned in a list of eleven of the chief Elders of all of whom the Buddha speaks in praise. (Ud.i.5. Again in Vin.ii.189 Sāriputta is mentioned as having gone about Rājagaha singing Devadatta’s praises; see also DhA.i.64f). Devadatta was later suspected of evil wishes (E.g., S.ii.156). About eight years before the Buddha’s death, Devadatta, eager for gain and favour and jealous of the Buddha’s fame, attempted to win over Ajātasattu.

The following account is summarised from various passages in the books, chiefly Vin.ii.184ff; iii.171f; 174f; iv.71; DhA.i.112ff; iii.154; A.iii.123, 402; ii.73; iv.160; J.i.113, 142, 185, 490; iv.37, 158; v.333ff; vi.129f., etc.

He assumed the form of a child having a girdle of snakes, and suddenly appeared on Ajātasattu’s lap, frightening him. He then resumed his own form, and Ajātasattu, much impressed, paid him great honour and, it is said, visited him morning and evening with five hundred chariots and sent him daily five hundred dishes of food. (According to J.i.186, 508, Ajātasattu built for him a monastery at Gayāsīsa and sent him, daily, five hundred pots of three-year-flavoured rice and the choicest dishes. These meals were so tempting that some of the Buddha’s followers would go there to eat them and return stealthily).

This encouraged Devadatta in his schemes, and he conceived the idea of taking the Buddha’s place as leader of the Sangha. As soon as this thought occurred to him, his iddhi-power disappeared.

The Koliyan Kakudha, follower of Moggallāna, reborn as a manomaya-kāyikadeva, divined Devadatta’s plan and informed Moggallāna. The latter repeated the matter to the Buddha, but the Buddha said it was unnecessary to discuss it as Devadatta would ultimately betray himself.

Sometime later, Devadatta went to the Buddha and suggested that the leadership of the Order should be handed over to him in view of the Buddha’s approaching old age. The Buddha scorned the suggestion, saying, “Not even to Sāriputta or Moggallāna would I hand over the Order, and would I then to thee, vile one, to be vomited like spittle?” (Vin.ii.188. This incident is referred to in the Abhayarājakumāra Sutta, M.i.393). Devadatta showed great resentment and vowed vengeance. Thereupon, at the Buddha’s suggestion, a proclamation was issued to the Sangha that in anything done by Devadatta in the name of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, none but Devadatta was to be recognised.

It was at this time that Devadatta incited Ajātasattu to kill his father, Bimbisāra, while he himself prepared to kill the Buddha. (The Ap.ii.300f explains that all these plans of Devadatta to harm the Buddha were the result of the Buddha’s previous evil deeds).


Ajātasattu agreed, and provided Devadatta with royal archers to shoot the Buddha. These were placed on different paths, one on one path, two on another, and so on up to sixteen, and the plan was so laid that not one of them would survive to tell the tale. But when the Buddha approached the first man, he was terrified by the Buddha’s majesty, and his body became stiff. The Buddha spoke kindly to him, and the man, throwing away his weapons, confessed his intended crime. The Buddha thereupon preached to him and, having converted him, sent him back by a different path. The other groups of archers, tired of waiting, gave up the vigil and went away one after the other. The different groups were led to the Buddha by his iddhi-power, and he preached to them and converted them. The first man returned to Devadatta saying that he was unable to kill the Buddha because of his great iddhi-power.

Devadatta then decided to kill the Buddha himself. One day, when the Buddha was walking on the slopes of Gijjhakūta, he hurled down on him a great rock. Two peaks sprang up from the ground, thereby arresting its rushing advance, but a splinter struck the Buddha’s foot, causing the blood to flow. Being in great pain, he was carried to Maddakucchi, and from there to Jīvaka’s Ambavana, where Jīvaka attended him. After this event, the monks wished the Buddha to have a guard, but this he refused, saying that it was impossible for anyone to deprive a Tathāgata of his life.

Devadatta’s next attempt on the Buddha’s life was to persuade elephant-keepers to let loose a fierce elephant, Nalāgiri (or Dhanapāla), drunk with toddy, on to the road by which the Buddha would pass. The news spread rapidly, and the Buddha was warned, but refused to turn back. As the elephant advanced he pervaded it with love, and thus completely subdued it.

This outrage made Devadatta very unpopular, and even Ajātasattu was compelled by the force of public opinion to withdraw his patronage from Devadatta, whose gain and honour decreased. (Sp.iv.811. At this time, Kokālika was very useful to Devadatta, J. ii.438). Thereupon he decided, with the help of several others, Kokālika, Katamoraka-tissa, Khandadeviyāputta and Samuddadatta, to bring about a schism in the Order. These five went accordingly to the Buddha and asked for the imposition of five rules on all members of the Sangha:

• (1) that monks should dwell all their lives in the forest,
• (2) that they should accept no invitations to meals, but live entirely on alms obtained by begging,
• (3) that they should wear only robes made of discarded rags and accept no robes from the laity,
• (4) that they should dwell at the foot of a tree and not under a roof,
• (5) that they should abstain completely from fish and flesh.

The Buddha’s reply was that those who felt so inclined could follow these rules – except that of sleeping under a tree during the rainy season – but he refused to make the rules obligatory. This refusal delighted Devadatta, who went about with his party, declaring that the Buddha was prone to luxury and abundance. He was believed by the foolish, and in spite of the Buddha’s warning against the dire sin of causing schism in the Order, Devadatta informed Ananda of his intention of holding an uposatha meeting without the Buddha, and, having persuaded five hundred newly ordained monks from Vesāli to join him, he went out to Gayāsīsa. On this occasion he tried to imitate the Buddha, keeping two chief disciples beside him (DhA.i.122). Three suttas, the two Devadatta, and the Mahāsāropama, were preached after this event.

Among the followers of Devadatta were also some nuns, chief of whom was Thullanandā, who never tired of singing his praises (Vin.iv.66, 335). The mother of Kumārakassapa, also, first entered the Order under Devadatta, but when he denounced her, following the discovery of her pregnancy, she sought refuge with the Buddha. Some of the Sākiyans, too, seem to have preferred Devadatta to the Buddha – e.g., Dandapāni (MA.i.298).

The Buddha sent Sāriputta and Moggallāna to Gayāsīsa to bring back the deluded ones. Devadatta, believing that they had come to join him, rejoiced, and, in spite of Kokālika’s warning, welcomed them. That night he preached very late to the monks, and, wishing for rest, asked Sāriputta to address the assembly. Sāriputta and Moggallāna preached to such effect that they persuaded the five hundred monks to return with them. Kokālika kicked Devadatta on the chest to awaken him and tell him the news. When Devadatta discovered what had happened, hot blood came from his mouth, and for nine months he lay grievously ill. (The Vinaya account omits the kicking, but it is mentioned in DhA.i.143 and in J.i.491).
 
As his end drew near, he wished to see the Buddha, though the latter had declared that it would not be possible in this life. Devadatta, however, started the journey on a litter, but on reaching Jetavana, he stopped the litter on the banks of the pond and stepped out to wash. The earth opened and he was swallowed up in Avīci, where, after suffering for one hundred thousand kappas, he would be reborn as a Pacceka Buddha called Atthissara. (The Saddharmapundarika (chap.xi.) says he will be a Buddha named Devarāja). It is said (DhA.i.147; see also Mil.108) that at the moment of being swallowed by the earth, Devadatta uttered a stanza in which he declared that he had no refuge other than the Buddha. It is this last act of Devadatta’s which the Buddha had in view when he agreed to ordain Devadatta. (He was one of five people who were swallowed by the earth in the Buddha’s time. Mil.101).

The Dhammapada Commentary contains a graphic account of the tortures of Devadatta in Avīci. (DhA.i.147; also PSA.79. His body in hell is one hundred leagues long). In previous births, also, he had been swallowed by the earth, as King Kalābu and as Mahāpatāpa. When the people heard of Devadatta’s death, they held a great festival, as they had done of yore at the death of Pingala, who was an incarnation of Devadatta (DhA.i.126f).

The Jātaka Commentary contains numerous stories showing that Devadatta’s enmity towards the Buddha was not confined to this life. It had existed during many kappas, and though sometimes he was foiled in his attempts to harm the Bodhisatta, in many cases he succeeded in working his will. The beginning of this enmity, which increased with time, is described in the Serivānija Jātaka.

One of the Milinda dilemmas (200ff) is as follows: “Why should Devadatta, who was so wicked, have been, time after time, superior in power to the Bodhisatta?” A list of such instances is given. Nāgasena’s reply is that Devadatta did several good deeds, such as protecting the poor, building bridges, etc.

Devadatta’s wickedness and his hatred of the Bodhisatta are illustrated in various Jātakas besides those already mentioned – e.g.,

• the Kakkara,
• the Kapi,
• the Kukkura,
• the Kurunga,
• the Kurunga-miga,
• the Khandahāla,
• the Godha,
• the Campeyya,
• the Cūla-Nandiya,
• the Chaddanta,
• the Tacchasūkara,
• the Tayodhamma,
• the Tittira,
• the Dummedha,
• the Dhammaddhaja,
• the Dhonasākha,
• the Pandara,
• the Bhūridatta,
• the Manicora,
• the Mahāummagga,
• the Mahākapi,
• the Mahā-Nāradakassapa,
• the Mahāpaduma,
• the Mahāsīlava,
• the Romaka,
• the Latukika,
• the Vānara,
• the Vānarinda,
• the Vessantara,
• the Saccankira,
• the Sattigumba,
• the Sāliya,
• the Sumsumāra,
• the Suvannakakkata.

In the Dhamma Jātaka, Devadatta is spoken of as having been the very incarnation of unrighteousness, Adhamma. In several stories his craftiness is emphasised – e.g.,

• as the jackal in the Sigālā Jātaka,
• as the drunken sot in the Sigāla (No.142) and also in the Manoja.

In the Kālabāhu Jātaka he is represented as very envious, and his falsehood and duplicity are emphasised in

• the Cetiya,
• the Kakkāra and
• the Somanassa Jātakas.

His ingratitude is illustrated in such stories as those of

• the Anta,
• the Amba,
• the Asampadāna,
• the Upāhana,
• the Guttila,
• the Javasakuna,
• the Dūbhiya-makkata,
• the Nigrodha,
• the Mahākapi,
• the Ruru and
• the Sīlavanāga Jātakas,

while others, such as

• the Apannaka,
• the Ubhatobhattha,
• the Kandagalaka,
• the Kāsāva,
• the Giridanta,
• the Jambuka,
• the Jambukhādaka,
• the Parantapa,
• the Lakkhana,
• the Vinīlaka,
• the Virocana,
• the Vīraka,
• the Sabbadātha,
• the Sammuddavānija,
• the Sammodamāna Jātakas, speak of his folly and inefficiency.

It is stated (E.g., Mil.410) that in spite of the great hatred shown by Devadatta towards him, the Buddha did not harbour, on his part, one single feeling of ill-will.

Only once is mention made (A.iv.402f ) of the text of a sermon by Devadatta. Candikāputta reports this to Sāriputta, who makes it an occasion for a talk to the monks.

 Source:-http://sakyamunibuddhabd.blogspot.com/

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THE BODHISATTA IDEAL

He who aspires to attain sammā-sambuddhahood is called a Bodhisattva. This bodhisattva ideal is the most refined and the most beautiful that could ever, in this ego- centric world, be conceived for what is nobler than a life of service and purity?

Those who, in the course of their wanderings in saṃsāra, wish to serve others and reach ultimate perfection, are free to pursue the bodhisattva ideal, but there is no compulsion that all must strive to attain Buddhahood, which, to say the least, is practically impossible. Critics, who contend that the bodhisattva ideal was evolved to counteract the tendency to a cloistered, placid, and inert monastic life, only reveal ignorance of the pure Buddha-Dhamma.


It is argued that Arahantship is selfish and that all must strive to attain Buddhahood to save others. Well one might ask: What is the object of attaining Buddhahood? Is it to make others attain Arahantship and save them? If so, the logical conclusion is that Buddhahood itself fosters selfishness which is absurd.

Buddhahood is indisputably the best and the noblest of all the three ideals, but all are not capable of achieving this highest ideal. Surely all scientists cannot be Einsteins and Newtons. There must also be lesser scientists who help the world according to their capabilities.

The Pali term Bodhisatta is composed of bodhi which means “wisdom” or “enlightenment”, and “satta” which means “devoted to” or “intent on.” A Bodhisatta, therefore, means one who is devoted to, or intent on, wisdom or enlightenment. The Sanskritized form should be bodhishakta but the popular term is Bodhisattva which means “wisdom being” or a being aspiring to become a Buddha.

This term is generally applied to anyone who is striving for enlightenment, but, in the strictest sense of the term, should be applied only to those who are destined to become supremely enlightened ones.

In one sense all are potential Buddhas, for Buddhahood is not the special prerogative of specially graced persons.

It should be noted that Buddhists do not believe that there lies dormant in us all a divine spark that needs development, for they deny the existence of a creator, but they are conscious of the innate possibilities and the creative power of man.

Buddhism denies too the existence of a permanent soul that transmigrates from life to life, acquiring all experiences. Instead of an unchanging soul, the so-called essence of man, it posits a dynamic life-flux where there is an identity in process.

As a man, Prince Siddhartha, by his own will, wisdom and love, attained Buddhahood, the highest state of perfection any being could aspire to, and he revealed to mankind the only path that leads thereto. A singular characteristic of Buddhism is that anyone may aspire to the state of the teacher himself if only he makes the necessary exertion. The Buddha did not claim any monopoly of Buddhahood. It is not a sort of evolutionary process. It may be achieved by one’s own effort without the help of another. The Buddha does not condemn men by calling them wretched sinners, but, on the contrary, encourages them saying that they are pure in heart at conception. Instead of disheartening followers, creating an inferiority complex, and reserving the exalted state of Buddha to himself, he encourages them and inspires them to emulate him.

A Bodhisattva need not necessarily be a Buddhist. We may find ever-loving bodhisattvas among Buddhists today, though they may be unaware of their lofty aspirations, and bodhisattvas may also be found among other religionists as well.

Three Types of Bodhisattvas

According to Buddhism there are three types of bodhisattvas—namely, Intellectual Bodhisattvas (paññādhika), Devotional Bodhisattvas (saddhā-dhika), and Energetic Bodhisattvas (viriyādhika). These three kinds of bodhisattvas correspond to Māna yogi, Bhakti yogi and karma yogi of the Hindus.

Intellectual bodhisattvas are less devotional and more energetic; devotional ones are less energetic and more intellectual; energetic ones are less intellectual and more devotional. Seldom, if ever, are these three characteristics harmoniously combined in one person. The Buddha Gotama is cited as one of the intellectual group.

According to the commentaries the intellectual ones attain Buddha-hood within a short period, devotional ones take a longer time, and energetic ones take longer still.

Intellectual bodhisattvas concentrate more on the development of wisdom and on the practice of meditation than on the observance of external forms of homage. They are always guided by reason and accept nothing on blind belief. They make no self-surrender, and are not slaves either to a book or to an individual. They prefer lonely meditation. With their silent but powerful thoughts of peace radiating from their solitary retreats they render moral help to suffering humanity.

The element of piety—saddhā or trustful confidence—is predominant in the devotional bodhisattvas. With saddhā as their companion they achieve their goal.

These bodhisattvas take a keen interest in all forms of homage. The image of the Buddha is a great inspiration to them.

It should be understood that Buddhists do not worship an image. They pay homage to what it represents and reflect on the virtues of the Buddha. The more they think of the Buddha the more they love him. This is the reason why Buddhism does not denounce these external forms of homage (āmisa pūjā) though undoubtedly practice (pațipattipūjā) is more commendable and indisputably superior. But dry intellect has to be flavored with saddhā (faith) to obtain satisfactory results. As excessive saddhā might also sometimes be detrimental, it has to be restrained by wisdom.

The energetic ones always seek opportunities to be of service to others. Nothing gives them greater delight than active service. “For them work is happiness, and happiness is work.” They are not happy unless they are active. As King Saņgabodhi of Sri Lanka said they “bear this body of flesh and blood for the good and happiness of the world.” They live not only for themselves but for others as well.
This spirit of selfless service is one of the chief characteristics of all bodhisattvas.

With relentless energy they work not as slaves but as masters. They crave for neither fame nor name. They are interested only in service. It is immaterial to them whether others recognize their selfless service or not. They are utterly indifferent to praise or blame.

They forget themselves in their disinterested service to others. They would sacrifice even life itself could such action save another fellow-being.

A bodhisattva who forgets himself in the service of others should practice karuņā and mettā (compassion and loving kindness) to an exceptionally high degree.

A bodhisattva desires the good and welfare of the world. He loves all beings as a mother loves her only child. He identifies himself with all. To him nothing gives more delight than to think that all are his brothers and sisters. He is like a mother, a father, a friend, a teacher, to all beings.

“The compassion of a bodhisattva consists in realizing the equality of oneself with others (para ātma-samatā) and also the substitution of others for oneself (para-ātma-parivartana).” When he does so he loses his I-notion and finds no difference between himself and others. He returns good for evil, and helps even unasked the very persons who have wronged him, for he knows that “the strength of a religious teacher is his patience.”

“Being reviled, he reviles not; being beaten, he beats not; being annoyed, he annoys not. His forgiveness is unfailing even as the mother earth suffers in silence all that may be done to her.”

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The higher you climb a hill, the more conspicuous you become and much smaller in the eyes of others. Your back is revealed but your front is hidden. The fault-finding world exhibits your shortcomings and misdoings but hides your salient virtues. The winnowing fan ejects the husks but retains the grains: the strainer, on the egntrary, retains the gross remnants but drains out the sweet juice.

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This ill-balanced world is not absolutely rosy. Nor is it totally thorny. The rose is soft, beautiful and fragrant. But the stem on which it grows is full of thorns. What is rosy is rosy; what is thorny is thorny. Because of the rose one will not meddle with the thorns, nor will one disparage the rose on account of the thorns. To an optimist this world is absolutely rosy; to a pessimist this world is absolutely thorny. But to a realist this world is neither absolutely rosy nor absolutely thorny. It abounds with beautiful roses and prickly thorns as well, from a realistic standpoint.
An understanding person will not be infatuated by the beauty of the rose but will view it as it is. Knowing well the nature of the thorns, he will view them as they are and will take the precaution not to be wounded.

Gain (Labh0) and loss (Alabo)

Businessmen, as a rule, are subject to both gain and loss. It is quite natural to be complacent in obtaining a gain or a profit. In itself there is nothing wrong. Such righteous or unrighteous profits produce some pleasure which average men seek. Without pleasurable moments, though temporary, life would not be worth living. In this competitive and chaotic world rarely do people enjoy some kind of happiness, which gladdens their hearts. Such happiness, though materialistic, does conduce to health and longevity.
The problem arises in case of loss. Profits one can bear smilingly but not so the losses. More often than not they lead to mental derangement and sometimes to suicide when the losses are unbearable. It is under such adverse circumstances that one should exhibit moral courage and maintain a balanced mind. All have ups and downs while battling with life. One should always be prepared for the losses in particular. Then there will be less disappointment.
Visākhā, the Buddha’s chief female lay disciple, used to frequent the monastery to attend to the needs of the Buddha and the Sangha decked with a very valuable outer garment. On entering the monastery, she used to remove it and give it to the maid for safe custody. Once, the maid inadvertently left it in the temple and returned home. Venerable Ānanda, noticing it, kept it in a safe place to be given to Visākhā when she visited the monastery. Visākhā discovering the loss advised the maid to look for it but not to take it back in case any bhikkhu had touched it. On inquiry the maid understood that Venerable Ānanda had kept it in safe custody. Returning home, she reported the matter.
Visākhā visited the monastery and inquired of the Buddha what meritorious act should she perform with the money obtained by selling the costly garment. The Buddha advised her to build a monastery for the benefit of the Sangha. As there was nobody to buy the garment because of its high cost, she herself bought it and built a monastery and offered it to the Sangha. After the offering, she expressed her gratitude to the maid, saying: “If you had not inadvertently left my garment, I would not have got an opportunity to perform this meritorious act. Please share the merit.”
Instead of grieving over the temporary loss and reprimanding the maid for her carelessness she thanked her for granting an opportunity for service.
The exemplary attitude of cultured Visākhā is a memorable lesson to all those who are quickly irritated over the misdoings of helpless servants.
Losses one must try to bear cheerfully with manly vigour. Unexpectedly one confronts them, very often in groups and not singly. One must face them with equanimity and think it is an opportunity to practise that sublime virtue.

Fame (yaso) and defame (Ayaso)

Fame and defame are another pair of inevitable worldly conditions that confront us in the course of our daily lives.
Fame we welcome, defame we dislike. Fame gladdens our mind, defame disheartens us. We desire to become famous. We long to see our names and pictures appear in the papers. We are greatly pleased when our activities, however insignificant, are given publicity. Sometimes we seek undue publicity too.
To see their picture in a magazine some are ready to pay any amount. To obtain an honour some are prepared to offer any bribe or give a fat donation to the party in power. For the sake of publicity some exhibit their generosity by giving alms to one hundred monks and even more, but they may be totally indifferent to the sufferings of the poor and the needy in the neighbourhood. One may charge and punish a starving person who, to appease his hunger, were to steal a coconut in his garden, but would not hesitate to present a thousand coconuts to get a good name.
These are human frailties. Most people do even a good action with an ulterior motive. Selfless persons who act disinterestedly are rare in this world. Even if the motive is not very praiseworthy, those who do any good are to be congratulated on having done a beneficial act.
We need not hunt after fame. If we are worthy of fame, it will come to us unsought. The bee will be attracted to the flower, laden with honey. The flower, however, does not invite the bee. True indeed, we feel naturally happy, nay, extremely happy, when our fame is spread far and wide. But we must realize that fame, honour and glory only lead to the grave. They vanish in thin air. Empty words are they, though pleasing to the ear.
What about defame? It is not palatable either to the ear or mind. We are undoubtedly perturbed when unkind defamatory words pierce our ears. The pain of mind is still greater when the so-called report is unjust and absolutely false.

Normally it takes years to erect a magnificent building. In a minute or two, with modern devastating weapons, it could easily be demolished. Sometimes it takes years or a lifetime to build up a good reputation. In no long time the hard-earned good name can be ruined. Nobody is exempt from the devastating remark beginning with the infamous “but”. Yes, he is very good, he does this and that, but … His whole good record is blackened by the so-called “but”. You may live the life of a Buddha, but you will not be exempt from criticism, attacks and insults.
The Buddha was the most famous and the most maligned religious teacher in his time.
Great men are often not known; even if they are known, they are miss known.
Some antagonists of the Buddha spread a rumour that a woman used to spend the night in the monastery. Foiled in this base attempt, they spread a false rumour amongst the populace that the Buddha and his disciples murdered that very woman and hid her corpse in the rubbish-heap of withered flowers within the monastery. When his historic mission met with success and when many sought ordination under him, his adversaries maligned him, saying that he was robbing the mothers of their sons, depriving wives of their husbands, and that he was obstructing the progress of the nation.
Failing in all these attempts to ruin his noble character, his own cousin and a jealous disciple of his attempted to kill him by hurling a rock from above.
Being a Buddha, he could not be killed. If such be the sad fate of faultless, pure Buddhas, what can be the state of ordinary mortals?
The higher you climb a hill, the more conspicuous you become and much smaller in the eyes of others. Your back is revealed but your front is hidden. The fault-finding world exhibits your shortcomings and misdoings but hides your salient virtues. The winnowing fan ejects the husks but retains the grains: the strainer, on the egntrary, retains the gross remnants but drains out the sweet juice.
It is needless to waste time in correcting the false reports unless circumstances compel you to offer a clarification. The enemy is gratified when he sees that you are hurt. That is what he actually expects. If you are indifferent, such misrepresentations will fall on deaf ears.
Being the king of the forest, lions are fearless. By nature they are not frightened by the roaring of other animals. In this world we may hear adverse reports, false accusations, degrading remarks of uncurbed tongues. Like a lion, we should not even listen to them. Like the boomerang they will end where they began.

Praise (Pasansa) and Blame (Ninda)

Praise and blame are two more worldly conditions that affect mankind. It is natural to be elated when praised and to be depressed when blamed. Amidst praise and blame, the Buddha says, the wise do not exhibit either elation or depression. Like a solid rock that is not shaken by the wind they remain unmoved.
We are living in a muddy world. Numerous are the lotuses that spring therefrom. Without being contaminated by the mud, they adorn the world. Like lotuses we should try to lead blameless noble lives unmindful of the mud that may be thrown at us.
We should expect mud to be thrown at us instead of roses. Then there will be no disappointment. Though difficult we should try to cultivate non-attachment. Alone we come, alone we go. Non-attachment is happiness in this world.
Great Socrates was poisoned. Noble Jesus Christ was ruthlessly crucified. Harmless Mahatma Gandhi was shot.
Well, is it dangerous to be too good?
Yes, during their lifetime they are criticised, attacked and killed. After death they are deified and honoured.
Great men are indifferent to fame or defame. They are not upset when they are criticised or maligned, for they work not for fame or name. They are indifferent whether others recognise their services or not. “To work they have the right but not to the fruit thereof. ”
There was no religious teacher so highly praised and so severely criticised, reviled and blamed as the Buddha. Such is the fate of great men.
In a public assembly a vile woman named Chintha feigning pregnancy maligned the Buddha. With a smiling face the Buddha patiently endured the insult and the Buddha’s innocence was proved.
The Buddha was accused of murdering a woman assisted by his disciples. Non-Buddhists severely criticised the Buddha and his disciples to such an extent that the Venerable Ananda appealed to the Buddha to leave for another village.
“How, Ananda, if those villagers also abuse us?”
“Well then, Lord we will proceed to another village.”
“Then, Ananda, the whole of India will have no place for us. Be patient. These abuses will automatically cease.”

happiness(sukha), pain(dukkha).

Happiness and pain are the last pair of opposites. They are the most powerful factors that affect mankind. What can be endured with ease is Sukha (happiness) What is difficult to bear is dukkha (pain) Ordinary happiness is the gratification of a desire. No sooner is the desire thing gained than we desire some other kind of happiness. So insatiate are our selfish desires. The enjoyment of sensual pleasures is the highest and only happiness to an average person. there is no dought a momentary happiness in the anticipation, gratification and recollection of such material pleasures highly priced by the sensualist, but they are illusory and temporary.
Can material possessions give one genuine happiness? If so, millionaires would not think of committing suicide. In a certain country which has reached the zenith of material progress about ten percent suffer from mental diseases. Why should it be so if material possessions alone can give genuine happiness?
Can dominion over the whole world produce true happiness? Alexander, who triumphantly marched to India, conquering the lands on the way, sighed for not having more pieces of earth to conquer.
Real happiness is found within, and is not to be defined in terms of wealth, power, honours or conquests.
The Buddha enumerates four kinds of happiness for a layman. They are the happiness of possession; namely, health, wealth, longevity, beauty, joy, property, strength, children, etc.
The second source of happiness is derived by the enjoyment of such possessions. Ordinary men and women wish to enjoy themselves. The Buddha does not advise all to renounce their worldly pleasures and retire to solitude.
The enjoyment of wealth lies not only in using it for ourselves but also in giving it for the welfare of others. What we eat is only temporary. What we preserve we leave and go. What we give we take with us. We are remembered forever by the good deeds we have done with our worldly possessions.
Not falling into debt is another source of happiness. If we are contended with what we have and if we are economical, we need not be in debt to anyone. Debtors live in mental agony and are under obligation to their creditors. Though poor, when debt free, you feel relieved and are mentally happy.
Leading a blameless life is one of the best sources of happiness for a layman. A blameless person is a blessing to himself and to others. He is admired by all and feels happier, being affected by the peaceful vibrations of others. It should be stated however that it is very, very difficult to get a good name from all. The noble-minded persons are concerned only with a blameless life and are indifferent to external approbation. The majority in this world delight themselves in enjoying pleasures while some others seek delight in renouncing them. Non-attachment or the transcending of material pleasures is happiness to the spiritual. Nibbanic bliss, which is a bliss of relief from suffering, is the highest form of happiness.
Ordinary happiness we welcome, but not its opposite, pain, which is rather difficult to endure. Pain or suffering comes in different guises. We suffer when we are subject to old age which is natural. With equanimity we have to bear the sufferings of old age.
More painful than sufferings due to old age are sufferings caused by disease, to which, if chronic, we feel that death is preferable. Even the slightest toothache or headache is sometimes unbearable.
When we are subject to disease, without being worried, we should be able to bear it at any cost. Well, we must console ourselves thinking that we have escaped from a still more serious disease.
Very often we are separated from our near and dear ones. Such separation causes great pain of mind. We should understand that all association must end with separation. Here is a good opportunity to practise equanimity.
More often than not we are compelled to be united with the unpleasant, which we detest. We should be able to bear them. Perhaps we are reaping the effects of our own Kamma, past or present. We should try to accommodate ourselves to the new situation or try to overcome the obstacle by some means or other. Even the Buddha, a perfect being, who has destroyed all defilements, had to endure physical suffering caused by disease and accidents.
The Buddha was constantly subject to headaches. His last illness caused him much physical suffering. As a result of Devadatta hurling a rock to kill him. His foot was wounded by a splinter which necessitated an operation. Sometimes he was compelled to starve. At times he had to be contented with horse-fodder. Due to the disobedience of his own pupils, he was compelled to retire to a forest for three months. In the forest on a couch of leaves spread on rough ground, facing piercing cold winds, he slept with perfect equanimity. Amidst pain and happiness he lived with a balanced mind.
Death is the greatest sorrow we are compelled to face in the course of our wandering s in Samsara. Sometimes death comes not singly but in numbers which may even cause insanity.
Patachara lost her near and dear ones-parents, husband, brother and two children-and she went mad. The Buddha consoled her.
Kisa Gothami lost her only infant, and she went in search of a remedy for her dead son, carrying the corpse. She approached the Buddha and asked for a remedy. “Well, sister, can you bring some mustard seed? ”Certainly, Lord! ”But, sister, it should be from a house where no one has died. “Mustard seeds she found, but not a place where death had not visited.
She understood the nature of life. When a mother was questioned as to why she did not weep over the tragic death of her only son, she replied: “Uninvited he came, uninformed he went. As he came, so he went. Why should we weep? What

avails weeping? “As fruits fall from a tree-tender, ripe or old-even so we die in our infancy, prime of manhood, or even in old age. The sun rises in the East only to set in the West. Flowers bloom in the morning to fade in the evening. Inevitable death, which comes to all without exception, we have to face with perfect equanimity. “Just as the earth whatever is thrown. Upon her, whether sweet or foul, Indifferent is to all-alike, nor hatred shows, nor amity. So likewise he in good or ill, Must even balanced ever be.” The Buddha says- When touched by worldly conditions the mind of an Arahant never wavers. Amidst gain and loss, fame and defame, praise and blame, happiness and pain, let us try to maintain a balanced mind.

REF:-http://sakyamunibuddhabd.blogspot.com

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Most contemporary Buddhists know that Prince Siddhartha, the Buddha-to-be, left his family in search of liberation on the day his son, Rahula, was born. Many have been perplexed, sometimes outraged, at such a seemingly irresponsible act. What is less well-known, though, is that after his awakening, the Buddha became his son’s primary parent for most of the boy’s childhood. From the time Rahula was seven, he was under the care of his father, who proved to be a remarkably effective parent: Rahula had reached full awakening by the time he reached adulthood. So we can ask, what kind of parent was the Buddha? What kind of parenting techniques did he use? How did an enlightened teacher convey his spiritual message to his own child?
The scriptures do not offer much detail about the relationship between the Buddha and Rahula, but various hints provide a very interesting picture of how the teacher guided his son’s maturation. An earlier story describes how Rahula came to practice under his father, and most of these hints are contained in three discourses, which, when read together, follow the pattern of the three successive trainings forming the path to awakening: when Rahula was seven, the Buddha taught him about virtue; when he was a teen, the Buddha instructed him in meditation; and when he was twenty, the Buddha taught him liberating wisdom. Rahula’s gradual maturation to adulthood thus paralleled his progress along his father’s path to awakening.
When my older son turned seven, I began to wonder what kind of spiritual guidance I could offer him and his younger brother. At a minimum, I wanted them to learn enough about the practices and teachings of Buddhism so that as adults they could turn to these resources if they desired or needed to. I also thought it would be wonderful if they could feel at home in Buddhism so that no matter where they went in life, this home would always be available as a refuge. And finally, because the greatest wealth I know is the well-being, peace and compassion I have found through my Buddhist practice, I’ve often wondered how I can pass along these riches more broadly to the next generation as a kind of spiritual inheritance. Remembering that Rahula had entered his father’s care when he was seven, I searched through the Pali discourses to learn what I could about how the Buddha taught his son.
I found the question of how to leave a “spiritual legacy” beautifully addressed in the story about the way Rahula came to practice under his father. Six years after he left his family, and one year after his awakening, the Buddha returned to his hometown. Seven-year-old Rahula, on the urging of his mother, went to meet his father to ask for his inheritance. If Siddhartha had remained at home, Rahula would have been in line to inherit the throne. But as a renunciate living a life of poverty, what could the Buddha pass on? In response to Rahula’s request, the Buddha said to Sariputta, his right-hand monk, “Ordain him.” Rather than receiving the throne, Rahula inherited his father’s way of life, a life dedicated to liberation.
While it is unlikely that my son will shave his head and take robes anytime soon, I would still like to expose him to the basic Buddhist principles that have so deeply informed my own life. When I came across the three discourses where the Buddha teaches Rahula, I was surprised that the teachings seemed not only still fresh but also relevant to raising a child in modern America. In fact, these discourses have now become a guide for me as a parent.

Virtue

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The first story illustrates how Rahula was taught to live a life of integrity. When he was eight, Rahula told a deliberate lie. The sutta called The Discourse of Advice Given to Rahula at Mango Stone (Middle Length Discourse 61) tells how the Buddha dealt with this. Having first meditated, the Buddha went to his son. Rahula prepared a seat for him and, as was the custom, put out a bowl of water so the Buddha could rinse his feet. After his father cleaned his feet, a little water was left in the bowl. The Buddha asked, “Rahula, do you see the small quantity of water left in the bowl?” “Yes,” replied Rahula.
“As little as this,” the Buddha said, “is the spiritual life of someone who is not ashamed at telling a deliberate lie.”
I imagine Rahula taking a deep gulp upon hearing this.
The Buddha then threw out the remaining water and said, “Thrown away like this is the spiritual life of someone who is not ashamed at telling a deliberate lie.”
The Buddha then turned the bowl upside down and said, “Turned upside down like this is the spiritual life of someone who is not ashamed at telling a deliberate lie.”
And to drive the point home, the Buddha then turned the bowl back upright and said, “As empty as this bowl is the spiritual life of someone who is not ashamed at telling a deliberate lie.”
He then taught his son, “When someone is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie, there is no evil that he or she would not do. Therefore, Rahula, train yourself to not utter a falsehood even as a joke.”
This part of the story reminds me that there is force but no inner strength behind angry castigation of children. Calmly, when he thought the time was right, the Buddha made his point without punishment or anger.
After this brief but sharp admonishment for lying, I imagine the Buddha had his son’s attention. He then instructed his son to become more reflective about all his behavior. The Buddha asked, “What is a mirror for?”
“For reflection,” replied young Rahula.
The following paraphrase conveys what the Buddha said next:

Whenever engaging in a physical, verbal or mental activity, you should reflect, will this activity bring harm to myself or to others? If, on reflecting, you realize it will bring harm, then such activity is unfit for you to do. If you realize that it will bring benefit to you or to others, then it is something fit for you to do.

It strikes me as key that instead of teaching his son to recognize absolute notions of right and wrong, the Buddha was teaching him to reflect on harm and benefit; this requires both self-awareness and empathy. Grounding moral decisions in what is harmful or beneficial helps protect our ethical life from being guided by abstract and external ideals unrelated to the effects of our behavior. Harm and benefit are also related to a person’s sense of purpose. Things we do can either detract from or support the direction in which we want to go.
This teaching reinforces my belief in the importance of cultivating a child’s capacity for empathy and an understanding of how his or her actions impact others. The powers of reflection and compassion do not come only from being told to be reflective or compassionate. They come from seeing these qualities modeled in others, particularly one’s parents.
The Buddha also told Rahula to notice after doing something whether or not it caused harm. If harm resulted from something Rahula did, he was to find a wise person to confess this to as part of a strategy to do better in the future. From this I have learned the importance of helping a child develop the integrity to admit mistakes. And such integrity depends a lot on how a child’s mistakes are received by his or her parents. Again, the parents’ ways of being and acting in the world are crucial to how a child’s virtue grows: if the parent is someone who can be trusted and who is more interested in helping the child grow than in punishing the child, then the young person is more likely to be honest.

Meditation

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The second story shows how the Buddha began teaching meditation to Rahula as a way to develop a foundation of inner well-being (Middle Length Discourse 62). This story takes place when Rahula is a young teen. It starts as he sets out with his father on their morning almsrounds. Rahula was having conceited thoughts about his good looks, which he shared with his father.
Noticing his son’s preoccupation, the Buddha said, “When seen with wisdom, the physical body should not be viewed as me, myself or mine.” In fact, the Buddha continued, one shouldn’t see any feeling, perception, mental activity or consciousness through concepts of me, myself or mine. Hearing this, Rahula felt admonished and returned to the monastery without collecting food for the day.
I take this to be a radical teaching for a young teenager. I can’t imagine that as a teen I could have understood what the Buddha was talking about. However, I remember all too well how, at that age, I was preoccupied with my personal appearance. I have often heard this justified in teens as part of the important developmental process of individuating, of finding themselves. Is it appropriate to admonish a fourteen-year-old for feelings of vanity? Was the Buddha interfering with normal developmental issues that teens should negotiate alone? Without developing a strong sense of self, how can a young person grow into a psychologically healthy adult? What kind of self-concern does a teen need in order to mature?
The Buddha’s answer to these questions is seen in what he next did for his son.
The evening after he was admonished, Rahula went to his father and asked for instruction in breath meditation. The Buddha first used analogies to illustrate how to have equanimity during meditation. He said,

Develop meditation that is like the earth: as the earth is not troubled by agreeable or disagreeable things it comes into contact with, so if you meditate like the earth, agreeable and disagreeable experiences will not trouble you. Develop meditation like water, like fire, like air and like space: as all of these are not troubled by agreeable or disagreeable things they come into contact with, so if you meditate like water, fire, air or space, agreeable and disagreeable experiences will not trouble you.

Then, before actually teaching him breath meditation, the Buddha told his son to meditate on lovingkindness as an antidote to ill-will, on compassion to overcome cruelty, on sympathetic joy to master discontent, and on equanimity to subdue aversion.
Only then did the Buddha teach breath meditation in its classic formulation of sixteen stages. These stages go through phases of calming the body and mind, cultivating strong states of well-being and insight, and letting go. And then, as a powerful punctuation to his teaching to Rahula, the Buddha concluded by stating that if mindfulness of breathing is developed, a person will have the ability to be calmly mindful of his last breath.
As I read about the Buddha’s teaching his son breath meditation to cultivate strong states of inner well-being, I saw how this is an alternative to building a rigid conception of “self.” I wonder how much of modern teenage attempts at self-building and differentiation are fueled by their being ill at ease with themselves and with others. I assume that the process would be very different if based on a sense of being both at ease within oneself and imperturbable in the presence of others.
When teaching meditation to kids I have noticed that at about thirteen or fourteen, a jump occurs in their ability to meditate. I have been quite impressed by the ease with which some young teens can drop into deep states of meditation (though it tends not to last long). I have known young people for whom meditation became an important tool for finding stability and peace in the midst of their adolescent challenges.
But it is not just for the usual teenage trials that breath meditation is useful. Breath meditation can be drawn upon at every step in one’s journey in life. In this story, the Buddha concluded his instruction of his son by pointing to the value of breath meditation practice in preparation for the moment of one’s death.

Wisdom

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In the third and final sutta the Buddha guides Rahula through a series of questions that lead him to liberating wisdom (Middle Length Discourse 147). By this time Rahula had devoted the greater part of his teen years to the path of awakening. In one passage he is described as exemplary in his love for training. By the time Rahula was twenty, his father understood that he was close to liberation. The Buddha then did something that I find quite touching: he went for a walk with his son deep into the woods in a grove of majestic sal trees. Sitting at the base of one of these large trees, he led Rahula through a thorough questioning of every basis used for clinging to the idea of a self. The process the Buddha used was one of progressively loosening the enchantment with finding a self in anything. For someone as well trained as Rahula, the deeply rooted tendency to cling to some idea of an essential self can be the last barrier to liberation. As he listened to his father’s teachings, this clear seeing of the impersonal nature of phenomena was the final step Rahula needed for his full liberation. The Buddha’s teaching on not-self can be perplexing. It is easy to see it as abstract philosophy and so miss that this teaching is a form of practical instruction on how to find happiness through letting go. To me it seems important that the Buddha taught Rahula about not-self while they sat deep in the woods. I have often found that I have a very different perspective when in nature than when in the middle of urban life. I find that the sense of peace and well-being that nature can provide facilitates letting go of self-concern. To contemplate letting go while reading a book on Buddhist philosophy in one’s own home is a lot different from doing so surrounded by a quiet grove of trees. In reading this third discourse, I reflected on how useful it is to know oneself in the context of the natural world.
When the seven-year-old Rahula asked for his inheritance, he couldn’t have imagined that thirteen years later he would have received the greatest gifts that any parent could pass on to a child. In Buddhism, awakening is known as the greatest happiness. As I consider my wishes for my own sons, I wish them the peace, happiness and safety that the path of awakening provides. Perhaps in the different phases of their growth they too can be established in the three trainings of virtue, meditation and wisdom.

REF:-http://sakyamunibuddhabd.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-buddha-as-parent.html

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প্রাচীনকালে বারাণসী নগরে ব্রম্মদত্ত নামে এক রাজা ছিলেন । তাঁর সময়ে বোধিসত্ত্ব কোন এক বণিকের ঘরে জন্ম গ্রহন করেন । বড় হয়ে বোধিসত্ত্ব বাণিজ্য করতে লাগলেন । তাঁর পাঁচশো গরুর গাড়ি ছিল । সেই সব গাড়িতে মাল বোঝাই করে তিনি কখনোও পশ্চিম দেশে বাণিজ্য করতে যেতেন ।
সেই সময় বারাণসী নগরে আর একজন নির্বোধ বণিক বাস করত । কি অবস্তায় কি করতে হয় সে বিষয়ে তার কোন জ্ঞান ছিল না ।
একবার বোধিসত্ত্ব তাঁর গাড়িগুলিতে অনেক মূল্যবান মাল বোঝাই করে তা বিক্রি করার জন্য দূরদেশে যাবার জন্য সংকল্প করেন । এমন সময় তিনি শুনতে পেলেন সেই নির্বোধ বণিক পাঁচশো গাড়িতে মাল বোঝাই করে সেই দেশে যাবার জন্য সব ঠিক করে ফেলেছে ।
তখন বোধিসত্ত্ব মনে ভাবলেন এক হাজার গাড়ি ও দুই হাজার বলদ ও এতো লোকজন নিয়ে দুই বণিকের একসঙ্গে যাওয়া উচিত হবে না । এক হাজার গাড়ির চাকার ঘর্ষণে রাস্তা ভেঙ্গেচুরে যাবে । এত সব মানুষ ও পশুর খাদ্য ও পানীয়ের অসুবিধা হবে। তাই তিনি সেই নির্বোধ বণিককে ডাকিয়ে সব কথা বুঝিয়ে বললেন । তিনি বললেন, এখন ভেবে দেখ তুমি আগে যাবে না পরে যাবে।
সেই বণিক সব ভেবে বলল সে আগে যাবে । কারণ সে ভাবে, আগে গেলে সে রাস্তা ভাল পাবে । পথে বলদের জন্য ভাল ঘাস পাবে, মানুষের জন্য গাছে ফলমূল পাবে । তাছাড়া ইচ্ছামত মাল কেনাবেচা করতে পারবে।
সেই বণিককে আগে রওনা হতে বলে বোধিসত্ত্ব ভাবলেন আমার পরে যাওয়াই ভাল। ওদের গরুগুলি যাওয়ার ফলে উচুনীচু রাস্তা সমান হবে। ওদের বলদগুলি এখন পাকা ঘাসপাতা খাবে। পরে সেই সব ঘাসে যে সব কচি পাতা বের হবে আমার বলদগুলি তা খাবে। ওরা পথে জলের জন্য যে সব কূপ খনন করবে আমরা পরে যাওয়াই তা ব্যাবহার করতে পারব। তাছারা ঐ বণিক মাল কেনা বেচার যে দাম ঠিক করবে, পরে আমি সেই দামেই কেনাবেচা করতে পারব। আমাকে আর দরাদরি করতে হবে না কষ্ট করে।
সেই নির্বোধ বণিক যাত্রা করার দিনকটক পরে যাত্রা করেন বোধিসত্ত্ব ।
এদিকে সেই নির্বোধ বণিক কয়েকদিনের মধেই লোকালয় ছেড়ে এক দীর্ঘ বিস্তৃত বনের মধ্যে প্রবেশ করল। ষাট যোজন বিস্তৃত সেই বনের মধ্যে পানীয় জল না থাকায় তারা প্রচুর পরিমাণে পানীয় জল সঙ্গে নিয়ে বেরিয়েছিল ।
সেই বনে যক্ষেরা বাস করত। বণিকদের গাড়িগুলো বনে প্রবেশ করলে যক্ষদের রাজা তা দেখে ভাবল, ঐ বণিক আর তার সঙ্গের মানুষ ও গরুদের খাবার জন্য এমন একটা উপায় বের করতে হবে যাতে তারা জলের পাত্রগুল থেকে সব পানীয় জল ফেলে দেয় । তাহলে তারা পানীয় জলের অভাবে ক্রমশ হীনবল হয়ে পরবে । তখন তাদের অনায়াসে ধরে তাধের মাংস খাওয়া যাবে ।
এই ভেবে যক্ষরাজ মায়াবলে একটি সুন্দর গাড়ি সৃষ্টি করল। যক্ষরা মায়া জানত এবং সেই মায়াশক্তিবলে যখন যা খুশি সৃষ্টি করতে পারত। যে কোন রূপ ধারন করতে পারত। যক্ষরাজ সেই গাড়িটি দুতি তুষারের মত সাদা ষাঁড় টানছিল । যক্ষরাজ নিজে গাড়ি চালাচ্ছিল সামনে বসে। তার গলায় ছিল শ্বেতপদ্মের মালা। তার মাথার চুল ও পরনের কাপড় জলে ভেজা ছিল । তার গাড়ির আগে ও পেছনে দশ বার জন অনুচর নানা অস্ত্রসস্ত্র নিয়ে যাচ্ছিল। গাড়ির চাকাগুলো কাদামাখা ছিল ।
ক্রমে সেই নির্বোধ বণিকের গাড়িগুলো যক্ষরাজের গাড়ির সামনে এসে পরে। সবার আগে সামনের গাড়িতে সেই বণিক নিজে ছিল । যক্ষরাজ বণিককে মধুর স্বরে জিজ্ঞাসা করল, আপনি কোথা থেকে আসছেন?
বণিক বলল আমি বারাণসী থেকে আসছি। কিন্তু পথে কি বৃষ্টি হচ্ছিল? আপনার মাথার চুল ও কাপড় জলে ভেজা দেখছি । আপনার গলায় ও পদ্মফুলের মালা দেখছি । তবে কি সামনে কোন সরবর বা দিঘী আছে?
যক্ষরাজ বলল, আমি এখন যে পথ দিয়ে সে পথ ত সব সময় বৃষ্টি হচ্ছে। আর সে পথের দুধারে শুধু পদ্মফুলে ভরা দীঘি আর সরোবর ।
এরপর যক্ষরাজ বণিককে বলল, আপনাদের মাল বোঝাই গাড়িগুলিতে জলভরা অনেক মাটির জালা দেখছি। সব জল ফেলে দিয়ে মাটির জালাগুলো ভেঙে দিন। গাড়িগুলো হালকা করুন। আপনারা এতক্ষন যে পথে এলেন সেখানে জলের দরকার ছিল । কিন্তু এবার আর জল বয়ে নিয়ে যাবার আর কোন দরকার নেই ।
নির্বোধ বণিক যক্ষরাজের কথায় বিশ্বাস করে সব জল ফেলে দিয়ে জালা গুলো ভেঙে দিলো ।
যক্ষরাজ তার অনুচরদের নিয়ে ঘরে ফিরে গেল ।
এদিকে সেই পথে অনেকদূর এগিয়ে গিয়েও নির্বোধ বণিক পথের দুধারে কথাও কোন জলাশয় ডেকতে পেল না। ফলে তারা পিপাসার্ত হয়ে পড়ল । অথচ সঙ্গের সব পানীয় জল তারা ফেলে দিয়েছে । সূর্য অস্ত যাবার পর বণিক সব গাড়ি থামাবার আদেশ দিল । অনুচরেরা গাড়ি থামিয়ে দিয়ে গরুগুলোকে চাকার সঙ্গে বেঁধে দিল । তারপর তারা সেই গাড়িগুলোর মাঝখানে বিশ্রাম করতে লাগল । ক্ষুধা ও পিপাসায় কাতর থাকার জন্য কিছুক্ষণের মধ্যেই গুমিয়ে পড়ল সকলে ।
ক্রমে রাত্রি গভীর হলে জক্ষেরা তাদের পুরী থেকে বেরিয়ে এসে তাদের মাংস ভক্ষণ করে হাড়গুলি ফেলে রেখে চলে গেল । কিন্তু তার গাড়ি বোঝাই মাল্গুল যেমন ছিল তেমনি রইল ।
নির্বোধ বণিক যাত্রা করার দেড়মাস পর তাঁর পাঁচশ মাল বোঝাই গাড়ি নিয়ে বারাণসী নগর হতে যাত্রা করলেন । যথাসময়ে তিনি সেই সব গাড়ি আর লোকজন নিয়ে সেই বনে এসে পোঁছলেন।
আগের বণিকের মতই বোধিসত্ত্ব জলপূর্ণ ভাণ্ড সঙ্গে নিয়ে এসেছিলেন। সেই মেরু প্রদেশে প্রবেশ করার সঙ্গে সঙ্গে বোধিসত্ত্ব ভেরী বাজিয়ে তাঁর সব অনুচরদের একজায়গায় একত্রিত করে তাদের বললেন, এখানে কোথাও জল পাওয়া যায় না। এইখানে অনেক বিষ বৃক্ষ আছে। সুতরাং আমার বিনা আনুমতিতে তোমরা এখানকার কোন জল বা ফল খাবে না।
সেই পথে কিছুদুর গেলে সেই যক্ষরাজ আগের মতই মানুষের বেশ ধারণ করে ভিজে কাপর পরে পদ্মফুলের মালা গলায় দিয়ে বোধিসত্ত্বের সামনে এসে বলল, এইপথে কিছুদূর গিয়েই দেখবে অনেক জলাশয় আছে। সেখানে সব সময় বৃষ্টি হচ্ছে। সুতরাং জল বয়ে নিয়ে যাবার কোন দরকার নেই। জলপূর্ণ বড় বড় পাত্রগুলি হতে সব জল ফেলে দিয়ে তোমাদের গাড়িগুলো হাল্কা কর। বোধিসত্ত্ব লক্ষ্য করলেন, এই লোকটি যক্ষ, মানুষ নয়। করণ তাঁর চোখ রক্তবর্ণ, উগ্রমূর্তি, তার কোন ছায়া পড়ছেনা মাটি্তে।
এই দেখে তিনি তাকে বললেন, দূর হ পাপিষ্ঠ। আমরা বণিক, আমরা নিজের চোখে জল না দেখে আমাদের সঞ্চিত জল ফেলে দেব না। যখন জল পাবার উপায় দেখব তখন নিজের বুদ্ধিতেই জল ফেলে দিয়ে হাড়িগুলো হালকা করব। তোর কাছে পরামর্শ নিতে যাব না।
এইভাবে তার কুউদ্দেশ্য ব্যর্থ হওয়ায় যক্ষরাজ তার নিজের পুরীতে ফিরে গেল।
বোধিসত্ত্বের এক অল্পবুদ্ধি অনুচর কিছুতা দূর থেকে মানুষবেশী যক্ষরাজকে দেখেছিল। সে তার কথায় বিশ্বাস করে বলল, যে লোকটা এসেছিল তার গায়ে জল এবং কাপড় ভিজা ছিল। তার গলায় ছিল পদ্মফুলের মালা। যে পথ দিয়ে এসেছিল সে পথ নিশ্চয় পদ্মফুলে ভরা সরোবর আছে। সে পথে নিশ্চয় সর্বদা বৃষ্টি হচ্ছে। অতএব আমাদের সঞ্চিত জল ফেলে দিয়ে গাড়িগুলো হালকা করাই ভাল।
বোধিসত্ত্ব তখন তার অনুচরদের ডাকিয়ে জড়োকরে তাদের বললেন, যে লোকটি এসেছিল আমার কাছে, সে মানুষ নয়, যক্ষ। তার কথা শুনবেনা। লোকটা বলে গেল, দূরে যে নীল বন দেখা যাচ্ছে সেখানে বৃষ্টি হচ্ছে সর্বদা। কিন্তু বৃষ্টি হলে এক যোজন দূর থেকে ঠাণ্ডা বাতাস বয়। কিন্তু তোমরা কোন ঠাণ্ডা বাতাস টের পেয়েছ কি?
অনুচরগণ বলল, না।
বোধিসত্ত্ব বললেন, যে মেঘে বৃষ্টি হয় তার একটা অন্তত এক যোজন দূর হতে দেখা যায়। কিন্তু তোমরা দেখতে পাওনি। কোনও বিদ্যুতের চমকও ডেকতে পাওনি। দু এক যোজন দূর হতে মেঘের গর্জন শুনতে পাওয়া যায়। কিন্তু তোমরা কোনও মেঘগর্জনও শুনতে পাওনি।
এখন শোন, যে লোকটা এসেছিল সেই মায়াবি যক্ষটা এক কু-অভিসন্ধি নিয়ে এসেসিল। সে ভেবেছিল আমরা তার কথা শুনে আমাদের সব জল ফেলে দিব। আমরা তৃষ্ণাই ক্লান্ত হয়ে পড়ব। জল অভাবে আহার করতে পারব না। এইভাবে আমারা সকলে হীনবল হয়ে পরলে তারা অনায়াসে বধ করে আমাদের মাংস খাবে। সুতরাং এক বিন্দু জলও ফেলবে না। আমাদের আগে যে বণিক এসেছিল, সে যক্ষের কথাই সব জল ফেলে দিয়েছিল। পরে তারা ক্ষুধাতৃষ্ণাই কাতর হলে যক্ষরা তাদের বধ করে। কিছুদুর গেলেই দেখবে তাদের গাড়িগুলো আরা হাড় কঙ্কাল গুলো পথের উপর পরে আছে।
তখন বোধিসত্ত্ব ও তার অনুচর গণ দ্রুতবেগে গাড়ি চালিয়ে বেশ কিছুদূর গিয়ে দেখতে পেল, সত্যিই তাদের আগের নির্বোধ বণিকের পাঁচশ গাড়ি পরে আছে। কোনও গরু বা মানুষ নেই। তাদের হাড় কঙ্কাল গুলো শুধু পরে আছে। তা দেখে বোদিসত্ত্বের আনুচরদের চৈতন্য হোল । সেইখানে তারা আহার ও রাত্রি জাপন করলেন। এরপর বোধিসত্ত্ব দীর্ঘ পথ অতিক্রম করার জন্য তার যে সব গাড়িগুলো প্রায় ভেঙ্গে পরেছিল সেগুলি ফেলে রেখে নির্বোধ বণিকের ভালো ভালো গাড়িগুলো নিয়ে নিলেন। তারপর তার গাড়িগুলোতে যে সব কম মূল্যের মাল ছিলসেগুলি ফেলে দিয়ে নির্বোধ বণিকের বেশি মুল্যের মালগুলি নিজের গাড়িতে তুলে নিলেন। তারপর বোধিসত্ত্ব তার গন্তব্য স্থানে গিয়ে পোঁছলেন। সেখানে তার বাণিজ্য ভালই হোল। আগের বণিক না জেতে পারায় সেখানে মালের চাহিদা ছিল। তিনি তার সব মাল দবি-গুন বা তিন গুন মূল্যে বিক্রি করে অনেক ভালো লাভ করলেন। তারপর নিরাপদে তাঁর দেশে ফিরে গেলেন।

নির্বোধ ব্যাক্তিরা সত্যকে ফেলে মিথ্যাকে আশ্রই করে। বোধিসত্ত্ব প্রকৃত জ্ঞানী ছিলেন বলে সত্য মিথ্যা যাচাই করার ক্ষমতা ছিল তাঁর।

সকল প্রানী সুখি হক, দুঃখ হতে মুক্তি লাভ করুক।

সূত্র:http://sakyamunibuddhabd.blogspot.com/2014/03/blog-post_16.html

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Asita, the seer, visits the newborn prince

Asita the seer, in his mid-day meditation, saw the devas of the Group of Thirty — exultant, ecstatic — dressed in pure white, honoring Indra, holding up banners, cheering wildly, & on seeing the devas so joyful & happy, having paid his respects, he said: "Why is the deva community so wildly elated? Why are they holding up banners & waving them around? Even after the war with the Asuras — when victory was the devas', the Asuras defeated — even then there was no excitement like this. Seeing what marvel are the devas so joyful? They shout, they sing, play music, clap their hands, dance. So I ask you, who live on Mount Meru's summit. Please dispel my doubt quickly, dear sirs." "The Bodhisatta, the foremost jewel, unequaled, has been born for welfare & ease in the human world, in a town in the Sakyan countryside, Lumbini. That's why we're all so wildly elated. He, the highest of all beings, the ultimate person, a bull among men, foremost of all people, will set turning the Wheel [of Dhamma] in the grove named after the seers, like a strong, roaring lion, the conqueror of beasts." Hearing these words, Asita quickly descended [from heaven] and went to Suddhodana's dwelling. There, taking a seat, he said to the Sakyans: "Where is the prince? I, too, want to see him." The Sakyans then showed to the seer named Asita their son, the prince, like gold aglow, burnished by a most skillful smith in the mouth of the furnace, blazing with glory, flawless in color. On seeing the prince blazing like flame, pure like the bull of the stars going across the sky — the burning sun, released from the clouds of autumn — he was exultant, filled with abundant rapture. The devas held in the sky a many-spoked sunshade of a thousand circles. Gold-handled whisks waved up & down, but those holding the whisks & the sunshade couldn't be seen. The matted-haired seer named Dark Splendor, seeing the boy, like an ornament of gold on the red woolen blanket, a white sunshade held over his head, received him, happy & pleased. And on receiving the bull of the Sakyans, longingly, the master of mantras & signs exclaimed with a confident mind: "This one is unsurpassed, the highest of the biped race." Then, foreseeing his own imminent departure, he, dejected, shed tears. On seeing him weeping, the Sakyans asked: "But surely there will be no danger for the prince?" On seeing the Sakyans' concern he replied, "I foresee for the prince no harm. Nor will there be any danger for him. This one isn't lowly: be assured. This prince will touch the ultimate self-awakening. He, seeing the utmost purity, will set rolling the Wheel of Dhamma through sympathy for the welfare of many. His holy life will spread far & wide. But as for me, my life here has no long remainder; my death will take place before then. I won't get to hear the Dhamma of this one with the peerless role. That's why I'm stricken, afflicted, & pained."
REF:-http://www.accesstoinsight.org/

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Parents have a duty to take good care of their children, to give them love and affection and to lead them through the path of morality as set by the teachings of the Lord Buddha. In short, the duties of parents are to help their children become successful and decent human beings.

There are five primary duties that a parent must do while bringing up a child:

1. Not allowing the child to do anything evil, including the killing of people and animals, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, speaking foul language, drinking alcohol and engaging in self-destructive behaviour.

2. Teaching the child to be established in virtue, for example, charitable giving, observing The Five Precepts and cultivation of the mind.

3. Ensuring that the child is properly educated.

4. Guiding the child to the right path in the careful selection of a spouse.

5. Passing on inheritances to the child

Children’s Duties to their Parents

A parent’s greatest joy lies in knowing the fact that their children are grateful to them, that they follow their guidance, get a good education, are successful at work and are respected by others. Every parent wants his or her children to be good and virtuous human beings.

Children should show their gratitude to parents by living a virtuous life, showing good respect to them, speaking to them in a nice and warm fashion, and taking good care of them. Children should never hold a grudge against their parents, regardless of their shortcomings.

Parents can set a good example for their children by caring for their own ageing parents. When we take care of our parents, we should do so without expectation of anything in return. We already owe our parents a tremendous debt for giving us life in a human form, for bringing us up and for giving us an education among other things.

We should try to be self-sufficient and not count on our parents for support, even if they are wealthy. Their wealth belongs to them. They can choose to spend their money in whichever way they like. We should not regard their wealth as our own simply because we are related. We should earn a living for ourselves and create our own wealth. Any inheritances given to us by our parents should be considered as an extra gift.

If parents give their children their wealth, but the children have not built a good base of merit to sustain it, it will eventually be depleted and soon disappear no matter how much wealth is given to them. One who is void of merit is also void of wealth. This is set by The Law of Kamma.

Human life is made up of physical and spiritual components, such as the body and mind. Our fathers and mothers contributed the elements for our physical form, while our mind is our own. In a way, we can say that our bodies belong to our parents since they are our progenitors.

Our body is a gift from our parents and we should honour our parents by treating this ‘gift’ with respect and care. We should use our bodies for only worthy deeds and avoid unworthy ones. We should not allow our bodies to be contaminated by intoxicants such as alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. If we use our bodies to perform more good deeds and increase our purity, our parents will share the benefits of our good deeds too. This is another way to show our gratitude to them.

Source http:http://bouddha969.blogspot.com

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The Ultimate Truth can be found in the Teaching of the Buddhism.

Buddhism recognizes two kinds of Truth. The apparent conventional truth and the real or ultimate Truth. The ultimate Truth can be realized only through meditation, and not theorizing or speculating.

The Buddha’s Teaching is the Ultimate Truth of the world. Buddhism, however, is not a revealed or an organized religion. It is the first example of the purely scientific approach applied to questions concerning the ultimate nature of existence. This timeless Teaching was discovered by the Buddha Himself without the help of any divine agency. This same teaching is strong enough to face any challenge without changing the basic principles of the doctrine.

Any religion that is forced to change or adjust its original Teachings to suit the modern world, is a religion that has no firm foundation and no ultimate truth in it.

Buddhism can maintain the Truth of the original Teaching of the Master even under the difficult conditions prevailing in the modern world.
   
The Buddha did not introduce certain personal or worldly practices which have no connection with morality or religious observances. To the Buddha, such practices have no religious value. We must make the distinction between what the Buddha taught and what people preach and practise in the name of Buddhism.

Every religion consists of not only the teachings of the founder of that religion but also the rites and ceremonies which have grown up around the basic core of the teachings. These rituals and ceremonies have their origins in the cultural practices of the people who accepted the religion. Usually the founders of the great religions do not lay down precise rules about the rituals to be observed. But religious leaders who come after them formalize the religion and set up exacting codes of behavior which the followers are not allowed to deviated from.

Even the religion which we call ‘Buddhism’ is very different in its external practices from what the Buddha and His early followers carried out. Centuries of cultural and environmental influence have made Burmese, Thai, Chinese, Tibetan, Sri Lankan and Japanese Buddhism different. But these practices are not in conflict, because the Buddha taught that while the Truth remains absolute, the physical manifestation of this truth can differ according to the way of life of those who profess it.

A few hundred years after His passing away, the disciples of the Buddha organized a religion around the Teachings of the Master. While organizing the religion, they incorporated, among other concepts and beliefs, various types of miracles, mysticism, fortune-telling, charms, talismans, mantras, prayers and many rites and rituals that were not found in the original Teaching. When these extraneous religious beliefs and practices were introduced, many people neglected to develop the most important practices found in the original Teaching; self-discipline, self-restraint, cultivation of morality and spiritual development. Instead of practicing the original Teaching, they gave more of their attention and effort to self-protection from evil spirits and sought after prosperity or good luck. Gradually, people began to lose interest in the original Teachings and became more interested in discovering ways and means of getting rid of the so-called misfortunes or bad influences of stars, black magic, and sickness. In this manner, through time the religious practices and beliefs degenerated, being confined to worldly pursuits. Even today, many people believe that they can get rid of their difficulties through the influence of external powers. People still cling to this belief: hence they neglect to cultivate the strength of their will-power, intelligence, understanding and other related human qualities. In other words, people started to abuse their human intelligence by following those beliefs and practices in the name of Buddhism. They also polluted the purity of the Buddha’s message.

Thus the modern religion we see in many countries is the product of normal human beings living in a country and adjusting to various social and cultural environments. However, Buddhism as a religion did not begin as a superworldly system that came down from heaven. Rather it was born and evolved through a long historical process. In its process of evolution, many people slowly moved away from the original Teachings of the founder and started different new schools or sects. All the other existing religions also face the same situation.

One should not come to a hasty conclusion either by judging the validity of a religion or by condemning the religion simply by observing what people perform through their blind faith in the name of that religion. To understand the real nature of a religion one must study and investigate the original Teachings of the founder of that religion.

In the face of the profusion of ideas and practices which were later developments, it is useful for us to return to the positive and timeless Dhamma taught by the Buddha. Whatever people believe and practise in the name of Buddhism the basic Teachings of the Buddha still exist in the original Buddhist texts.

Source :http://bouddha969.blogspot.com

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Our mind (citta) is the master, the chief, because everything starts within the mind.

A person with a healthy mind, complete with right thought, speech and action, can

remain unwavering in the face of adversities such as loss of possessions or status,

criticism and suffering. On the other hand, a person with a mind corrupted by bad

thoughts, speech and actions, even when enjoying good fortune, improved status,

praise and happiness, will still be depressed. Practising mindfulness of the

breathing is the way to develop and build the power of the mind, comprising faith

(saddhd), effort (viriya), mindfulness, concentration and wisdom.

Faith is believing in what is reasonable. It is a belief guided by wisdom, such

as believing in the four noble truths, believing that fthe debt of gratitude owed to

one’s parents is real, that good action brings good results and bad action brings

bad results, or that we can transcend suffering with dhamma practice.

Effort is the effort to refrain from bad actions, do what is right, and purify our

mind.

Mindfulness is recollection, the power to differentiate between beneficial and

detrimental things. With the guidance of mindfulness, we will know right from

wrong, choose to observe the five precepts, recognize our responsibility towards

our family, society, and country and do our utmost to fulfill our duty.

The foundation of mindfulness is the four bases for mindfulness (satipatthd

na), being aware that body (kayo), feeling (vedand), mind (citta) and phenomena

(dhamma) are not self, not me and not mine (anattfi). They are simply what they

are. Realizing their true nature, our mind will be free from attachment, peaceful,

unselfish and happy.

Concentration is the tranquility of a well-trained mind, which is capable of

performing both worldly and spiritual affairs.

Wisdom is the consummate wisdom that realizes the real truth, the highest

level of which is understanding the four noble truths.

If we possess all the mentioned elements, we can be happy under all

circumstances no matter how grave the situations may be, and can overcome

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As a ‘Compassionate Being’, a Bodhisatta is destined to attain Buddhahood, and become a future Buddha, through the cultivation of his mind.
In order to gain Supreme Enlightenment, he practices transcendental virtues(Parami) to perfection. The virtues are generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, truthfulness, determination, loving-kindness, and even mindedness. He cultivates these Parami with compassion and wisdom, without being influenced by selfish motives or selfconceit.
.He works for the welfare and happiness of all beings, seeking to lessen the suffering of others throughout the series of his countless lives.

In his journey to perfection, he is prepared to practice these virtues, sometimes even at the expense of his own life.

In the Pali scriptures, the designation ‘Bodhisatta’ is given to Prince Siddhartha before His Enlightenment and to His former lives. The Buddha Himself used this term when speaking of His life prior to Enlightenment. According to the Pali texts there is no mention of Buddha Bodhi being the only way to attain the final goal of Nibbanic bliss. It was very rare for a disciple during the Buddha’s time to forgo the opportunity to attain sainthood and instead declare bodhisattahood as his aspiration. However, there are some records that some followers of the Buddha did aspire to become Bodhisattas to gain ‘Buddhahood’.

In the Mahayana school of thought, the Bodhisatta cult however, plays an important role. The Mahayana ideal regards the Bodhisatta as a being who, having brought himself to the brink of Nibbana, voluntarily delays the acquisition of his prize so that he may return to the world to make it accessible to others. He deliberately chooses to postpone his release from Samsara in order to show the path for others to attain Nibbana.

Although Theravada Buddhists respect Bodhisattas, they do not regard them as being in the position to enlighten or save others before their own enlightenment. Bodhisattas are, therefore, not regarded as saviors. In order to gain their final salvation, all beings must follow the method prescribed by the Buddha and follow the example set by Him. They must also personally eradicate their mental defilements and develop all the great virtues.

Theravada Buddhists do not subscribe to the belief that everyone must strive to become a Buddha in order to gain Nibbana. However, the word ‘Bodhi’ is used to refer to the qualities of a Buddha, or PaccekaBuddha and Arahant in expressions such as Sammasmbodhi, PaccekaBodhi and SavakaBodhi. In addition, many of the Buddhas mentioned in the Mahayana school are not historical Buddhas and are therefore not given much attention by Theravada Buddhists. The notion that certain Buddha and Bodhisattas are waiting in Sukhawati(Pure Abode)for those who pray to them is a notion quite foreign to the fundamental Teachings of the Buddha. Certain Bodhisattas are said to voluntarily remain in Sukhawati, without gaining enlightenment themselves, until every living being is saved. Given the magnitude of the universe and the infinite number of beings who are enslaved by ignorance and selfish desire, this is clearly an impossible task, since there can be no end to the number of beings.

Must a Bodhisatta always be a Buddhist? We may find among Buddhists some self-sacrificing and ever loving Bodhisattas. Sometimes they may not even be aware of their lofty aspiration, but they instinctively work hard to serve others and cultivate their pristine qualities. Nevertheless, Bodhisattas are not only found among Buddhists, but possibly among the other religionists as well. The Jataka stories, which relate the previous birth stories of the Buddha, describe the families and forms of existence taken by the Bodhisatta. Sometimes He was born as an animal. It is hard to believe that He could have been born in a Buddhist family in each and every life. But no matter what form He was born as or family he was born into. He invariably strived hard to develop certain virtues. His aspiration to gain perfection from life to life until final birth when he emerged as a Buddha, is the quality which clearly distinguishes a Bodhisatta from other beings.

Source:http://bouddha969.blogspot.com

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