Funny stuff
That is what the Blessed One said. But those bhikkhus did not delight in the Blessed One’s words.
That being so, those who are murderers, bloody-handed evil-doers in the world, when they are reborn among human beings, go forth into homelessness as Nigaṇṭhas.’
‘But, Ambaṭṭha, you came here seeking something. Whatever it was you came for, you should listen attentively to hear about it. Ambaṭṭha, you have not perfected your training. Your conceit of being trained is due to nothing but inexperience.’
“Master Gotama, my doctrine and view is this: ‘Nothing is acceptable to me.’”731
“This view of yours, Aggivessana, ‘Nothing is acceptable to me’ — is not at least that view acceptable to you?”
And the women became excessively preoccupied with men, and the men with women. Owing to this excessive preoccupation with each other, passion was aroused, and their bodies burnt with lust. And later, because of this burning, they indulged in sexual activity.835 But those who saw them indulging threw dust, ashes or [89] cow-dung at them, crying: “Die, you filthy beast! How can one being do such things to another!
‘Lord, how should we act towards women?’ “Do not see them, Ānanda.’ ‘But if we see them, how should we behave, Lord?’ ‘Do not speak to them, Ānanda.’ ‘But if they speak to us, Lord, how should we behave?’ ‘Practise mindfulness, Ānanda.’430
“What, bhikkhus, is fear of whirlpools? Here some clansman goes forth out of faith from the home life into homelessness, considering: ‘I am a victim of birth, ageing, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am a victim of suffering, a prey to suffering. Surely an ending of this whole mass of suffering can be known.’ Then, after he has gone forth thus, when it is morning he dresses, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he goes into a village or town for alms with his body unguarded, with his speech unguarded, with mindfulness unestablished, and with sense faculties unrestrained. He sees some householder there or householder’s son furnished and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure enjoying himself with them. He considers thus: ‘Formerly, when we were in the home life, we were furnished and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure and we enjoyed ourselves with them. My family has wealth; I can both enjoy wealth and make merit.’ And so he forsakes the training and reverts to the low life. He is called one who has forsaken the training and reverted to the low life because he was frightened by the fear of whirlpools. Now ‘fear of whirlpools’ is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure. 19.
“What, bhikkhus, is fear of sharks? Here [462] some clansman goes forth out of faith from the home life into homelessness, considering: ‘I am a victim of birth, ageing, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am a victim of suffering, a prey to suffering. Surely an ending of this whole mass of suffering can be known.’ Then, after he has gone forth thus, when it is morning he dresses, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he goes into a village or town for alms with his body unguarded, with his speech unguarded, with mindfulness unestablished, and with sense faculties unrestrained. He sees a woman there lightly clothed, lightly dressed. When he sees such a woman, lust infects his mind. Because his mind has been infected by lust, he forsakes the training and reverts to the low life. He is called one who has forsaken the training and reverted to the low life because he was frightened by the fear of sharks. Now ‘fear of sharks’ is a designation for women.
“Anuruddha, it is not for the purpose of scheming to deceive people or for the purpose of flattering people or for the purpose of gain, honour, or renown, or with the thought, ‘Let people know me to be thus,’ that when a disciple has died, the Tathāgata declares his reappearance thus: ‘So-and-so has reappeared in such-and-such a place; so-and-so has reappeared in such-and-such a place.’ Rather, it is because there are faithful clansmen inspired and gladdened by what is lofty, who when they hear that, direct their minds to such a state, and that leads to their welfare and happiness for a long time. 10. “Here a bhikkhu hears thus: ‘The bhikkhu named so-and-so has died; the Blessed One has declared of him: “He was established in final knowledge.”’691 And he has either seen that venerable one for himself or heard it said of him: ‘That venerable one’s virtue was thus, his state [of concentration] was thus, his wisdom was thus, his abiding [in attainments] was thus, his deliverance was thus.’ Recollecting his faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he directs his mind to such a state. In this way a bhikkhu has a comfortable abiding.
Now on that occasion the wanderer Sandaka was seated with a large assembly of wanderers who were making an uproar, loudly and noisily talking many kinds of pointless talk,748 such as talk of kings, robbers, ministers, armies, dangers, battles, food, drink, clothing, beds, garlands, perfumes, relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, countries, women, heroes, streets, wells, the dead, trifles, the origin of the world, the origin of the sea, [514] whether things are so or are not so. Then the wanderer Sandaka saw the venerable Ānanda coming in the distance. Seeing him, he quieted his own assembly thus: “Sirs, be quiet; sirs, make no noise. Here comes the recluse Ānanda, a disciple of the recluse Gotama, one of the recluse Gotama’s disciples staying in Kosambī. These venerable ones like quiet; they are disciplined in quiet; they commend quiet. Perhaps if he finds our assembly a quiet one, he will think to join us.” Then the wanderers became silent.
“Again, Sandaka, here some teacher holds such a doctrine and view as this:752 ‘There are these seven bodies that are unmade, not brought forth, uncreated, without a creator, barren, standing like mountain peaks, standing like pillars. They do not move or change or obstruct each other. None is able [to arouse] pleasure or pain or pleasure-and-pain in another. What are the seven? They are the earth-body, the water-body, the fire-body, the air-body, pleasure, pain, and the soul as the seventh. These seven bodies are unmade… Herein, there is no killer, no slaughterer, no hearer, no speaker, no cognizer, no intimater. Even those who cut off someone’s head with a sharp sword do not deprive anyone of life; the sword merely passes through the space between the seven bodies.
even those disciples of his who fall out with their companions in the holy life and abandon the training to return to the low life — even they praise the Master and the Dhamma and the Sangha; they blame themselves instead of others, saying: “We were unlucky, we have little merit; for though we went forth into homelessness in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma, we were unable to live the perfect and pure holy life for the rest of our lives.” Having become monastery attendants or lay followers, they undertake and observe the five precepts. Thus the recluse Gotama is honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples, and his disciples live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him.’”
“Householder, if you would follow my advice, then have this pile of gold coins and bullion loaded on carts and carried away to be dumped midstream in the river Ganges. Why is that? Because, householder, on account of this there will arise for you sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.”
Then, when it was morning, the venerable Angulimāla dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. Now on that occasion someone threw a clod and hit the venerable Angulimāla’s body, someone else threw a stick and hit his body, and someone else threw a potsherd and hit his body. Then, with blood running from his cut head, with his bowl broken, and with his outer robe torn, the venerable Angulimāla went to the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw him coming in the distance and told him: “Bear it, brahmin! Bear it, brahmin! You are experiencing here and now the result of deeds because of which you might have been tortured in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years.”824
“What do you think, Dhānañjāni? Suppose someone here were to behave contrary to the Dhamma, to behave unrighteously for the sake of his wife and children… for the sake of his slaves, servants, and workers… for the sake of his friends and companions… for the sake of his kinsmen and relatives… for the sake of his guests… [188] for the sake of his departed ancestors… for the sake of the deities… for the sake of the king… for the sake of refreshing and nourishing this body, and because of such behaviour the wardens of hell were to drag him off to hell. Would he be able [to free himself by pleading thus]: ‘It was for the sake of refreshing and nourishing this body that I behaved contrary to the Dhamma, that I behaved unrighteously, so let not the wardens of hell [drag me off] to hell’? Or would others be able [to free him by pleading thus]: ‘It was for the sake of refreshing and nourishing this body that he behaved contrary to the Dhamma, that he behaved unrighteously, so let not the wardens of hell [drag him off] to hell’?”
“No, Master Sāriputta. Even while he was crying out, the wardens of hell would fling him into hell.”
In human bodies in themselves Nothing distinctive can be found. Distinction among human beings Is purely verbal designation.902
When this was said, the brahmin student Sangārava said to the Blessed One: “Master Gotama’s striving was unfaltering, Master Gotama’s striving was that of a true man, as it should be for an Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One. But how is it, Master Gotama, are there gods?”
“It is known to me to be the case, Bhāradvāja, that there are gods.”
“But how is this, Master Gotama, that when you are asked, ‘Are there gods?’ you say: ‘It is known to me to be the case, Bhāradvāja, that there are gods’? If that is so, isn’t what you say empty and false?”921
“Bhāradvāja, when one is asked, ‘Are there gods?’ [213] whether one answers, ‘There are gods,’ or ‘It is known to me to be the case [that there are gods],’ a wise man can draw the definite conclusion that there are gods.”
“But why didn’t Master Gotama answer me in the first way?”
“It is widely accepted in the world, Bhāradvāja, that there are gods.” 43.
When this was said, the brahmin student Sangārava said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama! Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overturned, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with eyesight to see forms. I go to Master Gotama for refuge and to the Dhamma and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. Let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge for life.”
“Then it may occur to you, bhikkhus: ‘I shall be troubled and the other person will be hurt; for the other person is given to anger and resentment, and he is firmly attached to his view and he relinquishes with difficulty; and I cannot make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome.’ One should not underrate equanimity towards such a person.
“So too, brahmin, Nibbāna exists and the path leading to Nibbāna exists and I am present as the guide. Yet when my disciples have been thus advised and instructed by me, some of them attain Nibbāna, the ultimate goal, and some do not attain it. What can I do about that, brahmin? The Tathāgata is one who shows the way.”1028
“Ānanda, a bhikkhu does not shine by delighting in company, by taking delight in company, by devoting himself to delight in company; by delighting in society, by taking delight in society, by rejoicing in society. Indeed, Ānanda, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who delights in company, takes delight in company, and devotes himself to delight in company, who delights in society, takes delight in society, and rejoices in society, will ever obtain at will, without trouble or difficulty, the bliss of renunciation, the bliss of seclusion, the bliss of peace, the bliss of enlightenment.1149
But it can be expected that when a bhikkhu lives alone, withdrawn from society, he will obtain at will, without trouble or difficulty, the bliss of renunciation, the bliss of seclusion, the bliss of peace, the bliss of enlightenment.
“That being so, Ānanda, remember this too as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Tathāgata: Here, Ānanda, for the Tathāgata feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear.1166 Remember this too, Ānanda, as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Tathāgata.”
“Then the elephant tamer addresses the elephant with words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and loveable, as go to the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable to many. When the forest elephant [133] is addressed by such words, he listens, gives ear, and exerts his mind to understand. The elephant tamer next rewards him with grass-fodder and water. When the forest elephant accepts the grass-fodder and water from him, the elephant tamer knows: ‘Now the king’s elephant will live!’
So too, Aggivessana, if an elder bhikkhu dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered an elder bhikkhu who has died a tamed death. If a bhikkhu of middle status dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered a bhikkhu of middle status who has died a tamed death. If a newly ordained bhikkhu dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered a newly ordained bhikkhu who has died a tamed death.”
‘Good man, did you not see the first divine messenger to appear in the world?’
...‘Good man, did it never occur to you — an intelligent and mature man —
One gives a gift to a virtuous ordinary person; this is the twelfth kind of personal offering. One gives a gift to an immoral ordinary person; this is the thirteenth kind of personal offering. One gives a gift to an animal; this is the fourteenth kind of personal offering.
“Venerable sir, if the people of Sunāparanta do take my life with a sharp knife, then I shall think thus: ‘There have been disciples of the Blessed One who, being repelled, humiliated, and disgusted by the body and by life, have sought an assailant. But I have obtained this assailant without even a search.’ Then I shall think thus, Blessed One; then I shall think thus, Sublime One.”
‘And what was this conversation about?’ So Ambaṭṭha told Pokkharasāti all that had passed between the Lord and himself. 2.15. At this Pokkharasāti exclaimed: ‘Well, you’re a fine little scholar, a fine wise man, a fine expert in the Three Vedas! Anyone going about his business like that ought when he dies, at the breaking-up of the body, to go to the downfall, to the evil path, to ruin, to hell! You have heaped insults on the Reverend Gotama, as a result of which he has brought up more and more things against us! You’re a fine little scholar . . . !’ He was so angry and enraged that he kicked Ambaṭṭha over, and wanted to start out at once to see the Lord. [108]
‘Ānanda, I am now old, worn out, venerable, one who has traversed life’s path, I have reached the term of life, which is eighty.390 Just as an old cart is made to go by being held together with straps,391 so the Tathāgata’s body is kept going by being strapped up. It is only when the Tathāgata withdraws his attention from outward signs,392 and by the cessation of certain feelings,393 enters into the signless concentration of mind,394 that his body knows comfort.
Then the Lord, having dressed in the morning, took his robe and bowl and went with his order of monks to Cunda’s dwelling, where he sat down on the prepared seat and said: ‘Serve the “pig’s delight” that has been prepared to me, and serve the remaining hard and soft food to the order of monks.’
‘Very good, Lord’, said Cunda, and did so.
Then the Lord said to Cunda: ‘Whatever is left over of the “pig’s delight” you should bury in a pit, because, Cunda, I can see none in this world with its devas, māras and Brahmās, in this generation with its ascetics and Brahmins, its princes and people who, if they were to eat it, could thoroughly digest it except the Tathāgata.’418
‘Very good, Lord’, said Cunda and, having buried the remains of the ‘pig’s delight’ in a pit, he came to the Lord, saluted him and sat down to one side.
Then the Lord, having instructed, inspired, fired and delighted him with a talk on Dhamma, rose from his seat and departed.
‘Once, Pukkusa, when I was staying at Ātumā, at the threshing-floor, the rain-god streamed and splashed, lightning flashed and thunder crashed, and two farmers, brothers, and four oxen were killed. And a lot of people went out of Ātumā to where the two brothers and the four oxen were killed. 4.31. ‘And, Pukkusa, I had at that time gone out of the door of the threshing-floor and was walking up and down outside. And a man from the crowd came to me, saluted me and stood to one side. And I said to him: 4.32. ‘“Friend, why are all these people gathered here?” [132]
“Lord, there has been a great storm and two farmers, brothers, and four oxen have been killed. But you, Lord, where have you been?”
“I have been right here, friend.”
“But what did you see, Lord?”
“I saw nothing, friend.”
“Or what did you hear, Lord?”
“I heard nothing, friend.”
“Were you sleeping, Lord?”
“I was not sleeping, friend.”
“Then, Lord, were you conscious?”
“Yes, friend.”
“So, Lord, being conscious and awake you neither saw nor heard the great rainfall and floods and the thunder and lightning?”
“That is so, friend.” 4.33.
‘And, Pukkusa, that man thought: “It is wonderful, it is marvellous! These wanderers are so calm that they neither see nor hear when the rain-god streams and splashes, lightning flashes and thunder crashes!” Proclaiming my lofty powers, he saluted me, passed by to the right and departed.’
Then Sakka said: ‘Pañcasikha, [265] it is hard for the likes of us to get near the Tathāgatas when they are enjoying the bliss of meditation,583 and therefore withdrawn. But if you, Pañcasikha, were first to attract584 the ear of the Blessed Lord, then we might afterwards be able to approach and see the Blessed Lord, the fully-enlightened Buddha.’
‘Very good, Lord’, said Pañcasikha and, taking his yellow beluva-wood lute, he approached the Indasāla Cave. Thinking: ‘As far as this is neither too far nor too near to the Lord, and he will hear my voice’, he stood to one side. Then, to the strains of his lute, he sang these verses extolling the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Arahants, and love:585 1.5
‘Lady, your father Timbarū greet, Oh Sunshine586 fair, I give him honour due, By whom was sired a maid as fair as you Who are the cause of all my heart’s delight. Delightful as the breeze to one who sweats, Or as a cooling draught to one who thirsts, Your radiant beauty is to me as dear As the Dhamma is to Arahants. [266] Just as medicine to him who’s ill, Or nourishment to one who’s starving still, Bring me, gracious lady, sweet release With water cool from my consuming flames. The elephant, oppressed by summer heat,587 Seeks out a lotus-pool upon which float Petals and pollen of that flower, So into your bosom sweet I’d plunge. As an elephant, urged by the goad, Pays no heed to pricks of lance and spear, So I, unheeding, know not what I do, Intoxicated by your beauteous form. By you my heart is tightly bound in bonds, All my thoughts are quite transformed, and I Can no longer find my former course: I’m like a fish that’s caught on baited hook. Come, embrace me, maiden fair of thighs,588 Seize and hold me with your lovely eyes, Take me in your arms, it’s all I ask! My desire was slight at first, O maid Of waving tresses, but it grew apace, As grow the gifts that Arahants receive. Whatever merit I have gained by gifts To those Noble Ones, may my reward When it ripens, be your love, most fair! [267] As the Sakyans’ Son in jhāna rapt Intent and mindful, seeks the deathless goal, Thus intent I seek your love, my Sun! Just as that Sage would be rejoiced, if he Were to gain supreme enlightenment, So I’d rejoice to be made one with you.589 If Sakka, Lord of Three-and-Thirty Gods Were perchance to grant a boon to me, It’s you I’d crave, my love for you’s so strong. Your father, maid so wise, I venerate Like a sāl-tree fairly blossoming, For his offspring’s sake, so sweet and fair.’ 1.6.
When he heard this, the Lord said: ‘Pañcasikha, the sound of your strings blends so well with your song, and your song with the strings, that neither prevails excessively over the other.590 When did you compose these verses on the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Arahants, and love?’
‘Lord, it was when the Blessed Lord was staying on the bank of the River Nerañjarā, under the goatherd’s banyan tree [268] prior to his enlightenment. At that time I fell in love with the lady Bhaddā, bright as the sun, the daughter of King Timbarū of the gandhabbas. But the lady was in love with somebody else. It was Sikhaddi, the son of Mātali the charioteer, whom she favoured. And when I found that I could not win the lady by any manner of means, I took my yellow beluva-wood lute and went to the home of King Timbarū of the gandhabbas, and there I sang these verses: 1.7. (Verses as 5). ‘And, Lord, having heard the verses the lady Bhaddā Suriyavaccasā said to me: “Sir, I have not personally seen that Blessed Lord, though I heard of him when I went to the Sudhammā Hall of the Thirty-Three Gods to dance. And since, sir, you praise that Blessed Lord so highly, let us meet today.” [269] And so, Lord, I met the lady, not then but later.’
...Then Sakka, ruler of the gods, said to Pañcasikha of the gandhabbas: ‘My dear Pañcasikha, you have been of great help to me for gaining the ear of the Blessed Lord. For it was through your gaining his ear that we were admitted to the presence of the Blessed Lord, the Arahant, the supremely enlightened Buddha. I will be a father to you, you shall be king of the gandhabbas, and I will give you Bhaddā Suriyavaccasā, whom you desired.’
‘Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the supremely enlightened Buddha! Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the supremely enlightened Buddha! Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the supremely enlightened Buddha!’
‘So, Prince, this thief could not get even his human executioners to wait while he visited his friends and relations. So how can your friends, colleagues and blood-relations who have committed all these misdeeds, having died and gone to a place of woe, prevail upon the warders of hell, saying: “Good warders of hell, please wait while we report to Prince Pāyāsi that there is another world, there are spontaneously born beings, and there is fruit and result of good and evil deeds”? Therefore, Prince, admit that there is another world . . .’
‘In just the same way, Prince, human beings are unclean, evil-smelling, horrible, revolting and generally considered to be so by the devas. So why should your friends . . . who have not committed any of the offences . . . (as verse 8), and who have after death been born in a happy state, a heavenly world, come back and say: “There is another world, . . . there is fruit [326] of good and evil deeds”? Therefore, Prince, admit that there is another world . . .’
‘Whatever you may say about that, Reverend Kassapa, [330] I still think there is no other world . . .’
‘Have you any reason for this assertion, Prince?’
‘I have, Reverend Kassapa.’
‘What is that, Prince?’
‘Well, Reverend Kassapa, I see here some ascetics and Brahmins who observe morality and are well-conducted, who want to live, do not want to die, who desire comfort and hate suffering. And it seems to me that if these good ascetics and Brahmins who are so moral and well-conducted know that after death they will be better off, then these good people would now take poison, take a knife and kill themselves, hang themselves or jump off a cliff. But though they have such knowledge, they still want to live, do not want to die, they desire comfort and hate suffering. And that, Reverend Kassapa, is my reason for maintaining: “There is no other world . . .”’ 13.
‘Well then, Prince, I will give you a parable, because some wise people understand what is said by means of parables. Once upon a time, Prince, a certain Brahmin had two wives. One had a son ten or twelve years old, while the other was pregnant and nearing her time when the Brahmin died. Then this youth said to his mother’s co-wife: “Lady, whatever wealth and possessions, silver or gold, there may be, is all [331] mine. My father made me his heir.” At this the Brahmin lady said to the youth: “Wait, young man, until I give birth. If the child is a boy, one portion will be his, and if it is a girl, she will become your servant.” The youth repeated his words a second time, and received the same reply. When he repeated them a third time, the lady took a knife and, going into an inner room, cut open her belly, thinking: “If only I could find out whether it is a boy or a girl!” And thus she destroyed herself and the living embryo, and the wealth as well, just as fools do who seek their inheritance unwisely, heedless of hidden danger. ‘In the same way you, Prince, will foolishly enter on hidden dangers by unwisely seeking for another [332] world, just as that Brahmin lady did in seeking her inheritance. But, Prince, those ascetics and Brahmins who observe morality and are well-conducted do not seek to hasten the ripening of that which is not yet ripe, but rather they wisely await its ripening. Their life is profitable to those ascetics and Brahmins, for the longer such moral and well-conducted ascetics and Brahmins remain alive, the greater the merit that they create; they practise for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the profit and benefit of devas and humans. Therefore, Prince, admit that there is another world . . .’