Knowing people is assuredly not easy

From the Annals of Lu Buwei (呂氏春秋 A classic Chinese history book), there was a record about Confucius 孔子 and his disciple Yan Hui 顏回.

When Confucius was traveling in the area of Chen 陳國 and Cai 蔡國, two of the twelve nations in China at that period of time. He had encountered some difficulty in getting food to eat. The record said that in Confucius' broth of greens, it contained not even a grain of rice. For seven days Confucius did not taste any grain, so even during daylight he had to lie down. His disciple, Yan Hui, went out and sought for some rice. Fortunately, he was able to obtain it, and prepared it.

While cooking the food, Confucius observed that Yan Hui reached for something inside the pot and ate it. He pretended that he had not seen it. After a while the food was cooked, Yan Hui announced it to Confucius and brought out the food.

Confucius rose and said, "Just now I dreamed of our late lord (their previous king). Since this food is pure, I will offer some to him."

Yan Hui replied, "That would not be acceptable. A while ago some charcoal ash fell into the pot. Because it is inauspicious to throw food away, I took it out of the pot and drank it."

Realizing his mistake, Confucius sighed and said, "What I believed was my eyes, but it appears that my eyes should not be trusted; what I depended on was my mind, but it appears that is insufficient to be depended on. Disciples, take note of this: knowing other people is assuredly not easy."

It is not the knowing that is difficult, but the means by which we know others that is difficult. Commonly, we trust our senses and mind, thinking that they are reliable source of information. However, with a subjective discriminating view of things, we may not see the reality. Thus, the Buddha says, "Rely not upon your mind. It is not trustworthy. Guard yourself against the senses, for they surely lead to the path of evil. Your own thought becomes trustworthy only when you have attained Arhathood."

Note:

1. Confucius: One of the greatest teacher and philosopher of China.

2. Yan Hui: He is Confucius' best disciple in learning.

Happiness here and Happiness hereafter

Once there lived a man in Savatthi, a lay disciple by the name of Dhammika, who was virtuous and very fond of doing charity. He generously offered food and other requisites to holy men regularly and also on special occasions. Her was, in fact, the leader of many virtuous lay disciples of the Buddha who lived in Savatthi. Dhammika had many children and all of them, like their father, were also virtuous and devoted to charity. When Dhammika was very ill and was on his deathbed He requested the Sangha to recite the sacred suttas by his bedside. While the Bhikkus were reciting the Maha-Satipatthana Sutta he saw a vision of six decorated chariots from six celestial worlds arriving to invite him to their respective worlds. Dhammika told them to wait for a while for fear of interrupting the recitation of the Sutta. The bhikkhus, thinking that they were being asked to stop, discontinued their chanting and left the place.

A little while later, Dhammika told his children abou9t the six decorated chariots waiting for him. Then and there he decided to choose the chariot from the Tusita world and he passed away with happiness and confidence in his mind.

Thus, the virtuous man rejoice in this world as well as in the next. (The Dhammapada)

A Butcher Who Suffered Here and Hereafter

Once in a village not far away from the veluvana monastery, there liveda very cruel and hard-hearted pork-butcher by the name of Cunda who Slaughtered animals by torturing them. Cunda had been in this progression for many years an in all this time he had not done a single meritorious deed. Before he died, he was in such great pain and agony that he was grunting and squealing and kept moving about on his hands and knees like a pig for several days. Then, after suffering physically and mentally, the seventh day, he died and was reborn in a suffering state.

Some bhikkhus having heard the grunting and squealing coming from his house fro several days, thought that cunda must be busy killing more pigs. They remarked that Cunda was a very cruel and wicked man for he did not have a single thought of loving-kindness and was also devoid of any compassion.

Upon hearing their remarks, the Buddha said, ‘Bhikkhus! Cunda has not been killing pigs. His past evil deeds have overtaken him. Because of the great pain he had to suffer before his death, he was acting and behaving in a very unnatural way. Today he died and was reborn in hell.’

The Buddha concluded his discourse by saying, ‘the evildoer always suffers for the evil deeds done by him; he suffers in this world as well as in the next. There is no escape from the consequences of evil deeds.’

The Old Man Who retaliated

Tissa, a cousin of the Buddha, had become a bhikkhu only in his old age. He liked to pose as a senior bhikku and was very pleased when visiting bhikkhus asked his permission to do some service for him. On the other hand, he failed to pay due respect to the senior bhikkus. Besides, he often quarreled with the younger bhikkus. Should anyone rebuke him on account of his behavior he would go complaining to the Buddha, weeping, very much dissatisfied and very upset. The Buddha who understood the position advised Tissa to change his behavior and not to harbor thoughts of hatred against anyone for hatred could only be eradicated by not harboring hatred.

The Buddha said it was not the first time Tissa had been obstinate; he had also been obstinate in a previous life. The Buddha then revealed that in one of his past existences Tissa had been an obstinate ascetic by the name of Devala. As a result of a misunderstanding, he cursed a very holy religious teacher. In spite of the intervention and persuasion of the king to seek the pardon of the religious teacher, Devala refused to do so. Finally, the king had to physically force him to seek the pardon of the religious teacher.

Why Cry for the moon? (Mattha Kundali)

Matth Kundali was a young Brahmin, whose father was very stingy and never gave anything in charity. Even the gold ornaments for his only son were made by himself to save payments fro workmanship. When his son was suffering from jaundice, no physician was consulted until it was too late. When he realized that his son was dying, he had the youth carried outside to the verandah so that people coming to his house would not see his possessions.

On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his deep meditation of compassion saw, in his Net of Knowledge, Mattha Kunali lying in the verandah. So when entering Savatthi for alms food with his disciples, the Buddha stood near the door of Mattha Kundali’s house. The Buddha sent forth a ray of light to attract the attention of the youth, who was facing the interior of the house. The youth saw the Buddha. He was very weak and he could only profess his faith but he thereby gained some happiness. But that was enough. When he passed away with his heart in devotion to the Buddha he was reborn in the Tavatimsa celestial world.

From his celestial abode he saw his father mourning over him at the cemetery and appeared to the old man in the likeness of his old self. He told his father about his rebirth in the Tavatimsa world and advised him to approach the Buddha, offer alms and listen to the Buddha’s sermon. The old man did as he was told and after the sermon, the question was brought up as to whether one could be reborn in a celestial world simply by mentally professing profound faith in the Buddha, without practicing charity or observing the moral precepts. So the Buddha willed that Mattha Kundali should appear in person. Mattha Kundali appeared in his celestial glory and told them about his rebirth in the Tavatimsa world. Only then did the listeners become convinced that the young man had attained much glory by simply devoting his mind to the Buddha

At the end of the discourse, the old man realized the Dharma and donated most of his wealth to the cause of the Dharma.

An Arahant who had lost his eyesight

One day, Venrabel Cakkhupala who was blind came to pay homage to the Buddha at Jetavana monastery. While he was pacing up and sown in meditation, he accidentally stepped on some insects. In the morning, some bhikkus visiting him found the dead insects. They thought ill of him and reported the matter to the Buddha. When questioned by the Buddha whether they had seen Cakkhupala killing the insects, they answered in the negative. The Buddha then admonished them, ‘just as you had not seen him killing, so also he had not seen those living insects. Besides, being an Arahant he had no intention of killing, and was not guilty of committing an unwholesome act.’ On being asked why Cakkhuplala was blind, the Buddha revealed the following story to explain the nature of Karmic affects.

Cakkupala has been a physician in one of his past existences. Once, he had deliberately made a woman patient blind. That woman has promised to become his servant together with her children if her eyes were completely cured. Fearing that she and her children would have to become servants, she lied to the physician. She told him that her eyes aware getting worse when, in fact, they were perfectly cured. The physician knew she was deceiving him, so in revenge, he gave her another ointment which made her totally blind. AS a result of this evil deed the physician lost his eyesight many times in his later existences.

The Buddha then commented that an evil deeds committed will follow the evildoer just like a wheel follows the hoof of the ox that bears the yoke.

The Earnest Faith

The Earnest Faith from Daharmapada

At the time of the Buddha, there was once a big river southeast of the city Sravasti. Its waters were deep and wide. More than five hundred families lived along its banks as fishermen. They have not yet heard about the qualities of the Path or the way of salvation from the worldly. Their manners were violent, and were busy cheating each other. They coveted gain, and were licentious, rash, and extremely willful. The World-honored One constantly thought he should go there to save those among them who should be saved. He knew that these families should be saved by their merits. Thereupon the World-honored One went to the riverbank and sat down under a tree. When the villagers saw the Buddha’s bright appearance, they found it extraordinary, and there was none who was not impressed. They all went to pay their respects. Some saluted and some bowed, asking how he was.

The Buddha told them to sit down, and he expounded the Doctrine of the scriptural text. The crowd heard it, but they did not believe in it because they were used to fraud and were skeptical of any true words. The Buddha then magically caused someone to appear, coming from the south of the river. Walking on the water, just wet to his ankles, he came to the Buddha. He prostrated and greeted the Buddha.

When the crowd saw this, there was none who was not astonished. They asked the transformed person: “From the time of our ancestors we have lived on these shores, yet we have never seen anyone walking on the water. Who are you, sir? What kind of magic do you have that you are able to tread on water and not drown? Please explain it to us.”

The transformed person answered: “ I am a foolish person from south of the river. When I heard that the Buddha was here, I wanted to enjoy the virtues of the Path, but when I arrived at the southern shore, I could not cross in time. I asked someone on the shore whether the water was deep or shallow. He said: ‘The water may reach up to your ankles. Why do you not wade across?’ I trusted his words and just crossed over like that. There is nothing strange or miraculous about it.”

The Buddha then said in praise: “Excellent! Excellent! If you have faith, you may truly cross the abyss of birth and death. Why be astonished about walking across a river that is a few kilometers wide?”

The Buddha continued to explain other merits of faith and its benefits. When the villagers heard the Buddha’s exposition, their faith was realized. Their minds opened up and their faith was firm. They all received the five precepts and become people of pure faith.