Jendhamuni - Buddhism and inspiring quotes

The Story of Thera Upananda Sakyaputta

Comment July 6, 2021

Verse 158: One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only one should teach others. A wise man should not incur reproach.

The Story of Thera Upananda Sakyaputta

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (158) of this book, with reference to Upananda, a thera of the Sakyan Clan.

Upananda was a very eloquent preacher. He used to preach to others not to be greedy and to have only a few wants and would talk eloquently on the merits of contentment and frugality (appicchata) and austere practices (dhutangas). However, he did not practise what he taught and took for himself all the robes and other requisites that were given up by others.

On one occasion, Upananda went to a village monastery just before the vassa. Some young bhikkhus, being impressed by his eloquence, asked him to spend the vassa in their monastery. He asked them how many robes each bhikkhu usually received as donation for the vassa in their monastery and they told him that they usually received one robe each. So he did not stop there, but he left his slippers in that monastery. At the next monastery, he learned that the bhikkhus usually received two robes each for the vassa; there he left his staff. At the next monastery, the bhikkhus received three robes each as donation for the vassa; there he left his water bottle. Finally, at the monastery where each bhikkhu received four robes, he decided to spend the vassa.

At the end of the vassa, he claimed his share of robes from the other monasteries where he had left his personal effects. Then he collected all his things in a cart and came back to his old monastery. On his way, he met two young bhikkhus who were having a dispute over the share of two robes and a valuable velvet blanket which they had between them. Since they could not come to an amicable settlement, they asked Upananda to arbitrate. Upananda gave one robe each to them and took the valuable velvet blanket for having acted as an arbitrator. Continue reading →
Maggavagga: The Path

1 July 4, 2021
Of all the paths the Eightfold Path is the best; of all the truths the Four Noble Truths are the best; of all things passionlessness is the best: of men the Seeing One (the Buddha) is the best.

This is the only path; there is none other for the purification of insight. Tread this path, and you will bewilder Mara.

Walking upon this path you will make an end of suffering. Having discovered how to pull out the thorn of lust, I make known the path.

You yourselves must strive; the Buddhas only point the way. Those meditative ones who tread the path are released from the bonds of Mara.

“All conditioned things are impermanent” — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.

“All conditioned things are unsatisfactory” — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification. Continue reading →
Bringing heart and mind together

2 June 21, 2021

Jendhamuni visiting Master Dejapanno Phorn Pheap at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts on Saturday June 19, 2021.

Gratitude is a value of interdependence. It is an inner orientation that aligns us emotionally with the outer reality of our lives. Bringing heart and mind together, gratitude is an affective state that can be produced by an awareness of interdependence. We identify interdependence at work and train ourselves to respond to that awareness with gratitude. Like other values of interdependence, gratitude can lead us from awareness to feelings and, eventually, can culminate in action. ~ 17th Karmapa

ព្រះភិក្ខុ ពុទ្ធសត្ថា, ព្រះភិក្ខុ ឥន្ទជោតោ, លោក កៀង ពិសិដ្ឋ, លោក គិម សកល, គិម អានន្ទ, អ្នកស្រី អ៍ូ សាន និង សុស ចិន្ដាមុនី បានទៅសួរសុខទុក្ខព្រះភិក្ខុ តេជប្បញ្ញោ ផន ភាពនៅឯមន្ទីរពេទ្យ បេស្ដេត ទីក្រុងស្ព្រីងហ្វៀដ៍ រដ្ឋម៉ាសាឈូសិត្ដស៍ នាថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍ ទី១៧ ខែមិថុនា ព.ស.២៥៦៥ គ.ស.២០២១។ ព្រះតេជគុណម្ចាស់ តេជប្បញ្ ផន ភាព ត្រូវបានរថយន្ដពេទ្យសង្គ្រោះជាបន្ទាន់ដឹកពីវត្ដគិរីវង្សាបុប្ផារាម អាស្រមសមាធិសន្ដិភាព ទៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យ បេស្ដេត នៅថ្ងៃអាទិត្យ ទី៣០ ខែឧសភា ព.ស.២៥៦៥ គ.ស.២០២១ វេលាម៉ោងប្រមាណ ៩ៈ០០នាទីព្រឹក។ ព្រះភិក្ខុ ពុទ្ធសត្ថា, ព្រះភិក្ខុ ឥន្ទជោតោ, លោក កៀង ពិសិដ្ឋ, លោក គិម សកល, ឧបាសិកា គិម វណ្ណ មុនី, គិម អានន្ទ និង សុស ចិន្ដាមុនី មានវត្ដមាននៅកន្លែងកើតហេតុ ហើយបានទាក់ទងឱ្យ រថយន្ដពេទ្យសង្គ្រោះជាបន្ទាន់មកពិនិត្យព្រះតេជគុណនៅក្នុងកុដិរបស់ព្រះអង្គមុននឹងគេដឹកព្រះអង្គទៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យខាងលើនេះ។

Maha Thera Siripanno Sophon Thon, Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, . Bhikkhu Munindathero Maha Nhor Tepmony, Mr. Piseth Kien, Mr. Sakal Kim, Mrs. San Ou, Ananda Kim, Jendhamuni Sos, Ven. Sirip visiting Bhikkhu Dejapanno, our meditation master, at the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts on Thursday June 17, 2021. Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, Mr. Piseth Kien, Mr. Sakal Kim, Upāsikā Mony Kim, Ananda Kim and Jendhamuni Sos were at the scene on Sunday, May 30, B.E.2565 A.D.2021 and called an ambulance to examine Bhikkhu Dejapanno Pheap Phorn in his room before he was transported from the Kiryvongsa Bopharam Temple to the Baystate Medical Center around 9 a.m. during that morning.

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The Story of Bodhirajakumara

2 June 12, 2021
Verse 157: If one knows that one is dear to oneself, one should protect oneself well. During any of the three watches (of life) the wise man should be on guard (against evil).

If one knows that one is dear to oneself, one should protect oneself well. During any of the three watches (of life) the wise man should be on guard (against evil).

yamam: A night is divided into three watches. According to the Commentary, the watches in this context are the three stages in Man’s life, viz., childhood, youth and old age.

The Story of Bodhirajakumara

While residing at the Bhesakala wood, the Buddha uttered Verse (157) of this book, with reference to Prince Bodhi (Bodhirajakumara).

Once, Prince Bodhi built a magnificent palace for himself. When the palace was finished he invited the Buddha for alms-food. For this special occasion, he had the building decorated and perfumed with four kinds of scents and incense. Also, a long length of cloth was spread on the floor, starting from the threshold to the interior of the room. Then, because he had no children, the prince made a solemn asseveration that if he were to have any children the Buddha should step on the cloth. When the Buddha came, Prince Bodhi respectfully requested the Buddha three times to enter the room. But the Buddha, instead of moving, only looked at Ananda. Ananda understood him and so asked Prince Bodhi to remove the cloth from the door-step. Then only, the Buddha entered the palace. The prince then offered delicious and choice food to the Buddha. After the meal, the prince asked the Buddha why he did not step on the cloth. The Buddha in turn asked the prince whether he had not spread the cloth making a solemn asseveration that if he were to be blessed with a child, the Buddha would step on it; and the prince replied in the affirmative. To him, the Buddha said that he and his wife were not going to have any children because of their past evil deeds. The Buddha then related their past story. Continue reading →
Activity and delusions of samsara

1 June 10, 2021

There’s no end to the activity and delusions of saṃsāra:
The more you do, the more they go on increasing,
Animosity and attachment strengthen all the while,
Creating the causes for your own downfall.

Turn your mind, therefore, towards the Dharma.
If you can integrate the Dharma physically, verbally and mentally,
You have set out on the path to liberation and enlightenment,
And, at the moment of death, you will have no regrets.
In this and all your future lives,
You will go from one joy to the next.

~ Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
The source of what we like or do not like

Comment June 10, 2021

It can be very difficult to accept that the source of what we like or do not like arises in our mind. When we get our heads stuck in the clouds – pretty clouds, ugly clouds – we cannot see that they are impermanent, that they have a life of their own, and that they will pass on, if we let them. ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Dhammatthavagga: The Just

Comment June 9, 2021
Not by passing arbitrary judgments does a man become just; a wise man is he who investigates both right and wrong.

He who does not judge others arbitrarily, but passes judgment impartially according to the truth, that sagacious man is a guardian of law and is called just.

One is not wise because one speaks much. He who is peaceable, friendly and fearless is called wise.

A man is not versed in Dhamma because he speaks much. He who, after hearing a little Dhamma, realizes its truth directly and is not heedless of it, is truly versed in the Dhamma.

A monk is not an elder because his head is gray. He is but ripe in age, and he is called one grown old in vain.

One in whom there is truthfulness, virtue, inoffensiveness, restraint and self-mastery, who is free from defilements and is wise — he is truly called an Elder.

Not by mere eloquence nor by beauty of form does a man become accomplished, if he is jealous, selfish and deceitful.

But he in whom these are wholly destroyed, uprooted and extinct, and who has cast out hatred — that wise man is truly accomplished. Continue reading →
The Story of the Son of Mahadhana

Comment June 9, 2021

Verse 155: They, who in youth have neither led the life of Purity nor have acquired wealth, waste away in dejection like decrepit herons on a drying pond deplete of fish.

Verse 156: They, who in youth have neither led the Life of Purity nor have acquired wealth, lie helplessly like arrows that have lost momentum, moaning and sighing after the past.

The Story of the Son of Mahadhana

While residing at the Migadaya wood, the Buddha uttered Verses (155) and (156) of this book, with reference to the son of Mahadhana, a rich man from Baranasi.

The son of Mahadhana did not study while he was young; when he came of age he married the daughter of a rich man, who, like him, also had no education. When the parents on both sides died, they inherited eighty crores from each side and so were very rich. But both of them were ignorant and knew only how to spend money and not how to keep it or to make it grow. They just ate and drank and had a good time, squandering their money. When they had spent all, they sold their fields and gardens and finally their house. Thus, they became very poor and helpless; and because they did not know how to earn a living they had to go begging. One day, the Buddha saw the rich man’s son leaning against a wall of the monastery, taking the leftovers given him by the samaneras; seeing him, the Buddha smiled. Continue reading →
Malavagga: Impurity

2 June 1, 2021

235. Like a withered leaf are you now; death’s messengers await you. You stand on the eve of your departure, yet you have made no provision for your journey!

236. Make an island for yourself! Strive hard and become wise! Rid of impurities and cleansed of stain, you shall enter the celestial abode of the Noble Ones.

237. Your life has come to an end now; You are setting forth into the presence of Yama, the king of death. No resting place is there for you on the way, yet you have made no provision for the journey!

238. Make an island unto yourself! Strive hard and become wise! Rid of impurities and cleansed of stain, you shall not come again to birth and decay.

239. One by one, little by little, moment by moment, a wise man should remove his own impurities, as a smith removes his dross from silver.

240. Just as rust arising from iron eats away the base from which it arises, even so, their own deeds lead transgressors to states of woe. Continue reading →
Watch the nature of mind

6 April 17, 2021

So stay right here, you lucky people,
let go and be happy in the natural state.
Let your complicated life and everyday confusion alone
and out of quietude, doing nothing, watch the nature of mind.
This piece of advice is from the bottom of my heart:
fully engage in contemplation and understanding is born;
cherish nonattachment and delusion dissolves;
and forming no agenda at all reality dawns.
Whatever occurs, whatever it may be, that itself is the key,
and without stopping it or nourishing it, in an even flow,
freely resting, surrendering to ultimate contemplation,

~ Longchenpa

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Shantidevas’ Bodhisattva vows

Should anyone wish to ridicule me and make me an object of jest and scorn why should I possibly care if I have dedicated myself to others?

Let them do as they wish with me so long as it does not harm them. May no one who encounters me ever have an insignificant contact.

Regardless whether those whom I meet respond towards me with anger or faith, may the mere fact of our meeting contribute to the fulfilment of their wishes.

May the slander, harm and all forms of abuse that anyone should direct towards me act as a cause of their enlightenment.