Jendhamuni - Buddhism and inspiring quotes

The Story of Theri Rupananda (Janapadakalyani)

Comment March 17, 2021

Verse 150: This body (lit., the city) is built up with bones which are covered with flesh and blood; within this dwell (lit., are deposited) decay and death, pride and detraction (of others’ virtues and reputation).

The Story of Theri Rupananda (Janapadakalyani)

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (150) of this book, with reference to Janapadakalyani.

Princess Janapadakalyani was the daughter of Gotami, the step-mother of Gotama the Buddha; because she was very beautiful she was also known as Rupananda. She was married to Nanda, a cousin of the Buddha. One day she pondered, “My elder brother who could have become a Universal Monarch has renounced the world to become a bhikkhu; he is now a Buddha. Rahula, the son of my elder brother, and my own husband Prince Nanda have also become bhikkhus. My mother Gotami has also become a bhikkhuni, and I am all alone here!” So saying, she went to the monastery of some bhikkhunis and became a bhikkhuni herself. Thus, she had become a bhikkhuni not out of faith but only in imitation of others and because she felt lonely.

Rupananda had heard from others that the Buddha often taught about the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and insubstantiality of the khandhas. So she thought he would talk deprecatingly about her good looks if he should see her; and thus thinking, she kept away from the Buddha. But other bhikkhunis coming back from the monastery, kept talking in praise of the Buddha; so, one day, she decided to accompany other bhikkhunis to the monastery.

The Buddha saw her and reflected, “A thorn can only be taken out with a thorn; Rupananda being very attached to her body and being very proud of her beauty, I must take the pride and attachment out of her through beauty.” So, with his supernormal power, he caused an image of a very beautiful lady of about sixteen years of age to be seated near him, fanning him. This young girl was visible only to Rupananda and the Buddha. When Rupananda saw the girl, she realized that compared to that girl, she herself was just like an old, ugly crow compared to a beautiful white swan. Rupananda had a good look at the girl and she felt that she liked her very much. Then, she looked again and was surprised to find that the girl had grown to the age of about twenty. Again and again, she looked at the figure beside the Buddha and every time she noticed that the girl had grown older and older. Thus, the girl turned into a grown-up lady, then into a middle-aged lady, an old lady, a decrepit and a very old lady successively. Rupananda also noticed that with the arising of a new image, the old image disappeared, and she came to realize that there was a continuous process of change and decay in the body. With the coming of this realization, her attachment to the body diminished. Meanwhile, the figure near the Buddha had turned into an old, decrepit lady, who could no longer control her bodily functions, and was rolling in her own excreta. Finally, she died, her body got bloated, pus and maggots came out of the nine openings and crows and vultures were trying to snatch at the dead body. Continue reading →
Nothing ever goes away

3 March 5, 2021

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. — Pema Chödrön
To seek nothing is bliss…

Comment March 4, 2021

To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss. — Bodhidharma

The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting. — Confucius
For each new morning let there be flow of love

3 March 2, 2021

For each new morning let there be flow of love. Let there be light of happiness in every direction. — Amit Ray
Something incredibly honest about trees in winter

3 February 18, 2021
I realize there’s something incredibly honest about trees in winter, how they’re experts at letting things go. – Jeffrey McDaniel

Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together. – Vista M. Kelly

We are like a snowflake, all different in our own beautiful way. – Unknown

Snowstorm in Lowell, Massachusetts on February 7, 2021.
Buddhavagga: The Buddha

Comment February 15, 2021

179. By what track can you trace that trackless Buddha of limitless range, whose victory nothing can undo, whom none of the vanquished defilements can ever pursue?

180. By what track can you trace that trackless Buddha of limitless range, in whom exists no longer, the entangling and embroiling craving that perpetuates becoming?

181. Those wise ones who are devoted to meditation and who delight in the calm of renunciation — such mindful ones, Supreme Buddhas, even the gods hold dear.

182. Hard is it to be born a man; hard is the life of mortals. Hard is it to gain the opportunity of hearing the Sublime Truth, and hard to encounter is the arising of the Buddhas.

183. To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one’s mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

184. Enduring patience is the highest austerity. “Nibbana is supreme,” say the Buddhas. He is not a true monk who harms another, nor a true renunciate who oppresses others.

185. Not despising, not harming, restraint according to the code of monastic discipline, moderation in food, dwelling in solitude, devotion to meditation — this is the teaching of the Buddhas. Continue reading →
The Story of Adhimanika Bhikkhus

Comment February 14, 2021

Verse 149: Like gourds thrown away in autumn are these dove-grey bones; what pleasure is there in seeing them?

The Story of Adhimanika Bhikkhus

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (149) of this book, with reference to some bhikkhus who over-estimated themselves.

Five hundred bhikkhus, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went into the woods. There, they practised meditation ardently and diligently and soon attained deep mental absorption (jhana) and they thought that they were free from sensual desires and, therefore, had attained arahatship. Actually, they were only over-estimating themselves. Then, they went to the Buddha, with the intention of informing the Buddha about what they thought was their attainment of arahatship.

When they arrived at the outer gate of the monastery, the Buddha said to the Venerable Ananda, “Those bhikkhus will not benefit much by coming to see me now; let them go to the cemetery first and come to see me only afterwards.” The Venerable Ananda then delivered the message of the Buddha to those bhikkhus, and they reflected, “The Enlightened One knows everything; he must have some reason in making us go to the cemetery first.” So they went to the cemetery.

There, when they saw the putrid corpses they could look at them as just skeletons, and bones, but when they saw some fresh dead bodies they realized, with horror, that they still had some sensual desires awakening in them. The Buddha saw them from his perfumed chamber and sent forth the radiance; then he appeared to them and said, “Bhikkhus! Seeing these bleached bones, is it proper for you to have any sensual desire in you?”

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 149: Like gourds thrown away in autumn are these dove-grey bones; what pleasure is there in seeing them?
At the end of the discourse, those five hundred bhikkhus attained arahatship. Continue reading →
Lokavagga: The World

Comment February 13, 2021
Follow not the vulgar way; live not in heedlessness; hold not false views; linger not long in worldly existence.

Arise! Do not be heedless! Lead a righteous life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.

Lead a righteous life; lead not a base life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.

One who looks upon the world as a bubble and a mirage, him the King of Death sees not.

Come! Behold this world, which is like a decorated royal chariot. Here fools flounder, but the wise have no attachment to it.

He who having been heedless is heedless no more, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.

He, who by good deeds covers the evil he has done, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.

Blind is the world; here only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the net, go to realms of bliss.

Swans fly on the path of the sun; men pass through the air by psychic powers; the wise are led away from the world after vanquishing Mara and his host.

For a liar who has violated the one law (of truthfulness) who holds in scorn the hereafter, there is no evil that he cannot do. Continue reading →
When humans are very young

2 February 12, 2021

Infants and young children naturally and spontaneously reveal what they feel. They are not held back by inhibitions or enmeshed in habits of deception. One effect of babies’ naturalness is that people feel affection towards them, and this kindness that others show them is necessary for their survival. We find small children adorable and loveable, and we are therefore willing to take care of their needs. People stop to admire them and want to caress and hold them. If they cry, we want to discover why so we can give them whatever they lack. When humans are very young, we are naturally open and straightforward. If a small child sees another playing at something, he or she might walk straight up and join the other in the play. Children unselfconsciously wave at people in passing trains or cars. They do not doubt others’ intentions or seek to deceive them. ~ 17th Karmapa

Jendhamuni at the Wachusett Reservoir on September 26, 2020
The Story of Theri Uttara

Comment February 12, 2021

Verse 148: This body is worn out-with age, it is the seat of sickness, it is subject to decay. This putrid body disintegrates; life, indeed, ends in death.

The Story of Theri Uttara

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (148) of this book, with reference to Theri Uttara.

Theri Uttara, who was one hundred and twenty years old, was one day returning from her alms-round when she met a bhikkhu and requested him to accept her offering of alms-food. The inconsiderate bhikkhu accepted all her alms-food; so she had to go without food for that day. The same thing happened on the next two days. Thus Theri Uttara was without food for three successive days and she was feeling weak. On the fourth day, while she was on her alms-round, she met the Buddha on the road where it was narrow. Respectfully, she paid obeisance to the Buddha and stepped back. While doing so, she accidentally stepped on her own robe and fell on the ground, injuring her head. The Buddha went up to her and said, “Your body is getting very old and infirm, it is ready to crumble, it will soon perish.”

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 148: This body is worn out-with age, it is the seat of sickness, it is subject to decay. This putrid body disintegrates; life, indeed, ends in death.
At the end of the discourse, Theri Uttara attained Sotapatti Fruition.

Dhammapada Verse 148
Uttaratheri Vatthu

Parijinnamidam rupam
roganilam pabhanguram
bhijjati putisandeho
maranantam hi jivitam.

Source: Tipitaka

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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.