1. The Story of a Samanera from Kosambi

    Comment

    Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life.

    The Story of a Samanera from Kosambi

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (96) of this book, with reference to a samanera, a pupil of Thera Tissa from Kosambi.

    Once, a seven year old boy was made a samanera at the request of his father. Before his head was shaved the boy was given a subject of meditation. While he was being shaved, the boy had his mind fixed steadfastly on the object of meditation; as a result, he attained arahatship as soon as they finished shaving his head.

    After some time, Thera Tissa, accompanied by the samanera, set out for Savatthi to pay homage to the Buddha. On the way, they spent one night in a village monastery. The thera fell asleep, but the young samanera sat up the whole night beside the bed of the old thera. Early in the morning, the old thera thought it was time to wake up the young samanera. So he roused up the samanera with a palm-leaf fan, and accidentally hit the eye of the samanera with the handle of the fan and damaged the eye. The samanera covered that eye with one hand and went about doing his duties of getting water for the thera to wash his face and clean his mouth, sweeping the floor of the monastery, etc. When the young samanera offered water with one hand to the thera, the thera chided him, and said that he should offer things with both hands. Only then, did the thera learn how the samanera lost his eye. At that instant, he realized that he had wronged a truly noble person. Feeling very sorry and humiliated, he made an apology to the samanera. But the samanera said that it was not the fault of the thera, nor his own fault, but that it was only the result of kamma, and so the thera was not to feel sad about it. But the thera could not get over the unfortunate incident.

    Then they continued their journey to Savatthi and arrived at the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha was in residence. The thera then told the Buddha that the young samanera who came along with him was the most noble person he had ever met, and related all that had happened on their way. The Buddha listened to him, and replied, “My son, an arahat does not get angry with anyone he is restrained in his senses and is perfectly calm and serene.”

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
    Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life.

    Dhammapada Verse 96
    Kosambivasitissattherasamanera Vatthu

    Santam tassa manam hoti
    santa vaca ca kamma ca
    sammadanna vimuttassa
    upasantassa tadino.

    Source: Tipitaka

  2. It takes no effort to love

    1

    It takes no effort to love.
    The state has its own innate joy.
    Questions answer themselves if you are aware enough.
    Life is safe;
    flowing with the current of being is the simplest way to live.
    Resistance never really succeeds.
    Controlling the flow of life is impossible.

    ~Deepak Chopra

     

  3. When kindness has left people

    111

    When kindness has left people, even for a few moments, we become afraid of them as if their reason had left them. When it has left a place where we have always found it, it is like shipwreck; we drop from security into something malevolent and bottomless. ~Willa Cather

  4. The Story of Thera Sariputta

    Comment

    Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.

    1. apetakaddamo: free from mud. The lake water being free from mud is unpolluted; the arahat being free from defilements is also serene and pure.

    The Story of Thera Sariputta

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (95) of this book, with reference to the Chief Disciple Sariputta and a young bhikkhu.

    It was the end of the vassa; and Thera Sariputta was about to set out on a journey with some followers. A young bhikkhu, who bore some grudge against the thera, approached the Buddha and falsely reported that Thera Sariputta had abused him and beaten him. The Buddha therefore sent for the thera and questioned him, and Thera Sariputta replied as follows: “Venerable Sir! How could a bhikkhu, who steadfastly keeps his mind on the body, set out on a journey without apologizing, after doing wrong to a fellow bhikkhu? I am like the earth, which feels no pleasure when flowers are cast on it, nor resentment when rubbish and excreta are piled upon it. I am also like the door-mat, the beggar, the bull with broken horns; I also feel abhorrence for the impurity of the body and am no longer attached to it.”

    When Thera Sariputta spoke thus, the young bhikkhu felt very much distressed and wept bitterly, and admitted that he had lied about the Chief Disciple Sariputta. Then the Buddha advised Thera Sariputta to accept the apology of the young bhikkhu, lest a heavy punishment should fall on him and get his head crushed. The young bhikkhu then admitted that he had done wrong and respectfully asked for pardon. Thera Sariputta pardoned the young bhikkhu and also asked to be forgiven if he also had done any wrong.

    All those present talked in praise of Thera Sariputta, and the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu like Sariputta has no anger or ill will in him. Like the earth and the door-post, he is patient, tolerant, and firm; like the lake free from mud, he is serene and pure.”

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
    Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.

    Dhammapada Verse 95
    Sariputtatthera Vatthu

    Pathavisamo no virujjhati
    indakhilupamo tadi subbato
    rahadova apetakaddamo1
    samsara na bhavanti tadino.

    Source: Tipitaka

  5. A mind of gratitude

    Comment

    A mind of gratitude is one that sees the good things in life, that values things, and that relishes even the difficult parts of life. Such a mind tends to grow in freedom, happiness and energy. ~Ajahn Brahm

  6. Land use changes

    Comment

    Around three quarters of the increase in CO2 levels from human activity over the last 20 years is from the burning of fossil fuels. The rest is made up largely of land use changes such as deforestation. Source: Science Facts


Live & Die for Buddhism

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Khmer Tipitaka 1 – 110

 ព្រះត្រៃបិដក

ព្រះត្រៃបិដក ប្រែថា កញ្រ្ចែង ឬ ល្អី​ ៣ សម្រាប់ដាក់ផ្ទុកពាក្យពេចន៍នៃព្រះសម្មាសម្ពុទ្ធ

The Tipitaka or Pali canon, is the collection of primary Pali language texts which form the doctrinal foundation of Theravada Buddhism. The three divisions of the Tipitaka are: Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka.

Maha Ghosananda

Maha Ghosananda

Supreme Patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism (5/23/1913 - 3/12/07). Forever in my heart...

Samdech Chuon Nath

My reflection

វចនានុក្រមសម្តេចសង្ឃ ជួន ណាត
Desktop version

Listen to Khmer literature and Dhamma talk by His Holiness Jotannano Chuon Nath, Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia Buddhism.

Shantidevas’ Bodhisattva vows

My reflection

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.

As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not shaken by blame and praise. As a deep lake is clear and calm, so the wise become tranquil after they listened to the truth…

Good people walk on regardless of what happens to them. Good people do not babble on about their desires. Whether touched by happiness or by sorrow, the wise never appear elated or depressed. ~The Dhammapada

Hermit of Tbeng Mountain

Sachjang Phnom Tbeng សច្ចំ​​ ភ្នំត្បែង is a very long and interesting story written by Mr. Chhea Sokoan, read by Jendhamuni Sos. You can click on the links below to listen. Part 1 | Part 2

Beauty in nature

A beautiful object has no intrinsic quality that is good for the mind, nor an ugly object any intrinsic power to harm it. Beautiful and ugly are just projections of the mind. The ability to cause happiness or suffering is not a property of the outer object itself. For example, the sight of a particular individual can cause happiness to one person and suffering to another. It is the mind that attributes such qualities to the perceived object. — Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Nature is loved by what is best in us. The sky, the mountain, the tree, the animal, give us a delight in and for themselves. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Our journey for peace
begins today and every day.
Each step is a prayer,
Each step is a meditation,
Each step will build a bridge.

—​​​ Maha Ghosananda