Jendhamuni - Buddhism and inspiring quotes

The Story of Mahakala Upasaka

Comment August 26, 2021

Verse 161: The evil done by oneself, arising in oneself, and caused by oneself, destroys the foolish one, just as a diamond grinds the rock from which it is formed.

The Story of Mahakala Upasaka

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (161) of this book, with reference to Mahakala, a lay disciple.

On a certain sabbath day, Mahakala, a lay disciple, went to the Jetavana monastery. On that day, he kept the sabbath by observing the eight moral precepts (Uposatha sila) and listened to the discourses on the Dhamma throughout the night. It so happened that on that same night, some thieves broke into a house; and the owners on waking up went after the thieves. The thieves ran away in all directions. Some ran in the direction of the monastery. It was then nearing dawn, and Mahakala was washing his face at the pond close to the monastery. The thieves dropped their stolen property in front of Mahakala and ran on. When the owners arrived, they saw Mahakala with the stolen property. Taking him for one of the thieves they shouted at him, threatened him and beat him hard. Mahakala died on the spot. Early in the morning, when some young bhikkhus and samaneras from the monastery came to the pond to fetch water, they saw the dead body and recognize it.

On their return to the monastery, they reported what they had seen and said to the Buddha, “Venerable Sir! The lay disciple who was at this monastery listening to the religious discourses all through the night has met with a death which he does not deserve.” To them the Buddha replied, “Bhikkhus! If you judge from the good deeds he has done in this existence, he has indeed met with a death he does not deserve. But the fact is that he has only paid for the evil he had done in a past existence. In one of his previous existences, when he was a courtier in the palace of the king, he fell in love with another man’s wife and had beaten her husband to death. Thus, evil deeds surely get one into trouble; they even lead one to the four apayas.” Continue reading →
Quality of air that emanation from old trees

1 August 25, 2021

It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit. — Robert Louis Stevenson

Jendhamuni on July 14, 2021

To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves. — Mahatma Gandhi

Jendhamuni on July 14, 2021
Nagavagga: The Elephant

Comment August 25, 2021
As an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure abuse. There are many, indeed, who lack virtue.

A tamed elephant is led into a crowd, and the king mounts a tamed elephant. Best among men is the subdued one who endures abuse.

Excellent are well-trained mules, thoroughbred Sindhu horses and noble tusker elephants. But better still is the man who has subdued himself.

Not by these mounts, however, would one go to the Untrodden Land (Nibbana), as one who is self-tamed goes by his own tamed and well-controlled mind.

Musty during rut, the tusker named Dhanapalaka is uncontrollable. Held in captivity, the tusker does not touch a morsel, but only longingly calls to mind the elephant forest.

When a man is sluggish and gluttonous, sleeping and rolling around in bed like a fat domestic pig, that sluggard undergoes rebirth again and again. Continue reading →
The Story of the Mother of Kumarakassapa

Comment August 25, 2021

Verse 160: One indeed is one’s own refuge; how can others be a refuge to one? With oneself thoroughly tamed, one can attain a refuge (i.e., Arahatta Phala), which is so difficult to attain.

The Story of the Mother of Kumarakassapa

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (160) of this book, with reference to the mother of Kumarakassapa.

Once, a young married woman asked permission from her husband to become a bhikkhuni. Through ignorance, she went to join some bhikkhunis who were the pupils of Devadatta. This young woman was pregnant before she became a bhikkhuni, but she was not aware of the fact at that time. But in due course, the pregnancy became obvious and the other bhikkhunis took her to their teacher Devadatta. Devadatta ordered her to go back to the household life. She then said to the other bhikkhunis, “I have not intended to become a bhikkhuni under your teacher Devadatta; I have come here by mistake. Please take me to the Jetavana monastery, take me to the Buddha.” Thus she came to the Buddha. The Buddha knew that she was pregnant before she became a bhikkhuni and was therefore innocent; but he was not going to handle the case. The Buddha sent for King Pasenadi of Kosala, Anathapindika, the famous rich man, and Visakha, the famous donor of the Pubbarama monastery, and many other persons. He then told Thera Upali to settle the case in public.

Visakha took the young girl behind a curtain; she examined her and reported to Thera Upali that the girl was already pregnant when she became a bhikkhuni. Thera Upali then declared to the audience that the girl was quite innocent and therefore had not soiled her morality (sila). In due course, a son was born to her. The boy was adopted by King Pasenadi and was named Kumarakassapa. When the boy was seven years old, on learning that his mother was a bhikkhuni, he also became a samanera under the tutelage of the Buddha. When he came of age he was admitted to the Order; as a bhikkhu, he took a subject of meditation from the Buddha and went to the forest. There, he practised meditation ardently and diligently and within a short time attained arahatship. However, he continued to live in the forest for twelve more years. Continue reading →
Remembering my meditation master Ven. Dejapanno

4 July 7, 2021

Bhikkhu Dejapanno Phorn Pheap (Meditation teacher)
February 1, 1943 – June 21, 2021

On Sunday, May 30, 2021 my family and I went to pick up my meditation master Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap, Ven. Buddha Saddha Vey Ve and Ven. Indajoto Trang Dong at Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam, Peace Meditation Center for the ceremony at the graveyard of my late uncle Yoeun Nget. It was raining very hard that day. We arrived at the temple around 8:30 am, but were told by Ven. Buddha Saddha that Ven. Dejapanno could not go to my late uncle’s graveyard because he was literally unconscious in his room. After that, Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha called me to go inside my master’s room for a short while just to witness the scene.

Ven. Buddha Saddha and Ven. Indajoto were the first two monks who found Ven. Dejapanno unconscious in his room. They found him lying on the floor during wellness check (because Ven. Dejapanno did not show up for breakfast). Mr. Piseth Kien, president of the temple, arrived at the scene shortly before my family and I got there.

Bhikkhu Buddha Saddha, Bhikkhu Indajoto, Mr. Piseth Kien, and Mr. Sakal Kim went inside Ven. Dejapanno’s room and called an ambulance to examine him. When the EMTs carried my master to the ambulance, I followed them just to see if my master was conscious. After seeing his eyes, I felt relief knowing he’s awake because his eyes were blinking. And I was told that his life was not endangered.

Samanera Ananda ordained 15 days to honor Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap.

Continue reading →
The Lessons of Gratitude

Comment July 7, 2021
Jendhamuni at the funeral service of Ven. Dejapanno Phorn Pheap (meditation teacher) at Wat Kiryvongsa Bopharam, Peace Meditation Center on June 24, 2021.

These two people are hard to find in the world. Which two? The one who is first to do a kindness, and the one who is grateful and thankful for a kindness done.”

— AN 2.118

In saying that kind and grateful people are rare, the Buddha isn’t simply stating a harsh truth about the human race. He’s advising you to treasure these people when you find them, and — more importantly — showing how you can become a rare person yourself.

Kindness and gratitude are virtues you can cultivate, but they have to be cultivated together. Each needs the other to be genuine — a point that becomes obvious when you think about the three things most likely to make gratitude heartfelt:

You’ve actually benefitted from another person’s actions.

You trust the motives behind those actions.

You sense that the other person had to go out of his or her way to provide that benefit.

Points one and two are lessons that gratitude teaches kindness: If you want to be genuinely kind, you have to be of actual benefit — nobody wants to be the recipient of “help” that isn’t really helpful — and you have to provide that benefit in a way that shows respect and empathy for the other person’s needs. No one likes to receive a gift given with calculating motives, or in an offhand or disdainful way. Continue reading →
Nirayavagga: Hell

Comment July 7, 2021
The liar goes to the state of woe; also he who, having done (wrong), says, “I did not do it.” Men of base actions both, on departing they share the same destiny in the other world.

There are many evil characters and uncontrolled men wearing the saffron robe. These wicked men will be born in states of woe because of their evil deeds.

It would be better to swallow a red-hot iron ball, blazing like fire, than as an immoral and uncontrolled monk to eat the alms of the people.

Four misfortunes befall the reckless man who consorts with another’s wife: acquisition of demerit, disturbed sleep, ill-repute, and (rebirth in) states of woe.

Such a man acquires demerit and an unhappy birth in the future. Brief is the pleasure of the frightened man and woman, and the king imposes heavy punishment. Hence, let no man consort with another’s wife.

Just as kusa grass wrongly handled cuts the hand, even so, a recluse’s life wrongly lived drags one to states of woe.

Any loose act, any corrupt observance, any life of questionable celibacy — none of these bear much fruit. Continue reading →
The Story of Thera Padhanikatissa

Comment July 6, 2021

Verse 159: One should act as one teaches others; only with oneself thoroughly tamed should one tame others. To tame oneself is, indeed, difficult.

The Story of Thera Padhanikatissa

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (159) of this book, with reference to Thera Padhanikatissa.

Thera Padhanikatissa, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, left for the forest with five hundred other bhikkhus. There, he told the bhikkhus to be ever mindful and diligent in their meditation practice. After thus exhorting others he himself would lie down and go to sleep. The young bhikkhus did as they were told. They practised meditation during the first watch of the night and when they were about to go to bed, Padhanikatissa would get up and tell them to go back to their practice. When they returned after meditation practice during the second and third watches also he would say the same thing to them.

As he was always acting in this way, the young bhikkhus never had peace of mind, and so they could not concentrate on meditation practice or even on recitation of the texts. One day, they decided to investigate if their teacher was truly zealous and vigilant as he posed himself to be. When they found out that their teacher Padhanikatissa only exhorted others but was himself sleeping most of the time, they remarked, “We are ruined, our teacher knows only how to scold us, but he himself is just wasting time, doing nothing.” By this time, as the bhikkhus were not getting enough rest, they were tired and worn out. As a result, none of the bhikkhu made any progress in their meditation practice.

At the end of the vassa, they returned to the Jetavana monastery and reported the matter to the Buddha. To them the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus! One who wants to teach others should first teach himself and conduct himself properly.” Continue reading →
Pakinnakavagga: Miscellaneous

Comment July 6, 2021
If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness, let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater.

Entangled by the bonds of hate, he who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others, is never delivered from hatred.

The cankers only increase for those who are arrogant and heedless, who leave undone what should be done and do what should not be done.

The cankers cease for those mindful and clearly comprehending ones who always earnestly practice mindfulness of the body, who do not resort to what should not be done, and steadfastly pursue what should be done.

Having slain mother (craving), father (self-conceit), two warrior-kings (eternalism and nihilism), and destroyed a country (sense organs and sense objects) together with its treasurer (attachment and lust), ungrieving goes the holy man.

Having slain mother, father, two brahman kings (two extreme views), and a tiger as the fifth (the five mental hindrances), ungrieving goes the holy man.

Those disciples of Gotama ever awaken happily who day and night constantly practice the Recollection of the Qualities of the Buddha. Continue reading →
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 →

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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.