a nice teaching

[fabianfred]

There is an incident in the life of Buddha.

One day a young man came to him, very upset.
‘What happened?’ asked the Buddha

The young man said:
‘Sir, yesterday my father died. I have come to you with a special request. Please do something for my dead father. When ordinary priests perform some rites or rituals, he gains access to heaven. Sir, if a great man like you performs any rites or ritualsfor my father, he will gain not only entry but a permanent residence in heaven. Please sir, do something for my father!’

He was so unbalanced, so emotional. The Buddha knew that any kind of rational argument would have no effect at this stage but he had his own way of explaining things. He asked the young man to go to the market and buy two earthen pots.

The young man happily went and bought them, thinking that this was to prepare for some ritual. The Buddha asked him to fill one with butter and the other with stones and pebbles. He did all this. The Buddha told him to close and seal them properly, and put them both in a nearby pond. He did so and both the pots sank to the bottom. The Buddha now told him to bring a stout stick, strike at them, and break them open. He did so, thinking that now the Buddha would perform a wonderful ritual for his father.

India is a vast and ancient land, full of diversities and extremes. There are people who have attained full enlightenment like the Buddha, and on the other hand, there are people in deep ignorance, immersed in blind faiths, beliefs, and dogmas. One belief is that when a parent dies, the son must take the corpse, put it on the funeral pyre and burn it; when it is half burned, he must take a strong stick, and break open the skull. The belief is that, as the skull is broken on earth, so the gateway of heaven is broken above, and the parent enters heaven.

The young man thought that, as his father was already dead and cremated yesterday, the Buddha was asking him to break open these earthen pots as a substitute. As he did so, the butter escaped from the first and floated to the surface; the pebbles escaped from the second pot and settled at the bottom.

‘Now,’ said the Buddha, ‘this much I have done. Now call all your priests. Let them come here and pray: ‘Oh pebbles, rise to the surface! Oh butter, sink to the bottom!’’

‘Are you joking, sir? How is this possible? It is against the law of nature, sir. The pebbles are heavier than water; they are bound to stay down, they can’t float. Butter is lighter than water, it is bound to float; it cannot go down.’

‘Young man, you know so much about the law of nature, and yet you do not want to understand the law that is applicable to one and all. If your father kept performing actions like pebbles and stones, he was bound to go down. Who can pull him up? If he kept performing actions which are light like butter, he is bound to go up. Who can push him down?’

Our difficulty is that we think that some invisible power will somehow favour us, even though we do nothing to change our own behaviour pattern, our own actions. When we understand this eternal law of nature—that the fruits depend on our actions—we will be careful about our actions.

This discourse was given by the Buddha to Mahānāma the Sakyan.
(Pathama Māhānāma sutta)

Source: http://www.vridhamma.org/en2008-04

Edited October 24, 2013 by Maestro
Added link to source

[beautifulthailand99]

Nice parable the more I read about the Buddha the more I truly understand how enlightened he was and how his message has been preserved for 2500 years. As the sad news of the passing away of the Supreme Patriarch is locked I thought I would read up what were his last words - another nice Buddha 'story' - here they are as an my epitath

Somdet Phra Ñāṇasaṃvara
Somdet Phra Saṅgharāja
Sakalamahāsaṅghapariṇāyaka
(Charoen Suvaḍḍhano)

Born 3 October 1913

Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand

Died

Chulalongkorn Hospital, Bangkok

24 October 2013 (aged 100)

The Buddha's Last Words

After the conversion of Subhadda, the Buddha spoke again to Venerable Ananda. "It may be, Ananda, that some of you will say, 'without the Buddha, the Sublime Teacher, there is no teacher for us'. No, Ananda, you should not think in this way. Whatever doctrine and discipline taught and made known by me will be your teacher when I am gone."

Then the Buddha, addressing the other monks said, "If any amongst you has any doubts as to the Buddha, the teaching, or the order of monks, ask me now so that afterwards you may have no cause to regret that you did not ask me while I was still with you."

But at these words, none of the monks said anything. None had any questions, and all of them were silent. For the second and third time the Buddha addressed the monks in this way. And for the second and third time, all the monks were silent.

The Buddha said, "Perhaps it may be out of respect for the teacher, that you do not question me. Let a friend, O disciples, tell it to another friend." Still the disciples remained silent.

Then Venerable Ananda spoke to the Buddha, "It is wonderful. It is marvellous, Lord! I do believe that in all this great company of monks there is not a single one who has doubts or questions about the Buddha, the teaching or the order of monks, or the path and the method of training and conduct."

"With you, Ananda," said the Buddha, "this may be a matter of faith and belief. But, Ananda, I know that not one single monk gathered here has any doubt or question about these things. Of all the 500 monks here, Ananda, he who is the most backward is a sotapanna, not subject to fall back to a lower state of existence, but is certain and destined for enlightenment."

Then the Buddha addressed all the monks once more, and these were the very last words he spoke:

"Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation."

Then the Buddha lapsed into the jhana stages, or meditative absorptions. Going from level to level, one after the other, ever deeper and deeper. Then he came out of the meditative absorption for the last time and passed into nirvana, leaving nothing whatever behind that can cause rebirth again in this or any other world.

The passing away, or the final nirvana of the Buddha, occurred in 543 BC on a full-moon day in the month of May, known in the Indian calendar as Vesak

Source: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_31lbud.htm

Edited October 24, 2013 by Maestro
Added link to source

[Dr Robert]

The Buddha always told his disciples not to waste their time and energy in metaphysical speculation. Whenever he was asked a metaphysical question, he remained silent. Instead, he directed his disciples toward practical efforts. Questioned one day about the problem of the infinity of the world, the Buddha said, Whether the world is finite or infinite, limited or unlimited, the problem of your liberation remains the same. Another time he said, Suppose a man is struck by a poisoned arrow and the doctor wishes to take out the arrow immediately. Suppose the man does not want the arrow removed until he knows who shot it, his age, his parents, and why he shot it. What would happen? If he were to wait until all these questions have been answered, the man might die first. Life is so short. It must not be spent in endless metaphysical speculation that does not bring us any closer to the truth.

Source: http://buddhazen101.tumblr.com/post/25078328254/parable-of-the-poisoned-arrow

Edited October 24, 2013 by Maestro
Added link to source

[rockyysdt]

Hi Fred.

My understanding is that one can overcome unspent fruits of Kharma (Vipaka) through Awakening.

Is it more difficult to practice towards liberation whilst suffering from Vipaka?

My experience is that changing ones habits is our biggest obstacle.

I spent time last weekend with a relative I hadn't seen for years.

He recovered from a heart attack he suffered 15 months ago.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

He was so over weight, his waste line doubled his chest diameter, his neck was so fat his head appeared neck less.

He was eating greedily and continuously drank alcohol.

Both his parents and sister had died of cardio related issues.

He appeared totally oblivious to his situation.

I immediately could see attachment to greed, aversion & delusion.

Greed due to over indulgence.

Aversion due to a lack of exercise and restraint.

Delusion because he was blind to his situation.

I suspect, due to these afflictions, most will do nothing to change their behavior pattern, or their actions.

Edited October 25, 2013 by rockyysdt

[fabianfred]

Hi Fred.

My understanding is that one can overcome unspent fruits of Kharma (Vipaka) through Awakening.

Is it more difficult to practice towards liberation whilst suffering from Vipaka?

The only escape from Vipakha is parinibbana ..death from the state of Arahant because no more rebirth. All beings suffer (or enjoy if it is good) the vipakha of their past karma...even Arahants and Buddhas.

My experience is that changing ones habits is our biggest obstacle.

I spent time last weekend with a relative I hadn't seen for years.

He recovered from a heart attack he suffered 15 months ago.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

He was so over weight, his waste line doubled his chest diameter, his neck was so fat his head appeared neck less.

He was eating greedily and continuously drank alcohol.

Both his parents and sister had died of cardio related issues.

He appeared totally oblivious to his situation.

I immediately could see attachment to greed, aversion & delusion.

Greed due to over indulgence.

Aversion due to a lack of exercise and restraint.

Delusion because he was blind to his situation.

I suspect, due to these afflictions, most will do nothing to change their behavior pattern, or their actions.

Few are serious about escaping the cycle of rebirth... even those who understand the Dhamma and believe in karma, rebirth, heaven and hell. Most are just hoping for a better rebirth. This is because they do not understand Nibbana and think a life with some pleasure and some suffering is better than the unknown....so they don't make the required effort.

I personally am not expecting to reach arahant in this lifetime, but do hope to reach stream-entry, am will be content to spend seven more lives if necessary and hope to have the opportunity to teach the dhamma to those who will listen.

[rockyysdt]

I personally am not expecting to reach arahant in this lifetime, but do hope to reach stream-entry, am will be content to spend seven more lives if necessary and hope to have the opportunity to teach the dhamma to those who will listen.

Isn't this thought an attachment?

By setting a ceiling, aren't you ensuring your limited progress?

[fabianfred]

The desire for enlightenment is the only good desire...not an attachment. I am realistic about how difficult it is to go from wordly being to arahant in a single lifetime so I aim lower...but do not set limits...it is the first step which must be passed before higher attainments anyway.

[olfu]

Hm.

Not bad.

At least some of you understand that Nature's law is 99% and our talking is 0% and remaining 1% are speculations of all kinds.

Still I see most Thais are interpreting Buddha's teaching the way that fit them.