The First Discourse
The Meeting at Rsipatana
…the Realised one while walking on walking tour through the (various) States approached the great city of Varanasi, and after approaching, dressing at the right time, picking up his bowl and robe, he entered the great city of Varanasi for alms, after walking for alms there, when he was returning from the alms-round after the meal, he approached the Deer Park in Rsipatana and the auspicious group-of-five.
The auspicious group-of-five saw the Realised one coming from afar and after seeing (him) they stopped what they were doing, (and said): “That ascetic Gautama who is coming, friends, is loose, given to luxury, has forsaken the striving. Even when formerly living and austere life he was not able to experience for himself a state beyond (ordinary) human beings, a distinction of what is truly noble knowledge and insight, so how now, when he lives with devotion and clinging to bringing in food for the gross material body?
It is unsuitable, he is loose and given to luxury. No one should go out to meet him, or rise up for him, or take his bowl and robes, or give him a seat, or give him a drink, or set up a footstool, (but) after putting out extra seats he should be told: ‘Know that these are extra seats friend Gautama, if you wish you can sit down.’ “
Venerable Ajnana Kaundinya could not endure it in his mind, but nor could he oppose it. As, monks, the Realised One was approaching the auspicious group-of-five they took no delight on being on their seats, and had a desire to rise.
Just as a bird inside a cage when the bottom of the cage is consumed by fire wishes to rise up quickly, and wishes to escape the heat of the fire, just so, monks, as the Realised One was approaching near to the auspicious group-of-five so they took no delight on being on their seats, and had a desire to rise. Why is that? There is no being in the (various) classes of beings who, having seen the Realised One, does not rise from their seat.
Just as the Realised One was approaching the auspicious group-of-five so the auspicious group-of-five were unable to bear the glory and majesty of the Realised One, trembling they rose from their seats, having broken their agreement, and rising someone went out to meet offered him, someone rose up for him and took his bowl and robes, someone offered him a seat, someone set up a footstool, someone set up water for washing his feet, and they said: “Welcome to you friend Gautama, welcome to you friend Gautama, please sit down on the prepared seat, then the Realised One, monks, sat down on the prepared seat.
The auspicious group-of-five exchanged with the Realised One some polite and pleasing talk while seated, and while sitting on one side the auspicious group-o-five said this to the Realised One: “Your faculties, friend Gautama, are very clear, purified is your skin and bright, the complexion of your face is pure, have you, friend Gautama, experienced for yourself a state beyond (ordinary) human beings, a distinction of what is truly noble knowledge and insight?”
After that was said, monks, the Realised One said this to the auspicious group-of-five:”Do not, monks, address the Realised One by the word ‘friend’, that will not be for our welfare, benefit and happiness for a long time, the Deathless has been experienced by me, monks, and the Path to the Deathless, I am an Awakened One, monks, all-knowing, all-seeing, one who has cooled off, without pollutants, I have power over all things, and I teach the Doctrine, monks, you should come, listen, undertake and give an ear, I am advising and instructing. Having been properly instructed by me, properly trained, you will be free from the pollutants, freed in mind, freed through wisdom, and in this very life, having seen directly, having attained, you will be able to say:
‘Destroyed is (re)birth for us,
Accomplished is the spiritual life,
Done is what ought to be done,
There is no more of this mundane state- this we know’,
Now didn’t this occur to you: ‘This ascetic Gautama who is coming, friends, is loose, given to luxury, has forsaken the striving. Even when formerly living an austere life he was not able to experience for himself a state beyond (ordinary) human beings, a distinction of what is truly noble knowledge and insight, so how now, when he lives with devotion and clinging to bringing in food for the gross material body?
It is unsuitable, he is loose and given to luxury. No one should go out to meet him, or rise up for him, or take his bowl and robes, or give him a seat, or give him a drink, or set up a footstool, (but) after putting out extra seats he should be told: “Know that these are extra seas friend Gautama, if you wish you can sit down.”
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Javasakuna Jataka
Jataka 308
Javasakuna Jataka
The Woodpecker and the Lion
While Buddha was staying at Jetavana Monastery, he told this story about Devadatta’s lack of gratitude. “Not only now is Devadatta ungrateful. Long ago he was the same.” Then he told this story of the past.
Long, long ago, when Burhmadattawas reigning in Baranasi, the Bodhisatta was born as a woodpecker in the Himalayas.
One day, while devouring his prey, a lion got a bone stuck in his throat. The lion’s throat swelled so much that he couldn’t swallow, and he was in severe pain.
From his perch on a large tree, the woodpecker noticed the lion’s distress and asked, “Friend, what ails you?”
In a pained voice, the lion told him what was the matter.
“I could easily take the bone out of your throat, Friend,” the woodpecker replied, “but I don’t dare put my head into your mouth.”
“Don’t be afraid, Friend. Please save my life! I promise not to harm you.”
“All right,” said the woodpecker. He told the lion to lie down on his side. As he was about to put his head inside the beast’s open mouth, the woodpecker thought,” Who knows what this fellow might try!” He found a strong stick and placed it between the lion’s upper and lower jaws. Then, certain that the loon could not try to eat him, he put his head into the lion’s great mouth. He quickly found the bone, latched onto it with his strong beak, dislodged it from the lion’s throat, and let it drop harmlessly on the ground. Once the woodpecker had withdrawn his head from the lion’s mouth, he gave the stick a blow with his beak so that it fell out, and he flew back to his tree.
A few days later, the woodpecker noticed that the lion, having fully recovered, was devouring a wild buffalo which he had killed. “Now is a good time to put him to the test,” the woodpecker thought. He flew to a tree near the lion and perched just above his head. “Friend,” he said to the lion, “recently, I did you a great kindness, as great a favor as bird such as I could do. I wonder whether, In return, you would grant me a trifling boon.”
“You trusted your head to m mighty jaws, and you are still alive.” replied the lion the lion. “That’s quite enough of a favor from me to you!”
Seeing the lion’s true character, the woodpecker calmly replied, “From such a thankless wretch, I should never have hoped for any gratitude for my good deed. Still, it does no good to give in to bitter thoughts or to reply with angry words. I’m happy that I don’t have to keep company with this ingrate in the future.” With neither hatred nor regret, the woodpecker flew away.
History ended, Buddha identified the birth: “At that time Devadatta was the lion, and I was the woodpecker.”
written by ken and visakha
Javasakuna Jataka
The Woodpecker and the Lion
While Buddha was staying at Jetavana Monastery, he told this story about Devadatta’s lack of gratitude. “Not only now is Devadatta ungrateful. Long ago he was the same.” Then he told this story of the past.
Long, long ago, when Burhmadattawas reigning in Baranasi, the Bodhisatta was born as a woodpecker in the Himalayas.
One day, while devouring his prey, a lion got a bone stuck in his throat. The lion’s throat swelled so much that he couldn’t swallow, and he was in severe pain.
From his perch on a large tree, the woodpecker noticed the lion’s distress and asked, “Friend, what ails you?”
In a pained voice, the lion told him what was the matter.
“I could easily take the bone out of your throat, Friend,” the woodpecker replied, “but I don’t dare put my head into your mouth.”
“Don’t be afraid, Friend. Please save my life! I promise not to harm you.”
“All right,” said the woodpecker. He told the lion to lie down on his side. As he was about to put his head inside the beast’s open mouth, the woodpecker thought,” Who knows what this fellow might try!” He found a strong stick and placed it between the lion’s upper and lower jaws. Then, certain that the loon could not try to eat him, he put his head into the lion’s great mouth. He quickly found the bone, latched onto it with his strong beak, dislodged it from the lion’s throat, and let it drop harmlessly on the ground. Once the woodpecker had withdrawn his head from the lion’s mouth, he gave the stick a blow with his beak so that it fell out, and he flew back to his tree.
A few days later, the woodpecker noticed that the lion, having fully recovered, was devouring a wild buffalo which he had killed. “Now is a good time to put him to the test,” the woodpecker thought. He flew to a tree near the lion and perched just above his head. “Friend,” he said to the lion, “recently, I did you a great kindness, as great a favor as bird such as I could do. I wonder whether, In return, you would grant me a trifling boon.”
“You trusted your head to m mighty jaws, and you are still alive.” replied the lion the lion. “That’s quite enough of a favor from me to you!”
Seeing the lion’s true character, the woodpecker calmly replied, “From such a thankless wretch, I should never have hoped for any gratitude for my good deed. Still, it does no good to give in to bitter thoughts or to reply with angry words. I’m happy that I don’t have to keep company with this ingrate in the future.” With neither hatred nor regret, the woodpecker flew away.
History ended, Buddha identified the birth: “At that time Devadatta was the lion, and I was the woodpecker.”
written by ken and visakha
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