Dhammapada Illustrated: Arahats are Noble

 

Arahats Are Noble

7 (6) The Story of Venerable Sàriputta (Verse 95)

While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke 

this verse, with reference to the Chief Disciple Sàriputta and 

a young monk.

Once upon a time, at the conclusion of the rains, Vener-

able Sàriputta, desiring to go forth on an alms-pilgrimage, 

took leave of the Buddha, paid obeisance to him, and 

departed with his own retinue. Many other monks took 

leave of the Venerable. In dismissing the monks the Venera-

ble mentioned the personal and family name of all of the 

monks who were known by personal and family names. A 

certain monk who was not known by a personal and family 

name said, “Oh, that the Venerable would greet me by a per-

sonal and family name in dismissing me.” But in the great 

throng of monks the elder did not notice him. Thereupon the 

monk said to himself, “He does not greet me as he does the 

other monks,” and straightaway conceived a grudge against 

the Venerable.

Besides that, the hem of the Venerable’s garment brushed 

against the monk, and this also served to intensify the hatred 

the monk felt towards the Venerable. So, as soon as he knew 

that the Venerable had passed beyond the entrance to the 

monastery, he approached the Buddha and said to him, “Ven-

erable, Venerable Sàriputta, doubtless thinking to himself, ‘I 

am your chief disciple,’ struck me a blow that almost injured

my ear. Having so done, without so much as begging my par-

don, he set out on his alms-pilgrimage.” The Buddha caused 

the Venerable to be summoned.

Venerable Sàriputta came with the rest, saluted the 

Buddha, and sat down respectfully on one side. When the 

Buddha questioned him about the incident, the elder, instead 

of saying, “I did not strike that monk,” recited his own 

virtues.

As the Venerable recited his own virtues, remorse per-

vaded the whole body of the monk who had unjustly slan-

dered him. And straightaway he fell at the feet of the Buddha, 

admitted that he was guilty of slander, and confessed his 

fault. The Buddha addressing the Venerable, said, “Sàriputta, 

pardon this deluded man, lest his head split into seven 

pieces.” Thereupon the Venerable crouched before the monk, 

and extending his clasped hands in an attitude of reverence, 

said to him, “Venerable, I freely pardon this venerable monk. 

Let this venerable monk also pardon me if I have in any way 

offended against him.” Thereupon the monks said, “Behold, 

brethren, the surpassing goodness of the Venerable! He 

cherishes neither anger nor hatred against this lying, slan-

derous monk. Instead, he crouches before him, extends his 

hands in an attitude of reverence, and asks his pardon.” 

When the Buddha heard the talk of the monks, he said, 

“Monks, what are you talking about?” When they told him, 

he said, “Monks, it is impossible for Sàriputta and his like to 

cherish anger or hatred. Sàriputta’s mind is like the great 

earth, like a threshold, like a pool of still water.”

Explanatory Translation (Verse 95)

subbato pañhavãsamo no virujjati indakhãlåpamo tàdi

rahado iva apetakaddamo tàdino saüsàrà na bhavanti

subbato: well conducted; pañhavãsamo like the earth; no viru-

jjati: does not stand opposed to anyone; indakhãlåpamo: like

a fortress tower; tàdi: stable; rahado iva: like the ocean; ape-

takaddamo: devoid of mud; tàdino: stable one; saüsàrà: (for

him) wandering in existence; na bhavanti: does not happen

The noble Arahats never lose their temper whatsoever is done

to them. They are as fi rm and unshaken as the gate-pillars

that secure city-gates. They are as lucid and tranquil as the

ocean and the lakes devoid of mud. That kind of noble person

ceases to wander in the round of existence – saüsàra.

Commentary

indakhãla: either a column as fi rm and high as that of Sakka’s, or the

main tower that stands at the entrance of a fortress, or city. Commen-

tators state that these indakhãlas are fi rm posts which are erected either

inside or outside the city as an embellishment. Usually they are made

of bricks or of durable wood and are octagonal in shape. Half of the

post is embedded in the earth, hence the metaphor ‘as fi rm and steady

as an indakhãla’.

tàdino: Tàdi is one who has neither attachment to desirable objects

nor aversion to undesirable objects. Nor does he cling to anything.

Amidst the eight worldly conditions – gain and loss, fame and infamy,

blame and praise, happiness and pain – an Arahant remains unper-

turbed, manifesting neither attachment nor aversion, neither elation

nor depression.

Dhammapada illustrated: Gods adore Arahats

 Gods Adore Arahats

7 (5) The Story of Venerable Mahàkaccàyana (Verse 94)

While residing at the Pubbàràma Monastery, the Buddha 

spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Mahàkaccàyana.

For once upon a time, on the occasion of the terminal 

festival, the Buddha sat on the ground fl oor of the mansion of 

the Mother of Migàra, surrounded by a company of eminent 

lay disciples. At this time Venerable Kaccàyana resided in the 

Avanti country. Now this Venerable, although obliged to come 

from a great distance, regularly attended the preaching of the 

Dhamma. Therefore, when the Venerables sat down, they 

always left a seat for Venerable Kaccàyana.

Sakka the king of gods drew near with his celestial reti-

nue from the two Worlds of Gods, and honoured the Buddha 

with celestial perfumes and garlands. Not seeing Venerable 

Kaccàyana, he thought to himself, ‘Why is my noble Venerable 

nowhere seen? It would be well if he were to draw near.” At 

that very moment the Venerable drew near, and showed him-

self sitting in his proper seat. When Sakka saw the Venerable, 

he grasped him fi rmly by the ankles and said, “It is indeed 

well that my noble Venerable has come; that my noble Vener-

able should come, was the very thing I wished for.” So saying, 

he rubbed the Venerable’s feet with both hands, honoured 

him with perfumes and garlands, and having paid obeisance 

to him, stood respectfully on one side.

The monks were offended and said, “Sakka shows 

respect of persons in rendering honour. Such honour as this,

he has not rendered to the rest of the Chief Disciples. The

moment he saw Venerable Kaccàyana, he grasped him by the

ankles and said, ‘It is indeed well that my noble Venerable has

come; that my noble Venerable should come, was the very

thing I wished for.’ So saying, he rubbed the Venerable’s feet

with both hands, honoured him with perfumes and garlands,

and having paid obeisance to him, stood respectfully on one

side.” The Buddha, hearing their talk, said, “Monks, those

monks who, like my son Kaccàyana, keep the doors of their

senses guarded, are beloved both by gods and men.”

Explanatory Translation (Verse 94)

yassa indriyàni sàrathinà sudantà assà yathà samathaü

gatàni, pahãõamànassa anàsavassa tàdino tassa devà api

pihayanti

yassa: whose; indriyàni: senses; sàrathinà: like by chari-

oteer; sudantà: (are) well tamed; assà yathà: like horses;

samathaü: calmness; gatàni: have reached; pahãõamànassa:

judgement given up; anàsavassa: taintless; tàdino: mentally

stable one; tassa: their (sight); devà api: even gods; pihay-

anti: (are) pleased by.

Those whose senses are calmed as a horse trained by a horse-

tamer, who have fully given up judgement, who is free of

infl uences, the sight of those mentally stable ones pleases even

the gods.

Commentary

indriyàni. the senses. “Sense” is a name for the six senses mentioned

in the Suttas. They are: 1) Eye: cakkhu; 2) Ear: sota; 3) Nose: ghàna;

4) Tongue: jivhà; 5) Body: kàya; 6) Thought: mano.

tàdino: steady; unaffected by the infl uences within and without. The

Buddha is steady in four ways because he has ended his wanderings

in saüsàra. These are the four ways in which he is steady on that

account: (1) Bhagavà kàmogham tinno: The Buddha has crossed the fl ood

of desires. (2) Bhagavà bhavogham tinno: the Buddha has crossed the

fl ood of being; (3) Bhagavà Avijjogham tinno: the Buddha has crossed

the fl ood of unawareness. Due to these and many other reasons the

Buddha is steady, stable (tàdi).

A person’s stability is the emotional stability that comes from

not reacting to what is seen, heard, smelt, tasted or touched. The reac-

tion begins with the judgement of things as good or bad, pleasant or

unpleasant. Guarding the senses (indriya saüvara) prevents the reac-

tion. When not reacting, the senses are calmed.

Ajaniya Sutta The Thoroughbred

 

Ajaniya Sutta

The Thoroughbred

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

"Endowed with three characteristics, a king's excellent thoroughbred steed is worthy of a king, the wealth of a king, and counts as one of the king's own limbs. Which three? There is the case where a king's excellent thoroughbred steed is consummate in beauty, consummate in strength, and consummate in speed. Endowed with these three characteristics is a king's excellent thoroughbred steed worthy of a king, the wealth of a king, and counts as one of the king's own limbs.

"In the same way, a monk endowed with these three qualities is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an unexcelled field of merit for the world. Which three? There is the case where a monk is consummate in beauty, consummate in strength, and consummate in speed.

"And how is a monk consummate in beauty? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest fault. This is how a monk is consummate in beauty.

"And how is a monk consummate in strength? There is the case where a monk keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful mental qualities and taking on skillful mental qualities. He is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard to skillful mental qualities. This is how a monk is consummate in strength.

"And how is a monk consummate in speed? There is the case where a monk discerns as it actually is present that 'This is stress.' He discerns as it actually is present that 'This is the origination of stress.' He discerns as it actually is present that 'This is the cessation of stress.' He discerns as it actually is present that 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.' This is how a monk is consummate in speed.

"Endowed with these three qualities is a monk worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an unexcelled field of merit for the world."