Learning from the Buddha's Teachings 從佛陀的教法中學習

  Kukkutandakhadika Vatthu  Dhammapada Verse 291 Paradukkhupadhanena athno sukhamicchati verasamsaggasamsattho vera so na parimuccati. Verse 291: He who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others, being entangled by bonds of enmity, cannot be free from enmity. The Story of the Woman Who Ate up the Eggs of a Hen While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (291) of this book, with reference to a feud between a woman and a hen. Once, there lived a woman in a village near Savatthi. She had a hen in her house; every time the hen laid an egg she would eat it up. The hen was very much hurt and angry and made a vow to have vengeance on the woman and made a wish that it should be reborn as some being that would be in a position to kill the offspring of that woman. The hen's wish was fulfilled as it was reborn as a cat and the woman was reborn as a hen in the same house. The cat ate up the eggs of the hen. In their next existence the hen became a leopard...

Attanopubbakamma Vatthu    Dhammapada Verse 290 Matta sukhapariccaga passe ce vipulam sukham caje mattasukhirh dhiro sampassam vipulam sukham 1 . Verse 290: If by giving up small pleasures great happiness is to be found, the wise should give up small pleasures seeing (the prospect of) great happiness. 1. vipulam sukham: According to the Commentary, it means the bliss of Nibbana. The Story of the Buddha's Former Deeds While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (290) of this book, with reference to the power and glory of the Buddha as witnessed by many people on his visit to Vesali. Once, a famine broke out in Vesali. It began with a serious drought. Because of drought, there was almost a total failure of crops and many people died of starvation. This was followed by an epidemic of diseases and as people could hardly cope with the disposal of the corpses there was a lot of stench in the air. This stench attracted the ogres. The people of Vesali were facin...

  Patacara Vatthu  Dhammapada Verses 288 and 289 Na santi putta tanaya na pita napi bandhava antakena' dhipannassa natthi natisu tanata. Etamatthavasam natva pandito silasamvuto nibbanagamanam maggam khippameva visodhaye. Verse 288: Not sons, nor parents, nor close relatives can protect one assailed by Death; indeed, neither kith nor kin can give protection. Verse 289: Knowing this, the wise man restrained by morality should quickly clear (the obstacles to) the Path leading to Nibbana. The Story of Patacara* While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (288) and (289) of this book, with reference to Patacara, the daughter of a rich man from Savatthi. As Patacara had lost her husband and her two sons, as well as her parents and three brothers almost at the same time, she was driven to near insanity. When she approached the Buddha, he said to her,  "Patacara, sons and daughters cannot look after you; so even if they are alive they do not exist for you...

Kisagotami Vatthu    Dhammapada Verse 287 Tam puttapasusammattam byasattamanasam naram suttam gamam mahoghova maccu adaya gacchati. Verse 287: The man who dotes on his children and his herds of cattle, whose mind longs for and is attached to sensual pleasures, is carried away by Death even as a sleeping village is swept away by a great flood. The Story of Kisagotami* While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (287) of this book, with reference to Kisagotami, the daughter of a rich man from Savatthi. Kisagotami came to the Buddha as she was stricken with grief due to the death of her only son. To her the Buddha said,  "Kisagotami, you think you are the only one who has lost a son. Death comes to all beings; before their desires are satiated Death takes them away." Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows: Verse 287: The man who dotes on his children and his herds of cattle, whose mind longs for and is attached to sensual pleasures, is carried away ...

  Mahadhanavanija Vatthu  Dhammapada Verse 286 Idha vassam vasissami idha hemantagimhisu iti balo vicinteti antarayam na bujjhati. Verse 286: "Here will I live in the rainy season; here will I live in the cold season and the hot season", so imagines the fool, not realizing the danger (of approaching death). The Story of Mahadhana, a Merchant While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (286) of this book, with reference to Mahadhana, a merchant from Baranasi. Once, a merchant from Baranasi came to a festival in Savatthi with five hundred carts fully loaded with textiles and other merchandise. When he reached a river bank near Savatthi the river was in spate; so he could not cross the river. He was held up for seven days as it was raining hard and the water did not subside. By that time, he was already late for the festival, and there was no need for him to cross the river. Since he had come from a long distance he did not want to return home with his ful...