Buddhist Stories
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This is the famous story of Upali's conversion to Buddhism.
Upali was one of the chief followers of the Jain master, Mahavira. Because of his intelligence, Upali often appeared in public debates on behalf of the Jains.
There was one incident where Upali had a debate with the Buddha. At the end of the debate, Upali was so impressed with the Buddha's teachings that he asked to be the Enlightened One's follower. "Venerable Sir, please allow me to be your follower".
To that, the Buddha answered, "Upali, you are at the height of your emotions. Go home and reconsider it carefully before you ask me again".
Upali was extremely impressed, "If it was any other guru, he will parade a banner saying, 'Mahavira's chief lay-disciple has become my follower'. But you, Venerable Sir, you asked me to go home and reconsider. Now, I want to be your follower even more. I will not stand up until you accept me".
Finally, the Buddha agreed to accept Upali, under one condition, "Upali, as a Jain, you have always given alms to Jain monks. When you become my follower, you will CONTINUE to give alms to Jain monks. This is my condition".
Upali agreed to this condition. He later became one of the Buddha's chief disciples. Upali was known to be the one who compiled the Vinaya, the rules for monks.
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The Tale of the Lion and the Jackal
In ancient India, a huge lion lived in the forests of the Himalayan mountain range. Although he was strong, he never troubled other animals without reason. One day, after hunting down a buffalo and having a hearty meal, the lion was returning to his cave. He met a jackal on the way, who came to him and said, O' King, you are the mightiest of all animals. Please accept me as your humble servant.” The lion was kind and said, “As you wish, O' jackal.” The jackal was smart because he knew he would not have to hunt anymore, and will live on the leftover of the lion's meals.
From that day on, the jackal served the lion and in return always had a full meal from the leftovers. The jackal was indeed happy, as he never had to go in search of food in the dense forest. Soon, the starving jackal became fat and strong. The other animals in the forest started to fear him because he was close to the lion. The jackal would even go to the forest and bully the small and big animals alike. As there was nothing they could do, the animals started respecting the jackal. Seeing the animals feeling scared of him, the jackal thought, “I am getting powerful. All animals are scared of me. Only the king is stronger than I in the entire forest.”
The next day, the jackal saw a lonely elephant in the forest. He pointed to the distant elephant and said, “O' King, I will hunt down the elephant for you. So far, I have been feeding on your leftovers, but today you will feed on mine.” The lion was shocked at what he heard, but he warned the jackal to leave the elephant alone. The jackal filled with false pride ran down the hill and pounced upon the elephant from above. The angry elephant lifted the jackal in his trunk and banged him against a tree. The jackal died at once. The wise lion was none other than the Buddha himself.
Moral : The path of false pride always leads to trouble.
http://www.jatakkatha.com/buddhist-tales/buddhist-tale-lion-jackal.php
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THE EAGLE AND THE DOVE - a story from the Buddhist Sutra
In a previous life, Siddhartha Gautama was a King in a small country that was located somewhere in present day Tibet. And he was very well known among the ancient civilization for his love and compassion towards other sentient beings. So one day, Sakra Devendra, the King of Gods (Note: 1), decided to test him to see if he was indeed the future Buddha.
Sakra turned himself into a dove and one of his gods into an eagle. The eagle was in a hunting mood and chased the frightened dove who flied right into the King's palace. The dove cried out: "Your majesty, please save my life, because I am going to be eaten by a hungry eagle."
On hearing this, the compassionate King tried to chase the eagle away. But the eagle also cried out: "Your Majesty, please save my life and let me eat the dove, otherwise I will be starved to death."
"Why don't you eat something else rather than a dove?", asked the King.
"Look, your Majesty", replied the eagle, "God created me so that I have to eat meet. I had no other choice."
The King now faced a dilemma: how could he save both animals? Without hesitation, he ordered his soldiers: "Cut some flesh from my body and feed it to the eagle". Of course his soldiers were horrified to hear this. But they did obey the order and cut some flesh from the King's own body to feed the eagle. Miraculously, when the soldiers carried out the order, the King did not feel any pain at all, nor were there any blood spilling out. (Some Buddhist texts give a slight differently story. It was said that the eagle asked for some flesh equal to the weight of the dove. The soldiers put the dove on one side of a scale and the King's flesh on the other side. They continued cut out the King's flesh to feed the eagle until the scales were balanced. Then the King fainted).
The Heavenly Emperor was convinced that the King was indeed the future Buddha. He and his god immediately reappeared as themselves and restored the King to his original health.
Note 1: Sakra is the leader of Trayastrimsa Heavens (33 Heavens), where all the gods live. In many Asian cultures, he is also known by other titles such as Emperor Sakra, Heavenly Emperor, Emperor on High, etc., and sometimes Taoists say that he is also Jade Emperor.
http://webspace.webring.com/people/jy/yiuchan/Eagle_Dove.html
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Wanting God
Spiritual Story by Unknown
A hermit was meditating by a river when a young man interrupted him. "Master, I wish to become your disciple," said the man. "Why?" replied the hermit. The young man thought for a moment. "Because I want to find God."
The master jumped up, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, dragged him into the river, and plunged his head under water. After holding him there for a minute, with him kicking and struggling to free himself, the master finally pulled him up out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his breath. When he eventually quieted down, the master spoke. "Tell me, what did you want most of all when you were under water."
"Air!" answered the man.
"Very well," said the master. "Go home and come back to me when you want God as much as you just wanted air."http://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/spiritual-short-story-93-Wanting+God.html -
Books
Once there was a well known philosopher and scholar who devoted himself to the study of Zen for many years. On the day that he finally attained enlightenment, he took all of his books out into the yard, and burned them all.
People's reactions to this story:
"The most important things in life you can't learn through books. You have to learn them through experience."
"Life's most important lessons have to be learned for oneself, not from what other people have said."
"It's your own thoughts that are important. Everything else is indoctrination from others."
"Once you have gained a true understanding of something, the knowledge will be with you for the rest of your life. You'll never have to study it again."
"The reason that he burned the books was because he felt that he had learned all that he could possibly could from them and that it was time to move on and learn from life itself."
"One you attain a goal, you no longer need the methods that helped you get there."
"Did he burn the books because he realized their uselessness. Or did he burn them because he thought there was no more knowledge left in them to gain? I get the feeling that maybe he WASN'T very enlightened."
"I guess the scholar felt he was done with his studies, and didn't need his books anymore."
"All systems of knowledge (conceptual beliefs), including this one, limit perception."
"I don't know what enlightenment is, but I do know that you never stop learning and growing. Besides, what if the Zen master forgets something later on, and has to look it up?"
"Sounds like he wanted to rid himself of his former life."
"Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure the fire was pretty cool."
"This story stirs up mixed feelings in me about school. Will it all be worth it when I'm done?
Sometimes I just feel like giving up."
"This reminds me of the Pearl of Great Price story from the Bible. A man sold everything he owned to buy this pearl, and did so joyfully."
"I guess once you attain perfect knowledge, you don't need to read anymore."
"Why burn the knowledge attained?! Knowledge must be saved for the future. A mind can only store away so much information."
"Learn it, know it _LIVE_ it!" My drill instructor in basic training knew & taught this. I do recall that he felt the need to add a few extra embellishments to be sure we were paying attention :-) "
"Maybe he realized with his enlightened mind that he was cold."
"I could never bring myself to burn a book! It's almost like burning the person who wrote it."
"Words, words, words..... They're not reality anyhow. They're just words." -
http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/04/the-story-of-khantivadi-ascetic/
Once upon a time the Bodhisattva, leading the life of an ascetic, was meditating at the foot of a tree in the king’s royal park. He was living there at the invitation of the king’s general. One day the king went to the park with the ladies of the court. In a drunken state he slept with his head on the lap of a favourite lady. As he was asleep the others went up to the ascetic to listen to his teaching.
On waking he found the ladies missing. Hearing that they had gone to the ascetic and questioned him in a harsh tone: ‘What do you preach, you ascetic?’ ‘I preach on patience, your majesty,’ replied the ascetic calmly. ‘What is patience?’ ‘Patience is not getting angry when you are abused or beaten.’ ‘Well, I will then test your patience,’ said the king and summoning the executioner ordered him to throw the ascetic on the ground and beat him with a thorny whip. The innocent ascetic was whipped mercilessly. The ascetic’s skin burst. The whole body was smeared with blood. But the ascetic true to his teaching endured his pain patiently. ‘Do you still practise patience, ascetic?’ ‘Yes, still I do, your majesty!’ The king then order that his hands and feet be cut off and questioned him again. The same calm reply issued from his lips. Full of wrath the king ordered his nose and ears to be cut off.
Mercilessly the executioner chopped off his nose and ears . With mutilated limbs as the good ascetic lay on a pool of blood, the king asked him again – ‘Do you still practise patience, ascetic?’ ‘You majesty, please do not think that my patience lies in my skin, or in my hands and feet, or in my nose and ears. My patience lies within my heart. With your superior strength you can overpower my weak body. But, your majesty, my mind can never be changed,’ coolly replied the ascetic. He harboured no ill will towards the king. Not did he look at him with any anger.
The king’s anger knew no bounds. Deeply enraged he raised his foot and stamped on the chest of the ascetic with his heel. Immediately blood gushed out of his mouth. The general who had invited him heard of his pitiful state, and hurried to his presence. Quickly he applied some ointment and begged him not to curse the kingdom. The merciful ascetic, instead of cursing the king blessed him, saying, ‘He who caused my hands and feet, nose and ears, to be cut off, may that king live long! Men like us never get angry,’ After his Enlightenment, the Buddha said, ‘Though hacked by a sharp axe as if I was inanimate, I did not get angry with King Kasi. This is my Perfection of Patience (Khanti Parami).’ – Adapted from Khantivadi Jakata
The Ten Perfections (Dasa Paramis)
Venerable Narada Thera -
good sharings :)
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Once in a long while, between man and the sublime, there buried a lost and sinful oblivion and many stories told….
the attachment of many sufferings, pain, sorrows, and love contained in that lost centurial word and all those demised souls gone before us becomes necessary and remindful towards human fraternity and progress….while the rest of us live in quiet, and forgetful meditative bliss…
pardon for the great sin – AmitÄ�bha, blessed us
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this is the story of
義
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The ultimate swordsman is the one who disarms his opponents without his sword unsheathed.
For those that are still lost in the anguish of ignorance, the only sword I hope to carry is the Sword of Manjushri .
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When it is time for me to eat, I eat,
when it is time for me to sleep, I sleep,
when it is time for me to shit, I shit'
so if it time for me for speak, I speak,
No hunger come, no eat,
no drowsiness, no sleep,
no excreta, no shit'
nothing comes in mind, no speak.
No earlier,no later, just is,
Such is the nature, in it's own time , own pace'
with everything in place .
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How Violence Is Ended
A Buddhist LegendRetold by Aaron Shepard
Nearly all the world’s greatest religious teachers have been peacemakers, and the Buddha was certainly one of these. Among the ethical precepts of his “Eightfold Path” was “Right Action,” which included avoiding all killing.
A legend is told of two kingdoms on the brink of battle. Each claimed the right to irrigate lands from a river flowing between. The Buddha asked the two kings, “What is the water worth?” “Very little,” was the reply. “And what is a life worth?” “It is priceless.” “Then why would you trade something priceless for something of little worth?”
According to tradition, the following tale was told by the Buddha himself to monks whose quarrel had reached the point of violence.
Once long ago, there arose a quarrel between two kings.
One king was the great Brahmadatta. His kingdom was large and rich, and his troops were many. The other king was Dighiti. His kingdom was small and poor, and his troops were few.
Brahmadatta told his generals, “We will march against Dighiti and conquer his kingdom. He will not be able to resist me.”
When Dighiti heard of the army’s advance, he told Deva, his queen, “Nothing we do can prevent Brahmadatta from seizing our country. For the sake of our people, it is best to avoid a battle. Let us flee from the kingdom tonight.”
Deva asked, “Where can we go?”
“We will go to Brahmadatta’s own capital city, Benares. It is large enough to hide in, and he will never search for us there.”
So they took their young son, Dighavu, and fled by night to Benares. There they lodged in a poor quarter of the city. King Dighiti disguised himself as a wandering holy man and each day begged enough coins and food for them all.
Time passed and the prince grew toward manhood. Then King Dighiti told his wife, “Truly is it said, we may forgive those who hurt us, but we never forgive those we hurt. If Brahmadatta finds us here, he will surely kill us all. It is best to send our son from the city.”
The queen said, “Let him go to my parents in the west. There he can learn the arts and sciences proper to his estate.” So they sent the prince away.
Now, it happened that the barber from the court of King Dighiti was at this time at work in the court of Brahmadatta. One day, the barber caught sight of Dighiti in the marketplace, begging in the guise of a holy man. Hoping for reward, he secretly followed Dighiti to his home, then reported to Brahmadatta.
Brahmadatta sent his men to arrest the family. Dighiti and Deva were brought before him.
“Where is your son?” demanded Brahmadatta.
“Beyond your reach,” replied Dighiti.
Brahmadatta turned to one of his generals. “Tie them up and cart them around the city for all to see and scorn. Then take them out the south gate and execute them by the sword. Allow no one to perform the funeral rites. Their bodies shall be prey to birds and beasts.”
Now, on that very day, Prince Dighavu had come back to Benares to visit his parents. As he passed through the marketplace, he saw soldiers on horse and on foot, and among them a cart, and tied up in the cart, his mother and his father. And he was powerless to help them.
King Dighiti saw the prince as well. Wishing to advise his son, yet mindful not to give him away, Dighiti called out as if to no one. And these were his words:
Be not shortsighted.
Be not longsighted.
Not by violence is violence ended.
Violence is ended by nonviolence.As darkness fell, King Dighiti and Queen Deva were taken outside the city walls and executed by the sword. Their bodies were left on the ground, with a dozen soldiers standing guard.
Within the city, Prince Dighavu told himself, “First I will perform the funeral rites for my parents. Then I will find a way to avenge them.”
He bought strong wine in the marketplace and brought it to the guards. They took it gladly, and soon lay drunk and asleep.
Dighavu piled up wood, placed his parents’ bodies on top, then lit the funeral pyre. He pressed his palms together and walked three times around the flames.
At that moment, at the royal palace, Brahmadatta was strolling upon his roof terrace, puzzling over the words of King Dighiti that had been reported to him. Gazing far south, over the city wall, he spied the fire and the figure circling it.
“It must be Prince Dighavu,” he told himself. And a cold fear gripped his heart.
The prince, his duty complete, slipped quickly into the forest. For days he stayed there, hiding from Brahmadatta’s men while grieving for his parents.
At last, the danger and the tears had passed, and Dighavu entered the city once more. At the royal elephant stables, he took work as an apprentice.
And so it was one morning that Dighavu rose early, sat before the stables, and sang to greet the dawn. His voice drifted to the palace and to the balcony of King Brahmadatta, who had also risen early, wakened by a fearful dream.
“How lovely,” said the king. “I have need of such music to ease my mind.”
He sent for the singer, and Dighavu was brought before him.
“Sing for me,” said Brahmadatta, not knowing who the young man was.
Dighavu sang, and the king’s heart was gladdened. Then Brahmadatta told him, “Stay with me.”
And Dighavu answered, “As you wish, my lord.”
So Dighavu became the king’s attendant. And since the young man’s conduct was agreeable and his words pleasing, the king grew ever more fond of him, bestowing on him more and more responsibility and trust.
Then came a day when Brahmadatta desired to go hunting. And he told Dighavu, “Today you will drive my chariot.”
And Dighavu replied, “It is an honor, my lord.”
So Dighavu that day drove the chariot of the king. But as the hunters pursued their quarry, Dighavu cleverly took a path that led away. He brought the king far from the sight and hearing of the others.
At last Brahmadatta said, “I wish to stop and rest.”
Dighavu dismounted and sat cross-legged on the ground. And he told the king, “Come rest yourself, my lord.”
So the king laid his head in the cradle of Dighavu’s legs, and slept.
Dighavu gripped his sword and drew it slowly from its sheath. He pointed the blade at the throat of Brahmadatta. And then there came to him the words of his father.
Be not shortsighted.
Be not longsighted.
Not by violence is violence ended.
Violence is ended by nonviolence.The sword of Dighavu trembled. He drew it slowly away and replaced it in its sheath.
Brahmadatta breathed heavily and opened wide his eyes and sat up in alarm.
“What is wrong, my lord?” asked Dighavu.
“It is a dream that often plagues me,” said the king. “I see Dighavu, the son of my enemies, coming at me with his sword to avenge his parents.”
Then Dighavu clutched the king’s hair, dragged his head back down, and drew his sword. “I am Dighavu, son of your enemies, and here am I to avenge my parents!”
“Have mercy, dear Dighavu! Grant me my life!”
“How can I grant your life?” replied Dighavu. “Truly is it said, we may forgive those who hurt us, but we never forgive those we hurt. You have killed my mother and my father, and would surely kill me too. So the life to be granted is mine!”
“Then grant me my life,” said Brahmadatta, “and I will grant you yours!”
So Dighavu released the king and put away his sword. And the two rose and clasped their hands and swore never again to seek the other’s harm.
Then Brahmadatta said, “I have often pondered your father’s final words. Tell me, Dighavu, what did he mean when he told you, ‘Be not shortsighted.’?”
“My father meant, ‘Do not be quick to spurn a gift of friendship.’”
“And what did he mean when he told you, ‘Be not longsighted.’?”
“My father meant, ‘Do not allow your hate to last too long.’”
“And what did he mean when he told you, ‘Not by violence is violence ended. Violence is ended by nonviolence.’?”
“My father meant this: You, my lord, have killed my parents and stolen their kingdom. If I were to kill you in revenge, your allies would kill me, and then my allies would kill them, and so on, with no end to violence. But now instead, you have granted my life and I have granted yours. So violence is at an end.”
Then the king marveled at the wisdom of Dighavu, who understood in full what his father said in brief.
Indeed, so great was Brahmadatta’s admiration and his gratitude, he soon restored to Dighavu the kingdom of his father. And as long as both kings lived, all quarrels between them were resolved in friendship and good will.
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DANA PARAMITA
‘Dana’ literally means giving or offering one’s possessions with pure mind for the welfare of others. The one of the main objects of ‘Dana’ is to subdue the immoral thought of selfishness, miserliness or excessive craving which creates suffering in Samsara.
Another object is to develop the meritorious thoughts of selflessness, doing service to others. A real donor does not expect anything - name, reputation or even the word of ‘Thank’, in return from the recipient. He does not look down on the recipient as his debtor for the service he has rendered. He does not give through fear or shame and never repents for his charity. He gives voluntarily, realizing the Kamma and Vipaka - the cause and effect.
Naturally, as the result of his noble deeds of charity, he will enjoy a happy, fortunate and prosperous life, wherever he will be reborn in Samsara and this perfection of generosity leads him towards the final Emancipation.
Illustration from VESSANTARA JATAKA
THE STORY OF KING VESSANTARAOnce, our Bodhisatta was conceived in the womb of Queen Phusati, the Chief Consort of King Sanjaya. During her pregnancy, Queen Phusati had a strong desire to do charity. Accordingly, the King ordered six alms-halls (Dana Sala) to be built and everyday the Queen gave alms to Monks, the poor and beggars, spending six hundred thousand Kahapanas.
After ten months, the Queen gave birth to a son and he was named Vessantara and wonderful things happened on that day. When the infant Prince asked for gifts to practise charity the Queen handed over to him a purse containing one thousand Kahapanas. At the same time, a female elephant brought a white baby elephant to the Palace and left it in the Royal stable. This was considered a good omen.
The King appointed sixty nurses to look after the Prince and he made a necklace worth a thousand Kahapanas for the Prince who was then only five years old. The Prince who had a strong desire to practise charity, gave his valuable necklace to a nurse. In this way the King made nine necklaces and each time the Prince gave it away.
At the age of sixteen, Prince Vessantara having mastered all sciences, married a beautiful Princess Maddi Devi. When he was proclaimed King of Sivi, he practised charity to the highest state of perfection. He also built six alms-halls and spent six hundred thousand Kahapanas as charity a day. They led a happy married life and later had a son - Jali and a daughter - Kanhajina.
In the Kingdom of Kalinga, there was a great famine and severe drought. The citizens requested that the white elephant of King Vessantara, considered of good omen, be brought to Kalinga. Vessantara readily agreed and presented the elephant to the citizens of Kalinga when they approached. Vessantara requested his father’s permission to perform ‘Satta Satika Dana’ (i.e. offerings of material things each to a limit of 700).
After the grand celebrations, King Vessantara together with his Consort and two children left the city for Mount Vamka in the Himalayas where the Sakka Deva Raja built a hermitage for them to stay. Before reaching their destination, he willingly dispensed with his four horses and a chariot to Brahmins who asked for them. So they had to walk for the rest of their journey to the hermitage.
They reached the place and lived on wild fruits and roots gathered by Queen Maddi, for seven months. Eventually, King Vessantara whose whole intention was to do charity, had to give away his two children to an old Brahmin - Jujaka who wanted them to assist his wife at the house chores. Sakka finally tested his degree of charity in Vessantara. by disguising himself as a Brahmin and asked for his wife.
The Queen accordingly replied, “From maidenhood I was your wife and you my master still. Let you to whom so you desire give or sell or kill.” Vessantara was perforced to depart his wife to the Brahmin, but the latter gracefully returned the Queen to King Vessantara.
In this way, our Bodhisatta practised Dana Paramita to the highest degree of perfection.
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Silava Elephant Once the Bodhisatta was born as an elephant in a Himalayan forest. He was white like silver. His eyes were like diamond balls. His mouth was red like the scarlet velvet. His trunk was like the silver flecked with red gold; and his four feet looked like the polished lac. Thus was his persona with consummate beauty and ten-fold perfections. When he grew up, he became the leader of eighty thousand elephants. Nonetheless, he preferred to lead the life of a recluse and live alone in a solitary forest.http://www.4to40.com/story/index.asp?p=Silava_Elephant&k=forest
One day, when walking in the forest he saw a man crying there with his out-stretched arms, as he had lost his way. Moved with compassion, the elephant advanced to help him. The man in turn was further terrified and thought, “a solitary elephant and a rogue are dangerous to be met with”. So, he ran faster and widened the distance. Watching him, thus, running the Bodhisatta halted. When the elephant stopped three times upon his running the man felt that the animal was not intending to harm him. The elephant then came near the man and calmed him by saying that he could help him reach Varanasi. He then lifted him with his trunk and placed him on his back and carried him first to his abode and offered him food. Next, he carried him out of the forest and set him on the high-road of Varanasi.
Arriving at Varanasi the ungrateful man first went to the ivory market to survey the prices of the ivory tusks of a living elephant. Next, he asked the sellers to keep the money ready as he would soon return with a good bargain. He then went to the forest again with all necessary provisions for the journey to approach the kind elephant. Reaching the Silava’s abode, he first greeted him with a false gesture of respect and then begged for his tusks. The elephant, who was then practising the dana-paramita, one of the ten perfections (parami), readily agreed to offer his tusk if the man could cut it off. The greedy man immediately took out his saw, as he had made all preparations to obtain the tusks. The gentle animal then bowed down to let the man cut off his tusks. Off with the tusks the man went to Varanasi and sold them in the market in a handsome price.
After a few days, again the greedy man came to the forest and requested the elephant for more tusks because the proceeds from the sale of the tusks, which he had carried earlier was not enough and was spent in clearing his old debts only. The elephant conceded to his request and again allowed him to cut off the rest of his trunks for sale.
But the man’s greed had no bounds. He soon returned to the forest to beg for more. As the elephant was already shorn off his tusks by then, the man, therefore, asked for the stumps of his trunks to make a better living. The gentle Silava, again acquiesced. The cruel and ungrateful man then climbed on his trunk , which was like the corded silver and climbed on his temples, which was like the snowy peak of the mount Kailash; dug the flesh away from his gums; and sawed off the stumps of the tusks and had his way. Thus, Silava breathed his last in severe pains.
The man, however, had to pay the price for his sinister act. So, when he was returning, the earth burst asunder in a yawning chasm and there sprang a large flame of fire, which swallowed him through and through; and the wretch entered the bowels of the earth to be tormented in the hell.
A tree-fairy, who witnessed the whole scene uttered the following stanza:
Greed demands more, the more it gets
Not all the world can glut its appetite. -
The Demon’s Costume
In the country of Gandhara there was a troupe of entertainers known throughout the land. One year a famine occurred and the troupe was forced to take to the road in search of food. Their travels took them as far as a neighbouring land. As darkness fell on their first day there, they passed Mount Bala, where it was said many flesh-eating demons made their home. Despite this, the troupe decided not to go any farther, but to huddle closely together and spend the night on the mountain. They made a fire to dispel the cold wind that circled through the darkening trees, and then went to sleep.
Among the entertainers was one man who had trouble sleeping because he was suffering from a cold. After everyone else had fallen asleep, he got up, put on one of the costumes to keep warm, and went to sit beside the fire. He had chosen the costume of a demon. When one of the others awakened, he saw the man in the demon costume and, without looking too closely, he shouted and ran away. The others woke up in a fright and, when they saw the man beside the fire looking like a demon, they too ran off into the night.
The man in the costume, thinking he must also be in danger, followed them, running as fast as he could and waving his arms. This only increased the others’ fear and so they ran all night, crossing mountains and rivers, falling into ditches, getting banged up and bruised, and becoming thoroughly exhausted. Finally, at daybreak, the other entertainers saw that the demon was just one of their friends in a costume, and with great sighs of relief they brought this foolishness to an end.
Many people are like this. Caught up in their passions, they starve for good teachings and sincerely long for the nourishment of Dharma and the bliss of Nirvana. But they mistakenly see a self in the five skandhas (aggregates: form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness) and believe it is really so. Because of this notion of self they run on and on through birth and death, controlled and pursued by their passions. They cannot become free of them and end up falling into the ditch of the three unwholesome realms, suffering great harm in the process. When wisdom finally begins to shine, it is like the coming of daybreak, ending the long night of birth and death. Now they realize that in the five skandhas there is no self at all.
A Flock of Fools: Ancient Buddhist Tales of Wisdom and Laughter from the One Hundred Parable Sutra
Translated and retold by Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitthttp://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/05/the-demons-costume/
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Worshipping The Buddha
By Tenzin Youdon, OneIndia, Sept 3, 2008
New Delhi, India -- Here is a story that will help us to understand why the Buddha image is important to inspire and to recall the Buddha into our mind. This story is found in the Buddhist literature, but not that of the Pali Tipitaka.
A few hundred years after the passing away of Buddha there was a devout monk in India named Upagupta. He was the most popular preacher at that time. Whenever he gave a sermon on the Dhamma, thousands of people would flock to listen to his preaching.
One day, Mara, the tempter, became jealous of Venerable Upagupta's popularity. Mara knew that Upagupta's popularity was helping to spread the teachings of the Buddha. He was not happy to see the words of Buddha filling the minds and hearts of the people. So he used a cunning method to influence the people. He made a plan to stop the people from listening to Upagupta's sermons.
One day, as Upagupta began his sermon, Mara organized a drama next to the place where Upagupta preached. A beautiful stage-show suddenly appeared. There were pretty dancing girls and lively musicians. The people soon forgot about the sermon and crossed over the show to enjoy the performances. Upagupta watched the people slowly drift away. Then he also decided to join the crowd. After that he decided to teach Mara a lesson.
When the performance ended, Upagupta presented Mara with garlands of flowers."You have organized a wonderful performance," said Ven. Upagupta.
Mara, of course was happy and proud of his achievement. He gladly accepted the garland from Upagupta and held his head high in the air. Suddenly it happened; the garland changed into a snake-like coil. Slowly the coil tightened until it choked his neck. So painful was that coil gripping his neck, that he tried to pull the coil off . No matter how hard he pulled, he could not take the coil off his neck. He decided to ask help from Sakka, the king of the gods to remove the coil. Sakka also could not remove it.
"I cannot remove this coil," said Sakka, "Go and see Maha Brahma, who is the powerful one." So Mara went to see Maha Brahma and asked his help but he also could not do anything. "I cannot remove this coil, the only one who can remove this coil is the person who put it on you." said Maha Brahma. So Mara had to come back to Ven. Upagupta.
"Please remove this coil; it is so painful," he begged.
"Yes I can do that under two conditions, said Upagupta. "The first is that you must promise not to disturb Buddhist devotees any more in the future. The second is that you must show me the real image of Buddha. Because I know that you have seen him on many occasions, but I have never seen him. I would like to see the real Buddha image exactly like him, with the special thirty-two characteristics of his physical body"
Mara was so happy. He agreed with Upagupta.
"But one thing" pleaded Mara. "If I change myself into the image of the Buddha, you must promise that you will not worship me, because I am not a holy person, like you".
"I will not worship you", promised Upagupta.
Suddenly Mara transformed himself into an image that looked exactly like the Buddha. When Upagupta saw the image, his heart was filled with great inspiration; a deep devotion arose in his heart. With folded hands, he at once worshipped the Buddha figure.
"You are breaking the promise," shouted Mara, "you promised you would not worship me. Now why do you worship me?"
"I am not worshipping you. You must understand I am worshipping the Buddha" said Ven. Upagupta.
From this story we can understand why the Buddha image is important to inspire us and to help us to recall the sublime Buddha into our mind so that we can venerate him. We Buddhists do not worship the material symbol or forms that only represent the Buddha. We pay our respects to the Buddha.
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BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY
A BUDDHIST STORY
Key Ideas: Buddhism, celebrations, the naming of years after animals
The Buddha was looking forward to his birthday. He wanted to make it a very special occasion, so he decided to have a party. For such a special party he wanted to invite very special guests. So he decided to ask all the animals to help him celebrate his birthday.
The preparations were made, and the guests began to arrive. First came the little rat who was quickly followed by the big buffalo. Behind the buffalo came the stripy tiger, then up hopped a furry rabbit. A dragon came breathing fire just before the snake slithered in. There was a loud neigh, and the horse announced his arrival. Almost hidden behind was the ram with his curly horns and even curlier coat. The monkey swung down from the trees, and the cockerel strutted around proudly. Next, wagging his tail came the dog, and last of all the pig joined the company of animals.
The Buddha was delighted that all those guest had come to celebrate his party. He was so pleased, that he decided all the animals who came to his party should be remembered in turn each year. Even today, in China, every year has the name of the animals that came to the party.
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The Woodpecker And The Lion
ONE day while a lion was eating his dinner a bone stuck in his throat. It hurt so that he could not finish his dinner. He walked up and down, up and down, roaring with pain.
A woodpecker lit on a branch of a tree near-by, and hearing the lion, she said, "Buddy, what ails you?"
The lion told the woodpecker what the matter was, and the woodpecker said: "I would take the bone out of your throat, buddy, but I don't dare to put my head into your mouth, for fear I might never get it out again. I'm afraid you might eat me."
"Woodpecker, don't be so afraid," the lion said. "I will not eat you. Save my life if you can!"
"I will see what I can do for you," said the woodpecker. "Open your mouth wide." The lion did as he was told, but the woodpecker said to himself. "Who knows what this lion will do? I think I will be careful."
So the woodpecker put a stick between the lion's upper and lower jaws so that he could not shut his mouth.
Then the woodpecker hopped into the lion's mouth and hit the end of the bone with his beak. The second time he hit it, the bone fell out.
The woodpecker hopped out of the lion's mouth and hit the stick so that it too fell out. Then the lion could shut his mouth.At once the lion felt very much better, but not one word of thanks did he say to the woodpecker.
One day later in the summer, the woodpecker said to the lion, "I want you to do something for me."
"Do something for you?" said the lion. "You mean you want me to do something more for you. I have already done a great deal for you. You cannot expect me to do anything more for you. Don't forget that once I had you in my mouth, and I let you go. That is all that you can ever expect me to do for you."
The woodpecker said no more, but he kept away from the lion from that day on.
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Relying on JoyAt the time of Buddha, there lived an old beggar woman called "Relying on Joy". She used to watch the kings, princes, and people making offerings to Buddha and his disciples, and there was nothing she would have liked more than to be able to do the same. So she went out begging, but at the end of a whole day all she had was one small coin. She took it to the oil-merchant to try to buy some oil. He told her that she could not possibly buy anything with so little. But when he heard that she wanted it to make an offering to Buddha, he took pity on her and gave her the oil she wanted. She took it to the monastery, where she lit a lamp. She placed it before Buddha, and made this wish:"I have nothing to offer but this tiny lamp. But through this offering, in the future may I be blessed with the lamp of wisdom. May I free all beings from their darkness. May I purify all their obstructions, and lead them to enlightenment."
That night the oil in all the other lamps went out. But the beggar woman's lamp was still burning at dawn, when Buddha's disciple Maudgalyayana came to collect all the lamps. When he saw that one was still alight, full of oil and with a new wick, he thought,"There's no reason why this lamp should still be burning in the day time," and he tried to blow it out. But it kept on burning. He tried to snuff it out with his fingers, but it stayed alight. He tried to smother it with his robe, but still it burned on. The Buddha had been watching all along, and said,"Maudgalyayana, do you want to put out that lamp? You cannot. You cannot even move it, let alone put it out. If you were to pour the water from all ocean over this lamp, it still wouldn't go out. The water in all the rivers and the lakes of the world could not extinguish it. Why not? Because this lamp was offered with devotion and with purity of heart and mind. And that motivation has made it of tremendous benefit." When Buddha had said this, the beggar woman approached him, and he made a prophesy that in the future she would become a perfect buddha, call "Light of the Lamp."
So it is our motivation, good or bad, that determines the fruit of our actions.
(As told by Sogyal Rinpoche in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Copyright@1992 by Sogyal Rinpoche)
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/clubs/buddhism/story/relyjoy.html
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THE BLIND MAN
A BUDDHIST STORY
Key Ideas: Buddhism, the wonder of colour, healing
Ravi had been blind all his life. He had never seen the sun, or the moon, or the stars. He did not know that the sky was blue, as that the grass was green. He did not know what a tree looked like, and could not even begin to imagine what shape and colours a bird might be.
His family and friends would say to him “The sun is shining brightly today,” or “There are thousands of stars in the sky tonight.” Ravi could not see them. He would become angry, he often said “There is no sun. There are no stars.” People felt sad because Ravi was so angry. They told him that even though he could not see them, the sun and stars were still there.
Sometimes people would talk to Ravi about the beautiful colours of nature, but he did not listen. One day his sisters were talking. They were trying to decide what colour saris they should wear for a wedding. One said she would wear red, the other preferred yellow.
“What does it matter,” shouted Ravi angrily, “There is no such thing as colour.” Everything is dark. The colours are only in your mind.”
Slowly people stopped talking to Ravi about the things they could see. They knew it would only make him cross. Then one day, when Ravi was twenty, his family and friends heard of a man who might be able to help Ravi. He was called The Buddha, and people who had met him said he could make people walked who had never walked before. And he could make blind people see.
His family and friends took Ravi to the Buddha. Ravi was not quite sure what was going to happen, but he was not afraid. The Buddha gently soothed Ravi’s eyes with four different lotions and suddenly, he was able to see. He knew that the sun and the stars shone in the sky. He was how beautiful the colours of nature were. He marvelled at the trees and birds around him and he saw his sisters in their richly coloured saris. He was amazed.
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Hj! would anyboby be as kind as to help me translate this into english? And maybe find out the origin of this story?
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How A Dragon Girl Attained 'Instant' Buddhahood
In the Lotus Sutra, there is a section where Wisdom Accumulation Bodhisattva asks Manjushri Bodhisattva if there is anyone who could, through diligent vigour, swiftly cultivate the teachings in the same profound sutra to quickly attain Buddhahood. Manjushri Bodhisattva replied that there is a Dragon King’s daughter, who is only eight years of age, who is able to practise all the teachings taught by the Buddha, who is able to, in an instant, aspire to Bodhicitta and attain irreversibility of spiritual progress. Being compassionately mindful of all beings as if they were her children, her eloquence in teaching the Dharma is wondrous and her merits complete. Wisdom Accumulation Bodhisattva remarked that he had seen Shakyamuni Buddha practising the Dharma for the sake of limitless beings throughout immeasurable space and time without rest to attain Buddhahood, which makes it hard to believe that the girl could do likewise so soon. Just then, the girl appeared, bowed before them, and praised the magnificent form of the Buddha, which is complete with the thirty-two marks and eighty secondary characteristics of a great being, which shines in all directions and is honoured by all.
Shariputra too exclaimed of the difficulty in believing the claim of her quick attainment of Buddhahood, as one with a female form cannot become a Brahma heaven king, Shakra (king of Trayastrimsa Heaven), a Mara king (of the Parinirmita Vasavartin Heaven), a Wheel-turning Sage king (who rules the world with the Dharma), and much less a Buddha (a Dharma King) – unless one has passed theough many eons to perfect the paramitas (perfections). The Dragon Girl then offered a precious gem to the Buddha, asking if her offering was swift, to which Wisdom Accumulation and Shariputra agreed that it was. Next, she asked them to watch her become a Buddha in an even swifter manner. At that moment, the entire assembly saw her suddenly transform into a man, perfect the Bodhisattva conduct, instantly going to a southern world, sitting upon a jewelled lotus and attaining Buddhahood, embodying the thirty-two marks and eighty secondary characteristics. There, she proclaimed the wonderful Dharma for many beings, who rejoiced and paid their respects. Hearing the Dharma, many aspired to Bodhicitta, attained irreversibility and received predictions of Buddhahood.
This short teaching speaks against, at the same time, ageism, sexism, casteism, racism and speciesism. Despite being young, female, a non-brahmin (priests revered in ancient India as the ‘select few’ with higher spirituality), and a dragon (naga), the Dragon Girl was able to attain Buddhahood swiftly, by adhering to the great universal teachings of the Lotus Sutra. She herself attests to this very teaching against unjustified forms of discrimination by example. Even if there are relatively few like the Dragon Girl among us, it is true, nevertheless, that anyone of any age, gender, social background, race or even kind, can attain Buddhahood. It all depends on how diligently one had been practising and realising the Dharma both in this life and in previous lives. While it is true that Buddhas naturally arise from male forms, it is possible to instantaneously evolve to a male form within this life, also through diligence, as in the case of the Dragon Girl. Being born in Pure Land is also a fast way to relinquish gender limitations. This incident also subtly reminds us not to discriminate anyone, as anyone might be on the brink of Buddhahood, or even be the skilful manifestation of a Buddha!http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/05/how-a-dragon-girl-attained-instant-buddhahood/
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Originally posted by Weychin:
Hj! would anyboby be as kind as to help me translate this into english? And maybe find out the origin of this story?
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lol i tried googling but can't find
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Originally posted by 2009novice:
lol i tried googling but can't find
But thank you for your effort, any clue of which Sutras where Manjushri manifest?