Brahmavihāra Dhamma

How patience was exercised, etc

“If a certain fool commits wrong against a

noble person of purified conduct, this wrong

doing will react upon him as a retribution,

etc.’’ How to suppress anger by reflecting on the attributes of Bodhisatta

If anger is not yet abated or subdued by reflection as stated in the foregoing, it should be suppressed by reflecting on the noble qualities or the attributes of the Buddha in his various states of existence previous to attaining Buddhahood. The manner of reflection is:

“Oh, noble Yogi, the Buddha’s disciple! Your Teacher, the Lord Buddha, in his capacity as a BodhiSatta, i.e. in his existences prior to attainment of his Enlightenment, for a period of four Asarikheyyas (aeons) and. a lakh Kappas while relentlessly exercising the virtues required of a Bodhisatta to accomPlish the paramittas (Perfection), had practised forbearance or patience without polluting the mind with anger even against all sorts of murderers who were his enemies. The way of practising patience is illustrated in Visuddhimagga beginning from the story of Silava as an example. But now we shall cite an example commencing from Khanti-vadi-jdataka. How patience was exercised by Khantivadi, a great hermit

At one time in the ancient days, during the reign of King Kalabu in the city of Benares, Bodhisatta, born of a high caste Brahmin (Brahmana), was a multi-millionaire possessing eighty crores of rupees. When his parents died leaving behind all their wealth and properties, it had occurred to him that his parents were unable to take along with them what they physically owned on their demise though they were able to

Brahmayihara Dhamma

accumulate immense wealth. On his part considering that he should take them with him on his death, generously gave away all his possessions in charity to those who deserved. Thereafter, he went into a retreat in One of the forested areas of the Himalayas assuming the role of a hermit. He lived only on fruits which were available in the forest. There was however, no salt for consumption. In order, therefore, to have proper and adequate nourishment, he made his way to villages where there were people to procure salt and sour fruits for his own personal consumption. Even. tually, he reached the city of Beneres. When going round for alms in the city, the Commander-in-Chief of the army finding him worthy of reverence, respectfully invited him to his residence to accept the offer of meals. Later, he was requested to reside in the pleasance of the king’s royal garden. This request was accepted by him. He continued to stay in that royal garden as his place of retreat.

While he was so residing, on one day, king Kalabu visited the royal garden in the company of his queen and maids-of-honour together with a large retinue to hold’ a ceremonious function. The ceremony was held comprising a series of performances of music, ballet, etc. on a magnificient and spacious marble slab within the precincts of the royal garden. The king enjoyed the festivities watching the display of.music, songs and dances after taking a lying posture with his hend rest on the thigh of a damsel whom he adored. Merry-making including the dance with accompanying music formed part of the celebrations taken part by professional artistes and maids-of-honour from the royal palace. While listening to the soft music, the sweet melody had lulled the king to sleep. Finding the king in deep slumber, the troupe of female singers and dancers stopped playing music for a moment and roamed about the garden for sight-sceing. While

How patience was exercised, etc

thus making a rambling excursion, they came across the great hermit, the Bodhisatta. They then approached him wishing to listen to the preaching which he might be inclined to give. At their request, the great hermit delivered a sermon appropriate to the occation.

At that time the maid-of-honour on whose thigh the king had pillowed his royal head manoeuvred her limbs to wake up the king. The king when aroused from his sleep, found none of his retinue and maids near him. When inquired as to where they had gone to, the maid whose thigh had served as a cushion for the king’s head, answered that the whole crowd had gone to the great hermit. On hearing the news, the royal monarch became furious with jealousy. He then picked up his sword and hurried his way to the hermit uttering with an uncontrollable anger that he would give the hermit a good lesson.

Seeing the king raging with anger, one of the maid-of-honour close to him caught hold of his sword and tried to calm him down. However, king Kalabu anger remained uncontrollable, He asked the hermit what was the Doctrine which he, the hermit, professed. The great hermit replied that his tenet was the Doctrine of khonti (patience), saying that tolerance exercised by one without feeling angry against those who provoked, railed and raved is called ‘‘patience’’. The king then’telling the hermit that he would put him to a crucial test to find out if he was really accomplished with patience, ordered his servant, the Executioner, in this manner. ‘‘You better pull down this villainous thief, the hermit, lay him prostrate on the ground and punish him with two-thousand lashes by whipping with a twisted cane fixed with sharppointed pins, on all four sides of his body. The executioner gave the hermit two-thousand lashes as ordered by the king. Ordinarily, a person

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would surely succumb to the injuries received if he has to undergo a ponalty of 2000 lashes. Curiously, the great hermit was found still alive! possibly because of his noble qualities of ‘khanti’, or of relaxed or Slack force put in at the time of whipping - no one can say. However, the thick outer and inner thin layer of skin covering the flesh of the entire body of the hermit was grievously torn. Flesh was also torn to bits. Blood flowed out profusely. Just imaging how severe the plain and suffering would be that the said hermit had to undergo. In spite of this ferecious ill treatment, the great noble hermit harboured no anger, illwill or grudge either against the king or the executioner. This is the cruel purnishment imposed without shyme or reason, or fault whatsoever. Ordinarily, sich a treatment would induce anger and malicious feeling. This kind of patience indeed calls for the spirit of emulation from Yogis who are developing mettd.

Findind the great hermit still alive, the king asked him what doctrine he was practising, Thereupon, the Reverend Hermit replied, ‘‘1 firmly hold the Doctrine of Patience. O, King, do you think that this ‘patience’-(khanti) can be traced in the skin of my body. It is not underneath the layers of the skin. ‘Patience’ resides in my heart of hearts and never runs out. Inturiated by this mental attitude, king Kalabu ordered that two hands of the hermit be cut off and also that the lower extremities — the two feet, the ears and the nose be sliced off. The Executioner strictly complied with the king’s orders and cruelly cut off those bodily limbs with an axe. Everytime a limb was severed, a question was put as to what was the kind of of Doctrine accepted by the hermit. The reply given by the great hermit repeatedly to the questions, was the same as before that he had held firmly to

How patience was exercised, etc

the doctrine of patience which found its abode in his heart- Eventually, the king after uttering in disgust as: “You cunning hermit. Better live on invoking oF hoisting your own ‘khanti’,’’ foully kicked the hermit in the breast with his foot and then departed. After his departure, when he reached the gate of the royal garden, this King Kalabu was swallowed down by the earth. It has been mentioned in the Atthakatha (Commentary) that this wicked king was dragged-down to Ayici — hell, enveloped in burning flames.

Thereafter, the Commander-in-Chief of the army came over to the great hermit and tendered his apology not to feel angry and bear malice against the state (country). Thereupon, the Reverend Hermit gave his reply as follows:

““Yo me hatthey ca pdde ca, kanna nasafi ca chedayi.

Ciram jivatu so raja, na hi kujjhanti madisa.

Sendpati-Oh, Commander-in-Chief! Yo—He who is King Kalabu, (has caused), me-my, hatthe ca-hands and pade ca-feet, kanna ndsai ca-the ears and the nose, chedayi_to be cut off. So raja-This king Kalabu, ciram jivatia-may live long. Hi=For being able to develop mettad without getting angry, mddisa@—noble and virtuous person like me, ma kujjhanti-are not used to get angry, nay, are able to develop mettd with best wishes and goodwill for not being accustomed to get angry.

O, dear Yogi who is developing mettd through meditation in accordance with the teachings of the Lord Buddha! Your enemy who has done wrong to you will not be as bad as king Kalabu. Isn’t it then proper for you to be patient without getting angry just as the great Khantiyddi hermit was able to endure, with patience and with no anger, the afflictions of the heinous crime committed by king Kalabu ?

Brahmayihara Dhamma

Story of Dhammapala, the young child

At one time in the past old days, Mahapatapa was the ruling monarch in the country of Benares. At that time Bodhisatta entered the womb of the chief queen Candia Devi who later gave birth to ason, Bodhisatta, the newly born baby was given the name of Dhammapala. When this young prince Dhammapala was 7 months old, his mother, the queen, after bathing her child and dressing him with fine costumes, was caressing and jovially playing with the infant with love. At that moment, the queen whose joyous thoughts were momentarily riveted on her bonny son, being so delighted that she failed to get up and pay respect to her husband, the king, who had by then come over to the place where the mother was molly-coddling the child.

The king on seeing the mother fondling her son, imagined, “Even now, this woman was becoming swellheaded and conceited relying on her son. When the child becomes a grown-up, it is almost certain that she will surely neglect me. Perhaps, it would be better to get rid of the son now.’’ With a feeling of disappointment which had reflected on his facial expression, he left the place and proceeded to his royal chamber where the throne had stood. He immediately sent for the Executioner and gave orders that the infant child be brought before his presence. Judging from his looks from the very outset, the queen knew that her husband, the king, had entertained his resentment against her. Realizing this unhappy state of affairs, the queen was shedding tears while folding the baby to her breasts.

While she was thus weeping, the Executioner appeared and snatched away the child Dhammapala from her. She followed from behind the Executioner with a pensive mood. On their arrival before the king, the child was put on a wooden Slab, Orders were

Story of Dhammapala, the young child

immediately given by the king to chop off the hands of the poor little unfortunate child. The queen Canda Devi entreated the king that the child was innocent and that only she had the fault. She pleaded repeatedly that her hands be cut off instead of the hands of her innocent son but to no avail. The Executioner had to obey and execute the orders of the king. The hands of the seven months’ old infant Dhammapéla were therefore cruelly chopped off with an axe. The two small tender hands were dismembered as if a delicate sprout of a bamboo plant is severed. The young infant, Bodhisatta, however, did not flinch and cry but remained still with patience. Hence, the commentary goes to say:

So-This young child Dhammapiala, hatthesu chij jamanesu—when cut off in his hands, i.e. while his hands were chopped off, nevarodi-neither uttered a cry, na parideyi-nor wailed or lamented, khantifica—exercising the spirit of patience and, mettifica-wishing happiness to the other, purecdrikam katva—guided by the thoughts of loving-kindness, adhivdsesi-endured the pain and suffering by resigning himself to the situation(fate),

The mother-queen Canda Devi after picking up the soft tiny hands that had been severed, folded them close to her bosom and was bitterly sobbing. Thereafter, the father Mahapatapa king again ordered the Executioner to cut off the two feet and then, the head of the child. The queen went on entreating her husband to pardon the innocent child but to no purpose. The Executioner then severed the child’s head as ordered by the king and even tossed up the little delicate body of the child in the air and on falling down, caught it up with the sharp-pointed sword and played with it as if it were wreath of flowers. It is almost unbelievable that there was such a kind of foolish, wicked and heartless father without a tinge of mercy in him, However, there is every possibility

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of finding such a merciless man from among the worldlings when one become a slave to the “‘anger”’’. Because of this possibility, the case of this wicked king Mahapatapa, father of Dhammapala, has been cited as an example. The queen died of a broken-heart on the spot while weeping and wailing. By a curious coineidence, king Mahapatapa also fell down from his throne and dropped on to the floor first, and eventually reached the level of the earth below where he was swallowed down to death. It was stated that he had gone down to ayici, hell, one of the eight Ndrakas.

As for the young child Dhammapala, it was stated that he passed away peacefully while exercising patience without any anger which had not arisen till the time of his death. Considering this episode, it might be possible for a Yogi who is developing mettad to endure pain and suffering without being angry just as the young child Dhammapala had practised forbearance. The manner of practising patience by an elephant, a monkey and a dragon

Mention was made in the Visuddhimagga to reflect as to how patience was exercised by Chaddanta, the King of the Elephants, our Bodhisatta in one of his previous existences, without anger and ill-will when Sonothe, a hunter shot at him with a poisonous arrow.

Mahakapi, a hugh monkey once saved the life of a man who had accidentally fallen into a deep ravine. After having been rescued from the danger of death, this man cruelly struck the head of his Saviour with a big stone when the latter had fallen asleep through exhaustion. However, the noble-minded monkey bore no resentment and grude against him and even rendered his assistance to this man by escorting him to reach the zone of safety where human beings lived.

Then also, there are instances of two Bodhisatta dragons—one by the name of Buridatta, and the other,