Brahmavihāra Dhamma

Karuna that had once occurred at the time of Samanera

Generally most people die when they reach the age of seventy or eighty plus. Both the rich and the poor, 4s well as dictators, powerful rulers and heroes came to a road-end in the path of life, i.e. Death, between the age of 70 or 80 or alittle beyond that age. Rupas and naémas in one’s Own body are carrying him away to old age, sickness and death. Let us recite a motto composed in this regard,

“Oh! men are impermanent, being driven to old

age, sickness and death.”’

If this motto is reflected upon, the nature of anicca becomes obvious. Marandnussatti i.e., mindfulness contemplation on the nature cf death will also become developed. In every existence, all beings have to go through the process of inevitable old age, sickness and death. This is the rugged and dangerous path they are treading along. How pitiable they are. One can very well imagine this awful state. It is not surprising that Great Compassion had arisen in Buddha towards beings. Let’s develop karun@ as Buddha Himself had done. Please follow the recitation.

“Oh! all beings are subjected to old age, sick- |

ness and death to which they are being con-

veyed. That’s really Impermanent !”’

“May all beings be liberated from this misery.”

(Repeat)

The manner of developing karund as stated above, is of a very high standard. It is similar to the great compassion bestowed upon mankind by the Lord Buddha. Among people in general, a great many of them are in misery for having suffered loss in their business venture or for loss or destruction of their property, or for being separated from their beloved ones. Kaaund canbe developed towards such people in misery. Please recite as follow:- < Lit” Satpeeeee

Brahmavihara Dhamma

‘‘May all beinga who are suffering misery in

one way or the other, be liberated from such

misery.”’

It is pitiable for not really haying anything to depend upon

“Atano loko anabhissaroti passantanam buddhanam

bhagavantanam sattesu mahaékarund okkamati.’’

Loko-All beings, atdno—have no one to look after them, anabissaro—and nothing to depend upon. J/ti passantanam—Having perceived as such, nay, seeing as such, buddhanart bhagavaténari-in Holy Buddhas, sattesu—towards beings, mahdkarund-Great Compassion or self-sacrific~ ing pity, okkamati-has occurred or sprung up.

It means that all living beings have no one to Protect or look after them and no one to rely upon. Korabya King not being able to grasp the meaning of this statement, had once asked Ashin Ratthapala: “O, Ashin Ratthapdla! We have many armed forces to defend and protect us. They are to be relied upon, What is then the intention conveyed in the statement’’— have no one to protect and rely upon.” Thereupon, Ashin Ratthapala queried. “O, Your Majesty Korabya ! Don’t you ever have any affliction? If that afflicted disease ill-treats you cruelly, how would you feel?’ To this query, King Korabya replied: “When this disease becomes very Serious and illtreats me, | will suffer gravely tothe point of near death, There had been Occasions when my relatives in close proximity of my sick-bed, wept bitterly even shedding tears thinking that I was about to die.’’

Having heard this reply, for the purpose of verification, another question put was: “O, King Korabya! When this disease had caused you terrible pain and suffering, could you share it with your relatives and friends? Will you be able to share the suffering if

It is pitiable for not really having anything to depend upon

you ask them to give you relief?’? To this, King Korabya gave his reply, ‘Sir, it’s impossible to share it. Neither can they take a share in it. I alone have to suffer severely and endure the pain with all the will-power at my command.” Ashin Ratthapdla then explained saying, ‘Aye! Exactly, Your Majesty. Buddha has therefore preached that just as there is no one who can give protection and on whom reliance can be made in times of extreme distress such as this, living beings also have no one to protect them and in whom refuge can be sought.”

Despite the presence of parents and relatives who are rendering utmost assistance and giving full protection, they cannot possibly prevent their dear ones from getting old, sick, and suffering death. No one is capable of looking after another to keep him always young and vigorous. When time comes, one is sure to get old. This nature of old age cannot be shared. In case, it can be shared, by distributing part and parcel of it to othere, one would have become always youthful and springhtly. If it can be done that way, how fine would it be.

Though preventive measures in regard to health can be taken by appropriate drugs and medicines, total prevention against diseases is impossible. If really serious or malignant disease is afflicted, no perfect cure can be done. Suffering from disease can neither be shared in piecemeals. If it is within the bounds of possibility to share the sufferings, how nice would it be,

No one can possibly prevent ‘death’. Old age or agedness, sickness and death cannot be prevented from occurring by any one. Noone can also prevent a person from descending to the four Nether World to which he is destined after his demise. Realizing this

Brahmayihira Dhamma

fate of all living beings, Buddha had bestowed his immense compassion on them. Let us recite a motto in the light of what has just been stated.

“Without a protactor and without anything

to rely upon, how feeble and weary we are.”

In the entire Universe, no one will be found who Cam save a person to get liberated from the suffering of old age, sickness and death, or to escape from descending to the Nether World, or to get emancipated from the miseries of Samsara, According to the Dectrine of the creator of mankind, God is said to be able to save mankind. Nevertheless, adherent to this Doctrine will also, in course of time, become old, sick and meet with death like any other beings. On the other hand, the manner in which Buddha save all mankind is by way of preaching laying down the method of practice to get liberated from the world of sufforings and miseries. It is something like preScribiag and administering medicines by a physician to a patient under treatment. Just as the sick who complies with the advice and instructions given by the doctor, has recovered fron sickness, a person who obeys and complies with the instruction of the Lord Buddha and practises according to his preachings, will be liberated from the miseries of Apdyaand Sanisara. The meaning of this statement as preached by the Buddha is as mentioned below,

Buddha could only preach snd guide the way

. Tumhehi kiccamatappam,

akkhataro tatthdgatd.

Patipanna pamokkhamti,

Jhayino m4rabandhana,

Tumhehi-You, who are my diciples, dtappani—sammappadhan-relating to the practice of sila, samddhi and

Buddha could only preach and guide the way

Pafind, which need be exercised with diligence and right exertion, kiccam—shall and must be carried cut by yourselves’ Tathagata-We, the Buddhas, akkhdtdro—can only preach the right method of practice to be exercised. Jhayino-By contemplating both Samitha and Vipassana, pafipannd~he who practises according to my teachings, mdrabandhand-from the bonds of kilesa, mokkhanti-will be liberated.

This means that those who work out their own salvation with right exertion and diligence as taught by the Buddha, will be frae from the fetters of kilesds, cravings, which are but the miseries of Samsara’ If no Practice is exercised according to His Teachings (desand’, there will be no escape. The Right Method can only be known and heard only when Buddhas appear in this Universe. Outside the realm of Buddha’s Sasana, there can be no emancipation from miseries since no right method is known and understood to be practised. Inthe absence of the right method of exercise, and inasmuch as there is no one on whom reliance can be made, beings are whirling round and round in Sarmsira, i.e-, floating and drifting in the whirl-pool of endless existences, and are therefore, suffering in misery. This state of pitiable condition being seen and observed by the Lord Buddha, the flame of compassion for all beings had awakened in him. Just as Baddiha had his compassion, we shall dwell our mind on all beings who have no one to rely upon as a protector, and then develop karund. Please follow the recitation.

‘(May all beings who are suffering misery in

the Sarmsaric existences without having any

one to protect them from becoming old, sick

and meeting death, be liberated from misery.”

(Repeat thrice)

Brahmavihére Dhamma

To abandon everything is pitiable

*‘Assako loko sabbarii pahdya gamaniyanti passantanam

buddhdénam bhagayantanam sattesu mahékaruna okka-

mati.’’

Loko-All beings, assako-have no personal property

Loko-Ali beings, assako-have no personal property of their own: sabbam-—after everything, pahdya-is abandoned, gamaniyam—one will have to pass away ca leave for good. /ti-Thus, passantdnam-seeing, nay, realizing as such, buddhanart bhagavantanam—in the person of Buddhas, sattesu—towards beings, mahékaruna —- Great Compassion, okkamati-occurs,

This is to say that beings have no personal belongings or properties of their own. As is universally accepted, everyone has its own personal property. the only difference being the magnitude of the property Or wealth which may be ample or scanty, At least, they own something in commensurate with their cwn status. For so long as destruction or loss has not yet met or incurred in the absence of any destructive element as danger, the property will continue to remain in their hands. However, (sampatii vipattifarijoséra) sampatti-all accomplishments(of prorertics, etc.) tipattiparoyisand—-meet with destruction in the end. All accemplishment in connection with worldly matter, such as, property and wealth will eventually be reduced to nothing, or rather, terminate im entire destructicn. This is quite true. Sickness will finally overcone good health. Youthfulness ends in old age, or in other words, sound and vigorous body grows old in the end. Though a person is fully accomplished with wealth, honour or fame, nothing can be taken along with him on his death. Even endowment with a large number of retinue in whose company one has once lived and enjoyed will eventuaily be deprived of, To live is to die in the end. Moreover, everything that is geod and pleasurable from the mundane point of view will

Stary of King Siridhammasoka

in the end be tdispossessed or deprived of. This can be clearly known from the life history of the King Siridhammiasoka-

> Story of King Siridhammasoka

About 218 years after the Parinibbina of the Lord Buddha (about 270 B.C.), there came to the throne of India, a famous King by the name of Asoka. It was stated that his fame and glory had spread all over the Continent of India (Jambudipa) which was founded by him as an Empire, According to what is contained in the rocks and stone pillars on which his edicts were carved and where writings were inscribed as directed by this great monarch, the country then called ‘Jambudipa’ is to be understood as the Indian Continent as is known to-day. It is because in these rock and pillar inscription, mention has been made of the 2 places at the periphery of his vast Empire where his dynamic power was felt. In those days, it wag considered to be a vast domain. He was one of the greatest of India’s kings. According to the Commentaries, Asoka was said to be a powerful sovereign of a large empire, its area stretching even up to one Yojané right up to the sky above. Although he was a benevolent dictator and an Emperor with absolute powers possessing immense treasures, at the time of his approaching death, only a remnant of his vast dominion remained under his sway and it was stated to have been reduced to an area equal to about half of the size of a white plum fruit. So says Visuddhimagga as mantioned below.

“Sakalam medinim bhutvd,

datya koftisatam sukhi.

Addamalakamattassa,

ante issaratam gato.’’

Brahmavikara Dhamma

Sukhi-Extremely rich and well-endowed with prosperity and immense wealth, asokv-a king by the name of Asoka, sakalam medinim—the entire earth surface of Jambudipa, bhutva-having rul:d and owned, kofisatam datva—and after giving away in charity numerous properties and ail his wealth worth billions, ante—at last, adddmalakamattassa-only about half the size of a stony Plum fruit, issaratam—had remained in his dominion, gato-and had gone down, or rather, lost his eminent position to that extent. The gist of it is that fabulously rich and powerful King Asoka who had dominated over the whole Continent of JIndia, after offering all his properties and wealth in his possession, eventually had been reduced to the status of a sOvereign with dominion over only a patch of territory about the size of the diameter of the round plum fruit.

In the earlier part of his life, he was extolled as an extremely powerful monarch with sovereignty Over the entire length and breadth of India(Jambidipa). He had accumulated riches and properties to such an extent that he offered in donation ninety—six(96 crores of kyats in a single day. Eventually however, in the last days before his death, his health had deteriorated. It seemed that his ministers, Generals, and other officers appeared to treat him with seant res-pect, These facts were disclosed in what is called the Text of Dibydvaddn2.A fairly comprehensive account of it is described in the Burmese veraion of Visuddhimagga. Now that I would have to give you only a brief account of it.

At the time when the great King Asoka was on his sickbed, he was served with food put in a tray made of pure gold as usual. After taking his meals, the King donated the gold trays, plates and cups to Kukkutarama monastery. Later, he was served with