Brahmavihāra Dhamma

Kammic cause of Short Life and Long Life

of the merits derived or benefited by abstaining from killing, paraw marand—after death, sugatim—where men of virtue are used to become-seggam lokam-—in the Celestial World, upapajjati-will be reborn. Sace manussattain agaccdati-lf one reaches the human existence, dighdyuco hoti-(or) in any existence wherever he may be reborn, will have a long life. Mdnava-O, Subha, the young ~ man, yadidam panatipatd pativirato hoti-one who abstains from killing a liviag being, (the meaning given kerein is to have a smooth flow of the Burmese language without conforming ro the principles of grammar) esd pajipidd—this conduct or morality of abstaining from killing the diving beings, dighG)uké samvattanika— cause to bring about long life.

In short, one who avoids committing an act of killing is likely to reach the Celestial World(the World of Devas) aiter his death, by virtue of his meritorious deeds(kusala-kamma). If he is reborn ae a human being, he will live long. Jt means to.say that the moral discipline or good conduct.in refraining from killing the living beings, can cause a consequential effeet of long life, The motto to be recited is:

- (1) Killing others cause short life; 9°) 95 ©"

Abstinence from killing brings tong life,

This is the answer to the first question. “Killing others” means the destruction of the life of any living being including all kinds, of animals, which would embrace even tiny creatures as lice, ants and ova and cysts of such creatures, Some even die while being conceived in a mother’s womb. Some are satill-born. Some die within a month or two after birth at a young age of ten, twenty, or thirty, etc. Death which take place before the expiry of the normal life span of exis. tence without any unusual circumstances under which living beings have gone through in the earlier part of their lives, can be attributed to the consequential

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effect of akusala-kamma for having killed others in the past existence.

Hence, a problematic question which may arise as to ‘‘Why infants die immediately after birth ?” can onuly be satisfactorily answered according to Buddha’s Dhamma. At one time, Sayaday Ashin Narada of Sri Lanka had made a mention in his preachidgs that the Doctrine of Creation cannot satisfactorily deal with such a problematic question. The manner of his preaching may be stated thus: ‘In every race or among any living things and religionists, the incidence of death of an infant immediately following the birth, has occurred or can be found. Such an incident is likely to take place also among families who have by tradition adhered to the Doctrine of Creation by the Almighty-Supreme Deity. It is difficult to solve a question as to why a person has been created to die so early in infancy. This infant will not have committed any fault against his creator. As such, there cam hardly be any reason why the infant who is still innocent, should be committed to hell forever. And also, not having anything that can be done by an infant according to the wish of the creator, there is no good reason why he should be saved to reach the heavenly abode. Such being the case, the Doctrine of Creation of Beings insofar as it concerns the death of young infants immediately after birth, is obviously unsatisfactory.’’ Moreover, preaching has been done that misery which befalls the parents for the untimely death of their child who is short-lived, is due to their participation and enjoyment in the act of killing the living beings committed by others in their past exis. tence.

In refraining from killing the living beings—pandatipata veradmani sikkhadpadam samdadiyémi-an undertaking to observe the Rule of Conduct to abstain from taking

Kammic cause of Diseasefulness and good Health

the life of other living beings — will cause to bring merits of sila-kusala while this precept is still being observed without a lapse. Abstinence from killing even when occasion arises to commit an act of killing bring virati-kusala. Tf one refrains from killing even though this virat? has not been originally observed, it is known as sampattaviraii(meaning: successful abstinence). If one abstains from killing as has been undertaken to observe the Rule, then it is known as sama@ddna-virati. The ‘virati? that is invelved during a brief moment of the achievement of Sotdpattimagga is called samuccheda-virati. Of these three kinds, samuccheda-virati totally extirpates all duccaritas~kayakamma and vacikamma i.e., evils of physical-and verbal actions. It will also bring about full emancipation from the Four Apdyas. On the other hand, sampattavirati, sam@dana viratt and samadana kusala coascious thoughts will cause One to reach the abode of Sugati, and can cause longevity.

‘‘Abstinence from killing brings about long life” is the motto which indicates the attributes and faculty of samdddnavirati and samadddnakusala, The answer to the first query having heen elucidated for better understanding, let us proceed to explain the answer to the second question. Kammic cause of diseasefulness and good health

(2-A) Mdyava-O, Subha, the lad! Jdha—in this world, ekacco itthi y4 puriso va—some persons, whether female or male, sattdnaii-cause the living beings, » vihethakajatiko—to suifer by illtreating them with hands, with stone, with sticks or with other weapons, hotiit is done so. So-such a person, tena kammena~ {or having committed that act of illtreatment, param marand—after demise, apayam duggatim vini patam nirayam— the Apiya, the abode of suffering, upapajjati-will reach or reborn in. Sace manussattam Ggacchati-Jf€ again reborn

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in the human world, bahabddho hoti-he will be diseaseful or have bad health in whatever existence he may happen to become. Mdénava—O, Subha, the lad, esé patipada—this bad conduct or habit of ill-treating the living heings, bahdbadhasavattanikd-is likely to cause much sickness, or rather, be stricken with many kinds of diseases.

By ill-treating the living beings to cause injury or harm with hands, or stones, or sticks or other weapons, One is likely to go down to Apapa-hell, for that evil action(akuscla-kamma). If he were reborn in the human existence, he is likely to be diseaseful. It means to say that the bad conduct of illtreating Others will causé to bring much illness or many diseases, To make it more evident, the story of Pitigattatissa Thera will be cited.

Story of Pitigattatissa Thera

In the lifetime of the Lord Buddha, there lived a Bhikkhu by the name of Pitigattatissa Thera. Originally, he was a person—a layman-—from the City of Sivatthi. After entering Bhikkhuhood in the realm of Buddha’s Sisand, he was addressed as Tissa Thera. Later, mumerous acne or pimples about the size of a mustard seed appeared on his body- These tumorous pimples gradually became bigger and bigger. From about the size of a mustard seed, these pimples or boils had grown bigger up to the size of bean seeds, and then eventually became swollen to reach the size of a big round fruit (in Burmese ‘‘okshit’”’ fruit—about thrice larger than an orange) and then, burst or perforated. As aresult, the whole body was coveredwith numerous holes. Hence, he was dubbed Piti gatta-which means having a stinking body with a foul smell. He was therefore given the name of Pitigattatissa Thera. Later, the morbid growth of this tumourous disease had aggravated until his bones

Story of Pitigattatissa Thera

were fractured. There was noone tonurse him. Al! hie robes were badly stained with pus and putrid blood, Eeven his owm disciples had abandoned him. Becoming helpless, he had to lie down all the time on his bed.

At that time, Buddha with his supernatural vision reflected and observed all over the Universe as to who would be deserving of attaining Special Dhamma, the Awakening Consciousness. In his vision,the Buddha found Pitigattatissa Thera who would readily attain Arahatship. Realizing that there was mo one except Him who could be relied upon by the Thera, Buddha made his way to him as if He was making a round of inspection of the monasteries. On reaching near the place where Pitigattatissa Thera was residing, Buddha personally lifted up a big empty rice pot, washed it, and then, after putting water into it, placed the pot ona hearth to boil the water. When the water was about to boil, Buddha intending to remove the bedstead(cot) where Pitigatiatissa Thera was lying, put his hands on thecot. It is extremely wonderful and worthy of refuerence if we imagine Buddha’s Great Compassion and pity showered upon the Thera.

At this juncture, other Bhikkhus appeared on the scene and after respectfully entreating the Buddha, ““Q, Lord, please make way. We shall carry the cot where you wish to put’’, lifted the cot and carried it to the kitchen where the fire-place was standing. Buddha wishing to give the Thera a hot bath, took the warm water with a cup and then slowly sprinkled it on the body of the Thera. The Bhikkhus took off the robes worn by the Thera, washed it with hot water, and then placed it in the sun to dry. Buddha directed that Pitigattatissa’s body be properly washed and cleansed with warm water. The Bhikkhus after complying with the directions given by the Buddha, gave

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the dry robes to the Thera to be wrapped up round his waist in place of ‘‘Thin-paing’’—a form of skirt which was taken off and washed, When it got dried up, it was again given to be replaced round the waist of the Thera. The outer garment was then removed and then wrapped up round the upper portion ofthe | body. In those days, there was scarcity of robes. a! There were no spare robes to be worn. How reverting it was? For the eventual attainment of Arahatship by Pitigattatissa Thera, the Buddha has to act as a male-nurse. This is really surprising, highly noble and respectful. Having been properly attended to and nursed by the Buddha Himself, Pitigattatisea Thera got great relief.

Then the Compassionate Buddha commenced preaching as follows:—

‘*Aciram vata’yam kayo,

pathavim adhisessati.

Chuddho apetavifiidno niratthamya kalingaram.’’ ,

Bhikkhu—O, Bhikkhu Pitigattatissa! Te-of yours, ayam kdyo-—this body, acirari—will soon, vata—truly and verily, pathavim adhisessati-lie upon the ground(meaning: your body will become a corpse and then will be laid out naked to sleep on the burial ground); apetavififidnofor having become a dead body without consciousness, chuddho—and since people concerned have abandoned it as a mean and worthless waste matter, pathavim adhisessati-it wiil come to rest on the burial ground of the cemetery.(What is means iS) nirattham-it is useless, kalingaram eva—-\ike a log, a lifeless and worthless stuff which will lie on the ground, or rather, fall on sleep ; (die).

The gist of it is: “Just as rotton and decayed logs will remain on the ground as have been discarded, the material body(khandha) being lifeless will soon be abandoned and left over in the grave yard without any

Story of Pitigattatissa Thera

clothes on. In those old days, it appears that customarily corpses were thrown away at the grave yard without burying them.

After having heard the preachings of the Lord Buddha delivered in the form of a verse, Pitigattatissa Thera became an Arahat; and not long afterwards, he entered into Parinibbina.

This Thera Pitigattatissa was a bird-hunter during the lifetime of Kassapa Buddha. He collected and piled up the birds caught by him after breaking or splitting up their feet and wings. Only on the next day, he used to sell them out. Some of them were cooked for his own consumption. For having committed this evil act of ekusala-kamma, his whole body became putrid with the skin disense which caused tumourocus growth of numerous pimples or boils over the entire body. In that very existence, in coming across an Arahat who was making a round for alms, he made offerings of' a bird curry and cooked-rice, and then, for having prayed to attain magga-pkala, he had become an Arahat in this existence. This story of Pitigattatissa had convinced us that illtreating others would cause diseasefulness. The motto now coined for the purpose is ‘‘He who ill-treats others becomes diseaseful.’’ lf ill-treating is avoided, it will bring good health. The meaning of this has been preached in brief in the following words:—

(2-B) “‘Appabadhasamvattainika esd manava patipada

yadidam satténam avihethakajatiko hoti.’’

Mdanava—O, Subha, the lad, yadidam=yo ayam—a certain person, sattdnani—-to all beings, aviherhakajétiko—has no intention of causing harm and trouble, or rather, illtreatment, foti-it is so. Yassa-That person, esg patipadd—for his good conduct of refraining from illtreating or harming the beings, appabadhasamvattanikg—

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ie likely to lesson the diseases and bring about good health,

In this connection, the motto will hereafter be composed as: ‘Pity brings good health’’. This expression would convey the sense that if refrained from illtreating others, it is likely to bring good health. If one has pity on others, he will not be inclined to illtreat them. The motto is therefore composed as follows:—

(2) “He who illtreats is diseaseful,

whereas Pity brings good health,”’

Hence, a person who illtreats others will often be afflicted with many kinds of diseases. It should therefore be noted that thote who have caused illtreatment in a cruel way to others will be diseaseful. One who has sympathy or pity refraining from illtreating others, will haye less diseases and will be in robust health. This fact should also be borne in mind. Let us now proceed to tackle the third question, answer to which will be rendered quoting a short phrase in Pali.

Kammic cause of ugliness and fair complexion

(3-A) A person who speaks harshly and bahaves badly through an outburst of anger, nay, who does things in great anger, is likely to descend to the ApiyaHell. If he happens to be reborn in the world of human beings, he will probably have ugly looks or complexion. This statement has been rendered in brief as mentioned below:-

<‘Dubbannasamvattanika esd méanava patipadé yadidam

kodhano hoti.’’

Manava-O, Subha, the lad, yadidari=yo ayam-a certain person, kodhano-is full of wrath or anger, Jot1is0 is he. Tassa-His, esd patipadd-ingrained habit of