Saturday, April 24, 2010

Seven Co-natals (Sahajata) of Siddhattha Gotama (1)


Siddhattha Gotama was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Mahamaya. When he was born, seven other co-natals including human, animal and things appeared at the same time. The seven co-natals (sahajata) of Siddhattha Gotama were: (1) Yasodhara (2) Ananda (3) Kaludayi (4) Channa (5) Kanthaka horse (6) the Bodhi tree and (7) Four golden treasure pots.
 
Yasodhara
 
Yasodhara was the daughter of King Suppabuddha, the ruler of Devadaha. Her brother was Devadatta. She was the most beautiful princess in her time. Siddhattha Gotama was her cousin. They got married when they were sixteen. They fully enjoyed a luxurious life together for thirteen years. At their age of twenty nine, Siddhattha Gotama left Yasodhara and a newly born son Rahula to attain enlightenment.
 
When she heard that Siddhattha Gotama was living in the forest as an ascetic, she discarded all the luxuries and stayed simple. Simultaneously, she ate only one meal a day and used a low bed to sleep on.

After enlightenment, Buddha went to see her on his first visit to Kapilavatthu. Though she was deeply sad, she finally controlled herself.

Later, Yasodhara became a nun. She then attained arahatship. Yasodhara Theri possessed supernormal powers and could recall infinite eras of the past. She expired at the age of seventy eight before the Buddha.

Ananda

Ananda was the son of Amitodana, the uncle of Siddhattha Gotama. He was named 'Ananda', which means 'bliss', for his birth brought much happiness to his family.

When he was thirty seven, he became a monk. He attained Sotapanna after hearing the Dhamma preached by Venerable Punna Mantaniputta.

Ananda was born as Sumana at the time of Padumuttara Buddha. He offered the necessities to the Buddha and his monks during the three months of the rainy season. He then aspired to be a personal attendant of future Buddha. For 100,000 world cycles, he performed meritorious deeds to achieve his aspiration.

Later at Gotama Buddha's period, Venerable Ananda was chosen as a personal attendant of the Buddha. He was fifty five then. He was also an executive assistant to the Buddha. He assisted the Buddha in managing monks, nuns and devotees.

Being close to the Buddha, Ananda was the one who got the most chances to hear the Buddha's discourses. For his retentive memory, Buddha declared Venerable Ananda as the Guardian of Dhamma. Also, he was said to be supreme in good conduct, learning, steadfastness and in service to others.

Venerable Ananda initiated two important events. First was the formation of the order of nuns and the other was the planting of Bodhi tree for devotees to pay homage in place of the Buddha while he was away. 

Though he stayed near the Buddha and heard most of the preachings, Venerable Ananda did not attain the rest of the fruitions rather than Sotapanna. Only after Buddha's Parinibbana, he reached arahathood with great effort. And thus, he was able to attend the First Samgha Council in which only arahats were allowed to present. Venerable Ananda lived long till the age of one twenty.

Posted by Aye Sat

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Prayers in Buddhism and Right Action


Prayer is a request for the wishful result whether by imagination or by yearning. Someone's wishing is possible to be fulfil if he is doing good deeds as well as asking for it. In order to have a certain value must always do the right action (meritorious deeds). A request makes known a wish for what one wants.
 
Most Buddhist devotees have their prayers and also pray. The Buddha advised his disciples: 
Bhikkhus! Pray for bliss. Having prayed, make gifts, observe moral precepts and develop culture.”   
There is story about a truthful prayers in the commentary of Dhammapada.
 
At the time of Buddha there was once a famine all over the Benares. On that account, the millionaire, Menda and his family offered their last food to an Arahant. He vowed to pray for the benefit of the public. It was to make all his granaries full of grains. Similarly all of his family members also prayed not to be used up for the poor. The Arahant gave blessings, May you quickly accomplish what you need! Let good wishes for all be fulfilled!
 
For four asankheyas and one hundred thousand kappas, Siddhattha Gotama strived to attain the virtues to be Sammasambuddha. Likewise, to be aggasavaka, Ashin Sariputta one asankheya and one hundred thousand kappas would be needed to make great efforts for perfections and so on.
 
As an ordinary person, one who wishes to attain nibbana quickly, can have a right to perceive the enlightenment. If not yet, he has a right to attain nibbana during this Buddha sasana. Finally, it is sure that he can achieve his goal in the time of future Buddha Arimettaya.
 
In Buddhist prayer, one had better make only himself. By means of other's request, it is hard to coincide with the needs of a devotee. As an example, the richman's the only son, Sumedha definitely asked himself for what he wished, offering the Dipankara Buddha with five bouquets of lotus, because of his mahakaruna.
 
Actually there are no prayers in Buddhism. Buddhism is the doctrine of kamma (action), i.e. kaya kamma, vaci kamma and mano kamma. It means physical action, verbal action and mental action. A Buddhist prayer works in harmony with the law of Kamma (Action).
 
In the above example of prayers, the Bodhisatta Sumedha not only do praying but also he actually strives to fill ten perfections (dasa parami) till enlightenment. Thus the key point to know is that doing is better than wishing. Instead of prayers, meditations should be made for purifying the mind in order that truth can be realized.
 
The utility of the Buddhist prayers is shown in the commenary of the Majjhima Nikaya. It follows: 
The destiny of one who possesses faith,virtue, learning, liberality and wisdom, but does not pray is uncertain; the destiny of one who prays, but does not possess the above five qualities is also not certain; the destiny of one who prays as well as possesses them is certain. In the same way as it is not certain whether a stick thrown upward in the air will fall by the head or tail or will fall flat, even so it is not certain where one will be reborn. Thus, in doing a meritorious deed it is proper to pray for a definite goal.
 
Posted by Nyan U

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Suppabuddha and Devadatta, who Felt Hatred towards the Buddha

 
Suppabuddha was the king of Devadaha. He had a son, Devadatta and a daughter, Yasodhara. He was relative from the mother's side of Siddhattha Gotama. Siddhattha Gotama married Yasodhara.Then Suppabuddha and Devadatta became in-laws of him respectively. Despite of being related, Suppabuddha and Devadatta felt hatred towards the Buddha.
 
Suppabuddha grew grudges against the Buddha on two accounts. One was for Siddhattha Gotama left his daughter Yasodhara with a newborn baby Rahula and renounced the world. The other was because of his son Devadatta entered the Order of monks.

Once, when Buddha and the bikkhus came for alms-round, Suppabuddha intentionally blocked the way. He even sent message saying that he could not give way to the one much younger than him. Eventually, the Buddha and his bikkhus turned back.

The king sent one of his men to spy the Buddha.That man heard the Buddha saying to Ananda that Suppabuddha would be swallowed by the earth for his ill-deed after 7 days. The spy reported about it to the king.

Suppabuddha tried to prove that the Buddha said the wrong words. From that day on, he did not depart his room. He also ordered his guards to stop him if he was going to step out.

Later on the seventh day, the royal horse got frightened of something. It became furious: kicking continuously and neighing loudly. Upon hearing the noise made by his horse, the king forgot everything. He left his room and rushed down the steps to handle his pet. His guards forgot to stop him too. When his feet touched the ground, it suddenly swallowed him up.
 
In Dhammapada, the Buddha stated in verse: "Not in the sky, nor in the middle of the ocean, nor in the cave of a mountain, nor anywhere else, is there a place where one cannot be oppressed by death''.

Devadatta admitted into the Order of monks and did many good deeds. He was among the monks that the Buddha spoke in praise. But he was unable to attain any of the sainthoods. Otherwise, he acquired the supernormal powers.

He had many admirers and followers. So he became conceited with his worldly psychic powers and fame. Devadatta followed his father's way. Like father like son, he envied the Buddha and regarded as his rival. He wildly acted against the Buddha. He attempted to take the Buddha's life in several ways. But none of his evil doings was achieved. Devadatta openly asked the Buddha to retire and replaced him as a leader. As Buddha disagreed, he then persuaded the newly ordained monks and left the place. Thus he made a schism in the Order which only lasted for awhile.

After all his failures, Devadatta regretted and went to see the Buddha. Unfortunately, he was engulfed by the earth on the way.

In the end, the weighty kamma put both Suppabuddha and Devadatta in the Avici hell.

Posted by Aye Sat

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Observance of Atthinga Sila, Uposatha Sila



Procedure of taking the Eight Precepts (Atthanga Sila) is the same formula of six steps in the Five Precepts (Panca Sila) except steps 3 and 6. As before in the Buddhist Five Precepts, the remaining steps are repeated. But, in asking for the Eight Precepts, step 3 and step 6 have to change in substituting the respective set of words as follows: 

3. Asking for the Eight Precepts
 
Ahaṁ bhante, tisaraṇena saha, aṭṭhaṅga samannāgatam uposatha Silaṁ, Dhammam yācāmi, anuggahaṁ katvā Sīlam detha, me bhante.

Dutiyampi, Ahaṁ bhante, tisaraṇena saha, aṭṭhaṅga samannāgatam uposatha Silaṁ, Dhammam yācāmi, anuggahaṁ katvā Sīlam detha, me bhante.

Tatiyampi, Ahaṁ bhante, tisaraṇena saha, aṭṭhaṅga samannāgatam uposatha Silaṁ, Dhammam yācāmi, anuggahaṁ katvā Sīlam detha, me bhante

 

Venerable sir, I ask you for the Eight Precepts together with the Three Refuges. Please have compassion for me and help the way to undertake the precepts.

For the second time, I ask you for the Eight Precepts together with the Three Refuges. Please have compassion for me and help the way to undertake the precepts.
 

For the third time, I ask you for the Eight Precepts together with the Three Refuges. Please have compassion for me and help the way to undertake the precepts.

Monk: Ya-mahaṁ vadāmi, taṁ vadetha. _ Repeat what I say
Devotee: Āma bhante. _ Yes, Venerable sir.
 
6. Vowing to observe the Eight Precepts

[1] Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[1] I observe the precept of abstaining from killing any living beings.
[2] Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[2] I observe the precept of abstaining from taking what is not given.
[3] Abrahmacariyā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[3] I observe the precept of abstaining from sexual misconduct.
[4] Musāvāda veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[4] I observe the precept of abstaining from saying what is not true.
[5] Surā-meraya-majja-pamādaṭṭhana veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[5] I observe the precept of abstaining from taking any intoxicant or drug that causes forgetfulness.
[6] Vikāla bhojanā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[6] I observe the precept of abstaining from eating after noon.
[7] Nacca gīta vaditā visūkadassana mālāgandha vilepana dhārana maṇdana vibusanaṭṭhāna veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[7] I observe the precept of abstaining from dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, watching or listening to things which are not in accordance with the Buddha's teachings, decorating myself with flowers, and wearing fragrant lotions, powders, or perfumes.
[8] Uccāsayana mahāsayanā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ samādiyāmi.
[8] I observe the precept of abstaining from sleeping or staying on high, noble places.
 
Idaṁ me Silaṁ magga phala ñāṇassa paccayo hotu. 
May the precepts I keep be an aid for the attainment of magga and phala.
 
Monk: Appamādena sampādetha,” _ Accomplish the training without forgetfulness and negligence
Devotee: “Āma bhante.” _ Yes, Venerable Sir.

Buddham Pujemi, Dhammam Pujemi, Samgham Pujemi.

Posted by Nyan U