Back to the library

Rasavāhinī -(River of Taste)(English | 中文 | བོད་ཡིག)

Page 10 of 28

English

Delicious food and drink, gladly. 3. He gave robes and bowls, And also waistbands; He gave ghee-mixed rice, And many scissors and walking sticks. 4. He gave comfortable donations, Such as couches and chairs; He gave blankets and woolen cloths, To ward off the cold. 5. He gave medicinal donations, For the health of the monks; Thus, having done various merits, He went to the heavenly realm. 6. There in a divine mansion, He arose, greatly powerful; Surrounded by celestial nymphs, Attended by the army of gods. 7. Delighting in divine Dances and songs, With divine musical instruments, And many divine riches. 8. Having stayed there as long as life lasted, In the delightful Jambudīpa, In the city of Pāṭaliputta, Of King Dhammāsoka, 9. He was born as a son, Of great strength and power; Of great fame and wealth, A worshiper of the Buddha and others. 10. Therefore, good deeds should be done, By those who desire prosperity; Morality should be protected, And meditation should be cultivated. Then the prince, having obtained the position of sub-king, enjoying prosperity, having Moggaliputtatissa Thera as the foremost, making offerings to the great community of monks with robes, alms food, lodging, and medicine for the sick, day by day, protecting morality, performing the Uposatha observance, at the end of his life, he went according to his deeds. 11. Having done such good deeds with a glad mind, Bhāgissa, of diverse fortunes in existences; You too, good people, according to your means, Having done good deeds, attain the state of Nibbāna. He makes attachment. The Third Story about Visakhā. 14. In the Story of Kañcanadevi, this is the sequential account: It is said that in Jambudīpa, there was a beautiful city named Devaputtanagara. At that time, people mostly performed a festival called Pattamaha, making various offerings and celebrating with the bowl used by the Buddha. It was called Pattamaha. At that time, the king in Devaputtanagara had a chariot made of all kinds of jewels, adorned with all decorations, yoked four Sindh horses of kumuda-petal color, and had skilled artisans decorate the stone bowl used by the Teacher with pearl nets and other ornaments, placing it on an eighty-cubit-high jeweled flagpole, and placing the pole on the chariot. He decorated the city like a city of gods, raised flags and banners, set up decorated arches and rows of full pots and lamps, and had the city circumambulated with various offerings. In the middle of the city, he placed the bowl relic in a well-decorated jeweled pavilion and, on the seventh day, had a great Dhamma sermon held. At that time, many people, gods, yakkhas, rakkhasas, nāgas, supaṇṇas, and others from that region, mostly in human form, attended that gathering. Such a wonderful offering it was. Then, a Nāga king, seeing a maiden of excellent form, a man never seen before, sitting in the Dhamma assembly, became attached to her and asked for her in many ways, but failing to obtain her, he became angry and released his breath through his nostrils, thinking, "I will kill her." But he was not able to cause her any harm due to the power of her faith. Then, the Nāga coiled his body around her from her feet to her entire body, raised his hood over her head, and stood threateningly. Due to the power of her Dhamma hearing, she felt not even a particle of suffering. At dawn, people saw this and asked the reason for it, and she told them what had happened. Thus, she made this asseveration of truth. Namely: 1. A celibate I was, born here among humans; By this truth, may the Nāga, quickly release me. 2. To the lustful Nāga, I gave no opportunity; By this truth, may the Nāga, quickly release me. 3. By venomous wind afflicted, the enraged serpent; I am without anger, by this truth, may he quickly release me. 4. The true Dhamma hearing, with deep respect and devotion; I listened, by this truth, may the Nāga quickly release me. 5. Not a letter or a word, without destroying from the beginning; I listened, by this truth, may the Nāga quickly release me. At the conclusion of the asseveration of truth, the Nāga king, greatly pleased with her, unwound his coils, created a hundred hoods, seated her in the hood-chamber, and together with many Nāga youths, performed a worship called water-worship. Seeing this, many townspeople, astonished and amazed, made offerings with eighteen crores of wealth. Namely: 6. There is nothing in the world like faith, a friend fulfilling all desires; See the power of her faith, thus people worship, free from passion. 7. Here in this world is prosperity, delightful sensual pleasures; Therefore, with faith should one act, revering the Triple Gem. Then, having thus regained great wealth, she lived as a virgin celibate for the rest of her life, and at the end of her life, having passed away, she was reborn in the womb of the chief queen of the king in that very city, and after ten months, she emerged from her mother's womb. On the day she was born, a rain of jewels fell throughout the city of the gods. Therefore, they named her Kanjanadevi. She was beautiful in every way. Beautiful, like a goddess. From her mouth wafted the scent of a lotus. From her body wafted the scent of sandalwood. From her entire body, rays shone forth like the rising sun, in the four-jeweled chamber there was no need for a lamp. The entire chamber was illuminated by the light of her body, her beauty was renowned throughout Jambudīpa. Then, throughout Jambudīpa... Kings sent gifts for her father's sake. But she, unattached to the five desires, having obtained her father's permission, went to a nunnery, ordained, developed insight, and attained arahantship together with the discriminations. 8. Having heard this, with respect, like a maiden, truly maintaining the Dhamma, pure in virtue, having obtained various glories, she went to glory, "May you not be heedless, always applying yourselves to merit." The Story of Kancanadevi, the Fourth. 15. This sequential story in the Story of the Tiger: In Jambudīpa, near the small kingdom, in the city of Bārāṇasī, after piercing through a mountain of dust, there was a great road. There, in the middle, a tiger lived, supporting his blind father in a mountain cave. At the forest entrance of that same mountain, there lived a young parrot named Tuṇḍila in a tree. Both of them were dear friends to each other. At that time, a man living in a border village, having quarreled with his mother, going to Bārāṇasī, reached that forest entrance. Then the young parrot, seeing him in a state of decline, suffering, with a trembling heart, called out to him, "Friend, where are you going?" he asked. When he said, "I am going to such and such a place," Tuṇḍila said, "Friend, in the middle of this forest area, there lives a tiger, harsh and cruel, killing and eating whoever he encounters. Do not go that way." That unfortunate man, disregarding his well-wishing words, said, "I will go anyway." Tuṇḍila said, "Then, friend, if you go without turning back, that tiger is my friend. He will not heed my words spoken on your behalf." Disregarding him, that man, with a mind hostile to the king of birds, struck him with a club, killed him, made fire with a fire-stick, and ate the meat. Association with an unrighteous person is indeed the bringer of suffering in this world and the next. Thus: 1. "What I have done is mine," thus, a man, embraces the fire with affection, and it burns him. 2. By gifts of honey, milk, and such, He was cherished with love; The boar, angered, struck, And that was the cause of the strife. 3. Thus by a base-born, Wicked, ungrateful one; A meeting, though brief, Was made with a wretch. 4. Such a bad person, Knowing this, a being; Even for a moment should not, Make a meeting, it is unprofitable. Then that bad man, having eaten the meat, reached the middle of the forest grove. Then a tiger, seeing him, roaring loudly, rose up to seize him. Seeing the tiger, overcome with fear, remembering the words of Tuṇḍila, he said, "I have come from the presence of your friend Tuṇḍila." Hearing that, the tiger, delighted, calling him, "Come, friend," led him to his dwelling place, satisfied him with food to be eaten, made him sit near his father, and again went to the forest grove. Then his father, in the son's absence, conversing with him, according to his words, learned that Tuṇḍila had been killed and eaten. Then, when his son returned, he said, "Your friend has been killed by him." Hearing that, the tiger, displeased, quickly went to his dwelling place, calling out, "Friend Tuṇḍila," and not seeing him, seeing his plucked skin, without doubt, "My friend has been killed by him," lamenting, he came back. Then that bad man, when he had gone there, striking his father with a stone, killing him, thinking, "Now I will kill the tiger," watching the path of the tiger's coming, stood hidden. At that moment, the tiger also came. He, fearing his power in his absence, went and fell at his feet with his chest, "Lord, give me life." The tiger, seeing the deed done by him, extinguishing his mind towards him, thinking, "It is not right to betray one who has come taking a message from my friend," reassuring him, sent him away happily, "Go, friend." Indeed, association with good people is happiness-bringing in this world and the next, for it has been said. 5. With the good, indeed, s Do not associate with the bad, Make friends with the good; Friendship with the good, everywhere, Is better, not worse. 6. Bringing happiness, dispelling sorrow, Is always, the company of the good; Therefore, may beings have Association with the virtuous. Then that tiger, through the power of loving-kindness, Having died, was reborn in heaven. 7. Even such a fierce, flesh-eating Tiger, filled with compassion, went to a good destiny, wise; Therefore, constantly show compassion to people, That will give you wealth and enjoyment in future lives.

Page 10 of 28