104 The Story of Mittavindaka [One Who Enjoys His Friends]

At one time, the fully enlightened one who is always turning his mind to altruism was in Jetavana monastery. This story was delivered about a certain monk who was disobedient.

The present story is similar to the Mittavindaka-Jātaka that was previously spoken [No. 82; and see Nos. 41, 369, and 439]. This Jātaka story was in the time of the Buddha Kassapa. At that time one who was burning in hell and wearing an iron wheel put on his chest as an instrument of torture asked the Enlightenment Being, “Sir. What sort of an unwholesome deed was done by me to suffer like this?” Then the Enlightenment Being explained to him:

You did the following type of unwholesome deed. At one time you saw four divine damsels who were a grouping of temporary hungry ghosts [vemānika-petī-s]. Unsatisfied you thought, “Is this enough for happiness or not?” You wondered in such a fashion. You then wondered further, and looked until you saw another eight divine damsels. Without being satisfied by them even, you looked further and saw another twelve divine damsels. And even having seen such a number, you were not satisfied and looked until you saw another sixteen. You were not satisfied even then, and looked further until you saw another thirty-two. And even then you were not satisfied, and being very greedy and dissatisfied you looked even further and then came upon this iron wheel. In this way, without being satisfied with your own luck you kept expecting more and more. Now you have fallen into the trap of an iron wheel. You became enslaved to your cravings, and because of that you are now suffering the torture of the iron wheel cutting your head and giving you terrible pain.

So saying, the Enlightenment Being explained Mittavindaka’s pain due to his former deeds. The Enlightenment Being then went back to his own divine world, and the suffering Mittavindaka had to experience pain in hell for a long time until his previous deeds’ power had ended.

Buddha, the master, disclosing this particular story, explained the tale of Mittavindaka. “Mittavindaka was the disobedient monk of today at that time. The Enlightenment Being, who was born as a god at that time, is today myself.”

The moral: “Be satisfied even with small achievements. It is not good to be too greedy.” Also, “Be a gourmet, not a gourmand.”

104 The Story of Mittavindaka [One Who Enjoys His Friends]

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103. The Story of Hostile Action

At one time, the teacher of the three worlds who became the top jewel of the crown of the Sākya clan uttered this story about the millionaire, Anāthapiϯika:

The millionaire Anāthapiϯika once went to his village where people cultivate for him. On his way back he decided not to stop on the road, having a doubt as to whether there would be robbers on the way, and instead went directly to Sāvatthi. He hurried to Sāvatthi and the next day went to the Buddha and mentioned about his decision to come directly back without stopping.

The omnipresent one said, “Oh, millionaire. Even in the past wise people, seeing robbers on the way, without delaying came directly to the place where they intended to go. “In an ancient time when King Brahmadatta was ruling in Benares, our Enlightenment Being who fulfilled perfections was born in a certain village as a millionaire’s son. He was invited by the villagers to stay and take lunch with them, and was delayed because they talked and chatted until evening. When he was returning, he saw some robbers on his way. Seeing them, he hurried on without stopping in the middle of his trip.

He ate his dinner at home with the most sumptuous food, lay on his bed and enjoyed himself, saying: “‘What a joy I have achieved. One must come to realize that it is not good to live with a hostile-minded person, wherever he may be, even for a day. If a person lives with such a one even a day, he’ll come to live with confusion and unhappiness.’ “Thus the Enlightenment Being enjoying his wisdom performed many meritorious deeds such as the practice of generosity.”

Buddha, the master, completed this preaching and ended the story of hostile action. In those days, the millionaire of Benares was the Buddha.

The moral: “If you expect danger, it is best to avoid it.”

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102 The Story of the Greengrocer [PaÏÏika-Jātaka]

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100. A Mother’s Wise Advice [Non-violence]

Once upon a time, the son of Brahmadatta was ruling righteously in Benares, in northern India. It came to pass that the King of Kosala made war, killed the King of Benares, and made the queen become his own wife.

Meanwhile, the queen’s son escaped by sneaking away through the sewers. In the countryside he eventually raised a large army and surrounded the city. He sent a message to the king, the murderer of his father and the husband of his mother. He told him to surrender the kingdom or fight a battle.

The prince’s mother, the Queen of Benares, heard of this threat from her son. She was a gentle and kind woman who wanted to prevent violence and suffering and killing. So she sent a message to her son — “There is no need for the risks of battle. It would be wiser to close every entrance to the city. Eventually the lack of food, water and firewood will wear down the citizens. Then they will give the city to you without any fighting."

The prince decided to follow his mother’s wise advice. His army blockaded the city for seven days and nights. Then the citizens captured their unlawful king, cut off his head, and delivered it to the prince. He entered the city triumphantly and became the new King of Benares.

The moral is: Kind advice is wise advice.

100. A Mother’s Wise Advice [Non-violence]

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2024/10/22/100-a-mothers-wise-advice-non-violence/

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98. A Man Named Wise [Cheating]

Once upon a time, the Enlightenment Being was born in a merchant’s family in Benares, in northern India. He was given the name Wise. When he grew up, he began doing business with a man whose name just happened to be Verywise.

It came to pass that Wise and Verywise took a caravan of 500 bullock carts into the countryside. After selling all their goods they returned to Benares with their handsome profits.

When it came time to split their gains between them, Verywise said, “I should get twice as much profit as you." “How come?" asked Wise. “Because you are Wise and I am Verywise. It is obvious that Wise should get only half as much as Verywise."

Then Wise asked, “Didn’t we both invest equal amounts in this caravan trip? Why do you deserve twice as much profit as I?" Verywise replied, “Because of my quality of being Verywise." In this way their quarrel went on with no end in sight.

Then Verywise thought, “I have a plan to win this argument." So he went to his father and asked him to hide inside a huge hollow tree. He said, “When my partner and I come by and ask how to share our profits, then you should say, ‘Verywise deserves a double share."‘

Verywise returned to Wise and said, ‘My friend, neither of us wants this quarrel. Let’s go to the old sacred tree and ask the tree spirit to settle it."

When they went to the tree Verywise said solemnly, “My lord tree spirit, we have a problem. Kindly solve it for us." Then his father, hidden inside the hollow tree, disguised his voice and asked, “What is your question?" The man’s cheating son said, “My lord tree spirit, this man is Wise and I am Verywise. We have done business together. Tell us how to share the profits." Again disguising his voice, his father responded, “Wise deserves a single share and Verywise deserves a double share."

Hearing this solution, Wise decided to find out if it really was a tree spirit speaking from inside the tree. So he threw some hay into it and set it on fire. Immediately Verywise’s father grabbed onto a branch, jumped out of the flames and fell on the ground. He said in his own voice, “Although his name is Verywise, my son is just a clever cheater. I’m lucky that the one named Wise really is so, and I’ve escaped only half toasted!"

Then Wise and Verywise shared their profits equally. Eventually they both died and were reborn as they deserved.

The moral is: A cheater may be clever but not wise.

98. A Man Named Wise [Cheating]

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97. A Man Named Bad [Self Acceptance]

Once upon a time there was a world famous teacher in Takkasila, in north-western India. He had 500 high class students who learned sacred teachings from him.

It just so happened that one of these high class students had been named ‘Bad’ by his parents. One day he thought, “When I am told, ‘Come Bad’, ‘Go Bad’, ‘Do this Bad’, it is not nice for me or others. It even sounds disgraceful and unlucky."

So he went to the teacher and asked him to give him a more pleasant name, one that would bring good fortune rather than bad. The teacher said, “Go my son, go wherever you like and find a more fortunate name. When you return, I will officially give you your new name."

The young man named Bad left the city, and traveled from village to village until he came to a big city. A man had just died and Bad asked what his name was. People said. “His name was Alive." “Alive also died?" asked Bad. The people answered, “Whether his name be Alive or whether it be Dead, in either case he must die. A name is merely a word used to recognize a person. Only a fool would not know this!" After hearing this, Bad no longer felt badly about his own name — but he didn’t feel good about it either.

As he continued on his way into the city, a debt-slave girl was being beaten by her masters in the street. He asked, “Why is she being beaten?" He was told, “Because she is a slave until she pays a loan debt to her masters. She has come home from working, with no wages to pay as interest on her debt." “And what is her name?" he asked. “Her name is Rich." they said. “By her name she is Rich but she has no money even to pay interest?" asked Bad. They said, ‘Whether her name be Rich or whether it be Poor, in either case she has no money. A name is merely a word used to recognize a person. Only a fool would not know this!" After hearing this, Bad became even less interested in changing his name.

After leaving the city, along the roadside he met a man who had lost his way. He asked him, “What is your name? " He replied, ‘My name is Tourguide." “You mean to say that even a Tourguide has gotten lost?" asked Bad. Then the man said, “Whether my name be Tourguide or whether it be Tourist, in either case I have lost my way. A name is merely a word used to recognize a person. Only a fool would not know this!"

Now completely satisfied with his own name, Bad returned to his teacher.

The world famous teacher of Takkasila asked him, “How are you, my son? Have you found a good name?" He answered, “Sir, those named Alive and Dead both die, Rich and Poor may be penniless, Tourguide and Tourist can get lost. Now I know that a name is merely a word used to recognize a person. The name does not make things happen, only deeds do. So I’m satisfied with my name. There’s no point in changing it."

The teacher summarized the lesson his pupil had learned this way — “By seeing Alive as dead, Rich as poor, Tourguide as lost, Bad has accepted himself."

The moral is: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

97. A Man Named Bad [Self Acceptance]

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2024/10/01/97-a-man-named-bad-self-acceptance/

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