Death Cannot Trace The Path Of Arahats
The Story of Venerable Godhika
Chapter 4: Flowers • Verse 14
The Story of Venerable Godhika
Chapter 4: Flowers • Verse 14
Mara never finds the path of the truly virtuous, who abide in heedfulness and are freed by perfect knowledge.
While residing at the Veluvana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to Venerable Godhika.
While in residence at Black Rock on Mount Isigili, Venerable Godhika, heedful and resolute, had attained a temporary release of mind through meditation, but was repeatedly afflicted by illness brought on by his diligent practice, causing him to fall away from that state again and again, six times in succession.
As he entered this state a seventh time, he reflected that having fallen away six times already, his future state was doubtful, and resolved to end his life with the razor he used to shave his head.
Mara, perceiving his intention, recognized that a monk resolved in this way, indifferent to life, would likely attain Arahatship through this very act, and so sought to persuade the Buddha to intervene, since Godhika would not heed him directly. But even as Mara made his attempt, the Buddha declared that the steadfast do not yearn for life, and that Godhika had uprooted craving and attained Nibbana.
The Buddha then went with a large number of monks to where Godhika had lain down. There, Mara, appearing like a pillar of smoke or a mass of darkness, searched in every direction for where Godhika's consciousness had taken rebirth, but could not find it, since Godhika had passed entirely into Nibbana.
When Mara approached the Buddha and asked where Godhika had gone, the Buddha told him that Godhika had uprooted craving and attained Nibbana, and that Mara, along with a hundred or a thousand like him, could never find the place where such consciousness had come to rest.
The Story of Venerable Godhika
Chapter 4: Flowers • Verse 14
Mara never finds the path of the truly virtuous, who abide in heedfulness and are freed by perfect knowledge.
While residing at the Veluvana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to Venerable Godhika.
While in residence at Black Rock on Mount Isigili, Venerable Godhika, heedful and resolute, had attained a temporary release of mind through meditation, but was repeatedly afflicted by illness brought on by his diligent practice, causing him to fall away from that state again and again, six times in succession.
As he entered this state a seventh time, he reflected that having fallen away six times already, his future state was doubtful, and resolved to end his life with the razor he used to shave his head.
Mara, perceiving his intention, recognized that a monk resolved in this way, indifferent to life, would likely attain Arahatship through this very act, and so sought to persuade the Buddha to intervene, since Godhika would not heed him directly. But even as Mara made his attempt, the Buddha declared that the steadfast do not yearn for life, and that Godhika had uprooted craving and attained Nibbana.
The Buddha then went with a large number of monks to where Godhika had lain down. There, Mara, appearing like a pillar of smoke or a mass of darkness, searched in every direction for where Godhika's consciousness had taken rebirth, but could not find it, since Godhika had passed entirely into Nibbana.
When Mara approached the Buddha and asked where Godhika had gone, the Buddha told him that Godhika had uprooted craving and attained Nibbana, and that Mara, along with a hundred or a thousand like him, could never find the place where such consciousness had come to rest.