Death's Snare Can Be Broken By Tamed Mind
The Story of Monk Sangharakkhita
Chapter 3: The Mind • Verse 5
The Story of Monk Sangharakkhita
Chapter 3: The Mind • Verse 5
Dwelling in the cave (of the heart), the mind, without form, wanders far and alone. Those who subdue this mind are liberated from the bonds of Mara.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to the nephew of the monk Sangharakkhita.
There once lived in Savatthi a senior monk named Sangharakkhita. When his sister gave birth to a son, she named the child after the monk, and he came to be known as Sangharakkhita Bhagineyya. The nephew was in due course admitted into the Sangha.
While staying at a village monastery, the young monk was offered two sets of robes and intended to give one to his uncle. At the end of the rainy season he went to pay his respects and offered the robe, but the uncle declined it, saying he had enough. Though the young monk repeated his request, the elder would not accept it.
Disheartened, the young monk thought that since his uncle was so unwilling to share, it would be better for him to leave the Sangha and live as a layman. From that point his mind wandered into a long chain of thoughts: he would sell the robe and buy a she-goat, which would breed quickly and bring him enough money to marry; his wife would bear him a son.
He imagined taking his wife and child in a small cart to visit his uncle, insisting on carrying the child himself despite her objections, and in the struggle the child would fall onto the cart-track and be run over by the wheel. Furious with his wife, he imagined striking her with the goading-stick.
At that very moment, still fanning his uncle with a palmyrah fan, he absent-mindedly struck the old monk's head with it. The elder, who had read the young monk's thoughts, said, "You were unable to beat your wife; why have you beaten an old monk?" Startled and deeply embarrassed, the young monk fled in fright.
The young monks and novices of the monastery chased after him, caught him, and brought him before the Buddha. When told of the experience, the Buddha explained that the mind has the ability to think of an object however far away, and that one should strive hard for liberation from the bondage of passion, ill will, and ignorance. At the end of the discourse, the young monk attained the fruit of stream-entry.
The Story of Monk Sangharakkhita
Chapter 3: The Mind • Verse 5
Dwelling in the cave (of the heart), the mind, without form, wanders far and alone. Those who subdue this mind are liberated from the bonds of Mara.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to the nephew of the monk Sangharakkhita.
There once lived in Savatthi a senior monk named Sangharakkhita. When his sister gave birth to a son, she named the child after the monk, and he came to be known as Sangharakkhita Bhagineyya. The nephew was in due course admitted into the Sangha.
While staying at a village monastery, the young monk was offered two sets of robes and intended to give one to his uncle. At the end of the rainy season he went to pay his respects and offered the robe, but the uncle declined it, saying he had enough. Though the young monk repeated his request, the elder would not accept it.
Disheartened, the young monk thought that since his uncle was so unwilling to share, it would be better for him to leave the Sangha and live as a layman. From that point his mind wandered into a long chain of thoughts: he would sell the robe and buy a she-goat, which would breed quickly and bring him enough money to marry; his wife would bear him a son.
He imagined taking his wife and child in a small cart to visit his uncle, insisting on carrying the child himself despite her objections, and in the struggle the child would fall onto the cart-track and be run over by the wheel. Furious with his wife, he imagined striking her with the goading-stick.
At that very moment, still fanning his uncle with a palmyrah fan, he absent-mindedly struck the old monk's head with it. The elder, who had read the young monk's thoughts, said, "You were unable to beat your wife; why have you beaten an old monk?" Startled and deeply embarrassed, the young monk fled in fright.
The young monks and novices of the monastery chased after him, caught him, and brought him before the Buddha. When told of the experience, the Buddha explained that the mind has the ability to think of an object however far away, and that one should strive hard for liberation from the bondage of passion, ill will, and ignorance. At the end of the discourse, the young monk attained the fruit of stream-entry.