Treasured Mindfulness & Meditation Leads To Bliss
The Story of Bala Nakkhatta Festival
Chapter 2: Heedfulness • Verse 7
The Story of Bala Nakkhatta Festival
Chapter 2: Heedfulness • Verse 7
Do not give way to heedlessness. Do not indulge in sensual pleasures. Only the heedful and meditative attain great happiness.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses in connection with the Bala Nakkhatta festival, the festival of simpletons.
On a certain date a simpletons' festival was celebrated in Savatthi, during which, for seven days, people smeared their bodies with ashes and cow-dung and went about uttering all manner of coarse talk.
During this time people showed no respect for kinsfolk, friends, or monks, but stood in doorways insulting them with coarse talk. Those who could not endure it would pay the holiday-makers according to their means, and the holiday-makers would then leave.
At that time there were five million Noble Disciples in Savatthi, who sent word asking the Buddha to remain at the monastery for the seven days rather than enter the city with the monks. For those seven days, the disciples had food prepared and sent to the monastery, but did not themselves leave their houses.
On the eighth day, when the festival ended, they invited the congregation of monks as their guests, escorted them into the city, and made abundant offerings. Seated respectfully, they told the Buddha how unpleasant the past seven days had been, with their ears nearly bursting from the coarse talk of foolish folk, and how no one had shown anyone else any respect.
The Buddha replied that this is how unintelligent people conduct themselves, but the intelligent preserve heedfulness as their greatest treasure, and by doing so ultimately attain the great Nibbana.
The Story of Bala Nakkhatta Festival
Chapter 2: Heedfulness • Verse 7
Do not give way to heedlessness. Do not indulge in sensual pleasures. Only the heedful and meditative attain great happiness.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses in connection with the Bala Nakkhatta festival, the festival of simpletons.
On a certain date a simpletons' festival was celebrated in Savatthi, during which, for seven days, people smeared their bodies with ashes and cow-dung and went about uttering all manner of coarse talk.
During this time people showed no respect for kinsfolk, friends, or monks, but stood in doorways insulting them with coarse talk. Those who could not endure it would pay the holiday-makers according to their means, and the holiday-makers would then leave.
At that time there were five million Noble Disciples in Savatthi, who sent word asking the Buddha to remain at the monastery for the seven days rather than enter the city with the monks. For those seven days, the disciples had food prepared and sent to the monastery, but did not themselves leave their houses.
On the eighth day, when the festival ended, they invited the congregation of monks as their guests, escorted them into the city, and made abundant offerings. Seated respectfully, they told the Buddha how unpleasant the past seven days had been, with their ears nearly bursting from the coarse talk of foolish folk, and how no one had shown anyone else any respect.
The Buddha replied that this is how unintelligent people conduct themselves, but the intelligent preserve heedfulness as their greatest treasure, and by doing so ultimately attain the great Nibbana.