Lessons In Practical Buddhism - Sirimangalo.Org
Lessons In Practical Buddhism - Sirimangalo.Org
Lessons In Practical Buddhism - Sirimangalo.Org
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entered into absorption, their complexion became quite<br />
bright. Wondering how this could be possible without<br />
sensual enjoyment to keep them satisfied, the angel came to<br />
ask this question of the Buddha.<br />
It is understandable that the angel should be so puzzled,<br />
being surrounded by sensual pleasure at all times such as<br />
human beings can only dream of. The thought of being<br />
without such pleasure must have been horrifying to the<br />
angel, who would have thought it impossible to be at ease<br />
without them, let alone appear as radiant as the monks did<br />
under the austere circumstances of their monastic life.<br />
The commentary explains the monks’ radiance in technical<br />
terms, as:<br />
“citte pasanne lohitaṃ pasīdati, cittasamuṭṭhānāni<br />
upādārūpāni parisuddhāni honti.”<br />
“When the mind is clear, the blood becomes clear and<br />
derived matter that is dependent on the mind becomes<br />
purified.”<br />
While such an explanation is perfectly valid, the Buddha<br />
offered a more poetic explanation to the angel, with the<br />
following verses:<br />
“atītaṃ nānusocanti, nappajappanti nāgataṃ.<br />
paccuppannena yāpenti, tena vaṇṇo pasīdati”.<br />
“For the past they do not mourn, nor for the future pine;<br />
they are nourished by the present, so does their colour<br />
shine.”<br />
“anāgatappajappāya, atītassānusocanā.<br />
etena bālā sussanti, naḷova harito luto”ti.<br />
“<strong>In</strong> pining for the future, or over the past forlorn,<br />
by this do fools wither up, just as green reeds once<br />
shorn.”<br />
If we are able to let go of illusion and learn to find peace in<br />
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