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“Sariputta, if the bhikkhus grasp the true meaning of sutras and practice what the sutras teach, if they sincerely follow the precepts, the Way of Liberation will continue for centuries.” “Lord, great numbers of bhikkhus diligently memorize and recite the sutras. If future generations of monks continue to study and recite the teachings, your loving kindness and your insight will surely extend far into the future.” “Sariputta, transmitting the sutras is not enough. It is necessary to practice what is contained in the sutras. It is especially important to observe the precepts. Without that, the Dharma cannot last long. Without the precepts, the true Dharma would quickly fade.” “Is there a way of putting the precepts into a form that can be preserved for thousands of lives to come?” “That is not yet possible, Sariputta. A finished set of precepts cannot be created in one day or by one person. In the first years of the sangha, we didn’t have any precepts. Gradually, because of shortcomings and errors committed by brothers, we have created precepts. Now we have one hundred twenty precepts. That number will increase over time. The precepts are not yet complete, Sariputta. I believe the number may rise to two hundred or more.” The final day of the retreat arrived. The merchant Agnidatta returned from his travels and was shocked to learn how much the bhikkhus had suffered from hunger. He felt ashamed and organized a meal offering at his home. He also offered each bhikkhu a new robe. After the Buddha delivered his final talk of the season, the bhikkhus headed south. It was a lovely journey. The bhikkhus walked without haste. They rested nights and begged in the mornings. After their meal and a rest in the cool forests, they continued to walk each day. Sometimes they remained several days in a village where the people were especially delighted to receive the teaching. At night, the monks studied and recited the sutras before meditation and sleep. One afternoon, Svasti came across a group of young buffalo boys leading their buffaloes home. He stopped and talked to them, reminiscing about his own youth. Suddenly he was seized with a longing to see his family. He missed Rupak and Bala, and most of all, Bhima. He still wondered if it was proper for a bhikkhu to think about the family he had left. Of course, Rahula told him that he had missed his family too. Svasti was twenty-two years old. He preferred the company of younger people, feeling more at ease with them. He enjoyed time spent with Rahula the most. They often shared their innermost thoughts. Svasti told Rahula about his life as a buffalo boy. Rahula had never had an occasion to sit on a water buffalo’s back. He had a hard time believing that so large a creature could be as docile as Svasti claimed. Svasti assured him that water buffaloes were the gentlest of animals. He told Rahula of the countless times he had lain on a buffalo’s back as they walked home along the banks of the river. He would look up at the blue sky and drifting clouds, enjoying moments of peaceful leisure on the warm, smooth back of the buffalo. Svasti also told Rahula about the games he played with other buffalo boys. Rahula loved to hear these stories. It was a life he had never known, since he had been raised in a palace. Rahula said he wished he could experience riding on a buffalo’s back, and Svasti promised him that he would somehow arrange it. Svasti wondered how he could arrange a buffalo ride for Rahula. They were both ordained monks! He decided that when they traveled in the vicinity of his home village, he would ask the Buddha’s permission to go and see his family. He would ask if Rahula could join him. Then, when no one else was around, he would ask Rupak to let Rahula climb on the back of one of the buffaloes Rupak tended. Rahula could ride along the banks of the Neranjara River. Svasti planned to take off his monk’s robe and ride on a buffalo too, just like in the old days. The next year, the Buddha spent the retreat season on the stony mountain Calika. It was the thirteenth retreat season since the Buddha’s Enlightenment. Meghiya was serving as the Buddha’s assistant. One day Meghiya confided to the Buddha that when he sat alone in the forest, he was disturbed by thoughts of desire and passion. He was concerned because the Buddha encouraged the bhikkhus to spend time alone in order to meditate, but whenever he meditated in solitude, he was confronted by mental obstacles. The Buddha told him that practicing in solitude did not mean to live without the support of friends. Wasting time in idle chatter and useless gossip with others was not beneficial to the spiritual life, but receiving the support of friends in one’s practice was most important. Bhikkhus needed to live in communities to support and encourage each other. That was the meaning of taking refuge in the sangha. The Buddha also told him, “A bhikkhu requires five things. The first is understanding and virtuous friends who share the path. The second is precepts to help the bhikkhu maintain mindfulness. The third is ample opportunity to study the teaching. The fourth is diligence. And the fifth is understanding. The last four conditions are closely linked to and depend upon the presence of the first condition—having friends to practice with. “Meghiya, practice the contemplations on death, compassion, impermanence, and the full awareness of breathing: “To overcome desire, practice the contemplation on a corpse, looking deeply at the nine stages of the body’s decay from the time the breathing ceases to the time the bones turn to dust. “To overcome anger and hatred, practice the contemplation on compassion. It illuminates the causes of anger and hatred within our own minds and in the minds of those who have precipitated it.
“To overcome craving, practice the contemplation on impermanence, illuminating the birth and death of all things. “To overcome confusion and dispersion, practice the contemplation on the full awareness of breathing. “If you regularly practice these four contemplations, you will attain liberation and enlightenment.”
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Title Page Copyright Page BOOK ONE
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Chapter Sixty-Five - Neither Full n
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Books by the Same Author Being Peac
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During the walk back, Buddha introd
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Svasti was overcome with both fear
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Chapter Two Tending Water Buffaloes
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in the assembly took their own cush
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Here, before Svasti, stood a most a
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Chapter Four The Wounded Swan Early
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else like you in this world. Everyo
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Chapter Five A Bowl of Milk Every d
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children shared their food with one
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King Suddhodana grew alarmed and as
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she nodded in assent.
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As a result of his own reflections,
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Chapter Eight The Jewelled Necklace
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guests applauded their approval, an
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The following summer, as they were
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Chapter Ten Unborn Child During thi
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you succeed. I know that one day yo
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Time flew, and the day for Yasodhar
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Siddhartha fell silent, then consol
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Chapter Thirteen Beginning Spiritua
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which the mind becomes one with inf
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Siddhartha smiled. “Great King, I
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Chapter Fifteen Forest Ascetic Mast
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leaning over the water, its leaves
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Chapter Sixteen Was Yasodhara Sleep
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Chapter Seventeen Pippala Leaf Bene
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Chapter Eighteen The Morning Star H
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Svasti explained that he had the da
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Sujata joined her palms together an
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great peace and joy that attaining
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plants, tangerines, rivers, and air
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Chapter Twenty-One The Lotus Pond A
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Chapter Twenty-Two Turning the Whee
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Chapter Twenty-Three Dharma Nectar
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Chapter Twenty-Four Taking Refuge N
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Chapter Twenty-Five Music’s Lofty
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Chapter Twenty-Six Water Rises, Too
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Late in the afternoon, Kassapa came
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devotees? Who will guide them if yo
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obes for fear of disturbing the sou
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But Sariputta implored Assaji, “P
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Chapter Thirty Bamboo Forest It was
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her son, Prince Ajatasattu. She sho
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Chapter Thirty-One I Will Return in
Page 100 and 101: The Buddha quietly smiled in agreem
Page 102 and 103: and body. Feelings arise and pass a
Page 104 and 105: The Buddha spoke gently to her, “
Page 106 and 107: Chapter Thirty-Four Reunion Kaluday
Page 108 and 109: The Buddha immediately stood up and
Page 110 and 111: Chapter Thirty-Five Early Morning S
Page 112 and 113: Chapter Thirty-Six Lotus Vow Prince
Page 114 and 115: predicted so many lifetimes ago.
Page 116 and 117: so young become a bhikkhu?” The B
Page 118 and 119: Chapter Thirty-Eight O, Happiness!
Page 120 and 121: After the noon meal, the Buddha gav
Page 122 and 123: But Sudatta would not hear of it. H
Page 124 and 125: Jivaka, was unable to attend becaus
Page 126 and 127: One afternoon, the Buddha received
Page 128 and 129: “But how can I show my love for t
Page 130 and 131: Chapter Forty-Three Everyone’s Te
Page 132 and 133: community. Many condemned the Buddh
Page 134 and 135: One morning in early autumn just af
Page 136 and 137: Chapter Forty-Five Opening the Door
Page 138 and 139: Chapter Forty-Six A Handful of Sims
Page 140 and 141: The Buddha nodded his approval. He
Page 142 and 143: It was the tenth retreat season sin
Page 144 and 145: Chapter Forty-Eight Covering Mud wi
Page 146 and 147: Rahula set out a chair for the Budd
Page 148 and 149: others and wishes others well-being
Page 152 and 153: Chapter Fifty-One The Treasure of I
Page 154 and 155: The children appeared sorry for wha
Page 156 and 157: Chapter Fifty-Two Fields of Merit T
Page 158 and 159: future generations. When one makes
Page 160 and 161: Chapter Fifty-Three Dwelling in the
Page 162 and 163: The Buddha said, “No, Angulimala,
Page 164 and 165: Ahimsaka now.” The king stared lo
Page 166 and 167: When Tappasi delivered the news to
Page 168 and 169: The story of Bhikkhuni Patacara was
Page 170 and 171: BOOK THREE
Page 172 and 173: Of course, every bhikkhu and bhikkh
Page 174 and 175: that merit, may you and your child
Page 176 and 177: The venerable said no more, but pro
Page 178 and 179: including yourself. Love Ananda as
Page 180 and 181: explained, ‘Several days ago, one
Page 182 and 183: depths of the Dharma speak few word
Page 184 and 185: Sonadanda smiled and joined his pal
Page 186 and 187: Chapter Sixty-One The Lion’s Roar
Page 188 and 189: could be saved overnight. Not long
Page 190 and 191: he spoke about the relation of the
Page 192 and 193: Chapter Sixty-Three All the Way to
Page 194 and 195: He recalled how some years ago, sev
Page 196 and 197: If you can see the teaching, you ca
Page 198 and 199: Chapter Sixty-Five Neither Full nor
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look at the empty Dharma hall, you
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Chapter Sixty-Six Four Mountains Ea
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Chapter Sixty-Seven Ocean Poet At t
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Chapter Sixty-Eight Three Wondrous
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The words used to transmit it shoul
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One day Venerable Anuruddha was sto
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Chapter Seventy The Quail and the F
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ise at any moment to submerge one.
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Being refused the chance to practic
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“And what if the strings are too
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Chapter Seventy-Two Quiet Resistanc
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held responsible for the actions of
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“No, Teacher, I am not yet marrie
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Chapter Seventy-Four Cry of the Ele
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his body between the Buddha and Nal
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Chapter Seventy-Five Tears of Happi
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“5. Share time, resources, and ha
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Chapter Seventy-Six The Fruits of P
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somewhat embarrassed, he said to hi
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The Buddha nodded his acceptance. H
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The Buddha regarded him kindly and
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Chapter Seventy-Eight Two Thousand
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The Ganga was so swollen from recen
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Chapter Seventy-Nine Sandalwood Tre
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hikkhus, and headed towards Kusinar
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Chapter Eighty Be Diligent! It was
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Chapter Eighty-One Old Path White C
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of Licchavi would build one in Vesa
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meditation. Just before dawn on the
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Chapter Contents & Sources
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Chapter One: Walking Just to Walk S
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Chapter Three: An Armful of Kusa Gr
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Chapter Five: A Bowl of Milk Sujata
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Chapter Seven: White Elephant Prize
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Chapter Nine: The Path of Compassio
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Chapter Eleven: Moonlight Flute Sid
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Chapter Thirteen: Beginning Spiritu
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Chapter Fifteen: Forest Ascetic Sid
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Chapter Seventeen: Pippala Leaf Ben
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Chapter Nineteen: Tangerine of Mind
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Chapter Twenty-One: The Lotus Pond
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Chapter Twenty-Three: Dharma Nectar
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Chapter Twenty-Five: Music’s Loft
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: All Dharmas A
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Chapter Twenty-Nine: Dependent Co-A
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Chapter Thirty: Bamboo Forest The B
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Chapter Thirty-Two: The Finger is N
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Chapter Thirty-Four: Reunion The Bu
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Chapter Thirty-Six: Lotus Vow Yasod
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Chapter Thirty-Eight: O, Happiness!
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Chapter Forty: Cover the Land in Go
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Chapter Forty-Two: Love Is Understa
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Chapter Forty-Four: The Elements Wi
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Chapter Forty-Six: A Handful of Sim
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Chapter Forty-Eight: Covering Mud w
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Chapter Fifty: A Handful of Bran Th
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Chapter Fifty-Two: Fields of Merit
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Chapter Fifty-Four: Dwell in Mindfu
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Book Three
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Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Raft Is No
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Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Net of Theo
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Chapter Sixty-One: The Lion’s Roa
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Chapter Sixty-Three: All the Way to
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Chapter Sixty-Five: Neither Full no
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Chapter Sixty-Seven: Ocean Poet Ven
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Chapter Sixty-Nine: Where Will the
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Chapter Seventy-One: The Art of Str
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Chapter Seventy-Three: Hidden Rice
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Chapter Seventy-Five: Tears of Happ
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Chapter Seventy-Seven: Stars in You
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Chapter Seventy-Nine: Sandalwood Tr
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Chapter Eighty-One: Old Path White
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