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that merit, may you and your child be peaceful and safe.’” Ahimsaka protested, “I would be lying if I said such a thing! The truth is I have harmed a great many living beings.” The Buddha said, “Then go and tell her, ‘Madam, since the day I was born in the noble Dharma, I have never intentionally harmed any living being. By that merit, may you and your child be peaceful and safe.’” Ahimsaka ran back to the forest and spoke those words. Within a few minutes, the woman safely gave birth to her child. Venerable Ahimsaka had traveled far along the path, earning the Buddha’s highest praises.
Chapter Fifty-Seven The Raft Is Not the Shore That winter the Buddha stayed in Vesali. One day while he was meditating not far from Kutaragasala Dharma Hall, several bhikkhus committed suicide in another part of the monastery. When the Buddha was informed, he asked what led them to kill themselves. He was told that after meditating on the impermanent and fading nature of the body, these bhikkhus expressed aversion for the body and no longer wished to live. The Buddha was saddened to hear this. He called all the remaining bhikkhus together. He said, “Bhikkhus, we meditate on impermanence and fading in order to see into the true nature of all dharmas so that we will not be bound by them. Enlightenment and freedom cannot be attained by escaping the world. They can only be attained when one sees deeply into the true nature of all dharmas. These brothers did not understand and so they foolishly sought to escape. By doing so, they violated the precept against killing. “Bhikkhus, a liberated person neither clings to dharmas nor feels aversion to them. Clinging and aversion are both ropes that bind. A free person transcends both in order to dwell in peace and happiness. Such a happiness cannot be measured. A free person does not cling to narrow views about permanence and a separate self nor does he cling to narrow views about impermanence and non-self. Bhikkhus, study and practice the teaching intelligently in a spirit of non-attachment.” And the Buddha taught the bhikkhus the practice of conscious breathing to help them refresh themselves. When he returned to Savatthi, the Buddha gave further teaching on breaking through attachment in response to a bhikkhu named Arittha, who was bound to narrow views because he also misunderstood the teaching. Sitting before the bhikkhus at Jetavana, the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus, if the teaching is misunderstood, it is possible to become caught in narrow views which will create suffering for oneself and others. You must listen to, understand, and apply the teaching in an intelligent manner. Someone who understands snakes uses a forked stick to pin down a snake’s neck before trying to pick it up. If he picks the snake up by the tail or body, the snake can easily bite him. Just as you would use your intelligence in catching a snake, you should use it to study the teaching. “Bhikkhus, the teaching is merely a vehicle to describe the truth. Don’t mistake it for the truth itself. A finger pointing at the moon is not the moon. The finger is needed to know where to look for the moon, but if you mistake the finger for the moon itself, you will never know the real moon. “The teaching is like a raft that carries you to the other shore. The raft is needed, but the raft is not the other shore. An intelligent person would not carry the raft around on his head after making it across to the other shore. Bhikkhus, my teaching is the raft which can help you cross to the other shore beyond birth and death. Use the raft to cross to the other shore, but don’t hang onto it as your property. Do not become caught in the teaching. You must be able to let it go. “Bhikkhus, all the teaching I have given you, such as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, the Seven Factors of Awakening, Impermanence, Non-self, Suffering, Emptiness, Signlessness, and Aimlessness, should be studied in an intelligent, open manner. Use the teachings to help you reach liberation. Do not become attached to them.” The monastery for bhikkhunis housed five hundred nuns. They frequently invited the Buddha and other Venerables from Jetavana to come and give them Dharma talks. Venerable Ananda was asked by the Buddha to be in charge of selecting which monks should go to deliver Dharma talks to the bhikkhunis. One day he assigned Venerable Bhanda to go. Venerable Bhanda had attained deep fruits in his practice, but he was not noted for his speaking talent. The following day, after begging and eating his meal alone in the forest, he went to the bhikkhunis’ center. The sisters warmly received him and Bhikkhuni Gotami invited him to sit on the pedestal to give his Dharma talk. After settling on his cushion, he recited a short poem: “Dwelling in tranquility, seeing the Dharma, returning to the source without hatred or violence, joy and peace overflow. Mindfulness is held perfectly; True peace and ease are realized. Transcending all desires is the greatest happiness.”
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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
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The Buddha quietly smiled in agreem
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and body. Feelings arise and pass a
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The Buddha spoke gently to her, “
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Chapter Thirty-Four Reunion Kaluday
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The Buddha immediately stood up and
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Chapter Thirty-Five Early Morning S
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Chapter Thirty-Six Lotus Vow Prince
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predicted so many lifetimes ago.
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so young become a bhikkhu?” The B
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Chapter Thirty-Eight O, Happiness!
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After the noon meal, the Buddha gav
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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 150 and 151: “Sariputta, if the bhikkhus grasp
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 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
Page 200 and 201: look at the empty Dharma hall, you
Page 202 and 203: Chapter Sixty-Six Four Mountains Ea
Page 204 and 205: Chapter Sixty-Seven Ocean Poet At t
Page 206 and 207: Chapter Sixty-Eight Three Wondrous
Page 208 and 209: The words used to transmit it shoul
Page 210 and 211: One day Venerable Anuruddha was sto
Page 212 and 213: Chapter Seventy The Quail and the F
Page 214 and 215: ise at any moment to submerge one.
Page 216 and 217: Being refused the chance to practic
Page 218 and 219: “And what if the strings are too
Page 220 and 221: Chapter Seventy-Two Quiet Resistanc
Page 222 and 223: 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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