old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

Chapter Twenty-Three
Dharma Nectar
It was the Buddha’s custom to rise early and to sit in meditation, and then do walking meditation among the forest trees. One morning while
walking, he saw a handsome, elegantly dressed man in his late twenties, half-hidden in the morning mist. The Buddha sat on a large rock,
and when the man approached quite close to the rock, still unaware of the Buddha, he mumbled, “Disgusting! Repulsive!”
The Buddha spoke up, “There is nothing disgusting. There is nothing repulsive.”
The man stopped in his tracks. The Buddha’s voice was clear and soothing, and the man looked up to see the Buddha sitting there,
relaxed and serene. The young man removed his sandals and bowed deeply before the Buddha. Then he sat on a nearby rock.
The Buddha asked, “What is so disgusting? What is so repulsive?”
The young man introduced himself as Yasa, the son of one of the wealthiest and most reputable merchants in Varanasi. Yasa had always
enjoyed a life of splendor and ease. His parents catered to his every whim, providing him with every kind of pleasure, including a handsome
manor, jewels, money, wine, courtesans, banquets, and parties. But Yasa, a sensitive and thoughtful young man, had begun to feel
suffocated by this life of pleasure and could no longer find any contentment in it.
He was like a person locked in a room without windows; he longed for some fresh air, for a simple, wholesome life. The night before,
Yasa and some friends had gathered to feast, drink, play music, and be entertained by lovely young courtesans. In the middle of the night,
Yasa woke up and looked at his friends and the young women sprawled out asleep. At that moment he knew he could not continue to live
that way. He threw a cloak over his body, slipped on a pair of sandals, and walked out the front gate, not even knowing where he would
go. He had wandered aimlessly all night until by chance he found himself in the Deer Park of Isipatana. And now as the sun rose, he sat
facing the Buddha.
The Buddha counselled him, “Yasa, this life is filled with suffering, but it is also filled with many wonders. To drown in sensual pleasures
is bad for the health of both body and mind. If you live simply and wholesomely, not ruled by desires, it is possible to experience the many
wonders of life. Yasa, look around you. Can you see the trees standing in the morning mists? Are they not beautiful? The moon, the stars,
the rivers, the mountains, the sunlight, the songs of birds, and the sounds of bubbling springs are all manifestations of a universe which can
provide us with endless happiness.
“The happiness we receive from these things nourishes mind and body. Close your eyes, and breathe in and out a few times. Now open
them. What do you see? Trees, mist, sky, rays of sunlight. Your own two eyes are wonders. Because you have been out of touch with
wonders like these, you have come to despise your mind and body. Some people despise their own minds and bodies so much they want
to commit suicide. They see only the suffering in life. But suffering is not the true nature of the universe. Suffering is the result of the way we
live and of our erroneous understanding of life.”
The Buddha’s words touched Yasa like fresh drops of cool dew to soothe his parched heart. Overcome with happiness, he prostrated
before the Buddha and asked to become a disciple.
The Buddha helped him up and said, “A monk lives a simple and humble life. He has no money. He sleeps in a grass hut or beneath the
trees. He eats only what he receives from begging, and he eats only one meal a day. Can you live such a life?”
“Yes, Master, I would be happy to live such a life.”
The Buddha continued, “A monk devotes his mind and body to realize liberation, in order to help himself and all others. He concentrates
his efforts to help relieve suffering. Do you vow to follow such a path?”
“Yes, Master, I vow to follow such a path.”
“Then I accept you as my disciple. A disciple in my community is known as a bhikkhu, a beggar. Every day you will go to beg your
food in order to nourish yourself, to practice humility, and to be in touch with others in order to show them the Way.”
Just then the Buddha’s five friends and first disciples appeared. Yasa stood up and respectfully greeted each one. The Buddha
introduced them to Yasa and then turned to Kondanna, “Kondanna, Yasa wishes to become a bhikkhu. I have accepted him. Please show
him how to wear a robe, carry a begging bowl, observe his breath, and do sitting and walking meditation.”
Yasa bowed to the Buddha and then followed Kondanna, who led him to his hut, where he shaved Yasa’s hair and gave him instruction
according to the Buddha’s wishes. Kondanna happened to have an extra robe and bowl which had been offered to him but which he had
never used. He gave these to Yasa.