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Books by the Same Author Being Peace Breathe! You Are Alive A Guide to Walking Meditation The Heart of Understanding Interbeing The Miracle of Mindfulness The Moon Bamboo Our Appointment with Life The Pine Gate Present Moment Wonderful Moment A Rose for Your Pocket The Sun My Heart The Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings Transformation & Healing Zen Poems One dollar from the sale of each copy of Old Path White Clouds will be donated to organizations which help children in India and other Third World countries.
Chapter One Walking Just to Walk Under the shadows of the green bamboo, the young bhikkhu, Svasti, sat cross-legged, concentrating on his breath. He had been meditating for more than an hour in the Bamboo Forest Monastery, while hundreds of other bhikkhus were also practicing under the shade of the bamboo trees or in their own thatched huts. The great teacher Gautama, whom people affectionately called the “Buddha,” lived in the monastery with nearly four hundred disciples. Although crowded, it was very peaceful. Forty acres surrounded the monastery, and many varieties of graceful bamboo from all over Magadha were planted there. Just a thirty minutes’ walk north of the capital city of Rajagaha, the Bamboo Forest Monastery had been given to Buddha and his community by King Bimbisara seven years earlier. Svasti rubbed his eyes and smiled. His legs were still tender as he slowly uncrossed them. Twenty-one years old, he had been ordained three days earlier by the Venerable Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s senior disciples. During the ordination ceremony, Svasti’s thick brown hair was shaved off. Svasti was very happy to be part of the Buddha’s community. Many bhikkhus were of noble birth, such as the Venerable Nanda, the Buddha’s brother, and Devadatta, Anuruddha, and Ananda. Although Svasti had not yet been introduced to these men, he had noticed them from afar. Even in faded robes, their noble bearing was unmistakable. “It will be a long time before I can be friends with men of such noble birth,” thought Svasti. And yet, even though the Buddha himself was the son of a king, Svasti felt no gulf between them. Svasti was an “untouchable,” lower than the lowest and poorest caste according to the system of discrimination among the people of India at that time. For more than ten years, he had tended water buffalo, but for two weeks now, he was living and practicing with monks from all castes. Everyone was very kind to him, offering him warm smiles and deep bows, but he did not yet feel at ease. He suspected it might take years before he could feel completely comfortable. Suddenly, a broad smile emerged from deep within him, as he thought of Rahula, the Buddha’s eighteen-year-old son. Rahula had been a novice in the community since the age of ten, and in just two weeks Rahula and Svasti had become best friends. It was Rahula who taught Svasti how to follow his breath during meditation. Rahula understood the Buddha’s teachings well, even though he was not yet a bhikkhu. He needed to wait until he was twenty before he could receive full ordination. Svasti reflected on the time, just two weeks before, when the Buddha came to Uruvela, his small village near Gaya, to invite him to become a monk. When the Buddha arrived at his home, Svasti was out with his brother, Rupak, taking care of the buffaloes. His two sisters, Bala, age sixteen, and Bhima, age twelve, were there, and Bala recognized the Buddha right away. She began to run out to find Svasti, but the Buddha told her it wasn’t necessary. He said that he and the monks traveling with him, including Rahula, would walk to the river to find her brother. It was late afternoon when they came upon Svasti and Rupak scrubbing down their nine buffaloes in the Neranjara River. As soon as they saw the Buddha, the young men ran up the bank of the river, joined their palms to form a lotus bud, and bowed deeply. “You’ve grown so much,” the Buddha said, smiling warmly at Svasti and his brother. Svasti was speechless. Seeing the Buddha’s peaceful face, his warm and generous smile, and his brilliant, penetrating eyes, moved him to tears. The Buddha wore a saffron robe made of patches sewn together in the pattern of a rice field. He still walked barefoot as he had ten years before, when Svasti first met him not far from this very spot. Ten years before they had spent hours sitting together on the banks of the Neranjara and beneath the shade of the bodhi tree, just ten minutes’ walk from the riverbank. Svasti glanced at the twenty bhikkhus behind the Buddha and saw that they, too, were barefoot and clad in patched robes of the same color. Looking more closely, Svasti saw that the Buddha’s robe was a hand-length longer than those of the others. Standing next to the Buddha was a novice about Svasti’s age who looked at him directly and smiled. Buddha gently placed his hands on Svasti and Rupak’s heads and told them he had stopped by to visit on his way back to Rajagaha. He said he would be happy to wait while Svasti and Rupak finished bathing the buffaloes so they could all walk to Svasti’s thatched hut together.
Page 2 and 3: Title Page Copyright Page BOOK ONE
Page 4: Chapter Sixty-Five - Neither Full n
Page 10 and 11: During the walk back, Buddha introd
Page 12 and 13: Svasti was overcome with both fear
Page 14 and 15: Chapter Two Tending Water Buffaloes
Page 16 and 17: in the assembly took their own cush
Page 18 and 19: Here, before Svasti, stood a most a
Page 20 and 21: Chapter Four The Wounded Swan Early
Page 22 and 23: else like you in this world. Everyo
Page 24 and 25: Chapter Five A Bowl of Milk Every d
Page 26 and 27: children shared their food with one
Page 28 and 29: King Suddhodana grew alarmed and as
Page 30 and 31: she nodded in assent.
Page 32 and 33: As a result of his own reflections,
Page 34 and 35: Chapter Eight The Jewelled Necklace
Page 36 and 37: guests applauded their approval, an
Page 38 and 39: The following summer, as they were
Page 40 and 41: Chapter Ten Unborn Child During thi
Page 42 and 43: you succeed. I know that one day yo
Page 44 and 45: Time flew, and the day for Yasodhar
Page 46 and 47: Siddhartha fell silent, then consol
Page 48 and 49: Chapter Thirteen Beginning Spiritua
Page 50 and 51: which the mind becomes one with inf
Page 52 and 53: Siddhartha smiled. “Great King, I
Page 54 and 55: Chapter Fifteen Forest Ascetic Mast
Page 56 and 57: leaning over the water, its leaves
Page 58 and 59:
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
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Jivaka, was unable to attend becaus
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One afternoon, the Buddha received
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“But how can I show my love for t
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Chapter Forty-Three Everyone’s Te
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community. Many condemned the Buddh
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One morning in early autumn just af
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Chapter Forty-Five Opening the Door
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Chapter Forty-Six A Handful of Sims
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The Buddha nodded his approval. He
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It was the tenth retreat season sin
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Chapter Forty-Eight Covering Mud wi
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Rahula set out a chair for the Budd
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others and wishes others well-being
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“Sariputta, if the bhikkhus grasp
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Chapter Fifty-One The Treasure of I
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The children appeared sorry for wha
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Chapter Fifty-Two Fields of Merit T
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future generations. When one makes
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Chapter Fifty-Three Dwelling in the
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The Buddha said, “No, Angulimala,
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Ahimsaka now.” The king stared lo
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When Tappasi delivered the news to
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The story of Bhikkhuni Patacara was
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BOOK THREE
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Of course, every bhikkhu and bhikkh
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that merit, may you and your child
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The venerable said no more, but pro
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including yourself. Love Ananda as
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explained, ‘Several days ago, one
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depths of the Dharma speak few word
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Sonadanda smiled and joined his pal
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Chapter Sixty-One The Lion’s Roar
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could be saved overnight. Not long
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he spoke about the relation of the
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Chapter Sixty-Three All the Way to
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He recalled how some years ago, sev
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If you can see the teaching, you ca
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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
Page 262 and 263:
Chapter Three: An Armful of Kusa Gr
Page 264 and 265:
Chapter Five: A Bowl of Milk Sujata
Page 266 and 267:
Chapter Seven: White Elephant Prize
Page 268 and 269:
Chapter Nine: The Path of Compassio
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Chapter Eleven: Moonlight Flute Sid
Page 272 and 273:
Chapter Thirteen: Beginning Spiritu
Page 274 and 275:
Chapter Fifteen: Forest Ascetic Sid
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Chapter Seventeen: Pippala Leaf Ben
Page 278 and 279:
Chapter Nineteen: Tangerine of Mind
Page 280 and 281:
Chapter Twenty-One: The Lotus Pond
Page 282 and 283:
Chapter Twenty-Three: Dharma Nectar
Page 284 and 285:
Chapter Twenty-Five: Music’s Loft
Page 286 and 287:
Chapter Twenty-Seven: All Dharmas A
Page 288 and 289:
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Dependent Co-A
Page 290 and 291:
Chapter Thirty: Bamboo Forest The B
Page 292 and 293:
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Finger is N
Page 294 and 295:
Chapter Thirty-Four: Reunion The Bu
Page 296 and 297:
Chapter Thirty-Six: Lotus Vow Yasod
Page 298 and 299:
Chapter Thirty-Eight: O, Happiness!
Page 300 and 301:
Chapter Forty: Cover the Land in Go
Page 302 and 303:
Chapter Forty-Two: Love Is Understa
Page 304 and 305:
Chapter Forty-Four: The Elements Wi
Page 306 and 307:
Chapter Forty-Six: A Handful of Sim
Page 308 and 309:
Chapter Forty-Eight: Covering Mud w
Page 310 and 311:
Chapter Fifty: A Handful of Bran Th
Page 312 and 313:
Chapter Fifty-Two: Fields of Merit
Page 314 and 315:
Chapter Fifty-Four: Dwell in Mindfu
Page 316 and 317:
Book Three
Page 318 and 319:
Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Raft Is No
Page 320 and 321:
Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Net of Theo
Page 322 and 323:
Chapter Sixty-One: The Lion’s Roa
Page 324 and 325:
Chapter Sixty-Three: All the Way to
Page 326 and 327:
Chapter Sixty-Five: Neither Full no
Page 328 and 329:
Chapter Sixty-Seven: Ocean Poet Ven
Page 330 and 331:
Chapter Sixty-Nine: Where Will the
Page 332 and 333:
Chapter Seventy-One: The Art of Str
Page 334 and 335:
Chapter Seventy-Three: Hidden Rice
Page 336 and 337:
Chapter Seventy-Five: Tears of Happ
Page 338 and 339:
Chapter Seventy-Seven: Stars in You
Page 340 and 341:
Chapter Seventy-Nine: Sandalwood Tr
Page 342 and 343:
Chapter Eighty-One: Old Path White
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