A story of infatuation...

A story of infatuation...

Ánanda was the cousin of the Buddha. One day he was going on the alms round. He stopped at a well because he was thirsty in order to ask for some water. Sitting by the well was a young woman called Matanga. She belonged to the Dalit class, the untouchable caste. The higher castes would not touch her or come near to her on the path because they thought she would pollute them. When the higher castes are going on the road and they see an untouchable, the Dalit keeps away so as not to be beaten because the higher castes don't want to be polluted. 

And when Ánanda asked for water, she said, "No, I can't give it to you because I am an untouchable and it will pollute you." And Ánanda said, "In our teaching, there is not a caste division and the Buddha has told us that we are all equal, and therefore you can give me water, I won't be polluted, so don't be afraid." Matanga was very happy. She lifted the water with a ladle and gave it to him to drink. He joined his palms and thanked her and went home. But after that Matanga started to fall in love with him. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't eat, because she kept seeing Ánanda, how beautiful, how good, how kind he was. Matanga was very beautiful. Her father had passed away she lived with her mother. And when her mother saw she couldn't sleep or eat for many weeks, she asked why. The girl wept and said because she is always thinking about Ánanda. And because the mother loved her daughter very much, she did her best to help her daughter. So they decided together to invite Ánanda to come and to make offerings to him. And one day they met Ánanda as he was going on the alms round, and they invited him to come to them so they could make offerings. And when he came into the house, they gave him a bowl of tea. But that tea was made of a kind of herb, which would take away our clarity when we drank it. And if we lack our clarity, we can do things we don't want to do. 

When Ánanda had drunk this tea, he felt he had made a mistake and he didn't know how he was going to put it right. When he saw what had happened, he knew that he had to practice. So he didn't say anything, he didn't do anything. He sat in the cross-legged position, and he began to follow the practice of following his breathing, because he knew he was in a very dangerous position. 

And the Buddha was in the Jeta Grove and wondered why Ánanda had not returned. So he ordered two other monks to go and look for Ánanda. 

And the other two monks were able to find Ánanda sitting in meditation in the house of Matanga. They led him back to the Jeta Grove Monastery. And they saw Matanga weeping so they also brought her back to the monastery. When Ánanda came back to the monastery the effect of the tea was already wearing off, and he prostrated to the Buddha, and he thanked the Buddha for sending the two monks to send him back because it could have been very dangerous if they hadn't. And then Matanga came in, and the Buddha asked Matanga to sit down. And he said, "Do you love Ánanda so much?" And Matanga said, "Yes, I love him very much." And Buddha said, "What do you love in Ánanda? Do you love his eyes or his nose?" "I love his eyes, I love his nose, I love his ears, I love his mouth, I love everything. Everything to do with Ánanda, I love. 

I think I cannot live if I don't have Ánanda." She was a very beautiful girl although she belonged to the untouchable caste. She was quite naive too; she was about 18 or 19 years old. The Buddha said, "There are many things in Ánanda which you have not seen and which you would love even more if you could see them." And she said, "What?" And Buddha smiled and said, "Like Ánanda's love, like Ánanda's bodhicitta. All you've seen is eyes, nose, ears, mouth. As a young man, he has given up his life in a wealthy family in order to become a monk, with the aim of helping many people. 

Ánanda could never be happy with one or two people because that happiness is so small. 

That is why he became a monk. He wants to be able to help many, many people. He has a mind of great equality. He wants to love, but not love one person. He wants to love thousands and thousands of people. And that bodhicitta of Ánanda is very beautiful; if only you could see it you would love Ánanda even more. And once you had seen that you wouldn't want to make Ánanda your own anymore. You would respect Ánanda, and you would do everything you could to help Ánanda realize his deep aspiration as a monk, to help him realize the bodhicitta. Ánanda is like a cool breeze in the air, and if you love that cool breeze in the air and you want to put it into a small box and put the lid on and turn the key, then you will not have that cool breeze in the air anymore. Ánanda is like a cloud floating in the sky, the blue sky, very beautiful. If you want to catch that cloud and put it in a box and turn the key, then you will kill Ánanda, because you have only seen the things about Ánanda, which are not the most beautiful things. You have not seen the most beautiful things about Ánanda. If you were to see them you would love him more, and you would love him in a way, which would help him be Ánanda, just as you can help a cloud be a cloud floating in the beautiful blue sky. 

Don't think that Ánanda is the only one who has that beautiful aspiration. You are the same. You have that beauty too. You can also live like Ánanda if you really love Ánanda and you are able to see the bodhicitta of Ánanda. 

You will be able to return to yourself and see you have the bodhicitta in yourself, and you can vow to Ánanda that you will live in such a way not just to make one person happy but to make many people happy."

When Matanga heard that, she was very surprised. She said, "I don't have any worth. I belong to the lowest caste. I cannot make anybody happy." He said, "Yes, you have already done it. 

You already have that beautiful, good and true in yourself. Everyone has that. And if we return, and we are able to be in touch with that basic goodness, truth and beauty in ourselves we will have faith in it, and we will know that we can make happiness for many people." And when she heard that, she said, "Is that really so? Can I really do the same as Ánanda? Can I really leave the family life, become a nun and help thousands of people like Ánanda?" And the Buddha said, "Yes, why not? If you can be in touch with the true, good and beautiful in you, and you give rise to the bodhicitta you will be like Ánanda, you will be able to do like Ánanda and bring happiness to many people. " 

Her insight was opened by the Buddha, and she touched the earth before the Buddha, and she asked to become a nun under a Bhiksunis so that she could do like Ánanda, so that her love could open up and become wide, become measureless. From then on Matanga was accepted into the Bhiksunis Sangha which was led by Maha Gautami.

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29 September 2023

A Counterfeit of the True Dhamma Saddhammapaṭirūpaka Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya 16:13)

A Counterfeit of the True Dhamma
Saddhammapaṭirūpaka Sutta
(Samyutta Nikaya 16:13)

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. 

Then Ven. Mahā Kassapa went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. 

As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “What is the cause, lord, what is the reason, why before there were fewer training rules and yet more monks established in final gnosis, whereas now there are more training rules and yet fewer monks established in final gnosis?”

“That’s the way it is, Kassapa. When beings are degenerating and the true Dhamma is disappearing, there are more training rules and yet fewer monks established in final gnosis. 

There is no disappearance of the true Dhamma as long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of the true Dhamma when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has arisen in the world. Just as there is no disappearance of gold as long as a counterfeit of gold has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of gold when a counterfeit of gold has arisen in the world, in the same way there is no disappearance of the true Dhamma as long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of the true Dhamma when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has arisen in the world.

1 “It’s not the earth property that makes the true Dhamma disappear. It’s not the water property… the fire property… the wind property that makes the true Dhamma disappear.

2 It’s worthless people who arise right here [within the Saṅgha] who make the true Dhamma disappear. The true Dhamma doesn’t disappear the way a ship sinks all at once.

“These five downward-leading qualities tend to the confusion and disappearance of the true Dhamma. 

Which five? There is the case where the monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers live without respect, without deference, for the Teacher. They live without respect, without deference, for the Dhamma… for the Saṅgha… for the training… for concentration. 

These are the five downward-leading qualities that tend to the confusion and disappearance of the true Dhamma.

“But these five qualities tend to the stability, the non-confusion, the non-disappearance of the true Dhamma. 

Which five? There is the case where the monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers live with respect, with deference, for the Teacher. They live with respect, with deference, for the Dhamma… for the Saṅgha… for the training… for concentration. These are the five qualities that tend to the stability, the non-confusion, the non-disappearance of the true Dhamma.”

Notes

1. Gold, of course, does not go out of existence simply because there is counterfeit gold. What happens is that it goes out of use: People find that counterfeit gold is easier to use. 

An added implication of this statement may be that as long as there is only genuine gold, people will not doubt its authenticity. When there is both genuine and counterfeit gold, doubts will arise as to what is genuine—all gold becomes doubtful—and people will end up using whichever is easier or more to their liking.

2. The point here is that the true Dhamma will not disappear through natural disasters, such as landslides, floods, fires, or windstorms. For an account of how people in the time of the Buddha understood natural events in terms of the four properties.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN16_13.html

https://www.dhammatalks.net/Sayalay_Susila/Counterfeit-of-the-True-Dhamma.pdf

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13 September 2023

“In giving a meal, the donor gives five things to the recipient. Which five?

“In giving a meal, the donor gives five things to the recipient. Which five? 

He/she gives life, beauty, happiness, strength, & quick-wittedness. Having given life, he/she has a share in long life, either human or divine. Having given beauty, he/she has a share in beauty, either human or divine. 

Having given happiness, he/she has a share in happiness, either human or divine. Having given strength, he/she has a share in strength, either human or divine. Having given quick-wittedness, he/she has a share in quick-wittedness, either human or divine. In giving a meal, the donor gives these five things to the recipient.”

The enlightened person giving life, strength, beauty, quick-wittedness—

the wise person, a giver of happiness— attains happiness himself.

Having given life, strength, beauty,

happiness, & quick-wittedness,

he has long life & status

wherever he arises. — AN 5:37

Give alms of that is thine:

Eat not alone, no bliss is his that by himself shall dine, By charity you may ascend the noble path divine.

When he dies, if the power of his merit power is not enough to send him to heaven, at least, the virtue of this merit will prevent him from falling into the lower realms of woe [hell, animal kingdom, hungry ghost, or demon realm]. 

Cultivate many good deeds. No matter how big or small, just do it; anything for beneficial activities to support the Buddhism and good cause, you should do it.

Life is uncertain, understand this with your heart.

Famous rulers and writers, musicians, philosophers, saints, scientists, criminals, and ordinary people. These people were once alive—they worked, thought and wrote; they loved and fought, enjoyed life and suffered. And finally they died.

No matter how wise, wealthy, powerful or popular a person may be, his or her life must come to an end. 

The same is true for all other living creatures. For all the advances in science and medicine, no one has found a cure for death, and no one ever will.

There are several billion people on the planet right now, but one hundred years from now, all of these people—with the exception of a few who are now very young — will be gone. You yourself will be dead. 

Try to experience this fact with your entire being.

Time never stands still—it is continuously passing. Seconds become minutes, minutes become hours, hours become days, days become years, and as time is passing in this way, you are travelling closer and closer towards death. Imagine an hour-glass, with the sand running into the bottom. The time you have to live is like these grains of sand, continuously running out...Hold your awareness for a while on the experience of this uninterrupted flow of time carrying you to the end of your life.

Life can end at any point: at birth, in childhood, in adolescence, at the age of twenty-two or thirty-five or fifty or ninety-four. Being young and healthy is no guarantee that a person will live a long time— children sometimes die before their parents.

No matter how much we have acquired or developed throughout our life—in terms of family and friends, wealth, power, travel experiences, and so on— none of it goes with us at death. Only our mind continues, carrying imprints of all that we have thought, felt, said and done. It is vital that when we're die, we will have as many positive imprints—which will bring good experiences— and as few negative imprints—which will bring suffering—on our mind as possible. 

Also, we should aim to die at peace with ourselves, feeling good about how we lived our life, and not leaving behind any unresolved conflicts with people.

As you lie on your deathbed, our family and friends, you would probably think of them, and feel a strong wish to be with them. But even if they were present with you at the time of death, would they be able to help you? Although they love you very much and do not want you to die, they cannot prevent this from happening. 

Most probably they will not know what to say or do that will give you peace-of-mind, and instead, their sadness and worry about the coming separation will affect you—stirring up the same emotions in your mind.

When we die, we go alone— no one, not even our closest, dearest loved one, can accompany us. And being unable to accept this and let go of our attachment to our loved ones will cause our mind to be in turmoil and make it very difficult to have a peaceful death.

Your possessions and property, which occupy a great deal of your time while you are alive, and are a source of much pleasure and satisfaction. But can any of these things bring you comfort and peace at the time of death? Your wealth may be able to provide you with a private room in the hospital and the best medical care, but that is all it can do for you. It cannot stop death from happening, and when you die, you cannot take any of it with you—not even one cent or one article of clothing.

Not only will your possessions be unable to help you at the time of death, but your mind may be caught up in worries about them—who will get what, and whether or not they will take proper care of “your” things. 

So that will make it difficult to have a peaceful, detached state of mind as you are dying. Contemplate these points, and see if you can understand the importance of learning to be less dependent on and attached to material things.

Your body has been your constant companion since birth. You know it more intimately than anything or anyone else. You have cared for it and protected it, worried about it, kept it comfortable and healthy, fed it and cleaned it, experienced all kind of pleasure and pain with it. 

It has been your most treasured possession.

But now you are dying and that means you will be separated from it. It will become weak and eventually quite useless: your mind will separate from it and it will be taken to the cemetery or crematorium. What good can it possibly do you now?

Contemplate the strong sense of dependence and attachment you have to your own body, and how it cannot benefit you in any way at death.

Since you are getting closer and closer to death all the time, what are you doing to prepare for it?....The best way to prepare for death is doing spiritual practice. This is because the only thing that continues after death is the mind, and spiritual practice is the only thing that truly benefits the mind, preparing it for death and the journey to the next life. But how much time do you actually devote to spiritual practice-- working on decreasing the negative aspects of the mind (such as anger and attachment) and developing the positive aspects of the mind (such as kindness and wisdom), and behaving in ways that are beneficial to others?

The only things that will truly benefit us at the time of death are positive states of mind such as faith, non-attachment and calm acceptance of the changes that are taking place, loving-kindness, compassion, patience and wisdom. But in order to be able to have such states of mind at the time of death, we need to make ourselves familiar with them during the course of our life—and this is the essence of Dharma, or spiritual practice. Realizing this will give us the incentive and energy to start practicing Dharma now, and to practice as much as we can while we still have time.

After we are born, we would soon pass away.  If we do not make any merits, upon our passing, (our body) would end up rotten and foul smelling. 

So we should make merits while are are alive, let the our merits overwhelm the foul smell. At least when after we die, we would leave behind good deeds and good virtue.  

And after our passing, we would not be disliked by the society. Instead, the society would accept and praise us for the good deeds that we’ve done. 

Instead of using the money to do evil deeds or just wasting it away. Give it for the benefit of Buddha Sasana. This is like taking worldly material things (wealth) and converting it into noble treasure for himself (merit). giving, or generosity, as a fundamental and essential virtue in one’s spiritual development. 

Hence, whenever Buddha gave a discourse to those new to His teaching, a graduated approach (anupubbi katha) was used that first discussed the importance of giving (dana katha) before discussing other aspects. 

An act of giving will bring us happiness. 

From little one should little give, from moderate means likewise, From much give much: of giving nothing no question can arise.

Give alms of that is thine:

Eat not alone, no bliss is his that by himself shall dine, By charity you may ascend the noble path divine.

When he dies, if the power of his merit power is not enough to send him to heaven, at least, the virtue of this merit will prevent him from falling into the lower realms of woe [hell, animal kingdom, hungry ghost, or demon realm]. 

You should cultivate many good deeds. No matter how big or small, just do it; anything for beneficial activities to support the Buddhism and good cause, you should do it.

MN 123 Acchariya Abbhuta Sutta

MN 123 Acchariya Abbhuta Sutta

Thus have I heard.

At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by Anathapindika in Jeta’s grove in Savatthi. A number of bhikkhus assembled and seated in the assembly hall after the alms round, when this conversation arose among them:

‘Friends, it is wonderful , it is marvelous ,mighty is the power of the Tathagata! For he is able to know the Buddhas of the past , who attained to final Nibbana, cut off proliferation, broke the cycle, ended the round, and ended all dukkha ( various aspects of unpleasantness, dissatisfaction, and suffering in life) . Knowing those Blessed Ones were of such birth, name, clan, virtues, state, wisdom, abidings and such deliverance.’ When this was said venerable Ananda told the bhikhus; ‘Friends, indeed Tathagatas are wonderful and marvelous, and endowed with wonderful and marvelous qualities.’ However, this discussion was left unfinished.

When this conversation was going on, the Blessed One emerged from his solitude meditation when it was evening ,went to the assembly hall and sat on the prepared seat. Then he addressed the bhikkhus: ’Bhikkhus, for what discussion are you sitting together here now ? And what was the discussion that was left unfinished?’

"Venerable sir, after the alms round, we were assembled and seated in the assembly hall and this conversation arose among us: ‘Friends, it is wonderful , it is marvelous ,mighty is the power of the Tathagata! For he is able to know the Buddhas of the past , who attained to final Nibbana, cut off proliferation, broke the cycle, ended the round, and ended all dukkha ( various aspects of unpleasantness, dissatisfaction, and suffering in life) . Knowing those Blessed Ones were of such birth, name, clan, virtues, state, wisdom, abidings and such deliverance.’ Venerable sir, when this was said venerable Ananda said to us: ‘Friends, indeed Tathagatas are wonderful and marvelous, and endowed with wonderful and marvelous qualities.’ This was our discussion that was left unfinished when the Blessed One arrived."

Then the Blessed One addressed venerable Ananda. ‘If so Ananda, for the great pleasure of many explain in full the wonderful and marvelous qualities of the Tathagata.’

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘‘Attentive (sampajana) and fully aware (sata) Ananda, the Bodhisatta rose in the Tusita heaven.’ Venerable sir, this I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Attentive (sampajana) and fully aware ( sata), Ananda, the Bodhisatta remained in the Tusita heaven.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, the Bodhisatta for the remained for the whole of his life span in Tusita heaven.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Attentive (sampajana) and fully aware ( sata), Ananda, the Bodhisatta passed away from Tusita heaven, and descended into the mother’s womb.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘ Ananda, when the Bodhisatta passed away from the Tusita heaven and descended into his mother's womb, there arose an immeasurable radiance transcending the splendor of the gods in the world with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, in this population with its ascetics and brahmins, and human beings. Even the dark uncovered recesses between the world systems where the resplendent moon and sun do not shine there arose an immeasurable radiance transcending the splendor of the gods. The ten thousandfold world system shivered and trembled , and again an immeasurable radiance transcending the splendor of the devas appeared in the world.' Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta was born into this world from the mother’s womb four gods stood guarding the four quarters so that no humans or non-humans or anyone at all could harm the Bodhisatta or his mother.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta descended into his mother’s womb, she became intrinsically virtuous, abstaining from, destroying living things, taking what is not given, misbehaving sexually, telling lies and intoxicating drinks.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta descended into his mother’s womb, sensual desires about men did not arise in her mind. And she was inaccessible to any man having a lustful mind.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta descended into his mother’s womb, she was furnished and endowed with the five sense pleasures.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the bodhisatta had descended into his mother’s womb, no kind of affliction arose in her; she was blissful and free from bodily fatique. She saw the Bodhisatta in her womb with all his limbs , lacking no faculty. Suppose a well completed comely lapis gem with eight facets, with a thread of blue, yellow, red, white or pale running through it, and a man who could see would place it in his palm and would reflect: ‘ This is the well completed comely lapis gem with eight facets, with a thread of blue, yellow, red, white or pale running through it.’ In the same manner, when the bodhisatta was born to this world , his mother was healthy, happy and had no ailments or pain what so ever. She could see the one in her womb complete with all his limbs, lacking no faculty.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, seven days after the birth of the Bodhisatta, his mother passed away and was born in Tusita.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, other women give birth bearing the womb for about nine or ten months. That is not so with the Bodhisatta’s mother, the mother of the Bodhisatta bore the womb for exactly ten months.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, other women give birth either seated or lying down. That is not so with the Bodhisatta’s mother, the mother of the Bodhisatta gave birth standing.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, first gods received him, then human beings..’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, first gods received him, then human beings..’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, he did not touched the earth. Four gods received him and placing him in front of the mother saying: “Rejoice, O queen, a son of great power has been born to you.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, he was born pure uncontaminated with water in the passage, phlegm, blood or any impurity. As though a gem was placed on a Kasi cloth. The Kasi cloth is not soiled by the gem, nor the gem by the Kasi cloth. This is on account of the purity of both. In the same manner when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, he was born pure uncontaminated with water in the passage, phlegm, blood or any impurity.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda,when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, two jets of water appeared to pour from the sky, one cool and one warm, for bathing the Bodhisatta and his mother.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

"Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘Ananda, soon after the Bodhisatta was born, he stood firmly on his feet, and while a white parasol was held over him, took seven steps to the north, surveyed all four directions and uttered these majestic words: “ I’m the highest in this world, the best and the foremost. This is my last birth, I will not be born again.’ Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. ‘ Ananda, when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother's womb, there arose an immeasurable radiance transcending the splendor of the gods in the world with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, in this population with its ascetics and brahmins, and human beings. Even the dark uncovered recesses between the world systems where the resplendent moon and sun do not shine there arose an immeasurable radiance transcending the splendor of the gods. The ten thousandfold world system shivered and trembled , and again an immeasurable radiance transcending the splendor of the devas appeared in the world.' Venerable sir, this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

‘Then Ananda, bear this too as something wonderful and marvelous about the Tathagata. Here, Ananda for the Tathagata feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear. Perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear. Thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear. Ananda, bear this too as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir, since for the Tathagata feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear - this too I hold as something wonderful and marvelous about the Blessed One.”

That is what the venerable Ananda said. The Teacher approved. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the venerable Ananda’s words.