The Bodhisatta's compassion , continued
(6) Evam anantapunnehi, siddham dehamimam pana
yathabhutam ajananto, manussoti hi mannati
Mara does not know, what I really am; that I
gain this personality of mine in this life as a result of the aforesaid
infinite deeds of merit. And so he thinks I am just an ordinary man
(7) Naham namusso namanusso, na Brahma na ca devata,
Jaramaranam lokasssa, dassetum panidhagato
In fact, I am not an ordinary human being
only seven days old; nor am I an ogre, nor a Brahma nor a Deva. I had taken
conception in the womb of a female human even though I am not an ordinary seven
days old human being in order to show all sentient beings the suffering of old
age, sickness and death in the round of' existences.
(To elaborate: It cannot be said with
certainty that the Bodhisatta was a man, an ogre, a Deva, a Mara or a Brahma,
because each of these beings has nothing of the kind of task undertaken by the
Bodhisatta.
Then it may be asked why should the
Bodhisatta be born of a female human (Queen Maya)?. It has therefore been said
that he had taken conception in the womb of a female human in order to show all
sentient beings of men, Devas and Brahmas, the suffering of old age, sickness
and death in the round of existences.
To give further elaboration: There is no
Deva, Mara, Brahma or Atta (Self) that can bring into existence or create any
sentient being. In reality, it is only craving, tanha, arising in the
mind continuum of each individual, that is responsible for recurrence of births
(Pantisandhi). It is also the power of craving which brings about the
commission of deeds of merit and demerit.
To make it more explicit: A deed (kamma)
is like soil in a (field); consciousness (vinnana) which accompanies
it is like seed; craving or greed, (tanha or lobha) is like water. It is
through the combination of' soil, seed and water that the sprout of a tree
appears. In the same way, it is through the combination of the soil of kamma
the seed of vinnana and the moisture of tanha or lobha
that a sentient being appears In the absence of moisture of tanha or
lobha, even though there are the soil of kamma and the seed of
vinnana, the sprout of the tree of existence would not come into being.
Hence noble Arahats who have eradicated the moisture of tanha or
lobha do not take rebirth in a new existence.
Thus, sentient beings who appear on account
of the coming together of the three causes, are overwhelmed by the flood of
various suffering such as birth, etc. The Bodhisatta is one who wants to remove
all this suffering afflicting sentient beings.
The root cause of' all the suffering such as
birth etc. is craving, (tanha); if craving is uprooted, birth does not
take place. If birth does not take place, old age, death etc., do not happen.
Therefore, it is only craving that should be eradicated first and foremost; and
from delusion (moha) springs that craving in sentient beings who long
for happiness by perceiving the six sense objects, (aramanas), such as
visible object, ruparammana), etc., as being permanent (nicca sanna),
delightful (sukha sanna), pleasant (subha sanna) or durable
(attasanna). And craving can be abandoned only if the defects of the six
sense objects, the origin of craving, are made manifest.
Again, the defects of the six sense objects
mean the state of impermanence, etc., inherent in them; the state of
impermanence, etc., in turn, is discernible only when (the nature of)
old age and death is seen; only when old age and death is seen the defects of
the six sense objects such as the state of impermanence etc., can be seen; and
only when these defects of the six sense objects are seen can craving and greed
which cling to the six sense objects be discarded Only when craving and greed
can be discarded will the samsaric suffering such as birth etc., cease.
This being the case, discernment of old age and death forms the basic and most
essential factor in the cessation of the samsaric suffering. And so, the
Bodhisatta came to this human world and took conception in the lotus-like womb
of Queen Maya, in order to show all sentient beings the nature of old age and
death which forms the basic and essential factor in the cessation of suffering
in samsara.
To make it more explicit: If the Bodhisatta.
having been born a Deva or a Brahma, were to teach (the nature of old age and
death) and perform miracles, others would not believe him, thinking, "This
Deva or Brahma although being himself someone who enjoys happiness, who is
permanent and durable, comes and teaches us the doctrine of' impermanence,
suffering and non-self, what kind of teaching is his?"; they would not
listen to him respectfully either. They would merely opine, "Can there be
anything which a Deva or a Brahma cannot teach?; There is nothing he cannot
teach. And can there be any miracles which he cannot perform?. Indeed he can
perform all miracles. So his teaching of a doctrine or the performance of a
miracle is nothing wonderful"
As witnessed by many; the Bodhisatta was born
of Queen Maya; when he came of age, he enjoyed sensual pleasures; when a son
was born to him, he forsook the son, renounced the world and became a recluse;
after he had practised dukkaracariya, he eventually achieved the
Knowledge of the Path and Omniscience (became a Buddha). When, therefore, he
started teaching the Dhamma, or making manifest the nature of old age and
death, or explaining the three characteristics (of anicca, dukkha, anatta),
all the people would respectfully listen to his teaching, with the thought,
"Even this noble person, endowed as he is with great power and wisdom, and
knowing all aspects of' Dhamma, cannot overcome old age, sickness and death,
what to speak of us?"
"Our Buddha, who teaches to do away with
sufferings such as birth etc., indeed thoroughly understands, (the real nature
of all things)! Indeed Nibbana, where there is no suffering such as birth,
etc., is blissful" With this faith they followed the Bodhisatta's teaching
applying intelligence to it and they came to discern this body attabhava,
which in reality is the five aggregates of grasping, upadanakkhandha,
as dukkha, and origin of dukkha, they also discern perfectly the defects
of' craving and greed which give rise to this body which in reality is the five
aggregates of grasping. Having discerned thus, sentient beings will feel
frightened, ashamed and disgusted with craving, which is the truth of the
origin of dukkha (samudaya sacca); and also with the five groups of
grasping, which is the truth of' dukkha, (dukkha sacca); arising through
craving, and they will cause the complete cessation of craving. When they have
done so, they will be qualified to attain final Nibbana
(Anupadaparinibbana), the complete cessation of dukkha. Hence the
Bodhisatta said, "I came to this human world and took conception in the
lotus-like womb of Queen Maya in order to show all sentient beings the
suffering of birth, old age and death in the round of existence
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