THE BHIKKHU WHO RADIATES LOVING-KINDNESS RADIATES PEACE GIVE UP LUST AND HATRED FLOOD-CROSSER IS ONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP THE FETTERS MEDITATE EARNESTLY THERE IS NO WISDOM IN THOSE WHO DO NOT THINK HE WHO IS CALM EXPERIENCES TRANSCENDENTAL JOY HE IS HAPPY WHO REFLECTS ON RISE AND FALL A WISE BHIKKHU MUST POSSESS HIS CARDINAL VIRTUES A BHIKKHU SHOULD BE CORDIAL IN ALL HIS WAYS
Sambahulabhikkhu Vatthu
THE BHIKKHU WHO RADIATES LOVING-KINDNESS RADIATES PEACE GIVE UP LUST AND HATRED FLOOD-CROSSER IS ONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP THE FETTERS MEDITATE EARNESTLY THERE IS NO WISDOM IN THOSE WHO DO NOT THINK HE WHO IS CALM EXPERIENCES TRANSCENDENTAL JOY HE IS HAPPY WHO REFLECTS ON RISE AND FALL A WISE BHIKKHU MUST POSSESS HIS CARDINAL VIRTUES A BHIKKHU SHOULD BE CORDIAL IN ALL HIS WAYS
Mettāvihārī yo bhikkhu, pasanno Buddhasāsane, adhigacche padaṁ santaṁ, saṅkhārūpasamaṁ sukhaṁ.
The bhikkhu who abides in loving-kindness, who is pleased with the Buddha's Teaching, attains to that state of peace and happiness, the stilling of conditioned things.
Siñca bhikkhu imaṁ nāvaṁ, sittā te lahum-essati, chetvā rāgañ-ca dosañ-ca, tato Nibbānam-ehisi.
Empty this boat, O bhikkhu! Emptied by you it will move swiftly. Cutting off lust and hatred, to Nibbàna you will thereby go.
Five cut off, five give up, five further cultivate. The bhikkhu who has gone beyond the five bonds is called a "Flood-Crosser".
Jhāya, bhikkhu, mā ca pāmado, mā te kāmaguṇe bhamassu cittaṁ, mā lohaguḷaṁ gilī, pamatto, mā kandi: ‘Dukkham-idan’-ti ḍayhamāno.
Meditate, O bhikkhu! Be not heedless. Do not let your mind whirl on sensual pleasures. Do not be careless and swallow a ball of lead. As you burn cry not "This is sorrow".
Natthi jhānaṁ apaññassa, paññā natthi ajhāyato, yamhi jhānañ-ca paññā ca sa ve Nibbānasantike.
There is no concentration in one who lacks wisdom, nor is there wisdom in him who lacks concentration. In whom are both concentration and wisdom, he, indeed, is in the presence of Nibbàna.
The bhikkhu who has retired to a lonely abode, who has calmed his mind, who perceives the doctrine clearly, experiences a joy transcending that of men.
Whenever he reflects on the rise and fall of the Aggregates, he experiences joy and happiness. To "those who know" that (reflection) is Deathless.
Tatrāyam-ādi bhavati idha paññassa bhikkhuno, indriyagutti santuṭṭhī: pātimokkhe ca saṁvaro.
And this becomes the beginning here for a wise bhikkhu: sense-control, contentment, restraint with regard to the Fundamental Code (Pàtimokkha), association with beneficent and energetic friends whose livelihood is pure.
Mitte bhajassu kalyāṇe suddhājīve atandite, paṭisanthāravuttassa ācārakusalo siyā, tato pāmojjabahulo, dukkhassantaṁ karissati.
Let him be cordial in his ways and refined in conduct; filled thereby with joy, he will make an end of ill.
Story
Once there was a very rich lady in the town of Kuraraghara, about one hundred and twenty yojanas from Savatthi. She had a son who had become a bhikkhu; his name was Sona. On one occasion, Bhikkhu Sona passed through his home town. On his return from the Jetavana monastery his mother met him and organized a grand charity in his honour. Having heard that Bhikkhu Sona could expound the Dhamma very well she also requested him to expound the Dhamma to her and other people of the home town. Bhikkhu Sona complied with her request. So a pavilion was built and a meeting was organized for Bhikkhu Sona to give a discourse. There was a large gathering at the pavilion; the mother of the bhikkhu also went to listen to the Dhamma expounded by her son. She took all the members of her household with her leaving only a maid to look after the house.
While the lady was away, some thieves broke into the house. Their leader, however, went to the pavilion where the mistress of the house was, sat down near her and kept an eye on her. His intention was to get rid of her should she return home early on learning about the theft at her house. The maid seeing the thieves breaking into the house went to report the matter to her mistress, but the lady only said, "Let the thieves take all my money, I don't care; but do not come and disturb me while I am listening to the Dhamma. You'd better go back." So the maid went home.
There the girl saw the thieves breaking into the room where her mistress kept all her silverware. Again she went to the pavilion where her mistress was and reported to her that the thieves were taking away her silverware, but she was given the same answer as before. So she had to go back to the house. There she saw the thieves breaking into the room where her mistress kept her gold and she reported the matter to her mistress. This time, her mistress shouted at her, "O dear! Let the thieves take whatever they wish to take; why do you have to come and worry me again when I am listening to a discourse on the Dhamma? Why did you not go back when I told you to? Don't you dare come near me again and say things about the theft or the thieves."
The leader of the gang of thieves who was close at hand heard everything the lady had said and he was extremely surprised. Her words also kept him thinking, "If we take away the property of this wise and noble person, we will surely be punished; we might even be struck by lightning and our heads broken into many pieces." The leader got alarmed over this possibility and he hurried back to the house of the lady and made his followers return all the things they had taken. He then took all his followers to where the mistress of the house was; she was still at the pavilion, listening attentively to the Dhamma.
Thera Sona finished his exposition on the Dhamma with the crack of dawn and came down from the dais from where he had expounded the Dhamma. The leader of the thieves approached the rich, noble lady, paid respect to her and revealed his identity to her. He also related to her how they had plundered her house and also that they had returned all her property on hearing her words to her maid, who reported the theft to her during the night. Then, the leader and all the thieves asked the lady to forgive them for having wronged her. Then, they asked Thera Sona to admit them to the Order of bhikkhus. After the admission, each one of the nine hundred bhikkhus took a subject of meditation from Thera Sona and went to the nearby forest to practise meditation in seclusion.
From a distance of one hundred and twenty yojanas, the Buddha saw those bhikkhus and sent forth his radiance to them so that he seemed to be sitting in their midst.
Then noticing their individual dispositions, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
The bhikkhu who abides in loving-kindness, who is pleased with the Buddha's Teaching, attains to that state of peace and happiness, the stilling of conditioned things.
Empty this boat, O bhikkhu! Emptied by you it will move swiftly. Cutting off lust and hatred, to Nibbàna you will thereby go.
Five cut off, five give up, five further cultivate. The bhikkhu who has gone beyond the five bonds is called a "Flood-Crosser".
Meditate, O bhikkhu! Be not heedless. Do not let your mind whirl on sensual pleasures. Do not be careless and swallow a ball of lead. As you burn cry not "This is sorrow".
There is no concentration in one who lacks wisdom, nor is there wisdom in him who lacks concentration. In whom are both concentration and wisdom, he, indeed, is in the presence of Nibbàna.
The bhikkhu who has retired to a lonely abode, who has calmed his mind, who perceives the doctrine clearly, experiences a joy transcending that of men.
Whenever he reflects on the rise and fall of the Aggregates, he experiences joy and happiness. To "those who know" that (reflection) is Deathless.
And this becomes the beginning here for a wise bhikkhu: sense-control, contentment, restraint with regard to the Fundamental Code (Pàtimokkha), association with beneficent and energetic friends whose livelihood is pure.
Let him be cordial in his ways and refined in conduct; filled thereby with joy, he will make an end of ill.
At the end of each verse, one hundred out of the nine hundred bhikkhus attained Arahatship.
Dhamma
The lower five fetters (Orambhagiya samyojana) are: ego belief (sakkayaditthi); doubt (vicikkiccha); wrong views of morality and practices (silabbataparamasa); sensual desire (kamaraga) and ill will (byapada). These can be got rid of by the first, second and third Maggas.
The upper five fetters (Uddhambhagiya samyojana) are: craving for fine material existences (rupa raga); craving for non-material existences (arupa raga); pride (mana); restlessness (uddhacca) and ignorance (avijja). These five can be got rid of by Arahatship.
The five controlling faculties (Pancindriya) are: faith (saddha); diligence (viriya); mindfulness (sati); concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna).
The five sangas are: passion, ill will, ignorance, pride and wrong views.
pamojjabahulo: lit., much joy; according to the Commentary, in this context, frequently feeling joy.
