There
are certain feelings of human beings that even a number
of words may fail to express. Love, sympathy and
happiness gained through either material pleasures or
spiritual attainments are some of them. Negative
feelings or evil states of mind like anger, hatred and
revenge can also be inexplicable at times. However, a
musician might be able to compose a melody, a song or
set a rhythm; an artist might express it through a
picture, a painting, a diagram or a graph; a writer
might succeed in presenting a literary description or a
story and a poet would create a poem to bring such
feelings to light.
Contineud from 20.10. 2011
AAs a result of studying the function of the human mind
and behaviour patterns, one might notice how either a
particular picture, word, idea, view or opinion can be
seen or interpreted from various angles by each
individual. For instance, something which is good for
one person might not be good for many others. At the
same time, there are the less fortunate and helpless
ones who are unable to communicate properly. The deaf,
dumb, blind, disabled and the abnormal fall into this
category. However, even among them you find those who
are talented in certain fields like Music, Art and
Literature.
Sympathy
There are certain feelings of human beings that even a
number of words may fail to express. Love, sympathy and
happiness gained through either material pleasures or
spiritual attainments are some of them. Negative
feelings or evil states of mind like anger, hatred and
revenge can also be inexplicable at times. However, a
musician might be able to compose a melody, a song or
set a rhythm; an artist might express it through a
picture, a painting, a diagram or a graph; a writer
might succeed in presenting a literary description or a
story and a poet would create a poem to bring such
feelings to light. As such, the advances in music, art
and literature have paved the way for people to think
and look at life in a more creative and meaningful
manner. It has also given vitality to one’s leisure
time.
Now, let me narrate another story that took place during
the Buddha’s time. It is with regard to a particular
Brahmin named ‘Udaya’. One day, early in the morning,
rising from His meditation the Blessed One happened to
see through His Divine Eye that the Brahmin had already
acquired the capacity to realise the sublime truth. So,
wearing the robes and bowl in hand, the Buddha visited
the Brahmin Udaya’s house in quest of alms.
Seeing the Buddha standing in front of his house the
Brahmin welcomed Him and placed some delicious food in
the Blessed One’s bowl. Having received the food in
silence, the Enlightened One made His way back to the
monastery. The following morning too, the Buddha visited
Udaya Brahmin’s house on His alms-round. Then also the
Brahmin served Him with some food. When the Buddha
visited the same house on the third day, a particular
unwholesome thought happened to occur in the Brahmin’s
mind: ‘Having become attached to taste this recluse is
coming again and again.’ The Blessed One could read his
thought immediately.
Thereupon the Buddha addressed the Brahmin Udaya in this
manner:
Again and again the farmers sow seeds,
Again and again showers the rain,
Again and again the country folk harvest cereal and
grain.
Again and again the beggars beg,
Again and again the donors practise charity,
And thereby become born in heaven again and again.
Again and again the cows are milked,
Again and again the calf, the offspring approaches its
mother,
Again and again living beings get terrified and
frightened
(by decay, old age, illness and death),
The ever ignorant is conceived in a mother’s womb again
and again.
Again and again revolve birth and death,
Again and again the carcass is carried away to the
cemetery,
There’s no more rebirth to one who has realised the
path,
Thus, the wise one is not subject to existence
Again and again
Accordingly, the Brahmin ‘Udaya’ grasped the essence of
the Exalted One’s Words and became extremely happy and
content over it along with the acquisition of a higher
stage of mind. He happened to express his joy of
realising the Truth to the Blessed One in the following
manner:
Darkness
”It is excellent, Sir, as one might set upright what has
been upside down, or disclose what has been covered, or
show the way to one who had gone astray, or bring an oil
lamp into the darkness so that those with vision might
see visible shapes, even so in many a technique have the
teachings been made clear by the Lord. Hereupon I seek
refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
May the Blessed One nominate me as an ‘Upasaka’ from
today onwards right throughout”. (Sn 335)
the Brahmin Udaya’s conviction and the complete
transformation attributing to the ‘Great Compassion’ of
the Buddha are depicted in the story. It also reveals to
us the power of words explicitly.
After all, we should pay heed to the advice,
instructions and criticisms of other people as it would
give us a clue to correct our own faults or mistakes and
to broaden our knowledge little by little. And it is
depicted in one of Sir William Shakespeare’s sayings
‘Give every man your ear, but few your voice’, So, let’s
join hands to live up to this ideal from this moment
itself.
‘Sunatha Dharetha caratha Dhamme’
Listen to, bear in mind and abide by the Dhamma’.
අමාවක
පුර
අටවක
පසෙලාස්වක
අව
අටවක