WHAT IS THE SAMGHA?

    Samgha means a congregation of those who have the same view. According to Buddhism, to be considered the Samgha there must be at least four monks who follow the 227 monastic rules laid down by the Buddha. (In addition to these there are a great many more minor rules). There are two kinds of Samgha; Ariya Samgha and Puthujjana Samgha. A member of the Ariya Samgha has realised one or more of the stages of holiness; the four supramundane paths (magga) and fruitions (phala). The Ariya Samgha came into being on the fifth waning day of July following the Buddha's enlightenment.

    A puthujjana bhikkhu is still possessed of all ten fetters binding to the round of rebirths but he always tries to reach the noble state of an ariya. To be ordained as a bhikkhu he must have his own bowl and three robes; an outer double robe, an under robe and an upper robe. He must be free from such diseases as leprosy, boils, eczema, consumption and epilepsy. He must be a male human being and free from debt. He must be a free man and not a slave. He must have his parents' consent and be fully twenty years of age from conception. To ordain a bhikkhu there must be at least five bhikkhus, or at least ten in the middle country of India (majjhima desa).

THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE SAMGHA

    The Buddha's Order of Ariya Samgha has practised well, practised straightly, practised intelligently and completely. It is worthy of offerings, hospitality, gifts and reverence. It is an incomparable field of merit for the world.

1) Practised Well (Supatipanno)

    The task of the Samgha is to put the Buddha's teaching into practice and to preach to others. So a member of the Samgha has to practise the Dhamma well, even if he cannot propagate the Buddha's teaching. If he says, "Do as I say, not as I do," he cannot teach others effectively. A poor man can give nothing to others; if he tries to do so he will only fall into debt. The recipient too, will not be satisfied with a loan. So a member of the Samgha who wants to eradicate the defilements has to practise the Buddha's teachings well.

    An ariya bhikkhu never commits the actions which have been described as an obstacle to the attainment of nibbana. During the life-time of the Buddha the people blamed some bhikkhus who went to a public alms-house every day for their meal. When the Buddha was told of this he made a rule permitting the monks to take only one meal at a public alms-house. Then, when Sariputta was going on a journey, he fell sick at an alms-house. He had eaten a meal there for one day but could not yet set out on his journey. Although some people offered food to him, he did not eat even at the risk of his life, because of his wish to keep the rule laid down by the Buddha. When the Buddha came to know about this he made an amendment to the rule allowing a sick bhikkhu to take meals at an almshouse until he recovers. A noble bhikkhu never breaks the Vinaya rules even for the sake of his own comfort.

    If a puthujjana bhikkhu is endowed with five factors: he believes in the enlightenment of the Buddha, he has good health and digestion, he is not deceitful, he sustains vigorous effort to root out the defilements, and he is endowed with insight into the impermanence of things, he will soon attain Arahant-ship. (1. A. iii. 64) So the puthujjana bhikkhu is also worthy of respect.

2) Practised Correctly (Ujupatipanno)

    Following the middle way without deceit a bhikkhu practises correctly the way leading to higher know ledge. Most people always pursue sensual pleasures because they assume that that is the best way to be happy. But the happiness which is dependent on sensual pleasures is short-lived. As soon as a person obtains the object he desires, he desires something else. He is like a thirsty person who has drunk salty water. In the effort to get pleasures, he has to suffer many hardships and disappointments. So, realising this danger, bhikkhus do not pursue sensual pleasures. Some people, because they know that sensual pleasures produce suffering, try to remove desire for them by practising self-torment. But that way is also wrong. Not only is it connected with sensuality but also it cannot cause knowledge to arise. By practising it a person only doubles his suffering. So bhikkhus avoid the practice of self-torment.

    There are two kinds of dishonesty. An ignoble person is reluctant to admit his faults and hides his wrong-doing by fair means or foul. He also makes much of his good qualities to gain more honour. You can find the two kinds of dishonesty among those who do not respect the Dhamma and are greedy to possess great wealth and influence. But the ariya who has attained the first path (sotapatti magga) eradicates all dishonesty. After he has made some mistake with out intention, as soon as he sees his defect, he admits his mistake and resolves not to do it again. So this honesty and straightforwardness is an attribute of the Ariya Samgha.

    A puthujjana might pretend to be a noble person because of his desire for fame and wealth but a scrupulous bhikkhu will never do that because he knows that people often get into trouble through such deceit.

    The Buddha gave the following guidelines on how to size up a person by his words. Someone who possesses four traits is to be understood as an ignoble person. What are the four?

    i) A man says what is discreditable about another even when he is not asked. If he gets a chance to speak, he utters dispraise of another in full and in detail without reserve.

    ii) He does not say what is to another's credit even when asked, let alone if not asked. If he has to speak, he utters praise grudgingly and in brief.

    iii) He does not admit what is discreditable about himself even when asked let alone if unasked. When he has to speak he admits his faults grudgingly with reservations and equivocation.

    iv) He says what is creditable about himself even when not asked. When he gets a chance to speak, he sings his own praises to the full and without reserve.

    Thus possessed of these four traits he is to be understood as an ignoble person. (A. ii. 76) Possessed of the opposite four traits he is to be understood as a noble person.

    So, one can Judge who is a good person by listening carefully. A hypocrite may be clever enough to deceive ignorant people but he will not fool those with discrimination.

    In the life-time of the Buddha a bhikkhu behaved in such a way that some regarded him as wise. To admonish the bhikkhu, the Buddha related a story of the past.

    Once while King Brahmadatta ruled in Benares the Bodhisatta was born in a merchant's family. An ascetic lived in a village supported by a wealthy man. One day the wealthy man buried his treasure under the temple and told the hermit to look after it. Then the ascetic said, "It is not proper to do that, an ascetic never takes care of treasure." After three days the ascetic took away the treasure and buried it in another distant place. Then he told his supporter, "An ascetic should not stay always in one place; he should be like a bird, so I am going to another place." The rich man requested him not to leave his temple but it was in vain.

    Soon after leaving the ascetic returned again to visit the rich man who was very happy to see him and asked, "Why do you return, have you changed your mind?" The ascetic showed him a piece of thatch that was sticking in his hair and said, "When I came out of your house, this thatch got stuck to my hair so I came to return your property to you."

    The foolish rich man admired the ascetic's scrupulousness but the Bodhisatta guessed his pretence and asked the rich man, "Does the ascetic know any secret of yours?" The rich man told the Bodhisatta about the buried treasure. The Bodhisatta said, "Go and see if the treasure is still there. If you do not find it there is no one to suspect except the ascetic." The rich man immediately went and found that his treasure had disappeared. He followed the ascetic and beat him until he confessed. Then the rich man took possession of his treasure again. So, you should remember that all that glitters is not gold and be on your guard against hypocrites.

3) Practised Wisely (Nayapatpanno)

    Bhikkhus are practising for the realisation of nibbana. Although laypeople can also realise nibbana their life is very busy. They are not able to practise the eightfold path which leads to nibbana so freely as a bhikkhu. In order to practise more freely some people join the Order.

    In the life-time of the Buddha, as soon as a person was ordained he went to the Buddha and asked for a method of meditation. Then he practised earnestly in a suitable quiet place in order to realise nibbana. Depending on his spiritual maturity he realised nibbana in a short or long time.

    Perhaps some people think that a person who is lazy or who finds it hard to make a living in lay life might become a bhikkhu. In the lifetime of the Buddha, a king named Korabya approached a bhikkhu, Ratthapala, son of a rich family and said, "There are four kinds of loss; the loss through old age; the loss through illness; the loss of wealth; the loss of relatives. When a person becomes old or decrepit he reflects thus, 'I am worn out. It Is not easy for me to acquire wealth nor to use to advantage the wealth I have already. It would be better to be ordained and he becomes a bhikkhu. An invalid also reflects in the same way. A rich person also thinks the same way when his wealth is diminished. A person who suffers the loss of relatives and friends, being alone, thinks to become a bhikkhu. But you are young and strong, you are healthy and have great wealth, a good family and many friends. Why did you join the Buddha's Order of monks? What is the benefit of ordination for you?"

    Bhikkhu Ratthapala replied to the king, "The Buddha expounded four universal truths. What are the four?

    1. All beings are impermanent because they are always subject to decay and death.

    2. They have no refuge and no protection; i.e. when a person has a chronic disease he is not able to say to his relatives, 'Ease my disease; take a share of my disease so that my suffering diminishes. He alone has to suffer.

    3. All beings are not the owners of their own wealth. Although a person may possess a lot of wealth, when he dies he cannot take anything with him. He has to pass away with empty hands.

    4. All beings are unsatisfied with wealth and sensual pleasures.

    Because I realised the truth of this statement I have joined the Buddha's Order of monks."

Ratthapila's Story

    When the Buddha arrived at a small town, Thullakothitta, and preached the Dhamma; Ratthapala, the only son of a rich family, was delighted with the Buddha's talk. He asked his parents' for permission to ordain but they would not agree to it because they wanted him to inherit their wealth. Then he laid down on the ground and determined not to eat any food until he had got his parents' consent to become a bhikkhu. His friends urged his parents to give their consent saying, "If you consent to his wish you may see him as a bhikkhu and if he does not enjoy the monk's life he will return to you. Consent to his wish."

    Reluctantly, they consented and soon after becoming a bhikkhu, Ratthapala became an arahant. One day he went to his parents' house for alms. His father showed him a heap of treasure and said, "This is your inheritance from your mother. A lot of other treasure still remains. Give up the robe and return to lay life. Enjoy sensual pleasures and do meritorious deeds."

    Ratthapala replied, "You should drop them all in the middle of the river because they are the cause of grief, sorrow, lamentation and despair." His father was very upset.

    Then Ratthapila's former wives said, "Did you join the Buddha's Order in order to associate with heavenly nymphs? Are they prettier than us?"

    Ratthapala replied, "Dear sisters, I did not become a bhikkhu for that reason but in order to be free from all defilements." On being called sisters by Ratthapala they realised that he would never return to them and fainted with grief and shock. (Ratthapala Sutta, MLS Sta. 82, M. ii. 64-65)

    It is not possible to say that all bhikkhus will be released from rebirth, Some bhikkhus return to lay life. After death as a bhikkhu some go to heavenly planes of existence, some are reborn as human beings and some go to the four lower worlds because they did not practise the Buddha's teaching very well. Therefore, monastic life is a very serious undertaking. We can see this from a story which was told by the Buddha.

    Once, Venerable Moggallana, the chief of those disciples with psychic powers, was coming down the Gijjhakuta Hill with Venerable Lakkhana. When they reached the foot of the mountain, Venerable Moggallana suddenly smiled. Venerable Lakkhana did not understand the former's reason for smiling and asked why he smiled. Venerable Moggallana said, "You should ask the reason in the presence of the Buddha." When they came to the presence of the Buddha Venerable Moggallana said, "I saw a swine Peta with its mouth swarming with maggots. Because of that I smiled."

    The Buddha said, "I also saw that very same Peta soon after my attainment of Buddhahood but I did not say anything about it because they might not have believed me and that would have been harmful to them."

    Then the bhikkhus requested the Buddha to tell about the Peta's action which had led to that state and the Buddha related the following story.

    "During the time of Kassapa Buddha, the Peta was a bhikkhu who had skill in preaching. On one occasion he came to a monastery where two bhikkhus lived amicably together. The two resident monks were very hospitable to the visiting monk. All three monks went together to the village for alms. The resident bhikkhu urged the visiting monk to preach to the villagers. Day by day the visitor won the respect of the villagers because of his skilful preaching. A desire to live there permanently arose in him and he thought, "It would be better If I could make the other two bhikkhus leave this place." The visiting monk told lies about each monk to the other to disunite them and the two resident monks gradually became suspicious of one another and then quarrelled violently. The visiting monk pretended to reconcile them and make them stay but secretly he was happy.

    The two bhikkhus left the monastery and went in different directions. The visitor said to the villagers, "The two monks have left your monastery. Although I requested them not to do so, they did not listen to me. They were too angry." But some wise people did not believe him.

    The two bhikkhus were unhappy. They thought, "We stayed harmoniously together for many years. Why did we blame each other?" After many years they met at a monastery by chance. At first they did not speak to each other.

    The elder monk broke the silence by saying, "We lived together for such a long time. In the meantime, how did I offend you?"

    The younger monk replied, "No, you did not offend me."

    "Then why did you tell the visiting monk not to associate with me?"

    "I did not say that; but you told the visiting monk not to associate with me," the younger monk replied. After that they realised that it was only because of the visiting monk that they had quarrelled and so they returned to their monastery together. When the visiting monk saw them coming, he ran away from the monastery.

    On account of his evil deed the visitor monk was reborn in a hell and he was serving out the remaining part of his evil kamma as a swine peta.

    Then the Buddha admonished the bhikkhus, "A bhikkhu should be calm and well restrained in thought, word and deed." (DhA. v 281)

    Prom this story we can learn many lessons about back-biting and gossip. We should have good-will towards other people. We should say what is true at an appropriate time. We. should be cautious about believing other people. We should keep ourselves away from people who backbite and praise themselves. If you listen to them and believe their words it will only lead to the arising of jealousy and anger.

4) Practised Respectably (Samicipatipanno)

    In this world everybody wants respect from others. To be a respected person, one's morality must be better than others. To pay respect to each other is very important in society because everybody likes to win the respect of others and produces harmony and happiness. On the contrary, a contemptuous attitude increases hatred and causes quarrels. The Buddha taught that it is proper to pay respect to elders and to those of superior morality such as monks and nuns.

    On one occasion the Buddha, with Venerable Sariputta and other Theras, set out on a journey from Rajagaha to Savatthi in order to receive a gift of the Jetavana monastery. Some other bhikkhus who were the disciples of a group of six immoral monks went on ahead to occupy a good place for their night's rest. So when Venerable Sariputta and the other elders arrived they had no place to rest. The Buddha summoned the monks and told a story of the past saying, "If, while I am still alive, my disciples do not pay respect to each other what will happen after I pass away?"

    "Long ago, three animals; a partridge, a monkey and an elephant, lived together by a banyan tree in the Himalayan forest. One day they thought, "We should choose the eldest among us as the leader and we will give him the first choice of food and resting place." So they asked one another, "What is your first memory of this tree?"

    The elephant said, "When I was young, I could stand with my belly touching the top of the tree."

    The monkey said, "When I was young, I sat on the ground and ate its sprouts."

    The partridge said, "When I was young, this tree was not here. I ate the fruits of another tree and excreted the seeds here. The tree grew from that."

    So they recognized the partridge as the eldest and the other two paid respect to him. The partridge observed morality himself and urged the other two to do the same. After they had lived happily together throughout their lives they were reborn in a heavenly plane.' (Tittira Jataka no. 37, Ja. i. 218)

    Bhikkhus dedicate their whole life to the practice of the Buddha's teaching to get rid of defilements. Discursive thinking and illusion produce defilements. Only a person who knows the real nature of mind and matter can root out the defilements. So bhikkhus have to practise insight meditation in order to know correctly the true nature of mind and matter. So a bhikkhu is worthy of respect even if he is not an ariyan because he is practising to eradicate the defilements.

    Devout lay Buddhists dedicate their wealth to the attainment of nibbana. They have no wish to gain mundane welfare. Therefore bhikkhus need to have good morality so that the devotees' offerings will get maximum benefit. The more bhikkhus practise morality, tranquillity and insight, the more merit the devotees will get from their offerings.

    Why should one make offerings to bhikkhus?

    The followers of the monastic life are entirely dependent on the support of lay people because they have no other source of income. This mode of living was prescribed by the Buddha to make the bhikkhus humble and amenable to instruction. No one likes to depend on others because a dependent is in an inferior position. The Buddha also prescribed the bhikkhu's ascetic appearance with simple robes and a shaven head so that bhikkhus would not become conceited about their appearance. Most people cherish their hair and try to keep it in an attractive style but the bhikkhu is not allowed to keep it more than two finger-widths long. Their robes are made from rags from the rubbish heap and coloured with bark dye. Nowadays, factory-made robes are usually used but the appearance is not much changed. Bhikkhus are not allowed to follow the changing fashions. For their food they have to accept whatever is offered and cannot choose what they want to eat.

    The Buddha laid down this way of life in order to constantly remind his disciples that their life depends on others, so that they do not become conceited about their good looks, and so that they constantly reflect on their morality to see that they are not blameworthy.

    This encourages bhikkhus to get rid of defilements whenever they arise.

    Once a bhikkhu named Eyamitta lived in a forest. He always went to a village not far from the forest for his alms. One day while he went for alms he overheard a conversation between a mother and her daughter. The mother, before going to work in the fields, told her daughter, "Dear daughter, here is the best rice, butter, milk, cooking-oil etc., cook them carefully. Offer them to our bhikkhu and eat the rest yourself."

    The daughter asked, "What about you?"

    "Oh, I have had vinegar and left-over rice for my breakfast, I will take something else later."

    Eyamitta thought, "They are dedicating their food to nibbana. Can I develop the result of their merit according to their wish?" Then he resolved, "Until I root out the defilements, I will never eat their food."

    So he returned to his place to practise insight meditation. Because he had already practised for a long time he very quickly attained nibbana. There was still time for him to go into the village so he went to his supporter's house for alms.

    The daughter was struck by the calm and serene features of the monk and when her mother returned told her about it. The mother, who was wise, said, "Our bhikkhu has realised nibbana", and they were both very happy. (Commentary on Mahasatipatthana Sutta)

    The Buddha said, "If, as a result of a bhikkhu's teaching, one has the opportunity to go to the Buddha, Dhamma and Samgha for refuge, to observe the precepts pleasing to noble people and to realise the four noble truths then that bhikkhu is deserving of respect and offerings." (MLS Sta. 142, M. iii. 254)

5) Worthy of Offerings (Ahuneyyo)

    Ariya bhikkhus are worthy of offerings which are brought even from far away. Even heavenly beings, let alone human beings, come and offer to ariya bhikkhus because of their morality, tranquillity and wisdom. Nothing gets around farther or faster than the scent of the virtuous. It can reach the Brahma world. It arouses the donor's generosity. Ariya bhikkhus promote the prosperity of poor people by accepting their alms-food. If a person offers alms to an ariya bhikkhu who has just arisen from absorption in nibbana, he can get whatever he wishes for immediately.

    One day, Thera Mahakassapa entered a poor quarter of the city of Rajagaha for alms-food just after arising from nirodha-sampatti. Five hundred female heavenly beings asked the Thera to take their food but he refused because his intention was to give a poor man an opportunity of gaining great merit. When the king of the Devas knew about It, he and his most beloved wife, Sujata came down to Rajagaha in the guise of a poor old couple. They took the appearance of weavers in a small hut. The Thera stood at their door. They took the bowl from the Thera and filled it up with rice and curry. When the Thera opened the bowl, the delicious smell of the food spread throughout the city. Then it occurred to the Thera that this person must be no ordinary human being and indeed must be the king of the Devas himself. Then he said, "Oh, king of Devas, you have committed an offence by grabbing the opportunity of a poor family."

    Sakka replied, "In a way, I too am poor because I have had no opportunity to offer anything to a bhikkhu during the time of the previous Buddhas so I have to run away from other Devas who have superior glory because they had given something to the disciples of the Buddha."

    The Thera admonished him not to deceive him again in the future and the couple left happily after paying respects to him. The Buddha saw this event from his monastery and told the bhikkhus about it. The bhikkhus wondered how the king of the Devas knew that the Thera had just come out of nirodha-samapatti and the Buddha answered, "The reputation of the virtuous spreads far and wide; it reaches even the Deva world. On account of the Thera's reputation, Sakka himself came to offer alms-food to him."'

    The Buddha enumerated fourteen grades of offerings:-

    1. An offering to the Buddha.

    2. An offering to a Paccekabuddha who is enligh tened by himself but cannot preach to others.

    3. An offering to an Arahant.

    4. An offering to one striving for Arahantship.

    5. An offering to a non-returner.

    6. An offering to one striving for non-returning.

    7. An offering to a once-returner.

    8. An offering to one striving for once-returning.

    9. An offering to a stream-winner.

    10. An offering to one striving for stream-winning.

    11. An offering to one outside the Buddha's teaching who is detached from sensual pleasures.

    12. An offering to an ordinary person of moral habit.

    13. An offering to a person of poor moral habit.

    14. An offering to an animal.

    An offering to an animal yields a hundred-fold benefit; to a person of poor moral habit, a thousand fold; to a moral person, a hundred-thousand-fold; so you can best imagine how much is the benefit of offering to bhikkhus, nuns and yogis who are striving for the fruit of stream-winning or higher attainments.

    But this offering to individuals is still less than the fruit of offering to the Samgha. When the Buddha's maternal aunt, Mahapajapati Goatami offered him a pair of the best new robes, he told her three times, "Give it to the Order Gotami, if you give it to the Order I will be honoured and the Order too. In the distant future there will be many who are just in the name of bhlkkhus who wear the yellow robes around their neck. If a person offers even to them, dedicating the offering to the Order, the result of his offering will be too great to measure."(MLS. Sta. 142, M. iii.256)

6) Worthy of Hospitality (Pahuneyyo)

    People tend to keep good things for visitors and friends who visit them occasionally. These visitors may give some pleasure and aid to them in worldly affairs. But ariya bhikkhus can be seen only when people live during the Buddha's Sasana. Whenever ariya bhikkhus meet people they promote their merit

    and guide them how to conduct themselves well, how to gain release from suffering, how to choose good friends, how to associate with each other etc. So bhikkhus are worthy even of the presents which have been set aside for visitors. When someone offers something to an ariya bhikkhu he will accumulate a great deal of merit. To get immediate result of giving the offering must be endowed with four conditions:-

    1. The perfection of the person receiving the alms; i.e. he must be an Arahant or Anagami.

    2. The perfection of generosity, i.e. the donor must feel happiness for his offering before, during and after giving it.

    3. The perfection of the alms given; i.e. they must be produced by lawful livelihood.

    4. The perfection of the dignity of the offering.

    The Story of a Slave

    Once, in Benares, there was a young son of a rich man, Canda. He came into a great inheritance upon the death of his parents. Looking at the wealth he thought, "My parents could not use the wealth fully. I will spend all of it." So he spent a huge sum of money to build a dining room and bathing house. He took a bath with scented water and ate food worth a thousand pieces of gold every day. Even from far away, people came to see him eat and envied his good fortune.

    One day, when a villager saw the food, he could not restrain his desire to eat it and asked the rich man what he must do to eat his food for one day. The rich man replied that to do so he must work for him for three years. The villager agreed and became his slave for three years.

    At the end of the three years he was taken to the dining room for his hard-earned meal. When he was about to eat the meal a Paccekabuddha suddenly appeared in front of him for alms. The poor man thought, "Because of my lack of merit in past lives, I have had to slave for three years for this meal. In order to avoid future poverty I will give the meal to the Paccekabuddha." He then offered the meal and prayed, "May I have perfect wealth and happiness in every future life and may I understand the truths that you have realised." The Paccekabuddha said, "May your wishes he fulfilled."

     The people were surprised at his great generosity and praised him. When the rich man heard about it, he was also very pleased with the poor villager's offering and shared half his wealth with him. They lived together happily for the rest of their lives and when they passed away they were reborn in heavenly planes. In the lifetime of Gotama Buddha the villager was reborn in a rich family. From the time of his conception the family felt both physical and mental happiness so he was named 'Sukha'. He became a novice at the age of seven. On the eighth day after his ordination he accompanied Thera Sariputta on his alms-round. When they came across some farmers irrigating their fields, some fletchers straightening arrows and some wheelwrights making spokes for their wheels the novice asked the Thera if these inanimate things could be guided to where one wanted them. The Thera answered in the affirmative. The novice pondered that if that were so there could he no reason why a person could not tame his mind and practise tranquillity and insight meditation. Thinking thus, he returned to the monastery and practiced meditation in solitude. He attained Arahantship on that very day.

7. Worthy of Gifts (dakkhineyyo)

    Naturally, living beings cling to their own wealth but they offer some to other people for various reasons. The Buddha assured us that the offerings based on attachment, fear or reciprocation cannot give much fruit in the future life. But the donor has contributed to affection and freedom from danger in a small way in the present life. To be a fruitful offering it should be grounded in loving-kindness, compassion, respect or belief in kamma and rebirth; that is to say that progress in one's future life depends on present wholesome deeds, and unwholesome deeds cause one's status to decline in future lives. According to Buddhism there are thirty-one planes; namely, four lower worlds, the human realm, and twenty-six heavenly planes. Until beings attain Nibbana they will have to transfer from one realm to another. We can say that human beings are in a middle place between the four lower worlds and the heavenly planes. Everyone should try at least not to descend below the human realm by observing morality and practicing charity. The Buddha said that proper and pure offerings can produce benefit and he enumerated four different kinds of offerings.

    What are they?

    1. There is the offering purified by the donor but not by the recipient; i.e. the donor is of morel habit and good character but the recipient is of poor morality and of evil character. This offering does not give great results. To increase the results of this offering one should dedicate it to the Order because a gift to the Order is of greater fruit than a gift to individuals.

    2. There is the offering purified by the recipient but not by the donor; i.e. the recipient is of more habit and good character but the donor isn't. This offering also doesn't produce great fruit.

    3. There is the offering purified by neither the donor nor the recipient. This offering is of least fruit.

    4. There is the offering purified by both the donor and the recipient. This offering produces the most abundant fruit of all. ( MLA. Sta. 142, M. iii. 257)

8) Worthy of Reverence (Anjalikaraniyo)

    In the world there are various kinds of salutation. Although some people salute each other according to their tradition, culture, or principle; as for a Buddhist his salutation to the Buddha and his Order has nothing to do with them. Holding up his hands with palms touching he pays respect to their virtue which is worthy of respect. He does not pay respect only to their appearance or to the person. Anyone can take on the appearance of respectability with ease but it Is difficult to live up to the high standards of morality, tranquillity and insight knowledge. An ordinary person has great difficulty even to observe five precepts. As for bhikkhus, they have to practise a lot of rules to be worthy of the people's reverence. If a bhikkhu fails to follow the monastic discipline his life becomes a burden of guilt. Therefore the Buddha constantly admonished his disciples to conduct themselves so that they would be worthy of respect.

    Once, the Buddha was on alms-round among the Kosala people with a great following of monks. On the way he saw a great fire and stepped off the road and sat down at the foot of a big tree. Then he asked the monks, "What do you think, 0 monks? Which would be better? To lie down beside that great mass of fire or to lie down beside a beautiful lady?"

    The bhikkhus replied, "Surely it would be better to lie down beside a beautiful lady."

    The Buddha said, "It would be better for a bhikkhu to lie down beside that great mass of fire. Because fire might cause him harm or even death but he would not because of that, go down to hell. If he were to lie down beside a beautiful lady his morality would easily break and his immorality would cause his birth in hell after death."

    The Buddha continued his sermon thus: the suffering which will be felt by an immoral bhikkhu on account of enjoying the respect of wealthy nobles is worse than the suffering which a person feels when he is bound and both his legs are crushed to the bone-marrow with a stout horse-hair rope being twisted by a strong man.

    The suffering which will be felt by an immoral bhikkhu on account of enjoying the salutation of wealthy nobles is worse than the suffering which a person feels when his chest is pierced with a sharp spear.

    The suffering which will be felt by an immoral bhikkhu on account of enjoying wearing the monastic robe is worse than the suffering which a person feels when his body is wrapped around with red-hot iron plates.

    The suffering which will be felt by an immoral bhikkhu on account of enjoying alms-food is worse than the suffering which a person feels when he swallows a red-hot iron ball.

    The suffering which will be felt by an immoral bhikkhu on account of enjoying the couch or bed is worse than the suffering which a person feels when he sits or lies on a red-hot iron bed.

    The suffering which will be felt by an immoral bhikkhu on account of enjoying the use of the monastery is worse than the suffering which a person feels when he is boiled in a red-hot iron cauldron.

    Therefore you should train yourselves thus; we make of use the requisites; that is to say, the robes, alms-food, medicine and monastery. These offerings should become very fruitful, very profitable for the donors so we must develop our morality, tranquillity and wisdom while using these four requisites. In this way you should strive earnestly for the good of both self and others.' (A. iv. 128-135) In accordance with the Buddha's teaching, the bhikkhus practise the monastic rules so they are worthy of reverence.

9) The Finest Field of Merit in the World

(Anuttaram punnakkhettam lokassa)

    Giving offerings is like farming. To get a bountiful crop there are several necessary factors; good mature seeds, sufficient water, fertile soil, a knowledgeable farmer, protection from pests etc. In the same way, for an offering to be beneficial a donor must have faith, generosity, wisdom, joy and must offer his donation to a virtuous recipient. As an unripe or rotten seed cannot grow; if a person has no faith, compassion or loving-kindness he will be reluctant to give anything in charity. If a seed is not supplied with enough water it cannot grow properly and yield a good crop. Like wise, some people offer their wealth reluctantly so they get only freedom from danger. When a farmer cannot protect his field from pests all his endeavours may be in vain. Some people offer things to others expecting that they will reciprocate or in order to put them under an obligation. When the recipients do not fulfill their wishes they tend to regret having made any offering. Such offerings also cannot produce much result. In connection with this a story should be told.

    Once, King Pasenadi of Kosala came to pay homage to the Buddha after having confiscated a rich man's wealth because he had left no heirs. The king told the Buddha, "The rich man was very stingy, he was reluctant to spend his wealth even on himself and therefore he ate very sparingly and wore only coarse clothes. Why was he unable to enjoy his wealth?"

    The Buddha related the story of the rich man's past life. One day when a Paccekabuddha came and stood for alms at his house he told his wife to offer something to him. His wife, thinking that it was very rare for her husband to give her permission to give alms, filled up the alms-bowl with choice food. The rich man met the Paccekabuddha on his way home and had a look in the alms-bowl. Seeing that his wife had offered a substantial amount of good food, he thought, "Oh, this bhikkhu would only have a good sleep after such a good meal, it would have been better if my servants had been given the food; at least they would have given me better service." Because he had offered alms-food to the Paccekabuddha he became a rich man in the present life. Because he regretted having offered the food he had no wish to spend anything even on himself.

    The king remarked, "Even though he had lived here in the life-time of the Buddha himself, he had not made any offering of anything to the Buddha or his disciples; indeed the rich man had missed a good opportunity; he had been very foolish." (DhA. v. 355)

    The king's remark is quite right because the rich man is like a foolish farmer who does not work to protect a fertile field even though he has all the facilities. Now, we too, have a very precious opportunity to offer alms to virtuous bhikkhus, to observe the precepts and to practise insight meditation while the Buddha's teachings are still intact. The remaining lifetime of the sasana is only about 2,500 years. After the Buddha's teachings disappear it will be a very long time before one can have another such opportunity to practise the Dhamma.

    All of the above mentioned attributes are concerned with ariya bhikkhus or noble ones who have realised one of the eight stages of holiness i.e. the four supramundane paths (magga) and fruitions (phala). There are four pairs:-

    1. The one realising the path of stream-winning (sotapatti-magga).

    2. The one realising the fruition of stream-winning (sotapatti-phala).

    3. The one realising the path of once-returner (sakadagami-magga).

    4. The one realising the fruition of once-returner (sakadagami -phala).

    5. The one realising the path of non-returner (anagami-magga).

    6. The one realising the fruition of non-returner (anagami-ph ala).

    7. The one realising the path of arahant (arahatta-magga).

    8. The one realising the fruition of arahant (arahatta -phala).

    Path (magga) is the designation of the moment of entering into one of the four stages of holiness. Its duration is extremely short. The moment of rooting out the defilements is called magga. Phala (fruition) are the moments of consciousness immediately following the path moment and which may also be repeated for longer periods thereafter by developing concentration. So in brief there are only four types of noble individuals; the stream-winner (sotapanna), the once-returner (sakadagami), the non-returner (anagami) and the arahant.

    The stream-winner is free from the five fetters which bind one to the lower worlds, namely; personality belief or ego illusion (sakkhaya ditthi), sceptical doubt (vicikiccha, attachment to wrong practices (silabbataparamasa), envy (issa) and meanness (macchariya). After he is reborn seven times at most as a human being or heavenly being his process of mind and matter will cease, i.e. he will attain arahatta magga.

    The once-returner, in addition, is nearly free from the strong fetters of sensual desire (kamacchanda) and ill -will (byapada). He rarely desires sensual pleasures and will be reborn at most once more as a human being.

    The non-returner becomes totally free from the above two fetters. He will never return to the sensual world (kama-loka) but will attain final release in the Brahma world.

    The Arahant Is free from all defilements; the above mentioned as well as craving for fine-material existence (rupa-raga), craving for immaterial existence (arupa -raga), conceit (mana), restlessness (uddhacca) and ignorance (avijja). He has put an end to rebirth.

    How should one behave towards bhikkhus?

    The Buddha preached one verse in the Dhammapada: "If one wrongs a person who should not be wronged; who is free from moral defilements, the evil falls back upon that fool like fine dust thrown against the wind." (Dhp. V 125)

    In the life-time of the Buddha, as a hunter called Koka was going out to hunt with his pack of hounds he met a bhikkhu entering the city for alms-food. He took that as a bad omen and grumbled to himself, 'Since I have seen this wretched one, I don't expect I shall get anything today," and he went on his way. As he expected he did not get anything. On his way home he again saw the same bhikkhu returning to the monastery after taking his meal in the city so he became very angry and set his dogs on the bhikkhu. Quickly, the bhikkhu climbed up a tree to a level just out of reach of the hounds. Then the hunter went to the foot of the tree and pricked the feet of the bhikkhu with the tip of his arrow. The bhikkhu was in great pain and was not able to keep his robes on; they slipped off his body and onto the hunter. The dogs, seeing the robes, thought that the bhikkhu had fallen from the tree and pounced on the hunter tearing him to pieces. The bhikkhu broke a dead branch from the tree and throw it at the dogs scaring them into the forest but when he came down he found that the hunter was already dead. He felt sorry for him and wondered whether he might be held responsible for the death since the hunter had died because of being covered up by his robes. So he went to the Buddha to clear up his doubt.

    The Buddha said, "My son, rest assured and have no doubt; you are not responsible for the death of the hunter, your morality is not soiled on account of his death. Indeed that hunter did a great wrong to one to whom he should do no wrong and so came to his grievous end."

    In accordance with this story one should take care not to do any wrong to bhikkhus even if one cannot pay respect to them.

THE END