DHAMMA PADETHA
(Volume One)

Ashin Kundalabhivamsa
Aggamaha Kammatthanacariya

Eating the Right Way Brings Merit

      Wise people who respect dhamma, wish to eliminate demerits and gain merit as much as possible. In every respect they wish to gain merit even while eating.

      Out of the three requirements, food, clothing and shelter, food is the most important because it is a daily necessity. While eating if we do not have proper reasoning we become attached to the good food, which is lobha. When the food is not good we are disappointed, which is dosa. Depending on the food we eat every day we are as though increasing lobha, dosa, demerits. That is why those who respect dhamma and wishing to gain merit must eat in such a way so as to gain merits.

      There are three kinds of eating to gain merits

     (1) Eating with sila

     (2) Eating with samatha

     (3) Eating with vipassana

     (1) Eating with sila is as follows:

      We must reflect that we do not eat for amusement like children, neither do we eat to beautify ourselves, nor do we eat to have strength and pride. We eat so as to have sound health to be able to work for the sasana, to work for the benefit of ourselves and others, to practise noble dhamma. Thus, eating with wisdom is known as eating with sila.

     Motto: To enable us to practise dhamma,

     eating with wisdom is eating with sila.

      (2) Eating with samatha is as follows:

      While eating the food, we try to extend our metta towards those who prepared and cooked the food, towards our parents and teachers who were our benefactors; toward those who have come to donate the food. Beginning from these people may all creatures from the ten directions be healthy and happy. This kind of eating is eating while gaining samatha merit.

     Motto: Extending metta while eating is eating with samatha.

      (3) Eating with vipassana is as follows:

      Beginning from seeing the food, noting every action while eating.

      When we see the food we note 'seeing, seeing' just as we see it. When we put out our hand to the meal table we note 'reaching, reaching;' when we touch the food we note, 'touching, touching'. When we prepare food for a mouthful, we note 'preparing, preparing.' When we take the food 'taking, taking'. When we lower our heads 'lowering lowering'; when we put the food into our mouths 'putting, putting'; when we put our head up 'putting our head up'; when chewing the food 'chewing, chewing'; when we know the taste 'knowing, knowing^'; when we swallow, 'swallowing, swallowing.' Thus if we note every action while eating it is eating with vipassana. We attain vipassana merit.

     Motto: Noting the actions while eating is eating with vipassana.

      Eating with vipassana, at the beginning we tend to forget many actions. But later when we get into the habit of noting we could note every action. At the beginning of noting we should keep any obvious action as the main object, reaching for the meal table or lowering your head or chewing as the main object. If you can note one thing, later you will be able to note everything.

      While noting and as your concentration develops to a certain extent, you will realize that the action of the physical body is separate and the noting mind is separate. Later when samadhi deepens step by step you will discover that the desire to eat and the action of eating disappears or passes away step by step and you are gaining vipassana merit while eating. Those whose paramis are mature have attained noble insight.

      Long ago the teacher (upajjhaya) Mahasangharakkhita, the uncle Sayadaw, and Sangharakkhita, the nephew samanera, were residing together at the same monastery. At eight-thirty, or nine o'clock in the morning the samanera went round the houses for alms-food. When he came back to the monastery at about ten thirty or eleven o'clock he ate the food. While eating it the Sayadaw came and admonished, by saying, "Samanera, do not burn your tongue with hot rice and curry" although the monk knew that the alms-food which has been collected from houses has become entirely cold at ten thirty, eleven o'clock, and yet he admonished that the samanera must not burn his tongue with hot rice and curry. Sayadaw does not mean the actual rice and curry, he meant to say do not burn the tongue with lobha, dosa hot food. Thus the samanera was mindful of his actions while eating.

      When you eat good food and are not mindful you become attached to the food which is lobha (rasatanha). When you eat inferior food, you are displeased and have dosa. Thus lobha, dosa hot food burn your tongue. So as not to burn, the young samanera ate with mindfulness. While eating with mindfulness, he became an arahant.

     Motto: While eating with vipassana, became an arahant.

Great Happiness if Faultless

      One day rich man Anathapindika came to Jetavana monastery, where Lord Buddha was residing. After paying homage, he sat at a suitable place. At that time Lord Buddha said to Anathapindika 'In this human world there are four kinds of happiness that human beings can attain.

     (1) Atthi Sukha — happiness of having wealth

     (2) Bhoga Sukha — happiness of using the wealth

     (3) Anya Sukha — happiness due to being free from debts

     (4) Anavajja Sukha— to be free from faults

      These are the four kinds of happiness.

      (1) People living in this human abode have to worry when they have no property or wealth for food, clothing and shelter for the present, and also worry for the future. If they should acquire wealth by unlawful means they have to think and worry about the punishment that would befall them.

      Those who acquire wealth by lawful means are happy themselves and also make parents, children, workers and friends staying together happy. Because they can give donation to sangha and those who come to ask for donation, they get the benefit of happiness.

      That is why Lord Buddha discoursed that those who have acquired wealth lawfully by physical effort and by intellect are happy in this human world.

     Motto: Having wealth is one of the causes of happiness.

      (2) Those who have not acquired wealth lawfully will be unhappy for want of food, clothing and shelter. They will also make their parents, children, relatives and workers who are their dependants unhappy. They will be unhappy because they cannot donate to those who have come to ask for donation.

      Those who have acquired wealth by lawful means, could distribute food, clothing and the like among parents, relatives and workers. They could also divide and donate to monks and those who come and ask for donation.

      That is why Lord Buddha preached that to be able to divide things and using them and to be able to donate things are causes of happiness.

     Motto: Using things and donating are the cause of happiness.

      According to Lord Buddha's instructions, wealth acquired through lawful means must be divided into four portions. One portion must be used for parents, children, friends and those who ask for donation. Two portions must be used for investment. One portion must be kept by for emergency.

      (3) Those who do not acquire wealth lawfully and are poor

     (a) to be so poor as to take loan and to be in debt is the cause of unhappiness.

     (b) to have to borrow is unhappiness.

     (c) to have to promise that one will repay the debt is unhappiness.

     (d) to be asked by the lender to repay is unhappiness.

     (e) to be chased by the money-lender is unhappiness.

     (f) to be imprisoned for not being able to pay back is unhappiness.

      In this way, those who are in debt will have to worry and suffer all kinds of misery.

      Those who are free from debt because they have acquired wealth by fair means are free from borrowing, from having to promise that they would repay, from being asked to repay, from being chased by money lenders from being imprisoned for not being able to pay back the money. Thus they live happily and peacefully.

      That is why Lord Buddha discoursed that to be free from debt is a kind of happiness for people living in this world.

     Motto: Free from debt, is one of the causes of happiness.

     (4) Happiness due to faultlessness means:

     (a) to be free from fault physically

     (b) to be free from fault verbally

     (c) to be free from fault mentally are all happiness.

     (a) To be free from fault physically means:

      Physically abstaining from killing, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from sexual misconduct. These are physically free from fault,

     Motto: Killing shortens life, abstaining prolongs life. Stealing makes scarcity of things, abstaining have things in abundance.

     Sexual misconduct causes hatred, abstaining makes one loved,

      As stated above having a long life in the present existence, being free from diseases, being wealthy, being loved and respected by others are benefits which make one happy. In future lives also one will be happy in the noble deva realm etc. with luxuries.

     (b) To be free from fault verbally means:

      Not telling lies, not to slander so as to cause disharmony, not using abusive and harsh language not having frivolous talk. These are verbally free from fault.

      In everyday life, because people have to talk according to circumstances it is more difficult to be free from fault verbally than physically. Sometimes circumstances lead you to tell lies. Sometimes circumstances lead you to slander. Sometimes circumstances lead you to use harsh language. Sometimes circumstances lead you to frivolous talk. That is why it is more difficult to stay verbally free from fault.

      Families, teachers and pupils, living together should be specially careful not to use harsh language. Sometimes because parents and teachers wish to make their children and pupils become good they have to use harsh language. But this does not amount to harsh language. Only if they have intentions it becomes a harsh language.

      However if words are sweet but the intention is harsh it amounts to harsh language.

      Once, a ruler of a country, a king while having audience with princes and ministers, the news that a notorious rebel was caught was reported. The king, not wishing to use harsh language in the presence of honourable audience, said 'take the rebel into the jungle and let him sleep.' Though the words were sweet his intention was death and it amounted to harsh language.

      Though harsh words are used, if the intention is not harsh it is free from the fault of using harsh language.

      Long ago, a mother and son lived together in the same house. Since they did not think alike they quarrelled now and again. The son said 'I can no more live together with such a rough and harsh mother. I shall leave this house and go and live elsewhere.' So saying he left the house.

      The mother, not wishing him to leave, cursed him 'if you go, may you be gored to death by a wild female buffalo in the jungle, on your way.'

      The son refused to listen and left through the jungle. Just as the mother had said a female wild buffalo came charging with great speed and came close. Knowing that be could not escape he prayed and made a vow, 'if what mother said was unintentional, may the buffalo not gore, if it was intentional let the buffalo gore me'. The female buffalo, as though she did not see the boy whom she would gore, went away.

      Like the words of the mother, though they were rough, the intention not being harsh it did not amount to harsh speech or language.

      Those who wish to be faultless in their speech there are five factors to fulfil.

     (1) speaking at a proper time

     (2) speaking the truth, without lies

     (3) speaking with gentle words

     (4) speaking that is beneficial

     (5) speaking with metta, loving kindness

      If the speech is complete with these five qualities it is faultless and gain merit as well as happiness.(Am 2/213)

      Those who are faultless in speech and have good morality or sila:

     (1) acquire wealth or property easily;

     (2) have good reputation;

     (3) can enter functions with all kinds of audience

     (4) seeing good signs at the time of death and dying peacefully; and

     (5) they can reach celestial realms in future lives, and they are also happy in this life. (Am 2/221)

      (c) Mentally faultless means.

     (1) Not planning to get other people's property by unfair means with lobha.

     (2) Not planning with dosa for other people to deteriorate and die.

     (3) Restraining from thinking wrongly that there is no good or bad kamma.

      These are mentally faultless.

     Motto: Physically, verbally and mentally faultless is a way of happiness.

      To be faultless mentally is more difficult than to be free from fault physically and verbally. The mind that has been unruly for many lives is difficult to defeat. It changes very rapidly and tends to dwell on bad sense object. If it is purified and becomes faultless one will realise nibbana and the door of apaya will be closed. That is why it is of vital importance to purify the mind and be faultless.

      To purify the mind and become faultless one has to practise satipatthana vipassana. For yogis who practise satipatthana vipassana, two things are accomplished by every noting. On one side lobha, dosa, moha, ditthi, the impurities of the mind are eliminated. On the other side, to get to the ultimate goal nibbana, concentration nana becomes strengthened and mature, When vipassana insight is complete and reaches magga nana the impurities of the mind are entirely eliminated and reach the noblest nibbana.

     Atthi Sukha — happiness of having wealth

     Bhoga Sukha — happiness of using wealth

     Anya Sukha — happiness due to being free from debts.

      All these happiness do not even amount to one sixteenth part of the happiness of being faultless in body, speech and mind. Lord Buddha had discoursed that to be faultless physically, verbally and mentally is many many times happier.

Proper Maintenance of Wealth Means Happiness and Prosperity

      In this human abode it is a satisfactory condition of people who acquire wealth or property by fair means and to be able to maintain it for long, is also another satisfactory condition.

      It is undesirable if after acquiring wealth one is unable to maintain it and to let it be deteriorated. To be able to maintain the wealth that has been acquired, gives happiness in this life and in future existences.

      Therefore, Lord Buddha gave a discourse on being able to keep wealth for long and the cause of not being able to keep it long.

      O' monks,

      (1) Not to search for property that has been lost is the cause of not having the property for long. To look for it is to keep it long.

      (2) Not repairing things that have decayed is the cause of not having it for long. Repairing keeps things restored.

      (3) Not knowing the correct amount to eat is the cause of the inability to keep the property for long. To know the correct amount to eat is the cause of keeping the property for long.

      (4) Keeping a person who has no morality or sila in the place of a leader is the cause of not having wealth and property for long. Keeping a person who has morality or sila in the place of a leader is to keep the properly for long. (Am 1/572)

      (1) If one loses one's property while travelling and if one does not look for it immediately, some travellers might pick it up. If one searches for it in time, one might retrieve it. If one misplaces some valuables in ones own house and does not look for it in time one might forget about if after a long time and it gets lost entirely.

      If one lets all the family members know about it and search for it together, the property might be retrieved. Some people have very good intuitive mind and are able to retrieve even the property that has been decided to be lost.

      (2) It you do not repair your house, building and furniture in time when they become old and need repair you will lose their worth. If they are repaired in time they will last a long time.

      For example:

      When a leg of a chair, a bedstead, a dining table is not in a good condition and you keep using it without repairing, the remaining three legs will also become useless by and by. However, if the bad leg is repaired at once, the property will last long.

      In every town and village/state people build many buildings for religious purposes enthusiastically with lots of cetana and saddha. When the buildings become old and in no more proper order, people are not enthusiastic to renovate them. Thus, they are destroyed which should not have been. That is why people should especially bear in mind to renovate old buildings and maintain them. Lord Buddha liked and praised renovation work very much.

     Ilt is obvious that Lord Buddha wished us to renovate old pagodas than build new ones. That is why renovating old pagodas will be more beneficial than construct ing new ones.

      (3) If one does not know the correct amount of money to spend on food and have only good food, clothing and shelter, one will deteriorate because one's income awl expenditure are not balanced. Therefore, one's property will not last long.

      To know the correct amount and using it, one's income and expenditure will he balanced so that the property will last long. To use the correct amount of property there must be tour portions.

     (a) One portion must be used for parents, children, friends and for those who come for donation.

     (b) Two portions must be invested.

     (c) One portion must be kept for emergency

      To use the property by dividing into four portions is according to Lord Buddha's instructions to use it correctly so that the property will last long.

      (4) If the leader has no morality, his followers who are his children and his subordinates will have no morality. In homes, townships and places where there are people with no morality living together, everything will deteriorate in the mundane as well as in the supramundane world.

      Just as the leader of a cowherd goes straight in crossing a river and the cows following straight after the leader observes sila, the children and followers will observe sila. In places like homes, and cities and countrysides respectively, where there are people with morality living together, there will be prosperity and happiness for a long time both in the mundane and supra-mundane worlds.

     (1) Not searching for things that have been lost

     (2) Not repairing things that have decayed

     (3) Not knowing the correct amount to eat and use

     (4) Not to have a leader without sila,

      These are four things to avoid.

      (l) To search for things lost

     (2) To repair things that have decayed

     (3) To know the correct amount of using things.

     (4) To have a leader with sila,

      These are four things that should be practised, according to Lord Buddha's instructions.

      Those who follow these instructions to maintain wealth or property for long and those who are complete with the four instructions will be able to maintain their property, for long and thus, will be free from physical and spiritual unhappiness. They will be happy physically and spiritually. Because they will be able to practise and cultivate dana, sila and meditation (bhavana) for this life and future births, they will be happy till they reach the ultimate bliss of nibbana.

Paying Respects Benefit both Parties

      All Buddhists are in the habit of paying respects to teachers, parents and elderly people according to seniority, on auspicious days like the Full-moon Day of Waso (Asalha), the Full-moon day of Thadingyut (Assajuja). New Year Day etc. It is our culture which has been handed down from our forbears.

      Paying respects whom respect is due or are worthy of respect is beneficial for both parties, the one who pays respects and the one who receives it. The blessings are multiplied.

      Benefits gained by those who pay respects.

      For young people paying respects to those who are worthy of respect, have the blessings for reverence and humbleness. When paying respects to elderly or senior people you humble yourself first of all and thus you are free from pride and conceit. Pride and conceit are cause of unhappiness in the rounds of rebirth, samsara for young people.

      Because you have got rid of pride by paying respects, it is beneficial for samsara. That is why those who pay respects eliminate bad effects and gain humbleness (nivata) blessings.

      By paying respects young people also have respectfulness (garava) blessings. Respects physically and verbally are given to elderly and senior people. Hence, conceit, not giving respects where respect is due and which is uncourteous, is eliminated. Conceit causes a lot of unhappiness in the rounds of rebirth.

      By paying obeisance, conceit is eliminated and therefore, will have lots of benefit in future births. That is why those who pay respects, eliminate bad kamma and receive garava blessings.

      In paying obeisance, there are two kinds.

     (1) Amisa puja — paying obeisance with offertories

     (2) Dhamma puja — paying obeisance by practising dhamma

      Buddhists pay obeisance with both kinds.

      (1) Amisa-puja---paying obeisance with offertories means offering elderly and senior people good food and fruits, clothing and the like. Those who pay obeisance offer things presents very respectfully and thus, gain merit by paying due respect (apacayana) merit and also dana merit.

      Because sila is involved in apacayana merit, those who have this kind of merit, in every existence, the following is acquired.

     (1) property is easily and abundantly obtained

     (2) become famous with good reputation

     (3) attending functions with all kinds of audience, with delight and without any sense of inferiority

     (4) seeing good signs when nearing death and meeting it with peace

     (5) being reborn in the reaIm of devas

      These are the five benefits gained by those who have apacayana merit.

      Those with dana merit will have in every existence,

     (1) long life

     (2) good looks

     (3) physical and spiritual happiness

     (4) lots of attendants and companions

     (5) a supermacy of authority in every aspect

     Motto: Longevity, good looks, happiness, attendants, supremacy are the five benefits

      That is why by paying respects to elderly and senior people with offertories they gain the above ten benefits and receive the blessing pertaining to honouring those to whom honour is due (pujaca pujanejanam

      (2) Dhamma Puja—paying respects by practising dhamma, listening to the admonition of elderly and senior people and by practising dhamma with mindfulness.

      Out of the two kinds of paying respects, Dhamma Puja— paying respects by practising dhamma will enable those who have paramis to realize nibbana. Therefore, it is more beneficial than by paying respects with offertories.

      Those who pay respects by practising dhamma may realize nibbana (sacchikiriya), that is attaining supramundane blessings (lokuttara mangala). That is why those who have the foundation for satipatthana practice, pay respects by practising mindfulness meditation.

      Benefits gained by receiver of the respects

      Elderly and senior people who receive respects from young people would ponder thus: we are no more ordinary people, we are receiving the respect of young people. Hence, to be worthy of their respect it is only appropriate that we should have sila, samadhi and panna. We must practise sila, samadhi and panna more than during our younger days. Thus, filled with mindfulness and remorse, they practise sila, samadhi and panna more and more and thus their merits are increased./P>

     Genuine metta is valuable

      When young people come to pay respects elderly and senior people give their blessings with genuine metta, loving kindness and compassion. 'May you all be free from harm, may you be happy physically and mentally, may you live more than a hundred years, may all your good wishes be fulfilled rapidly, may you be able to practise noble dhamma day and night.' These blessings will be beneficial in the present life as well as in future births or samsara and will be an invaluable essence.

     Reciprocal Metta is valuable

      When older and senior people give their blessings with genuine metta and karuna, young people who pay their respects are filled with joy or rapture (piti), metta is reflected and they in turn pray for the teachers and parents 'may they live more than a hundred years, may they be able to perform their duties for the benefit of the religion and the Sasana. Thus returning the best wishes and prayers will be beneficial for the present and future lives which is an invaluable essence.

      Therefore, paying respects to those who are worthy, eliminates bad kamma and fulfil benefit and merit to both parties, those who are paying respects and those who are receiving them.

Vipassana Meditation Should be Practised

      Human life is so full of problems such as the problem of food, clothing, shelter, social affairs, political affairs and so on. Compared to the lives of devas and brahma;, the human life-span is too short. A hundred years in the human world is just one and a half hours in the world of paranimmitta-vasavatti celestial devas.

      However, though human life is too short and full of problems, it offers the best opportunities to cultivate or accumulate merits and paramis which will lead to the cessation of sufferings and nibbana. All Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, Arahants who had attained nibbana accumulated merit and paramis in this human world.

      That is why while you have this human life you should make use of your time most profitably. If you wish to make use of the time most beneficially you must practise satipatthana vipassana meditation. Practising satipatthana vipassana meditation means using your available time in the best way which will be most beneficial.

      In practising satipatthana vipassana meditation by just doing one simple job of being mindful you are extinguishing lobha, dosa, rnoha defilements which will lead you to apaya on one hand. On the other hand, you will gain maturity of concentration insight (samadhi nana), which will lead you to the noblest nibbana. Thus two things are being accomplished.

      Consequently, while you have human life you should practise satipatthana vipassana meditation which is most beneficial for you.

      Practising satipatthana vipassana meditation is the work of the mind which is very subtle and difficult. However. it was practised by Lord Buddha himself and had given us the method with great compassion. Thus if we practise correctly we will know for ourselves calmness and firmness of the mind remarkably as well as experience insight. We will gain happiness which ordinary human beings and celestial beings cannot experience. That is why it is of vital importance to practise satipatthana vipassana meditiation.

      By practising satipatthana vipassana meditation you will certainly, beyond doubt, gain magga—phala nana by which you will escape apaya, samsara and miseries. You will reach nibbana definitely for which you have prayed every time you do meritorious deeds. Other than the practice of satipatthana vipassana meditation there is no way to attain magga, phala, nibbana. That is why you should practise satipatthana vipassana meditation in this human life.

      In practising satipatthana vipassana meditation, you are trying to discover the true nature of the changes that are taking place speedily in your physical and mental processes. To note the phenomena of mind and matter which keep changing at a great speed there are four dhammas:

      1. Kayanupassana Satipatthana - to be mindful to know every bodily behaviour

      2. Vedananupassana satipatthana - to be mindful to know the three types of vedana; unpleasant sensations, pleasant sensations, neutral sensations

      3. Cittanupassana Satipatthana - to be mindful of the ever changing mental processes

      4. Dhammanupassana Satipatthana- to be mindful of the remaining phenomena other than mentioned in the above three categories

      Kayanupassana - Noting every bodily behaviour that arises such as walking, standing. sitting, bending and stretching your arms, to know the nature of all their manners. At the beginning you are unable to note all the bodily actions. To gain concentration or samadhi you have to sit and meditate.

      At sitting meditation, you can either sit cross-legged or folding your knees to enable you to meditate for a long time. Your head and back must be erect, keep your attention at the abdomen. As you breathe in note, 'rising' and be mindful of the inner motion that rises up. Do not think of the form of the abdomen, which is the concept (pannatti), note attentively how the abdomen rises up as the air pushes from inside, which is the reality (paramattha).

      When you breathe out or exhale you must note, 'falling' as the motion inside falls, to know the nature of the phenomena. Do not note the form of the abdomen (pannatti) but be mindful of the falling movement of the abdomen and register its occurrence penetratively (paramattha)

      As your concentration develops you will realize that the rising and falling of the abdomen of the physical body is separate from the noting mind. This knowledge discerns the nature of rupa from that of nama. Apart from the rising and falling of the physical body and the noting mind there is in reality no such thing as self. As you keep on noting continuously you will discover that because there is a cause, there is an effect. Later when your samadhi strengthens you will perceive by comprehension, anicca, dukkha and anatta.

      Later when the samadhi nana becomes stronger, the material and mental processes arise and vanish at a fantastic speed. One will experience for himself or her self that the bodily behaviour such as walking, standing, sitting, lying down, bending stretching arise and disappear immediately as noting them is kept on.

      After realizing the appearance and disappearance of the physical behaviour such as rising, falling, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, bending and stretching you will be able to note the arising and passing away of vedana sensations. When you are noting the conscious mind also you will notice its appearance and disappearance. When you are noting seeing, hearing, smelling you will discover the nature of its arising and passing away. You will experience happiness significantly which no ordinary human beings or devas can experience.

      When you continue being mindful without interruption, your insight will develop step by step and attain fruition by way of sense objects when you reach sotapatti magga phala nana. All the bad kamma due to unwholesome deeds done in the previous countless number of existences which will lead you to apaya will be entirely extinguished. Beginning from this present life since you will have no chance to do any demerit which will lead you to apaya you will be entirely free from bad kamma.

      When you die you will have no more doubts. Can one be reborn in apaya, or as animals or in the woeful states of petas and the most ugly looking asuras? You will never reach the woeful states of apaya. You go through life cycles fearlessly.

      If a sotapanna who has realized nibbana by magga phala nana should be happy in the rounds of rebirth and forget the practice of satipatthana vipassana meditation, he will forget it for seven lives at the most. After seven rebirths he will become specially remorseful and practise satipatthana vipassana meditation and attain nibbana as an arahant.

      Even if a sotapanna is happy in the rounds of rebirth he will scarcely have sensual pleasures in the mundane world. He is mostly happy with dana, sila and samatha. Suffering from ageing, sickness, death, sorrow and lamentation in future lives have become so few as to be compared to the dust on Lord Buddha's thumb nail.

      At one time Lord Buddha was residing at Jetavana monastery in Savatthi. At that time the monks were assembled to listen to the discourse of Lord Buddha. As there was no time to give a discourse, Lord Buddha approached the monks and picking up some dust from the earth and putting it on his thumb nail asked though knowing it.

      'O monks, the dust put on my nail if compared to the whole earth, which is more?'

      Whereupon, the monks answered:

      'O Lord, the dust put on your nail compared to the whole earth is too little to be accounted for. The dust on the whole earth is far too much'.

      When the monks replied thus, the Lord said 'O, monks, my disciples in the same manner, those who have practised satipatthana vipassana and have become sotapanna may be compared to the dust on my nail. The remaining beings who suffer samsara's miseries such as old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, the bad kamma. may be compared to the whole earth. Thus the Enlightened One discoursed how a sotapanna who has practised satipatthana vipassana is relieved from suffering and attain happiness.

      That is why, you should make use of the time available most beneficially by practising satipatthana vipassana meditation in this human life.

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