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You’re welcome, Sir. Thank you for sharing the Venerable Waharaka Thero’s suttas chanting🙏🏿 is very appreciated.
- Another story is that of a peta who was the mother of Venerable Arahant Sāriputta and Venerable Arahant Maha Mogallana in a past life. Venerable Sāriputta built accommodations, brought food and called 3 arahants to offer them. He then dedicated this offering in honour of his deceased mother. As a result of this positive action, she acquired heavenly beauty and great relief from her sufferings. See Sāriputtattheramātupetivatthu
- If someone wants to learn more about these stories, I advise you to read the Pettavatthu. These are collections of stories of Petas who suffer due to their evil actions and some of them receive relief when they meet ariyas.
Hugo write : When the Buddha had a backache, no being in the universe could make it go away.
- In a sutta the Lord Buddha was healed by the Venerable Arahant Mahacunda who recited the 7 factors of awakening.Tatiyagilānasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Now at that time he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.
Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
Then Venerable Mahācunda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
Atha kho āyasmā mahācundo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ mahācundaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“Cunda, express your understanding of the awakening factors.”
“paṭibhantu taṁ, cunda, bojjhaṅgā”ti.
“Sir, the Buddha has rightly explained these seven awakening factors. When developed and cultivated, they lead to direct knowledge, to awakening, and to extinguishment.
“Sattime, bhante, bojjhaṅgā bhagavatā sammadakkhātā bhāvitā bahulīkatā abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattanti.
What seven?
Katame satta?
The awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.
Satisambojjhaṅgo kho, bhante, bhagavatā sammadakkhāto bhāvito bahulīkato abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati …pe… upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo kho, bhante, bhagavatā sammadakkhāto bhāvito bahulīkato abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati.
These are the seven awakening factors that the Buddha has rightly explained. When developed and cultivated, they lead to direct knowledge, to awakening, and to extinguishment.”
Ime kho, bhante, satta bojjhaṅgā bhagavatā sammadakkhātā bhāvitā bahulīkatā abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattantī”ti.
“Indeed, Cunda, these are awakening factors!
“Taggha, cunda, bojjhaṅgā;
Indeed, Cunda, these are awakening factors!”
taggha, cunda, bojjhaṅgā”ti.
This is what Cunda said,
Idamavocāyasmā cundo.
and the teacher approved.
Samanuñño satthā ahosi.
And that’s how the Buddha recovered from that illness.
Vuṭṭhahi ca bhagavā tamhā ābādhā.
Tathāpahīno ca bhagavato so ābādho ahosīti.
It is in the Tirokuṭṭasutta.
Tirokuṭṭesu tiṭṭhanti, sandhisiṅghāṭakesu ca;
Dvārabāhāsu tiṭṭhanti, āgantvāna sakaṁ gharaṁ.
Outside the walls they stand and wait, at the junctions and the crossroads
Returning to their former homes, they wait beside the door posts.
Pahūte annapānamhi, khajjabhojje upaṭṭhite;
Na tesaṁ koci sarati, sattānaṁ kammapaccayā.
But when lavish food and drink of many kinds is set out,
no-one remembers them at all, because of those beings’s deeds.
Evaṁ dadanti ñātīnaṁ, ye honti anukampakā;
Suciṁ paṇītaṁ kālena, kappiyaṁ pānabhojanaṁ.
That’s why those who have compassion, give to their relatives
food and drink at the right time, that’s clean, delicious, and suitable.
Idaṁ vo ñātīnaṁ hotu, sukhitā hontu ñātayo;
Te ca tattha samāgantvā, ñātipetā samāgatā.
“May this be for our relatives! May our relatives be happy!”
Those ghosts who have gathered there, the departed relatives who have come
Pahūte annapānamhi, sakkaccaṁ anumodare;
Ciraṁ jīvantu no ñātī, yesaṁ hetu labhāmase.
for the lavish food and drink, gratefully express appreciation:
“May our relatives live long! For those to whom we owe this gain,
Amhākañca katā pūjā, dāyakā ca anipphalā;
Na hi tattha kasī atthi, gorakkhettha na vijjati.
who have given honor to us, it will not be fruitless for the donor.”
There is no farming there, no cow pasture can be found;
Vaṇijjā tādisī natthi, hiraññena kayākayaṁ;
Ito dinnena yāpenti, petā kālagatā tahiṁ.
likewise there’s no trading, and no commerce in gold coin.
The departed, the dead in that place, live on what is given here.
Unname udakaṁ vuṭṭhaṁ, yathā ninnaṁ pavattati;
Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ, petānaṁ upakappati.
Just as water that rains on high, flows down to the plains,
so too what is given here, aids the departed ghosts.
Yathā vārivahā pūrā, paripūrenti sāgaraṁ;
Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ, petānaṁ upakappati.
Just as the rivers full, swell the ocean seas
so too what is given here, aids the departed ghosts.
Adāsi me akāsi me, ñāti mittā sakhā ca me;
Petānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ dajjā, pubbe katamanussaraṁ.
Thinking: “They gave to me, they did for me, they were my family, friend, companion”,
give offerings to departed kin, remembering past deeds.
Na hi ruṇṇaṁ vā soko vā, yā caññā paridevanā;
Na taṁ petānamatthāya, evaṁ tiṭṭhanti ñātayo.
For neither tears nor grief, or other lamentations
are of any use to the departed, so long as their relatives stay like this.
Ayañca kho dakkhiṇā dinnā, saṅghamhi suppatiṭṭhitā;
Dīgharattaṁ hitāyassa, ṭhānaso upakappati.
This offering that has been given, well placed in the Saṅgha,
is for their lasting welfare, and aids them right away.
So ñātidhammo ca ayaṁ nidassito, Petāna pūjā ca katā uḷārā;
Balañca bhikkhūnamanuppadinnaṁ, Tumhehi puññaṁ pasutaṁ anappakanti.
The relative’s duty has now been shown: how high honor to departed is performed,
how the mendicants can be kept healthy, and how no little merit is produced by you.
- The story Sir Lal is referring to is Part 3 – The Buddha’s Delivery of The Tirokuṭṭa Sutta
The petas mentioned were relatives of King Bimbisāra during the time of Lord Buddha Phussa. They stole alms intended for the noble Maha Sangha, which was led by Lord Phussa. Lord Buddha Phussa was the 21st of the 28 Buddhas and appeared just before Lord Buddha Vipassi. From the Parinibbāna of Lord Phussa until the time of Lord Gotama, these relatives spent the majority of their rebirths either in the nirayas or as petas (hungry ghosts), suffering for countless lifetimes.
In another version I read, they appealed to the seven Lord Buddhas to alleviate their suffering. Each time, the Buddhas advised them to reach out to the next Buddha until they eventually met Lord Gotama.
- Another interesting sutta on the transfer of merits is the Janussoni sutta.
Take someone else who kills living creatures … and has wrong view.
Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti …pe… micchādiṭṭhiko hoti.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the ghost realm.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā pettivisayaṁ upapajjati.
There they survive feeding on the food of the beings in the ghost realm. Or else they survive feeding on what friends and colleagues, relatives and kin provide them with from here.
Yo pettivesayikānaṁ sattānaṁ āhāro, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati, yaṁ vā panassa ito anuppavecchanti mittāmaccā vā ñātisālohitā vā, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati.
The conditions there are right, so the gift aids the one who lives there.”
Idaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ yattha ṭhitassa taṁ dānaṁ upakappatī”ti.
“But Mister Gotama, who partakes of that gift if the departed relative is not reborn in that place?”
“Sace pana, bho gotama, so peto ñātisālohito taṁ ṭhānaṁ anupapanno hoti, ko taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjatī”ti?
“Other departed relatives reborn there will partake of that gift.”
“Aññepissa, brāhmaṇa, petā ñātisālohitā taṁ ṭhānaṁ upapannā honti, te taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjantī”ti.
“But who partakes of the gift when neither that relative nor other relatives have been reborn in that place?”
“Sace pana, bho gotama, so ceva peto ñātisālohito taṁ ṭhānaṁ anupapanno hoti aññepissa ñātisālohitā petā taṁ ṭhānaṁ anupapannā honti, ko taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjatī”ti?
“It’s impossible, brahmin, it cannot happen that that place is vacant of departed relatives in all this long time.
“Aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ taṁ ṭhānaṁ vivittaṁ assa iminā dīghena addhunā yadidaṁ petehi ñātisālohitehi.
It’s never fruitless for the donor.”
Api ca, brāhmaṇa, dāyakopi anipphalo”ti.
- The video Taryal sent reminds me of the story of Venerable Arahant Dabba, who achieved Parinibbāna through fire. To my knowledge, two other arahants have also attained Parinibbāna by the fire element: Venerable Santati and Venerable Ananda.
So I have heard.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Then Venerable Dabba the Mallian went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
Atha kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“Holy One, it is the time for my full extinguishment.”
“parinibbānakālo me dāni, sugatā”ti.
“Please, Dabba, do as you see fit.”
“Yassadāni tvaṁ, dabba, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.
Then Dabba rose from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in midair, entered and withdrew from the fire element before becoming fully extinguished.
Atha kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe pallaṅkena nisīditvā tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā parinibbāyi.
Then when he was fully quenched while sitting cross-legged in midair, his body burning and combusting left neither ashes nor soot to be found.
Atha kho āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe pallaṅkena nisīditvā tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā parinibbutassa sarīrassa jhāyamānassa ḍayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyittha na masi.
It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found.
Seyyathāpi nāma sappissa vā telassa vā jhāyamānassa ḍayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyati na masi;
evamevaṁ āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe pallaṅkena nisīditvā tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā parinibbutassa sarīrassa jhāyamānassa ḍayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyittha na masīti.
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion, the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
“The body is broken up, perception has ceased,
“Abhedi kāyo nirodhi saññā,
all feelings have become cool;
Vedanā sītibhaviṁsu sabbā;
choices are stilled,
Vūpasamiṁsu saṅkhārā,
and consciousness come to an end.”
Viññāṇaṁ atthamāgamā”ti.
- See also the Dutiyadabbasutta
The oldest scriptures of Hinduism, originally passed down orally but then written in Vedic Sanskrit between 1500 and 500 BCE.
Sir Lal, scripture existed long before the time of Lord Buddha. It is incorrect to say that Lord Buddha was not aware. The Rig Vedas, which are the sacred texts of Hinduism, were written more than a millennium before the birth of Bodhisatta. Brahmāyu read these texts. He did not know the real meaning of these texts because he had no ariyas to teach him. Let us not forget that he was 120 years old when he met Lord Buddha. For 120 years, despite his knowledge, he was not even close to being a sotāpanna. I think that in his infinite knowledge, Lord Buddha knows the scripture. Lord Buddha did not say to write down the texts simply because it was useless without Ariyas to teach. Lord Buddha’s age is the golden age of ariyas no need to write. We need to listen with our ears to grasp the Dhamma. If no ariya is there to teach the texts are completely useless. Let us not forget that the ability to realize Nibbāna will disappear with the death of the last Jati Sotāpanna. The texts and websites will be there but, no one will reach Nibbāna because there is no ariya to teach. I am sure that by that time, humanity will be very technologically advanced, but even if we take videos of the ariyas, it will be impossible to reach Nibbāna. We need a living ariya to teach us.
This is the point that Christian and I are defending. Of course, everyone is free to doubt this, but it is supported by proof of the suttas.
See the Duration of Gotama Sasana.
This is also why Lord Buddha says that spiritual life is 100% dependent on noble association. See the Kalyāṇamittasutta
“Great king, this one time I was staying in the land of the Sakyans where they have a town named Townsville.
Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ sakkesu viharāmi nagarakaṁ nāma sakyānaṁ nigamo.
Then the mendicant Ānanda came to me, bowed, sat down to one side, and said:
Atha kho, mahārāja, ānando bhikkhu yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, mahārāja, ānando bhikkhu maṁ etadavoca:
‘Sir, good friends, companions, and associates are half the spiritual life.’
‘upaḍḍhamidaṁ, bhante, brahmacariyassa—yadidaṁ kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā’ti.
When he had spoken, I said to him:
Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, mahārāja, ānandaṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavocaṁ:
‘Not so, Ānanda! Not so, Ānanda!
‘mā hevaṁ, ānanda, mā hevaṁ, ānanda.
Good friends, companions, and associates are the whole of the spiritual life.
Sakalameva hidaṁ, ānanda, brahmacariyaṁ—yadidaṁ kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā.
A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path.
Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvessati ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarissati.
See also the Upaḍḍhasutta
Sir, I think it also changes depending on the antarakappa, doesn’t it? For example, in certain periods humans live for tens of thousands of years.
Yes, Silabbata paramasa is an obstacle to Nibbāna. This obstacle is completely eradicated at the sotāpanna stage.
We agree that a person will become a Sotāpanna if they possess the necessary kusalas and noble association. If any of these conditions are lacking, the attainment of magga phala will not occur. A clear example of this is King Ajatasattu. He had the requisite kusalas to become a Sotāpanna; however, due to his association with Devadatta and his act of anantariya kamma by killing his father, King Bimbisāra, he obstructed his ability to achieve magga phala.
We can also become sotāpanna by listening to a discussion that is not addressed to us. See Kali the mother of Venerable Arahant Sona. She became a sotāpanna while listening to a discussion between two Yakkhas. Kali is the foremost laywoman in faith.
Birth of Sona Kutikanna
By then Ascetic Gautama had become a Sammā Sambuddha under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya as Lord Gautama Buddha. The Buddha delivered His first sermon named “Dhammachakkappavattana sutta” meaning “Turning of the Wheel of Truth” to five previous ascetic companions at the Deer Park in Isipathana, now called Sārnath near Varanasi in India. It was on the full moon day of the month of July and it is said that large numbers of heavenly beings as well as other non-human beings had come there to listen to the Buddha’s first sermon. Among them was a yakkha general named Sātāgira who discovered that his friend named Hemavata, another yakkha general was not there listening to the sermon by the Buddha. So he left the Deer Park in search of his friend whom he met in the sky in Rajagaha where he informed his friend about the Buddha’s enlightenment and the first sermon. Hemavata asked a series of questions from Sātāgira about the Buddha’s virtuous conduct, wisdom and other characteristics of a Buddha which were described by Sātāgira to his satisfaction.
This discussion took place in the sky just above the house of Kāli’s parents while she was at the top floor near an open window getting some fresh air as it happened to be a warm night. She overheard the discussion between Sātāgira and Hemavata and was able to hear the noble qualities of the Buddha’s conduct, wisdom and other qualities of the Buddha. As she was listening to them, she developed immense faith and confidence in the Buddha and attained the first supra mundane spiritual stage of Stream Enterer (Sotāpanna) at that very moment. During the same night, Kali is said to have delivered a baby boy who was named Sona.
- This story proves once again that practicing jhānas is not a condition for magga phala.
Sir, I didn’t say that one must constantly engage in conversation with them. In fact, speaking just once with a noble person can be sufficient to become an ariya. This can even happen in informal settings, such as in a restaurant or during an activity. I recall that Venerable Amadassana Thero mentioned that you can have a conversation with an ariya just once over a cup of tea and become a sotāpanna. My statement is directed primarily at those who are discovering the Dhamma for the first time. Once one becomes a sotāpanna, they gain independence and no longer require a master.
“All one needs from an ariya (noble person) is an explanation of the Noble Truths, Paticca Samuppada, Tilakkhana, and so on.”
Sir, I completely agree with that!
Thank you for the clarifications, Sir. In the case of Venerable Arahant Kondanna, he was listening to Lord Buddha. As for Venerable Arahant Cittahattha, he listened to many discourses from both Lord Buddha and other noble individuals. While walking towards the monastery, he recalled these discourses and became a sotāpanna. Yes I agree one can become a sotāpanna at any moment. The key point here is the importance of associating with noble people.
- We are not living in the time of Lord Buddha, and we do not possess the iddhi powers to discern who is an ariya. An ariya can be either a layperson or a bhikkhu. However, to maximize our chances of engaging with noble individuals, it is advisable to seek discussions with bhikkhus or bhikkhunis. True bhikkhus and bhikkhunis devote their efforts to attaining Nibbāna 24 hours a day, without being distracted by worldly obligations, unlike laypeople. It is among these individuals that we may have the opportunity to meet arahants. This is why it is important to engage in conversations with bhikkhus and bhikkhunis.
- Of course, one can reach any stage of magga phala as a layperson, but nowadays, it is much more challenging. It is common to see sotāpannas and sakadāgāmis among laypeople; however, a sotāpanna can still enjoy sensual pleasures, which may raise doubts about the attainment of magga phala. Consider Sarakani, the drunken sotāpanna. It is indeed possible to become a sotāpanna by listening to Sarakani since he is an ariya.
- One must possess the necessary Kusalas to understand the Dhamma. You might find yourself surrounded by arahants but lack the Kusalas needed to comprehend their teachings. Devadatta is an example. Without the Kusalas developed in past lives, it is impossible to attain the sotāpanna stage. This site provides the opportunity to gain the appropriate understanding to achieve that goal. It is important to reflect on whether the four conditions are fulfilled in our lives!
- Sir, you know better than anyone the importance of learning from an ariya. Reading alone is not enough because we can be wrong. If a puthujunas reads alone in his corner, he can never become sotāpanna. I say you know better because your site is based on the explanations of an ariyas. You are aware of what happens when the puthujunas read and interpret the suttas.
- Look at the false meanings of Tilakkhana for example, and Anapanasati. It was Puthujunas who spread these erroneous beliefs(breath meditation, impermanence) which persist until today. Through ariyas like Venerable Waharaka Thero, we can see the danger of word-for-word translation. It was your site that convinced me of the importance of noble association. Before I came across your site, I thought that Nibbāna could be achieved alone at home. It was enough to read a book on Buddhism and meditate on breathing to achieve Nibbāna. See how ignorant I was. I didn’t even understand what it meant to take refuge in the Sangha. Even your site can be subject to misinterpretation if a wise person does not explain it to a person reading it. For example, the concept of Gandhabba can be interpreted as a soul by a person who has strong micchādiṭṭhi. I have sent articles from the site to people and believe me it has reinforced some of their erroneous beliefs. A Mahayanist told me that bhavas remind him of the states of Buddhahood.
- I clearly explained to him that the article on the site has nothing to do with it, but he persisted in his micchādiṭṭhi. This is yet another proof of the danger of reading without asking an ariya for explanations.
- The suttas were preserved and written down by arahants. How is it that verses written by arahants can be misinterpreted?? These are people who think that reading is enough but they forget that the Dhamma is not a common subject of knowledge. These are knowledge of the law of nature. Why will the Sasana disappear when the last Jati sotāpanna dies? The scriptures will be there, the Vinaya will be there but, no one will reach a stage of magga phala. This happens because no ariyas will be there to explain their meaning.
Reading is only an introduction to the Dhamma. Venerable Waharaka Thero said that reading gives us Anumolak Santiya (to be oriented towards imperturbable peace). However, this is not enough to become an ariya. See this video where he explains why. I suggest listening around 10:10.
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