SUFFERING FOLLOWS THE EVIL –DOER –
Dhammapada (Verse1)
‘Manoppubbangama dhamma manosettha manomaya
Manasase ce padutthena basati va kariti va
Tato nam dukkhamanveti cakkam va vahato padam.”
“Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) all states. Mind is their chief, mind-made are they.
If with a corrupt mind one should either speak or act,
Dukkha follows caused by that, as does the wheel the ox’s hoof.”
Story-
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery is Savatthi, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Cakkhupala, a blind monk.
A middle aged devout person, named Cakkhu pala became a monk and was energetically leading a contemplative life. As a result of his strenuous endeavour he realised Arahantship, the final stage of Sainthood, but unfortunately went blind. One night, while pacing up and down in meditation, the monk accidently stepped on some insects. In the morning some monks visiting the monk found some dead insects. They thought ill of the monk and reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha asked them whether they had seen the monk killing the insects. When they answered in the negative, the Buddha said, “Just as you had not seen him killing, so also he had not seen those living insects. Besides as a monk had already attained arahatship he could have no intention of killing, so he was innocent.” The monks then wished to know the cause of his blindness.
The Buddha related that in a past birth, as a physician, that particular monk had given an ointment to a poor woman to restore her eyesight. She promised that, with her children, she would become his servants if her eyesight was restored. The physician’s remedy proved effective, but the woman, not willing to keep her promise, pretended that her eyes were getting worse. The cruel physician, yielding to a wicked thought, retaliated by giving her another ointment which blinded her eyes. In consequence of his past evil action the Arahant lost his eyesight many times in his later existences.
All what we experience begins with thought. Our words and deeds spring
from thought. If we speak or act with evil thoughts, unpleasant
circumstances and experiences inevitably result. Wherever we go, we
create bad circumstances because we carry bad thoughts. We cannot shake
of this suffering as long as we are tied to our evil thoughts. This is
very much like the wheel of a cart following the hoofs of the ox yoked
to the cart, keeps following the draught oxen. The animal is bound to
this heavy load and cannot leave it.
This is the retributive aspect of the law of the Kamma, the other being the continuative aspect. That is the transmission of individual characteristics, impressions, tendencies, etc., throughout one’s wanderings in Samsara.
An Arahant, though free from all impurities, has to reap the fruit of the seed he himself had sown in the remote past.
The Buddha and Arahants do not accumulate fresh Kamma as they have eradicated the roots ignorance and craving- but, as every other being, they are not exempt from the inevitable consequences of both good and bad past actions.
Mind precedes all actions and serves as the principal element both in performing and in assessing deeds. It is mind that rules and shapes action. Words and deeds are also produced by mind.
In the pair of parallel verses the Buddha emphasizes the great part the mind plays in man’s life, and then explains how deeds become good or evil according to the pure and impure state of the mind. Lastly, He speaks of the inevitable consequences of such deeds, giving two homely illustrations.
‘Manoppubbangama dhamma manosettha manomaya
Manasase ce padutthena basati va kariti va
Tato nam dukkhamanveti cakkam va vahato padam.”
“Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) all states. Mind is their chief, mind-made are they.
If with a corrupt mind one should either speak or act,
Dukkha follows caused by that, as does the wheel the ox’s hoof.”
Story-
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery is Savatthi, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Cakkhupala, a blind monk.
A middle aged devout person, named Cakkhu pala became a monk and was energetically leading a contemplative life. As a result of his strenuous endeavour he realised Arahantship, the final stage of Sainthood, but unfortunately went blind. One night, while pacing up and down in meditation, the monk accidently stepped on some insects. In the morning some monks visiting the monk found some dead insects. They thought ill of the monk and reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha asked them whether they had seen the monk killing the insects. When they answered in the negative, the Buddha said, “Just as you had not seen him killing, so also he had not seen those living insects. Besides as a monk had already attained arahatship he could have no intention of killing, so he was innocent.” The monks then wished to know the cause of his blindness.
The Buddha related that in a past birth, as a physician, that particular monk had given an ointment to a poor woman to restore her eyesight. She promised that, with her children, she would become his servants if her eyesight was restored. The physician’s remedy proved effective, but the woman, not willing to keep her promise, pretended that her eyes were getting worse. The cruel physician, yielding to a wicked thought, retaliated by giving her another ointment which blinded her eyes. In consequence of his past evil action the Arahant lost his eyesight many times in his later existences.
All what we experience begins with thought. Our words and deeds spring
from thought. If we speak or act with evil thoughts, unpleasant
circumstances and experiences inevitably result. Wherever we go, we
create bad circumstances because we carry bad thoughts. We cannot shake
of this suffering as long as we are tied to our evil thoughts. This is
very much like the wheel of a cart following the hoofs of the ox yoked
to the cart, keeps following the draught oxen. The animal is bound to
this heavy load and cannot leave it.This is the retributive aspect of the law of the Kamma, the other being the continuative aspect. That is the transmission of individual characteristics, impressions, tendencies, etc., throughout one’s wanderings in Samsara.
An Arahant, though free from all impurities, has to reap the fruit of the seed he himself had sown in the remote past.
The Buddha and Arahants do not accumulate fresh Kamma as they have eradicated the roots ignorance and craving- but, as every other being, they are not exempt from the inevitable consequences of both good and bad past actions.
Mind precedes all actions and serves as the principal element both in performing and in assessing deeds. It is mind that rules and shapes action. Words and deeds are also produced by mind.
In the pair of parallel verses the Buddha emphasizes the great part the mind plays in man’s life, and then explains how deeds become good or evil according to the pure and impure state of the mind. Lastly, He speaks of the inevitable consequences of such deeds, giving two homely illustrations.
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