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| The Buddha, his monk son, and Ven. Ananda |
Once the Blessed One [the Buddha] was staying
among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt. At that time the householder [Buddhist lay devotee]
Nakula's father was diseased, in pain, severely ill.
And
Nakula's
mother said to him: "Don't be worried as you die, householder. Death is
painful for one who is worried. The Blessed One has criticized being
worried at the time of death.
"Now it may be that you are thinking, 'Nakula's mother will not be
able to support the children or maintain the household after I'm gone,'
but you should not view things in that way. I am skilled at spinning
cotton and carding matted wool. I can support the children and maintain
the household after you are gone. So be not worried as you die,
householder. Death is painful for one who is worried. The Blessed One
has criticized being worried at the time of death.
"Now it may be that you are thinking, 'Nakula's mother will take
another husband after I am gone,' but you should not view things in that
way. You know as well as I how my fidelity [
restraint, sexual conduct appropriate for a householder, as opposed to
sexual misconduct] has been constant for the past 16 years. So be not worried as
you die, householder. Death is painful for one who is worried. The
Blessed One has criticized death when one is worried.
"Now it may be that you are thinking, 'Nakula's mother will have no
desire to go see the Blessed One, to go see the community of monastics,
after I am gone,' but you should not view things in that way. I will have
an even greater desire to go see the Blessed One, to go see the
community of monastics after you are gone. So be not worried as you die,
householder. Death is painful for one who is worried. The Blessed One
has criticized being worried at the time of death.
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| Bowing: ancient sign of respect in India. |
"Now it may be that you are thinking, 'Nakula's mother will not act
fully in accordance with
the precepts after I am gone,' but you should not view things in that way. To the extent that the Blessed One has
white-clad householder female disciples who act fully in accordance with
the precepts, I am one of them. If anyone doubts or denies this, let
him go ask the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the rightly Awakened One, who is staying among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala
Grove, near Crocodile Haunt. So be not worried as you die,
householder. Death is painful for one who is worried. The Blessed One
has criticized being worried at the time of death.
"Now it may be that you are thinking, 'Nakula's mother will not
attain
inner tranquility and insight after I am gone,' but you
should not view things in that way. To the extent that the Blessed One has
white-clad householder female disciples who attain these, I am one of them. If anyone doubts or denies this, let him
go ask the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the rightly Awakened One,
who is staying among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove,
near Crocodile Haunt. So be not worried as you die, householder. Death
is painful for one who is worried. The Blessed One has criticized being
worried at the time of death.
"Now it may be that you are thinking, 'Nakula's mother will not reach
firm ground in this
Doctrine and
Discipline, will not attain a firm
foothold, will not
attain consolation, overcome all doubts, dispel her perplexity, reach fearlessness or gain independence from others with regard to the Teacher's message,' but you should not view things in that way.
- NOTE: Although this description is a clear reference to stream entry, the first stage of enlightenment, it also suggests the final step, arhatship, in that she has gained independence from others (i.e., does not rely on a teacher for what she now knows directly). Of course, stream entry is tantamount to arhatship in that it is only a matter of time (no more than seven rebirths) before full enlightenment and nirvana.
"To the extent that the
Blessed One has white-clad householder female disciples who reach firm
ground in this Doctrine and Discipline, attain a firm foothold, attain
consolation, overcome their doubts, dispel their perplexity, reach
fearlessness, and gain independence from others with regard to the
Teacher's message, I am one of them. If anyone doubts or denies this,
let him go ask the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the rightly Awakened One who is staying among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at
Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt. So be not worried as you die,
householder. Death is painful for one who is worried. The Blessed One
has criticized being worried at the time of death."
While Nakula's father the householder was being exhorted by Nakula's
mother in this way, his illness was immediately allayed. And
he recovered from his disease. That was how Nakula's father's disease
was abandoned.
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| Nakula's father, you are very fortunate to have Nakula's mother as a noble friend. |
.
Then, soon after the householder Nakula's father had recovered from
being sick, not long after his recovery from this illness, he went
leaning on a stick to see the Blessed One.
 |
| A wise father supports his wife. |
On arriving he bowed and sat respectfully to one side. As he was sitting there, the
Blessed One said to him, "It is your gain, your great gain, householder,
that you have Nakula's mother -- sympathetic and wishing for your
welfare -- as your counselor and instructor. To the extent that I have
white-clad householder female disciples who act fully in accordance with
the precepts, she is one of them.
"To the extent that I have white-clad
householder female disciples who attain inner tranquility and insight,
she is one of them. To the extent that I have white-clad householder
female disciples who reach firm ground in this Doctrine and
Discipline, attain a firm foothold, attain consolation, overcome their
doubts, dispel their perplexity, reach fearlessness, and gain
independence from others with regard to the Teacher's message, she is
one of them.
"It is your gain, your great gain, householder, that you
have Nakula's mother -- sympathetic and wishing for your welfare -- as
your counselor and instructor."
"My practice detaches me from my body, my soul [spirit, gandharva, not eternal "self"], and this existence. In this situation there will be 72 Kali goddesses. Different gods [devas] will be present, along with the sounds of thunder and of tangur, and all the celestial gods and goddesses [akasha devas and devis] will be doing puja (worship [paying honor]).
