Friends Beyond Death 4 w/ nun Ayya V (video)

Friends Beyond Death 4: SA2-14 with Ayya Vimalanyani

(Buddhist Insights) Streamed live on Nov. 23, 2021, German Theravada Buddhist nun Ayya Vimala-nyani examines a very interesting discourse about a miraculous birth of a boy, Dabba Mallaputta, who reached full enlightenment at the age of 7, even before his initial ordination. Because of his attainment, he was given full ordination at that time. Today's sutra is SA2-14 (suttacentral.net) as translated by Marcus Bingenheimer. Cartoon clip by Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy), with Ven. Mettiya as the "devil" on his sister's shoulder.

Two sibling monastics slander Dabba

Samyukta Āgama (2) 14 "Bhikkhu Saṁyutta Mettiya and Bhikkhuni Mettiyā slander Dabba"

Giant Buddha at Bamiyan, Afghanistan

Thus have I heard. Once, the Buddha was staying in Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove of Kalanda. At that time there was the monk Dabba Mallaputta.

When the World-honored One put him in charge of provisions and lodgings, Dabba, having received the order, served as manager. One time, later, it was the turn of a monk called Mettiya to receive an invitation from a donor, according to the order among the monks.

According to the order among the monks, Dabba sent Mettiya to partake of the food at the donor’s house. When Mettiya went there, however, the food was extremely unpalatable. After this had happened three times, Mettiya felt extremely sorry for himself and consequently was greatly distressed.

He told his sister, the nun Mettiyā: “Whenever Dabba sends me to a meal, every time I get extremely unpalatable food! What misery!” And he said to the nun Mettiyā: “Sister, Dabba has afflicted me three times with bad food. Couldn’t you now use some ‘skillful means’ to avenge my anger?”

His sister the nun Mettiyā said: “But how could I help you?”

The monk Mettiya: “I have a plan. Go to the Buddha and say: ‘Dabba once sexually harassed me.’ And I will bear witness and say: ‘It is true! It is true!’”

The nun Mettiyā said: “But wouldn’t it be slander to accuse someone who has been pure in keeping the precepts?”

Thereupon Mettiya said: “Sister! If you don’t do this for me, then from now on I won’t speak to you again any more.”

The nun said: “If you insist, I will do as you say.”

The monk Mettiya: “Sister, let me go first. You follow later.” More

How to build a Dhamma practice, Part 4 with Ayya Vimalanyani