Sutra: Not Being Swept Away
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[Kappa asked the Buddha this question:]
For one stranded in the middle of the water,
in the flood of great danger called rebirth,
overwhelmed by aging and death,
Tell me, dear sir,
and show me the safe island
so that this may not happen again.
[The Buddha replied:]
For one stranded in the middle of the water
in the flood of great danger called rebirth,
overwhelmed by aging [rebirth] and death,
I will tell you the island, Kappa.
Having nothing,
clinging to no thing:
That is the island,
there is no other.
That
refuge is nirvana, I declare,
the complete elimination of [rebirth] aging and death.
Those knowing this, mindful,
fully awakened
present here and now,
no longer bound as Mara's* slaves,
no longer come under Mara's influence.
SUTRA: Everything is swept away
Ratthapala Sutta (MN 82, PTS: M ii 54)
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| Maitreya Buddha arises as a Central Asian king |
King Koravya sat down on a prepared seat. Sitting there, he said to [the Buddhist monk] Ven. Ratthapala, "There are situations where, having suffered the four kinds of loss, people shave off their hair, don saffron robes, and go forth from home life into the left-home life [of a monastic].
"What are the four? There is loss as a result of aging, loss as a result of sickness, loss of wealth, and loss of relatives...
"However, Ven. Ratthapala has suffered none of these. So what did he know, see, or hear that he was motivated to go forth from the home life into the left-home life?"
"Great king, there are four summaries of the Dhamma (the Teaching) stated by the Blessed One [the Buddha] who directly knows and sees, the Worthy One, who rightly awakened. Having known and seen and heard them, I set forth from the home life into the left-home life. What are these four?
- "'The world [8] is swept away and does not endure' -- this is the first summary of the Dhamma...
- "'The world is without shelter (permanent refuge) and without protector' -- this is the second...
- "'The world is [utterly impersonal] without owner. One has to pass on, leaving everything behind' -- this is the third...
- "'The world is insufficient, insatiable, a slave to craving' -- this is the fourth...
"These, great king, are the four summaries of the Dhamma stated by the Blessed One who directly knows and sees, the Worthy One, rightly awakened. Having known and seen and heard them, I set forth from the home life into the left-home life."
"Ven. Ratthapala, you say, 'The world is swept away and does not endure.' How is the meaning of this statement to be understood?"
"Let me ask what you think, great king. When you were 20 or 25 years old — an expert elephant rider, expert horseman, expert charioteer, expert archer, expert swordsman — were you strong in arm and thigh, fit and seasoned for warfare?"
"Yes, Ven. Ratthapala... I was strong... It was as if I had supernormal power. I do not see anyone who was my equal in strength."
"What do you think, great king? Are you now as strong...?"
"Not at all, Ven. Ratthapala. Now I am a feeble old man, aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 80 years old. Thinking, 'I will place my foot here,' I place it somewhere else."
"Referring to this, great king, the Blessed One who knows and sees, the Worthy One rightly awakened, said, 'The world is swept away and does not endure.'
"Having known and seen and heard this, I set forth from the home life into the left-home life."
"It is amazing, Ven. Ratthapala, it is astounding how well that has been said by the Blessed One who knows and sees, the Worthy One rightly awakened! 'The world is swept away and does not endure.' For the world
really is swept away, Ven. Ratthapala, and does not endure.
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Dvejana Sutta: Two People (1)
Ven. Thanissaro (trans) edited by Dhr. Seven for Wisdom Quarterly
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near the City of Savatthi in Jeta's Grove inside the multimillionaire's monastery.
Two Brahmins — feeble old men, aged, far advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old — went to the Blessed One, exchanged courteous greetings, sat respectfully to one side, and said:
"Master Gotama, we are Brahmins — feeble old men, aged, far advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old. We have done no wholesome deeds [accrued no merit, no profitable karma], no skillful deeds, no deeds that allay our fears. Teach us, Master Gotama, instruct us, Master Gotama, for our benefit and lasting happiness."
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| We're old kings. Right, Dad? - Shu up, Boy. |
"Indeed, Brahmins, feeble old men, aged, far advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old, you have [accrued no merit because you have] done no wholesome deeds, no skillful deeds, no deeds that allay your fears. This world is swept away by aging, illness, and death.
"With the world [flooded and] swept away by aging, illness, and death, any restraint of body, speech, and mind practiced here will be one's shelter, safety, island, and
refuge after death in the world beyond."
It is swept along, this life, with its next-to-nothing span.
For one swept on by aging, no shelters exist.
Keeping in sight this danger in death, do meritorious deeds that ripen in bliss.
Whoever here is restrained in body, speech, and mind, who makes merit while alive, that will be for future bliss after passing from here.
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