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UNCONTROLLED HATRED LEADS TO HARM

While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Savathi, the Buddha uttered these verses with reference to Monk Tissa.

Tissa, son of the Buddha's maternal aunt, was at one time staying with the Buddha. He had become a monk only in his old age, but he posed as a senior monk and was very pleased when visiting monks asked his permission to do some service for him. On the other hand, he failed to perform the duties expected of junior monks; besides, he often quarrelled with the younger monks. Should anyone rebuke him on account of his behaviour, he would go complaining to the Buddha, weeping, very much dissatisfied and very upset.

Once, the Teacher asked him, "Tissa, why have you come to me so sad and sorrowful with tears in your eyes, weeping"?

The other monks had discussed among themselves, "If he goes alone, he may cause trouble." So they too went along with him, paid obeisance to the Teacher, and sat down respectfully on one side.

Tissa answered the Teacher's question, "Venerable, these monks are abusing me."

The Teacher asked. "But where were you sitting?"

"In the centre of the monastery in the Hall of State, Venerable."

"Did you see these monks when they came?"

"Yes, Venerable I saw them."

"Did you rise and go to meet them?"

"No, Venerable I did not."

"Did you offer to take their monastic utensils?"

"No, Venerable, I did not offer to take them."

"Tissa, do not act thus. You alone are to be blamed; ask their pardon."

"I will not ask their pardon, Venerable."

The monks said to the Teacher, "He is an obstinate monk, Venerable." The Teacher replied, "Monks. this is not the first time he has proved obstinate; he was obstinate also in a previous state of existence. "We know all about his present obstinacy, Venerable; but what did he do in a previous state of existence?" "Well then monks, listen," said the Teacher. So saying, he told the following story.

Once upon a time, when a certain king reigned at Benares, an ascetic named Devala, who had resided for eight months in the Himalaya country, desiring to reside near the city during the four months of the rains, for salt and vinegar, returned from the Himalayas. Seeing two boys at the gate of the city, he asked them, "Where do monks, who come to this city spend the night?" "In the potter's hall, Venerable." So Devala went to the potter's hall, stopped at the door, and said, "If it is agreeable to you, Bhaggava, I would like to spend one night in your hall." The potter turned over the hall to him, saying, "I have no work going on in the hall at night, and the hall is a large one; spend the night here as you please, Venerable." No sooner had Devala entered the hall and sat down than another ascetic named Narada, returning from the Himalayas, asked the potter for a night's lodging. The potter thought to himself, "The ascetic who arrived first may or may not be willing to sped the night with him; I will therefore relieve myself of responsibility."

So he said to the ascetic who had just arrived, "Venerable, if the ascetic who arrived first approves of it, spend the night at your pleasure. "So Narada approached Devala and said, "Teacher, if it is agreeable to you, I would like to spend one night here." Devala replied, "The hall is a large one; therefore come in and spend the night on one side." So Narada went in and sat down beside the ascetic who had gone in before him. Both exchanged friendly greetings.

STORY CONTINUE ...... (Verse 4)

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mam- me; akkocchi - (he) insulted;

mam - me avadhi - (he) assaulted;

mam- me; ajini: (he) defeated;

ahasi: (he) robbed;

me: my (belongings);

ye: those who;

tam: such thoughts;

upanayhanti: keep coming back to;

tesam - their;

veram - enmity;

na sammati - never ceases.

When a person holds that he was insulted, assaulted, defeated, or robbed, his anger continues to increase. The anger of such a person has no way of subsiding. The more he goes over his imaginary trouble the greater becomes his desire to avenge it.

NEXT - VERSE 4