ME01

Buddhist Doctrines of the Pali Nikāyas: Analysis and Interpretation

ME01  01-04-2011        (2:00 to 3:00 )

(Class Notes Only)

--------------------

Evam me sutam, Ekam samayam Bhagava Magadhesu viharati, pacinato Eajagahassa Ambasanda nama brahmana- gamo, tass' uttarato Vediyake pabbate Indasala-guhayam. 'Tena kho pana samayena Sakkassa devanam indassa ussukkam udapadi Bhagavantam dassanaya.
Thus have I heard. Once the lord was staying in Magadha, to the east of Rajagaha, by a Brahmin village called Ambasanda, to the north of the village on Mount Vediya, in the Indasala Cave. And at that time Sakka, Lord of the gods felt a strong desire to see the Buddha.
Disva deve 'Tavatimse amantesi : ' Ayam marisa Bhagava Magadhesu viharati, pacinato Eajagahassa….'Evam bhaddan tavati ' kho deva Tavatimsa Sakkassa devanam indassa paccassosum. Atha kho Sakko devanam indo Pancasikham Gan- dhabba-puttam amantesi:
Sakka said to the thirty-three gods: “Gentlemen !, the Blessed Lord is now staying Magadha...etc,. How would it be if we were to go and visit the lord?”. Then Sakka said to Pancasikha of the Gandhabbas: ‘Very good, Lord,’ said Pancasikha and taking his yellow beluva-wood lute, he followed in attendance on Sakka. And just as swiftly as a strong man might stretch forth his flexed arm or flex it again. Sakka surrounded by the thirty-three gods and attended by Pancasikha, vanished from the heaven of the thirty-three and appeared in Magadha.

Then, Pancasikha, to the strains of his lute, he sang these verses extolling the Buddha, the Dharma, the Arahants, and love:‘Lady.
Sakko devanam indo Bhagavantam imam pathamam panham pucchi. “Kim-samyojana nu kho marisa deva manussa asura naga gandhabba ye ca aniie santi puthukaya, te : avera adanda asapatta avyapajjha viharemu averino ti iti ce nesam hoti atha ca pana savera sadanda sasapatta savya- paj jha viharanti verino ti?”

Sakka, put his first question to the Lord: “By what fetters, sir, are beings bound – gods, humans, asuras, nagas, Gandhabbas and whatever other kinds there may be – where by although they wish to live without hate, harming, hostility or malignity, and in peace, they yet live in hate, harming one another, hostile and malign?”, and the Lord replied: ‘it is the bonds of jealously and avarice that bind beings, so that though they wish to live without hate… they yet live in hate, harming one another, hostile and malign,’ and Sakka exclaimed: ‘Lord, so it is, Well-Farer!
Through the Lord’s answer I have overcome my doubt and uncertainty!’

Sakka asked second question, “But sir, what gives rise to jealousy and avarice, what is their origin, how are they born, how do they arise? Owing to the presence of what do they arose, owing to the absence of what do they arise......?” “Gods, I declare that there are two kinds of
happiness: pursued and avoided. The same applied to unhappiness and equanimity. When I observed that in the pursuit of such happiness, unwholesome factors increased and wholesome factors decreased, then that happiness was to be avoided. And ones increased, then was to be sought after. Now, of such happiness as is accompanied by thinking and pondering and of that which is not so accompanied, the latter is the more excellent. The same applies to unhappiness and to equanimity. And this is the practice that monk has undertaken who has reached the right way… leading to the cessation of the tendency to proliferation.” This was ‘the Lord’s reply.

Sakka asked third question: and the Lord replied “Gods, I declare that things perceived by the eye are two kinds of pursued and avoided. The same applied to the things perceived by the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind.”
Then Sakka asked fourth question: and the Lord said “Gods, The world is made up of many and various elements. Such being the case, beings adhere to one or other of these various things and whatever they adhere to they become powerfully addicted to, and declare: ‘This alone is the truth, everything else is false!’ Therefore, they do not all teach the same thing, pursue the same goal.”

And then Sakka asked further questions, and the Lord replied: "The world is made up of many properties, various properties, then whichever property living beings get fixated on, they become entrenched and latch onto it, saying, 'Only this is true; anything else is worthless.' This is why not all priests and contemplatives teach the same doctrine…." "Those monks who are released through the total ending of craving are the ones who are utterly complete, utterly free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate. This is why not all priests and contemplatives are utterly complete, utterly free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate."

Then Sakka said to him: "Yearning is a disease, a boil and an arrow. It seduces one, drawing one into this or that state of being, which is why one is reborn in high states and low.
Whereas other outside priests and contemplatives gave me no chance to ask them these questions, so that he has removed the arrow of my uncertainty and perplexity." And then Lord said " Then tell me, deva-king. Having gone to those whom I considered to be priests and contemplatives living in isolated dwellings in the wilderness, I asked them these questions. But when asked by me, they were at a loss. Being at a loss, they asked me in return, 'What is your name?” "Being asked, I responded, 'I, dear sir, am Sakka, the deva-king.” "So they questioned me further, 'But what kamma did you do to attain to this state?'
"So I taught them the Dhamma as far as I had heard and mastered it. And they were gratified 'We have seen Sakka, and he has answered our questions!' So, instead of my becoming their disciple, they simply became mine. But I am the Blessed One's disciple, a stream-winner, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening."

Sakka replied " lord, Once the devas and asuras were arrayed the devas won and the asuras lost in battle. Having won, as the victor in the battle, this thought occurred to me. It didn't lead to disenchantment, to dispassion..., but my attainment of happiness on hearing the Blessed One's Dhamma is in the sphere of no violence and weapons. It leads to disenchantment, to dispassion...

And then, Sakka touched the earth with his hand and said three times, while this explanation was being given, there arose to Sakka the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye …, and so this discourse is called "Sakka's Questions." (Sakka-Panha Sutta)

by Ashin Indaka (Kyone Pyaw)