−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Upajāti (Bālā)
tad bodhi-mūle pravikīryamāṇam aṅgāra-varṣaṁ tu sa-visphuliṅgam |
−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−
maitrī-vihārād ṣi-sattamasya babhūva raktotpala-pattra-varṣaḥ || 13.42
13.42
As it scattered around the root of bodhi,
However, that cinder-shower so full of fiery sparks
Became, through the supreme seer's exercise of friendliness,
A rain of red lotus petals.
COMMENT:
The exercise of friendship (maitrī-vihāra) is one of the four brahma-vihāra.
In the Metta Sutta (AN 4.125) the Buddha affirms that when a person directs
1. mettā (Sanskrit: maitrī, friendliness, good will) all around, then when that person dies he or she “reappears in conjunction with the devas of Brahma's retinue” (Thanissaro Bhikkhu trans.).
Similarly when a person directs
2. karuṇā (Sanskrit: karuṇā, compassion, kindness),
3. muditā (Sanskrit: muditā, joy, gladness), and
4. uppekhā / uppekkhā (Sanskrit: upekṣā, disregard, patience, forbearance, equanimity), then when that person dies he or she reappears in conjunction with various devas of Brahma's retinue.
Hence the four brahma-vihāra are four enjoyable pastimes, or four recreational activities, or four exercises, leading a practitioner in the direction of association with devas in Brahma's retinue.
Speaking for myself, I am not sure that is the direction I want to go in.
Nevertheless, not only from the Metta Sutta but also from The Long Discourse Giving Advice to Rāhula (Mahārāhulovādasuttaṁ, MN 62), it is evident that the Buddha taught his followers to develop those four. Hence...
Develop what is to be developed, Rāhula, in the way of friendliness,
for, Rāhula, from developing what is to be developed in the way of friendliness
Develop what is to be developed, Rāhula, in the way of kindness,
for, Rāhula, from developing what is to be developed in the way of kindness,
whatever violence there is will be given up.
muditaṁ hi te Rāhula bhāvanaṁ bhāvayato
for, Rāhula, from developing what is to be developed in the way of gladness
for, Rāhula, from developing what is to be developed in the way of gladness
Develop what is to be developed, Rāhula, in the way of forbearance,
for, Rāhula, from developing what is to be developed in the way of forbearance,
whatever resentment there is will be given up.
(Text and Translation courtesy of Ānandajoti Bhikkhu;
translation somewhat modified for this post.)
translation somewhat modified for this post.)
The interesting thing about the exercise of friendliness described in today's verse, as confirmed by tomorrow's verse, is that this exercise of friendliness, as the antidote to ill-will, is explicitly identified with the simple non-doing act of sitting still.
MMK Chapter 26 begins like this:
MMK Chapter 26 begins like this:
punar-bhavāya saṁskārān avidyā-nivṛtas tridhā |
abhisaṁskurute yāṁs tair gatiṁ gacchati karmabhiḥ ||1||
The doings that lead to rebirth one veiled in ignorance, in three ways, /
abhisaṁskurute yāṁs tair gatiṁ gacchati karmabhiḥ ||1||
The doings that lead to rebirth one veiled in ignorance, in three ways, /
Does do; and by these actions he enters a sphere of existence. //MMK26.1//
So today's verse causes me to ask myself: This ill-will to which friendliness is opposed -- is it a form of ignorance, or is it a form of doing?
And when I am caused to ask the question like so, the answer seems obvious that ill-will is not doing per se, but it is rather a kind of ignorance. Ill-will is a kind of ignorance that provides the grounds, in three ways -- through actions of body, speech and mind -- for the doings that lead to rebirth.
When we understand like this the teaching of maitrī-vihāra, exercising friendliness, then it is not only spiritual types who look to Mother Theresa but also stern old drills who sit, that are required to come up with the antidote to ill-will.
The solution, I have not doubted for many years, is just to sit. The solution, to be more exact, is the simple non-doing act of just sitting.
But, like in doing A-level maths, it is not enough precociously to intuit that the solution is just to sit. I would like to be able to show the workings that might cause all reasonable people to come to the same conclusion. And those workings seem to be very well preserved in Nāgārjuna's record of the Buddha's dharma of pratītya-samutpāda.
But, like in doing A-level maths, it is not enough precociously to intuit that the solution is just to sit. I would like to be able to show the workings that might cause all reasonable people to come to the same conclusion. And those workings seem to be very well preserved in Nāgārjuna's record of the Buddha's dharma of pratītya-samutpāda.
VOCABULARY
tad (acc. sg. n.): that
bodhi-mūle (loc. sg.): at the root of [the] bodhi [tree]
pravikīryamāṇam = acc. sg. n. passive pres. part. pra-vi- √ kṝ: to scatter about , disperse , diffuse
aṅgāra-varṣam (acc. sg. n.): shower of hot coals
tu: but
sa-visphuliṅgam (acc. sg. n.): full of sparks of fire
vi-sphuliṅga: m. a spark of fire
maitrī-vihārāt (abl. sg.): through the exercise of friendship
maitrī: f. friendship , friendliness , benevolence , good will
vihāra: m. distribution ; walking for pleasure or amusement , wandering , roaming ; sport , play , pastime , diversion , enjoyment , pleasure ; a place of recreation , pleasure-ground ; (with Buddhists or jainas) a monastery or temple (originally a hall where the monks met or walked about ; afterwards these halls were used as temples)
brahma-vihāra: m. pious conduct , perfect state (4 with Buddhists); Lalit. DivyA7v. Dharmas. 16.
ṛṣi-sattamasya (gen. sg.): the best of seers
sat-tama: mfn. very good or right , the best , first , chief of (gen. or comp.)
babhūva = 3rd pers. sg. perf. bhū: to become
raktotpala-pattra-varṣaḥ (nom. sg. m.): a shower of red lotus petals
雷震雨大雹 化成五色花
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