The Life of Lord Buddha

Pranams at the lotus feet of Lord Buddha!

Chapter – 19

Once Buddha’s disciple was under meditation, a few youngsters arrived to meet him and a few of them were childhood mates from the village.  Buddha’s disciple instantly recognized them and asked “ I still remember the childhood days we have spent together,  I have moved forward, I do not concern myself, I left all the worldly bondage, you have gone in search of worldly affairs, What’s  the reason you all came to meet me?”  One of them said, “We heard you have gone forth, and sure there must be good reasons to do so, therefore we came to see you.” Buddha’s disciple said “ If that is the case, I will take you all to meet the Lord Buddha who enlightened me from the darkness of ignorance. I will request Lord Buddha to guide you as well.”  The Monk took all the village mates to Lord Buddha who was seated under the tree.   Lord Buddha began to speak “Once you know about the causes of displeasure and what are the displeasures, which causes destruction and death, should know the techniques for the cessation of destruction and death.  If you know the sufferings and its causes, you can adopt the path for the cessation of the same.” The monk while sending off the villagers said: “The fifty of you all are my friends from the same village if you need any help; I am ready to do whatever help I can.”  One of them said, “We heard you have ordained as Monk under the guidance of Lord Buddha, we want to follow your footsteps, we want to ordain as Monk as well.”  The Monk said, “You have to request Lord Buddha to get ordain as Monk.”

These villagers attended the lectures of Lord Buddha regularly. “ A Bikshu was taught to be humble and kind, he was taught the lessons of Dharma, he learns to know the state of human being, he realizes the pleasant and unpleasant feelings, and the neutral feelings, he realizes the impermanent nature of the feelings.  He realizes the arising, persistence and passing away of feelings, ultimately seeing the impermanence nature he grows weary of feelings.  Finally, he grows disinterested in feelings and letting go.  He meditates to things that let it go, pleasant as well as unpleasant; he is not grasping or not clinging on to the feelings.  This leads to contemplation and realization of cessation.”  The youngsters listen to the teachings of Buddha with fold hands with extreme reverence.  Buddha announced “ Bhikshus, You have attained sublime of Dharma.  Therefore go place to place and spread the inspiring Dharma, make known the philosophies of Buddhism for the benefit of the people.  But do not travel two on the same route.”  All the villagers were ordained as Monks and traveled to different places to spread the teachings of Lord Buddha, the essence of Dharma/righteousness.