The life of Lord Buddha
Pranams at the lotus feet
of Lord Buddha!
Chapter – 12
Once, an elderly ruler of the town
Veranja visited Buddha. This was an ancient
town where Buddha resided during the rainy season at the invitation of a Brahmin. The ruler heard about the greatness of Buddha
who has received enlightenment, hence he came to have a discussion of Dharma with
him. He stood before Buddha but was received
with no gesture of respect as Veranja Brahmin was expected. Veranja Brahmin expected Buddha would raise
from his seat and welcome him, or invite him to take seat with
him. The Brahmin felt Buddha is insulting him by not giving any respect. Buddha began to speak “ Oh! Veranja
Brahmin I did not find anyone superior in Dharma to offer a gesture of respect or
stand up to welcome them or offer seat next to me.” The Brahmin felt the response of Buddha as
tasteless, his practices are unimpressive.
Buddha explained himself being tasteless “ I have abandoned the sensual
pleasures or the pleasures of any form, smell, taste, and sound.”
The Brahmin said “ You have no wealth of your own. You are not
performing Karma. You are loathsome.” Buddha replied “ Venerable Brahmin, I
have no assets which form bondage. I preach non-violence, no sins by words, deeds or action. I praise the annihilation of lust, desire,
ego, hatred, jealousy and delusion. The
definition of loathsome is bodily misconduct, verbal and mental misconduct. Therefore I loathe the evilness and deceitfulness.” Brahmin said ‘You teach eradication,
destruction, non-birth.” Buddha replied “
Brahmin, I teach Dharma, for the eradication of lust, hatred, and delusion, I
teach people the destruction of bodily misconduct, verbal and mental
misconduct. I have abandoned all those
causes of re-birth, I speak truth to your comments, may not be easily
understandable, finding fault in others is the cause for suffering, concentrate your mind
in developing virtues, Nirodha is the
end of sufferings.” The Brahmin
prostrated before Buddha, leaving his all miss-conceptions and ignorance.
