Section Four: Brahmin Makara
Heard like this:
The Buddha was in the Jeta Grove, the Anathapindika Monastery, in the city of Śrāvastī. At that time, there was a Brahmin named Makara, who suddenly passed away in the lecture hall. His students placed his body on a bed and carried it through the four main streets of Śrāvastī, loudly proclaiming, “Anyone who has seen Makara will attain liberation; now, seeing his body will lead to liberation; and anyone who hears his name in the future will also attain liberation.”
When it was time for the meal, the bhikṣus took their alms bowls and entered the city to beg for food. They saw how the Brahmins were proclaiming the virtues of Makara in this way. After their meal, they cleaned their bowls and returned to the Buddha’s residence. After greeting the Buddha and taking their seats, they informed the Buddha of everything that had happened.
Based on this event, the Buddha exaplained this scripture, urging his disciples to understand these teachings and to pass them on as a light for future generations, ensuring the long-lasting transmission of the Dharma. At that time, the Buddha delivered the following perfect doctrines:
“The ultimate view that leads to the ultimate nirvana is the first and true purity. Some people mistakenly believe that the view based on seeking good fortune and avoiding bad luck can bring purity and liberation.
They think that continuing to know and understand this view is the highest, the most supreme, and the most excellent, believing that through such wisdom, purity and liberation can be attained.
They think that what they see can bring purity, and they also believe that through discriminating wisdom—such as recognizing certain things as auspicious and others as inauspicious—they can abandon all suffering.
True wisdom can break this mistaken view, allowing the path to true purity and liberation to be revealed. By using wisdom to cut through these attachments to views, one can attain nirvana.
Any path other than the Thirty-Seven Bodhi Factors cannot lead to liberation. No matter how hard one tries to see, hear, observe, keep the precepts, or practice,
even if a Brahmin believes that his body is pure and that sins can turn into merit, they do not boast about it, but they still cannot truly attain liberation.
Some people, in search of liberation, discard their previous beliefs and practices, but they do not carefully examine their new beliefs. They follow others’ words blindly.
They focus on the rituals of practice but do not contemplate the Truth of Suffering. As a result, their minds become bound by their thoughts.
They should always be aware of their consciousness, carefully observe their precepts, and reflect on the Truth of Suffering during their practice,
including its origin, cessation, and cycle. They should not deceive themselves but reflect thoroughly to cultivate wisdom.
Once they have no doubts about the teachings of the Buddha, they should apply them to their perceptions at all times.
They should carefully observe their own perceptions and actions, and contemplate: ‘Is there anyone who created the dharmas of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects?’
They do not attached to their own body, nor worship any gods, nor intentionally pursue the goal of ‘attaining liberation.’
All their attachments to worldly affairs, disputes, and desires are abandoned, so they remain unattached.
Though a Brahmin may have renounced what they have in the world, once they hear the view that ‘seeing something brings liberation,’ they eagerly rush to it.
The true liberated people has abandoned and eradicated all things in the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm that provoke desires, thus they attaining true liberation.”
After the Buddha recited this verse of perfect doctrines, the bhikkhus were filled with joy.
Section Five: King Mirror
Heard like this:
The Buddha was in the Jetavana Monastery in Shravasti. When it was time for the bhikṣus to go for alms, they took their alms bowls and went into the city. They thought, ‘It is still too early to enter the city. Let us first go to the lecture halls of some other Brahmins to greet them.’ At that time, those Brahmins were arguing fiercely, harboring grudges and grievances against one another, and they were verbally attacking and blaming each other. They said, ‘I understand this teaching; what do you know? What you know does not conform to the right path, whereas what I know does. My teachings can be followed, but yours are hard to approach. The words you should have said at the beginning, you waited until the end; the words you should have said at the end, you said at the beginning. You speak too much, and it has become a burden that is hard to carry. I explain the teachings, but you cannot understand them. You are truly ignorant to the core—what else can you say?’ These Brahmins used words as weapons, as if their tongues were swords, wounding each other. When one received an injury, they vowed to repay it threefold.
The bhikṣus, upon hearing their quarrels, thought, ‘This is not good. The teachings they discuss are not valid either.’ So they decided to leave. They went into Shravasti to beg for food, and after their meal, they put their alms bowls away and returned to Jetavana Monastery. After greeting the Buddha, they sat down nearby and told him the details of what had happened: ‘We saw how these Brahmin scholars are suffering from their arguments. We wonder when they will be liberated from this?’
The Buddha said, “These Brahmins are not only ignorant in this lifetime. A long time ago, in the land of Jambudvipa, there was a king named Mirror. At that time, he gave an order to his messengers: ‘Bring all the blind people in the kingdom to the palace.’ The messengers obeyed the order and brought many blind people to the palace and reported to the king.
The king ordered his ministers: ‘Show these people an elephant.’ The ministers took them to the elephant stable, and one by one, they let the blind people touch the elephant. Some touched the feet, others the tail, the tail root, the abdomen, the sides, the back, the ears, the head, the tusks, and the trunk. Then, they took them back to the king.
The king asked, ‘Did you all see the elephant?’ They replied, ‘Yes, we all saw it.’ The king asked again, ‘What is it like?’ Those who touched the feet said, ‘It is like a pillar.’ Those who touched the tail said, ‘It is like a broom.’ Those who touched the root of the tail said, ‘It is like a walking stick.’ Those who touched the abdomen said, ‘It is like a mound of earth.’ Those who touched the elephant’s sides said, ‘It is like a wall.’ Those who touched the back said, ‘It is like a high bank.’ Those who touched the ears said, ‘It is like a large dustpan.’ Those who touched the head said, ‘It is like a stone mortar.’ Those who touched the tusks said, ‘It is like a horn.’ Those who touched the trunk said, ‘It is like a rope.’ They then argued in front of the king about the true form of the elephant, each insisting on their own interpretation.
At that time, the king recited a verse:
“Today, in this gathering of blind people, they take their mistaken views as the truth,
“Seeing only a part, they say others are wrong, and they quarrel over the elephant.”
The Buddha told the bhikṣus, “At that time, King Mirror was me. The blind people were the Brahmins in today’s lecture hall. They argued due to their ignorance, just as they did then. Now, they are still ignorant and argue uselessly, with no benefit.”
Based on this event, the Buddha exaplained this scripture, urging his disciples to understand these teachings and to pass them on as a light for future generations, ensuring the long-lasting transmission of the Dharma. At that time, the Buddha delivered the following perfect doctrines:
“Those who are ignorant themselves, yet insist that they are right and others are wrong. People have these delusions, and their afflictions grow day by day. When will they come to realize the truth?
Some people have not practiced, yet boast that they have learned everything, but in reality, their behavior is disordered. How long will it take for them to attain liberation?
Some people often believe they have received a superior Dharma, that their views are the most respected and highest.
These people cling to the five skandhas of the body, yet claim their practice surpasses others.
They hold on to ignorance and sensual desires, walking the wrong path, thinking that this will lead to liberation.
Although these people have some understanding and thoughts, and they uphold precepts, bhikṣus, you must not rely on them.
You shall not follow their views or conduct, even if their understanding may be somewhat superior, let them be.
Treat them courteously and do not judge who is better or worse.
Wise people end arguments within themselves and never allow them to arise again. They abandon the thought of debating and instead focus on self practice.
They do not engage in such arguments, do not praise yourself or criticize others and thinking this will lead to wisdom, but simply maintain observation and reflect on their own practices.
Wise People has no desire for either existence or non-existence. They are free from both forms of samsara, whether born or non-born.
They do not cling to either existence or non-existence, and through such observation, they find the correct place to rely upon.
For the consciousness, feelings, and actions arising from what is seen and heard, they have no subtle deviation or evil thoughts.
They observe their consciousness with the wisdom of Dharma, using this method to see the emptiness and thus renounce the world.
All dharmas are by nature empty—what is there to cling to?
Both practice and precepts are tools that lead to the truth. Once one reaches nirvana, they no longer return to samsara.”
After the Buddha recited this verse of perfect doctrines, the bhikkhus were filled with joy.
Section six: Both an old and a young died
Heard like this:
The Buddha was sitting under the anjan tree outside the city of Sasu. At that time, there was a charioteer who, after leaving the city, had his cart axle break before reaching the Anya tree. He veered off the road, sat down, and looked troubled and distressed.
At that moment, the Buddha, holding his bowl, was entering the city with Ananda to beg for alms. On the way, they saw the broken axle and the charioteer sitting by the roadside, looking sorrowful. The Buddha then gave a teaching:
“When traveling by cart, if one strays from the smooth and proper road and veers off onto an uneven path,
this deviation causes suffering and leads to the breaking of the cart’s wheel.
The same is true with the true Dharma; if one strays from the correct path, and engages in evil thoughts and deeds, one will experience sorrow, suffering, and misfortune.
Ignorant beings must endure the suffering of the cycle of birth and death, just as a broken wheel must endure its damage.”
After giving this teaching, the Buddha continued into the city. At that time, a Brahmin had just passed away at the age of one hundred and twenty, and simultaneously, a wealthy family’s son, only seven years old, also passed away. Both families were holding funerals, with colorful flags raised, the women of the family letting their hair down, and friends and relatives crying loudly in mourning.
The Buddha saw this and asked Ananda, “Why are so many people gathered here? Why are there such mournful cries?” Ananda answered truthfully.
Based on these events, the Buddha began to explain the meaning of life and death, urging his disciples to understand these teachings and to pass them on as a light for future generations, ensuring the long-lasting transmission of the Dharma. At that time, the Buddha delivered the following perfect doctrines:
“Life is short, and death comes even before reaching one hundred years.
Even those who live longer than a hundred years will eventually face death.
The fear of death comes from the desire to hold on to everything. The attachment to things arises from the mistaken belief that everything is permanent.
In truth, whether you love or hate someone, you will eventually part ways. Once you understand this truth, you will no longer be troubled by worldly affairs.
Death is like the great ocean, causing everything to drift and shake. People mistakenly believe there is a real self.
You should observe the truth with a wise mind and not cling to this illusory self.
The pleasures of the world are like a dream. After awakening, what remains?
The attachment to worldly things is the same; when consciousness ceases, what remains of the things once loved?
All that was experienced has already passed, and neither good nor evil remains.
Everything will leave this world, and only past fame may persist.
People turn to hatred because of grief, and cling to love because of attachment.
If one can let go of attachment, they can avoid fear and reach peace and freedom.
Bhikkhus! Do not entertain delusions. Desire should be abandoned, as the body will eventually decay.
You should observe the movement and cessation of desire with your mind. If you truly understand the teachings of the Buddha, there is no such thing as ‘stopping desire.’
However, even so, you should practice the path of detachment. Whether you love or dislike someone, you should diligently follow this teaching.
Even in sorrow, practice it diligently, letting go of love and hatred, and being as pure as a lotus flower, untouched by defilements.
Do not cling or long for anything, and do not listen to misguiding thoughts.
You don’t seek liberation from them, for without defiled thoughts, there can be no attachment.
Be like the lotus, growing in muddy water, yet the water does not pollute it.
Both the noble and the ordinary should act in this way, disregarding what is seen and heard, as though it never happened.”
After the Buddha recited this verse of perfect doctrines, the bhikkhus were filled with joy.
Dharma Torch 