#1. Similes

An old jackal howls at dawn, but even they have more gratitude than someAt Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, did you hear an old jackal howling at the crack of dawn?” “Yes, sir.” “There might be some gratitude and thankfulness in that old jackal, but there is none in a certain person here who claims to be a follower of the Sakyan son. So you should train like this: ‘We will be grateful and thankful. [Read More]

A mangy jackal howls in discomfort, but even that would be a good rebirth for some.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, did you hear an old jackal howling at the crack of dawn?” “Yes, sir.” “That old jackal has the disease called mange. Yet it still goes where it wants, stands where it wants, sits where it wants, and lies down where it wants. And the cool breeze still blows on it. A certain person here who claims to be a follower of the Sakyan son would be lucky to experience even such an incarnation. [Read More]

As a cat may suffer from eating too hastily, so a mendicant may suffer by not restraining senses.At Sāvatthī. Now at that time a certain junior mendicant socialized with families too often. The mendicants said to him, “Venerable, don’t socialize with families too often.” But that mendicant, when spoken to by the mendicants, did not stop. And then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. [Read More]

A mendicant who overly associates with the laity is like an elephant calf who tries to copy the great bull elephants.So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain junior mendicant went to visit families too often. The mendicants said to him, “Venerable, don’t go to visit families too often.” But that mendicant, when spoken to by the mendicants, said this, “But these senior mendicants think they can go to visit families, so why can’t I? [Read More]

Warriors who sleep on wooden pillows remain vigilant, and so it is for the spiritual seeker.So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “Mendicants, these days the Licchavis live using wood blocks as pillows, and they exercise diligently and keenly. [Read More]

As an ancient drum has disintegrated, so too will the true teachings disappear.At Sāvatthī. “Once upon a time, mendicants, the Dasārahas had a clay drum called the Commander. Each time the Commander split they repaired it by inserting another peg. But there came a time when the clay drum Commander’s original wooden rim disappeared and only a mass of pegs remained. In the same way, in a future time there will be mendicants who won’t want to listen when discourses spoken by the Realized One—deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness—are being recited. [Read More]

Only a speedster could catch arrows in flight, yet conditioned phenomena perish faster than that.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, suppose there were four well-trained expert archers with strong bows standing in the four directions. And a man came along and thought, ‘When these four well-trained expert archers shoot arrows in four directions, I’ll catch them before they reach the ground, and then I’ll bring them back.’ What do you think, mendicants? Are they qualified to be called ‘a speedster, with ultimate speed’? [Read More]

As it is not possible to bend back a spear, it is not possible to overthrow a mendicant who has developed love.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, suppose there was a sharp-pointed spear. And a man came along and thought, ‘With my hand or fist I’ll fold this sharp spear over, bend it back, and twist it around!’ What do you think, mendicants? Is that man capable of doing so?” “No, sir. Why not? [Read More]

Love is more beneficial than generosity.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, suppose one person was to give a gift of a hundred pots of rice in the morning, at midday, and in the evening. And someone else was to develop a heart of love, even just as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder. The latter would be more fruitful. So you should train like this: ‘We will develop the heart’s release by love. [Read More]

As a family with few men and many women is easily attacked, non-human beings may attack a mendicant without love.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, those families with many women and few men are easy prey for bandits and thieves. In the same way any mendicant who has not developed and cultivated the heart’s release by love is easy prey for non-humans. Those families with few women and many men are hard prey for bandits and thieves. [Read More]