#Buddhist

A female spirit hushes her children as she listens to the teaching. But her son Punabbasu says that he had not been talking, as he too wants to learn.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the Buddha was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment. And those mendicants were paying heed, paying attention, engaging wholeheartedly, and lending an ear. [Read More]

A female spirit hushes her son Piyaṅkara so she can hear the teaching and pursue harmlessness.At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Anuruddha rose at the crack of dawn and recited passages of the teaching. Then the native spirit Piyaṅkara’s Mother soothed her little child, saying: “Don’t make a sound, Piyaṅkara! A mendicant recites passages of the teaching. When we understand a passage, we can practice for our welfare. [Read More]

It seems that the novice Sānu had returned to his home intending to disrobe. To prevent him, a spirit possessed him, encouraging him to pursue the path of good. Sānu’s mother, weeping for her son, also tries to make him stay in robes.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain lay woman had a son named Sānu who had been possessed by a native spirit. [Read More]

The spirit Maṇibhadda speaks in praise of mindfulness, opining that a mindful one is free of hate. The Buddha responds that yes, mindfulness is wonderful, but only through developing love is one free of hate.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Magadhans at the Maṇimālika tree shrine, the haunt of the native spirit Maṇibhadda. Then the native spirit Maṇibhadda went up to the Buddha, and recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence: “It’s always auspicious for the mindful; the mindful prosper in happiness. [Read More]

The spirits Khara and Sūciloma argue about whether the Buddha is a true ascetic or not. They approach him initially with threats, but then ask as to the origin of greed and hate.At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on the cut-stone ledge in the haunt of Spiky the native spirit. Now at that time the native spirits Shaggy and Spiky were passing by not far from the Buddha. [Read More]

A spirit tells the Buddha that if he is truly free he should not be instructing others.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Then a spirit named Sakka went up to the Buddha, and addressed him in verse: “You’ve given up all ties, and are fully freed. It’s not a good idea for you, ascetic, to be instructing others.” “No matter what the apparent reason why people are together, Sakka, it’s unworthy for a wise person to not think of the other with compassion. [Read More]

A local spirit asks the Buddha how a body is produced if there is no soul.So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha on Mount Indra’s Peak, the haunt of the native spirit Indaka. Then the native spirit Indaka went up to the Buddha, and addressed him in verse: “The Buddhas say that form is not the soul. Then how does this body manifest? Where do the bones and liver come from? [Read More]

A mendicant takes a bath in a pond and sniffs a lotus. A deity accuses him of being a “thief of scent”. For a person living a life of purity, even such a small matter is a cause for concernAt one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. Now at that time, after the meal, on their return from alms-round, that mendicant plunged into a lotus pond and sniffed a pink lotus. [Read More]

A group of mendicants in the forest had fallen into bad ways, becoming conceited and confused. A deity came to admonish them, making clear that they were only speaking of the badly behaved, not all mendicants.Now at that time several mendicants were staying in the Kosalan lands in a certain forest grove. They were restless, insolent, fickle, gossipy, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties. [Read More]

A deity speaks of the fearfulness of the murmuring forest. But to a mendicant it seems delightful.At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. The deity haunting that forest approached that mendicant and recited this verse in their presence: “In the still of high noon, when the birds have settled down, the formidable jungle whispers to itself: that seems so scary to me! [Read More]