Introduction
THE BUDDHIST CANON, otherwise known as the Tipitaka, is the collection of the entire teachings of the Buddha. From out of this vast collection, inspirational verses which touch the essence of what the Buddha taught were compiled and recorded in a book called DHAMMAPADA. These verses, arranged under twenty-six chapters with such headings as the Wise, Mindfulness, and Happiness are part of the earliest extant records of words uttered by the Buddha himself.
There are 423 verses in the Dhammapada, and behind each one of them is a story which bears a lesson of great moral value whether they concern such human flaws as pride and greed, or such virtues as compassion and generosity. It is primarily for this reason that for centuries throughout Southeast Asia, the Dhammapada stories have been used by parents to instruct and entertain their children and have been recounted by monks to inspire and enlighten those who came to seek their guidance.
As to whether the stories are really based on historical fact or merely the products of vividly imaginative minds, discussion still goes on, but it is evident that the stories may not be entirely precise in detail nor free from exaggeration. One is nevertheless advised to keep an open mind in order to be able to appreciate the moral lessons the stories are trying to convey. In any case, even those who do doubt their authenticity would have to agree that the lessons they teach provide food for reflection which may consequently give a whole new direction to the way one thinks and lives. Moreover, because the Buddha always suited his teachings to the age, temperament, character, and mental state of his listeners, one may just be able to identify with any of the characters that are depicted in the Dhammapada stories and benefit from that identification.
In addition, the Dhammapada stories are a valuable source of information regarding the personality of the Buddha himself: his temperament—the Buddha was always calm, patient and compassionate (no instance can be cited where the Buddha ever displayed any anger or spoke harshly); his great humility—he accepted food even from lowly servants and slaves, sometimes food that had already been partially eaten; his wisdom and skill in teaching—he was able to uproot the deep-seated unwholesome attitudes of even his most abusive and stubborn accusers and bring them to accept Right View.
“It is impossible to estimate how many human beings have refrained from telling a lie, killing an insect, spreading a rumor, or taking what is not given, by calling to mind a story from the Dhammapada at the right moment. If the world has experienced moments of compassion and wisdom in the face of greed, hatred, and delusion, the Dhammapada must be given its due share of credit for it.”
No doubt the Dhammapada will continue to be a source of inspiration and edification to all who seek spiritual upliftment within its pages.
I do believe you all would be able to extract morale of these stories and get moral benefits from these; then my efforts wouldn’t be in vain!
The Cruel Butcher
THERE WAS ONCE A BUTCHER Who was a very mean and wicked man. Never in his life had he ever done any meritorious deeds. His job was slaughtering pigs and he loved it, often torturing them mercilessly before putting them to death.
One day he got very sick and finally died, but before he died he suffered such agony that he crawled around on his hands and knees for days, squealing and grunting like a pig being slaughtered.
It so happened that the butcher’s home was within ear’s reach of the monastery where the Buddha and his monks were staying. When the bhikkhus heard the desperate squeals coming from his house, they assumed that the miserable butcher was at his cruel work again and shook their heads in great disapproval. The squeals and grunts went on for several days until, one day, they stopped just as suddenly as they had begun. The monks could not help but remark to each other how wicked and hard-hearted the butcher was for having caused his poor animals so much pain and suffering.
The Buddha overheard what they were saying and said, “Bhikkhus, the butcher was not slaughtering his pigs. He was very ill and in such great pain that he was acting like the pigs he used to enjoy inflicting pain upon. His bad kamma had finally caught up with him. Today he died and was reborn in a woeful state of existence.”
The Buddha then exhorted his disciples to be alert at doing good, for anyone who did evil deeds would have to suffer for them. There was no way to escape from one’s evil deeds, he warned his disciples.
Morale of The Story
“Here he grieves, hereafter he grieves. The evil-doer grieves in both existences. He grieves and he suffers anguish when he remembers his impure deeds.”
{Verse 15}
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Related Articles:
Title- Dhammapada Stories- (1) The Lady & The Ogress
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Title- Treasury of Truth-The Illustrated Dhammapada E-book
Title- Suttanta Pitaka-Khuddaka Nikaya-The Dhammapada Translated E-book
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