Sabbadānaṃ dhammadānaṃ jināti

"In conventional truth through consciousness-seeing, we must believe in Right View of ownership of kamma (kammassaka sammādiṭṭhi). Aren't we taught to believe in two things - wholesome and unwholesome kamma? From killing to taking intoxicants, from killing to wrong view - when committed, is this wholesome or unwholesome? The results of unwholesome kamma lead to hell realms, animal realm, hungry ghosts, and demons after death. Is this happiness or suffering? Isn't it frightening? When avoiding these actions - from killing to intoxicants, from killing to wrong view - is this unwholesome or wholesome? Don't the results of wholesome kamma lead to human and six deva realms? Is this suffering or happiness? Isn't this worth believing? #We must believe in kamma #We must rely on wisdom Let's examine kamma with an example: Like Punna and Uttara from ancient times, who stole food, drink, and clothing meant for public use. Didn't this qualify as stealing (adinnādāna)? When taking without owner's permission, isn't it stealing? With such kamma, can one escape lower realms after death? One goes to hell realms. Even after serving hell time and being reborn human, one faces starvation problems. No matter what Punna and Uttara did, they couldn't solve their livelihood problems. However, because they received guidance from good teachers, they firmly kept the five precepts from waking until sleeping, like wearing their clothes. They maintained their precepts steadfastly." "Though they were complete in sīla, maintaining precepts from morning until night, when their past unwholesome kamma ripened, could they prosper? Though they made merit daily, when their past unwholesome kamma gave results, could they escape it? Isn't it taught as 'kammaṃ vipākassa' (kamma and its results)? Their food was simple vegetable curry and broken rice (cheaper than whole rice). They lived in servants' quarters behind a wealthy person's house. Weren't they poor in terms of food and shelter? Yet they were complete in sīla and made merit daily. While their unwholesome kamma gave results daily, didn't their unwholesome effects gradually decrease while wholesome effects increased? #We must believe in kamma. Even with all their merit-making, they couldn't prosper because their past kamma hadn't exhausted. Some might think, 'Since my wholesome deeds aren't bringing immediate results due to past unwholesome kamma, I might as well continue doing wrong.' Wouldn't this just add new debts to old ones? #There would be no escape from hell. But because they believed in kamma's cause and effect, did they create new unwholesome kamma? No. Their wholesome kamma increased daily while unwholesome effects decreased. When their unwholesome kamma was nearly exhausted, Venerable Sariputta, foremost in wisdom, came to where Punna was plowing. Punna thought this visit was significant. He unhitched his oxen, made a simple seat, and offered what little he had - some salt and water, saying: 'Venerable Sir, look throughout the city - there's no one poorer than us. Please accept our offering out of compassion.'" "When offering alms, they noticed the monk had no bowl, and all they had was water, a simple seat, and about a quarter tical of salt. Though seemingly small in ordinary eyes, when the monk accepted, they thoroughly cleaned their teeth and drank the remaining water with great devotion. Punna felt such joy and faith (saddhā-pīti) as if he had donated millions. Remember how ancient teachers said 'offering the size of a banyan seed can bring results as large as a banyan tree'? His heart was completely fulfilled. Later, Uttara was bringing the usual poor meal of broken rice and vegetable curry to Punna in the fields. On her way, she saw a monk coming from the distance. At first, from four furlongs away, she could barely make out a figure. At two furlongs, she recognized it was a monk. Now she faced a dilemma: here was an opportunity to make merit, but she had food meant for her husband. Should she give it or not? Greed (lobha) and non-greed (alobha) were battling in her mind. If she gave the food, Punna would go hungry and suffer. Yet if she didn't give when she had both the opportunity and something to give, when would she get such a chance again? When she got within six cubits, she said, 'Please wait, Venerable Sir.' She found a small stone to step on, making herself slightly lower than the monk. #Even when making offerings, one should position the monk higher to generate more merit. Consider how thoughtful they were about proper conduct even in their poverty." "After offering the food, Uttara returned home to cook again. Meanwhile, Venerable Sariputta, being an arahant of highest wisdom, didn't enter the city for better food. Though the broken rice and simple curry weren't luxurious, he maintained his contentment. As taught, 'One who controls the mind finds happiness.' If we were to emulate the Elder's mindstate, could we escape saṃsāra? #The mind's control brings true happiness. When Uttara returned home, she cooked again - boiling water, washing rice, preparing water spinach, adding tamarind, making rice gruel. Meanwhile, Punna, having missed his mealtime, was sleeping from hunger on the yoke. Looking at his face, should she wake him? The elders say missing sleep is worse than missing two meals. With loving-kindness she thought, 'With his good looks, if he hadn't married me, he could have been a wealthy man's son-in-law.' #What wonderful mettā she had! After some time, she gently woke him. 'Brother, wake up.' After he washed his face, she said, 'Please share in my merit.' When he asked what merit she made in the forest, she explained about offering the water, salt, and simple seat. 'Sādhu!' he responded. Then she explained about meeting the venerable monk on her way and the internal struggle between greed and non-greed for two furlongs before finally offering his meal. She apologized for the late meal because of this offering. 'I share this merit too,' she said. 'Sādhu!' he replied again." "How patient (khanti) were Punna and Uttara! As it's taught: 'Khantī paramaṃ tapo' - patience is the highest austerity. #Their patience was truly complete. The next morning, Punna woke first and looked at his wife's face with the same loving thoughts she had for him: 'With her beauty, if not for me, she could have been a wealthy man's wife.' Then looking around, he saw gold everywhere! 'Wife, wake up! Is something wrong with my eyes? I see gold!' When they investigated, they found real gold bars everywhere. The Buddha's teaching shows how Punna, despite such extreme poverty, didn't even consider stealing a single load of gold. If he had stolen, he would have enjoyed this life but suffered in hell, and in future lives would have suffered theft himself. #This shows the law of cause and effect. #This demonstrates how valuable their sīla was - more precious than all that gold. They wouldn't trade their virtue for material wealth. In this world, when people fall ill and have no money, only some jewelry and cattle, don't relatives say 'Don't nurture the illness - sell your bracelet for medicine' or 'Sell the cattle - when you're alive you can earn more'? They say 'Property can be earned when healthy, but poor health is worse.'" "Is gold and silver worth as much as a human life? No. #And isn't sīla worth even more than human life? Yes, sīla is most precious. They didn't even consider taking a small amount. Today, people don't understand the value of sīla. They trade it for a bottle of alcohol, breaking the precept against intoxicants. They cheat in business, giving short measure in rice, milk, or other goods. #This shows how they don't understand sīla's true worth. They steal fruits and vegetables from gardens, trading their sīla for small things. How sad that they don't understand the immense value of what they're giving up! When the wealthy merchant reported to the king, they needed 200 cartloads to collect the gold. But when loaded, it turned to dirt! When they tried again with 300 carts, the same thing happened. Then the king made a determination: 'If this truly belongs to Punna and Uttara, may it turn to gold.' And it did! They were then called to the palace and given the title of wealthy merchants. But remember - #their merchant status came from their sīla, not from the gold. It was the power of their moral virtue that brought them this honor." "#When one is complete in sīla, even when taking exams, one can answer truthfully. Consider how even small deviations from sīla can affect us. In business too, sīla is paramount. Shouldn't we emulate Jotika and Atulakari? Throughout many lifetimes, no one could steal their wealth, not even kings could seize it. That's how powerful perfect sīla is! See how they gained not only merchant status but also gold? Through their sīla-merit, didn't they receive both material wealth and social position? When clearing land for construction, there was only one forested area available. When they cleared and purified that land, and began laying foundations, they discovered pots of rubies underneath! Consider how valuable sīla truly is..." This teaching illustrates several important points: 1. Sīla leads to wisdom and clear thinking 2. Perfect sīla protects wealth across lifetimes 3. Sīla brings both material and spiritual benefits 4. The rewards of sīla often exceed our expectations The story shows how maintaining pure moral conduct (sīla) brings unexpected blessings and protections that far surpass ordinary material wealth. Sadhu! Together let us keep the Dharma wheel rolling.