Listen to this unprecedented story. #About_Punna_and_Uttara, they lived in the back quarters of a wealthy merchant's house and had to work in his fields. They had to sustain themselves, but their living conditions were poor. They couldn't afford good rice, having to eat broken rice and rice husks. For curry, they only had pun-ye curry (plain boiled vegetables) without oil - just salt-flavored soup.
Living like this, working in the merchant's fields, they faced daily hunger due to their past unwholesome kamma. But even with such hunger, did they ever consider becoming fishermen? Did they ever think of stealing or cheating? They had faith, you see. They had faith because they had come from hell and understood their past actions. #When_one_understands_one_believes. Isn't this worth examining?
The results of their unwholesome kamma lasted about twelve years. Then one day, Venerable Sariputta, foremost in wisdom, emerging from his meditation, came directly to Punna's field. While plowing, Punna saw him from afar and thought, 'He seems to be coming towards me.' When he came closer, Punna removed the yoke from his oxen, prepared a seat, and made a toothbrush stick. He had his usual leftover food and a cup of water.
When Sariputta arrived, Punna said, 'Venerable Sir, look throughout the whole town - there's no one poorer than your disciple. Please honor me today.' He offered his meager leftovers - some salt and water, along with the toothbrush stick. In front of him, Sariputta cleaned his teeth with salt, brushed them, and used the toothbrush stick. After cleaning thoroughly, he rinsed three times. Then, drinking half the remaining water in front of Punna, it generated in Punna's mind the same joy as if he had donated hundreds of thousands in wealth.
Didn't the Buddha teach that #donations_bring_results_according_to_intention rather than amount? He felt as fulfilled as if he had donated great wealth. To the ordinary eye, it had little value - the water wasn't bought, the toothbrush stick was just cut from nearby, and the salt was worth perhaps a quarter-measure. Though worth very little, weren't #his_intentions_extremely_powerful? This is worth examining. The results come according to intention.
Then Sariputta continued towards town for alms. Uttara was bringing food to Punna and saw someone from about four furlongs away. Sariputta was entering town while Uttara was leaving. At first, she couldn't clearly tell if it was a layperson or monk - it was unclear. As she got closer, she recognized it was an alms-seeker. With each step, greed and non-greed battled in her mind - should she give or not?
If one doesn't give when meeting an alms-seeker, future opportunities for giving become difficult. You need both the offering and the recipient - if you have something to give but no recipient, how can you make merit? When examining this, wasn't there #a_battle_between_greed_and_non-greed? If she gave the food, Punna would be hungry and suffer since his mealtime would be delayed.
When about six arm-lengths away, she said, "Please wait, Venerable Sir. Please accept this offering out of compassion." She offered the broken rice and plain vegetable curry. She felt great joy in her heart. Venerable Sariputta, foremost in wisdom, didn't continue into town with the broken rice and simple curry - he returned to his forest dwelling. Consider this.
Some might think, "The monk can't eat such poor quality food - he'll have to go to town to get better food with oil and butter." But consider the monk's mindset. Doesn't the Buddha teach that #controlling_the_mind_brings_happiness? Sariputta, who held the etadagga (foremost) position in wisdom, was from a wealthy family. Not just wealthy by today's standards, but one who earned the title of wealth. Isn't this worth examining?
Then Uttara returned home, lit the fire, washed rice, cooked it properly, set it aside, made a good fire, and prepared curry with water spinach and mangosteen. After cooking, she went back to deliver it. By then, Punna had fallen asleep from hunger since he couldn't eat at his usual time. Should she wake him or not? The elders say disturbing sleep is worse than missing two meals. She didn't wake him.
Looking at Punna's face closely, she thought, "Oh Punna, Punna, you're so handsome, yet you suffer in poverty being married to me. If not for me, you could have been a merchant's son-in-law." #What_wonderful_loving-kindness she showed."
If one doesn't give when meeting an alms-seeker, future opportunities for giving become difficult. You need both the offering and the recipient - if you have something to give but no recipient, how can you make merit? When examining this, wasn't there #a_battle_between_greed_and_non-greed? If she gave the food, Punna would be hungry and suffer since his mealtime would be delayed.
When about six arm-lengths away, she said, "Please wait, Venerable Sir. Please accept this offering out of compassion." She offered the broken rice and plain vegetable curry. She felt great joy in her heart. Venerable Sariputta, foremost in wisdom, didn't continue into town with the broken rice and simple curry - he returned to his forest dwelling. Consider this.
Some might think, "The monk can't eat such poor quality food - he'll have to go to town to get better food with oil and butter." But consider the monk's mindset. Doesn't the Buddha teach that #controlling_the_mind_brings_happiness? Sariputta, who held the etadagga (foremost) position in wisdom, was from a wealthy family. Not just wealthy by today's standards, but one who earned the title of wealth. Isn't this worth examining?
Then Uttara returned home, lit the fire, washed rice, cooked it properly, set it aside, made a good fire, and prepared curry with water spinach and mangosteen. After cooking, she went back to deliver it. By then, Punna had fallen asleep from hunger since he couldn't eat at his usual time. Should she wake him or not? The elders say disturbing sleep is worse than missing two meals. She didn't wake him.
Looking at Punna's face closely, she thought, "Oh Punna, Punna, you're so handsome, yet you suffer in poverty being married to me. If not for me, you could have been a merchant's son-in-law." #What_wonderful_loving-kindness she showed."
"After some time, when he was sweating, she woke him: 'Brother, wake up!' After washing his face, she said, 'I've made merit, please share in it.' He asked what merit she had made in the forest. She explained about the simple offering - salt worth a quarter-measure, a toothbrush stick, and water in a cup - how the monk cleaned his teeth, rinsed, and drank the remaining water. She felt as fulfilled as if she had donated hundreds of thousands in wealth. 'I share this merit with you.' Didn't he say #Sadhu?
'Brother, I was late bringing your food today because I met an alms-seeker. From far away, I couldn't tell if it was a person or monk. When I got closer and recognized it was a monk, I had to decide whether to give or not. I had food to offer and met an alms-seeker, but I knew you would suffer from hunger if I gave it. There was #a_battle_between_greed_and_non-greed. When I got closer, even if you might blame me, I decided to give since I had something to offer and met an alms-seeker. That's why I had to go back, cook again, and came late. I share this merit with you.' Instead of blaming her, he said Sadhu.
The monk thought, 'After such a delay, he might accuse her of finding a lover.' Consider this anger. If we follow such examples, could we ever escape the 31 planes of existence? #They_were_joyful_together. What #noble_mindsets they had!
After eating and chatting, they went to sleep. Punna woke first and looked closely at his wife's face: 'Oh Uttara, Uttara, you suffer in poverty being married to me. If not for me, you could have been a merchant's wife.' Their #loving-kindness_competed with each other. How wonderful!
Then he looked in all four directions and saw gold ingots everywhere. He woke Uttara: 'Wife, wake up! I don't know what's wrong with my eyes - wake up!' She asked if something was in his eyes. 'No, I see gold ingots everywhere!' They looked in all four directions and touched it - the earth was producing gold! Their past unwholesome kamma had ended, and wasn't their wholesome kamma now bearing fruit? Despite their previous hunger, they didn't think of stealing the gold.
They went to inform the wealthy merchant: 'The earth is producing gold - please come with carts!' How many carts? Perhaps about two hundred carts came to collect it. They didn't think of stealing even a little bit. How precious was their moral virtue? Isn't this worth considering?"
'Brother, I was late bringing your food today because I met an alms-seeker. From far away, I couldn't tell if it was a person or monk. When I got closer and recognized it was a monk, I had to decide whether to give or not. I had food to offer and met an alms-seeker, but I knew you would suffer from hunger if I gave it. There was #a_battle_between_greed_and_non-greed. When I got closer, even if you might blame me, I decided to give since I had something to offer and met an alms-seeker. That's why I had to go back, cook again, and came late. I share this merit with you.' Instead of blaming her, he said Sadhu.
The monk thought, 'After such a delay, he might accuse her of finding a lover.' Consider this anger. If we follow such examples, could we ever escape the 31 planes of existence? #They_were_joyful_together. What #noble_mindsets they had!
After eating and chatting, they went to sleep. Punna woke first and looked closely at his wife's face: 'Oh Uttara, Uttara, you suffer in poverty being married to me. If not for me, you could have been a merchant's wife.' Their #loving-kindness_competed with each other. How wonderful!
Then he looked in all four directions and saw gold ingots everywhere. He woke Uttara: 'Wife, wake up! I don't know what's wrong with my eyes - wake up!' She asked if something was in his eyes. 'No, I see gold ingots everywhere!' They looked in all four directions and touched it - the earth was producing gold! Their past unwholesome kamma had ended, and wasn't their wholesome kamma now bearing fruit? Despite their previous hunger, they didn't think of stealing the gold.
They went to inform the wealthy merchant: 'The earth is producing gold - please come with carts!' How many carts? Perhaps about two hundred carts came to collect it. They didn't think of stealing even a little bit. How precious was their moral virtue? Isn't this worth considering?"
"#We_should_understand_how_precious_sīla_is. Their moral virtue couldn't be exchanged even for that much gold. Some might think, 'Being so hungry, I should at least take one load - I could eat well in this life, and even if I go to hell after death, I'll face that consequence later.' Kammam vipakassa - actions bring results. Isn't it worth examining how valuable their sīla was?
In today's world, when relatives come to visit sick family members, don't they say 'Don't get sick!' and suggest selling cattle or buffalo for medical treatment? 'When it's about survival, money can be found.' Consider this - what's more valuable between gold and moral virtue? Isn't it clear that humans are more valuable than gold and precious stones? And isn't sīla even more valuable than human life? #Sīla_is_more_precious_than_anything.
When they loaded the gold onto two hundred carts, it turned back to earth. The merchant thought this must belong to the king, who rules the land and water. Didn't he report it to the king? The king came with three hundred carts, but again, the gold turned to earth when loaded. Then the king made a determination: 'May this be gold when it belongs to Punna and Uttara.' And it became gold!
They were called to the palace, and weren't they given the title of merchant? Did they receive this title because of the gold or because of their sīla? How precious sīla is! #The_merchant_title_came_from_sīla. They got both gold and the merchant title.
Today, people #don't_recognize_sīla's_value. They exchange it for a chili, a pumpkin, or a bottle of alcohol. Think about it - when sewing, don't people keep extra fabric and charge extra fees? Don't they give false testimony in court cases? Don't they use various forms of false speech? We need to #distinguish_between_wholesome_and_unwholesome_actions.
Do they understand the benefits of sīla and consequences of breaking it? Consider carefully - they received the merchant title and gold because of their sīla. Didn't they live comfortably? Their past unwholesome kamma had caused them to face hunger. #Kammam_vipakassa.
Understanding these consequences, did they consider becoming fishermen? Did they think of cheating or stealing? See how they #believed_in_kamma. When their unwholesome kamma was exhausted, the earth produced gold for Punna and Uttara. This was the result of their #sīla_kusala. These are the essential points to understand..."
In today's world, when relatives come to visit sick family members, don't they say 'Don't get sick!' and suggest selling cattle or buffalo for medical treatment? 'When it's about survival, money can be found.' Consider this - what's more valuable between gold and moral virtue? Isn't it clear that humans are more valuable than gold and precious stones? And isn't sīla even more valuable than human life? #Sīla_is_more_precious_than_anything.
When they loaded the gold onto two hundred carts, it turned back to earth. The merchant thought this must belong to the king, who rules the land and water. Didn't he report it to the king? The king came with three hundred carts, but again, the gold turned to earth when loaded. Then the king made a determination: 'May this be gold when it belongs to Punna and Uttara.' And it became gold!
They were called to the palace, and weren't they given the title of merchant? Did they receive this title because of the gold or because of their sīla? How precious sīla is! #The_merchant_title_came_from_sīla. They got both gold and the merchant title.
Today, people #don't_recognize_sīla's_value. They exchange it for a chili, a pumpkin, or a bottle of alcohol. Think about it - when sewing, don't people keep extra fabric and charge extra fees? Don't they give false testimony in court cases? Don't they use various forms of false speech? We need to #distinguish_between_wholesome_and_unwholesome_actions.
Do they understand the benefits of sīla and consequences of breaking it? Consider carefully - they received the merchant title and gold because of their sīla. Didn't they live comfortably? Their past unwholesome kamma had caused them to face hunger. #Kammam_vipakassa.
Understanding these consequences, did they consider becoming fishermen? Did they think of cheating or stealing? See how they #believed_in_kamma. When their unwholesome kamma was exhausted, the earth produced gold for Punna and Uttara. This was the result of their #sīla_kusala. These are the essential points to understand..."
