During the Buddha's time, Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha, "Have you not said, Venerable Sir, which is more numerous between wholesome and unwholesome qualities among humans, devas, brahmas, and beings?"
"Ananda, leaving aside the noble ones among humans, devas, and brahmas, the wholesome qualities of ordinary humans, devas, and brahmas are like a speck of dust on my fingernail," haven't I said so? A speck of dust on a fingernail is virtually nothing.
Their unwholesome qualities are as vast as the great earth, do you hear? The earth! So #unwholesome_qualities_are_enormous, while wholesome qualities are barely present. Therefore, among humans, devas, brahmas, and beings, consider humans and animals - aren't animals more numerous? Humans are so few.
Looking at animals, humans are just a tiny fraction. Then among animals, there are land creatures, aquatic beings, and flying creatures. Isn't this worth examining? Think about it. That's why #human_birth_is_extremely_rare, hasn't it been taught? #One_must_have_perfect_sila_to_be_born_human. Isn't this worth studying?
Having perfect sila, to be born human, whether at the moment of death or from waking until sleeping, with mindfulness-wisdom like a spade and shovel, #keeping_mindfulness_in_front, one must remember the sila one maintains and the dana one has given. Only by dying with wholesome consciousness can one be born human.
If one lacks mindfulness, doesn't King Siri Dhammasoka stand witness? He couldn't remember his dana offerings or maintained sila. Thus, consciousness ends with delusion. If consciousness ends with delusion, one becomes an animal, with hatred - hell realms. Isn't this worth considering? If with greed - petas and asuras, hasn't this been taught? How frightening this is!
So, #can_we_afford_to_be_heedless? #Time_spent_on_livelihood_matters. Isn't this worth studying? The most venerable Mogok Sayadaw of great gratitude taught: Understanding Dhamma is priority #1, seeking livelihood is priority #2. Isn't this important? We monks have spent time on livelihood matters. #We_put_Dhamma_last. When we die, won't we fall to lower realms? Isn't this frightening? This needs to be studied...
