The Vessantara Chapter20. The Gift of Vessantara
“Venerable Nāgasena, do all the Bodhisattas give away their wives and children, or was it only Vessantara?”1
“All of them do.” “But do those wives and children consent to it?”
“The wives do but the children do not due to their tender age.”
“But was it then a meritorious deed if the children were terrified and cried at being given away?” “Yes it was. As a man desiring merit might take a cripple wherever he wanted to go in an ox-cart and
thereby the oxen would be made to suffer; or as a king might levy a tax in order to perform a great meritorious deed; so too, giving, though it may cause anguish to some, is conducive to rebirth in heaven. Is there, O king, any gift that should not be given?” “Yes, Nāgasena, there are ten kinds of gifts that should not be given, the giving of which leads to
rebirth in states of woe: a gift of intoxicants, of a festival, of a woman, of a man,2 of suggestive designs, weapons, poisons, chains or instruments of torture, fowls and swine, or false weights and measures.” “I am not asking about gifts that are not approved of in the world. I am asking if there is any gift that should not be given when there is someone worthy of it.” “Then, Nāgasena, there is no gift that should not be given. When satisfaction in Dhamma has arisen,
some people give a hundred thousand, or a kingdom or even their life.” “Then why do you criticize the gift of Vessantara so harshly? Is it not sometimes the case that a man in debt may sell his son or leave him as a pledge? Just so, Vessantara gave his son as a pledge against his future attainment of Omniscience.” “Nevertheless, why did he not give himself instead?” “Because that was not what was asked for. To offer something else would have been ignoble. Furthermore, O king, Vessantara knew that the Brahmin would be unable to keep the children as slaves
for long since he was advanced in years. Anyway, he knew, their grandfather would pay a ransom for their return.” “Skilfully, Nāgasena, has this puzzle been unravelled. The net of heresy has been torn to pieces. Well has the letter of the scriptures been maintained while you have thus explained the spirit. This is so and I accept it as you say.” 21. Austerities“Do all Bodhisattas practise austerities or was it only the Bodhisatta Gotama?” “It was only the Bodhisatta Gotama.3 In four respects there are differences between Bodhisattas. As to family (either warrior or priestly caste), length of time to develop the perfections, life-span, and height. However, there is no difference between the Buddhas in respect of their virtue or wisdom. It was in
order to bring his knowledge to maturity that he had to practise the austerities.” “Why then, Nāgasena, did he go forth while his knowledge was still immature? Why didn’t he first mature his knowledge and then renounce the world?” “When the Bodhisatta, O king, saw the women of his harem sleeping in disorder then he became
disgusted and discontented. On perceiving that his mind was filled with discontent, Māra said, ‘Seven days from now you will become a Universal Monarch.’ Yet, as if a red-hot iron bar had entered his ear, the Bodhisatta was filled with alarm and fear. Furthermore, O king, the Bodhisatta thought, ‘Let me not incur blame among gods and men as being without occupation or means. Let me be a man of action and
constant in earnestness.’ Thus did the Bodhisatta undertake the austerities to bring his knowledge to maturity.” “Venerable Nāgasena, when the Bodhisatta was undergoing austerities it occurred to him ‘Might there not be some other path to higher knowledge worthy of noble men?’ Was he then confused about the correct way?” “There are twenty-five conditions, O king, that cause weakness of mind: wrath, enmity, contempt, arrogance, envy, meanness, deceit, hypocrisy, obstinacy, contention, pride, conceit, vanity, heedlessness, sloth, drowsiness, laziness, evil friends, sights, sounds, odours, tastes, sensations of touch, hunger and thirst, and discontent. It was hunger and thirst that seized hold of his body and thus
his mind was not rightly directed to the destruction of the floods (āsava). The Bodhisatta had sought after the perception of the Four Noble Truths for many aeons so how could there arise any confusion in his mind as to the way? Nevertheless, he thought, ‘Might there not be some other way to wisdom?’ Formerly the Bodhisatta, when he was only one month old, had attained the four absorptions while meditating under the rose-apple tree while his father was ploughing.”4 “Very good, Nāgasena, I accept it as you say. It was while bringing his knowledge to maturity that the Bodhisatta practised the austerities.” 22. The Power of Evil“Which is more powerful, wholesomeness or unwholesomeness?”5 “Wholesomeness is more powerful, O king.” “That is something I cannot believe for those who do evil often experience the result of their deeds in this very life when they are punished for their crimes,6 but is there anyone who, by offering alms to the Order, or by observing the Uposatha has received the benefit in this very life?” “There are, O king, six7 such cases. The slave Punnaka,8 on giving a meal to Sāriputta, attained on the same day to the dignity of a treasurer. Then there was the mother of Gopāla, who sold her hair and
therewith gave a meal to Mahā Kaccāyana and as a result became the chief queen of King Udena. The pious woman Suppiyā, who cut flesh from her own thigh to provide meat for a sick monk, but on the very next day the wound healed. Mallikā, when a slave girl, gave her own gruel to the Blessed One and became, that very day, the chief queen of Kosala. Sumana the florist, who presented eight bunches of jasmine to the Blessed One, came into great prosperity and Ekasātaka the Brahman who gave the
Blessed One his only garment and received that day the gift of ‘All the Eights.’”9 “So then, Nāgasena, for all your searching have you found only six cases?”
“That is so, O king.” “Then it is unwholesomeness that is more powerful than wholesomeness. For I have seen many men impaled on a stake for their crimes, and in the war waged by the general Bhaddasāla in the service of
the Nanda royal family against Chandagutta there were eighty Corpse Dances, for they say that when a great slaughter has taken place the headless corpses rise and dance over the battle-field. All of those men came to destruction through the fruit of their evil deeds. Yet when King Pasenadi of Kosala gave the unparalleled alms-giving did he receive wealth or glory or happiness in the same life?” “No, O king, he did not.” “Then surely, Nāgasena, unwholesomeness is more powerful?” “Just, O king, as an inferior grain ripens in a month or two but the best grain ripens only after five or six
months, good deeds ripen only after a long time. Furthermore, O king, the results of both good and evil will be experienced in a future life, but because evil is blameworthy it has been decreed that those who do evil will be punished by the law, yet they do not reward those who do good. If they were to make a law to reward the good doer then good deeds would also be rewarded in this very life.” “Very good, Nāgasena, only by one as wise as you could this puzzle be so well solved. The question put by me from the ordinary viewpoint has been made clear by you in the supramundane sense.” 23. Sharing of Merit“Is it possible for all deceased relatives to share in the merit of a good deed?” “No. Only those who are born as hungry ghosts who feed off the merit of others are able to share in the merit. Those born in hell, those in heaven, animals, and hungry ghosts who feed on vomit, or
hungry ghosts who hunger and thirst, or hungry ghosts who are consumed by craving, do not derive any profit.” “Then the offerings in those cases are fruitless since those for whom they were given derive no profit.” “No, O king, they are not fruitless nor without result for the givers themselves derive benefit from it.”
“Convince me of this by a reason.” “If some people prepared a meal and visited their relatives but those relatives did not accept the gift, would that gift be wasted?” “No, venerable sir, the owners themselves would have it.”
“Just so, O king, the givers derive benefit from their alms-giving.” “Is it then possible to share demerit?” “This is not a question you should ask, O king. You will be asking me next why space is boundless and
why men and birds have two legs whilst deer have four!” “I do not ask you this to annoy you, but there are many people in the world who are perverted10 or who lack common sense.”11 “Though it is possible to ripen a crop with water from a tank it is not possible to use seawater. An evil
deed cannot be shared with one who has not done it and has not consented to it. People convey water long distances by means of an aqueduct but they cannot convey solid rock in the same way. Unwholesomeness is a mean thing but wholesomeness is great.” “Give me an illustration.” “If a tiny drop of water were to fall on the ground would it flow over ten or twelve leagues?”
“Certainly not, it would only affect the spot where it fell.” “Why is that?” “Because of its minuteness.” “Just so, O king, unwholesomeness is a mean thing and because of its minuteness affects only the doer and cannot be shared. However, if there was a mighty cloudburst would the water spread around?” “Certainly, venerable sir, even for ten or twelve leagues.” “Just so, O king, wholesomeness is great and by reason of its abundance can be shared by gods and men.” “Venerable Nāgasena, why is it that unwholesomeness is so limited and wholesomeness so much more far-reaching?” “Whoever, O king, gives gifts, observes the precepts and performs the Uposatha, he is glad and at
peace, and being peaceful his goodness grows even more abundantly. Like a deep pool of water from which as soon as water flows away on one side it is replenished from all around. Just so, O king, if a man were to transfer to others the merit of any good he had done even for a hundred years the more would his goodness grow. This is why wholesomeness is so great. However, on doing evil, O king, a man
becomes filled with remorse and his mind cannot escape from the thought of it, he is depressed and obtains no peace, miserable and despairing he wastes away. Just, O king, as a drop of water falling onto a dry river-bed gains not in volume but is swallowed up on the very spot where it fell. This is why unwholesomeness is so mean and minute.” 24. Dreams“What is this thing that people call a dream and who dreams it?” “It is a sign coming across the path of the mind. There are six kinds of dreams. A person affected by wind sees a dream, a person affected by bile, by phlegm, by a deity, by their own habits, by a
premonition. It is only the last of these that is true, all the others are false.” “When one dreams a dream is one awake or asleep?” “Neither one nor the other. One dreams when one sleeps ‘the monkey’s sleep,’ which is midway between sleep and consciousness.” 25. Premature Death“Venerable Nāgasena, do all living beings die when their life-span comes to an end or do some die prematurely?” “Both, O king. Like fruits on a tree that fall sometimes when ripe and sometimes before they are ripe
due to the wind, or insects or sticks, so too, some beings die when their life-span ends but others die prematurely.” “But Nāgasena, all those who die prematurely, whether they are young or old, have reached the end of their predetermined life-span. There is no such thing as premature death.” “O king, there are seven kinds of premature death for those who, though they still have some life-span remaining, die prematurely: starvation, thirst, snake-bite, poison, fire, drowning, weapons. Death come about in eight ways: through wind, bile, phlegm, a mixture of bodily fluids, change of temperature, stress of circumstances, outside agent, and kamma.12 Of these, only that through kamma can be called the end of the life-span; the rest are all premature.” “Venerable Nāgasena, you say there is premature death. Give me another reason for that.” “A mighty fire, O king, that is exhausted and goes out when its fuel has been totally consumed and not before that by some other reason, is said to have gone out in the fullness of time. Just so a man who dies in old-age without any accident is said to reach the end of the life-span. However, in the case of a fire that is put out by a mighty cloudburst it could not be said that it had gone out in the fullness of
time; so too whoever dies before his time due to any cause other than kamma is said to die a premature death.” 26. Miracles at Shrines of Arahants“Are there miracles at the shrines (cetiya) of all the Arahants or only at some?” “Only at some. By the volitional determination of three kinds of individuals there is a miracle: by an Arahant while he is still alive, by deities, or by a wise disciple who has confidence. If there is no such volitional determination then there is no miracle even at the shrine of an Arahant who had supernormal powers. However, even if there is no miracle one should have confidence after knowing about his pure
and blameless conduct.” 27. Can Everyone Understand the Dhamma?“Do all those who practise correctly attain insight into the Dhamma or are there some who do not?” “There can be no attaining of insight for those who, though they practise correctly, are animals, hungry ghosts, holders of wrong views, frauds (kuhaka), matricides, patricides, murderers of Arahants, schismatics, shedders of the blood of a Tathāgata, in the robes by theft,13 gone over to another sect, violators of nuns, concealing an offence entailing a meeting of the Order,14 sexual deviants (pandaka) and hermaphrodites15 (ubhatobyañjaka). Neither is a child under seven years of age able to realise the Dhamma.” “What is the reason that a child under seven years of age is unable to attain insight? For a child is pure
in mind and should be ready to realise the Dhamma.” “If a child under seven, O king, could feel desire for things leading to desire, hatred for things arousing hatred, could be fooled by misleading things and could distinguish between wholesomeness and unwholesomeness then insight might be possible for him. However, the mind of a child under seven, O
king, is feeble and the unconditioned element of nibbāna is weighty and profound. Therefore, O king, although he practised correctly, a child of under seven could not realise the Dhamma.” 28. The Bliss of Nibbāna“Is nibbāna entirely blissful or is it partly painful?”
“It is entirely blissful.” “But that I cannot accept. Those who seek it have to practise austerity and exertion of body and mind, abstention from food at the wrong time, suppression of sleep, restraint of the senses, and they have to give up wealth, family and friends. They are blissful who enjoy the pleasures of the senses but you
restrain and prevent such pleasures and so experience physical and mental discomfort and pain.” “O king, nibbāna has no pain; what you call pain is not nibbāna. It is true that those who seek nibbāna experience pain and discomfort, but afterwards they experience the unalloyed bliss of nibbāna. I will tell
you a reason for that. Is there, O king, such a thing as the bliss of the sovereignty of kings?”
“Yes there is.” “Is it mixed with pain?”
“No.” “But why is it then, O king, that when the frontier provinces have revolted kings have to set out from
their palaces and march over uneven ground, tormented by mosquitoes and hot winds, and engage in fierce battles at the risk of their lives?” “That, venerable Nāgasena, is not the bliss of sovereignty. It is only the preliminary stage in the pursuit of that bliss. It is after they have won it that they enjoy the bliss of sovereignty. That bliss, Nāgasena, is not mixed with pain.”
“Just so, O king, nibbāna is unalloyed bliss and there is no pain mixed in it.” 29. Description of Nibbāna“Is it possible, Nāgasena, to point out the size, shape or duration of nibbāna by a simile?”
“No it is not possible; there is no other thing like it.” “Is there then any attribute of nibbāna found in other things that can be demonstrated by a simile?”
“Yes that can be done. “As a lotus is unwetted by water, nibbāna is unsullied by the defilements. “Like water, it cools the fever of defilements and quenches the thirst of craving. “Like medicine, it protects beings who are poisoned by the defilements, cures the disease of suffering, and nourishes like nectar. “As the ocean is empty of corpses, nibbāna is empty of all defilements; as the ocean is not increased by all the rivers that flow into it, so nibbāna is not increased by all the beings who attain it; it is the abode of great beings [the Arahants], and it is decorated with the waves of knowledge and freedom. “Like food, which sustains life, nibbāna drives away old age and death; it increases the spiritual
strength of beings; it gives the beauty of virtue, it removes the distress of the defilements, it relieves the exhaustion of all suffering. “Like space, it is not born, does not decay or perish, it does not pass away here and arise elsewhere, it is invincible, thieves cannot steal it, it is not attached to anything, it is the sphere of ariyans who are
like birds in space, it is unobstructed and it is infinite. “Like a wish-fulfilling gem, it fulfils all desires, causes delight and is lustrous. “Like red sandalwood, it is hard to get, its fragrance is incomparable and it is praised by good men. “As ghee is recognisable by its special attributes, so nibbāna has special attributes; as ghee has a sweet fragrance, nibbāna has the sweet fragrance of virtue; as ghee has a delicious taste, nibbāna has the delicious taste of freedom. “Like a mountain peak, it is very high, immovable, inaccessible to the defilements, it has no place where
defilements can grow, and it is without favouritism or prejudice.” 30. The Realisation of Nibbāna“You say, Nāgasena, that nibbāna is neither past, nor present, nor future, neither arisen, nor not arisen, nor producible.16 In that case does the man who realises nibbāna realise something already produced, or does he himself produce it first and then realise it?” “Neither of these, O king, yet nibbāna does exist.” “Do not, Nāgasena, answer this question by making it obscure! Make it clear and elucidate it. It is a point on which people are bewildered and lost in doubt. Break this dart of uncertainty.” “The element of nibbāna does exist, O king, and he who practises rightly and who rightly comprehends
the formations according to the teachings of the Conqueror, he, by his wisdom, realises nibbāna. “How is nibbāna to be shown? By freedom from distress and danger, by purity and by coolness. As a man, afraid and terrified at having fallen among enemies, would be relieved and blissful when he had
escaped to a safe place; or as one fallen into a pit of filth would be at ease and glad when he had got out of the pit and cleaned up; or as one trapped in a forest fire would be calm and cool when he had reached a safe spot. As fearful and terrifying should you regard the anxiety that arises again and again on account of birth, old age, disease and death; as filth should you regard gain, honours and fame; as hot and searing should you regard the three-fold fire of desire, hatred and delusion.
“How does he who is practising rightly realise nibbāna? He rightly grasps the cyclic nature of formations and therein he sees only birth, old age, disease, and death; he sees nothing pleasant or agreeable in any part of it. Seeing nothing there to be taken hold of, as on a red-hot iron ball, his mind overflows
with discontent and a fever takes hold of his body; hopeless and without a refuge he becomes disgusted with repeated lives. To him who sees the terror of the treadmill of life the thought arises, ‘On fire and blazing is this wheel of life, full of suffering and despair. If only there could be an end to it, that would be peaceful, that would be excellent; the cessation of all mental formations, the renunciation of grasping, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, nibbāna!’
“Therewith his mind leaps forward into the state where there is no becoming. Then has he found peace, then does he exult and rejoice at the thought, ‘A refuge has been found at last!’ He strives along the path for the cessation of formations, searches it out, develops it, and makes much of it. To that end he
stirs up his mindfulness, energy and joy; and from attending again and again to that thought [of disgust with mental formations], having transcended the treadmill of life, he brings the cycle to a halt. One who stops the treadmill is said to have realised nibbāna.” 31. Where is Nibbāna?“Is there a place, Nāgasena, where nibbāna is stored up?” “No there is not, yet it does exist. As there is no place where fire is stored up yet it may be produced by rubbing two dry sticks together.” “But is there any place on which a man might stand and realise nibbāna?”
“Yes there is; virtue is the place;17 standing on that, and with wise attention, wherever he might be, whether in the land of the Scythians or the Bactrians, whether in China or Tibet,18 in Kashmir or Gandhāra, on a mountain top or in the highest heavens; the one who practises rightly realises nibbāna.” “Very good, Nāgasena, you have taught about nibbāna, you have explained about the realisation of
nibbāna, you have praised the qualities of virtue, shown the right way of practice, raised aloft the banner of the Dhamma, established the Dhamma as a leading principle, not barren nor without fruit are the efforts of those with right aims!” In this chapter there are twelve questions | 
