Commentary on Petavatthu

Discuss and learn about the traditional Mahayana scriptures, without assuming that any one school ‘owns’ the only correct interpretation.
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kao1306
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Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2014 11:56 am

Commentary on Petavatthu

Post by kao1306 »

Commentary on Petavatthu

Did not observe what I said to others, Not did not control what I said to others.
@Petavatthu
1.3. Stinky Mouth
Narada Bhante:
Your body is as beautiful as an angel and you are floating in the sky. But your mouth is being eaten by worms and it is very smelly. What have you done in your previous life?
Ghost:
I was an evil monk and insulted others using bad words. I pretended to be a good monk. I did not control what I said to others. However, I did not do any evil actions with my body. Because of this, my body is beautiful but my mouth is full of worms.
You have seen this with your own eyes, Narada Bhante. The wise and compassionate Buddhas teach us not to lie or break friendships. I strongly suggest that you follow their instructions, and then you will be reborn in heaven and enjoy every happiness you desire.

Sorrow has been transcended, Not sorrow has been extinguished.
@Petavatthu
1.8. The Ox
A son is crying over the death of his ox. His father questions him:
Father:
Are you crazy son? Why are you trying to feed grass to a dead ox saying, “Eat, eat!”? Food and drinks will not make it come back to life. You are childish, a fool, and an idiot.
Son:
But father, there are these legs, this head, this body with its tail, and the eyes are the same—this ox might come back to life. But our dead grandfather’s hands, legs, body, and head are not seen. But yet you still cry over the pile of earth that was built over his body. Is it not you that is foolish?
Father:
My heart was burning with sadness over the death of my father like when ghee is poured onto a fire. But now, all my sorrow has been extinguished as if I had been sprayed with water. I was struck with an arrow of grief, but you have removed it from me, my son. Having heard your advice, I have become tranquil and cool with the arrow of sorrow removed. I no longer grieve or weep.
If someone feels compassion towards others, they should try to help them escape from sorrow like the son Sujata to his father.

----Khuddhaka Nikaya-Petavatthu
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Observed that evil mind, Not abandoned that evil mind.
@Petavatthu
3.5. The Abandoned Baby
Villagers:
The great Buddha’s knowledge is wonderful. The Blessed One knows perfectly who has lots of merits and who does not.
This baby has been abandoned in the cemetery. He survives by drinking milk oozing out of his thumb. Demons or non-humans will not harm him. This is because the baby has previously done many meritorious deeds.
Dogs lick his feet to clean them, while crows and jackals protect him. Flocks of birds remove the impurities from his birth, and crows wipe of the dirt from his eyes.
There are no parents or relatives to protect him, to provide him with medicine, or to celebrate his birth.
Being in such a horrible state, abandoned, cold and shivering, his survival is uncertain.
The extremely wise Supreme Buddha, teacher of gods and humans saw him and announced,
Supreme Buddha:
This baby will become a member of a high cast family with great wealth.
Villagers:
What has the baby done in his previous life to get this result? Having fallen to a miserable state, how would this baby become a member of a high cast family?
Supreme Buddha:
In his previous life, he insulted a group of people who were giving alms to the monks headed by the Buddha and he spoke harshly to the Buddha and the monks.
Afterwards, he abandoned that evil mind. Becoming a devoted disciple, he developed a pleasant mind towards the Supreme Buddha and monks. Furthermore, he offered rice-gruel to the Supreme Buddha for seven days.
These were his good actions. That is why even though he is miserable now, he will be very wealthy and happy in the future.
He will live in this world for 100 years as a very wealthy and happy person and after death be reborn in the Tavatimsa Heaven with the god Sakka.
----Khuddhaka Nikaya-Petavatthu

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Introduction of Petavatthu

Petavatthu is a Theravada Buddhist scripture, included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Pali Canon's Sutta Pitaka. It is composed of 51 verse narratives describing specifically how the effects of bad acts can lead to rebirth into the unhappy world of petas (ghosts) in the doctrine of karma.[1] It gives prominence to the doctrine that giving alms to monks may benefit the ghosts of one's relatives (see Ancestor worship).

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