Page 16 - EH58

14 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Community of laity and Monastics at Bhavana Society

the ground with his fingers, one skill of delivery, and conveying discover the truth from listening to
was looking up in the sky, one was the most beneficial message, the the Dhamma. They are as follows:
shaking a tree nearby, and the four people were not able to listen
last one was the only person who attentively to it? 1. First you investigate the
listened to the Dhamma attentively. teacher.
The Buddha asked Ānanda, “Do 2. Then you place faith in him
While the Buddha was delivering you think this Dhamma is sweet to (Atha tamhi saddhaṃniveseti);
his sermon Ven. Ānanda, who was everybody?” 3. Filled with faith you visit him
standing behind the Buddha, was (saddhājāto upasaṃkamati)
fanning him. He saw what these When Ānanda was silent, the 4. Then pay respect to him
people were doing. At the end of Buddha himself answered his own (upasaṃkamanto payirupāsati);
the sermon he told the Buddha how question and said, “Ānanda, people 5. Having paid respect to him,
these five people behaved while the are engaged more deeply in useless you give ear (payirupāsanto
Buddha was delivering his sermon talks (tiracchānakathā). They are sotaṃodahati);
and asked the Buddha why they deeply trenched in these habits. 6. When you give ear, you hear
behaved that way. It is most difficult for them to pay the Dhamma (ohitasoto
attention to Dhamma that leads Dhammaṃsuṇāti);
Then the Buddha said that it is due them to liberation from suffering. 7. Having heard the Dhamma,
to their own saṃsāric habit. One For many people, the Dhamma you memorize it (sutvā
who slept during the sermon was is not very sweet. Attachment, Dhammaṃdhāreti)
a snake in 500 previous lives and hatred, confusion and craving have 8. After memorizing, you
he coiled up like a snake. One who conditioned their minds. Even examine the meaning of
was scratching the ground with in many Kappas [an immensely the teachings (dhāritānaṃ
his fingers was an earth worm in long period of time] these people dhammānaṃattahṃ
his previous life. One who kept on have not heard the word Buddha, upaparikkhati);
looking in the sky was an astrologer Dhamma or Sangha. So in this life 9. When you have examined their
in his previous life. One who was it is very difficult for them to hear meaning, you gain a reflective
shaking a tree was a monkey in the the Dhamma. In this beginningless acceptance of those teachings
past life. The one who listened to saṃsāra these people have been (atthaṃupaparikkhato dhammā
Dhamma attentively was a learned engaged in animal talks. Turning nijjhānaṃkhamati);
Brahmin who had studied three their mind to Dhamma all of a 10. When you have gained a
Vedas. sudden is very difficult. reflective acceptance of those
teachings, zeal springs up
How to Listen to the Dhamma
Ven. Ānanda asked the Buddha (Dhammanijjhānakhantiyā sati
why while he was delivering a very chando jāyati);
wonderful sermon with remarkable There are 15 steps to follow to