Page 54 - Martial Science Magazine Aug/2016 #16

“We have just been told by some throwing away a drop of water!” the Buddha had expounded the
strangers that it is raining in the Four Truths, those five hundred
forest just ahead. How far does Just as the merchant had disciples were established in the
a rain-wind carry?” predicted, his caravan soon Fruit of the First Path.
came upon the five hundred
“A yojana, sir.” carts with the skeletons of The Buddha concluded his
men and oxen strewn in every lesson by identifying the Birth
“Has any man here seen the top direction. He ordered his men as follows: “The foolish young
of even a single storm-cloud?” to arrange his carts in a fortified merchant was Devadatta, [4]
circle, to take care of the oxen, and his men were Devadatta’s
“No, sir.” and to prepare an early supper followers. The wise merchant’s
for themselves. After the animals men were the followers of the
“How far off can you see a flash and men had all safely bedded Buddha, and I myself was that
of lightning?” down, the merchant and his wise merchant.”
foremen, swords in hand, stood
“Four or five yojanas, sir.” guard all through the night. ............................................................

“Has any man here seen a flash At daybreak the merchant
of lightning?” replaced his own weak carts for
stronger ones and exchanged
“No, sir.” his own common goods for the
most costly of the abandoned
“How far off can a man hear a merchandise. When he arrived
peal of thunder?” at his destination, he was able
to barter his stock of wares at
“Two or three yojanas, sir.” two or three times their value.
He returned to his own city
“Has any man here heard a peal without losing a single man out
of thunder?” of all his company.

“No, sir.” This story ended, the Buddha
said, “Thus it was, laymen, that Notes:
“Those were not men, but in times past, the foolish came 1. The Uposatha is the full, new, and
yakkhas,” the wise merchant to utter destruction, while those half-moon days, when many Buddhists
told his men. “They are hoping who clung to the truth escaped observe the Eight Precepts.
that we will throw away our from the yakkhas’ hands, 2. Yojana: a unit of distance, about seven
water. Then, when we are weak reached their goal in safety, and miles.
and faint, they will return to returned to their homes again.
devour us. Since the young “This clinging to the truth not 3. The Realm of Brahma refers to the
merchant who went before us only endows happiness even highest heavens, where beings enjoy
was not a man of good sense, up to rebirth in the Realm of radiant bliss.
most likely he was fooled by Brahma, [3] but also leads
them. We may expect to find his ultimately to Arahatship. 4. Devadatta was a cousin of the Buddha.
carts standing just as they were Following untruth entails He tried to kill the Master several times,
first loaded. We will probably rebirth either in the four states but always failed.
see them today. Press on with of punishment or in the lowest
all possible speed, without conditions of mankind.” After

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