Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Why do some gain Nibbãna, while most do not?



Sakka, the king of the 33 Gods, once asked the Blessed Buddha:
Venerable Sir, what is the cause & reason, why some beings here do not
attain
Nibbāna in this very life? And what is the cause and reason, why
some
beings here do indeed attain Nibbāna in this very life?
Knowing this being's addiction to divine delight the Buddha answered:
There are, King of the thirty-three Devas, forms experiencable by the eye,
sounds experiencable by the ear, smells experiencable by the nose, touches
experiencable by the body, and mental phenomena experiencable by the
mind, that all are attractive, charming, agreeable, pleasing, tempting, and
tantalizing. If a bhikkhu hunts for delight in them, welcomes them, and
remains
holding on to them, his mind becomes addicted to them and clings
to them. Any being mentally dominated by clinging cannot attain Nibbāna!
This is the cause & reason, King of the Devas, why many & most beings here
do
not attain Nibbāna in this very life... Again: There are, King of the Gods,
forms experiencable by the eye, sounds experiencable by the ear, smells
experiencable by the nose, touches experiencable by the body, and mental
phenomena experiencable by the mind, that all are attractive, charming,
agreeable, pleasing, enticing, tempting and tantalizing. If a wise Bhikkhu
avoids seeking any delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not
remain holding on to them, then his mind doesn't become addicted to them,
Any being mentally wholly freed of clinging can indeed attain Nibbāna!
This is the cause and reason, King of the Devas, why some beings here can
attain Nibbāna in this very life, while most neither can, nor will....


king Sakka and a few of his hundreds of dear nymphs...

More on the Deva King Sakka (Indra) of the 33 Gods (Tāvatimsa):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/sa/sakka.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/t/taavatimsa.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra



Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya. Book IV 102
The 6 senses section 35. Thread on Sakka's Question: 118.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html

Why and Why not?

Have a nice & noble day!


Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net


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