Hoa Vo Uu (Buddha Dharma Education Association)
Venerable Shravasti Dhammika
The Buddha’s Words of Wisdom
From the day the Lord said: “Four months from now I will attain final Nirvãna”. Thousands of men came to wait upon him. Those who had not yet attained the fruits of Stream-Winning could not restrain their tears, those had not attained enlightment experienced deep emotion, and walked around in small groups, saying: “What will we do?”
But one monk named Dhammãrãma kept separate from the other monks, and when asked: “What is the matter with you?” – he gave no reply. He had thought to himself: “The Lord has said that four months from now he will attain final Nirvãna and I still have not freed myself from desire. Thus, while the Lord lives I will struggle to attain enlightenment.” According, Dhammãrãma kept to himself recollecting, pondering and calling to mind the Lord’s Dhamma.
The monks went to the Tathãgata and said: “Reverend sir, Dhammãrãma has no affection for you. Since you announced your final Nirvãna four months from now, he has nothing to do with us.” The Lord had Dhammãrãma called to him and asked: “Is it true what they say, that you have nothing to do with the other monks?”
“Yes, reverend sir, it is true.” “Why do you do this?”
I do it thinking thus: “The Lord has said that four month from now he will attain final Nirvãna, and I have not freed myself from desire. Thus, while the Lord lives I will struggle to attain enlightenments. According, I keep to myself recollecting, pondering and calling to mind the Lord’s Dhamma.”
“Excellent, monk, excellent,” said the Lord.
Then the Lord addressed the monks, saying: “Every monk should show his affection for me in the way Dhammãrãmahas has done. They who honour me with garlands, perfume and so on honour me not; but they that practise the Dhamma in all its parts – they honour me in the best way.”
