When awareness becomes protection | Upāya Kusala | Sermon 16 | Ven. Welimada Saddaseela Thero

In this sermon, learn how vigilance and mindfulness can become powerful tools in facing life’s problems.

When we lose awareness of the world around us, we easily become influenced, deceived, or drawn into wrongdoing. But by living mindfully and watchfully, we can safeguard ourselves and avoid problems too.

Transcript:

[NOTE: This translation was made by one of our volunteers]

So meritorious devotees, today we are discussing about living vigilantly. A solution for a problem is instead of panicking, without believing something as it is, and without being hasty; this is something we discuss often. Because the Supreme Buddha said the special thing a person seeking an answer for a problem should have is not being scared, not grieving, not crying, and not panicking. That’s how one finds an answer. Patiently…

Troubles come at humans. So because of not being vigilant, – because of not being vigilant – some people have to face great problems. They fall in pits they can’t get out of. They even lose their lives because of not being vigilant. Now let’s take an example. People get entangled in traps set for animals. Guns set up for animals fire at village people who live near forests. Why is that? Because they are not vigilant of the path they walk on. If you are ignorant about life and those you associate, you will have to face problems. Being vigilant is an answer. Being mindful. Being a bit mindful. Let’s discuss how to do that.

The Supreme Buddha – during His time – let’s look at a trouble that arose for Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika. Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika wore rings on all 10 fingers. He lived very affluently. In current times – in current times if someone lives according to the Dhamma, they do so very helplessly. When older lay women live according to the Dhamma they remove their earrings, necklaces, and they go in a very helpless manner. Even to listen to a Dhamma sermon. Very helpless. The foremost among female lay disciples during the Buddha’s time – Vishaka – wore the Meghā Paḷandana. But in today’s times, very helplessly they drape a white cloth over their forearm. bow their heads, and go very helplessly. Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika’s wore rings on all 10 fingers. Then I think he also had valuable jewellery too. So a gang of thieves thought to steal those from Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika. The tactic they used for that was to make Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika drink lots of alcohol and once he’s drunk and passes out to steal his jewellery. Back then, masculine jewellery was worn on the ears. All of it was gold so they planned to steal all of it. So when the merchant was on his way to Devramvehera, or somewhere else for another matter, some drunkards called out to him and said “Merchant, come here. For you specifically there’s some fine alcohol. It’s very pleasant.” They said “It’s good for the body. It cures body pains.” They thus invited him to drink with them. So if Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika was invited to drink, your husband being invited by his friends to drink is not a surprising matter. When friends meet and they invite another to drink, it’s not a surprising matter. Now Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika is the Tathāgata’s foremost male lay attendant. They arranged for him to drink too. The merchant opposed it at that time. He didn’t boast. As he was a noble disciple. “I am a great noble disciple who has avoided alcohol all my life.” – he didn’t go to say such things. He said “Don’t you’ll know I don’t drink?” Then they said “No no merchant, this a very fine one. Let’s drink. Let’s drink.” They kept insisting. He avoided saying “Okay okay. I am on my way for another matter. Let’s see later.” Now he finished his work and is returning. Even then that group is there at the hideout. “Merchant! Merchant! We were waiting for you. Oh please drink. Please drink.” The merchant approached and opened the jar of toddy. They had put poison in the toddy. To get drunk and pass out as soon as he drank it. Then the merchant looked. There was toddy up to the brim. Then the merchant said “What time did I pass by here? In the morning. Now what time did I return? In the evening. So all of you sat around this and invited me to drink. I returned in the evening but still not even a bit of toddy has left this jar. A bunch of drunks keeping a jar of alcohol untouched until evening is not something that usually happens. Therefore, tell me, you’ve put something in this toddy, haven’t you?” As soon as he said that they ran away. Knowing they got caught. Probably because of the merchant’s glory too. Then the next day, he told the Supreme Buddha “Venerable Sir, Blessed One, Something like this happened.” The Supreme Buddha said “They did something like this in a previous life too.”

See how the same thing comes again and again? This life of ours is a repeat of another life. It happens again and again. Happens again and again… There’s no person who has not been another’s wife. There’s no person who has not been another’s husband, mother or father. Then as this mother’s and father’s children, this life story has repeated in the past too. This mother and father have had the same children and lived a similar life in the past. This wife has had this husband before and has lived a similar life in the past. So even in past lives, you were not able to dictate the behaviour of your wife, your husband or other associates. Even now you are pursuing an unsuccessful attempt. So what can be done about these?… What’s important is to listen to some Dhamma sermons and trying to understand life.

Thereafter, the Supreme Buddha said back then, they tried to get the Great Bodhisattva drunk. He was a nobleman too. The same incident occurred. So the nobleman had gone there and thought “Why are they trying to get me to drink? Next is, in this toddy jar there are contents up to the brim. None of them have drunk from it. Surely there’s something wrong with this toddy jar.” When they were threatened and questioned, they ran away. He kicked the jar and left. So being vigilant, being mindful… When asked to drink, one simply drinks. When asked to eat, one simply eats. Instead, think a bit about the content. Being a little mindful?… Awareness… This will lead to the avoidance of many problems that can happen. So that merchant’s jewellery, wealth, and life was saved and he escaped those thieves because he was vigilant. And not because his body was strong. And not by showing weapons either. (It was) by being vigilant…

So if someone is trying to get close to you, think why he/she is doing so. When someone is very knowledgeable, they understand why someone is trying to do something. For someone who remains mindful… “Why is he/she trying to get close to me? Why an unusual affection today?” One should be mindful like that. So the Supreme Buddha said that this is a solution for life.

In the past, there was a fruit called Kimpala. So Kimpala – that fruit – is identical to mangoes. But if you eat it, you will die. So when going through a forest for trade – across a forest – the merchant had told his group “We are going through a forest we haven’t been in before. This forest has poisonous fruits and flowers. So before you use something, ask from me. All of you are going with me. Ask me before doing anything.” They said okay and the group left. Along the way, they came across a Kimpala tree. As soon as they saw the mango tree, they thought “Wow… The fruit is ripe and mangoes have fallen everywhere.” Saying so, one or two of them took some mangoes and ate them. When eating, a few said “Oh oh don’t eat, don’t eat. He said not to eat any fruits, right?” By then, some of them had already eaten. Then the trading group leader was told this. That some of them had eaten some fruit. He came and cautiously inspected. Being cautious, he said “This is a poisonous tree. This is called Kimpala.” By then, everyone who ate (the fruit) was vomiting. They were quickly given medicine. They were thus saved. The next day, the villagers were prepared for this. The villagers know about this tree. Then the villagers discussed “The carts are for us. The goods are for us. The oxen are for us.” They came forth saying such things thinking the group had died. They were alive. Not one was harmed. The people were surprised. They asked “How did this happen?” Then they said “It’s because of our leader.” They asked “How did the leader escape?” The leader said “I was vigilant. I thought this fruit is identical to mangoes. When there are so many ripe fruit, and this village is nearby. Smoke billowing from villagers’ houses can be seen from here. So people will not not come here. So why doesn’t even one person take this fruit away? Eat it? Next is, this is situated on a roadside. When all this fruit had fallen, I realized there’s something wrong with this tree.” See (the benefit) of being mindful? How many lives were saved? See how he responded to that problem?

Similarly, in the Devadhamma Jataka, the princes such as Prince Suriya and Prince Canda – when they were stepping in to the pond – and the Bodhisattva arrived, there are footprints leading in to the pond, but there aren’t footprints leading out. Now would someone go to a pond today and look for something like that? Would someone of today look at the footprints before stepping in to a lake or pond? A person of today will not look. They are only mesmerized by the water. There’s no one who looks for footprints that lead in or out. It’s good there aren’t water monsters these days. But because they consume the monster named alcohol and go, they are anyway destroyed.

So in the Supreme Buddha’s life, as He did not panic and was vigilant, there are instances where His life was saved. Our Great Bodhisattva, one day – during one lifetime – was a great monkey. This monkey can there’s a pond – I mean a garden – beyond the river. Something like an island and it has fruit. But it lived on the other side of the river. It was very strong. From one branch on this side, it would jump on to a rock in the middle of the river. From that rock, it would jump on to the other side. So an alligator in that river wanted to eat this monkey. Thinking of eating it, it thought that it jumps on to this so it should stay there. And thus it slowly got on to the rock and spread itself on it. At the time that the monkey arrives, thinking it would capture it as it jumps on to the rock. So what happened? When the monkey tried to jump from the branch, it noticed the rock is a bit raised today. Notice how even a monkey is attentive? Even a monkey is attentive… Now it’s raised and it then looked at the river bank. The water hasn’t reduced either. For a rock to be raised, the water should reduce right? So it looked closely again. When looking, it thought this must be an alligator. Then it said it will get it out of it (the alligator) itself. “I thought of jumping now. Why aren’t you talking with me today?” Then the alligator thought “The monkey talks to the rock before it jumps on to it. This means the rock must be able to talk” Did you understand? Then the rock said “Oh, Mister monkey go ahead and jump. Jump.” Now the alligator is talking. Then the monkey said “Hey you! This rock has never spoken to me. You’re an alligator, aren’t you?” Then it said “Yes, I am an alligator.” Then it asked “Why are you there? I want to eat you.” The monkey said “Oh, that’s not a big deal. Wait, I’ll jump over to you.” “Okay then jump.” it said. “Then keep your mouth open. I’ll jump in to it.” The alligator said okay and opened its mouth wide. Apparently when alligators open their mouth, their eyes close. The alligator doesn’t remember that. Thereafter – the monkey – as soon as the alligator opened its mouth, with the same momentum it jumped on to the alligator and then on to the other side. As it jumped on to the other side, the alligator said “I’ve seen monkeys but not a monkey like this. Four methods of winning over enemies are discussed worldwide. You have all four of them. That’s the truth, inquiring wisely, being brave and generosity. You said you would jump in to my mouth. And you truly jumped near me. You told the truth. Next, you inquired intelligently. You looked for a way to save your life. You did not jump straightaway. You are inquisitive. Next, you are brave. You jumped fast and left fast too. Next, you are generous. Meaning it’s not fearfully but after letting go of your life did you face this challenge. Therefore, you are a noble being.” It was thus praised. The Supreme Buddha preached in order to overcome challenges in life, for the tactfulness he had, he received praise from Devadatta too. The alligator was Devadatta. What are those four matters to defeat enemies? Truth, inquiring wisely, bravery, and generosity. These are factors that help overcome life’s challenges. Truth, inquiring wisely, bravery and generosity. Otherwise we fall in trouble.

Let’s say a phone receives messages continuously. So one should check “Why so many messages? Why is this person trying to get close to me? Why are they calling so much? Why are the inquiring about me so much? What’s the problem here? What’s special about me?” (Think this way) instead of swallowing various such baits that come from society. Next, when people do business, goods are forced upon them by showing an unusual affection. Then one should think “Why such an affection? One that even my mother or father doesn’t have towards me. What is this?” Being mindful like that? During election times “Why are they so affectionate?” Like that, during suitable times, such wise inquiries should be done.

Similarly, I’ve discussed before as well about Samyaprayoga. That life should be protected? In one life, an alligator wanted to eat the heart of a monkey. At that time too it tactfully saved its life. Then the alligator said “There are three factors in this world to help win over enemies. Talent, skilfulness, and wisdom. That talent, skilfulness, and wisdom – you have it.” The wisdom the monkey had at that time to save its life. So talent, skilfulness, and wisdom are three special factors that are required to face challenges. So instead of thinking “Let whatever happen” and being lazy, lethargic, sluggish, in a corner, foolishly; If one is like that he/she cannot overcome life’s challenges. One must think of solutions for problems. We are discussing a number of answers. Your talent is taking the right answer for a given problem. So living vigilantly, understanding facts and matters, and being mindful even when listening to the Dhamma – “Why are they trying to give the Dhamma to us by force? Why are they doing such things?” One should inquire in such a way. “Why are they approaching us and doing this?” So these should be thought about little by little. Wisely. Sometimes one becoming another’s victim, even threats to life, can be avoided by wisely inquiring. By inquiring wisely…

In Sri Lanka, (people begin romantic relationships) in buses. They talk in the bus and agree to go out for a tea. At the restaurant, something would be mixed in to their tea (to lose consciousness) and their jewellery will be stolen. So one should think they met the other person in the bus, how can they go out for a tea just like that…Just like that… I met a son. He had gone somewhere and when he was returning, at the bus stand – the bus was late. So there was a girl at the bus stand. So she had asked “Where are you going brother?” and in half an hour they had become friends. Then this boy had thought at that time “At this time if a bus goes uphill I will not marry her. If a bus goes downhill I will marry her.” As soon as he said so a bus had gone downhill. He thought he will surely marry her and got her number. He married her. His life became an absolute hell. They lived their married life only for a month. Now they’re going from court to court. See how kamma comes to fruition by the direction in which a bus travels? When taking important decisions in life, we must give it time and not be hasty, right? By inquiring wisely… “Why? Why did this person become friendly so quickly? Why is she trying so hard to get close to me? How can we discuss marriage so soon?” One needs to think this way. In this way, many boys’ and girls’ lives have been ruined… Don’t be hasty. Be mindful about life. Be mindful. Be mindful about society. I am not sure if parents advise children in such a way… I don’t know if children have time to listen to such things… So children are always on the phone and I don’t know if such advice is available on the phone. So even from that phone if they can listen to a Dhamma sermon like this and if this advice reaches these children’s ears; it’s something wholesome for their lives. Being vigilant…

In life. It’s difficult for us to explain one by one. But when this story is being said, you must understand that because of such incidents we too fell in trouble because we were hasty. We did not think much at that time. We become accomplices of others sometimes because we are not mindful. Because we are not perceptive. Because we are not talented. Because we don’t have wisdom. “Why am I doing this? Should I do this?” One should be thoughtful like that. Instead of saying okay for everything. Instead of saying okay for everything, (think) “Should I do this? Should I not do this?” Now we are discussing tactfulness. This helps to develop wisdom. So wisdom develops (when one inquires) “Is this good? Is this bad?” “Should this be done Shouldn’t this be done?” Then “Should I or shouldn’t I associate this?” We should thus try to understand. So therefore, Live mindfully like that. From today’s Dhamma advice, take away that the solution for a problem is being vigilant or mindful. Being attentive. That’s an answer for life. Someone can place a bomb. You would see that only if you are vigilant. Only someone who is mindful will notice something like that. If someone is plans to kill someone, only someone who is vigilant will notice something different is going on. If someone is trying to put you in trouble, they will get caught. A person who is mindful notices when a person’s mannerisms change. One must be mindful…