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The Childless Millionaire

Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 11:39 am
by yawares
Dear Members,

I would like to thank Bhikkhu Pesala for giving me this amazing story(and many more on March 18,2012). I truly love all the stories, silly me I just find "This is the full path to the story:" today!

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The Childless Millionaire
[From Bhikkhu Pesala]

A childless millionaire died leaving all his wealth. King Pasenadi ordered all of his wealth to be removed to the royal treasury. There was so much wealth, that this process took seven days. Then the king went to see the Buddha. He related what had happened and remarked that although the Buddha dwelt close by, the treasurer had not given any alms. The Buddha related the previous life of the millionaire. At one time he was a millionaire. When a Solitary Buddha named Tagarasikhim came to his house for alms, he told his wife to give him something, and got up and left. His wife, seizing this rare opportunity, took his almsbowl and filled it with delicious food. On coming back, the man asked the Tagarasikhim if he had been given anything, so he lifted the lid of his bowl. Seeing and smelling the delicious food given by his wife, the householder thought that it would have been better to give that food to his servants, as they would work hard, but this monk would just go and have a good sleep after eating. In that life, the householder had a nephew who would frequently point out his father’s property when walking with his uncle. Not wishing for his nephew to inherit his brother’s property, he took the boy and murdered him in a wood. Having suffered in hell for many hundreds of thousands of years for this evil deed, he was reborn in Sāvatthī as a multi-millionaire due to the fruition of his offering of choice alms to Tagarasikhiṃ. However, because he regretted giving it, he was unable to enjoy any benefit of this wealth, and lived on only sour rice gruel. Due to killing his nephew in his previous existence, he remained childless, and his property was confiscated by the king. After death, he was again reborn in the Roruva hell.


Blemishes of Mankind:

Weeds are the bane of fields, lust is the bane of mankind.
Hence what is given to those free from lust yields abundant fruit.356

Weeds are the bane of fields, hatred is the bane of mankind.
Hence what is given to those free from hatred yields abundant fruit.357

Weeds are the bane of fields, delusion is the bane of mankind.
Hence what is given to those free from delusion yields abundant fruit.358

Weeds are the bane of fields, craving is the bane of mankind.
Hence what is given to those free from craving yields abundant fruit.359

Ankura’s Story
When Indaka gave a spoonful of his own food to the Elder Anuruddha as alms, the fruit of his merit was greater than that of Ankura who for thousands of years offered abundant alms. When the Buddha taught the Abhidhamma in Tāvatimsa, Indaka sat by his right side, while Amkura had to sit far away. Explaining the importance of giving alms with wise discrimination, by giving to the virtuous, the Buddha uttered the above verses.


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Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya
:heart: