The Babyboy In The Floating Pot

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yawares
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Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:23 pm

The Babyboy In The Floating Pot

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Dear Members,

This is an amazing story for such a lovely Sunday morning. I see the rising sun with golden rays that paint the blue sky into beautiful mixed colors beyond words can describe.


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Jatila : The Babyboy In The Floating Pot
[ From Bhikkhu Pesala and Daw Mya Tin ]


While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (416) of this book, with reference to Thera Jatila.

Soon after the passing away (Parinibbana) of Kassapa Buddha, an arahat thera went round for donations to build a gold stupa where the relics of Kassapa Buddha were to be enshrined. The thera came to the house of a goldsmith while he and his wife were engaged in a heated quarrel. The goldsmith shouted at the thera and said, "You had better thrown your stupa into the water and go away." His wife then said to the goldsmith, "If you are angry with me you should abuse me only; you can even beat me if you like; but why do you have to abuse the Buddha and the thera? Surely, you have done a grievous wrong !" Hearing her words, the goldsmith realized the enormity of the wrong he had done and wanted to make atonement for it. So, he made some gold flowers, put them into three gold pots and offered them to be put into the relic chamber of the stupa of Kassapa Buddha.

In his present existence he was conceived in the womb of a millionaire's daughter who had had an illicit love affair. When the babyboy was born, she put it into a pot and floated it down the Ganges River. A lady-disciple of Thera Kaccāna, who was bathing in the river saw the child in the pot and took it with her. She adopted him and named him Jatila because when the baby was bathed his hair became matted.Years later, on the advice of Thera Kaccana the woman sent Jatila to Taxila where he had his education. While at Taxila the thera arranged for him to stay at the house of a merchant who was a disciple of his. In due course, Jatila married the daughter of the merchant. Soon after the marriage, a large mound of gold appeared in the backyard of the house which was newly built for the couple. Three sons were born out of this marriage. After that, Jatila joined the Order and attained arahatship within a few days.

On one occasion, as the Buddha went on an alms-round with five hundred bhikkhus including Jatila, they came to the house of the sons of Jatila. His sons offered alms-food to the Buddha and his disciples for fifteen days. Some time afterwards, the bhikkhus asked Jatila whether he was still attached to his mound of gold and his sons, and he answered that he had no more attachment to them. The bhikkhus then said to the Buddha that Jatila was falsely claiming to have attained arahatship. To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! Jatila has got rid of craving and pride; he has indeed attained arahatship."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

A Saint Has Given Up Craving
Who in this world giving up craving,
would renounce worldly life and become a homeless one,
Who has destroyed craving and becoming — I call a Saint.416


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