Udana 6.8 - The Courtesan, nice sutta I saw today

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carasan
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2022 3:46 am

Udana 6.8 - The Courtesan, nice sutta I saw today

Post by carasan »

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time two gangs were both hopelessly in love with a certain courtesan. Quarreling, arguing, and disputing, they attacked each other with fists, stones, rods, and swords, resulting in death and deadly pain.
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Rājagaha for alms. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“What has been attained and what is to be attained are both strewn over with dust for that one training while still sick. Those for whom the training is the essence, or precepts and observances, celibacy, and service as the essence: this is one extreme. Those who say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’: this is the second extreme. Thus these two extremes swell the charnel grounds, while the charnel grounds swell wrong view. Not realizing these two extremes, some get stuck and some overreach. Those who realize these things, who were not found there, who did not conceive by that, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found.”

Nice little sutta from the Udana, reminded me not to go too far by taking the training and precepts as the essence of the practice, or going in the route, getting stuck, where such sila is neglected and sensual pleasure is commended.
pegembara
Posts: 3465
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:39 am

Re: Udana 6.8 - The Courtesan, nice sutta I saw today

Post by pegembara »

carasan wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2023 12:50 am So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time two gangs were both hopelessly in love with a certain courtesan. Quarreling, arguing, and disputing, they attacked each other with fists, stones, rods, and swords, resulting in death and deadly pain.
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Rājagaha for alms. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“What has been attained and what is to be attained are both strewn over with dust for that one training while still sick. Those for whom the training is the essence, or precepts and observances, celibacy, and service as the essence: this is one extreme. Those who say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’: this is the second extreme. Thus these two extremes swell the charnel grounds, while the charnel grounds swell wrong view. Not realizing these two extremes, some get stuck and some overreach. Those who realize these things, who were not found there, who did not conceive by that, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found.”

Nice little sutta from the Udana, reminded me not to go too far by taking the training and precepts as the essence of the practice, or going in the route, getting stuck, where such sila is neglected and sensual pleasure is commended.

Nice find.
The Buddha is indeed wise. :smile:
Silabbata Sutta: Precept & Practice

"When — by following a life of precept & practice, a life, a holy life that is followed as of essential worth — one's unskillful mental qualities increase while one's skillful mental qualities decline: that sort of precept & practice, life, holy life that is followed as of essential worth is fruitless.
But when — by following a life of precept & practice, a life, a holy life that is followed as of essential worth — one's unskillful mental qualities decline while one's skillful mental qualities increase: that sort of precept & practice, life, holy life that is followed as of essential worth is fruitful."

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
This is essentially silabata paramasa -attachment to rites and rituals, one of the fetters to stream entry.
More important is to check one's mind for presence of defilements.
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
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