Date: 09/13/2025 09/14/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
Anathapindika the Elder and His Son
Ruler of all the earth,
One who attains birth in the heavens,
The master of all worlds —
None surpass the glory of the Stream-enterer.
[Chapter on the World, Verse 178]
This verse was spoken by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery for the sake of Kala, the son of Anathapindika the Elder.
Anathapindika was one of the Buddha’s most devoted lay disciples, but his son Kala had never once thought of visiting the Buddha, nor did he show respect toward the ordained monks. Despite repeated admonitions and guidance from his father, he would not listen. One day, the elder thought: “If my son continues to waste his life with such wrong views and wrong understanding, there is no doubt he will fall into the Avici Hell after death. That would truly be pitiful for him, and as his father, it would mean I have failed in my duty to guide him. In this world, apart from Arahants and those who possess right knowledge and right view, no one is free from ‘looking toward wealth.’ As the saying goes, ‘To lead one into the Buddha’s wisdom, first draw them in with desire.’ I will use money to open his mind.”
So the elder told his son: “Today, if you go to the monastery to observe the Eight Precepts for a day, I will give you one tael of gold when you return.” The son’s eyes widened: “Really?” “Really,” the father confirmed. Still doubtful, the son asked twice more, and each time the father firmly confirmed it. Tempted by the rich reward, the son immediately went to the monastery to observe the Eight Precepts for the day.
Upon arriving, he chose the most comfortable spot, thinking: “All I need to do is endure here for a day, and when I return I will get a tael of gold — there’s no deal better than this in the whole world.” He made no effort to listen to the Buddha’s teaching, instead sleeping through the night. At dawn, he went straight home to claim his reward.
“Did you keep the Eight Precepts?” the father asked. “Yes.” “Good! You must be hungry; have breakfast first.” The father ordered food to be brought. But the son, thinking only of the gold, pushed the food aside and impatiently asked: “Where is my tael of gold?” The elder took it out, and only then did the son take the gold in one hand and the food in the other to eat.
Before long, Anathapindika said again: “Son, if you can go listen to the Buddha’s teaching and then recite for me just one line or one verse that you remember, I will give you ten taels of gold.” The son agreed at once and hurried to where the Buddha was. The Buddha, knowing that Kala had come only for the ten taels, deliberately spoke on a teaching that required focused attention to understand.
Because of the lure of the ten taels, Kala let go of all other concerns and concentrated with one-pointed attention on the Buddha’s words, listening carefully without missing a single word. In doing so, he suddenly gained insight and attained the first stage of enlightenment — Stream-entry (Sotāpanna).
The next day, the Buddha came with the monks to the elder’s home to receive alms. Kala was among them. Seeing his son, the elder did not know that he had attained Stream-entry; he only thought, “My son looks radiant today, his appearance bright and dignified.”
Kala, meanwhile, was thinking: “If only my father doesn’t give me the ten taels in front of everyone today. If the Buddha knew I first went to the monastery for a tael of gold to keep the Eight Precepts, how shameful that would be.”
The elder served the Buddha and each monk in turn. Kala, feeling guilty, kept his head down in silence as he ate. Unexpectedly, the elder took out ten taels of gold and placed them before Kala: “Son, I promised you ten taels of gold for going to the Buddha and listening to the Dhamma. Here — this is yours.”
Flustered, Kala stammered: “Father, I don’t want it. That’s enough.” “Take it! It’s yours!” The elder urged, but Kala kept refusing, without the slightest thought of accepting the gold.
The elder bowed to the Buddha and said: “Thank you, Blessed One! Today my son appears radiant, filled with joy in the Dhamma.” The Buddha feigned ignorance: “I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Ah, Blessed One! Yesterday I gave my son one tael of gold to go to the monastery to observe the Eight Precepts. When he returned, he refused to eat without first receiving the gold. Today I offered ten taels to have him go listen to your teaching, but when I tried to give it to him afterward, he would not take it. This is truly marvelous!”
The Buddha smiled and said: “Yes, today your son has gained something far greater than all the wealth of the earth, all the treasures of the heavens, and all the possessions of the Brahma worlds — for he has attained the fruit of Stream-entry (Sotāpanna).”
To reaffirm this truth, the Buddha recited the verse:
“Ruler of all the earth,
One who attains birth in the heavens,
The master of all worlds —
None surpass the glory of the Stream-enterer.”
Many monks present, upon hearing the Buddha’s words, also attained the first fruit of enlightenment — Stream-entry.
