Date: 10/26/2024 10/27/2024
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Otto Huang
Dharma Talk
The Ascetic ChimaWho Attempted to Find the Edge of the World
Once, the Buddha went on a journey to the capital city of Shravasti in the kingdom of Kosala and stayed at the Jeta Grove, Anathapindika’s Park, located on the southern outskirts of the city.
One early morning before dawn, a deity named Chima came to visit the Buddha. Chima displayed an exquisite appearance, with a gentle glow emanating from his body, illuminating the entire grove. The deity first bowed to the Buddha and then asked him a question:
“World-Honored One! Can we cross the boundaries of this world to reach a place where there is no birth, no aging, and no death?”
“You cannot cross the boundaries of this world to reach a state of no birth, no aging, and no death,” the Buddha replied clearly.
Upon hearing this response from the Buddha, Chima was greatly impressed and exclaimed:
“It’s so amazing, World-Honored One! Such an answer from you. Why do I find it amazing? Because I recall that in a past life, I was an ascetic named Chima. At that time, the ascetic Chima had attained incredible divine powers, enabling him to fly swiftly through the air. How fast was he? Just like a skilled archer whose arrow, passing through the shadow of a tree, covers a great distance in a brief moment, Chima could cross from the East Sea to the West Sea. At that time, the ascetic Chimathought: with my extraordinary divine powers, I should be able to fly to the edge of this world. Not only did he think it, but Chima also put it into action. Except for eating, a little sleep, and relieving himself, he continuously displayed his divine powers, swiftly flying towards the edge of this world. He flew tirelessly for over a hundred years but still could not reach the edge of this world and died on the way. Truly rare it is! The World-Honored One has given such an answer.”
The Buddha then told Chima:
“Now, let me use our seven-foot body to tell you what the world is, how it is formed, how it ceases, and the way to its cessation.
Chima, what is the world? The world is the accumulation of five aggregates tainted by attachment. Which five aggregates? They are the aggregates of form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, all tainted by attachment.
What is the fundamental factor in the formation of the world? It is attachment; it includes the manifestation in the present and future, the attachment to self, and all forms of possessiveness regarding self.
What is the cessation of the world? It is the elimination, abandonment, cessation, and dispassion towards all forms of attachment, which is the cessation of the world.
What is the method to cease the world? It is the Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
Chima! You should understand the truth of the suffering in the world and eliminate all the sorrows of the world; you should understand the true root cause of the formation of the world and eliminate it; you should understand the cessation of the world and realize it; you should understand the path to the cessation of the world and practice it. Chima! Only by doing so can one truly cross the boundaries of the world and transcend the attachments of the world.”
