Date: 02/08/2025 02/09/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Five Hundred Monkeys Who Revered the Stupa and Were Reborn in Heaven
When Śākyamuni Buddha was residing in Rājagaha, he instructed Venerable Sumanā to take the strands of hair and nail clippings he had cut and build a stupa for enshrinement in a southern mountain of Kashmir. In that mountain, five hundred arhats lived. They had long yearned to personally receive the Buddha’s teachings but had never had the opportunity. Now that the Buddha’s hair and nails were present, it felt as if the Buddha himself had arrived. Overjoyed, they deeply cherished this opportunity and circumambulated and worshipped the stupa every morning and evening.
In the same mountain, five hundred monkeys resided. Each day, they observed the arhats sincerely and devotedly worshipping the stupa, which intrigued them greatly. Imitating the arhats, the monkeys would go to the deep ravine, gather clumps of mud, and return to the mountain to construct a stupa of their own. Just like the monks, they performed prostrations and worshipped it every morning and evening.
One day, heavy rain suddenly poured down from the sky, and a flash flood erupted. The five hundred monkeys were caught off guard and drowned in the floodwaters. However, upon their deaths, they were immediately reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven (Heaven of the Thirty-Three). Not only did they now reside in palaces made of the seven precious materials, but they also enjoyed limitless clothing, food, and luxuries.
Bewildered by such unexpected fortune, they wondered how they had accumulated the merit to be reborn in heaven. Using their divine eyes, they looked into their past lives and realized that they had previously been monkeys. Because they had imitated the arhats in constructing and worshipping a stupa, though they had perished in the flood, their merit from building and venerating the stupa had led them to be reborn in heaven.
Deeply grateful for this cause and effect, the five hundred celestial beings felt they should repay their past bodies. Thus, they descended to the human world, circumambulated the remains of their former monkey bodies, burned incense, scattered flowers, and circumambulated them seven times.
At that time, five hundred Brahmins were living in the mountain. They had long adhered to heterodox teachings and did not believe in the law of karma and retribution. Seeing the celestial beings joyfully scattering flowers and making offerings to the corpses of monkeys, they were perplexed and curiously asked, “Honored celestial beings, you are of noble status. Why have you descended here to offer worship to these monkey corpses?”
The celestial beings replied, “These corpses are our former bodies. In our past lives, we were monkeys. Because we imitated the arhats in constructing and worshipping a stupa, though we perished in the flood, the merit of building a stupa and making offerings led us to be reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Therefore, we have come today to repay the kindness of our past selves.
O Brahmins, the holy virtues of the Buddha are boundless! Even though we worshipped the stupa with an ignorant mind, we still received such blessings. How much greater must be the merit of those who sincerely and wholeheartedly make offerings to the Blessed One? If you do not follow the right path and cultivate accordingly, no matter how hard you practice for a hundred kalpas, it will all be in vain. It would be far better to join us now and journey to Gṛdhrakūṭa (Vulture Peak) to pay homage and make offerings to the Buddha. By doing so, you will attain immeasurable blessings and Dharma benefits.”
Hearing the celestial beings’ account of their past, the five hundred Brahmins developed profound admiration for the Buddha’s divine virtues. They agreed and traveled with the celestial beings to visit the Blessed One.
Upon arriving at the Buddha’s abode, the five hundred celestial beings paid homage and respectfully reported, “In our past lives, we were monkeys. Due to the benevolence of the Blessed One, we were reborn in the heavenly realms to enjoy bliss. However, we deeply regret never having had the chance to personally see the Buddha. Therefore, we have come today to take refuge and pay homage.”
The celestial beings then asked the Buddha, “What karma did we create in our past lives to be born as monkeys? And why did we perish in the flood?”
With great compassion, the Buddha expounded, “All phenomena arise from causes and conditions and do not come into being without reason. Listen attentively, and I shall explain the cause and effect behind this matter.
Long ago, five hundred young Brahmins entered the mountains in search of a teacher to guide them on the path. At that time, a renunciant monk was practicing diligently in the mountains. He intended to build a simple mud hut to aid his meditation, so he frequently went down to the stream to fetch water. His practice was strong, and his body was light and swift as he traversed the valleys.
Seeing this, the five hundred Brahmins grew envious and mocked him, saying, ‘Look! This monk leaps across the valleys like a monkey. What is so remarkable about that? If he keeps fetching water like this, sooner or later, he will be swept away by a flash flood.’”
The Buddha then addressed the celestial beings, “At that time, that renunciant monk was my past life. And those five hundred young Brahmins were all of you in your past lives. Because of your malicious words and ridicule, you were reborn as monkeys and ultimately drowned in the flood. This is the karmic law that states: ‘To mock with malice, to act upon such deeds, will bring sorrowful retribution, as consequences follow accordingly.’”
Having recited this verse, the Buddha continued his teaching:
“Celestial beings, though you were born as animals in your past lives, you were still able to build and venerate a stupa. Even though your actions were imitative, the merit of making offerings to a stupa is immeasurable. This merit purified the negative karma accumulated over past kalpas, allowing you to be reborn in the heavenly realms. Now, as you have further resolved to seek the true Dharma and sincerely accept the teachings, you have planted the causes for your ultimate liberation from all suffering.”
Upon hearing the Buddha’s teachings, all five hundred celestial beings immediately attained the fruit of the path.
As for the five hundred Brahmins who had come to pay homage to the Buddha, after hearing his discourse on karma and retribution, they sighed in deep realization, saying, “We have been practicing ascetic paths for years, hoping to ascend to the heavens, yet we have gained nothing. Meanwhile, these monkeys, simply by making offerings to a stupa, have received immense blessings. Truly, the Buddha’s virtues are profound and unfathomable!”
Filled with sincere reverence, they prostrated at the Buddha’s feet and pleaded, “Blessed One, please accept us as your disciples.”
Out of great compassion, the Buddha called out, “Come forth, Shanlai Bhikkhu!” Instantly, the five hundred Brahmins manifested the appearance of monks. From that day on, they followed the Buddha, practiced diligently, and soon attained the fruit of Arahantship.
