Date: 04/05/2025 04/06/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
A Merchant Built a House to Offer to the Buddha
In the country of Śrāvastī, there was a merchant who encountered an accident while traveling to a foreign land for business. In the end, he passed away in a distant place, leaving behind his elderly mother, who had to raise his son alone.
When the son grew up, he also wished to travel abroad, just like his father, to explore the world and engage in trade. When his grandmother learned of his intention, she told him, “Your father met with an accident while doing business in a foreign land, leaving only the two of us to depend on each other for survival. I cannot bear to see the same misfortune happen again, bringing more regret. Could you do business in the city’s marketplace instead?” The grandson listened to his grandmother’s advice, searched for a suitable location in the city, built a new shop, and started his business.
After arriving in the city, the young merchant noticed that all the residents devoutly made offerings to the Buddha. Deeply moved, he thought to himself, “My newly built house is now complete. I should also follow the example of the people in the city and respectfully make an offering to the Buddha.” With this in mind, the merchant went to the Buddha’s residence, sincerely prostrated before the World-Honored One, and respectfully invited him, saying, “Venerable Buddha, I offer my newly built house to you. From now on, whenever you enter the city, please come to my new house to wash your hands, clean your alms bowl, or rest.” With utmost sincerity, the merchant made his offering to the Buddha, and the Buddha, in his great compassion, accepted it.
Later, when the merchant passed away, he was reborn in a virtuous realm and became a celestial being. Wishing to hear the Dharma, the celestial being also came before the World-Honored One and respectfully requested the Buddha to give him a teaching. At that moment, he attained the fruit of Sotāpanna (Stream-enterer).
When the monks heard about this, they asked the Buddha for guidance: “What causes and conditions in this celestial being’s past life led to his rebirth in the heavenly realm?” The Buddha said, “This celestial being was a merchant in his past life. Because he sincerely offered his newly built shop to the Buddha, he was able to be reborn in the heavenly realm in this life. After becoming a celestial being, his earnest pursuit of the Dharma allowed him to hear the essence of the Buddha’s teachings. Because of this virtuous root, he immediately attained the fruit of Sotāpanna.”
