Date: 01/10/2026 01/11/2026
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Elder and His Wife Build Stupas and Are Reborn in Heaven
During the time of the Buddha, there was an elder in Śrāvastī who deeply revered the Three Jewels. In his daily life, he not only extensively built stupas and monasteries but also constantly made offerings to the Three Jewels.
One day, the elder suddenly fell ill, and a few days later he passed away peacefully, being reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven to enjoy heavenly blessings. His wife, out of longing for the elder, grieved and suffered every day. In order to relieve her sorrow, she decided to carry on her husband’s wishes from his lifetime and continue building stupas and monasteries.
One day, the elder observed from heaven the reason why he had been able to be reborn there and enjoy such fortunate results. He realized that it was due to the merit of building stupas and monasteries in past lives. For this, the elder felt deeply grateful to the Three Jewels.
At the same time, he reflected on who was now responsible for maintaining the stupas and monasteries. With his heavenly vision, he saw that it was his former wife. Having received much care from her in the past, although heavenly bliss was incomparable, seeing that his wife was grieving because of longing for him, he went to the human world to comfort her and put her mind at ease.
When the woman saw the elder, her heart was filled with joy, and she hoped to continue their marital bond. With right mindfulness, the elder stated that he was now a heavenly being and no longer a human, and that humans and devas are different. Because in his lifetime he had built stupas and monasteries with a pure and respectful mind, he was able after death to be reborn in heaven and enjoy heavenly blessings.
Besides encouraging his wife to let go of her grief, he also hoped that she would rely on the Three Jewels, diligently build stupas and monasteries, and make offerings to the Three Jewels. In order to free his wife from attachment and encourage her diligence, the elder also told her that if she practiced according to his advice, she would surely be reborn in heaven in the future, and at that time they could renew their marital bond.
After hearing these words, the elder’s wife abandoned her former sorrow, actively made offerings to the Three Jewels, diligently cultivated merit, and dedicated all her merit toward rebirth in heaven. As expected, at the end of her life she was reborn in the heavenly realm and reunited with the elder.
The elder and his wife, grateful for the kindness of the Three Jewels, went to the place where the Buddha resided to request teachings. The Buddha taught the elder and his wife about causes and effects, suffering, emptiness, and impermanence, and both immediately attained the first fruition of arhatship.
At that time, the bhikṣus present were greatly astonished and asked the Buddha why the two had such blessings. The Buddha replied that because the elder and his wife, while alive, diligently built stupas and monasteries and made offerings to the Three Jewels, they were reborn in heaven today. Upon hearing this, the bhikṣus all gave rise to unsurpassed faith in the truth of the Buddha’s teachings.
