Date: 05/25/2024 05/26/2024
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Otto Huang
Dharma Talk
The Master Speaks of Subduing Craving
Once, Buddha came to Tivarapura, ruled by his maternal grandfather King Suddhodana, staying in a Sakyan village nearby.
At that time, a group of monks from the west, planning to return to their homeland for the rains retreat, came to bid farewell to the Buddha.
Buddha asked them:
“Monks, have you bid farewell to Shariputra?”
“Not yet, World-Honored One!”
“Then you should bid farewell to Shariputra! Monks, Shariputra is well-practiced and capable of supporting fellow practitioners, benefiting their practice. Bidding him farewell will surely be beneficial for you.”
“Very well, World-Honored One!”
At that moment, the Venerable Shariputra was sitting under a tree not far from the Buddha.
After bidding farewell to the Buddha, the group of western monks went to Venerable Shariputra, greeted him respectfully, and said:
“Friend Shariputra! We are planning to return to the west for the retreat and have specially come to bid you farewell.”
“Have you bid farewell to the World-Honored One?”
“We have.”
“When you return to the west, you will pass through many countries and meet people of various types. Some wise and discerning individuals may take an interest in your teachings and ask:
‘What did your teacher teach you?’
How will you answer to fully convey the Buddha’s teachings, which you have rightly received, contemplated, and penetrated, without misrepresenting him or being at a loss for words?”
“Friend Shariputra! We have come from afar especially to seek your advice. Please, out of compassion, explain to us!”
Thus, Venerable Shariputra said:
“Friends! If wise kings, Brahmins, local gentry, or renunciant monks ask you:
‘How does your teacher preach? What does he teach you?’
You should answer:
‘The Master teaches us to subdue craving.’
If they further inquire:
‘From where do you subdue craving?’
You should answer:
‘The Master says, subdue craving from the five aggregates: form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.’
If they ask:
‘Is there a problem with craving that it needs to be subdued from the five aggregates?’
You should answer:
‘If one clings to the five aggregates with craving, attachment, love, thirst, and clinging, and when the aggregates change, people will then arise with sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. Seeing such problems with craving, it should be subdued from the five aggregates.’
If they ask:
‘What benefits does being free from craving bring? Is it worth subduing it from the five aggregates?’
You should answer:
‘If one is free from craving, attachment, love, thirst, and clinging regarding the five aggregates, even when the aggregates change, they will not give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. Being free from craving brings such benefits.’
Friends! If those who associate with unwholesome deeds could live comfortably without suffering, obstacles, or distress and be reborn in a good realm among humans or gods after death, then the World-Honored One would not praise the elimination of unwholesome deeds.
Friends! If those endowed with wholesome deeds still suffer, face obstacles or distress in life, and fall into a woeful state after death, then the World-Honored One would not praise being endowed with wholesome deeds.
Friends! Those endowed with wholesome deeds not only live comfortably without suffering, obstacles, or distress but also will be reborn in a good realm among humans or gods after death. Therefore, the World-Honored One praises being endowed with wholesome deeds.”
Hearing Venerable Shariputra’s teachings, the monks joyfully accepted them.
