1.2 The Story about Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī
Maṭṭhakuṇḍalivatthu

“Mind precedes thoughts,” AJ: Burlingame omitted to translate the quotation from the verse, which stands at the head of each story. Normally they are just the first word or two, but here I have often made them longer to include a complete thought. the second verse also [28.159] was recited in the same city, Sāvatthī, with reference to Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī. {1.25}

At Sāvatthī, we are told, lived a Brahmin named Adinnapubbaka. He never gave anything to anybody, and that is why they called him Adinnapubbaka (Never Gave). He had an only son who was his darling and delight. Now he desired to have a set of ornaments made for him. But knowing that in case he gave the commission to a goldsmith, he should have to pay him a fee, he beat out the gold himself, made him a pair of burnished earrings, and gave them to him. In this way his son received the name Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī (Burnished Earrings).

When his son was sixteen years old, he had an attack of jaundice. The mother looked at the boy and said: “Brahmin, your son is sick; have him treated by a physician.” – “Wife, if I send for a physician, I shall have to pay him a fee in rice; you care nothing about the loss of my substance.” – “Well, Brahmin, what are you going to do about it?” – “I shall manage things in such a way as not to lose my wealth.” So he went to various physicians and asked: “What are you in the habit of prescribing for such and such an ailment?” They mentioned to him bark of trees and this or that.

So he procured these and prepared a remedy for his son. But in spite of all he did, his son’s condition grew worse and worse, until finally he was past help. The Brahmin, perceiving that his son was very weak, sent for a physician. The physician looked at the youth and said: “I have important business to attend to; send for some other physician and have him treat him.” {1.26} Having thus refused to treat the boy, he turned and left the house. The Brahmin realized [28.160] that his son was at the point of death. He thought: “All who come to see this youth will see the wealth in my house; therefore I will place him outside.” So he carried his son out of the house and laid him down on the terrace.

On that day, very early in the morning, the Fortunate One arose from the attainment of great compassion. AJ: Mahākaruṇāsamāpattita. And for the purpose of seeing those who had made their aspiration under previous Buddhas, those whose roots of merit were fully developed, friends capable of being led, he surveyed the universe with the Buddha eye, spreading the net of his knowledge over the 10,000 world system. Straightaway Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī, lying outside on the terrace, appeared within the net of his knowledge. As soon as the Teacher saw him, he became aware that he had been removed from the house and laid there; and considering within himself: “Have I sufficient reason for going to him?”

He saw the following: “This youth will repose faith in me, will die, and will be reborn as a Devaputta AJ: Devaputtas are male divinities. in the Realm of the Thirty-Three, in a golden mansion, with a retinue of a thousand Accharās. AJ: Accharā are female divinities. The Brahmin will burn his body and will go about the burning-ground weeping. The Devaputta will survey his own person, three-quarters of a league in height, adorned with sixty cart-loads of ornaments, surrounded by a thousand Accharās. And considering within himself: ‘Through what merit have I attained this attainment of splendor?’ he will perceive that he obtained it by reposing faith in me. Then he will say to himself: ‘My father, who failed to provide medicine for me for fear of wasting his wealth, has now gone to the burning-ground and is weeping. I will effect a change in his attitude.’ And provoked at his father, he will take the form of Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī, will go {1.27} to a place not far from the burning-ground, and will fling himself on the ground and weep.

“The Brahmin will ask him: ‘Who are you?’ He will reply: ‘I am your son Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī.’ – ‘Where were you reborn?’ – ‘In the Realm of the Thirty-Three.’ The Brahmin will ask him: ‘What deed of merit did you perform?’ and Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī will tell him that he was reborn in the Realm of the Thirty-Three by reposing faith in me. Then the Brahmin will ask me: ‘Are there any that have been reborn in heaven by reposing faith in you?’ and I will reply to him: ‘It is not so many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands – there is no counting the number of them.’ I will then recite a verse in the Dhammapada. At the conclusion of the verse 84,000 [28.161] living beings will obtain comprehension of the Dhamma, Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī will become a Stream-enterer, and so will Adinnapubbaka the Brahmin. Thus through this noble youth many will obtain comprehension of the Dhamma.” Of all this the Teacher became aware.

Accordingly, on the following day, having attended to his toilet, he surrounded himself with a large company of bhikkhus, entered Sāvatthī for alms, and in due course arrived at the house of the Brahmin. At that moment Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī was lying with face turned towards the house.

The Teacher, observing that he did not see him, sent forth a ray of light. “What is that radiance?” asked the youth, turning over. Seeing the Teacher from where he lay, he said: “On account of a foolish father, I have been deprived of the privilege of approaching so excellent a Buddha, nor have I obtained the privilege either of waiting upon him or of giving him alms or of hearing the Dhamma. Now I cannot even control the movements of my hands; there is nothing else I can do.” So saying, he reposed faith in the Buddha. The Teacher said: “He has done enough,” and departed.

As the Realised One receded from his range of vision, {1.28} Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī died with a believing heart, and as if awaking from sleep, was reborn in the Deva Realm in a golden mansion thirty leagues in extent. The Brahmin burned the body of his son, and resorting to the burning-ground, abandoned himself entirely to lamentation. Every day he would go to the burning-ground and weep and say: “Where are you, my only son?”

The Devaputta, his former son, surveyed his own glory and considered within himself: “By what deed of merit have I obtained this?” Perceiving that it was by reposing faith in the Teacher, he said to himself: “This Brahmin failed to provide medicine for me when I was sick, but now goes to the burning-ground and weeps; I must effect a change in his attitude.” Accordingly he took the form of Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī, went to a place not far from the burning-ground, and stood wringing his hands and weeping. The Brahmin saw him and thought to himself: “As for myself, I am weeping because of sorrow for my son; why is yonder youth weeping?’ I will ask him.” So he asked him in the following verse:

Adorned, wearing burnished earrings,
bearing garlands, gold sandlewood,
holding up your arms, you cry out,
why do you suffer in the woods? [28.162]

Said the youth:

A chariot-frame, made of gold,
resplendent, has arisen for me,
but two wheels I cannot find,
through suffering I’ll leave this life. {1.29}

Then said the Brahmin to him:

Whether made of gold, made of jewels,
made of copper, made of silver,
do inform me, O blessed youth,
I will give you the pair of wheels.

Hearing this, the youth thought to himself: “This Brahmin failed to provide medicine for his son. But seeing that I look like his son, he says: ‘I will procure wheels for your chariot, either of gold or of precious stones or of copper or of silver.’ Very well! I will humble him.” So he said: “How large a pair of wheels will you make for my chariot?” – “As large as you wish.” – “I want the moon and the sun,” said the youth. “Give them to me.” By way of request, he said:

The Brahmin youth said this to him:
the sun and the moon are both seen,
my chariot is made of gold,
with a pair of wheels it shines forth.

The Brahmin replied:

Youth, wishing for what should not be
wished for, you are surely a fool.
I suppose you will die, but you
will not receive the sun and moon.

But the youth said to him: “But which is the greater fool, he who weeps for what exists, or he who weeps for what does not exist?” {1.30}

Those who come and go are seen, and colours
are seen on both sides of the street, but he
who made time and passed away is not seen,
which one crying out is the greater fool?

Hearing this, the Brahmin came to the conclusion: “What this youth says is sensible.” And he said to him.

Youth, you have surely spoken truth,
by crying out I am the greater fool,
like a child who cries for the moon, I wished
for one who is dead and has made his time.

Having thus spoken, freed from sorrow by the words of the youth, the Brahmin pronounced the following verses in praise of the youth:

I lived like one who was burning,
like a fire that was fed by ghee,
like one who was sprinkled with water,
all my anguish was extinguished. [28.163]

The dart has been pulled out from me,
the grief that was stuck in my heart,
I was one overcome with grief,
you dispelled the grief for my son.

The dart has been truly pulled out,
I have become calm and cooled down,
I do not grieve, I do not cry,
after listening to you, youth. {1.31}

Then the Brahmin asked him: “Who are you?”

Are you a Devatā, a Gandhabba,
or are you Sakka, the breaker of towns? AJ: Purindada, a name for Indra, here called Sakka.
Or whose son are you, and how may I know?

Then answering the question, whose son are you? the youth replied:

I am the one for whom you cry out,
the son burned, lying in the grave,
having done a deed of merit,
I went to fellowship with the Thirty.

In these words the youth gave him the information he asked for. Then said the Brahmin:

I never saw you giving many or
few offerings in your own home,
or observe the Observance Day,
by what deed went you to the Deva Realm?

The youth replied:

I was sick, suffering, unwell,
with afflicted body in my own home,
the Buddha, free from stain, crossed over doubt,
I beheld, happy, of lofty wisdom.

Confident in mind, and enriched with joy,
I paid respects to the Realised One,
having done this deed of merit,
I went to fellowship with the Thirty. {1.32}

As the youth spoke, the whole body of the Brahmin was suffused with joy. And this joy he made known in the following verse:

It is wonderful, it is marvellous,
that a deed of respect has such reward,
I am confident in mind, rich with joy,
I go for refuge in Buddha today!

Then said the youth:

Go for refuge in the Buddha today,
have confidence in Dhamma and Saṅgha,
and in the same way establish the five
precepts, keep unbroken and unimpaired.

Instantly restrain from taking of life,
avoid what’s not been given in this world,
not drinking strong drinks, do not speak falsely,
and be you satisfied with your own wife.

“Very well,” said the Brahmin, agreeing. And he pronounced the following verses: [28.164]

You desire my welfare, Yakkha,
desire benefit, Devatā,
I will do as you say,
for you are my teacher.

I will go for refuge in the Buddha,
and also in the unsurpassed Dhamma,
and in the Saṅgha; to the king
of men I will go for refuge.

I instantly restrain from taking life,
I avoid what’s not given in this world,
not drinking strong drinks, I don’t speak falsely,
I will be satisfied with my own wife. {1.33}

Then the Devaputta said to him: “Brahmin, you have much wealth in your house. Approach the Teacher, give alms, listen to the Dhamma, and ask him questions.” So saying, he disappeared. The Brahmin went home and said to his wife: “Wife, I shall invite the ascetic Gotama to my house and ask him questions; therefore prepare hospitality.” Then he went to the monastery, and without saluting the Teacher or expressing any pleasure at seeing him, stood on one side and said: “Dear Gotama, consent for today to take a meal in my house with your company of bhikkhus.” The Teacher consented. As soon as the Brahmin received his consent, he returned home quickly and caused food, both hard and soft, to be prepared in his house.

The Teacher, accompanied by the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, went to his house and sat down on the seat prepared for him. The Brahmin waited upon him respectfully. A multitude of people assembled.

We are told that when a man who holds wrong views invites the Realised One, two classes of people assemble. Those who hold wrong views assemble with the thought in their minds: “To-day we shall see the ascetic Gotama embarrassed by the questions that are asked him.” Those who hold orthodox views assemble with the thought: “To-day we shall see the power of a Buddha and the grace of a Buddha.”

Now when the Realised One had finished his meal, the Brahmin approached him, seated himself on a low seat, and asked him the following question: “Dear Gotama, are there any that have been reborn in heaven, without giving alms to you, without rendering honor to you, without hearing the Dhamma, without keeping the Observance Day, solely by making an act of faith?” – “Brahmin, why do you ask me? Did not your own son Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī tell you that he had been reborn in heaven by reposing faith in me?” – “When, Dear Gotama?” – “Did you not go to the burning-ground today, and while you were weeping, see a youth near you wringing his hands and weeping? {1.34} And did you not say to him: ‘Richly adorned, Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī, bearing garlands, covered with yellow sandal?’” [28.165] The Teacher related in detail the conversation of the two and told the whole story of Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī.

For this very reason this is called the Buddha’s speech: “Brahmin, it is not a question of one hundred or two hundred – there is no counting the number of those who have been reborn in heaven by reposing faith in me.” The multitude were not free from doubt. The Teacher, perceiving that they were not free from doubt, commanded: “Let the Devaputta Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī come here in his mansion.” Thereupon Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī drew near, three-quarters of a league in height, his person adorned with celestial adornments. Descending from his mansion, he worshipped the Teacher and stood respectfully on one side. The Teacher asked him: “What work of merit did you perform to attain this glory?”

Devatā, with surpassing beauty you stand here,
lighting all directions like the herb-star,
I ask you, Deva of mighty power,
what merit did you perform when human?

When the Teacher had completed this verse, the Devaputta replied: “Venerable Sir, I obtained this glory by reposing faith in you.” – “You obtained it by reposing faith in me?” – “Yes, venerable Sir.”

The populace surveyed the Devaputta and exclaimed: “Marvelous, indeed, are the powers of the Buddhas! The son of the Brahmin Adinnapubbaka {1.35} obtained glory such as this simply by reposing faith in the Teacher, without doing a single other work of merit!” And they were filled with joy. Then the Teacher said to them: “Our thoughts are the source of all our actions, both good and bad, and by our thoughts are our actions controlled. For, like a shadow, an act done with thought of faith never leaves a man who goes to the Deva Realm or the world of humans.

Having related this story, the Dhamma king joined the connection, and sealing, as it were, with the royal seal an edict to which the clay had been attached, pronounced the following verse:

2. Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā,
manasā ce pasannena bhāsati vā karoti vā,
tato naṁ sukham-anveti chāyā va anapāyinī.

Mind precedes thoughts, mind is their chief,
their quality is made by mind,
if with pure mind one speaks or acts
through that happiness follows one
like shadow which does not depart.

At the end of the verse 84,000 living beings comprehended the Dhamma, and the Devaputta Maṭṭhakuṇḍali was established in Stream-entry, as was the Brahmin Adinnapubbaka. So far was great wealth confounded in the Buddha’s dispensation.

 

last updated: August 2024