2.8 The Story about a Certain Bhikkhu

Dhp 31

CST4: Aññatarabhikkhuvatthu

Burlingame: A Monk Attains Arahatship

A bhikkhu was given a meditation subject but could make no progress, so he determined to return to the Buddha; on his way he saw a great fire burn down a forest, and the Buddha appeared to him and taught him with a verse.

Keywords: Meditation, Heedfulness, Radiant Image

“A monastic who delights in heedfulness,” this Dhamma {1.281} [28.325] teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain bhikkhu.

It seems that this bhikkhu obtained from the Teacher a subject of meditation leading to Arahatship and went forth to the forest. Although he strove and struggled with might and main, he was unable to attain Arahatship. Thereupon he said to himself: “I will ask the Teacher to give me a subject of meditation better suited to my needs.” So he departed from his place of residence and set out to return to the Teacher.

On the way he saw a great forest fire raging. Accordingly he climbed up to the top of a bald mountain and sat down. As he watched the fire consume the forest, {1.282} he concentrated his mind on the following thought: “Even as this fire advances, consuming all obstacles both great and small, so also ought I to advance, consuming all obstacles both great and small by the fire of knowledge of the noble path.”

The Teacher, even as he sat in his Perfumed Chamber, became aware of the course of his thoughts and spoke as follows: “Bhikkhu, this is precisely true. Even as fire consumes all obstacles both great and small, so also is it necessary with the fire of knowledge to consume and utterly destroy all attachments both small and great which arise within these living beings.” And sending forth a radiant image of himself, present, as it were, sitting face to face with that bhikkhu, he pronounced the following verse bringing illumination:

31. Appamādarato bhikkhu, pamāde bhayadassivā,
saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ-thūlaṁ ḍahaṁ aggīva gacchati.

A monastic who delights in
heedfulness, seeing danger in
heedlessness, advances like fire
against the fetter, small or large. {1.283}

At the conclusion of the verse that bhikkhu, even as he sat there, consumed all the attachments and attained Arahatship, together with the analytic knowledges. And straightaway, soaring through the air, he approached the Teacher, praising and glorifying the golden body of the Realised One. And when he had done homage to him, he departed.