14.5 The Story about a Discontented Bhikkhu
Anabhiratabhikkhuvatthu

“Not through coins is satisfaction found,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain discontented bhikkhu. {3.238}

It seems that after this bhikkhu had gone forth and had taken higher ordination, his preceptor sent him forth, saying: “Go to such and such a place and learn the Regulations.” No sooner had the bhikkhu gone there than his father fell sick. Now the father desired greatly to see his son, but found no one able to summon him. {3.239} When he was at the point of death, he began to chatter and prattle for love of his son. Putting a hundred coins in the hands of his youngest son, he said to him: “Take this money and use it to buy a bowl and robe for my son.” So saying, he died.

When the young bhikkhu returned home, his youngest brother flung himself at his feet, and rolling on the ground, wept and said: “Venerable Sir, your father chattered and prattled of you when he died and placed in my hand a hundred coins. What shall I do with it?” The young bhikkhu refused the money, saying: “I have no need of this money.” After a time, however, he thought to himself: “What is the use of living if I am obliged to gain my living by going from house to house for alms? These hundred coins are enough to keep me alive; I will return to the life of a lay disciple.”

Oppressed with discontent, he abandoned the recitation of the Sacred Texts and the practice of meditation, and began to look as though he were suffering from the jaundice. The young novices asked him: “What is the matter?” He replied: “I am discontented.” So they reported the matter to his preceptor and to his teacher, and [30.62] the latter conducted him to the Teacher and explained what was the matter with him.

The Teacher asked him: “Is the report true that you are discontented?” – “Yes, venerable Sir,” he replied. Again the Teacher asked him: “Why have you acted thus? Have you any means of livelihood?” – “Yes, venerable Sir.” – “How great is your wealth?” – “A hundred coins, venerable Sir.” – “Very well; just fetch a few pebbles here; we will count them and find out whether or not you have sufficient means of livelihood.” The discontented bhikkhu brought the pebbles. Then the Teacher said to him: “Now then, set aside fifty for food and drink, twenty-four for two bullocks, and an equal number for seed, for a two-bullock plow, for a spade, and for a razor-adze.” The result of the count proved that the hundred coins would be insufficient.

Then said the Teacher to him: “Bhikkhu, the coins which you possess are but few in number. How can you hope to satisfy your desire with so few as these? In times past lived men who exercised sway as Universal Monarchs, {3.240} men who by a mere waving of the arms were able to cause a rain of jewels to fall, covering the ground for twelve leagues waist-deep with jewels; these men ruled as kings until thirty-six Sakkas had died; and, although exercising sovereignty over the gods for so long, died, when they did die, without having fulfilled their desires.” When the Teacher had thus spoken, the bhikkhus requested him to relate this Story of the Past. The Teacher accordingly related the Birth Story about (the King) Mandhātā in detail: BG: Ja 258. Cf. Divyāvadāna, xvii; and Tibetan Tales, i: 1-20. AJ: I include the story, the commentary had only the verse.

14a Birth Story about (the King) Mandhātā

Long ago, in the early ages of the world, there lived a king named Mahāsammata, and he had a son Roja, who had a son Vararoja, who had a son Kalyāṇa, who had a son Varakalyāṇa, and Varakalyāṇa had a son named Uposatha, and Uposatha had a son Mandhātā.

Mandhātā was endowed with the seven jewels and the four supernormal powers; and he was a great monarch. When he clenched his left hand, and then touched it with his right, there fell a rain of seven kinds of jewels, knee-deep, as though a celestial rain-cloud had arisen in the sky; so wondrous a man was he. 84,000 years he was a prince, the same number he took some share in ruling the kingdom, and even so many years he ruled as supreme king; his life lasted for countless ages.

One day, he could not satisfy some desire, so he showed signs of discontent. “Why are you cast down, my lord?” the courtiers asked him. “When the power of my merit is considered, what is this kingdom? Which place seems worth desiring?” – “Heaven, my lord.”

So rolling along the Wheel Jewel, with his suite he went to the heaven of the Four Great Kings. The four kings, with a great throng of gods, came to meet him in state, bearing celestial flowers and perfumes; and having escorted him into their heaven, gave him rule over it. There he reigned in state, and a long time went by. But not there either could he satisfy his craving; and so he began to look sick with discontent.

“Why, mighty king,” said the four monarchs, “are you unsatisfied?” And the king replied: “What place is more lovely than this heaven?”

They answered: “My lord, we are like servants. The Realm of the Thirty-Three is more lovely than this!”

Mandhātā set the Wheel Jewel rolling, and with his court all round him turned his face to the Realm of the Thirty-Three. And Sakka, Lord of the Gods, bearing celestial flowers and perfumes, in the midst of a great throng of gods, came to meet him in state, and taking charge of him showed him the way he should go. At the time when the king was marching amidst the throng of gods, his eldest son took the Wheel Jewel, and descending to the paths of men, came to his own city.

Sakka led Mandhātā into the Realm of the Thirty-Three, and gave him half of his own kingdom. After that the two of them ruled together. Time went on, until Sakka had lived for sixty times 100,000 years, and thirty millions of years, then he was born on earth again; another Sakka grew up, and he too reigned, and lived his life, and was born on earth. In this way six and thirty Sakkas followed one after another. Still Mandhātā reigned with his crowd of courtiers round him. As time went on, the force of his passion and desire grew stronger and stronger.

“What is half a realm to me?” said he in his heart, “I will kill Sakka, and reign alone!” But kill Sakka he could not. This desire and greed of his was the root of his misfortune. The power of his life began to wane; old age seized upon him; but a human body does not disintegrate in heaven, so from heaven he fell, and descended in a park. The gardener made known his coming to the royal family; they came and appointed him a resting-place in the park; there lay the king in lassitude and weariness.

The courtiers asked him: “My lord, what word shall we take from you?” – “Take from me,” said he, “this message to the people: ‘Mandhātā, king of kings, having ruled supreme over the four quarters of the globe, with all the two thousand islands round about, for a long time having reigned over the people of the Four Great Kings, having been king of heaven during the lifetime of six and thirty Sakkas, now lies dead.’” With these words he died, and went to fare according to his deeds. [2.218]

This tale ended, the Teacher after Fully Awakening uttered the following verses:

As far as moon and sun revolve
in the directions, shining, radiant,
all are servants of Mandhātā,
those whose breath depends upon earth.

Then he pronounced the two verses which immediately follow the preceding verse:

186-187. Na kahāpaṇavassena titti kāmesu vijjati,
“Appassādā dukhā kāmā,” iti viññāya paṇḍito,
api dibbesu kāmesu ratiṁ so nādhigacchati.
Taṇhakkhayarato hoti Sammāsambuddhasāvako.

Not through coins is satisfaction
found for sense desires, the wise one
knowing: “Pleasures have little joy,
much suffering,” does not delight
even in heavenly pleasures.
The disciple of the Buddha
delights in craving’s destruction. {3.241}

At the end of the teaching that bhikkhu was established in the fruition of Stream-entry, and those who had assembled also had benefit from the Dhamma teaching.