14.8 The Story about a Company of Bhikkhus
Sambahulabhikkhuvatthu
Dhp 194
Burlingame: What is the Pleasantest Thing in the World?
The bhikkhus discussed what is the true good in the world, some said ruling, some said love, some said food; the Buddha explained that those things are within the realm of suffering, and then he pointed out what is truly good with a verse.
Keywords: True Happiness, Monastics
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“The arising of the Buddhas is good,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a company of bhikkhus.
For one day five hundred bhikkhus sitting in the attendance hall began the following discussion: “Friends, what is the best thing in this world?” Some said: “There is nothing that can compare with
The Teacher approached the place where they were sitting and asked them: “Bhikkhus, what are you sitting here now talking about?” When they told him, he replied: “Bhikkhus, what are you saying? All these pleasures which you are discussing belong to the round of suffering. On the other hand, the rise of a Buddha in this world, the hearing of the Dhamma, and peace and harmony in the Saṅgha, these are pleasant.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:
194. Sukho Buddhānam-uppādo, sukhā Saddhammadesanā,
sukhā Saṅghassa sāmaggī, samaggānaṁ tapo sukho.
The arising of the Buddhas is good,
the teaching of the True Dhamma is good,
the harmony of the Saṅgha is good,
and devotion to harmony is good.
At the end of the teaching those bhikkhus were established in Arahatship, and many people had benefit from the Dhamma teaching.