17.4 The Story about the Elder Mahā Moggallāna’s Question

17.4 The Story about the Elder Mahā Moggallāna’s Question
Mahāmoggallānattherapañhavatthu

Dhp 224

Burlingame: Do Trifling Acts of Merit Lead to Heaven?

Compare: Vv-a Introduction

Elder Moggallāna one day visited heaven and seeing Devatās in the mansions asked them how they got there; one replied she had spoken the truth, another had restrained her anger, and others had given but trifling gifts; the Buddha then spoke a verse in explanation.

Keywords: Chief Disciples, Devatās, Devadhītās, Truth, Restraint, Offerings

“One should speak out the truth,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Mahā Moggallāna.

For once upon a time the elder made a journey to heaven, and saw a Devatā possessed of great power standing at the door of his mansion. The Devatā straightaway approached the elder, saluted him, and took his stand before him. Thereupon the elder said to him: “Devatā, you possess great glory; what did you do to get it?” – “Oh, venerable Sir, do not ask me.” We are told that the Devatā had performed but a trifling work of merit, and that he spoke thus because he was ashamed to mention it. The elder repeated his question, saying: “Please tell me.” Finally the Devatā said: “Venerable Sir, I neither gave alms nor rendered honor nor listened to the Dhamma; all that I did was to tell the truth.”

The elder {3.315} stopped at the doors of other mansions also, and put the same question to one after another of the Devadhītās who approached him. They likewise strove to conceal the works of merit which they had performed, but likewise failed to put off the elder.

One of them said: “Venerable Sir, as for almsgiving and the other duties of religion, I did nothing. But in the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa, I was the slave of a certain man who was excessively harsh and cruel. He thought nothing of seizing a stick or a staff and striking off a person’s head. But when angry thoughts arose within me, I would rebuke myself, saying: ‘He is your master and has power to make public proclamation concerning you, or to cut off your nose or other members; therefore be not angry.’ Thus would I rebuke myself and restrain my angry thoughts; by so doing, I attained this glory.

Another said: “Venerable Sir, while I was guarding a field of sugarcane, I gave a stalk of sugarcane to a certain [30.108] bhikkhu.” Another said: “I gave a persimmon.” Another said: “I gave a cucumber.” Another said: “I gave a {3.316} sweet berry.” Another said: “I gave a handful of radishes.” Another said: “I gave a handful of nimb-fruit.” In such terms did each mention the slight gift which each had made. All concluded as follows: “By these means did we obtain this glory.”

After listening to the recital of their former deeds of merit, the elder approached the Teacher and asked him: “Venerable Sir, is it possible to obtain heavenly glory merely by telling the truth or restraining one’s angry thoughts or giving a persimmon and the like?” – “Moggallāna, why do you ask me? Did not the Devadhītās explain the whole matter to you?” – “Yes, venerable Sir, I am convinced that by such slight acts as these heavenly glory may be gained.”

Then the Teacher said to him: “Moggallāna, merely by telling the truth, merely by putting away anger, merely by giving a slight gift, men may attain the heavenly world.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

224. Saccaṁ bhaṇe, na kujjheyya, dajjāppasmim-pi yācito,
etehi tīhi ṭhānehi gacche devāna’ santike.

One should speak out the truth,
one should not get angry,
when requested then give,
if only a little,
through these three conditions
one can go to the gods.