Blessing Two:
Associating with the Wise
Associating with the Wise
H. ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIALS
H.1 Metaphor: Leaves wrapping a perfumed fish
A parable used by the Lord Buddha is that of the leaves wrapping a perfumed fish taking on the same perfume as the fish itself.
H.2 Red-Bearded Executioner saved by Association with the Wise (DhA.ii.203)
Tambadāṭhika who was a former thief had served the king as the public executioner for fifty-five years; and had just retired from that post. One day, he went to the river for a bath, intending to take some specially prepared food on his return home. As he was about to take the food, Venerable Sāriputta, who had just arisen from sustained absorption in concentration [jhāna samāpatti], stood at his door for alms food. Seeing the monk, Tambadāṭhika thought to himself, “Throughout my life, I have been executing thieves; now I should offer this food to the monk.” So, he invited Sāriputta to come in and respectfully offered the food.
After the meal, Sāriputta taught him the Dhamma, but Tambadāṭhika could not pay attention, because he was extremely disturbed as he recollected his past career as an executioner. This mental disturbance did not allow him to concentrate properly. Sāriputta knew this, and in order to put him in a proper frame of mind, he asked Tambadāṭhika tactfully whether he killed the thieves because he wished to kill them out of anger or hate, or simply because he was ordered to do so. Tambadāṭhika answered that he was ordered to kill them by the king and that he had no ill will or wish to kill. ‘If that is the case,’ Sāriputta asked, ‘What wrong did you do?’ Thus reassured, his mind became calmer and he requested Sāriputta to continue his sermon. As he listened to the Dhamma attentively, his mind became tranquil and he developed the virtues of patience and understanding. After the discourse, Tambadāṭhika accompanied Sāriputta for some distance and then returned home. On his way home he died due to an accident.
When the Buddha came to the congregation of the bhikkhus in the evening, they informed him about the death of Tambadāṭhika. When asked where Tambadāṭhika was reborn, the Buddha told them that although Tambadāṭhika had committed evil deeds throughout his life, because he comprehended the Dhamma, he was reborn in the Tusita deva world. The bhikkhus wondered how such an evil-doer could have such great benefit after listening to the Dhamma just once. To them the Buddha said that the length of a discourse is of no consequence, for one single sentence of the Dhamma, correctly understood can produce much benefit.
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