The Wheel-Turning Monarch - II *

[Dhamma]

	Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammâ Sambuddhassa!
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Taken from MettaNet.org1 TO RECOGNIZE THE FOOL AND THE WISE ONE Majjhima Nikaya 3.9 - Balapanditasuttam2 (The Wheel-Turning Monarch - Continued) Continued from previous instalment Commentary: The Lord Buddha explains the happiness, pleasure and the highest worldly human attainment that can be gained by the performance of wise and good actions; that of becoming of a Wheel-Turning (Universal) Monarch (the higest king who gains seven treasures, four powers and sovereignty over all lands purely through his morality, goodness and reliance on the Dhamma). Here the Lord Buddha explains three more treasures (out of seven) that appear to a Wheel-Turning (Universal) Monarch. The first one, the wheel treasure, was covered in the previous instalment.  According to a commentary a Wheel-Turning Monarch can only appear when the life-span of humans has reached 80,000 years or more. Please note however that the Lord Buddha has explained elsewhere that no worldly treasures, even those of a Wheel-Turning Monarch can even come close to the happiness to be gained by giving up (of the world) and the gaining of the lasting peace of Nibbana.     Again, bhikkhus, to the Universal Monarch appears the elephant treasure, Uposatha by name, completely white, firm in a sevenfold manner, with supernormal powers could go through the air. Seeing it the pleased Universal Monarch would say, the elephant conveyance is fine, if it is well trained. Bhikkhus, that elephant treasure as it name implies, is of good birth and well trained. In the past a Universal Monarch wanting to examine the elephant treasure, ascended it in the morning traversing all the land surrounded by the ocean, returned to his kingdom for the mid day meal. Bhikkhus, the Universal Monarch's elephant treasure is such. Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains the second treasure that appears to a Wheel-Turning (Universal) Monarch, the elephant treasure, named Uposatha, completely white, firm in seven ways, with super normal powers and capable of going through the air. When seeing it the pleased Wheel-Turning Monarch would say that travelling by elephant is good if the elephant is well-trained. The Lord Buddha says that in line with the meaning of its name, it is of good birth ( in terms of parents and family) and is well-trained. The Lord Buddha says that in the past the Wheel-Turning Monarch wanting to examine it mounted it in the morning and travelled all the land surrounded by the sea returning to his kingdom for the mid-day meal.     Again, bhikkhus, to the Universal Monarch appears the horse treasure, Valàha by name, completely white, except the black head and the dark mane. It has supernormal powers could go through the air. Seeing it the pleased Universal Monarch would say, the horse conveyance is fine, if it is well trained. Bhikkhus, that horse treasure as it name implies, is of good birth and well trained. In the past a Universal Monarch wanting to examine the horse treasure, ascended it in the morning traversing all the land surrounded by the ocean, returned to his kingdom for the mid day meal. Bhikkhus, the Universal Monarch's horsetreasure is such. Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains the second treasure that appears to a Wheel-Turning (Universal) Monarch, the horse treasure, named Valaha (Valaaha), completely white, except for the black head and dark mane, with super normal powers and capable of going through the air. When seeing it the pleased Wheel-Turning Monarch would say that travelling by horse is good if the horse is well-trained. The Lord Buddha says that in line with the meaning of its name, it is of good birth ( in terms of parents and family) and is well-trained. The Lord Buddha says that in the past the Wheel-Turning Monarch wanting to examine it mounted it in the morning and travelled all the land surrounded by the sea returning to his kingdom for the mid-day meal.     Again, bhikkhus, to the Universal Monarch appears the gem treasure. A lepis gem of good birth, with eight facets and well completed. The effulgence of the gem treasure pervaded seven miles all round. In the past a Universal Monarch wanting to examine the gem treasure left his kingdom attended by the fourfold army in the darkness of the night with the gem treasure fixed on the top of the flag. The people in the villages around which they went started their usual work, thinking it was day light. Bhikkhus, the Universal Monarch's gem treasure is such. Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains the second treasure that appears to a Wheel-Turning (Universal) Monarch, the gem treasure, which is of good birth ( in terms of place, formulation, materials, etc.), has eight facets and is well constructed/complete. The brightness of the gem goes as far as 7 miles in all directions. The Lord Buddha says that once a Wheel-Turning (Universal) Monarch wanting to examine the gem fixed it on top of a flag pole in the dark of the night and left the kingdom with his four-fold ( elephant-riding troops, horse-riding troops, foot soldiers and archers?) army. ( The light from the gem was so bright that the) people in the surrounding villages thought the day had dawned and started their usual work.     To be continued... Source: This discourse (sutta) can be found in full here http://www.mettanet.org/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/129-balapandita-e.html Series History: Instalment 1 of this series can be found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1502 Instalment 2 of this series can be found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1503 Instalment 3 of this series can be found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1504 Instalment 4 of this series can be found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1506 Instalment 5 of this series can be found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1507 Instalment 6 of this series can be found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1510 Notes 1. More suttas can be found here http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sutta.html and here http://www.mettanet.org/tipitaka/index.html 2. This sutta can be found in full here http://www.mettanet.org/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima3/129-balapandita-e.html 3. Read more about Wheel-Turning Monarchs here http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Cakkavattisihanada_Sutta *  See the previous instalment here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1510 Dhamma (Buddhism) Articles A Buddhist Approach to the Awareness of In-and-Out Breath Meditation - Anapanasati - A Buddhist approach to the awareness of breath meditation (anapanasati), see http://tinyurl.com/d6uwxr or http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs/anapanasati  A Buddhist Approach to Disenchantment - A Buddhist approach to becoming disenchanted with all that gives rise to stress, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=disench A Buddhist Approach to Disillusionment - A Buddhist approach to seeing past the trickery and into reality, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=disill A Buddhist Approach to Mental Health - A Buddhist perspective and approach to mental health, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=mentalhealth A Buddhist Approach to Problem Solving - A Buddhist approach to problem solving through the development of wisdom (panna), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=probsolv A Buddhist Approach to Revulsion - Asubha - A Buddhist approach to bodily revulsion (asubha), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=revul A Buddhist Approach to Time Management - A Buddhist approach to effective time management, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=timeman An Introduction to Buddhist Meditation - Basic instructions for doing the mediations of loving kindness (metta), awareness of breath (ana-pana-sati) and foulness of the body (asubha), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=intromed Arahants and Suicide - An analysis on whether Arahants (Worthy Ones) can commit suicide, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=arahsuic Attachment - An analysis of how attachment leads to unsatisfactoriness, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=attachment Buddhist Positive Thinking - Positive thinking from a Buddhist perspective, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=posthink Consequences - About being responsible for our actions (kamma) and their consequences (vipaka), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=conseq Daily Dâna - On giving and generosity, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=dailydana Equanimity - Dealing with the eight characteristics of life, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=equanimity Fault Finding & Resentment - Dealing with fault finding and resentment, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=faultfind Five Precepts - Developing virtue through the five precepts, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=pansil Four Noble Truths - The essence of Buddhism, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=fourtruths Make Haste - About the dangers of samsara (endless round of birth and death) and a call to attain Nibbana (release) at the earliest opportunity, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=urgency Mental Purity - Five ways prescribed by the Buddha for subduing mental defilements, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=vitakkasantana Metta Meditation - Easy to follow instructions for doing the meditation on loving-kindness, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=mettamed Noble Eightfold Path - The path for ending unsatisfactoriness, stress and suffering, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=noblepath Offerings - On making offering to the Lord Buddha's supreme qualities, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=offerings One Hour of Unsatisfactoriness - The unsatisfactoriness that can be felt within the space of an hour, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=onehour Reverence - On revering those worthy of reverence, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=reverence Sensual Pleasure & Pain - An analysis of sensual pleasure and pain, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=plespain Work Stress - An analysis of stress in the work-place, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=workstress See these articles here http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs and here http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs/youth If you would like to help your friends to gain Dhamma knowledge by receiving emails like this one REPLY to this email including their email addresses. Alternatively ask them to send a blank email to dhamma-s...@yahoogroups.com Visit Sakyamuni Sambuddha Vihara on the Web: www.vihara.org.au If you found this Dhamma message useful please consider making an online donation to Sakyamuni Sambuddha Vihara here http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=doncal To join the Dhamma Group send a blank email to dhamma-s...@yahoogroups.com To leave the Dhamma Group send a blank email to dhamma-un...@yahoogroups.com

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