Does anyone know where this is? I’m pretty sure I read it in the Nikayas. It is probably one of the texts used as the basis of the idea of a ‘merit bank’ which I have found amongst ethnic Buddhists especially.
It is the story of a person (prince/king?) who goes to the Buddha with a report of a repeated (?) nightmare, of people (monsters/ghosts/demons?) moaning and begging for food at his residence. The Buddha advises him that it’s because he didn’t share his own meritorious actions (punya) with relatives (bandhu?) in the past. So, he should do so in the future to avoid this.
Hi Snowbird
I hope this finds you in good health and peace of mind.
Thanks for that.
That is not it. That is a Burmese commentary or later work, from what I read.
I was asking for a sutta reference.
If you can provide any of that baked in message quotes, that would be great.
Yes, I said ''ethnic Buddhists especially" not “solely”.
best wishes
Joe
Another one I have is the sutta where a monk is approached by his former wife, who I think, tries to lure him back. He referred to her as ‘sister’ and she nearly fainted. This is for Marcus B. who mentions the use of Dharma Brother in Chinese in an article and that he hadn’t seen the use in an Indian context, from what I remember.
It’s not a Burmese commentary, it’s the ancient Dhp commentary.
You could be thinking of Kp7.
Complicated stories like that aren’t often in the suttas but rather in the commentaries. I don’t think a sutta like that exists, but I’ll happily wait to see if someone comes up with one.
If it’s in the Pali Canon, then probably the Khp’s Tirokuṭṭasutta and its parallel in the Petavatthu. Of the two, only the latter relates the circumstances in which it was taught.
Edit: Actually neither source relates the circumstances in which it was taught. In the Pali both sources are identical, but Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda has included material from the Petavatthu Commentary in his translation of the Pv version.
Yes, this is true. I mentioned that when the suttas were being added here and at the time it wasn’t thought to be a problem. I would really love it if someone could do a more strict translation for suttacentral just so it was clear.
I had marked this as solved, but there were two reference I was looking for. I’m still looking for:
There is an occurrence of a prince? asking the Buddha about his nightmares of ghosts begging for food. The Buddha said ‘They are past relatives you didn’t share your meritorious deeds (puñña) with. So, you should do so in future.’
Can anyone help me find it?
Please note that it is a Sutta reference, in the first four Nikaya.
I’m happy to accept a reference to that story which is outside the first four Nikaya, but I’m not seeking general information about ‘merit sharing’.
What makes you so sure it is a sutta reference in the first four nikayas?
If you have done a search on SuttaCentral for “dream” and “nightmare” and don’t find what you want then it’s probably not there.
I can personally say that I don’t believe it is in the first four (or even five) nikayas and you are probably thinking of something that has been mentioned above.
Hi again
It’s just that for the last 20 years I have put aside teachings from disciples and focused on understanding Buddha’s teaching from his own words, following the idea that he is the unexcelled teacher and probably doesn’t need help to teach.
I have made an effort to remember words of the Buddha as such and determine if words of disciples match the Buddha’s words or not.
I clearly remember reading it in the suttas, ascribed to the Buddha.
Thanks for your consideration.
best wishes
Joe
Where the Buddha is recorded to have said both: atthi attā (there is soul) and n’atthi attā (there is no soul) are extreme views that his teaching avoids.
thanks
best wishes
Joe
PS I think I found it: MN 2:8.1
There the Buddha says both: natthi me attā and atthi me attā are thickets of view, and unwise reflection on ahaṁ (self) ie the Five Aggregates, leads to views about attā (soul) and the associated suffering - Five Clung-to Aggregates, but no distinction between the Pali words is reflected in all of the English translations at that point, even though the Buddha’s teaching is often said to be subtle.
Unfortunately this misrepresentation of the Buddha and his teaching has become well established as the standard, common understanding.
It is based on taking “anattā” out of the sentence ‘sabbe dhammā anattā’ and saying 'the Buddha taught anattā", which will bring much suffering on the person and those who listen and believe without proper investigation. Saying ‘all things are not soul’ is not saying ‘there is no soul’, a sublte distinction.
The Buddha has warned that listening to disciples can be a cause for the loss of his teaching SuttaCentral and that disciples’ words must be compared to his own before accepting or rejecting SuttaCentral.
I recently created a summary spreadsheet of all the inconsistencies I’ve accounted for in the Pali texts. This is from the belief that ‘the Buddha is the unexcelled teacher’ and he doesn’t need help to teach, e.g. from disciples. You can see the link the spreadsheet in Earlier and Later Teachings.
Hi
I hope this finds you well and happy.
Thanks for that. That shows the practice as it had been established. I’m looking for the sutta reference, which started the practice out. I’m fairly certain it’s in the first four Nikaya.
best wishes
Joe
