Once, while
Lord Buddha was residing at Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the
monks were assembled to listen to the dhamma discourse. Lord Buddha
went to the place and picking up some dust from the earth and
putting it on his thumb nail asked the monks.
"O monks if
the dust on my thumb nail is compared to the whole earth, which is
more," the Lord Buddha asked (though knowing the
answer).
(Monks are
generally of two categories: Those who just wear the robes and eat,
after going round for alms-food, and those who fear the sufferings
of samsara. Here it concerns both the categories.)
The monks
replied "O, Lord, the dust which is on your thumb nail, if compared
to the whole earth is so little that it cannot be accounted for.
The dust on the earth is much too abundant."
When the monks
thus replied, the Enlightened One continued to say "Monks,
according to the example given, when people die and leave this
existence those who are reborn as human beings are so few that they
may be compared to the dust on my nail.
After leaving
this human abode, people who are reborn in hell or become animals,
ghosts, demons in the lower planes are as numerous as the dust on
earth. Thus, the Lord gave a discourse that to become a human being
is very difficult. (Sam 1/454)
Motto:
Born in the
human abode
compared to the
dust on the nail.
Born as
creatures in the apaya are numerous as the whole
earth.
After the
discourse Lord Buddha continued to remind the monks, since it is so
difficult to be a human being, as little as the dust on my finger
nail, do not forget to practise dhamma while there is
sasana.
When there was
no time to give a discourse Lord Buddha would remind "Do not
forget, practise dhamma." This was the usual reminder. In some
places "Appamadena Sampadetha" "Be vigilant, practise and perfect
yourselves" This is the usual utterance by Lord Buddha.
In saying "Do
not forget, perfect yourselves in practising dhamma" does not mean
to do ordinary merit so as to get the happiness of human beings,
celestial beings and brahmas". What the Lord Buddha meant was to
practise Satipatthana Vipassana so as to reach nibbana.
Why did the
Lord Buddha remind us to practise Satipatthana Vipassana? To become
Enlightened, Lord Buddha had practised dhamma for four
incalculables (asankheyya) and a hundred thousand world cycles
(kappas) without caring for His physical body and life. The purpose
is not for all beings to get the happiness of human life, celestial
life and brahma. This is not the aim in perfecting Himself without
caring for His life and physical body.
It is for
Himself and all beings to be free from apaya and all kinds of
suffering and reach nibbana, that He accumulated merit. That is why
He said do not forget to practise satipatthana vipassana to reach
nibbana.
