A certain banker had two grandsons, their names were Mahapantha and Śuddhipanthaka. The elder Mahapanda often accompanied his grandfather to listen to the Dharma, and later he became a monk and joined the Sangha. After a period of time, he attained the fruit of Arahantship. His younger brother Śuddhipanthaka also became a monk with his elder brother, but because he had teased a very stupid monk in his previous life, he was so ignorant in this life that he could not even remember a verse in four months. His elder brother, Mahapantha, suggested that his younger brother return to secular life.
One day, the famous doctor Ji^vaka invited the Buddha and many monks to his home to receive alms. Śuddhipanthaka was not among the list of bhikkhus who could go. After he learned that he had no chance to participate, he was very depressed and decided to return to secular life. After the Buddha understood his intention, he asked Śuddhipanthaka to sit at the door in front of the monastery, facing the east. The Buddha gave Śuddhipanthaka a piece of cloth and asked him to rub it while reciting "Rajoharanam" to remove dirt. After the explanation, the Buddha and the monks selected by Mahapantha went to the home of the famous doctor Ji^vaka .
After the Buddha left, Śuddhipanthaka rubbed the cloth hard and repeated "removing dirt". Soon, the cloth became dirty. It was at this time that the opportunities for his past good deeds matured, making him realize that things in the world are impermanent. At this time, the Buddha was at the home of the famous doctor Ji^vaka , and through his supernatural power, he learned about the progress of the young Śuddhipanthaka. Then the Buddha radiated light, making Śuddhipanthaka feel that the Buddha was in front of him, and the Buddha said to Śuddhipanthaka: "It is not just the cloth that becomes dirty because of dirt, the human body and mind also have dirt such as greed, hatred, and ignorance. Only by removing these dirt , Only then can we achieve the purpose of practice and attain the holy fruit." Śuddhipanthaka understood the meaning of the Buddha's words and continued to meditate. Soon he achieved the fruit of Arahant[2] and was endowed with extraordinary wisdom and spiritual power.
At this time, the family of the famous doctor Ji^vaka was about to pour water into the Buddha's bowl to show their support, but the Buddha covered the bowl with his hand to prevent the water from entering, and asked:
"Are there any monks still in the monastery?"
"No!".
"There is one more person!" said the Buddha, and asked someone to fetch Śuddhipanthaka.
When the people who were sent arrived at the monastery, they saw not just one bhikkhu, but many identical bhikkhus. These bhikkhus were all created by Śuddhipanthaka, who had supernatural powers. The man who was sent was confused and went back to report the incident, but was sent back to the monastery and asked to say to those bhikkhus: "The Buddha summoned a bhikkhu named Śuddhipanthaka." But when he did so, many of them The voice replied: "I am Śuddhipanthaka!" Confused, he had to go back, but was sent back to the monastery again, this time asking him to grab the first monk who answered "I am Śuddhipanthaka" , and when he caught the first bhikkhu to answer, all the other bhikkhus disappeared. Bhikkhu Śuddhipanthaka followed him to the home of Ji^vaka , a famous doctor. After accepting the offering, Śuddhipanthaka, under the instruction of the Buddha, confidently preached the Dharma.
Later, when the monks accidentally mentioned the matter of Śuddhipanthaka, the Buddha said: Anyone with firm faith and hard work will surely achieve the fruit of Arahantship.
Due to the diligence, discipline and restraint of one's own desires, the wise man builds a sandbank for himself that will not be submerged by floods[1]. (Dhammapada Verse 25)
Note: [1]: Sandbank: A higher land can avoid the disaster of floods. A wise man attaining Arahantship is equivalent to establishing a higher and safe land for himself, and will not indulge in the five desires, wrong views, and desires. and in ignorance.
[2]: Readers should note that Śuddhipanthaka did not achieve Arhat in a short time. He had been preparing for many lives. The Buddha just helped him get rid of the remaining dirt and free himself from the troubles caused by ignorance.
Parrot
During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, the people of Longshan gave the emperor a talking parrot, which Gaozong raised in his palace. One day he asked, "Do you miss your hometown?" The parrot said, "How can I not miss my hometown? What's the use of thinking about it?" The emperor sent his envoy Zhonggui to return the parrot to Longshan. Years later, the envoy Zhonggui again passed by the place where the parrots had been released. The parrot asked: "Is the emperor well?" He said: "the emperor has passed away!" The parrot cried out in sorrow.
A businessman from Guanzhong found a parrot that could speak in Longshan. He loved it and kept it diligently. By chance, this businessman was sentenced to prison, and he was filled with regret when he returned home. The parrot said to the businessman: "You have been in prison for several days, and you have become unbearable. What can the parrot do after being imprisoned for many years?" The businessman was very moved and released the parrot. Later, whenever a fellow businessman passes by Longshan, the parrot will definitely ask in the woods: "Is my master okay? Say hello to him for me!"
Li Mai'an himself recorded: When he returned from traveling in Yunnan, a servant contracted miasma and died. The servant had two parrots with him. They cried continuously for three days and died.
"What does it mean to have a ever-pure mind of a Bodhisattva?"
"It will not be combined with or separated from lust, anger and delusion; it will not be combined with or separated from the knots that cause all troubles; it will not be combined with and will not be separated from the mind of the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. This is called the ever-pure mind of a Bodhisattva." - "Maha Prajna Paramita Sutra. Volume 3"
Taking the physical body as myself and the conscious mind as myself are the "self-image". According to the Buddhist scriptures, the life we have in this world is formed by the false combination of causes and conditions of the five aggregates of form, feeling, thought, action and consciousness, and will be dispersed according to the causes and conditions of impermanent karma. All those who are greedy and reluctant to let go of this real life and precious life will try their best to pursue and enjoy all the people, things, and things that they can see now, and they will also be obsessed with the people, things, and species they already have. Perseverance, thinking that this is something that belongs to me, it is my hard-earned money, and this is my parents, my wife, children, my friends, etc. Even before my death, I still cherish my family and me. My inseparable attachment to my career, my wife, my children, my money and other properties. All related phenomena are "self-image".
A good doctor knows: what disease the patient suffers from, what is the cause, how to treat it, whether the disease is cured and how to prevent recurrence.
Awakened people know that the world is suffering, and the cause of suffering is greed, anger, and ignorance. The antidote is to cultivate the mind to eliminate greed, anger, and ignorance, and practice immeasurable right views, right thinking, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration can pass beyond the edge of suffering.
Meng Sun of Lu State got a fawn from hunting and sent his disciple Qin Xiba to take it back and cook it. The doe followed Qin Xiba and cried. Qin Xiba couldn't bear it and released the fawn back to the mother. After Meng Sun came back, he looked for where the fawn was. Qin Xiba replied: "The mother of the fawn followed and cried. I couldn't bear it, so I released the fawn back to the mother." Meng Sun was very angry and drove Qin Xiba away. A year later, Meng Sun appointed Qin Xiba as his son's teacher. The ministers and guards around Meng Sun said: "Qin Xiba is guilty of you, but now you regard him as your son's teacher. Why?" Meng Sun said: "He can't bear to hurt a little deer, let alone people!” - Lu Buwei - "Qin Xiba Releases the Fawn"