Dear Reader,
The opportunity to
understand the profound Dhamma and its organizational beauty through the
Pahārāda Sutta is as rare and precious as amrita (divine nectar). Contained
within the Mahāvagga of the Aṅguttara Nikāya, this sutta compares the eight
wondrous qualities of the great ocean with the eight wondrous qualities of the
Buddha's dispensation, revealing to us the completeness and gradual nature of
the Dhamma.
The Eight Wondrous Qualities of the Great Ocean
According to the
declaration of Pahārāda, the chief of the Asuras, the Asuras delight in the
great ocean because of these eight qualities:
1. It
has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope: The ocean does not drop off
abruptly but deepens slowly and safely.
2. It
is stable and does not transgress its limits: The ocean is eternal and does not
overstep its boundaries.
3. It
rejects the dead: The
ocean does not coexist with corpses; it washes them ashore.
4. It
unifies rivers, making them shed their identities: Great rivers
like the Ganges and Yamuna, upon reaching the ocean, abandon their former names
and clans and become simply the 'great ocean'.
5. Its
volume remains constant despite inflows: All the world's rivers and rain
pouring into the ocean do not cause it to decrease or increase.
6. It
has but one taste, the taste of salt: The diverse waters that enter it
take on the single taste of salt.
7. It
contains a treasury of jewels: The ocean holds manifold gems like
pearls, lapis lazuli, and coral.
8. It
is the abode of great beings: The ocean is home to immense
beings, such as giant fish, Nāgas, and Asuras, leagues in length.
The
Eight Wondrous Qualities of the Buddha's Dispensation
In the same sequence,
the Blessed One explains to Pahārāda the eight wondrous qualities of the Dhamma
Ocean.
1.
Gradual Training: The Dharma's Gentle Slope
Just as the ocean
deepens gradually, the Buddha's dispensation is a path of
gradual learning, gradual practice, and gradual progression. This reflects
the great compassion of the Dhamma. Qualities like faith, virtue, generosity,
and wisdom must be developed step by step. The Dhamma does not allow anyone to
take a "superhuman leap"; it is a safe curriculum that everyone can
traverse according to their own capacity.
2.
Respect for Boundaries: The Stability of Sila
Just as the ocean does
not transgress its limits, the bhikkhus do not,
even for the sake of life itself, transgress the training rules and precepts. Boundaries
against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech act as
protective shores for the Dharma Ocean. This is the source of the Sangha's
organizational strength and continuity.
3.
The Nature of Purification: The Purity of the Sangha
Just as the ocean
expels dead bodies, the Dispensation does not associate with
those who are immoral, of evil character, and corrupt within. They are
expelled from the Sangha. This "organizational immunity" safeguards
the purity and efficacy of the Teachings. Because the Dhamma is a jewel to be
protected with the mind, its administration must also be rooted in virtue.
4.
Diversity within Unity: The Universality of the Dhamma
Just as rivers lose
their individual names upon entering the ocean, whoever
comes into the Buddha's Dispensation from the four castes—whether warrior,
brahmin, merchant, or worker—they shed their former names and clans and become
known simply as 'recluses, sons of the Sakyan'. This
demonstrates the Dhamma's universality and equality. The Dhamma is not bound to
any race, colour, or social status.
5.
The Boundlessness of Nibbāna
Just as all the
world's water cannot fill or deplete the ocean, even
when many bhikkhus attain the final Nibbāna, it does not show any decrease or
increase. Nibbāna
possesses an infinite, immeasurable nature. This illustrates the supreme and
boundless quality of the ultimate goal.
6.
The Single Taste of Freedom
Just as the diverse
waters in the ocean become one with the taste of salt, whoever
enters the Buddha's Dispensation, regardless of their background or
personality, experiences the one taste of liberation. The essence of
the Dhamma is the cessation of suffering. The paths may vary, but the final
goal of Nibbāna's peace is the same for all.
7.
The Treasury of Dharma Jewels
Just as the ocean is a
storehouse of gems, the Buddha's Dispensation is a treasury
of Dharma jewels. These
are:
These Dharma jewels
are available to all; one only needs their own effort to utilize them.
8.
The Abode of Great Persons
Just as the ocean is
the home of great beings, the Dharma Ocean is
the abode of Great Persons (Mahāpurisa). These are:
·
The
Stream-Enterer (Sotāpanna)
These Dharma jewels
are available to all; one only needs their own effort to utilize them.
Photo Credit - https://pixabay.com/
Source
Aṅguttara Nikāya/ Aṭṭhaka Nipāta,/Mahāvagga, Pahārāda Sutta.
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