435 LESSON 13 11 2011 Gopala
Sutta: The Cowherd
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4. Department of Arts
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COURSE PROGRAM
LESSON 435
Practice a Sutta a Day
Keeps Dukkha Away
Ud 4.3
PTS: Ud 38
Gopala Sutta: The Cowherd
translated from the Pali
by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
I have heard that on one
occasion the Blessed One was wandering among the Kosalans with a large
community of monks. Then he came down from the road, went to a certain tree,
and on arrival sat down on a seat made ready. A certain cowherd then went to
the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As
he was sitting there, the Blessed One, instructed, urged, roused, &
encouraged him with a talk on Dhamma. The cowherd β instructed, urged, roused,
& encouraged by the Blessed One’s talk on Dhamma β said to him: “Lord,
may the Blessed One, together with the community of monks, acquiesce to my
offer of tomorrow’s meal.”
The Blessed One
acquiesced with silence.
Then the cowherd,
understanding the Blessed One’s acquiescence, got up from his seat, bowed down
to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and left.
Then, after the night had
passed, the cowherd β having prepared in his own home a great deal of thick
milk-rice porridge & fresh ghee β announced the time of the meal to the
Blessed One: “It is time, lord. The meal is ready.”
So the Blessed One early
in the morning put on his robes and, carrying his bowl and outer robe, went
together with the community of monks to the cowherd’s home. On arrival, he sat
down on a seat made ready. The cowherd, with his own hand, served &
satisfied the community of monks headed by the Blessed One with thick milk-rice
porridge & fresh ghee. Then, when the Blessed One had eaten and had removed
his hand from his bowl, the cowherd took a lower seat and sat to one side. As
he was sitting there, the Blessed One, instructed, urged, roused, &
encouraged him with a talk on Dhamma, then got up from his seat & left.
Now, not long after the
Blessed One’s departure, the cowherd was killed by a certain man between the
boundaries of two villages. A large number of monks then went to the Blessed
One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were
sitting there, they told him: “The cowherd who today served &
satisfied the community of monks headed by the Blessed One with thick milk-rice
porridge & fresh ghee, has been killed, it is said, by a certain man between
the boundaries of two villages.”
Then, on realizing the
significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
Whatever an enemy might
do to an enemy, or a foe to a foe, the ill-directed mind can do to you even
worse.
.
4. Department of Arts
4.1 Traditional Arts
DOA 500 LΓΌjong - non-credit
Delivery Mode: Residential
Course Description:
LΓΌjong, or body training, is a series of fifteen physical
exercises developed by the Tibetan
Buddhist meditation master Khenpo TsΓΌltrim Gyamtso Rinpoche to
help students
enhance their health and synchronize their body and mind. They
serve to increase
energy and pliancy. The wakefulness developed by the exercises
can bring a quality of
meditation to ordinary activities throughout the day.
everything - JC
