Our government is not the first to begin spying on its own people. In ancient times, one King gave up the practice... One day, while the Buddha Gotama was staying near Savatthi at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara’s mother, King Pasenadi Kosala came to visit. Now, at that time, a group of 35 ascetics came walking by. Some had coiled hair, some were Jains, some wore no cloth, others only one cloth, all had let their hair and nails grow long, and carried containers on poles over their shoulders. When the King saw these wanderers, he went over to them, and introduced himself as the King, and asked them to visit the Buddha Gotama. When they arrived, the King asked Gotama, “are any of these men arahants, or on the path to arahantship?” Gotama said, “as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures, living confined with children, wearing fine clothes and other luxuries, wearing garlands, scents and creams, handling gold and silver, it would be difficult for you to tell whether any of these men are arahants, or on the path to arahantship.” Gotama explained, “it is only by living with a person for a very long time that their virtue is known, and only through great attention and discretion. Just as it is by doing business with a person for a long time that their reliability is known, or through adversity over a long time that a person’s endurance is known, or by a long conversation that a person’s thoughts may be known, it takes a long time, much attention and discretion to know a person’s virtue.” King Kosala agreed, “it is true what you have said. Incidentally, these men before you are actually not ascetics, but are my spies and scouts, returning after going through my countryside. They go out, and then I follow behind them. They were on their way home to scrub off the dirt and mud, bathe and perfume themselves, trim their hair and beards, put on fine clothes and receive their rich payment.” Gotama admonished the King, “as a King, you should not have your servants work everywhere, there are places they should not work. As a King you should not live dependent upon another or have your spies present themselves as traders in Dharma.” “King, I should warn you that your spies are not the only ones disguised as teachers of the Dharma wandering your countryside. Counterfeits, bronze coins coated in gold, your enemies go about your Kingdom, hidden all around, impure inside, beautiful without. Those who disguise their appearance should not be trusted, neither should trust be based on a quick glance of appearance.”
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:23:28 +0000
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