Title-Buddha’s Talks-Nothing Should Be Despised For Being Small In Size The amount relatively in difference appears distinctively such as short and tall, small and large, insignificant and magnificent, poor and rich, etc. There is no need to explain that more, large, magnificent things attract human’s minds more. Everybody wants to expect the higher, but not deficiency. This is a nature of human’s mind. Those expectation and desire may come true or not in real life. Everybody usually keep in mind of the quantity in terms of relatively large amount in priority. They longed it. They paid attraction to it. They kept thinking it and tried to get it. If something can be developed in terms of quantity, it may generally be regarded as successful. However, if it is not, it may be regarded as unsuccessful. However, it is usually forgotten that the good result can be obtained, even though the amount may be relatively tiny. Some are small, but they are not to be look-down-upon. Usually, no one will be able to see that they (small ones) happen to be important to a certain extent according to their scales. This is an example from a story. Once upon a time, there was a golden deer in a jungle. One day he saw image with beautiful, magnificent, large horns in the water of a creek. He happened to praise his horns, being satisfied and happy. At the same time, looking his small ugly legs, he thought that those were useless and disgusting. Then one day, as he was being chased by a hunting animal, he could run for his life because of the legs he despised. Unfortunately, once, his magnificent horns were tangled in a bush, while he was running. It was in vain though he struggled. At last he was found and killed by a hunter. The golden deer despised small in size. He would never know usefulness of a thing in a certain place, although it was tiny. There is one more example. Long time ago, while making a journey on his horse, a merchant arrived at a camp for a rest. In this camp, it was found out that a nail was lost in one of the horse shoes. Thinking that just missing a nail was not an important matter, he continued his journey. Since the roads were rough along the journey, the horse shoe caused a trouble soon. A horse shoe was thrown away after striking something, so the horse was unable to continue running, having a hurt in its legs due to running without a horse shoe. Therefore, the man got down from the horse went on foot in great distress for the remaining journey. This is an example of encountering the miserable event, because of less interest on small in size and despising its importance. In socio-economic fields, in managing huge businesses, using big ideas, some people would not give consideration on small matters. Some will give the reason such as; ‘As long as looking the small matters, how can time be taken for the important matters?’ They may despise the matter of saluting the low rank staffs by smiling in order to encourage them, as a small matter. With respect to a question asked by the king Kausala, Buddha preached on ‘Four Objects’ that should not despised because of small, as follows: “Mingyi. These are four kinds of objects that should not be despised for small. What four kinds are: ‘Mingyi’. Prince should not be despised and ridiculed for young. Snake should not be despised and ridiculed for tiny. Fire should not be despised and ridiculed for small. Bhikkhu should not be despised and ridiculed for young”, said Buddha. {Dahara Sutta} Buddha preached that even though he was young, a bhikkhu was completed with ‘Sila’ (Precepts). Those who despised the young bhikkhu, would get punishment such as having no wealth and getting no inheritance. Wise men understand very well advantages and disadvantages of ignorance on small matters. Foolish men would despise small matters. While Chief Disciple Sariputta whom Buddha counted on most had been carrying out the great duty of ‘Sasana’, he usually did the small kinds of matter as the matter of routine, at the same time. One of these is that just before leaving the monastery to go for some places, he always did the small matter, namely, cleaning, sweeping, keeping all things neat and tidy, etc. in the monastery and its neighbourhood. One of the reasons of doing like this was to prevent the occasion that those who from opposition of ‘Sasana’ would peep inside of the compound while all the bhiikkhus were getting out, and then disperse the dispraising news that the royal descendant Buddha and the disciple bhikkhus were usually living in disorderly manner. Unsatisfactory and being discouraged on a tiny result and insignificant success may be due to looking down and despising those tiny result and insignificant success, and besides, due to not understanding the value of that insignificant success. Buddha preached that even a small-merit deed should not be despised, as follows, in preaching to the rich Bilalapadaka. “The rich ‘dayaka’. The result of an insignificant merit deed may be unable to appear beneficially. This kind of merit deed should not be despised. The wise man will be able to make the merit full, making effort for developing the merit little by little, like a large pot becomes full with water due to falling of water just one drop after another”, said Buddha. {The rich Bilalapadaka Vatthu, Dhammapada} Buddha also preached that if one despised the evil demerit deed (thinking of it as small), as one despised the merit deed (thinking of it as small), the guilt could gradually grow. Once, there was a bhikkhu who usually used the utensils of bhikkhu, such as a bed, a short leg bedstead, etc., in the open air in the compound of monastery. After using these utensils, he often abandoned them outside of monastery. Those things were destroyed due to raining, sunlight, termite, etc. Though other bhikkhus warned that the utensils had to be kept safe, it was in vain. He recklessly replied that he had no desire to let them being destroyed. Referring to that bhikkhu, Buddha preached as follows: “Bhikkhus. Having no cover, a pot, being kept in the air, is not full of water by a drop of water when it rains, but it is filled with water after raining again and again. Similarly,one who committed the evil deeds, is said to be ever committing many collections of evil deeds”, said Buddha. {Asanyataparikkhara Bhikkhu Vatthu} Therefore, in doing for the development of benefits and profits, protecting the developed benefits and profits, doing the merit deeds, and observing the precepts, one should always be careful that nothing has to be despised or over looked for being tiny or easy. Doc Version Here In My Group: https://facebook/notes/buddhism-for-beginners/title-buddhas-talks-nothing-should-be-despised-for-being-small-in-size/782648395125284
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 18:59:49 +0000
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