Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Kapphina and Gavampati(劫賓那 憍梵波提)
Date: May. 20, 2013
When we learn the Buddha’s teachings, our goal must be to attain the Buddha-mind. We should treat everyone with respect. Regardless of gender, age, wealth or social status, we treat them all equally. That is a form of respect. Thus, when we see people through a Buddha-mind, everyone is a Buddha. Let us recall the Never Slighting Bodhisattva as an example of this. Whoever insulted him, cursed him, or beat him, he always responded by dodging, prostrating and showing them respect. “I do not dare slight you because you may someday become a Buddha，too.” See, this method is also a form of spiritual practice. What we are learning now is to return to our intrinsic Buddha-nature. Therefore, the people we interact with may be Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who continue to return on the ship of compassion.
When we treat others with a Buddha-mind, we are humble and respectful. We must see all people as Buddhas, as the Never Slighting Bodhisattva does.
In addition, we should be more vigilant of our habitual tendencies and eliminate them. Sometimes unintentional mistakes will also bring causes and effects that last life after life. So, I often tell you all that spiritual practice is about changing our habitual tendencies. We cannot allow negative habitual tendencies to manifest in our daily living. We must always heighten our vigilance and
eliminate negative habitual endencies We should know that
habitual tendencies accumulated over lifetimes are difficult to eliminate.A moment of disparagement and disrespect，of using humor to make a fool out of others，will result in karmic retributions.So We must be disciplined，reverent，and creat good affinities.
We should always be vigilant and treat others carefully. We cannot simply say “just joking”. We cannot just treat people casually. Sometimes we may see frustrating habitual tendencies in others. Those are their habitual tendencies, we should not unintentionally adopt their displeasing habitual tendencies. We cannot do that either. So the Buddha has also warned us by saying, “Even if we do not do so intentionally, if we mock someone accomplished in spiritual practice by making a fool of him or mimicking his manners so others will not respect him, we will face lifetimes of karmic retributions.” So even when afflictions are eliminated, habitual tendencies may still remain.
Let us consider the next two great Arhats, Bhiksu Gavampati and Bhiksu Kapphina. The name “Kapphina” means the Room [the Scorpio Constellation]. Because he was conceived after his parents prayed to the stars for a son, they named him Kapphina after the constellation they prayed to. When Kapphina first became a monastic, he wanted to follow the Buddha and stay by His side.When he was on his way from his home to the Buddha’s abode, it suddenly rained heavily.At that time, he saw a house that belonged to a master craftsman who specialized in making ceramics.So, this young, aspiring monk asked if he could stay overnight.The master potter saw that this young person was so determined and willing to practice that he was seeking the Great Enlightened One.This really pleased him, so he offered a very small room for his stay.
However, that house was completely empty so the potter piled up dried straws to make a bed.Then he said, “Young man, I only have this space, nothing else.But I paved the ground with straw bedding, so you can take shelter from the rain here.”Meanwihie, the skies had darkened and it was raining heavily outside.As he sat down and started to calm his mind, suddenly, another practitioner came in.When this young man saw a spiritual practitioner come in, he was very happy.He quickly gave up his spot on the straw bedding and asked the practitioner to sit there.Then he sat across from the man.
Suddenly, he [realized] this practitioner had a dignified appearance, so a sense of respect arose in him and he prostrated.This practitioner was actually the Buddha.When the Buddha saw this young man’s reverence and determination to practice, He sat down and began to teach the Dharma to him.As this was happening, Kapphina’s mind filled with joy.These were his causes and conditions.Because he had this intention, when he saw a monastic, he treated him with great reverence.Indeed, the one he had bowed, paid respects and given up his seat to was the Buddha, the Great Enlightened One whom he wanted to follow.
Kapphina means the Room [Constellation], because he was born after his parents prayed to that constellation and because he became a monastic after he stayed in the same dwelling as the Buddha.
The Agama Sutra states,
“Of those practicing my teachings, Kapphina is foremost in knowledge of astronomy.”Besides having the name of a constellation, Kapphina was accomplished in astronomy.So the Buddha praised him by saying, “Kapphina is foremost in knowledge of astronomy”.
Bhiksu Kapphina treated others with a Buddha-mind, [to him] so everyone was a Buddha.
He treated others with humbleness and reverence, like Never Slighting Bodhisattva.
Nest is Gavampati.He was highly accomplished in his spiritual practice, but his name means Cow-Cud.This means that though this monk was already highly accomplished in his spiritual practice, he still had a habitual tendency that was carried over from past lifetimes.What was this matter?Many, many lifetimes ago, he became a monastic at a young age.In that Sangha, there was an old bhiksu.He was very old，so he had no teeth.But he also had a habitual tendency，his mouth constantly made a chewing motion.This novice monk saw this and thought it was funny，so he often limitated the way his mouth constantly moved that chewing motion.Somtimes the old
bhiksu would also snort like a cow.So，this little novice monk followed him around and always poked fun at him . This how he began to develope this chewing habit. The old bhiksu was accomplished in his spiritual practice，so he excused this as actions of a child and did not feel
afficeted.However，people around him told the boy，“Little novice monk，you have to respect
your elders.Don‘t be so naughty. ”Still continued to minic the old bhiksu‘s quirk to the other monastics.
We can imagine how naughty this little novice monk was .This was how he developed his habit.
Starting then，he was born as a cow for 500 lifetimes and had the behavior and habitual tendencies of a cow.Then，After 500 lifetimes he was born human again，he was born human again and still brought his bovine habitual tendencies from those 500 lifetimes to his life as a human for another 500 lifetimes.This is truly taxing 500 lifetimes on top another 500 lifetimes is 1000 lifetimes. 1000 lifetimes ago，the little novice monk did not intend any harm with his actions，
He was just mischievous and poked fun at a spiritual practitioner.But this cause and effect let to his retribution.After 500 lifetimes of being a cow，he spent 500 lifetimes as a human，but the bovine habitual tendencies remained even until the Buddha‘s lifetime.Thought he had the causes and conditions to meet the Buddha and follow him as a moastic，some of those tendencies remained.His tendency to ruminate like a cow was not fully elminated.
Gavampati means Cow-rumination Illness.When he was a novice monk，he made fun of an old monk for snorting like a cow.From then on，he was a cow for 500 lifetimes.Even he was born human，for 500 lifetimes，he had Cow-rumination Illness.
the Buddha saw that he was well-cultivated，took the Buddha-Dharma to heart，and attained benefits for himself.His affiction and ignorant thoughts had all been eliminated.He “had eliminated all Leaks”and“had severed all bonds of existence.”but his habitual tendencies were the one thing he was unable〔to eliminated〕. the Buddha was concerned that il the people who were alive at this time did disrepectd or slighted Gavampati，he would create similar karma.To lead everyone to have repect for Venerable Gavampati，the Buddha began to tell them，“Do you know that his mouth keeps moving because he is actually reciting the name of the Buddha？”He gave him a string of beads to hold as.This is just like the seniors we saw now holding rosaries.They rotate it one as they chant, and we can see that their mouths are constantly moving. Perhaps back in that era, the Buddha started this in order to prevent others from creating more negative speech karma and slighting Venerable Gavampati. In His wisdom and compassion, the Buddha told everyone that Gavampati was using the beads to count the number of times he chanted the Buddha’s name, and the chanted the Buddha’s name to eliminate afflictions and help him take the Dharma to heart. He hoped that everyone would respect Venerable Gavampati.
Even so, He was worried that when he begged for alms in other places, people would inevitably and unintentionally say or do something by mistake. So, the Buddha said to him, “Receive offerings from heavenly beings. Do not beg alms in the human realm.” Then while the Buddha lived among people until He entered Parinirvana, Venerable Gavampati continues receiving offerings in the heaven realm. But when he heard the Buddha entered Parinivana, he was very sad. In the midst of receiving offerings, he quickly prostrated with his head touching the ground and said, “The Buddha entered Parinivana, I will follow.” This is like the intimate bond between a baby elephant and its mother. So after he heard that the Buddha had entered Parinivana, he followed as well.
When the Buddha entered Parinivana, Venerable Gavampati heard [the news]. It was said that Gavampati, the most virtuous monk of the wondrous，assembly, bowed his head to the ground and said, “The Buddha entered Parinivana, I will follow, the way elephants follow the elephant king.”
This venerable one [faced consequences from] making unintentional mistakes in this world. Therefore, the Buddha was very worried about others doing the same when they met him.Everyone, we should think about this. Don’t unintentional mistakes also bring us karmic retributions life after life? So when we deal with people and matters, we need exercise great reverence. The Buddha said in the Agama Sutra,
“Bhisku Gavampati was foremost in the heaven realm but not in the human realm.”
It means he received offerings happily in heaven but in this world he had some troubles. So, he was foremost in receiving offerings from those in the heaven realm but not the human realm. This was the unique feature of Gavampati. Everyone, although he was in heaven and rarely in the human realm, after the Buddha entered Parinivana, he followed, the way elephants follow the [elephant king]. Obviously, he respected the Buddha greatly. This is also a warning to us to always be mindful. We cannot form habitual tendencies that bring us suffering in future lifetimes. In conclusion, we have to be mindful in our daily interactions with people and matters. We must eliminate habitual tendencies immediately, remain vigilant and reverent, make good affinities. This is very important. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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