Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Nine Ordeals Part 1(九惱一)
We say cultivation is inseparable from life. In life, people and things are what makes our spiritual practice possible. Karmic causes and effects are extremely precise. What is created now may be endured in the next life, though it still may not be completely eliminated. During His lifetime, the Buddha taught us Dharma. He used the Meditation on Causation to teach us about causes, conditions and retributions.
Ordinary people experience Fragmentary Samsara which is transmigration in the Three Realms. Enlightened practitioners experience. Miraculous Samsara, transcending the Three Realms. All sentient beings exist in Fragmentary Samsara. Some live for a long time, but their lives will still end. Some live very short lives. Whether life is long or short, if there is birth, there is death. Thus, sentient beings exist in Fragmentary Samsara. The length of our lives depends on the causes and conditions from our past lives. Our karmic retribution manifests itself accordingly throughout this lifetime.
In past lives, we may have accumulated so much karmic retribution that it may not only appear in this lifetime, but also in the next. So each lifetime is a fragment, just like one day in our life. Yesterday’s problems can be resolved today. Will there be a good ending or will the problems continue? It depends on what happens today.
Buddha taught us the Meditation on Causation so we understand causes, conditions and retribution. Sentient beings transmigrate in Fragmentary Samsara. The causes and conditions from past lives result in retributions in future lifetimes.
Ordinary people are like this, and actually, so was the Buddha. In the Jataka Sutras, or Agama Sutras, He spoke of how actions in His past lives related to people and things He encountered in His present life. He used His stories to teach. The Buddha had Nine Ordeals. We say that in the Buddha’s Realm everything is pure. That is correct. The Buddha’s innate nature was pure. When He achieved enlightenment, His mind was empty of afflictions, but He still faced many obstacles because His retributions had not yet been exhausted.
There are people today who are well-cultivated. “No problem. It is nothing. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what they say. I’m not worried. It doesn’t matter how they treat me, I’m grateful.” This type of person has developed a mind that does not take issue, so they will not be afflicted. The Buddha did more than that. He rid Himself of pettiness and afflictions. Not only did He see everything in the world clearly, He used it all to educate others. I often say we should not see disagreements as conflicts. If we do, our minds accumulate many afflictions, and we create many bad affinities. When it comes to conflicts, do not take issue or hold onto grievances. What should we do? We must self-reflect. If we are wrong we must readily admit our mistakes. If we are right, we should cultivate a forgiving loving, grateful mind and learn from it.
The Buddha’s innate nature was pure, without afflictions. He faced obstacles after He attained enlightenment because His retribution was not yet exhausted. He used this to teach Dharma to all.
We spoke of the Eight Sufferings. After eight comes nine. The Nine Ordeals are also called the Nine Difficulties, or the Nine Obstructions. Another name for them is the Nine Retributions.
The Nine Ordeals are also called the Nine Difficulties, Nine Obstructions, or Nine Retributions. They are the nine distresses that the Buddha encountered before and after He attained Buddhahood. The Nine Ordeals: Six years of ascetic practice; Slander by Sundari; Foot pierced by wooden spear; Horse fodder as food; Massacre of the Sakya Clan by King Virudhaka; Empty bowl after begging; Slander by Cinca Manavika; Boulder dropped by Devadetta; Asking for Robes to block cold wind. One of the Nine Ordeals alone would cause us afflictions.
These nine things disturb us, cause difficulties. They may seem to come from nowhere, but these are all karmic retributions for our actions in the past. Whether these difficulties seem justified or not, they are our karmic retribution. In the process of attaining enlightenment, whether before enlightenment or after enlightenment, the Buddha still encountered nine types of ordeals. Let us study them now. As mentioned, the Buddha had nine ordeals in His life. Some would ask, since the Buddha had transcended all obstacles, accomplished immeasurable and supreme merits, why did He still have so much karma and experience so many retributions? Could this be true? This is a skillful means of teaching. But if the Buddha could use others as an example, why use Himself? Because He wanted others to know that even if one attains Buddhahood, one is still subject to karmic retribution. If karma has not been exhausted, one will still experience retribution. We must know that good and evil karmic causes beget happy and painful retribution. If we do good, there will be a joyful reward. If we do evil, there will be painful retribution. The force of karmic energy sometimes pulls us beyond our control.
Through His personal stories, the Buddha skillfully taught that creating karmic causes of good or evil leads to subsequent retribution of joy or suffering.
The Buddha told us to be vigilant. Thus, His first affliction or major ordeal was “six years of ascetic practice.”
The first of the Buddha’s Nine Ordeals: Six years of ascetic practice.
The Buddha spoke of a child in Vebhalinga, a Brahman named Jotipala, who was friend with the son of a potter. They had been good friends since childhood. As they grew up, they respected and adored each other. One day when they were older, the potter’s son, Ghatikara said, “Let’s go see Kasyapa Buddha.” Kasyapa Buddha existed many ages ago. He was the Buddha of that time. Ghatikara had the fortune to encounter the Dharma and was filled with joy. He hoped his friend could also meet Kasyapa Buddha. They were close friends, so Jotipala responded, “Why do I have to see this monkish shaveling?” referring to Kasyapa’s appearance.
He used those insulting words to describe this Buddha. Proud and arrogant, he did not want to go. Three days later, Ghatikara said again, “Come, let’s go.” Influencing someone requires persistence. He hoped Jotipala would meet Kasyapa Buddha, even if just for a little while. They only needed a little time with Kasyapa. Jotipala had the same proud and arrogant attitude. “Why do I need to see this monkish shoveling? What Dharma does he have? Why would it be worthwhile?”
After Ghatikara heard this, since they were such good friends, he pulled him by his hair. “Now will you go?” He used force to pull him. Jotipala was surprised when he saw how serious Ghatikara was. He thought meeting Kasyapa must be a really good thing because his friend was so determined. He realized his friend was not joking, and that this was a serious matter. So he said, “Fine, fine. Let go of my hair, I’ll follow you.”
So they arrived at Kasyapa Buddha’s abode to pay their respects. As soon as Jotipala saw the dignified appearance of Kasyapa Buddha, he became joyful. Ghatikara was very sincere and repented to Kasyapa Buddha, saying, “My friend does not yet understand the Dharma, so if he offends you or seems arrogant or proud, please forgive him. I hope you can teach him well.” Kasyapa Buddha’s compassion extended to all sentient beings. When Kasyapa saw Jotipala, who bowed and looked so respectful when he lifted his head, Kasyapa knew this young man’s will to practice and root of goodness were strong, so he spoke the Dharma to the two of them.
After Jotipala heard him, his faith and desire for enlightenment were strengthened. It was not just joy, his faith and determination were rooted deep in his mind, so he was attracted to the Dharma and eventually left home to pursue a monastic life. He was very diligent and dedicated himself to learning Buddhism.
Sakyamuni Buddha then said, “I was Jotipala, and now I am Sakyamuni. When I was a prince and wanted to leave home, my father and all my relatives were opposed.” So when the Buddha left town in the middle of the night, Ghatikara was a Suddhavasa Deva, who appeared to guide him out of the city and onto the path of cultivation. At this point, the Buddha said, I slandered Kasyapa Buddha in the past. He called Kasyapa a monkish shoveling. It was not a nice term. He said it twice, being arrogant and proud. Because of this arrogant and insulting language, and the arrogance in his mind, His first ordeal was six years of ascetic practice and numerous obstacles in His cultivation.
Before the Buddha attained enlightenment, due to his past arrogance, He encountered the retribution of sufferings and challenges in His journey of cultivation. The Buddha used this experience to remind us to be mindful of our daily speech, conduct, and thinking. We must always be vigilant in our speech and conduct.
Let us think about this. The Buddha practiced since the time of Kasyapa Buddha. We cannot calculate how long ago that was because the Buddha spoke of Kasyapa Buddha in terms of innumerable Kalpas. We are now from 2000+ years the time of Sakyamuni Buddha, and He met Kasyapa Buddha much earlier than that.
So everyone, we must be cautious in our spiritual practice. Even after such a long time, from Kasyapa to Sakyamuni Buddha time, Sakyamuni’s past karma was still not exhausted. Thus, spiritual practitioners must not treat daily life lightly. We must watch our actions, speech, and thoughts. We must keep this in mind. There is no other way to practice, just be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
首頁 
