Deep Commentary

This verse was taught by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery and concerns the story of a Brahmin man. According to the account, there was a Brahmin who held wrong views and spent his days farming in the fields. When he encountered the Buddha, he did not show respect or greet him properly. Observing this, the Buddha asked him, 'Brahmin, what are you doing?' The man replied, 'I am preparing the land, Gotama.' This exchange occurred several times whenever the Buddha passed by, with the Brahmin responding according to the questions asked. Over time, after repeated dialogues, the Brahmin developed affection for the Buddha and became his friend. He even promised that when his rice crop ripened, he would share a portion with the Buddha. Unfortunately, before the harvest, a storm destroyed his fields completely, leaving not a single stalk of rice. Distraught, he lay down, neither eating nor speaking, grieved over breaking his promise to the Buddha. Knowing this, the Buddha went to his home, where his family explained his sorrow over failing his promise. Taking this opportunity, the Buddha counseled him and then delivered the verse. This story highlights the Brahmin's admirable character. Initially disrespectful, he was gradually drawn to the Buddha through compassionate engagement, illustrating the Buddha's skillful means of teaching according to each person's capacity. When he made a promise to share the harvest, he truly intended to keep it, and his grief was not over lost crops but over breaking a word given to the Buddha. This integrity, even as a simple farmer, reflects rare moral virtue. Historical examples like young Gandhi demonstrate similar conscientiousness: after committing a wrong, he felt intense remorse and sought to correct it, honoring his promise from that moment forward. In Buddhist practice, vows taken before the Triple Gem are similarly serious commitments. Yet, in daily life, one may forget these vows amid struggles, causing transgressions without awareness or with rationalizations. The Buddha understood the Brahmin's sorrow and visited him to console and guide him. His presence alone alleviated all worry and grief, showing that the primary source of human fear and anxiety is self-attachment. All worldly suffering arises from excessive attachment to self, from selfish craving, from the desire to possess or dominate. By repeatedly teaching about craving and attachment, the Buddha emphasizes their central role in suffering, underscoring the importance of awareness and elimination of craving. The path is not to fight or suppress desire, as suppression itself becomes desire. Instead, one should recognize and mindfully observe it. Awareness differs from repression; attempting to crush a rising thought, like anger, does not restore balance. The most effective method is to illuminate it with mindfulness, embracing the emotion as a mother comforts a crying child. Through mindful attention, the emotion gradually subsides, dissipating without causing further suffering. Remaining present, focusing on the breath, and observing with silent awareness allows one to regain equanimity. This practical approach demonstrates the transformative power of mindfulness when dealing with desires, attachments, and emotions.