Deep Commentary

These two Dhammapada verses were taught by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery, concerning Venerable Sāriputta. According to the story, one day, lay devotees together praised the lofty virtue of Venerable Sāriputta—that even when abused or beaten, he showed no anger whatsoever. Among them, a certain Brahmin of another sect, upon hearing this, felt indignant and said: "If your teacher does not get angry, I will make him angry, and then you will see." The next day, while Venerable Sāriputta was on alms round, the Brahmin followed behind and struck him hard on the back. The Venerable One continued walking without showing the slightest resentment. Seeing this, the Brahmin was filled with admiration for the Venerable One's noble virtue and fell at his feet, begging for forgiveness. The Venerable One forgave him. The Brahmin invited the Venerable One to his home for the noon meal. The Brahmin's act of assault angered others. They gathered with weapons and stood before the Brahmin's house. After the meal, the Brahmin came out carrying the Venerable One's bowl. The crowd shouted that the Brahmin should be punished for daring to offend the Venerable One. The Venerable One peacefully resolved the matter, and everyone dispersed. Other bhikkhus were very disturbed by this. They wondered why the Venerable One would go to the house of someone who had beaten him to receive alms. When this reached the Buddha's ears, he said: "Bhikkhus, it is not that a Brahmin struck a Brahmin; rather, an ordinary Brahmin struck a noble Brahmin. For one who has attained the stage of non-returning (anagami) has completely abandoned all anger." (End of story summary). Violence and assault are manifestations of the seed of hatred. In modern science, humans can create all kinds of material conveniences and sophisticated machines, even spacecraft capable of leaving Earth to explore other planets. But unfortunately, they cannot control the eruption of violent anger. The seed of "anger," though very small, just a "thought," has terrifying destructive power. On a small scale, it leads to murder between individuals. On a large scale, it leads to war between nations, potentially spreading worldwide. That is the brutal consequence of bloody wars that have occurred everywhere. Specifically, the two world wars killed countless human lives. The famous prophet Vanga predicted that World War III would occur in 2010. We quote the opening of a news report posted online on April 14, 2009: "Is humanity facing another catastrophe when the world-renowned prophet Baba Vanga predicts World War III will break out in 2010? If before few paid attention, now in the context of economic recession, everyone understands that a world war could comprehensively and radically establish a new world order. So will Vanga's prediction come true?" If this prediction becomes reality, it will be a great disaster for all humanity. To neutralize that prediction, the only way is for each of us to restrain our own greed and hatred. Only then can humanity hope to escape the calamity of fire, smoke, and weapons. To remain patient when faced with abusive violence is no easy task. Only those of profound spiritual power have the ability to extinguish hatred. The above story is concrete proof of such patient endurance. Venerable Sāriputta, beaten by a Brahmin, remained calm without any sign of anger. Meanwhile, onlookers became angry on his behalf. This is a very common human psychology of taking sides. When people see injustice, they often jump in to intervene. They are people who live by instinct, without restraint. Conversely, those who practice spiritually are different. Without the power of cultivation to cleanse defilements, how could one so easily endure? To be abused, assaulted, beaten, yet still endure without retaliation—that is truly the "courage of the noble ones." Only by enduring what is hard to endure can one's spiritual practice be measured. Anything else is just empty boasting to please one's own mouth.