Deep Commentary

These four verses were taught by the Buddha at Yellowstone Rock (Pandukambala Sila), concerning Ankura. The story is fully detailed in the commentary on the verse "The one who is devoted to meditation," related to Indaka. One day, Venerable Anuruddha entered the village for alms. Indaka offered the Venerable a spoonful of his own meal. This was a meritorious deed he had done in a previous life. Ankura, on the other hand, provided heating hearths over a distance of fifty kilometers for ten thousand years and gave very generous food offerings. Yet Indaka received greater karmic reward. The Buddha taught: "Ankura, when giving alms, one should consider carefully. Doing so is like sowing seeds in good soil, yielding abundant flowers and fruits. But you did not do that. Therefore, your giving did not lead to great reward." Verse 356: Weeds harm fields; desire harms humanity. Therefore, giving to those free from desire yields great reward. To counter greed, the Buddha taught us to open our hearts and share possessions with the poor. Giving is the means to overcome selfish miserliness. Because of greed, people create much suffering. To reduce people's insatiable greed, the Buddha taught giving—sharing some of one's possessions. Or one may use truthful Dharma words and loving speech to awaken others and reduce their greed. Then, the Buddha said, one will receive very great reward. Verses 356-359 share similar meaning and teaching. Verse 356: weeds harm fields, desire harms the world. Just as a farmer must diligently weed the garden, people must eliminate craving. Verse 357: anger must be eliminated. Verse 358: ignorance must be eliminated. These three poisons greatly harm people. Today's world is in turmoil and unrest precisely because humanity still nurtures and willingly becomes a slave to these three poisons, driven by them. Only when we remove them from the garden of the mind, like destroying all weeds from fields and gardens, can humanity hope to live in peace and happiness. Craving (sense desire) is also very dangerous. If not destroyed soon, humanity will never know peace. Its root also comes from ignorance. Therefore, Verse 359 teaches that sense desires harm humanity, so giving to those who have abandoned desire yields great reward.