Deep Commentary

This verse was taught by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery and concerns the monk Sundaramudda, known as Mỹ Hải. According to the story, Mỹ Hải was a young man of high social standing in Savatthi, born into a wealthy family with immense wealth. He came to the monastery, and after hearing the Buddha's teachings, he awakened and requested to enter the monastic life. The Buddha instructed that he must obtain his parents’ permission first. Determined, Mỹ Hải persuaded his parents, and they finally consented, though they were deeply saddened at the thought of his departure. Seeing children his own age playing, his parents longed for him. In their sorrow, a courtesan approached them, offering to bring Mỹ Hải home in exchange for being made the lady of the house, which they agreed to. She went to Savatthi, offered gifts to Mỹ Hải during his alms rounds, and after several days persuaded him to visit her home. She schemed with local children to cover him with dust whenever he arrived for meals. Despite her scolding, the children continued, following her instructions. The next day, Mỹ Hải again faced the children’s antics; the courtesan invited him indoors to avoid the dust, instructing the children to make noise while he ate, eventually leading him to the highest floor of the mansion. There, Mỹ Hải was trapped, abandoning his strict alms-round practices, being seduced by the courtesan’s cunning. Realizing he had violated a major precept, he was filled with fear. The Buddha, knowing his mind, smiled and told Ananda that a battle was occurring between Mỹ Hải and the courtesan on the mansion’s top floor. Ananda asked who would prevail, and the Buddha replied that Mỹ Hải would win. The Buddha manifested an image before the monk, instructing him to abandon all desires and attachments. Upon hearing this, Mỹ Hải attained arahantship, using his powers to ascend through the roof, returning to Savatthi to pay respects to the Buddha. The story illustrates the high purpose of monastic life: to seek liberation for oneself and all beings, requiring the renunciation of worldly pleasures and attachments. The desire at issue here was sexual love, extended to family and kinship, which is natural in social life but must be transcended by those seeking liberation. For lay Buddhists, sexual love within marriage is recognized and foundational to family happiness. For monastics, complete celibacy is essential to transcend worldly attachments and achieve enlightenment. Mỹ Hải’s story demonstrates that even a well-disciplined monk may face temptations, and timely intervention and guidance by the Buddha can aid in maintaining the path to liberation. The account also cautions modern practitioners to be vigilant and self-reliant, as external saviors are not always present.