Dhammapada Verse 28
Mahakassapatthera Vatthu
Pamadam appamadena
yada nudati pandito
pannapasadamaruyha
asoko sokinim pajam
pabbatatthova bhumatthe
dhiro1 bale2 avekkhati.
Verse 28: The wise one dispels negligence by means of mindfulness; he ascends
the tower of wisdom and being free from sorrow looks at the sorrowing beings.
Just as one on the mountain top looks at those on the plain below, so also, the
wise one (the arahat) looks at the foolish and the ignorant (worldlings).
1. dhiro: the wise one; in this context, the arahat.
2. bile: the foolish; in this context, the worldings.
The Story of Thera Mahakassapa
[ Read longer version of
story here ]
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (28) of
this book, with reference to Thera Mahakassapa.
On one occasion, while Thera Mahakassapa was staying at Pipphali cave, he
spent his time developing the mental image of light (aloka kasina) and
trying to find out through Divine Vision, beings who were mindful and beings who
were negligent, also those who were about to die and those who were about to be
born.
From his monastery, the Buddha saw through his Divine Vision what Thera
Mahakassapa was doing and wanted to warn him that he was wasting his time. So he
sent forth his radiance and appeared seated before the thera and exhorted him
thus: "My son Kassapa, the number of births and deaths of beings is
innumerable and cannot be counted. It is not your concern to count them; it is
the concern only of the Buddhas."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 28. The wise one dispels negligence by means of mindfulness;
he ascends the pinnacle of wisdom and being free from sorrow looks at
the sorrowing beings. Just as one on the mountain top looks at those
on the plain below, so also, the wise one (the arahat) looks at the
foolish and the ignorant (worldlings). |