ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE - Abhidhamma.com

carry on with her household duties.
However, she being a living being with a sentiment often attempted suicide. Although she
suffered much from disappointment, unpleasantness, unhappiness and fear, she bore the suffering
until she got two children. But at last she could not bear the burden any more and wrote a letter
to her husband away on business which runs thus—
"My lord, though you had become my husband married by order of my parents, I really loved
you and tried to win your love. However, it was all in vain. I was accused of cheating and
concealing my faults; and I was so disappointed that I often tried to resort to suicide, but it was a
failure because of my children. Anyhow, it is of no use to live any more. After writing this letter,
I will take my own life after putting poison in my children's food."
Having read this letter, the husband reflected over her goodwill and returned home quickly, only
to find three dead bodies. He also shot himself in remorse. (in this story, hatred is prominent)
When one happens to fall into such a situation, one should try to be broad-minded and treat
Ingratitude - Makkha
In conjunction with anger (dosa) there is ingratitude (makkha ) or being blind to the good turns
of others; it is a kind of dosa. There are times when people think they are ungrateful to them in
spite of many good deeds done for them.
Some people are not only blind to the benevolence of their benefactors, but also do wrongs to
them. They are the wicked who have done wrong to their friends. Gratitude is similar to a debt, a
deferred payment. Although you cannot yet return benevolence to them, you should regard your
benefactors as benefactors. When you get a chance to repay the gratitude you should do so with
all your heart.
Lesson: If you take shelter under a tree, do not break its boughs and branches. Those who break
its boughs and branches are the wicked ones.
Example: -The Grateful Son
In a certain town, a lad worked hard as a common laborer and looked after his widowed mother.
His mother was immoral and was having affairs secretly. His friends who knew about the mother
felt pity for the lad and disclosed the affair to him. However, he said, "Let my mother be happy;
whatever she does, I shall attend to her." (Good sons and daughters are as rare as good parents
are.)
Note: In this story, the immorality of his mother is her own burden. The work of attending on her
is the duty of the son. In attending to such a single mother, the sons and daughters need not
regard themselves as looking after her as a mother, instead, they should bear in mind that they
are repaying their old debts of gratitude to a great benefactor. Therefore, every good man or
woman who wishes to gain benefit in the present and next existences through out samsara,
should try to repay his or her old debt of gratitude to great benefactors.
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