Most Venerable Bhante Walpola Piyananda's 80th Birthday Celebrating - Collected Essays

“What do you mean ‘the real truth’? I’m telling you the real
truth. Tuk is jealous of me and he is trying to get Thanom.” When
Mahen said these words, I knew that it was impossible to get through
to him, so I decided to try another tactic.
“Mahen, just for the moment please try to pay attention to me.
What I’m going to tell you is very important. I’ve been your friend
for a long time, and I have to tell you that you are living in a world of
illusion. I know for a fact that Thanom has a boyfriend. In fact, she
brought him to the temple several times. Besides, she is far too old for
you. Before you think of women you must complete your studies. With
your spiritual experience and education, I’m sure that one day you will
find exactly the right woman for you. Please be careful not to jump
into situations that will block your progress in life. Take my advice and
leave Thanom alone. You need to spend your energy concentrating on
your own welfare.”
Mahen turned and ran out of the temple without paying me his
usual respects. I really didn’t know what to make of him.
That night I was shocked to see Tuk, who lives next door,
standing outside the door to my office. He was frantic, as if he’d been
chased by a ghost.
“Bhante, Mahen just called,” he exclaimed. “He’s threatening
to kill me, saying that you helped me steal his girlfriend. I don’t know
anything about any of this. You know as well as I do that my goal is to
finish my studies. When Thanom told me her story, and asked me to
talk to Mahen, I spoke to him and thought that was the end of it. I don’t
want to have any part of this craziness.”
At this moment I wondered why Mahen was acting so strangely;
maybe he had a mental problem. There was really no other explanation
for his delusional behavior.
“Tuk, I spoke to Mahen earlier today and he ran out of the
temple like a madman without saying a word to me. I wonder if he’s
taking drugs.”
“No Bhante, he’s clean, I’m sure. I’m afraid he’s unbelievably
innocent and gullible. I do know that Raj has been playing with Mahen’s
mind. Do you think Mahen is that susceptible to his bad jokes?”
“Do you think Raj is being malicious?” I asked.
“Bhante, I know that Raj derives pleasure from the misery of
others, and has a very strange sense of humor. I’ve seen him playing
cruel jokes on others, and I truly believe he is a sadist. This whole mess
is because of Raj, and my good friend Mahen thinks I’m his enemy.”
Tuk was really getting worked up about Raj.
“Tuk, you shouldn’t judge people like that. No matter what
Raj’s involvement is in this unfortunate situation, whenever love and
attraction are involved, rational behavior goes out the window. Who
knows, this type of obsessive infatuation may happen to you one day.”
“Oh my, I surely hope not,” he said in desperation.
I continued to explain that when a person is infatuated, he is
oblivious to the world. No parent, priest or friend can change a man or
woman’s deeply rooted endearments. “Tuk, the Buddha explained in
one of his suttas that nothing persists in obsessing the mind of a person
as much as the opposite sex – for a man’s obsession is a woman; and a
woman’s obsession is a man – the opposite sex can become a powerful
obsession. This obsession can cause the mind and actions of either a
man or a woman to become completely irrational.”
“I’m so sorry about Mahen; he looks like he’s really suffering.
He’s been my friend for a long time, Bhante, and I care about him.”
“Let me remind you of a verse from the Dhammapada, Tuk. It
goes like this:
‘From passion and desire,
Sensuousness and lust,
Arise grief and fear.
Free yourself from these attachments.’
“You see Tuk, even the Buddha states that obsession is an
influential factor in a relationship. Over the years I have met many
people in Mahen’s predicament, and I truly hope that he will get past
this. Tuk, don’t take these things too seriously. Go to your room now
and attend to your studies.”
Tuk bowed and paid his respects to me and left the temple.
The next morning, I was surprised to hear a commotion
downstairs. I went down to find Mahen accusing the young monks of
helping Tuk in his imagined relationship with Thanom.
“Mahen, you are living in a world of imagination. These
innocent monks are stunned at your accusation. In fact, you have no
right to create this scene.”
He was quick to reply, “Bhante, they are not innocent. I saw
them near the Bodhi tree talking to Thanom. These two are accomplices.
I don’t trust them.”
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