මහාමේඝ 2564 උඳුවප් (2020 දෙසැම්බර්) මස කලාපය

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acts of
the Bodhisattva
he Buddha became a living example of
his own past meritorious deeds, which are
called puñña kamma in Pāli. He taught us
not to be afraid of meritorious deeds as they
bring us happiness. Meritorious deeds are a term
for happiness, he said. In this article we will discuss
some of his unheard meritorious deeds that helped
him to become an astounding and amazing person in
his final glorious life as a Buddha.
In the Lakkhaṇa Sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya, the
Buddha said that in his past lives as a Bodhisattva (a
Buddha to-be), he united those who were separated.
Friends who had been distanced from one another for
a long time were reunited by him. He made mother
meet son, son meet mother, father was reunited
with son, son was reunited with father, brother
with brother, brother with sister, sister with brother,
and sister with sister. Having done so, he became
delighted and had a pleasant mind. He did this not
just once but many times. The Buddha further said
that by doing so he managed to reach heaven and
enjoy divine sensual pleasures. as a result of these
actions, when he became the Buddha, he said that
he received many devotees who follow his word.
We know that since the beginning of the Buddha’s
dispensation millions of people went for refuge.
Now even millions of people follow his teachings by
being virtuous, generous and of course developing
the mind by practicing meditation.
Another interesting kamma that he did was to
distinguish persons in terms of their talents. The
Buddha says in the Lakkhaṇa Sutta that he knew
others as they were all by himself. He knew others
who were equal in quality and work and those who
were most talented, i.e., 'This one is good for this
duty and that one is good for that duty,' and then
he allotted people work according to their talent
and capacity. It is clear that in this way they were
not given undue burden and since they enjoyed
what they were doing they were not depressed.
The enlightened one said in this sutta that, as a
Bodhisattva, he did this meritorious act not just once
but many times in numerous lives and by the power
of that merit reached heaven. There he enjoyed
divine sensual pleasures and lived happily. Moreover,
the kammic force of this act helped him give up all
sensual pleasures and gain the incomparable wealth
of a Buddha which consists of seven factors, namely:
faith, virtue, moral shame, moral dread, knowledge
of Dhamma, generosity, and wisdom.
Further he said that in his past lives he wished
to see people grow in faith, virtue, knowledge
of Dhamma, generosity, good conduct, wisdom,
wealth, friends and family, workers and servants,
and relatives. The Bodhisattva paved the way for
them to grow in these. The reason for this is that all
these things bring happiness to people, and by doing
so he gained merit. as a result of this kamma he was
born in heaven to enjoy divine sensual pleasures.
Once he became the Buddha, this particular merit
made it possible for him to dwell in the state of
enlightenment which has no degradation.
Let’s examine another one of the Buddha's
distinct and most intriguing meritorious acts as a
Bodhisattva. The Buddha said in the Lakkhaṇa Sutta
that in his past lives he had never stared at people
with anger – not even furtively. But he looked at
people with straight forward, open eyes and with a
pleasant mind. He said that it is an act of merit that
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