Almsgoers

Artist: Aung Kyaw Htet

"Monks, this is the lowliest form of livelihood, that of an almsgoer. A term of abuse in the world is, 'You go about as an almsgoer with a bowl in your hand!' And yet sons of good family take up [this livelihood] with compelling reason, in dependence on a compelling reason — not coerced by kings nor coerced by thieves nor from debt nor from fear nor to earn a livelihood, but [with the thought]: 'I am oppressed with birth, aging, & death, with sorrows, lamentations pains, distresses, & despairs. I am oppressed with stress, overcome with stress. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering & stress might be found!'

“Này các Tỷ-kheo, đây là nghề sinh sống hèn hạ nhất, tức là nghề khất thực. Ðây là một lời nguyền rủa trong đời, này các Tỷ- kheo, khi nói: "Ông, kẻ khất thực với bát trên bàn tay, Ông đi chỗ này, chỗ kia và đấy là nghề sinh sống". Này các Tỷ-kheo, điều mà các thiện gia nam tử chấp nhận là những vị sống vì lý tưởng mục đích, duyên với lý tưởng mục đích; không phải vì ma cưỡng ép, không phải vì trộm cướp cưỡng ép, không phải vì thiếu nợ, không phải vì sợ hãi, không phải vì không có nguồn sinh sống,  mà  với  ý  nghĩ:  "Ta  bị  chìm  đắm trong sanh, già chết, sầu, bi, khổ, ưu, não; bị chìm đắm trong đau khổ, bị đoanh vây bởi đau khổ. Rất có thể, sự chấm dứt toàn bộ khổ uẩn này được tìm ra".

Quoted: SN 22.80 PTS: S iii 91 CDB i 918 - Pindolya Sutta: Almsgoers;

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.080.than.html

What are we searching for?

Today, we have bigger houses and smaller families;more conveniences, but less time.We have more degrees, but less common sense. We have more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We read too little, watch TV too often, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too little and lie too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space. We have higher incomes, but lower morals. Are these the things which we are searching?
 We are going through this inconceivable round of rebirth, spending our time filled with worries, searching for four things to satisfy our hunger for peacefulness. Wanting to get married is the first thing. We want to live our life with our beloved wife and children in order to have peacefulness. However,we are using so much of our efforts in so many ways to face so many uncountable difficulties which are all nothing but suffering. Wealth is the second thing that we’re looking for. Although we may have become rich enough, we always think that we need something more to achieve peacefulness. However we try to remain contented much, we still try to bear the crisis as part of our search for peacefulness, too. But, this will never end even right up to the moment of our death. 
 As human nature and human instinct go, although we might have committed wrongdoings during our struggles for family and business, we want to consider ourselves as persons who are fair and straight - in other words, a mature and virtuous person. That is what we can call trying to find the Dhamma, which is the third thing that we keep searching for. Another word we may use to describe a virtuous person is GENTLEMAN. So, the real gentleman is not wealthy in riches but wealthy in Dhamma.That is what makes us fair and virtuous in order to become a real gentleman. Even though we may have come to be billionaire gentlemen with a nice and happy family in this world due to right livelihood, we still do not like to face sorrow, lamentation, pain and displeasure. That means we long to be free from such suffering and to find the true freedom with renunciation for our peacefulness. This is the fourth and the last thing which we wish and search for along this inconceivable round of rebirth. In actual fact, only wise attention and a mature mind can bring true peacefulness. Everyone realizes that no one can live forever, or stay young forever,or remain healthy forever. Actually, we are searching for Nibbana which is the supreme, true and ultimate peace because there is no aging, sickness and death there. That is why the Buddha said that LIFE IS always full of DISSATISFACTION. This is not pessimism but the truth. If there is life, there is sorrow, pain, grief, lamentation and displeasure. So,what do we do? The Four Foundations of Mindfulness can develop wise attention and make your mind mature. Thus the Buddha said:

Sorrow and lamentation’s overcoming,

for pain and displeasure’s disappearance,

for the true way’s attainment,

for Nibbana’s realization:

that is, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

(D.ii.9 ‘Maha•Sati•Patthana•Sutta_’ (‘Great Sutta on Mindfulness-Foundation’)

Today, we are gathered here in searching for true peacefulness through practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. We wish that everyone will be able to realize the Buddha’s Teaching and that everyone will possess wise attention and a mature mind in their search. And, we also wish true peacefulness for the person who kindly invited me to come here. Furthermore, to those persons who took the responsibility in issuing the legal permission from the government, may they find peacefulness through practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to attain wise attention and mature mind.

May everyone gain supreme Bliss through all that we are searching for!

With Metta,

Venerable Dhammapala

(Samathi-Vipassana meditation retreat opening ceremony speech in Long An, Vietnam, 2011)