A Blow to the Back of a Holy One, and the Lesson of Self-Protection

Have you ever wondered how you would react if someone suddenly struck you from behind? You would surely be startled, turn around, perhaps become angry or defend yourself. But there was one holy being who did something entirely different — he simply kept walking, as calm as if nothing had happened. This is the story of Venerable Sariputta, foremost in wisdom among the Buddha's disciples.

A Holy One Beyond Anger

It is said that during the Buddha's lifetime, a Brahmin heard people praising Venerable Sariputta so lavishly that pride and jealousy arose in his heart. He thought: "How could anyone be so perfectly virtuous? Everyone has pride, everyone feels anger when insulted." He decided to test the venerable one.

That day, as Venerable Sariputta was walking on his alms round, the Brahmin secretly followed behind and struck him a heavy blow on the back. The venerable one did not turn around, showed no pain, and only gently asked, "What is the matter?" before continuing on his way. Witnessing this, the Brahmin was shaken and filled with remorse. He knelt down and begged the venerable one to come to his home and accept his making offerings.

A holy one no longer has a mind of attachment, no longer harbors the intention to harm anyone, and so no longer suffers.

You see, we are easily provoked by anything that touches our ego — our body, our dignity, our feelings. But a holy one has completely uprooted the instinct of anger through diligent practice and the inner path of transformation.

The Consequences of Disrespecting the Noble Ones

When the news spread, laypeople rushed in demanding that the Brahmin be punished. But Venerable Sariputta urged everyone to forgive: "He has already repented, and I have forgiven him. Do not be angry any longer." Thanks to this, the Brahmin took refuge in the Buddha and was saved from a terrible karmic consequence.

The Buddha then spoke this verse:

To strike a noble one brings suffering a thousand times over. Had he not repented in time, he might have endured agony for fifty to one hundred lifetimes in the hells.

Even a single blow against a holy one creates immensely heavy karma. Conversely, reverence toward the noble ones brings remarkable blessings from merit. This is precisely why bodhisattvas rarely appear openly in the world — their presence causes sentient beings to clearly reveal their merit or their transgressions, just as the sun illuminates everything.

What Does Self-Protection Truly Mean?

The Buddha's verse teaches: "One who is restrained in mind, who commits no evil deeds, who protects himself — him I call a Brahmin." This means that one who keeps the mind pure, does no evil, and skillfully protects body and heart is a true holy one.

"Brahmin" here refers not to a social class, but to one who has attained a state of noble purity of mind. Self-protection does not mean withdrawing from everything; it means keeping the mind from being swept along by greed, hatred and delusion, and avoiding the creation of bad karma in every encounter with the world. This is also the goal of practice: to uproot the instincts of greed, hatred and delusion, so as to become completely unmoved by any provocation.

The Appearance of a Holy One: Opportunity and Test

Teacher Thich Chan Quang shared:

When a holy one appears in the world, they shine blazingly like the sun. Whoever insults them falls immediately; whoever reveres them sees blessings appear at once.

When a holy one appears, the merit and transgressions of each person become clearly revealed. Those with wholesome roots respond with reverence and generate merit. The ignorant look down on them and create transgressions. For this reason, holy ones often quietly bless sentient beings from afar, rarely appearing openly, so as to avoid causing others to fall into the hells. But when we are given the chance to behold a holy one, it is an opportunity to nurture reverence and blessings from merit.

Only a Great Heart Can Hold Great Things

The teacher also reminded us: "Only great hearts can hold great things within them." It is through a vast heart that we learn to love our homeland, to revere the Buddha, and to cherish noble values. When what we love is insulted, feeling anger is natural. But let us remain calm, so that our actions arise from wisdom rather than from hatred and delusion. As Venerable Sariputta showed us: protect yourself, and transform others with a heart of compassion.

The lesson of a holy one free from anger, and of self-protection, is simple yet profound. May you practice mindfulness, keep your mind pure, revere the noble ones, and nourish your heart with great things. Starting today, you can protect yourself through every action, every word, and every wholesome thought.