The Whirlpool of Samsara (Cycle of Rebirth) of a Monk

That afternoon, golden sunlight fell gently upon the narrow path leading into the village. A monk, a disciple of Venerable Mahakasyapa, walked leisurely, holding his alms bowl. His dark yellow robe covered his body, but in his heart, a longing for home, for the old days, kept rising up. He had cultivated to the fourth meditative absorption and possessed supernatural powers, yet had not attained any stage of sainthood. That day, he stopped to visit his uncle, who worked as a goldsmith.

Stepping into his uncle's workshop, he was overwhelmed. Shining gold bars were stacked on the shelves, and intricately carved bracelets and rings glittered under the lamplight. The smell of metal blended with the fragrance of agarwood, creating an atmosphere of wealth so rich it was suffocating. He stood still, his eyes fixed on the jewelry. In his heart, a wave of greed began to surge. He thought: "I have practiced for so many years, only knowing how to go on alms rounds and sit in meditation, with nothing in my hands. But if I had these things, how delightful life would be!"

Seeing him standing there dazed, his uncle asked: "What is the matter, child? Why do you look so lost?" The monk sighed and replied: "Uncle, I want to return to lay life. I want to become a goldsmith with you." His uncle was astonished: "You have been a monk for so long—why think this way? Your virtue is noble; it would be a waste to abandon it!" But he was determined: "I cannot continue any longer. The alms-begging life is too hard. I want money, I want gold." And so he asked to disrobe, took off his monastic robe, put on ordinary clothes, and began learning the goldsmith's trade.

But then, the laziness of someone accustomed to life in a monastery—knowing only meditation and alms rounds—began to show clearly. He could not sit for hours carefully engraving gold as his uncle demanded. Each day, he worked carelessly, then sat slumped, lost in daydreams. His uncle saw this and grew very angry. One day, he shouted: "What kind of work is this? I let you stay, I taught you the trade, and you are as lazy as can be! Get out!" He had no choice but to pack his bundle and leave, without a single coin in his pocket.

Wandering the road, hungry and thirsty, he came upon a band of robbers. The leader, seeing that he seemed clever, invited him: "Hey friend, come with us. Any kind of work is better than starving to death!" He hesitated, but then thought: "I have supernatural powers—what is there to fear? Being a robber is more dignified than begging for alms." So he joined them. Thanks to his remaining supernatural powers, he quickly became the leader, commanding the whole band. But cause and effect (karmic law) spares no one. After several robberies, his blessings from merit ran out, his supernatural powers vanished, and he was captured.

The soldiers bound him and took him to King Pasenadi. The king pronounced: "Your crime is grave. You must be executed on the bed of spikes." He was led to the execution ground, where a large rock stood, beside it sharp spikes. The crowd gathered, whispering. Everyone thought: "This robber must be terrified." But strangely, when he was placed upon the bed of spikes, his face remained calm, unchanged in the slightest. He closed his eyes, and his mind suddenly grew still.

At that moment, Venerable Mahakasyapa, his old teacher, was standing waiting along the road. Using his supernatural powers, he loosened the ropes a little, then called out: "Return to your old subject of meditative concentration! Gather your mind, contemplate the impermanence (anicca) of the body!" Hearing this, his heart suddenly awakened. He concentrated, contemplated, and re-attained the fourth meditative absorption right there on the bed of spikes. At that moment, the Buddha, from afar, emitted radiance and appeared in mid-air, reciting a verse: "One who has gone out returns to the forest of delusion and ignorance. One who has escaped bondage returns to bondage." Hearing this, he attained the fruit of Stream-Entry. Then, using the supernatural power of the fourth meditative absorption, he rose into the air, bowed to the Buddha, and at that very moment attained Arhatship.

King Pasenadi witnessed this and was utterly amazed. He asked: "Who is this person with such supernatural powers?" When he learned the story, the king pardoned him. He returned to monastic life, this time with a mind completely liberated.

The Meaning of the Story

This story highlights the difference between attaining meditative absorption and attaining sainthood. Meditative attainment does not necessarily destroy the ego and greed. Practitioners of meditation must be vigilant and not complacent; they must use meditative concentration to destroy the ego, not to show off supernatural powers. Otherwise, one can easily fall into the whirlpool of wrongdoing and suffering (dukkha).

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang