3.2.7 Neem and Sugarcane*

“I do not see, Bhikkhus, any other single thing that after death and the breaking up of the body causes rebirth of beings in states of woe, leads to downfall, to the lower fields and to hell such as, O’ Bhikkhus, wrong view. Beings that are possessed of wrong view, O’ Bhikkhus, will after death and the breaking up of the body arise in states of woe, will fall down, go to the lower fields and to hell.

I do not see, Bhikkhus, any other single thing that after death and the breaking up of the body causes birth of beings in states of happiness and leads to spheres of heaven such as, O’Bhikkhus, right view. Beings that uphold right view, O’ Bhikkhus, will after death and the breaking up of the body arise in states of happiness and the spheres of heaven.

When a man, O’Bhikkhus, is possessed of wrong view, any action that is accomplished by this man is undertaken as a result of this view, any words that are spoken by this man are uttered as a result of this view and any thoughts that are formed by this man are generated as a result of this view. All intentions, all desires, everything he resolves as well as all mental conditioned reactions, all of these conditions lead to disagreeable, unpleasant, non-beneficial states of suffering. Why is this so? Because the view, O’ Bhikkhus, is of evil quality.

In the same way, O’ Bhikkhus, as a seed of the neemtree, a seed of a creeper or a seed of a bitter pumpkin is thrown on wet earth, whatever essence it derives from that earth, whatever essence it derives from that water, it all will conduce to bitterness, acidity and disagreeableness. What is the reason for this? The bitter nature of the seed, O’ Bhikkhus.

Accordingly when a man, O’ Bhikkhus, is possessed of wrong view, any action that is accomplished by this man is undertaken as a result of this view, any words that are spoken by this man are uttered as a result of this view and any thoughts that are formed by this man are generated as a result of this view. All intentions, all desires, everything he resolves as well as all mental conditioned reactions, all these conditions lead to disagreeable, unpleasant, non-beneficial states of suffering. Why is this so? Because the view, O’ Bhikkhus, is of evil quality.”

When a man, O’ Bhikkhus, is possessed of right view, any action that is accomplished by this man is undertaken as a result of this view, any words that are spoken by this man are uttered as a result of this view and any thoughts that are formed by this man are generated as a result of this view. All intentions, all desires, everything he resolves as well as all mental conditioned reactions, and all these conditions lead to agreeable, pleasant, beneficial states of happiness. Why is this so? Because the view, O’ Bhikkhus, is of auspicious quality.

In the same way, O’ Bhikkhus, as a seed of the sugarcane, a seed of rice or a seed of a grape is thrown on wet earth, whatever essence it derives from that earth, whatever essence it derives from that water, it all will conduce to sweetness, pleasantness and deliciousness. What is the reason for this? The auspicious nature of the seed, O’Bhikkhus.
Accordingly when a man, O’Bhikkhus, is possessed of right view, any action that is accomplished by this man is undertaken as a result of this view, any words that are spoken by this man are uttered as a result of this view and any thoughts that are formed by this man are generated as a result of this view. All intentions, all desires, everything he resolves as well as all mental conditioned reactions, and all these conditions lead to agreeable, pleasant, beneficial states of happiness. Why is this so? Because the view, O’Bhikkhus, is of auspicious quality.”


* Bījavaggo: bīja + vaggo: the seed +chapter

Last modified: Monday, 14 December 2015, 8:31 AM