006.1 – Deva Dharma (part 1)
In the age of the Gautama Buddha, there was a middle-class man whose wife had just passed away. He decided to be ordained. After became a monk, he called his followers to cook foods for him. He also had a lot of yellow robes and clothes.
Other monks had passed the new monk’s place and see a lot of yellow robes exposed there. With curiosity, the other monks asked “Whose yellow robes are those ?”
“They’re mine, sir.” The new monk replied.
The other monks said “The Buddha allowed only three robes, isn’t it ? Come on, we’ll bring you to see the Buddha.”
When the new monk and the other monks arrived, the Buddha asked the new monk “I heard that you have a lot of asset; is it true ?”
“It’s true, sir.” The new monk replied.
“Look, my monk, why do you own a lot of robes and clothes. I have said about advantage of being modest, solitary, modest, calm and persistent, haven’t I ?” The Buddha said.
The new monk got angry so he striped off his robes and stood out between monks.
The Buddha said “Look, my monk, you have ever been a water demon, who was looking for the shame of sins for twelve years. But now, when you was ordained in our religion, why did you abandon it ?”
Regaining the shame, the new monk wore his robe and paid homage to the Buddha.
Other monks asked the Buddha to unveil the history. The Buddha told the story as follows…
[To be continue ...]