Episode 155 - The Heart of Awakening

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When we’re being selfish, our actions are motivated by attachment to our happiness, reputation, opinion, expectations being met, etc. As we practiced after the last episode, we again practice cherishing others as an opponent to attachment. This time, however, we try to motivate our practice of cherishing others by a wish for all living beings to be happy and free from suffering. The following story and accompanying verses of the Buddha illustrate how living beings are trapped in a cycle of suffering and uncontrolled rebirth. The escape route is enlightenment. So the motivation for our practice of cherishing others can go as deep as the wish to become enlightened yourself. For who else can point to the escape route?</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Story of a Young Sow</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (338) to (343) of this book, with reference to a young sow.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On one occasion, while the Buddha was on an alms-round at Rajagaha, he saw a young dirty sow and smiled. When asked by the Venerable Ananda, the Buddha replied, "Ananda, this young sow was a hen during the time of Kakusandha Buddha. As she was then staying near a refectory in a monastery she used to hear the recitation of the sacred text and the discourses on the Dhamma. When she died she was reborn as a princess. On one occasion, while going to the latrine, the princess noticed the maggots and she became mindful of the loathsomeness of the body, etc. When she died she was reborn in the Brahma realm as a puthujjana brahma but later due to some evil kamma, she was reborn as a sow. Ananda! Look, on account of good and evil kamma there is no end of the round of existences." (Translated by </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daw Mya Tin, M.A.)</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following verses were spoken by Buddha after th