Verse 41

Dhammapada Verse 41

The Story of Tissa, the Thera with a Stinking Body

After taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, Thera Tissa was diligently practicing meditation when he was afflicted with a disease. Small boils appeared all over his body and these developed into big sores. When these sores burst, his upper and lower robes became sticky and stained with pus and blood, and his whole body was stinking. For this reason, he was known as Putigattatissa, Tissa the thera with stinking body.

As the Buddha surveyed the universe with the light of his own intellect, the thera appeared in his vision. He saw the sorrowful state of the thera, who had been abandoned by his resident pupils on account of his stinking body. At the same time, he also knew that Tissa would soon attain arahatship. So, the Buddha proceeded to the fire-shed, close to the place where the thera was staying. There, he boiled some water, and then going, to where the thera was lying down, took hold of the edge of the couch. It was then only that the resident pupils gathered round the thera, and as instructed by the Buddha, they carried the thera to the fire-shed, where he was washed and bathed. While he was being bathed, his upper and lower robes were washed and dried. After the bath, the thera became fresh in body and mind and soon developed one-pointedness of concentration. Standing at the head of the couch, the Buddha said to him that this body when devoid of life would be as useless as a log and would be laid on the earth.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Aciram vata' yam kayo
pathavim adhisessati
chuddho apetavinnano
niratthamva kalingaram.

Verse 41: Before long, alas, this body, deprived of consciousness, will lie on the earth, discarded like a useless log.

Verses 249 and 250

Dhammapada Verses 249 and 250

The Story of Tissa

Tissa, a young bhikkhu, had a very bad habit of disparaging other people's charities and good deeds. He even criticized the charities given by such renowned donors like Anathapindika and Visakha. Besides, he boasted that his relatives were very rich and were like a well where anyone could come for water. Hearing him boast thus, other bhikkhus were very sceptical; so they decided to find out the truth.

Some young bhikkhus went to the village from where he came and made enquiries. They found out that Tissa's relatives were all poor and that all this time Tissa had only been making a vain boast. When the Buddha was told about this, he said, "Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is displeased with others receiving gifts and offerings can never attain Magga and Phala."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Dadati ve yathasaddham
yathapasadanam jano
tattha yo ca manku bhavati
paresam panabhojane
na so diva va rattim va
samadhimadhigacchati.

Verse 249: People give according to their faith and their devotion; one who is displeased with others receiving food and drink cannot attain concentration (samadhi) by day or by night.

Yassa cetam samucchinnam
mulaghaccam samuhatam
sa ve diva va rattim va
samadhimadhigacchati.

Verse 250: He who has this feeling of displeasure cut off, uprooted and removed, will surely attain concentration (samadhi) by day or by night.