Hello my dear friends, here we go again, another weekend flown past, Wishing you a wonderful Week with much happiness and unconditional love. Be happy, Blessings Melodie


Happiness Follows The Doer Of Good

(2) The Story of Maññakuõdali (Verse 2)

While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Sàvatthi, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Maññakuõdali, a young Bràhmin.

Maññakuõdali was a young Bràhmin, whose father, Adinnapubbaka, was very miserly and never gave anything in charity. Even the gold ornaments for his only son were made by himself to save payment for workmanship. When his son fell ill, no physician was consulted, until it was too late.

When he realized that his son was dying, he had the youth carried outside on to the verandah, so that people com- ing to his house would not see his possessions. On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his deep meditation of compassion saw, in his Net of Knowledge, Maññakuõdali lying on the verandah. So when entering Sàvat- thi for alms-food with his disciples, the Buddha stood near the door of the Bràhmin Adinnapubbaka.

The Buddha sent forth a ray of light to attract the attention of the youth, who was facing the interior of the house. The youth saw the Buddha; and as he was very weak he could only profess his faith mentally. But that was enough.

When he passed away with his heart in devotion to the Buddha he was reborn in the Tàvatiüsa celestial world. From his celestial abode the young Maññakuõdali, see- ing his father mourning over him at the cemetery, appeared to the old man in the likeness of his old self. He told his father


about his rebirth in the Tàvatiüsa world and also urged him to approach and invite the Buddha to a meal. At the house of Adinnapubbaka the question of whether one could or could not be reborn in a celestial world simply by mentally profess- ing profound faith in the Buddha, without giving in charity or observing the moral precepts, was brought up.

So the Buddha invited Maññakuõdali to appear in person; Maññakuõ- dali then appeared in his celestial ornaments and told them about his rebirth in the Tàvatiüsa realm. Only then, the lis- teners became convinced that the son of the Bràhmin Adin- napubbaka, by simply devoting his mind to the Buddha, had attained much glory.

Explanatory Translation (Verse 2) dhammà manopubbaïgamà mano seññhà manomayà ce pasannena manasà bhàsati và karoti và tato sukhaü naü anveti anapàyini chàyà iva dhammà: experience; manopubbaïgamà: thought pre- cedes; manoseññhà: thought is predominant; manomayà: mind-made are they; ce: therefore, if; pasannena: (with) pure; manasà: thought; bhàsati: (one) speaks; karoti và: or acts; tato: due to it; sukhaü: happiness; naü: that person; anveti: follows; anapàyini: not deserting; chàyà iva: as the shadow.

All that man experiences springs out of his thoughts. If his thoughts are good, the words and deeds will also be good.

The result of good thoughts, words and deeds will be happi-ness.

This happiness never leaves the person whose thoughts are good. Happiness will always follow him like his shadow that never leaves him.

The Power of Gratitude

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4mCeKBWePc