Benefits of Hearing the Dharma

Adbhutadharmparyāya, Vol. 1 

 (Fo Shuo Wei Ceng You Yinyuan Jing) 佛說未曾有因緣經

The Buddhist disciple Maudgalyayana said to Princess Yaśodharā, “Prince Rāhula is already nine years old and should become a monastic to cultivate the Path to Buddhahood. Why is that? The affectionate love between a mother and her son lasts only a very short time. Once deceased or reborn into the three lower paths, powerlessly, they will drift apart and will no longer know each other henceforth. If Rāhula can attain the Path after cultivation, he will certainly return to help guide his mother toward attaining nirvana and being forever liberated from the stream of transmigration, devoid of all sorts of suffering from birth, aging, sickness, and death, just like the present Buddha.”

During the Buddha’s Dharma preaching to King Pasenadi and the assembly, due to their arrogant mindsets and habit of seeking pleasure, the king and his ministers could not bear quietly sitting and listening to the Dharma preaching, which they found unpleasant, so they took leave from the assembly. At that time, the World-Honored One understood that the king had just started the Buddhist practice and did not yet have the root of faith. To bring forth benefits to the king and the assembly, the Buddha said to Ānanda, “Fetch the novice monk Rāhula and his group and let them all gather here to listen to the Buddha’s teachings.” Ānanda soon gathered them at the Buddha’s place.

The Buddha then said to King Pasenadi, “Please just wait a while and listen to my Dharma teachings.”

Palms joined, the king politely replied, “My body has long been accustomed to pleasure so I cannot bear the suffering from rigidly sitting for a long time. May the Buddha have mercy on me and forgive me.”

In reply, the Buddha said to the king, “This is not suffering. Why is that? Due to your numerous past lives of planted virtues, you have become a king in this life. You thus constantly enjoy the five desirous sensual pleasures in the palace at will and do not have to walk as you are ferried around in and out of the palace. What denotes suffering? There is no greater suffering than the torturous experiences in the lower three realms of hell, animals, hungry ghosts, myriads of calamities, etc., which I have explained in my previous teachings.”

The Buddha then said to Rāhula, who had arrived, “It is difficult to encounter the Buddha’s presence in the world, hear the Dharma, preserve a human life, and attain the Path. As you are now a human and have encountered the Buddha, why are you slack and not listening to the Dharma?”

Rāhula replied, “The Buddha Dharma is too profound and wondrous for my rough young mind. How can I hear and digest it? Despite hearing the Dharma often, I soon forget it, so it’s futile. Furthermore, I’m still young. Please allow me to indulge and be willful for now. Once I get older, I will naturally outgrow my indulgences and willfulness and will be able to receive the Dharma.”

The Buddha said to Rāhula, “All is impermanent, and it is also difficult to guard the physical body. How can you be sure that you will grow old?”

Rāhula replied, “Indeed, World-Honored One! I can’t guard my own life, but won’t the Buddha save His son’s life?”

The Buddha replied to Rāhula, “How can I save you when I cannot even save myself?”

Rāhula replied, “If one cannot attain the Path after hearing the Dharma, his efforts will be in vain. What will be the benefit of hearing the Dharma then?”

In reply, the Buddha said,　“The benefit of hearing the Dharma will be long-lasting life after life. Although one cannot attain the Path in this lifetime, the Dharma hearings will greatly benefit one’s transformational existence in the five destinations. As I said before, the notion of prajna is also called nectar, a good medicine, a bridge, and a great ship. Have you not heard of these terms?”

Rāhula replied, “Indeed, this is the truth, World-Honored One!”

At that time, King Pasenadi joined his palms and knelt and asked the World-Honored One to teach him more.

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