Five ways to cultivate
Early one morning, as the Buddha's attendant was on his round of alms, he came to the bank of a river. The sight of the clear water and the lovely forest that opens onto a verdant landscape captured him, and he pondered: "This is a place most suitable for cultivation." After his meal, the attendant bikshu happily came to tell the Buddha of his discovery, and expressed his wish to go there to cultivate.
The Buddha said:"I have no other attendant at the moment, and it would be better if you stay a few more days until another bikshu is found to replace you. You can then go to practise in the forest."The attendant bikshu came to ask for the Buddha's approval repeatedly:" Buddha! I cannot wait anymore. I have to go there to practise now."
As the Buddha kept on delaying the attendant's departure, the bikshu finally lost his patience and said unscrupulously:" Buddha! You are a saint of no action and no observation; I am a man of action and observation. I do not care what will happen, but I am going to the forest to practise now."
The Buddha said in apathy:" Very well. Go ahead if you want."Having obtained the Buddha's consent, the attendant bikshu came to the forest in mirth. As he sat down, however, he instantly bred the unbecoming thoughts of craving, detestation and delusion. He therefore recalled the Buddha's great compassion and struggled within himself until dusk before finally deciding to pack his bags and return to the Buddha.
When the attendant bikshu reported his experience to the Buddha, the Buddha said:"Bikshu! To be emancipated from defilements, there are five things to learn."
The attendant bikshu asked respectfully:" Buddha! What are they?"
The Buddha said:" First, learn from the good and virtuous, and form good relationships with them. Second, practise the precepts, guard the mind, be complete in composure and behaviour, and be wary of committing even a minor offence. Third, tell others about the Dharma on moral discipline, meditation, wisdom, liberation, self-restraint, contentment and causation. These will open up their minds and help them eliminate defilements. Fourth, persevere with diligence, sever from all bad thoughts, work hard on the good ways, be focused and dedicated, be firm and do not falter. Fifth, cutivate for wisdom and contemplate on the Dharma of progress and decline."On hearing this, the attendant bikshu felt very ashamed of himself, and vowed henceforth to abide by the Buddha's advice.
[ The sages have said:' Cultivate in the crowd'. If only one can calm himself and discard his wild thoughts, peace and quiet can be obtained and everywhere can be a good place to cultivate! If one cannot cast away one's own deluded thoughts, one cannot practise even in the temple or wilderness. This is the meaning of ' There is no need of mountains and rivers for meditation, even a fire would cool if the mind is cleared'.]
