Another talk I gave at the Vivekavana Office dāna in October concerned the rare things that occur in the world. The talk was based roughly on some lines we repeat at the end of the Chanting at my ordination temple, see my Daily Chanting book:
Appamādena bhikkhave sampādetha:
Strive on, monks, with heedfulness:
Buddhuppādo dullabho lokasmiṁ,
the arising of a Buddha in this world is rare,
manussattā paṭilābho dullabho,
acquiring a human existence is rare,
dullabhā saddhā sampatti,
gaining confidence is rare,
pabbajitabhāvo dullabho,
being one gone forth is rare,
Saddhammasavanaṁ atidullabhaṁ.
hearing the True Dhamma is extremely rare.
Evaṁ divase divase ovādī:
So day in and day out he advised them thus (saying):
“Handa dāni bhikkhave āmantayāmi vo vayadhammā saṅkhārā,
“Come now, monks, for I tell you (all) conditioned things are subject to decay,
appamādena sampādetha!”
strive on with heedfulness!”
I take them in a different order though, as I can’t see how one can gain faith without first hearing the teaching. And I interpret the fourth one as having the chance to practice, rather than going-forth.
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