Happiness Follows The Doer Of Good

Bhikkhu Piyadassi

There lived at Saavatthi a Brahmin, Adinnapubbaka (Never-Gave) by name. He had an only son who was his darling and delight.

He wished to give his son an ornament. But as he was too sordid to pay the goldsmith, he beat out the gold and made two plain earrings himself. Thus the son received the name Mattakundali. When the boy was sixteen years of age he suddenly fell ill. His mother decided to consult a doctor, but the miserly father would not send for one lest he loses  his wealth. Now the boy was on the verge of death and his illness beyond recovery.

The father who had no doubts about his son's imminent death, thought: "When my son dies all my relatives and friends will come to see him  and they will see the wealth in my house and consequently I shall fall into  difficulty." So he carried the  dying child and laid him down on the terrace. One day as the Supreme Buddha surveyed the world with his Divine Eye, He perceived Mattakundali and foresaw that the sick child and many others would attain the first stage of Sainthood.

The Teacher visited the dying child and emitted a ray of light. Mattakundali saw the light and, turning over, caught a glimpse of the glorious Buddha radiant with boundless love.

It was a sight which he never beheld. Full of faith he saluted the Buddha with joined hands and, immediately after death was consequently born in a celestial realm.

The father, who had the dead body burnt, used to frequent the charnel field bemoan the loss of his dear one. Mattakundali who is now a Devaputta, desiring to convert his ignorant father in his human guise went to the Charnel field and started weeping and wailing. Then the Brahmin asked the youth why he was wailing and the latter said: "I cry for the Sun and Moon."  The Brahmin then scoffed at him, saying that he was a simpleton. Then the youth in reply told him that he was the greater fool as he was crying for a dead child who was not to be seen and revealed his identity.

Thereupon the Brahmin, who was exceedingly delighted, invited the Blessed One and His disciples for Dana. The Teacher, after His meal, delivered a sermon and uttered the following verse:

Mano pubbangama dhamma - mano settha manomaya
Manasa ce pasannena - bhasati va karoti va
tato nam sukhamanveti - chaya'va anapaiyini.

Mental states have mind as their fore-runner. Mind is chief. Every mental state is mind-made. If, with a pure mind, one speaks or acts, happiness follows him consequently even as the inseparable shadow.