A Mind Well Guarded and Restrained Brings Happiness. Story of An Unknown Monk. ॥(3.3): 35॥

A Mind Well Guarded and Restrained Brings Happiness. Story of An Unknown Monk. ॥(3.3): 35॥

Tathagata Buddha was once residing at the Jétavana Monastery. There he narrated the following story about benefits of the well guarded mind with reference to an unknown monk. 

Once some sixty monks went to village situated at the foot of a mountain called Matika. Their mother of the village headman, Matikamata, offered them alms, good foods and shelter for their stay during the entire rainy season. One day, she requested monks to teach her the technique of meditation. Monks readily taught her, how to meditate on the 32-constituents of the body leading to the "awareness of the decay and dissolution of the body". Matikamata practiced with diligence and attained the three maggas (paths) and phalas (fruits) together with the divine analytical insight and mundane supernormal powers, earlier than many monks did. 

Thereafter, she saw with her divine power of sight (dibbacakkhu) that many of the monks had not attained any of the maggas yet but have the potential for attaining arahatship. She prepared good quality foods so the monks can work hard for their efforts to achieve their magga and phala. With proper food, right concentration and efforts, many of those monks attained arahatship. 

At the end of the rainy season, all the monks returned to the Jétavana Monastery, where the Buddha was residing. When asked by the Buddha –how was their practice of meditation during the rainy season? Monks told- that all of them were in good health and were looked after well without worrying for food and shelter during the entire rainy period. They also mentioned about Matikamata, who was aware of their thought. She looked after their well being during their practice by preparing and offering them the good food, they wished for. 

Hearing all this talk about the good food and shelter, an unknown monk, decided that he, too, would go to Matikamata’s village. So, he arrived at the village of Matikamata. There, when he wished Matikamata to come meet him at the monastery, Matikamata came along with delicious foods, he wished in his mind. Monks got worried, how Matikamata knew about his wish for those delicacies! After enjoying the food, he asked her if she knew the thoughts of others? Matikamata evaded the question of the monk. Then, the monk thought, “Should he, like an ordinary worldling, entertain any impure thoughts, she is sure would find out.” He decided to return to the Jétavana and told Buddha that he could not stay in Matika village because he was afraid that Matikamata might detect impure thoughts in his mind. 

The Buddha then advised him to go back to Matikamata’s village once again and there observe and control just one thing all the time; that is his minds activity. There at the Matika village monastery, he must not think of anything, but only the object of his meditation. The monk went back and within a short time, he, too, attained arahatship. 

Final Comment: The mind is exceedingly subtle and is difficult to be seen. It attaches on its desires. The wise, guard their mind and the mind well-guarded brings bliss.