SWEETNESS AND LIGHT

King Ashoka of the Maurya Empire in ancient India was a devout Buddhist. Although yet to be enlightened, the king nevertheless was an ardent supporter of the Three Jewels. He had eighty thousand pagodas built in homage throughout his kingdom and regularly made offerings to Buddhist masters, where he respectfully requested their teachings. In this manner, he passed days without end.

One day during a meal offering to the Sangha, King Ashoka noticed a particularly refined and learned young master. Perfectly at ease, this monk sat down besides the king and began to speak. At once, King Ashoka smelled an extraordinary fragrance emanating from his mouth. Suspicious, the king thought, “This man must have something hidden in there. Perhaps is he trying to deceive me by means of this scent?” Putting etiquette aside, King Ashoka told the monk to open wide; but after careful examination, he still found nothing there. In disbelief, the doubtful king had the monk rinse his mouth. He did so, but the fragrance was just as powerful as before.

Finally, the king asked, “Please forgive my impudence, but why is there such a remarkable smell coming from your mouth? I have never smelled anything like it.” The young master replied, “Your highness, in the time of Kashyapa Buddha, I was a master who praised the buddha’s virtues and taught others how to practice according to the Dharma. Since then, in every one of my lifetimes, this rich fragrance has emanated from my mouth, uplifting whoever smells it.”

Hearing the young master’s story, King Ashoka was delighted. “The merits of praising the buddha are beyond compare!” he exclaimed. The monk went on to explain, “There are ten blessings that come from praising buddha:

• Whoever praises the Buddha and allows sentient beings to hear the Dharma, shall have a superb reputation.
• Whoever praises the Buddha and gladdens the hearts of sentient beings, shall have a noble appearance.
• Whoever teaches sentient beings causality and helps them find peace, shall attain boundless joy.
• Whoever praises the Buddha’s merits and subdues the minds of sentient beings, shall always be respected by others.
• Whoever teaches by the light of Dharma and brings sentient beings to enlightenment, shall inspire awe like the sun.
• Whoever praises the Buddha with whatever means possible and brings joy to sentient beings, shall be esteemed and loved.
• Whoever eloquently praises the Buddha’s boundless virtue, shall be endowed with infinite eloquence.
• Whoever praises the wondrous Dharma and enables sentient beings to refrain from wrongdoings, shall gain great, pure wisdom.
• Whoever removes the afflictions of sentient beings by praising the Buddha, shall be free of entanglements and defilement.
• By overcoming the two entanglements, one attains the body of nirvana, which is like a great rain, extinguishing the fire and quelling the embers.

Having heard the young master describe the incomparable benefits of praising the Buddha, King Ashoka attained deep understanding and said, “Those able to praise the virtues of the Buddha are blessed with great fortune.”

REFLECTION

When we sincerely praise the Buddha with words and gestures, our hearts are filled with joy. We can transform our karmic obstacles and realize the ten blessings mentioned in this story. This is because when whole-heartedly praising the Buddha and expounding his virtues, we are simultaneously freeing ourselves from self-attachment, greed, and animosity. Our attachments begin to diminish and the virtues of our intrinsic mind begin to manifest.