This is a bit of a sad story. Sorry to hear about something like this happening. Beware Leopards in Sri Lanka. I hope the monk has been not reborn or born in a better place where he can continue his practice.
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This is a highly romanticized version of the story. From other reports I have read, the monks had been told by wildlife officials to stay out of the area before the attack. This makes it sound like only now would it be dangerous. Anyone know the actual situation?
I’m also curious what the commentaries have to say about this. I realize that it’s not completely possible to divide the forest into “safe” and “unsafe.” But to me this incident should be seen more as a cautionary tale than something inspirational.
If we chant Paritta/Protective Verses and practice loving kindness, will we be safe from any danger? Also, if someone has no bad kamma to die in that moment but a hostile animal or human comes, will he avoid death no matter what happens or is it possible for his life to prematurely end even if he has no bad kamma producing results at that moment? For example, let’s say someone has the good kamma to live a long life and no bad kamma to die early. Even if an animal attacks him, will his skin be like iron and not be damaged at all? or will his skin be damaged and will he experience pain even if he has no bad kamma to experience such suffering at that moment?
In other words, my question is, is Kamma the only cause of premature death or death at an unexpected time?
There are places designed to be dangerous. Lahagala kutis only have 3 walls. Ven N.Z. Guttasīla has lived there for many years.
Actually it is part of vinaya to recite the khanda paritta every day.. That is a mula text.
I would be interested to know if he chanted this paritta.
It protects one from 0-legged (snakes) 2-legged (humans) 4-legged and many legged (insects and centipedes)
251 tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṅkato hoti.
Now at that time, a certain bhikkhu was bitten by a snake and died.
bhagavato etamatthaṃ ārocesuṃ.
They reported this matter to the Blessed One.
‘‘na hi nūna so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phari.
‘Surely, monks, that bhikkhu did not pervade these four royal families of snakes with a mind of loving-kindness.
sace hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phareyya, na hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṅkareyya.
For if, monks, that bhikkhu had pervaded these four royal families of snakes with a mind of loving-kindness, surely, monks, that bhikkhu would not have died from a snake bite.
katamāni cattāri ahirājakulāni?
Which are the four royal families of snakes?
virūpakkhaṃ ahirājakulaṃ, erāpathaṃ ahirājakulaṃ, chabyāputtaṃ ahirājakulaṃ, kaṇhāgotamaṃ ahirājakulaṃ.
The Virūpakkha royal family of snakes, the Erāpatha royal family of snakes, the Chabyāputta royal family of snakes, the Kaṇhāgotama royal family of snakes.
na hi nūna so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phari.
Surely, monks, that bhikkhu did not pervade these four royal families of snakes with a mind of loving-kindness.
sace hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phareyya, na hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṅkareyya.
For if, monks, that bhikkhu had pervaded these four royal families of snakes with a mind of loving-kindness, surely, monks, that bhikkhu would not have died from a snake bite.’
anujānāmi, bhikkhave, imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena pharituṃ, attaguttiyā attarakkhāya attaparittaṃ kātuṃ.
Monks, I allow you to pervade these four families of nāga kings with a mind of loving-kindness, for your own protection, for your own safeguard, for your own ward.
evañca pana, bhikkhave, kātabbaṃ –
And thus, monks, it should be done:
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Very sad indeed. When we in Sri Lanka my family were surprised how much jungle and wildlife is still there. It is admirable that it has been preserved so well. But that comes with real dangers as well.
I was asking about wisdom from the commentaries.
There is only a minimal commentary to MN2 in regard to dangers, e.g. Mūlapaṇṇāsa-aṭṭhakathā — E-Piṭaka
This would seem to indicate that one ought to avoid areas where there are known fierce animals.
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Thanks for giving the link to the website. It’s a different website from what I use but it provides an English translation so it’s really good. The commentary mentions one should avoid going near fierce animals like elephants because it causes the taint of sensual pleasures, taint of existence, taint of views, and taint of ignorance to arise.
Āsavuppatti panettha evaṃ veditabbā.
Here, the arising of the taints should be understood thus.
Hatthiādinidānena dukkhena phuṭṭhassa sukhaṃ patthayato kāmāsavo uppajjati.
For one afflicted by pain caused by an elephant or the like, who longs for pleasure, the taint of sensual pleasure arises.
Natthi no sampattibhave sugatibhave īdisaṃ dukkhanti bhavaṃ patthentassa bhavāsavo.
For one who longs for existence, thinking, “In a fortunate existence, in a good destination, there is no such pain for us,” the taint of existence arises.
Maṃ hatthī maddati, maṃ assoti gāho diṭṭhāsavo.
The grasping, “An elephant is crushing me, a horse is crushing me,” is the taint of views.
Sabbeheva sampayutto avijjāsavoti.
The taint of ignorance is associated with all of them.
Ime vuccanti…pe… parivajjanā pahātabbāti ime hatthiādīsu ekekassa vasena cattāro cattāro katvā aneke āsavā iminā sīlasaṃvarasaṅkhātena parivajjanena pahātabbāti vuccantīti veditabbā.
“These are called… etc.… to be abandoned by avoiding”: this should be understood to mean that these many taints—taking them as four for each case of an elephant and so on—are said to be abandoned by this avoiding, which is called the restraint of virtue.
Parivajjanāpahātabbaāsavavaṇṇanā niṭṭhitā.
The explanation of the taints to be abandoned by avoiding is finished.
It’s the commentary to the Sabbāsava Sutta, which is an excellent sutta. To anyone who wants to learn about taints and how to be free from them, I’d really recommend reading it along with the commentary and subcommentary.
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