I found an interesting Jataka. Here is a portion of the Jataka I want to highlight in this post. I think it’s beneficial to remember this jataka because it talks about the danger of being attached to sensual pleasures, the benefits of practicing the Dhamma even if one is weary or has to go through hardship. It also says that one can regain one’s jhana even if one has lost it just like a householder can increase their wealth again even if they have lost money.
In the past, when King Brahmadatta ruled in Bārāṇasī, the Bodhisatta was born as the son of the royal chaplain’s wife.
On the day of his birth, weapons throughout the city burst into flame. Therefore he was named Jotipāla (“Protector of Light”).
When grown, he went to Takkasilā and mastered all arts. After demonstrating his skill to the king, he renounced worldly power without informing anyone, left through the main gate, entered the forest, and at Sakkadattiya in the hermitage of Kaviṭṭhaka became an ascetic. There he developed the jhānas and superknowledges.
Many hundreds of ascetics gathered around him. He became known as the teacher Sarabhaṅga.
He had seven chief disciples.
Among them:
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Sālissara dwelled with thousands of ascetics by the Sātodikā river.
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Meṇḍissara dwelled near Kalabbacūḷaka village.
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Pabbata dwelled in a forest region.
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Kāḷadevilā dwelled in the southern Avanti region.
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Kisavaccha lived alone near Kumbhavatī city.
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Anupiyatāpaso served the Bodhisatta.
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Nārada, younger brother of Kāḷadevilā, lived alone in a cave at Ārañjaragiri.
Near Ārañjaragiri was a village with many people. Between them flowed a great river. Many people bathed there. Beautiful women, trying to entice men, sat on its bank.
Nārada saw one of them and became attached in mind. His jhāna disappeared. Without eating, he wasted away for seven days, overcome by defilements.
His brother Kāḷadevilā, perceiving this, came through the air.
Nārada denied being ill and accused him of lying.
Kāḷadevilā brought other ascetics, but Nārada accused them all of falsehood.
Finally Sarabhaṅga himself came.
Seeing him, he knew he had fallen under sense-control.
He asked:
“Nārada, have you gone under the control of the senses?”
“Yes, teacher.”
Then Sarabhaṅga spoke the first verse:
“He who, Nārada,
By desire goes under the control of the senses —
He abandons both worlds
And while still alive wastes away.”
Meaning:
He loses both the human and divine worlds and is reborn in hell. Even in this life he suffers, unable to obtain the object of his craving.
Nārada replied:
“Teacher, sense enjoyment is pleasant. Why do you call such pleasure suffering?”
Sarabhaṅga replied:
“Then listen.”
“After pleasure comes pain;
After pain comes pleasure.
He who clings to pleasure gains suffering.
Expect instead the higher happiness.”
Therein:
“After pleasure…” means:
After sensual pleasure comes the suffering of hell.
“After suffering…” means:
After the suffering involved in guarding virtue comes heavenly and human happiness, and also the happiness of Nibbāna.
This is the meaning:
“Nārada, beings who indulge in sensual pleasures die during that indulgence and are reborn in hell, a place of absolute suffering. But those who guard virtue and practice insight meditation grow weary and endure hardship. Yet, having protected virtue through suffering, by the power of virtue they obtain the happiness described above. It is referring to that suffering that I speak in this way.”
“You have fallen…” means:
You, Nārada, having destroyed the happiness of jhāna, have now fallen from that happiness into great mental suffering dependent on sensual desire.
“Expect…” means:
Abandon this suffering born of defilements and again desire, aspire for, and long for that superior, excellent happiness of jhāna.
Nārada said:
“Teacher, this suffering is unbearable. I cannot endure it.”
Then the Great Being said:
“Nārada, suffering that has arisen must indeed be endured,”
and spoke the third verse:
“He who in a time of hardship
Endures hardship and does not follow it,
That wise one, reaching the end of hardship,
Attains happiness and union (with the goal).”
Explanation:
“Does not follow” means “does not go along with it.”
This is the meaning:
Nārada, when bodily or mental suffering arises, if one is heedful and seeks the means of overcoming it, enduring it without submitting to it — not letting oneself be carried away by it, but overcoming and destroying it through various methods — that wise person attains the happiness that is the end of hardship, namely the unworldly happiness of jhāna. Or he attains the happiness of spiritual attainment — reaching it without being exhausted.
Nārada said:
“Teacher, sensual pleasure is the highest pleasure. I cannot abandon it.”
Then the Great Being said:
“Nārada, the Dhamma must not be destroyed for any reason,”
and spoke the fourth verse:
“Not for the sake of sensual desires,
Not for disadvantage nor for advantage,
Nor after abandoning what has been achieved,
Should you fall away from the Dhamma.”
Explanation:
“Desires for desires” means longing for objects of sense-pleasure.
“Not for disadvantage nor advantage” means neither because of loss nor because of gain.
“Not abandoning what has been accomplished” means not discarding or destroying the jhāna that has been developed.
The meaning is:
Nārada, you should not fall away from the Dhamma for the sake of longing for sensual objects. If some misfortune arises and you wish to ward it off, you should not abandon the Dhamma because of disadvantage. Nor should you abandon it even for some hoped-for advantage, thinking “some benefit will come to me.” And you should certainly not abandon the happiness of jhāna that you have already accomplished and developed.
“Skill in a householder is good,
And sharing one’s food is good;
Not being elated at gain,
And not being distressed at loss.”
Explanation:
Skill (dakkha) for householders means energy, diligence, and competence in generating wealth. That is good.
Sharing food: distributing wealth righteously with ascetics and brahmins. That is good.
Not being elated at gain: when great prosperity arises, remaining uninflated and unexcited. That is good.
Not being distressed at loss: when wealth or reputation declines, not becoming troubled or agitated. That is good.
Therefore, Nārada, do not grieve thinking “my jhāna has disappeared.” If you do not go under the control of the senses, even your lost jhāna will return to its former state.