Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
User avatar
cooran
Posts: 8503
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

Ten Funniest scenes from the Pali Canon
http://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/ ... ali-canon/

With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
User avatar
Kusala
Posts: 1148
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:02 am

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by Kusala »

cooran wrote:Hello all,

Ten Funniest scenes from the Pali Canon
http://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/ ... ali-canon/

With metta,
Chris
One of my personal favorites from the canon is the Ariyapariyesana Sutta http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

The Buddha had a sense of humor... :lol:

"...Then, having stayed at Uruvela as long as I liked, I set out to wander by stages to Varanasi. Upaka the Ajivaka saw me on the road between Gaya and the (place of) Awakening, and on seeing me said to me, 'Clear, my friend, are your faculties. Pure your complexion, and bright. On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? In whose Dhamma do you delight?'

"When this was said, I replied to Upaka the Ajivaka in verses:


Buddha:

'All-vanquishing,
all-knowing am I,
with regard to all things,
unadhering.
All-abandoning,
released in the ending of craving:
having fully known on my own,
to whom should I point as my teacher?

I have no teacher,
and one like me can't be found.
In the world with its devas,
I have no counterpart.

For I am an arahant in the world;
I, the unexcelled teacher.
I, alone, am rightly self-awakened.
Cooled am I, unbound.

To set rolling the wheel of Dhamma
I go to the city of Kasi.
In a world become blind,
I beat the drum of the Deathless.'


Upaka the Ajivaka:

"'From your claims, my friend, you must be an infinite conqueror.'

Buddha:

'Conquerors are those like me
who have reached fermentations' end.
I've conquered evil qualities,
and so, Upaka, I'm a conqueror.'


"When this was said, Upaka said, 'May it be so, my friend,' and - shaking his head, taking a side-road - he left.
"He, the Blessed One, is indeed the Noble Lord, the Perfectly Enlightened One;
He is impeccable in conduct and understanding, the Serene One, the Knower of the Worlds;
He trains perfectly those who wish to be trained; he is Teacher of gods and men; he is Awake and Holy. "

--------------------------------------------
"The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One,
Apparent here and now, timeless, encouraging investigation,
Leading to liberation, to be experienced individually by the wise. "
SamKR
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:33 pm

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by SamKR »

Nice list.

I find the last sentence of Mulapariyaya Sutta kind of funny:
That is what the Blessed One said. Displeased, the monks did not delight in the Blessed One's words.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
SamKR
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:33 pm

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by SamKR »

One of my favorites is Avijja Sutta (SN 35.80):
Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One:

"Lord, is there any one thing with whose abandoning in a monk ignorance is abandoned and clear knowing arises?"

"Yes monk, there is one thing with whose abandoning in a monk ignorance is abandoned and clear knowing arises."

"What is that one thing?"

"Ignorance, monk, is the one thing with whose abandoning in a monk ignorance is abandoned and clear knowing arises."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
I find it funny as well as profound.
plwk
Posts: 1462
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:14 am

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by plwk »

Hello all,

Ten Funniest scenes from the Pali Canon
http://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/ ... ali-canon/

With metta,
Chris
One of my personal favorites from the canon is the Ariyapariyesana Sutta http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

The Buddha had a sense of humor... :lol:

"...Then, having stayed at Uruvela as long as I liked, I set out to wander by stages to Varanasi. Upaka the Ajivaka saw me on the road between Gaya and the (place of) Awakening, and on seeing me said to me, 'Clear, my friend, are your faculties. Pure your complexion, and bright. On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? In whose Dhamma do you delight?'

"When this was said, I replied to Upaka the Ajivaka in verses:


Buddha:

'All-vanquishing,
all-knowing am I,
with regard to all things,
unadhering.
All-abandoning,
released in the ending of craving:
having fully known on my own,
to whom should I point as my teacher?

I have no teacher,
and one like me can't be found.
In the world with its devas,
I have no counterpart.

For I am an arahant in the world;
I, the unexcelled teacher.
I, alone, am rightly self-awakened.
Cooled am I, unbound.

To set rolling the wheel of Dhamma
I go to the city of Kasi.
In a world become blind,
I beat the drum of the Deathless.'


Upaka the Ajivaka:

"'From your claims, my friend, you must be an infinite conqueror.'

Buddha:

'Conquerors are those like me
who have reached fermentations' end.
I've conquered evil qualities,
and so, Upaka, I'm a conqueror.'


"When this was said, Upaka said, 'May it be so, my friend,' and - shaking his head, taking a side-road - he left.
Wonders what happens if the Buddha came on board here and did that...
binocular
Posts: 8292
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by binocular »

/.../
[2] "Then there is the case of the monk who can handle the cloud of dust, but on seeing the top of the enemy's banner, he falters, faints, doesn't steel himself, can't continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. What is the top of the banner for him? There is the case of the monk who not only hears that 'In that village or town over there is a woman or girl who is shapely, good-looking, charming, endowed with the foremost lotus-like complexion.' He sees for himself that in that village or town over there is a woman or girl who is shapely, good-looking, charming, endowed with the foremost lotus-like complexion. On seeing her, he falters, faints, doesn't steel himself, can't continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. That, for him, is the top of the banner. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, but on seeing the top of the enemy's banner, he falters, faints, doesn't steel himself, can't engage in the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the second type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.

[3] "Then there is the case of the monk who can handle the cloud of dust & the top of the enemy's banner, but on hearing the tumult [of the approaching forces], he falters, faints, doesn't steel himself, can't continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. What is the tumult for him? There is the case of the monk who has gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty building. A woman approaches him and giggles at him, calls out to him, laughs aloud, & teases him. On being giggled at, called out to, laughed at, & teased by the woman, he falters, faints, doesn't steel himself, can't continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. That, for him, is the tumult. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust & the top of the enemy's banner, but on hearing the tumult he falters, faints, doesn't steel himself, can't engage in the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the third type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.


/.../
[5] "Then there is the case of the monk who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the enemy's banner, the tumult, & hand-to-hand combat. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. What is victory in the battle for him? There is the case of the monk who has gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling. A woman approaches him and sits down right next to him, lies down right next to him, throws herself all over him. When she sits down right next to him, lies down right next to him, and throws herself all over him, he extricates himself, frees himself, and goes off where he will.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html



I mean - imagine the scenes literally!
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by tiltbillings »

Interestingly, on the very still dead E-Sangha when the topic of humor was raised, referencing some of the same suttas listed in the OP article, the response was a fire-storm of anger from the Theravadins.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
binocular
Posts: 8292
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by binocular »

What, they didn't think those were funny?
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by tiltbillings »

binocular wrote:What, they didn't think those were funny?
Humor was unbecoming of the Buddha.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
binocular
Posts: 8292
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by binocular »

Oh noes. Really?

I would think the humorous effects of some suttas are not there because the Buddha would try to be funny and make people laugh.
The suttas are not sit-com kind of funny.

When becoming aware of our failings, we sometimes laugh, in a well-intended manner; and suttas do make us aware of our failings - so we sometimes laugh when reading suttas.
We also laugh when we see extraordinary feats. And the suttas contain descriptions of many such feats.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
User avatar
Kare
Posts: 767
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:58 am
Location: Norway
Contact:

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by Kare »

tiltbillings wrote:Interestingly, on the very still dead E-Sangha when the topic of humor was raised, referencing some of the same suttas listed in the OP article, the response was a fire-storm of anger from the Theravadins.
Those Theravadins must have been rather ignorant of their own canonical texts. They should sit down and study hasapañña.
Mettāya,
Kåre
binocular
Posts: 8292
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by binocular »

Awww, what a lovely term!
Thank you.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by tiltbillings »

binocular wrote:Oh noes. Really?

I would think the humorous effects of some suttas are not there because the Buddha would try to be funny and make people laugh.
The suttas are not sit-com kind of funny.
Some of the humor can only be seen as deliberate.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
binocular
Posts: 8292
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by binocular »

For example?
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Ten funniest scenes from the Pali Canon

Post by tiltbillings »

>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
Post Reply