On loosing eye-sight

2005-11-21T03:48:00.000-08:00

“Why do most of the people loose eye sight?” The wanderer asked.
“It may be because of the previous kamma they have done in previous existence.” Somebody replied him.
The head priest arrived in the room and inquired about the topic the devotees were discussing.
“We were discussing about loosing eye sight Venerable Sir.” The somebody responded. The wanderer came to know that it’s the Chief Donour of the temple he has come to take a rest.
The source story of the first stanza in Dhammapada gives some kind of answer to your question.
“We know about Dhammapada. But we like to know more details about Dhammapada from you Venerable Sir.”
“Dhammapada is like Bible or Koran in other religions. But it is not the only book we have. We have got some other books too. Jataka pota, Tera Teri gatha are some of those books.”
“Why don’t you assemble a gathering once a week and narrate the source stories to us along with the stanzas?”
“That’s a good idea. We can do that from today.”
“So better to start with that first story you told on loosing eyesight.”
“Yes it’s about a blind Arahant monk named Chakkupala in Buddha’s time. So the monks had the question as to why the monk was blind as he is an Arahant being. They were wondering as to what the previous kamma the monk should have done in previous existence.”
Here comes the narrative when monks approached Buddha. The wanderer sat cross legged so that he can listen to the priest carefully.
“Lord, what may be the deed Ven. Chakkhupala should have done in previous existence?”
“Monks, I would narrate the story if you like to listen to it.”
“Yes Lord, we like to know it.”
Then Buddha narrated following.
Ven. Chakkhupala was an eye surgeon in his previous birth. An eye-infectious woman came to this physician.
“Sir, I have no money. If you cure this, I would be the servant to you instead of paying fees.” She pleaded the eye physician.
He nodded at her idea and cured the sickness. But she did not want to work for him.
“I think you haven’t cured my sickness. Sorry but I can’t work for you.”
“Well, there’s another treatment. That’s all I can do. Let’s see.”
What eye physician did was getting her to her previous state of infection.
So this has made him blind in his next birth.
Finalizing the story, Buddha also noted down.
“Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts, suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.”
The wanderer left the temple promising the devotees of the temple to be present in the next sermon day. He strongly needed to resume the journey.

Wanderer listens to the Dhamma

On loosing eye-sight