Well, today we celebrate Shakyamuni Buddha's birthday. I'm not sure when his birthday was, but this is as good a day as any to celebrate it. No one knows for sure. 2,500 and some odd years. ago, Shakyamuni was born in India. And the Indians collected 500 birth stories of the Buddha called the Jataka Tales. And the Jataka Tales is a collection of stories relating to the evolution of a Buddha through many lifetimes. And each story says something about some aspect of his development.

[01:08]

And the last 10 are the most popular in Southeast Asia. and I'm going to read one of the birth stories, one of the Jataka tales. Sometimes the plots are a little bit complex, but this is a rather simple one. And it's about when Shakyamuni, as a bodhisattva, was called Vidura Pandita. At one time, thousands of years ago, the Bodhisattva came to earth in the person of a sage named Vidura Pandita.

[02:22]

He was no ordinary man of wisdom. His life's purpose was to speak the truth, and in such a way that people would be held spellbound by his voice. As chief counselor to the righteous king, Dhananjaya, in the city of Indapata, Vidura fulfilled his mission well. His eloquent tongue had such power that 101 kings from faraway lands, hypnotized by the sage's sweet voice, were unable to return to their kingdoms. He was known throughout many worlds. A Naga queen, after hearing her husband describe the incomparable sage, longed to hear him speak. But it would have been unseemly for her, a mere female, to ask her husband to bring Vidura to her. Instead, she feigned illness and took to her sickbed, moaning aloud that only one thing could cure her.

[03:30]

the heart of Vidura. O king, O monarch of the Nagas, she cried, bring me Vidura's heart or I shall die. The king was distraught, so distraught that his face became instantly old and withered like a lotus touched by human hands. How could such a feat be accomplished? Who would have the mind and heart to carry out such a low deed? For although the king wished to save the life of his queen, he also knew the peerless qualities of the sage and mourned the need to command such an act. At that moment, he caught sight of his beautiful daughter, the princess Irandati, and resolved to send her out to seek a husband who could wrest the heart from Vidura. The princess went off to the Himalayas to gather fragrant flowers of all colors. She adorned herself with them and made a bed of the most beautiful ones. She then began a seductive dance and sang, what God or human, what Gandharva or sage, what Naga or Yaksha, able to make all wishes come true, will marry me this very night?

[04:47]

At that time, A yaksha or demon named Punyaka was riding on his magic horse over the black mountains. Hearing Irindati's love call, he stopped short, listened, and changed his course to ride over to her. Completely enamored, he resolved to marry her. That was very quick. Together they rode to the palace to ask her father's permission to be joined in wedlock. The king secretly rejoiced that his plan was bearing fruit, but to Punyaka he sternly announced that he would agree to the marriage only on one condition, that Punyaka first obtain the flesh of the heart of Vidura. Pleased at the chance to prove his magical powers, Punyaka readily accepted the offer. His hair trimmed, his horse sparkling with jewels from ear to hoof, Punyaka sumptuously dressed rode off into the sky to Indapata, the kingdom where Vidura dwelled.

[05:53]

Before he reached the city, he made up his mind to win the sage as his prize in a game of dice to which he would challenge King Dhananjaya. Once inside the city's gates, he said, O mighty king, accept a game of dice with me, and if you win, a wondrous horse and magic gem will be yours. Whereupon he demonstrated the supernatural power of his horse to walk on water, stand on the palm of his hand, fly in the air, and gallop along the narrow city wall. The yaka then commanded his precious lapis lazuli, to perform miracles, to create living things, other worlds, the sun, the moon, and the constellations. The king was so dazzled by Punyaka's magic possessions that he accepted the game, saying that, should he lose, except my body and my white umbrella, all that I have shall be yours.

[06:57]

That was just what Punyaka wanted to hear, for he knew that he would use his magic to turn his opponent's dice against him and win. The hall was readied, a central platform was cleared, and other kings were called in as witnesses. The dice board was set up, and the two sat down to play. Punyaka insisted that the king have the first play. The dice were thrown, but something strange was happening. The king could see the falling dice turned against him by some magic power. Now this perplexed him, because whenever he engaged in play, his guardian deity, his mother in a previous existence, was always there to see that he won. This time, however, she could do no more than hover in a doorway behind the king and warn him before the dice fell that they were about to go against him. Heeding her advice, the first time the dice were thrown, he deftly caught them and threw them again. A second time they fell against him.

[07:59]

It became evident that the goddess could no longer help him because Punyaka's magic was more powerful than hers. Moreover, when Punyaka noticed that the king was aware of the way the dice were turning, he recognized the existence of an opposing force. All at once, he spied the guardian goddess behind the king. To end her power, he glared at her with a murderous look in his angry eyes. Alarmed, the delicate deity fled from the pinnacled roof of the top of a nearby mountain. From then on, Punyaka's magic held sway, and the third time the king tossed the dice, He let them fall and lost. The yaksha then took his turn and won. Punyaka, gleeful in victory, clapped his hands and called for his payment. The sage Vidura, the king, was jolted. Vidura, my most trusted counselor, my refuge and strength? Punyaka was unrelenting. Are you the king's slave or his kinsman?

[09:01]

No. Are you the king's slave or his kinsman? He rudely shouted at Vidura, knowing well that Vidura would answer in the most humble way. Vidura agreed that he could be given away, and it was thus that he was delivered into the hands of the ill-intentioned Yaksha. Naturally, he acquiesced. But first, Vidura asked Punyaka's permission to preach to his wives and sons. In keeping with his purpose on earth, he felt that he had to explain the principles of the doctrine before he could take leave of them. On the third day, he had completed what he had to say and calmly resigned himself to his unknown destiny. His wives, sons, servants and friends all wept and prostrated themselves at his departure. Punyaka looked upon his victim and declared, You are about to cross from life to death. A long journey awaits you. Take hold of the tale of my magic steed. You shall not see again the world of people. The Bodhisattva answered resolutely, I fear no being, for I have harmed no one, in mind or in speech or in deed.

[10:08]

Therefore no harm can come to me.' Whereupon he pulled his garments about him and gripped the horse's tail. In this way they galloped across the sky to the black mountain. But contrary to Punyaka's hopes, neither the rocks nor the trees there so much as brushed Vidura, and when they reached the peak his victim was still alive. Punyaka then tried to frighten Vidura to death. He took on many shapes, which would have made the most courageous of men swoon. Yet demons, lions, elephants, gigantic serpents, whirlwinds, all these terrifying forms failed to ruffle the calm of the Bodhisattva. Punyaka, so expert at manipulating nature through trickery and disguise, realized that he could no longer resort to these means to kill his prisoner. he would have to use his own hand. In a flash, he seized the sage violently, and from where he stood at the summit of the mountain, whirled him around his head, downward facing the open expanse of the world.

[11:15]

Dangling there, upside down to the earth, he, the embodiment of truth and wisdom, quietly addressed his executioner, hey, why do you want to kill me? When Punyaka told him why, the Bodhisattva immediately perceived that all concerned had misinterpreted the Naga Queen's request for his heart. She had not meant his physical heart. It was the heart of his wisdom that she desired. Vidura was content, however, to say simply that if Punyaka would first listen to his teachings, he would then be willing to give up his heart to him. Punyaka placed him on the ground and at that moment a richly decorated throne appeared beneath a sage. Punyaka listened at Vidura's feet. His hands joined in reverence. It was then that the giant became deeply conscious of his wrongdoing and was converted to the right way.

[12:18]

He told his prisoner that he was a free man again. Rather than return immediately to his kingdom, however, the Bodhisattva asked to be taken to the Naga kingdom in order to resolve the misunderstanding. Together they rode on Punaka's horse until the splendid Naga palace came into sight, surrounded by the billowing sea and the strange creatures that inhabit it. Once inside the court, Vidura was seated on the central throne, surrounded by the Naga king and queen. their daughter Irandati and Punyaka. From this place of honor, he offered his listeners his wisdom and his heart. He no longer cared for his life, for he had already given his teachings. But the Naga king, having discovered that the heart of a sage is his wisdom, no longer desired the flesh of Vidura's heart. The Naga queen, whose misunderstood words had led to this grave situation, dared not utter a word.

[13:21]

All questions resolved, the king gave his daughter to the yaksha in marriage and ordered him to return the sage to the court of the king. Once more, Punyaka called for his magic's deed and, carrying Vidura in front of his in front and his bride behind rode off into the sky toward Indapatta, the sage's home. That's the end of the story. That was a long one. It was a long one, but it was the shortest one that I could find. It was the shortest of the long ones, yeah. That's why I used it, as a matter of fact. Did you like the story? Did you understand it? You did? Good.

[14:27]

So, misunderstanding what we're looking for. not understanding what we're looking for is the cause of all the problems in the world. Somebody said, people would like to discuss, maybe say something about what's happening in Bosnia or in Kosovo and all this war. We don't have time to discuss that, but the whole thing, I believe, is based on misunderstandings of what everyone is seeking.

[15:29]

security, worldly security, there is no security. The solution to this problem, from my point of view, is that if everyone was truly seeking the truth and reality, these problems would not exist. But since that's not happening, we have these problems, which we will always have. And lots of confusion. This whole business is so confusing that no one really has an answer. So I don't wish to ignore this problem, but it kind of puts a damper on all of our other activities.

[16:45]

It's always there with us, wondering, how can this be resolved? And nobody has the answer. But the answer actually is, if we look through all the problems, the answer is very deep and will not be resolved until people really find out what it is they're truly looking for. find some way to realize that everyone is connected and you can't get rid of people to make you more secure.

[17:51]

So then the question comes up, well, what can we do? That's just a big question. Big question. So, thank you.

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