The Story of Anathapindika
Anathapindika,
who lived 2,600 years ago, was an early follower of the Buddha. Anathapindika was a businessman who was very generous, and he used his time and energy to help the destitute people of his city. He gave away a lot of his wealth to the poor, yet he did not become less wealthy. He received a lot of happiness. He had a lot of friends in his business circles, and he was loved by all of them.
Anathapindika took great pleasure in serving the Buddha. He used his wealth to buy a forested park and build a practice center called the Jeta Grove, where the Buddha and his monks could practice. The Jeta Grove became a famous practice center, and people came there to listen to the talk given by the Buddha every week.
One day the Buddha learned that his beloved disciple, Anathapindika, was very sick. He went to visit him and urged Anathapindika to practice mindful breathing while in bed. Then the Buddha asked Shariputra, a close friend of Anathapindika’s, to take care of him during his illness. Shariputra and his younger monastic brother, Ananda, went to visit Anathapindika.
When they arrived, Anathapindika was so weak he could not sit up in bed to greet them. Shariputra said, “No, my friend, don’t try. Just lie quietly. We will bring a few chairs to be close to you and sit together.” The first question Shariputra asked was, “Dear friend Anathapindika, how do you feel? Is the pain inyour body growing worse, or has it begun to lessen?”
Anathapindika said, “No, friends, the pain in me is not lessening. It is getting worse all the time.” When Shariputra heard that, he decided to offer Anathapindika a few exercises in guided meditation. As one of the most intelligent of the Buddha’s disciples, Shariputra knew very well that helping Anathapindika focus his mind on the Buddha, whom he loved to serve, would give Anathapindika a lot of pleasure. Shariputra wanted to water the seeds of happiness inside Anathapindika, and he knew that talking about all the things that had made Anathapindika happy in his life would water those good seeds in him and lessen his pain in this critical time.
Shariputra invited Anathapindika to breathe in and out mindfully and to focus his attention on his happiest recollections: his work for the poor, his many acts of generosity, and the love and compassion he shared with his family and his fellow students of the Buddha. In just five or six minutes, the pain that Anathapindika had been feeling throughout his body lessened as the seeds of happiness in him were watered, and he smiled. Watering the seeds of happiness is a very important practice for those who are sick or dying. All of us have seeds of happiness inside us, and in those difficult moments when we’re sick or dying, there should be a friend sitting with us to help us touch those seeds. Otherwise seeds of fear, regret, or despair can easily sprout into big formations that overwhelm us.
When Anathapindika was able to smile, Shariputra knew that the meditation had been successful. Shariputra invited Anathapindika to continue the guided meditation. “Dear friend Anathapindika, now it is the time to practice the meditation on the six senses. Breathe in and out and practice with me.”
who lived 2,600 years ago, was an early follower of the Buddha. Anathapindika was a businessman who was very generous, and he used his time and energy to help the destitute people of his city. He gave away a lot of his wealth to the poor, yet he did not become less wealthy. He received a lot of happiness. He had a lot of friends in his business circles, and he was loved by all of them.
Anathapindika took great pleasure in serving the Buddha. He used his wealth to buy a forested park and build a practice center called the Jeta Grove, where the Buddha and his monks could practice. The Jeta Grove became a famous practice center, and people came there to listen to the talk given by the Buddha every week.
One day the Buddha learned that his beloved disciple, Anathapindika, was very sick. He went to visit him and urged Anathapindika to practice mindful breathing while in bed. Then the Buddha asked Shariputra, a close friend of Anathapindika’s, to take care of him during his illness. Shariputra and his younger monastic brother, Ananda, went to visit Anathapindika.
When they arrived, Anathapindika was so weak he could not sit up in bed to greet them. Shariputra said, “No, my friend, don’t try. Just lie quietly. We will bring a few chairs to be close to you and sit together.” The first question Shariputra asked was, “Dear friend Anathapindika, how do you feel? Is the pain inyour body growing worse, or has it begun to lessen?”
Anathapindika said, “No, friends, the pain in me is not lessening. It is getting worse all the time.” When Shariputra heard that, he decided to offer Anathapindika a few exercises in guided meditation. As one of the most intelligent of the Buddha’s disciples, Shariputra knew very well that helping Anathapindika focus his mind on the Buddha, whom he loved to serve, would give Anathapindika a lot of pleasure. Shariputra wanted to water the seeds of happiness inside Anathapindika, and he knew that talking about all the things that had made Anathapindika happy in his life would water those good seeds in him and lessen his pain in this critical time.
Shariputra invited Anathapindika to breathe in and out mindfully and to focus his attention on his happiest recollections: his work for the poor, his many acts of generosity, and the love and compassion he shared with his family and his fellow students of the Buddha. In just five or six minutes, the pain that Anathapindika had been feeling throughout his body lessened as the seeds of happiness in him were watered, and he smiled. Watering the seeds of happiness is a very important practice for those who are sick or dying. All of us have seeds of happiness inside us, and in those difficult moments when we’re sick or dying, there should be a friend sitting with us to help us touch those seeds. Otherwise seeds of fear, regret, or despair can easily sprout into big formations that overwhelm us.
When Anathapindika was able to smile, Shariputra knew that the meditation had been successful. Shariputra invited Anathapindika to continue the guided meditation. “Dear friend Anathapindika, now it is the time to practice the meditation on the six senses. Breathe in and out and practice with me.”
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