Maha Buddhavamsa - Story of Naked Ascetic Jambuka

Maha Buddhavamsa
The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw

Story of Naked Ascetic Jambuka

This sermon that begins with the words "Mase Mase kusaggena"
expounded by the Tathagata as dwelling at the Vihara Veluvana in
Rajagaha in connection with the naked hermit Jambuka.

Scheming of Jambuka In the Past

In the Buddha Kassapa time, a rich man from a village
in the border area build a monastery for a
monks. He regularly gave alms, robes, where
residence, and medicine-four monks requisites to
monks who settled there. The monk was also routinely
visit the homes of the rich to eat every day.
One day, a senior monk who is a Arahanta,
were collecting alms, and arrived at the gate
the rich man's house. The rich man was very impressed with the
attitude of the monk, so he invited him to enter
to his house and offered food to the full
respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, please accept this piece of cloth to
used as a cloak after dyed and sewn; your hair too
long enough and I will bring a barber
and a bed for you to the monastery. "

Monk who lived in the monastery's see how the full
respect for the rich man is against that Arahanta monks .
He is ruled by the evil thoughts of jealousy in relation
with funds obtained by Arahanta monk (làbhamacchariya)
which is also his elder brother (kulamacchariya). He felt
hurt and depressed, thinking "this rich man is more respect for
the new monks he met than I whom every day
visited his home to eat. "He returned to the vihara with
feelings of anger.
The guest monk who was an Arahanta follow the
 host monk to his vihàra. He dyeing and sewing
 piece of cloth that funded to him by the Shrine


contributor whose rich and then he sat on his robes;
the rich man arrived with a barber who
 will shave the hair of Arahanta monks. The rich man
preparing for bed that he had brought in a ready state
 and inviting monks to rest in
above the bed. Then, after inviting the
monks to eat the next day, he returned to
home.
The host monk was so dominated by the envy of
Guest monk so he went to the Arahanta monk
whose relaxed, and express his feelings with
harsh words.
(1) Look O the Guest  ... better for you to eat dirt
instead of eating food that funded in the house of
the rich, my vihàra contributor.
(2) Better you pull out your hair with coconut
rather than shaved using a razor property of the barber
brought by the rich, my vihàra contributor.
(3) Better you go with the naked body
instead of wearing a robe that funded by the person
rich, my vihàra contributor.
(4) It is better you sleep on the ground rather than lying on the
bed funded by the rich man, my vihàra contributor.
Thera Arahanta left the monastery in the early hours to
find a place where he can find peace and
happiness, ignoring the rich man's invitation to eat,
with the thought "There is nothing harmful that can occur
to that stupid monk."
Host monks early in the morning had begun working on
all routine tasks, and when it came time to
collecting alms, he thought, "Customers are still lazy
sleep. I had to ring the bell to wake him. "
(But he was worried that guests will really wake up


hear the sound of bells), so he just touches the bell
with his nails and then went to the village to receive funds
food. After making arrangements for the giving of food, the
rich people awaiting the arrival of two monks whose invited.
Looking at the host monk came alone, he asked,
"Your Honor, where is the Thera guest?" Host bhikkhu
whose envy replied, "Do not talk about him, monastery
contributor! The monk went to his room to sleep since you
leave the monastery yesterday and did not wake up when I
perform routine tasks of sweeping and filling water; he even
not hear the bell that I hit the mark arrives
time to collect alms. "
The rich man thought, "It makes no sense, a great personal
with exemplary manner, sleep so long; this
host monk, because of envy see my respect to the guest
monk, must have uttered a harsh words to him. "
Suppose so, and indeed the way it is, he was with
wise, save yourself the guesswork and respectfully
offering food to the monk. After completion of
eating, he took the monk's bowl and wash it with
carefully and then fill it with delicious foods and he
return the bowl to the petition, "Your Honor,
Please convey this food to the monks room if you
meet him. "
On the way back to the vihara to bring food to
Arahanta monk, the monk host a jealous thought,
"That lazy customer will settle at the monastery if he was enjoying the
delicious food like this: "he is throwing all the food there
in that bowl which was funded by a rich man vihara contributor.
On arrival at the room of guest monk, he was looking for him, but
can not find the Arahanta monks.
The evil doing of monk whose jealous of Arahanta monks
(Destroy food that funded to Arahanta)
so heavy, even heavier than the virtues which he did
for twenty years to live holy life as a monk.


Thus, after death, he was born in a state of woe
the lowest (Maha Avici) to great suffer
 for the length of time that not countable since
disappearance of Buddha Kassapa and appearance of the Buddha Gotama.
After suffering there, he was reborn in
an affluent family, where food is abundant,
in Rajagaha at the time of Gotama Buddha.
Jambuka Still Suffer In his life now
He was named Jambuka by his parents. He did not want to sleep
in the bed since he could walk, and it takes
regular meals, he continued to eat his own feces. Parents
and relatives thought that he behaved so
because of the ignorance of a child and try to correct
behavior, trying to feed it and clean up
body. But, even into adulthood, he did not want to wear
clothing; he traveled with the bare body, sleeping on the ground,
and eat his own feces.
Sending her parents to the monastery Ajivaka Jambuka
Over time, parents Jambuka realize that "he
not deserve to live life in a respectable family like them;
he has no shame and should stay with the
Ajivaka, a group of naked ascetics. "
So they took him to the monastery and entrust Ajivaka
their children to the hermit in the monastery.
Hermits Ajivaka then menahbiskannya as a candidate
recluse in his group in the following way:
He was placed in a deep hole up to his neck;
wooden planks placed over the hole in the second
shoulder (so that he can not try out). Sitting on top
the board, pulling the hair from the head Ajivaka Jambuka
(Thus the ordination process is carried out by the hermit
Ajivaka). Then his parents came home after inviting the


sage Ajivaka to eat the next day.
The next day, the Ajivaka invite Jambuka, "Let's go
to the village. "he replied," You better have a go, I will
living in the monastery. "After several attempts took
in vain, they finally left him alone and
go to the village. Once he learned that they all have
go, he removed the wooden that cover toilet and into the
 pit latrines, pick up the dirts with both
hands and eat until satisfied.
The Ajivaka, (not knowing the truth), send
food for him from the village. But he was not interested in
food and reject it, although he has persuaded
and advised by the Ajivaka, the answer is always, "I do not
want this food, I had enough to eat. "When
asked, "Where did you get food," he replied
"This monastery of the region." The second day, third, and fourth
passed by the same events, Jambuka always refused
invitation to come out to receive alms, opt for
remained in the monastery.
Ajivaka ascetics began to wonder what happened to
Jambuka, "Jambuka has always rejected any time be invited to
go to the village, refused to send him food, and
said that he received food from the monastery in the region.
What happened: we have to investigate it. "They then
decided to appoint one or two hermit to stay
 and observe Jambuka's activities, when they go to the
village. They are appointed to investigate, pretending to take part
in the group, but they are disguised to observe
Jambuka. Feel that all Ajivaka recluses has gone into 
village. Jambuka go to the toilet like the previous days and
eat dirt.
Jambuka Expelled from Vihara Ajivaka
Jambuka caught by investigators and this


reported to their elders. The senior, heard
This report whispered, "Jambuka's action very alarming;
 if the students of recluse Gotama aware of this issue, they
would denounce us as a group of shit-eating recluse,
be very damaging to our dignity. He should not live together
with us much longer. "So they finally agreed to
throw him out of their group.
After being expelled by the hermit Ajivaka, he went and settled in
near a large rock, which are located adjacent to the place
commonly used by the inhabitants of Rajagaha as a toilet
general. There were also a big drain pipe
adjacent to the boulder. People usually throw
his business behind the big rock. Jambuka dirt-eating
these impurities in the evening, when people come
answer the call of nature, he stood with his arms leaning on
side of the stone and foot resting on the other knee,
rear its head with open mouth.
Those who came to answer the call of nature, as seen,
approached and asked, "Sir, why are you standing like
it is with your mouth open? ".... "I live on the air, no
food for me than the air, "he boasted. People will
asked, "Sir, why do you stand on one leg,
with the other leg resting on his knees the other foot? "'I
going through a hard workout, if I stand with both feet
touch the ground, the earth is not able to hold my Glory and
be hard to shake: therefore I stand by the position
like this. Actually (because earthquake), I have to stand in
on one leg day and night, no sitting, no sleep, "said
Jambuka with pride.
(In general, people tend to believe what
said by others; very few want to go through
effort to consider what is said is true or
not). But they said respectfully, "O what amazing!
There are people in this world whose undergoing training as hard
this. We've never seen people practice exercises


this hard. "Many people from the kingdom of Anga and Magadha
moved and excited to hear news about the rigorous training
by Jambuka, came bearing gifts
for him and regularly come to pay homage each
months.
Jambuka Suffered As Long As Fifty Five Years
Jambuka still refuse delicacies offered by the
the people, and still say, "I live only from the air; I
do not eat other foods, if I eat other foods
other than air, it means that I'm ruining my training. "People
constantly pleading with the saying, "Your honor, please
you do not hinder us to obtain services; if
someone like you, who undergo rigorous training, receive
Our offerings of food, may prosperity and
Our happiness grow and last a long time. "
Jambuka not interested in any food, but was forced
by a sincere request from the residents, he was forced to eat
food in the form of butter and brown sugar, which is dedicated
by the residents, take it with the tip of a blade of grass,
to please them. Then he dismissed them,
said, "Go you now: it is sufficient for good
you. "
Thus Jambuka must pay for his crimes toward
Arahanta for fifty-five years in four ways
the following:
(1) He can not wear clothes.
(2) He can not eat anything but dirt.
(3) He must be pulling his hair by using a coconut
shell.
(4) He is sleeping on the ground.
(Conclusion: the harsh words that are based on hatred, will
bring the sad consequences.)