Date: 05/31/2025 06/01/2025
Location: Star River Meditation Center
Teacher: Yunquan Huang
Dharma Talk
Śakra’s Realization of the First Fruit
Once, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Magadha, residing at the Indraśāla Cave on Mount Vediyaka, which lay to the east of Rājagṛha and north of Ambaḷa village.
On that day, Śakra, the Lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, thought of the Buddha.
Realizing that the Buddha was residing in the Indraśāla Cave, he gathered a host of gods from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and went together to see the Buddha.
As this host of celestial beings arrived at Mount Vediyaka, the mountain emitted an extraordinary radiance due to the gathering of devas.
The villagers nearby, not knowing the reason, thought it was a mountain fire and became greatly frightened.
Śakra, afraid of disturbing the Buddha’s serene abiding, dared not approach the cave directly,
so he first dispatched his divine musician, Pañcaśikha, to go ahead and make an announcement.
Pañcaśikha came to the outside of the cave and sang a love song,
within which he included praise of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha,
seeking to please the Buddha and, at the same time, to announce their arrival.
The Buddha, knowing Pañcaśikha’s intent, expressed his willingness to receive Śakra and the assembly of devas.
Thus, Śakra and the devas entered the cave one by one,
each of them greeting and paying homage to the Buddha.
After some words of polite remembrance regarding past offerings by other devas,
the Buddha shifted the topic and invited Śakra to ask about the doubts in his heart.
Śakra asked:
“What is the cause by which beings—whether gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas, rākṣasas, or others—
though wishing in their hearts to live in harmony and peace, without enmity, hatred, or violence,
and to live without anger, are nonetheless unable to do so?”
The Buddha said:
“Yes, Śakra, it is because of beings’ greed, jealousy, and miserliness.”
“Indeed, World-Honored One! Indeed, Well-Gone One! Indeed, Great Sage!
What you have said is truly correct. Your answer has dispelled my former doubt.
But what causes beings to become jealous and miserly? How may jealousy and miserliness be removed?”
“Śakra! Jealousy and miserliness arise from attachment and aversion; they are rooted in attachment and aversion.
When attachment and aversion exist, there is jealousy and miserliness; when attachment and aversion cease, then jealousy and miserliness also cease.”
“Truly it is so, World-Honored One! But how do attachment and aversion arise in beings? What is their root?
How can they be extinguished?”
“Śakra! Attachment and aversion arise from desire, and are rooted in desire.
When desire exists, attachment and aversion arise; when desire ceases, attachment and aversion cease.”
“Truly it is so, World-Honored One! But how does desire arise in beings? What is its origin?
How can it be brought to cessation?”
“Śakra! Desire comes from recollection and longing, and is rooted in recollection and longing.
When there is recollection and longing, desire arises; when recollection and longing cease, desire ceases.”
“Truly it is so, World-Honored One! But how do recollection and longing arise in beings? What is their root?
How can they be extinguished?”
“Śakra! Recollection and longing arise due to deluded and inverted thoughts, and are rooted in deluded and inverted thoughts.
When beings indulge in wild, deluded thoughts, then recollection and longing arise;
when they no longer give rise to such deluded thoughts, recollection and longing cease.
Therefore, when there is no deluded thinking, there is no recollection and longing;
when there is no recollection and longing, there is no desire;
when there is no desire, there is no attachment and aversion;
when there is no attachment and aversion, there is no jealousy and miserliness;
and when there is no jealousy and miserliness, then all beings will no longer harm one another.”
Then Śakra further asked:
“What method should be used to extinguish the deluded and inverted thoughts of beings?”
The Buddha instructed:
“One should maintain clarity and composure with regard to one’s pleasure, sorrow, and equanimity;
be mindful of one’s thoughts, speech, conduct, and needs;
stay far from what leads to unwholesome results,
and do more of what nurtures wholesome Dharma.
When the six sense faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—engage with their respective objects,
one must also observe the restraint of the faculties,
clearly knowing what should be avoided and what should be cultivated.”
Through this discourse, Śakra resolved his inner doubts and was no longer confused or hesitant.
He spoke from deep feeling and said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Indeed, craving is the great disease of sentient beings—
like a deadly tumor, like an arrow, like a thorn, bringing beings pain and distress.
Craving draws beings to be reborn and produces a variety of karmic results.
World-Honored One! These doubts of mine—
I once asked many other ascetics, renunciants, and brāhmaṇas,
but none gave a satisfactory answer.
Only after hearing the teaching of the World-Honored One have I come to full understanding.
This doubt has troubled me for a long time—
like an arrow embedded in my body, causing me constant unrest.
Today, the World-Honored One has pulled out the arrow of doubt for me.”
Then Śakra explained the origin of his perplexity.
It turned out that the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three had long awaited the Buddha’s appearance in the world,
but as they could not find him, they again indulged themselves in enjoyment and pleasures.
Until one day, a deva of great power and merit suddenly passed away,
which deeply shocked Śakra.
Realizing that one day he himself would face such an end, he was seized with dread,
and became sorrowful over his own life of indulgence in the five sensual pleasures.
Hence, whenever he saw a meditator seated in a quiet place,
he would think it might be the Buddha, and would approach to inquire.
Only upon finally encountering Śākyamuni Buddha did he find resolution—thus his great joy.
The Buddha asked:
“Śakra! Have you ever felt such joy before?”
Śakra replied:
“World-Honored One! Once, when I led the gods of the Thirty-Three in defeating the asuras,
with great victory and triumph, I did experience joy like this.
But that joy was gained through weapons and force,
and was mixed with much resentment, conflict, hatred, and jealousy.
Today’s joy is not like that at all—
it is pure and free from those defilements,
and it enables me to penetrate the path to awakening and move toward liberation and nirvāṇa.”
Finally, in front of the Buddha, Śakra said:
“Today, I have attained the first fruit of the path (sotāpatti).
I vow to attain the second fruit—once-returning (sakadāgāmi).”And among the assembly of devas accompanying Śakra,
many also, like Śakra, removed dust and defilements from their minds,
attained the purity of the Dharma eye,
and realized entry into the first fruit.
