Date: 11/22/2025 11/23/2025
Location: Star River Meditation Center
Teacher: Yunquan Huang
Dharma Talk
The Arahant Whose Habits Were Hard to Break
Thus have I heard:
Habits in men are like a wine jar. Though the wine be poured out, the fragrance yet remains, difficult to remove.
Such was the case of the venerable Arahant Pi-ling-ka-po-tso (Pilindavatsa).
In five hundred past lives, he had been born into noble Brahmin households. Thus there remained within him the pride and arrogance of high caste.
When he met others of lesser birth, he would say:
“What are you to me? For five hundred generations I have been of noble seed. You, who have risen but in these few years, are nothing before me!”
Even after attaining Arahantship, this old habit clung to him still.
One day, Pi-ling-ka-po-tso came to the banks of the Ganges to gaze upon the flowing waters. The deity of the Ganges, seeing an Arahant approach, came forth to pay homage, saying:
“Revered Arahant, rare and holy one, I am deeply honored…”
Before he finished, Pi-ling-ka-po-tso interrupted, saying:
“What is this? You petty servant! Quickly cease your flow, that I may cross!”
Hearing this, the river deity trembled with anger and said:
“You ill-mannered one, wait and see!”
But Pi-ling-ka-po-tso replied:
“Servant! Do you think I fear you?”
In fury, the river deity went to the monastery and spoke to the Blessed One:
“World-honored One, an Arahant has come to the Ganges. Though I received him with reverence, he insulted me as a mere servant, and commanded that I stop my waters for him. This is lawless and beyond all measure!”
The Blessed One listened in silence, and then said gently:
“Be not angry. I shall have him confess his fault and ask your pardon.”
Thus the Blessed One came with the river deity to the bank of the Ganges.
There the Arahant, hearing the Buddha’s instruction, bowed and said:
“Forgive me, servant.”
The deity cried out in wrath:
“Blessed One, behold! He still calls me servant!”
The Blessed One said to the deity:
“River God, be not angered. Pi-ling-ka-po-tso speaks not with intent. This arises from the deep habit of many lives.”
The deity, hearing this, returned to his palace beneath the waters.
Then the Blessed One turned to the Arahant and said:
“Pi-ling-ka-po-tso, though you have attained the fruit of Arhatship, yet your habits of old remain.
Long ago, a Brahmin reviled me five hundred times. He thought I would grow angry, but I was not moved. Then he praised me five hundred times. He thought I would rejoice, but I felt no joy. Thus, finding no response, he departed.
If one truly cuts off afflictions and habits, then in the face of both insult and praise, all is the same. Nothing can disturb the mind.”
Thus the Blessed One, with compassion, instructed Pi-ling-ka-po-tso, hoping that he would abandon the remnants of old habits and become a true Arahant.
