WHO ARE OUR ROLE MODELS? — Bhikkhu Kumarakassapa (foremost with variegated speech, arahant)

Sutta Meditation Series

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

Role models play an important part in all of our lives, whether we seek them out or not. And whether we walk the Buddhist Path or not, they can have the power to shape the direction we take and the ability to influence the decisions that follow on from there. For Buddhist practitioners, the Buddha is our most eminent role model, teacher and the Perfectly Enlightened One. And there are also many noble and great disciples of the Buddha.

In this session we delve into the story of Venerable Kumārakassapa Thera, who was born to a young bhikkhuni. After being brought up under the care of King Pasenadī of Kosala, he took novice ordination at seven years old. Later on, after taking full ordination, he was given a riddle from a non-returner deity from the Pure Abodes and asked the Buddha to explain its meaning and instruction on how to contemplate it (Vammika Sutta, MN 23). He subsequently realised the fruit of arahantship by contemplating it and penetrating the Dhamma.

We will study the Vammika Sutta (MN 23) in an upcoming Dhamma session.

Some of the suttas referred to in this Dhamma talk:

• — Mahākhandhaka (Kd 1)
• — Etadaggavagga (AN 1.217)
• — Vammika Sutta (MN 23)
• — Pāyāsi Sutta (DN 23)
• — Nigrodhamigajātaka (Ja 12)
• — Kumārakassapattheraapadāna (Tha Ap 537)
• — Kumārakassapattheragāthā (Thag 2.41)
• — (Uttara) Pāyāsivimānavatthu (Vv 74 or Vv 6.1)
• — Kumārakassapamātuttherivatthu (Dhp 160)

In learning about such noble beings, we can delight in their lives and accomplishments; recognise the importance of seeing them as worthy role models; and use it as inspiration towards progress on the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. The video of this talk has been published to the Sutta Meditation YouTube channel - https://tinyurl.com/2xj3rj7y

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

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