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Verse 170: The Story of Five Hundred Bhikkhus

The Story of Five Hundred Bhikkhus

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (170) of this book,
with reference to five hundred Bhikkhus.

On one occasion, five hundred Bhikkhus, after taking a subject of meditation from the
Buddha, went into the forest to practice meditation. But they made very little progress; so
they returned to the Buddha to ask for a more suitable subject of meditation. On their way
to the Buddha, seeing a mirage they meditated on it. As soon as they entered the compound
of the monastery, a storm broke out & as big drops of rain fell, bubbles were formed on the
ground and soon disappeared. Seeing those bubbles, the Bhikkhus reflected "This body of
ours is perishable like the bubbles", and perceived the impermanent nature of the all the 5
clusters of clinging (khandhas).

The Buddha saw them from his perfumed chamber and sent forth his radiance and appeared
in their vision.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 170: If a man looks at the world in the same way as one looks at a
bubble or a mirage, even the King of Death cannot find him.

At the end of the discourse those five hundred Bhikkhus attained Arahatship.

Translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A.,
Burma Pitaka Association, Rangoon, Burma 1986.