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08/04/2026

08/04/2026

The Most Significant Meals in the Life of the Buddha

Dr. Ven Varasambodhi Bhikkhu

The meal the Bodhisattva consumed prior to attaining Enlightenment (Sambodhi) was honey-infused milk rice (Madhu-Payasa), offered to him by Sujata. This meal played a supportive role in his attainment of Enlightenment with the substrate of life remaining (Sa-upadisesa Nibbana)—meaning, the realization of Supreme Wisdom while the five aggregates ( ) were still present.
On the other hand, his final meal before his Great Passing ( ) consisted of food containing . This meal facilitated his entry into Enlightenment without any substrate of life remaining ( )—meaning, the cessation of the aggregates free from any clinging.
Both of these offerings hold profound spiritual significance. In the Sutta, the Lord Buddha explicitly describes these two specific acts of generosity as yielding the greatest merit.

The donor of the pre-Enlightenment meal—the honey milk rice—was Sujata, the daughter of a wealthy householder from the village of Senani in Uruvela.

Nature of the Food
The dish was a rich, premium preparation made from high-quality rice cooked in fresh, wholesome cow's milk, sweetened with honey, and infused with aromatic ingredients. It was an exceptionally nutritious and high-quality meal.


This meal proved to be the vital catalyst that restored the ’s ( ) physical strength, which had been severely depleted by years of rigorous asceticism and self-mortification. Having regained his physical health, he embraced the Middle Way ( ) and immersed himself fully in deep meditation, ultimately leading to his realization of Perfect Enlightenment ( ).
According to tradition, before partaking of the meal, he divided the honey milk rice into forty-nine morsels and consumed them.

2) The final meal before the Great Passing consisted of food prepared with Sukaramaddava. The donor was Chunda, the son of a prominent goldsmith in Pava.

Nature of the Food
Scholars hold differing opinions regarding the meaning of the ancient . Some express the view that it refers to tender, specially cooked pork. However, this interpretation is incorrect. Many others believe it refers to a specific type of mushroom or fungus that grows in boar-grazing grounds, which was prepared using a specialized cooking method. This latter interpretation is the correct one.


This was the final meal of the before his . After consuming it, he became gravely ill and suffered from dysentery. Despite his condition, the Tathagata Buddha gave explicit instructions to his chief attendant, the Venerable Ananda Thera, ensuring that Chunda should not be blamed in any way.
On the contrary, the stated that the merit of the food offered before Enlightenment and the food offered before the are equally magnificent. Both acts of generosity bring immeasurable merit to the donors. This is because one meal laid the foundation for ( ), while the other paved the way for the Tathagata's final .
Thus, the honey milk rice offered by Sujata (the daughter of the village chief) and the food containing offered by Chunda (the goldsmith’s son) are counted as the two most meritorious offerings in Buddhist history. The Lord Buddha himself highly praised both acts of giving as yielding equal and extraordinary spiritual fruits.

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08/04/2026

, , and the of

Dr. Ven Varasambodhi Bhikkhu

During the British colonial era, when the study of Indian history, language, and ancient texts began moving away from mythology toward modern historical methods, archaeology, epigraphy, and scientific inquiry, it was the Brahmins who feared the greatest upheaval. This was because the arrival of the British and their rigorous research threatened to lift the veil on centuries of myths, fabrications, and falsehoods. Consequently, Brahmins and certain intellectuals within Indian society shifted their tactics, shrewdly attempting to reinterpret their respective traditions.

Among them was Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824–1883), a prominent Brahmanical leader from Gujarat. He authored the book Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth) and founded the Arya Samaj in 1875. In various instances, he claimed that many branches of science and advanced knowledge systems had already been known to the ancient Vedic seers.
Certain sections of his text even suggest that ancient sages possessed weaponry and knowledge of such caliber that modern people must view them as extraordinary. Among these are accounts of the (serpent-noose), weapons capable of extinguishing fire, and methods to mesmerize or induce sleep in adversaries.

While some view these descriptions as symbolic, philosophical, or mythological, many others attempt to present them as actual, historical science.

This raises a crucial question:
Can every narrative, weapon, or power described in ancient texts be acknowledged as a direct ancestor of modern science? Or should we draw a clear, definitive line between history, mythology, philosophy, and science?

Even today, claims are incessantly made that many discoveries of modern science were already present in the Vedas or other ancient texts. Similarly, after every new scientific discovery, Muslim clerics routinely claim that it was already foretold in the Quran, and that scientists only achieved it by studying the holy book. Conversely, many historians and scientists believe that such interpretations stem from a volatile mix of cultural pride and historical inferiority complexes.
If a society constantly looks to its past to claim every new invention, the very drive to innovate and discover in the present could be destroyed.
The purpose of history is not merely a quest for glory, but a pursuit of truth.

Our ancient texts represent a magnificent heritage of philosophy, literature, mathematics, grammar, and critical thought. However, the development of modern science is fundamentally rooted in experimentation, empirical observation, evidence, and reproducibility.

If we respect the past while simultaneously embracing a scientific temper, we will not only take pride in our glorious history but also build a better future.

After all, a civilization does not achieve greatness merely by proclaiming, "We already had everything."

A civilization truly becomes great only when it possesses the capacity to generate new knowledge.

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08/04/2026

The Mahākassapatthera Bojjhaṅga: An Account

Dr. Ven Varasambodhi Bhikkhu

The Mahākassapatthera Bojjhaṅga Sutta is a highly renowned discourse found in the Bojjhaṅga Saṃyutta* of the Saṃyutta Nikāya within the Pali Tipitaka. Two other similar discourses, namely the Mahāmoggallānatthera Bojjhaṅga Sutta* and the Cundatthera Bojjhaṅga Sutta, are also found there. These three suttas do not merely speak of curing diseases; rather, they demonstrate how the recollection of the Dhamma and the seven factors of awakening can calm both the mind and the body.

When and Where Did the Event Take Place?
This event occurred at a time when the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera was residing at the Pipphali Cave near Mount Vebhara in . During this period, he fell gravely ill. His body grew weak, his physical pain intensified, and he was confined to rest.
When the Blessed One, the Tathāgata, became aware of this news, he was moved by deep compassion and went to visit him in person. Upon arriving, the Tathāgata Buddha recited the Bojjhaṅga Sutta to the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera.

The Tathāgata Buddha knew that the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera was no ordinary monk. He was a highly advanced meditator, a practitioner of the dhutaṅga (austere practices), detached, and a wise disciple.

The Tathāgata also knew that Mahākassapa's consciousness was fully capable of absorbing the Seven Factors of Awakening ( ). Therefore, instead of conventional medicine, he administered the medicine of the Dhamma ( ).

The Tathāgata Buddha inquired, "Kacci te, Kassapa, khamanīyaṃ? Kacci yāpanīyaṃ?"
Meaning: "O Kassapa! How are you?
Are you able to bear and endure this pain?"
The Venerable Mahākassapa Thera replied, Bhante! The pain is felt very acutely."
The Tathāgata Buddha then said that a practitioner who develops and cultivates the Seven Factors of Awakening is able to purify the mind and pacify all defilements.
The Tathāgata Buddha then described the Seven Factors of Awakening, listing them sequentially as follows:
1. – Mindfulness or awareness.
2. -vicaya – Wise investigation of the Dhamma.
3. – Persistent effort or energy.
4. – Unalloyed joy or rapture.
5. – Physical and mental tranquility.
6. – Concentration or one-pointedness of mind.
7. – .
The Tathāgata Buddha stated that the development of these factors leads to . But what benefit did the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera derive from this?
As the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera listened to this discourse, firm mindfulness was awakened in his mind regarding the nature of suffering and the Dhamma.
The sutta notes that his illness subsided, his pain was alleviated, his body felt light, and he recovered rapidly.
There was no miracle or magic involved here.

It was solely the result of deep mental concentration amidst pain, through which the physical suffering was relieved.
In the Buddhist tradition, this is known as Dhammānubhāva—the power of recollecting the Dhamma.
Who else was present at that time? The Pali texts explicitly mention two primary figures: the expounder of the sutta, the Tathāgata Buddha, and the listener, the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera.
Some Commentarial (Atthakathā) traditions suggest that a few other monks might have been present, but they are not mentioned in the original Tipitaka. Their mention is absent from the canonical texts.
This discourse is found under the title Bojjhaṅga Sutta in the section of the *Bojjhaṅga Saṃyutta* in the .
Though it is very brief in Pali, its significance is profoundly deep.

Today, this sutta is chanted with great reverence in Buddhist monasteries across Theravada Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, India, and Bangladesh. It is referred to as the Arogya Paritta (The Protection for Healing).

However, it is worth remembering that when the Venerable Cunda chanted this sutta for the Buddha, the Buddha was deeply absorbed in meditation on the Seven Factors of Awakening. Similarly, when the Tathāgata Buddha chanted this discourse for the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna Thera and the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera, they too were immersed in meditation on the Seven Factors of Awakening. It was through this that they were able to alleviate their physical pain, as they were actively practicing the recollection of the Dhamma. For this reason, this sutta is called (the medicine of Dhamma).
In contrast, among many of us who chant or listen to it today, there is often a lack of understanding of its full meaning, an absence of meditative absorption while listening mindfully, and a lack of deep mental connection with the discourse. Consequently, people are often deprived of the desired benefits described in the text.
Nonetheless, chanting and listening with devotion can temporarily calm the mind, which is conducive to health.

When Should It Be Chanted?
It is generally chanted when someone is suffering from an illness or is bedridden in a hospital. For their well-being and to bring mental peace during prolonged illnesses, monks or virtuous lay devotees ( and ) can chant it, and listening to it brings great benefit.

Benefits of the Mahākassapatthera Bojjhaṅga Sutta

The spiritual benefit of this discourse lies in its teaching that illness does not occur in the body alone; restlessness of the mind is also a disease. When a practitioner mindfully recollects the Seven Factors of Awakening, the mind becomes pure, fear vanishes, and defilements are pacified. That inner peace, in turn, exerts a favorable influence on the physical body.

Its Special Significance in the Life of Venerable Mahākassapa Thera

Thera was the foremost disciple in the practice of (austere virtues). His life was a perfect model of rigorous asceticism, detachment, and deep meditative absorption. The fact that the Tathāgata Buddha went to him personally to recite this sutta demonstrates how highly the Buddha valued him. This event serves as a sublime example of the unique teacher-disciple relationship between the Tathāgata Buddha and the Venerable Mahākassapa Thera. It clarifies that the Dhamma is not merely something to be heard, but is a therapeutic remedy for healing. Mindfulness is not just a method of meditation, but the medicine for liberation; and the words of the Tathāgata Buddha are not mere clusters of words, but the power of awakening itself. For this reason, the Thera Sutta is revered to this day in the Buddhist world as a great (protective chant) for devotion, healing, and awakening.

May all be well. May all attain good health.
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08/04/2026

The Deceptive Impostor Ascetic

Dr. Ven Varasambodhi Bhikkhu

At present, the number of disguised ascetics and holy men is seen to be far greater in all societies than that of genuine sages. Because they are impostors, their demeanor, posture, and way of speaking for public display are so attractive that they outshine true holiness. Ordinary people, drawn to their external attire and appearance, often end up being deceived. However, the presence of such artificial ascetics is not unique to the present; it existed to a greater or lesser extent in the past as well. Today, I will present the story of one such heinous ascetic for everyone's awareness.

In the city of Sravasti, a son was born in the house of a wealthy merchant ( ). His habits were very strange and highly peculiar. Instead of a bed, he would sleep on the ground, and instead of ordinary, standard food items, he would eat foul-smelling f***s. Due to this bizarre behavior, his parents sent him to the community of naked ascetics, known as the Ajivika ascetic community.
Because of this strange behavior, he was named 'Jambuka.' People began to address him as ' .'

Jambuka would secretly gorge himself on f***s under the cover of the night's darkness, and during the day, he would stand at the crossroads on one leg with his mouth wide open. When people asked him the reason for standing this way, he would say that if he kept both feet on the ground, the burden on the earth would increase. Therefore, to lighten the earth's burden, he leaned only on one leg. To the question of why he kept his mouth open, he would reply that air was his food. He kept his mouth wide open so that air could enter to keep him alive.
When people offered him anything to eat, he would not take it. If someone insisted repeatedly, he would take a tiny amount on the tip of a blade of kusha grass, place it in his mouth, and say that doing so would bring them great spiritual merit. In this manner, Jambuka spent 55 years naked, consuming f***s.

One day, the Great Compassionate Buddha, the , perceived through his inner vision that Jambuka Ajivika possessed the potential to attain . When the Master arrived there, various deities came to praise the Tathagata during different watches of the night. With their arrival, the entire forest was illuminated with divine light.
When Jambuka saw such light, he was deeply impressed by the Buddha. He also began to praise the Buddha, saying:

"O Great Man! You are surely great, for I have seen many gods and goddesses praising you. I have been engaged in austerities for 55 years, but no god or goddess has ever come to me until now."
Then, Shakyamuni Buddha reprimanded Jambuka, saying:

"Jambuka! You can deceive ordinary people, but it is not possible for you to deceive me. I know everything you have done for the past 55 years. Previously, during the time of Kassapa Buddha, you did not allow a monk to accept food from a devotee's house. You disdained and belittled that monk's food, throwing it to the ground. Therefore, as atonement for the sin of that offense, you have to spend your life today eating foul-smelling f***s."
Upon hearing all this, Jambuka was filled with remorse for his mistake and threw himself down, bowing his head at the holy feet of Shakyamuni Buddha. Seeking refuge in the Buddha, he became a monk.
In this context,
Sugata began to say:
Māse māse kusaggena, bālo bhuñjetha bhojanaṃ,
Na so saṅkhatadhammānaṃ, kalaṃ agghati soḷasiṃ.”ti.

( - 70)
That is to say, even if a fool performs austerities and eats only once a month with the tip of a blade of kusha grass, he still does not fulfill even one-sixteenth part of the Dhamma achieved by a person who truly understands the Dhamma.
The Buddha further continued—Yāvatā bhikkhave! Dhammā saṅkhatā vā asaṅkhatā vā, virāgo tesaṃ dhammānaṃ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṃ madanimmadano pipāsa-vinayo ālayasamugghāto-vaṭṭupacchedo taṇhakkhayo virāgo nirodho ‘nibbānaṃ.

Meaning:
"O Monks! As far as conditioned phenomena (Sankhata Dhamma) and unconditioned phenomena (Asankhata Dhamma) extend, detachment (Viraga / Nirvana) is called the foremost among them. It is that which crushes intoxication, dispels thirst (craving), uproots attachment, cuts off the cycle of existence, and this indeed is the destruction of craving, detachment, cessation, and Nirvana."
Those who don an ascetic garb for external display without practicing true Dhamma are the great thieves, great swindlers, and arch-impostors of society. Capitalizing on the religious faith of ordinary, god-fearing people, they cause immense harm to themselves and others. They make all kinds of absurd claims, such as having attained what is unattained, or having become detached by transcending attachment. Their outward appearance looks one way, but their inner self is deeply foul-smelling. They roam around us with great arrogance. That is why it is said—"All that glitters is not gold."

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08/04/2026

The Refutation of the Almighty God in Traitavada

Dr. Ven Varasambodhi Bhikkhu

Traitavada (specifically as formulated within the Arya Samaj or certain traditions of Samkhya philosophy) is a doctrine that posits three independent, eternal entities at the foundational root of the cosmos: God ( ), Soul ( ), and Nature ( ).
Just as logic can be used to prove the existence of God, it can equally be employed to refute it. Let us examine how the framework of Buddhist Dhamma systematically deconstructs the concept of God within Traitavada.

The Principle of Dependent Origination vs. A Creator
According to Buddhist Dhamma, every event or object that arises in this world depends entirely on specific causes and conditions. This foundational principle is known as Paticca-samuppada or Dependent Origination
In the words of the world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955), this cosmic law aligns closely with the Theory of Relativity
Buddhism asserts that the universe is beginningless—an unbroken, continuous chain of cause and effect. Because the system is self-sustaining, no external force or divine Creator is required to fashion it.

Traitavada regards God as eternal and immutable. Conversely, Buddhist philosophy holds that everything arising in this universe is dynamic, shifting, and impermanent (Anicca). If God performs actions or wills the creation of the universe, it implies that a sequence of change occurs within Him as well. Any entity that undergoes internal change or active modification can never be deemed truly eternal.

Acharya Santaraksh*ta’s Critique
Acharya Santaraksh*ta (725–788 CE), a celebrated scholar of Nalanda Mahavihara, authored the seminal text Tattvasangraha (which includes the Ishvara-Pariksha or Examination of God). In this treatise, he presents a rigorous logical critique of God's capacity for cosmic creation, stating:
"Naikaṃ janayati vyaktaṃ vikalāt kāraṇāt kvacit."

(An isolated, changeless cause can never give rise to a diverse, multifaceted, and changing universe.)

If God is eternal and His creative capacity is likewise eternal, then all things in the universe should have manifested simultaneously. Why, then, do natural effects occur sequentially—one after another?

If theists argue that God must wait for auxiliary factors—such as the karma of living beings or the progression of time—then God ceases to be independent. He becomes dependent on external variables, a fact that effectively invalidates His absolute divinity.

The Helplessness of God
Traitavadin philosophers attempt to counter this by asserting that God intentionally waits for the karma of living beings, the right timing, and the material elements of nature, which is why creation unfolds gradually.

To this, Acharya Santaraksh*ta responds: if God must conform to the prerequisites of material nature or the moral ledger of living beings, He can no longer be defined as "independent" or "omnipotent." He becomes subordinate to karma and time. How can an entity that relies on external dependencies truly be God?

The great poet and eminent Buddhist philosopher Acharya Ashvaghosa (80–150 CE) also directly refuted theism in his classic masterpiece, the

The Logic of Cause and Effect
If God is the ultimate cause of the universe, is that cause eternal (changeless) or impermanent? If God is eternal and unyielding, why is His effect—this universe—impermanent, constantly changing, and subject to destruction? It is a logical impossibility for an entirely immutable cause to produce a mutable effect. Furthermore, if God must alter His intent or will to initiate creation, He proves Himself to be impermanent and subject to change.

If God was initially quiescent and then suddenly developed a desire to create the cosmos, it means a psychological transition occurred within Him. Whatever undergoes transition cannot be eternal. Conversely, if His desire to create was eternal, the universe should have always co-existed with Him, possessing neither a beginning nor an end.
The core argument of the Sautrantika and ( ) masters is that an eternal object cannot perform any dynamic action. If God is entirely static and eternal, He cannot undertake the act of creation, because performing an action fundamentally requires movement, intent, or modification within the cause. An entity that never changes can produce absolutely nothing. Therefore, an immutable, eternal Creator God is a logical fiction.

The of ( )

The Principle:
No object in the physical universe exists as an indivisible, seamless whole. Rather, everything is a collection or an aggregate (sanghata) of minor interconnected components.

The Refutation of God:
Positing God as an indivisible, omnipresent entity collapses under this principle. The universe is characterized by vast fragmentation and diversity. A singular, partless God cannot be the uniform cause of such diverse and scattered phenomena. The cosmos functions through the momentary aggregate of physical atoms and consciousness, not through divine orchestration.

Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka Perspective
Acharya Nagarjuna (150–250 CE), the founder of the Madhyamaka (Shunyavada) school, is revered for presenting one of the most profound streams of Buddhist philosophy. In his view, Dependent Origination is synonymous with
Shunyata (Emptiness of intrinsic existence).
While the God of Traitavada is assumed to be an independent, primary cause of all things, Nagarjuna argues in his text, the
Mulamadhyamaka-karika that an absolute, self-existent, independent entity is logically impossible. If God depends on the karma of souls or the raw materials of nature to create, He is devoid of self-existence (Shunya) and bound by dependency. Conversely, if He is entirely independent of them, He remains completely alienated from the universe, rendering any relationship between Him and creation impossible to establish. Therefore, from a rigorous logical standpoint, the concept of "God" is merely a prapancha—a conceptual fiction or a mental smoke screen.

The Test of Functional Efficiency
The concept of God is equally dismantled by the doctrine of Functional Efficiency (Arthakriya-samartha) formulated by the great Buddhist logicians Acharya Dinnaga (480–540 CE) and Acharya Dharmakirti (600–670 CE).

The Principle:
An entity is considered real only if it is capable of performing a practical, purposeful action (sattvam arthakriyā-kāritvam). Any object that produces no causal effect or practical outcome is purely imaginary, like a "flower blooming in the sky."

The Refutation of God:
Buddhist logicians pose a simple question: Can God be directly observed performing any such purposeful function in the world today? No; everything operates through the mechanical chain of cause and effect. Since no direct, verifiable, practical efficacy of God can be established, He remains merely a word or a conceptual fabrication, devoid of reality.

The Contradiction of Omnipotence
According to Traitavada, God, the Soul, and Nature are three co-eternal, independent, and distinct entities. If so, how can God be hailed as "omnipotent"?

Dependency directly demolishes omnipotence. The most fundamental argument raised by Buddhist masters is that absolute independence and total omnipotence cannot coexist with external independent realities. If Nature and the Soul exist independently of God, then God becomes dependent on Nature (as raw material) and the Soul's karma (as a condition) to carry out creation.

Just as a potter can only fashion a clay pot if he has access to clay—and is rendered helpless without it—similarly, if Nature is distinct from God, a Nature-less God is powerless to create. How can an entity that must rely on external factors be considered "all-powerful"?

Furthermore, if Nature has been an independent, insentient entity since beginningless time, how does a sentient God exert control over it? If two entirely opposite elements (sentient consciousness and insentient matter) are completely independent of one another, God cannot initiate movement or modification within Nature. If He could, Nature would cease to be independent and would become subordinate to God—directly contradicting the core premise of Traitavada.

Finally, if two other eternal entities called Soul and Nature coexist alongside God, God's pervasiveness becomes limited. Where a soul exists or where material nature exists, God's exclusive essence is bounded. Any entity limited in terms of space, substance, or capability by other realities cannot belong to the category of the "Infinite" or the "Omnipotent.

Viewed through the lens of Buddhist (Dependent Origination), the Traitavada claim that "all three entities are completely independent, yet God is omnipotent" reveals itself as a profound, irreconcilable contradiction.

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