Namo Buddhaya!!! Children’s Dhamma Program Noble Dhamma for Little Hearts

The Story of Kanamata

Yathapi rahado gambhiro - vippasanno anavilo evam dhammani sutvana - vippasidanti pandita

As a deep lake that is clear and still, so too are the wise, having listened to the true Dhamma, they also become serene.

Dear children,

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the supreme Buddha uttered this gatha, with reference to a lady named Kanamata. She was married to a man from another village. As Kanamata had been on a visit to her mother for some time, her husband sent a message for her to come back home. Her mother told her to wait for one more day as she wanted to send along some sweetmeats with her for her daughter’s husband. The next day, they made some sweetmeats, but when four bhikkhus stood at the door for alms, Kanamata offered some to them. The four bhikkhus told other bhikkhus about the sweetmeats from Kanamata's house and they also came to stand at the door of Kanamata, as a devotee of the supreme Buddha and his disciples(Sangha), she offered her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus as they came in, one after another. The result was that in the end there was none of sweetmeats left for Kanamata to be taken with her and she did not go home on that day. The same thing happened on the next two days; her mother made some sweetmeats, the bhikkhus stood at the door, Kanamata offered her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus, there was nothing left for her to take home, and she did not go home. On the third day, for the third time, her husband sent her a message, which was also a warning notice stating that if she failed to come home the next day, he would take another wife instead of her. But on the next day also Kanamata was unable to go home because she offered all her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus. Kanamata's husband then took another wife and Kanamata became very annoyed with the entire bhikkhus. She used to blame all bhikkhus a lot. So that the bhikkhus kept away from the house of Kanamata. The supreme Buddha heard about Kanamata and out of compassion went her house to resolve the problem ; there Kanamata’s mother offered him some rice porridge. After the meal, the supreme Buddha Called for Kanamata and asked her, "Did my bhikkhus take what was given them or what was not given them ?" Kanamata answered that the bhikkhus had taken only what was given them, and then she realized the real fault and said to the supreme Buddha, "They were not in the wrong; only I was in the wrong." Thus, she understood and accepted her fault and she also paid homage to the supreme Buddha. The supreme Buddha then gave a discourse. At the end of the discourse, Kanamata attained Sotapatti Fruition. On the way back to the monastery, the supreme Buddha met the King Pasenadi of Kosala kingdom. By hearing this story about Kanamata and her unpleasant attitude towards the bhikkhus, King Pasenadi asked the supreme Buddha whether he had been able to rectify and teach her the Dhamma in order to support for her betterment. The supreme Buddha replied, "Yes, I have taught her the Dhamma, and I have also made her rich in her next life as well."Then the king promised the supreme Buddha that he would make Kanamata rich even in this life itself. The king then sent his men with a palanquin to fetch Kanamata. When she arrived, the king announced to his ministers, "Whoever can keep this daughter Kanamata in comfort may take her." One of the ministers volunteered to adopt Kanamata as his daughter, gave her a large amount of his wealth, and said to her, "You may give in charity as much as you like." Everyday, Kanamata made offerings to the bhikkhus at the four city gates. When the fame of Kanamata’s generosity spread throughout the area, the supreme Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, the mind of Kanamata which was foggy and muddled was made clear and calm by my words.”

Dear children,

If we take a look at our own life, there are some occasions which are so crucial and need to act wisely rather than being emotional. Especially when we work with the Sangha community(monks) need to pay close attention in order to make no mistakes which maybe leading for unwholesome kamma at the end. Here at this story, Kanamata should have been much intelligent enough to inquire the necessities of the monks who visited for alms and cater accordingly. If any thing unable to offer or unable to do, she should have been informed in advance to look for other ways. She misunderstood her own fault and kept blaming the monks for breaking her marriage life. Luckily supreme Buddha interfered and made her even more luckiest disciple rectifying her faults and putting an end of her dangerous cycle of Samsara as well. This story gives us a great lesson as of how to identify our faults correctly with the help of wise advices. For that we will have to listen to the others especially parents, teachers & other elders and accept their advices to make our lives success. So we will determine to be obedient to the elders that to lead a very meaningful way of life.

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Meditation Center of New Jersey