chance would he have to come and listen to Dhamma? Even while
alive he wasn’t interested. Only the living can hear Dhamma –
if they have the interest and desire. But it’s obvious that they’re
not really interested. Haven’t you noticed them? When have they
ever shown an interest when the monks chant Dhamma verses?
Because they show no interest, it’s obvious that the sãsana is not
truly embedded in their hearts. The things that they’re most infat-
uated with are sordid and disliked even by some animals. These are
just the kinds of things that immoral people have always enjoyed
more than anything else; and they never ever grow tired of them.
Even when they are near death they still hanker after such things.
We devas know much more about humans than humans know
about devas. You, venerable sir, are a very special monk. You are
quite familiar with humans, devas, creatures of hell, and beings of
all sorts. That is why devas everywhere pay homage to you.”
When the deva had finished speaking, Ãcariya Mun asked
him for clarification: “Devas possess divine sight and divine hear-
ing, enabling them to see and hear over great distances. They
know about the good and bad of human affairs better than do
humans themselves. Couldn’t you find a way to make humans
more aware of right and wrong? I feel that you are more capable
of it than we human teachers are. Is there any way you could do
this?”
The deva replied:
“We devas have seen many humans, but we have never seen
one as impeccable as you, sir. You have always extended loving
kindness to devas and humans alike while acquainting them
simultaneously with the great variety of beings in existence, from
the grossest to the most refined. You have tried to teach them to
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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