Name: Anonymous 2014-06-17 21:50
Once while staying at Vesaali the Buddha gave a teaching on the foulness of the body, and on the contemplation of the stages of decomposition of a corpse.
These are traditional meditation subjects which help to subdue craving for sensual pleasure. Afterwards he goes into seclusion for two weeks.
On returning from his retreat he notices that there are far fewer bhikkhus present than before, musing that formerly the park seemed ablaze with bhikkhus.
When he asks Ananda about it. Ananda replies that after the Buddhas teaching the bhikkhus became repelled, humiliated, and disgusted with this body and they had committed suicide.
The sutta says that as many as thirty bhikkhus took their lives each day. Ananda, somewhat mildly perhaps, requests that the Buddha give another teaching.
The Buddha calls an assembly of all the bhikkhus in the area and teaches them the mindfulness of breathing meditation.
These are traditional meditation subjects which help to subdue craving for sensual pleasure. Afterwards he goes into seclusion for two weeks.
On returning from his retreat he notices that there are far fewer bhikkhus present than before, musing that formerly the park seemed ablaze with bhikkhus.
When he asks Ananda about it. Ananda replies that after the Buddhas teaching the bhikkhus became repelled, humiliated, and disgusted with this body and they had committed suicide.
The sutta says that as many as thirty bhikkhus took their lives each day. Ananda, somewhat mildly perhaps, requests that the Buddha give another teaching.
The Buddha calls an assembly of all the bhikkhus in the area and teaches them the mindfulness of breathing meditation.