Miracles Of God

The Flower Sermon Revisited : A Different Perspective

The Flower Sermon Revisited : A Different Perspective

Toward the end of his life, the Buddha took his disciples to a quiet pond for instruction. As they had done so many times before, the Buddha’s followers sat in a small circle around him, and waited for the teaching.

But this time the Buddha had no words. He reached into the muck and pulled up a lotus flower. And he held it silently before them, its roots dripping mud and water.

The disciples were greatly confused. Buddha quietly displayed the lotus to each of them. In turn, the disciples did their best to expound upon the meaning of the flower: what it symbollized, and how it fit into the body of Buddha’s teaching.

When at last the Buddha came to his follower Mahakasyapa, the disciple suddenly understood. He smiled and began to laugh. Buddha handed the lotus to Mahakasyapa and began to speak.

“What can be said I have said to you,” smiled the Buddha, “and what cannot be said, I have given to Mahakashyapa.”

Mahakashyapa became Buddha’s successor from that day forward.

The above short story is famously known as the flower sermon . It is believed that Buddha transmitted direct knowledge to Maha Kasyapa without any words in this particular incidence . What was that which transmitted between the two ?  and whether  Knowledge/Enlightenment etc. can be transmitted in such a manner are the two questions which are  debated  among the so called scholars for the last millennium or so since this story was 1^st published sometime between the 10^th  and the 13^th century .

I am not a follower of Buddhism nor an expert of any kind but yet I couldn’t resist my self from putting my thoughts on paper about the same. I know it is not wise to comment on something which I do not know much about ! but what the heck , may be even fools like me may have something interesting to contribute ………

I would analyse the above story in 2 ways .  Of course there are many other ways possible. But I would love see some from you all .

Part -1 The Simple Analysis ( for us  the mango people )

It could be an example from everyday life , which many may have come across .

We can divide the followers into 3 groups –

1.      First is those who want to interpret every action/word/deed of the person they follow as some sort of mysterious sermon or directive. They are fanatic believers & may go to any length to prove that what they believe or their interpretation of their master’s action/word/deed is the only right interpretation .They are blinded by their faith ,they do not have individual analytical thought process & resent those who may have it. Such people in the end, end up doing only harm to themselves , to others in their vicinity & to the society in general .

2.      Second is those who follow a person just because he is popular and although they may not agree with some of his actions/words/deeds , they do not have the courage to oppose as they are afraid of the backlash they may have to face from the fanatics .

3.      The third are rare, actually the rarest of rare ,they are not even a group ! they are individuals  like Maha Kasyapa who do not read every action/word/deed of their master as some mysterious sermon or directive of some kind . They do not try to find some deep meaning into even smallest of the actions of their masters. They just live in the moment. They do not cling to the past nor hope about the future. They are here and now with their master and that’s all that matters.The only thing they know is this moment with their master.The past is already gone and nothing can be done about it & to think about the future is only a worry ! so just live in the now.

This is the sole reason why Maha Kasyapa Smiled , because he understood that what was a plain gesture by the Buddha the other disciples  were busy trying to give a deeper meaning to it . Buddha hence made him one the chief torch bearer of his teachings.

The Complex Analysis Part -2 (for the Scholarly unlike us )

1.      If the flower represents  knowledge. To gain it, Buddha demonstrated that one will have to step into the pond filled with muck and dirt (the muck and dirt represents the suffering , the very thing one tries to avoid ) just like Buddha did to pick it up .

2.      There is no other way .

3.      Even if Buddha tries to hand over this flower/knowledge to others (which he does to Maha Kasyapa ) to save them the trouble it will wither away as it will not survive the toll of time.

4.      Whether the flower was plucked or it  was left to remain in the pond , it will wither away with time anyway .

5.      Buddha picked just one lotus from the pond but the pond was filled with lotuses. Which means there is no bounds to knowledge.

6.      Also ponder how many such lotus ponds would be there in this world ?

7.      So it is better to pluck one’s own flower only if just to experience the freshness of it than to take a flower from someone else. You miss that experience of doing it yourself if nothing else. That self experience is important for each individual .

8.      So if Knowledge is not important than what is ? The experience in gaining through one’s own effort. One should not deny one’s self this chance of learning and experiencing through ones own self .

9.      This is the Truth and this is what Buddha demonstrated in action during the famous flower sermon .This was not told directly to all in words as not all were in a very well developed state of digesting and understanding this Truth . Only Maha Kasyapa was. 

Hence Buddha later smiled and said “What can be said I have said to you,” “and what cannot be said, I have given to Mahakashyapa.” 

I know that some may not agree with my view or may be none would . But will it matter ? because what I have written is now past ( just an echo ) .Future is yet to happen .What is present then ? For each of us this present moment is different. Who Knows ?