Wives Enlighten (their) Husbands

Rinpoche first discoursed on 25^th April, 1993
Rinpoche repeated it in the Vajrayana Association (France) in July, 1993
Uploaded to the Website on 24^th October, 2014 (after about twenty-one years)

Introduction

The original scripture is from: 【The Buddha Speaks Miscellaneous Buddhist Sutras】(【佛說雜藏經】)

At the time when Buddha Sakyamuni was living in the world, there was a state named Avanti which was prosperous and the people were strong. Her King was called Udayana and he had twenty thousand wives. The First Lady (the most favourite one) was named ‘Yue Ming’. She was so beautiful that the King loved her very much.

Once when the King was having a grand gathering for entertainment, he asked Yue Ming to dance for him. Wearing beautiful clothing with gold and silver jewellery as ornaments as well as her charming figure, Yue Ming looked extremely pretty when she was dancing. This made the King very happy. The King was good at physiognomy and he found that Yue Ming was not having a good complexion. He then asked her to come in front of him so that he could look at her more carefully. It so happened that his beloved wife was facing a serious disaster and she could only continue to live for half a year. Feeling the bitterness of departing from the loved one, the King showed a sorrow countenance.

Yue Ming saw the King’s suffering expression and asked him for the reasons. Concerning that it was a critical matter that involved death, the King hid the truth and said nothing about it so as not to shock and worry Yue Ming. Under the constant asking from Yue Ming, the King told her the answer. Knowing the truth about her situation, Yue Ming was neither worried nor anxious. On the contrary, she persuaded the King not to be grieved over her by telling him that as a man lived, so should he die. She also asked if the King would rather allow her to become a Buddhist nun to practise Buddhism.

The King felt happy and agreed to let Yue Ming become a nun (this maybe because Yue Ming started to appear phase of dying which made her not as gorgeous as in the past. It was unclear whether the King had lost interest in her. Moreover, he still had many wives other than Yue Ming). In order to enhance her faith of becoming a nun, the King suggested having an oath with her on his own initiative, “When you become a nun, you’ll keep the precepts and cultivate Dhyana (meditation). Even if you’re unable to be enlightened, you can certainly be reborn in the heaven as a deva. Come back to me by the time and I’ll follow you to become a monk.” Yue Ming immediately agreed to his vow.

After becoming a nun and practised Buddhist cultivation for half a year, Yue Ming died. She was born in Rupaloka (the world of Form, a possible rebirth destination for those who are well-practised in Dhyana).  Having learnt about the causes and links as well as oaths in her previous life during her Dhyana in heaven, Yue Ming returned to see the King. However, the King was always among the five desires (the desires of wealth, sex, food and drink, fame and sleep arising from the five senses). He was so busily having amusement with his wives and palace maids that Yue Ming was unable to move and inspire him. She then applied supernatural power to turn herself into a female Rakshasa (a demonic being from Hindu mythology who is regarded as a man-eater) whom possessed a terrible look. She appeared in front of the King and notified him, “Everything that you own now will all be mine as it’s time you’re going to die. I’m afraid no one can save you.”

The King said, “I’ll practise the mind of benevolence and will be reborn in somewhere that’s good after my death. Who are you that have made me so frightened and scared?”

The female Rakshasa answered, “I’m your former wife, Lady Yue Ming. I’m back to make you become a monk to cultivate Buddhism.”

The King said, “You said you’re Yue Ming, how can I believe in you?”

The female Rakshasa immediately turned herself back into Lady Yue Ming. Wearing the same clothing as before, she looked even more beautiful in appearance and complexion than in the past (she appeared the look of a dead person previously).

Seeing Yue Ming (in front of him), the King hastened forward at once to catch her and tried to kiss her. Yue Ming went out of his way and ascended into the sky. She expounded the doctrine to the King instead. She told the King the truth of birth, age (being old), illness and death as well as the noble truth of The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. As a result, the King corrected his misbehaviour and reverted to good deeds. He managed to tame his lustful heart and promised to become a monk.

Having abdicated his throne to the prince the next morning, the King left alone to become a monk and practised Buddhism. A great many other kings took pity on him, but the King responded, “You’re the ones who are really pitiful.”

The King eventually achieved the sainthood of an Arhat (an enlightened man).

Orthodoxy

Among the female Buddhist believers who come to the Shrine to learn Buddhism, some of them are married women while some are young ladies who have boyfriends. Since Rinpoche in our Shrine, who is responsible for the dissemination of Dharma, is a man and there are inevitably other male disciples, husbands/boyfriends of these female believers will naturally feel worried about them. After these wives/girlfriends had been learning in our Shrine for some time, their husbands/boyfriends requested to accompany them to the Shrine. Superficially, they said that they were also interested in learning Buddhism but actually they were trying to find out what was going on, to see whether there were any artifice ingredients (the swindle of property and love) or blind dates between man and woman (if their wives/girlfriends are being liked or pursued) etc.

Although it is definitely not a good genesis to come to the Shrine to learn Buddhism in such a way, most of the husbands/boyfriends that the female followers brought have had a big change in their mind and soul under the influence as well as education of Buddha Dharma and the right principles. They are totally different from the ones with great apprehension when they first came. Some of them who initially had no faith in Buddhism at all start to generate a conviction in Buddhism little by little. Those who have originally possessed a certain foundation in Buddhism become so devoted into Buddhist studies that they even exceed the commitment of their wives/girlfriends. Plenty of them can go so far as to pour all their efforts into the learning of Buddhism and cultivation.

Epilogue

Do not underestimate females who are relatively tenderer in character. When a fateful coincidence comes, their minds become intelligent at the approaching of fortune (good luck). This inspires their wisdom and they will naturally learn Buddhism. It is at a premium that some of them have enlightened their husbands while some others have enlightened their boyfriends. Just as the 14th item in 【The Fourteen Root Fallings of Vajrayana】says, “Do not despise and slander the intelligence of women.”