The Story of Thera Nanda (Dhammapada 1 : 13-14)

I. Yamaka Vagga –Twin Verses 

Verse 13:
Just as rain penetrates a badly-roofed house, so also,
passion (raga) penetrates a mind not cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight Development
(Samatha and Vipassana ).

Verse 14:
Just as rain cannot penetrate a well-roofed house, so also,
passion (raga) cannot penetrate a mind well-cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight
Development (Samatha and Vipassana).
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While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verses (13) and (14) of this book, with reference to Thera Nanda, a cousin of the Buddha.

Once the Buddha was residing at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha when his father King Suddhodana repeatedly sent messengers to the Buddha requesting him to visit the city of Kapilavatthu. Accordingly, the Buddha made the journey in the company of twenty thousand arahats. On arrival at Kapilavatthu he related the Vessantara Jataka to the assembly of his relatives. On the second day, he entered the city, where by reciting the verse beginning with "Uttitthe Nappamajjeyya ..." (i.e., One should arise and should not be unmindful ...) he caused his father to be established in Sotapatti Fruition. On arrival at the palace, the Buddha recited another verse beginning with "Dhammam care sucaritam ..." (i.e., One should practise the Dhamma...) and established the king in Sakadagami Fruition*. After the meal he narrated the Candakinnari Jataka, with reference to the virtues of Rahula's mother.

On the third day, there was the marriage ceremony of Prince Nanda, a cousin of the Buddha. The Buddha went there for alms and handed over the alms bowl to Prince Nanda. The Buddha then departed without taking back the bowl. So the prince, holding the bowl, had to follow the Buddha. The bride, Princess Janapadakalyani, seeing the prince following the Buddha rushed forth and cried out to the prince to come back soon. At the monastery, the prince was admitted into the Sangha as a bhikkhu.

Later, the Buddha moved into the monastery built by Anathapindika, at Jeta Park in Savatthi. While residing there Nanda was discontented and half-hearted and found little pleasure in the life of a bhikkhu. He wanted to return to the life of a householder because he kept on remembering the words of Princess Janapadakalyani, imploring him to return soon.

Knowing this, the Buddha, by supernormal power, showed Nanda, the beautiful female devas of the Tavatimsa world who were far prettier than Princess Janapadakalyani. He promised to get them for Nanda, if the latter strove hard in the practice of the Dhamma. Other bhikkhus ridiculed Nanda by saying that he was like a hireling who practised the Dhamma for the sake of beautiful women, etc. Nanda felt very much tormented and ashamed. So, in seclusion, he tried very hard in the practice of the Dhamma and eventually attained arahatship. As an arahat his mind was totally released from all attachments, and the Buddha was also released from his promise to Nanda. All this had been foreseen by the Buddha right from the very beginning.

Other bhikkhus, having known that Nanda was not happy in the life of a bhikkhu, again asked him how he was faring. When he answered that he had no more attachments to the life of a householder, they thought Nanda was not speaking the truth. So they informed the Buddha about the matter, at the same time expressing their doubts. The Buddha then explained to them that, previously, the nature of Nanda was like that of an ill-roofed house, but now, it had grown to be like a well-roofed one.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

"Yathā agāraṃ ducchannaṃ vuṭṭhi samativijjhati

evaṃ abhāvitaṃ cittaṃ rāgo samativijjhati.

Yathā agāraṃ suchannaṃ vuṭṭhi na samativijjhati

evaṃ subhāvitaṃ cittaṃ rāgo na samativijjhati."

Just as rain penetrates a badly-roofed house, so also, passion (raga) penetrates a mind not cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight Development (Samatha and Vipassana meditation).

Just as rain cannot penetrate a well-roofed house, so also, passion (raga) cannot penetrate a mind well-cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight Development (Samatha and Vipassana meditation).

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Notes:

* There are 4 stages of enlightenment :

1. Sotāpanna : literally meaning "one who enters (āpadyate) the stream (sotas)," with the stream being the Noble Eightfold Path regarded as the highest Dharma. The stream enterer will have no more than seven successive rebirths, and possibly in fewer. The stream-enterer can also be sure that he will not be reborn in any of the unhappy states or rebirths (an animal, a preta, or in hell). He can only be reborn as a human being, or in a heaven.
2. Sakadagami : once returner. The once-returner will return to the human world only one more time, and will attain Nibbana in that life.
3. Anāgāmi : non returner. The non-returner does not come back into human existence, or any lower world, after death. Instead, he is reborn in one of the worlds of the Rūpadhātu called the Suddhāvāsa worlds, or "Pure Abodes", where he will attain Nibbana.

4.  Arahat : will not reborn anywhere.