THE STORY OF PRINCE ABHAYA - Dhammapada Verse 171

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In today's session, we look at Dhammapada Verse 171 we look at the STORY OF PRINCE ABHAYA and his fall from celebrating victory to experiencing shock and distress.  He wisely visits the Buddha for advice and learns about what the Buddha teaches about the world.   This particular story resonates on my levels with what we experiencing in the world today - when something shocking happens while we're attending a concert, sports event, or any kind of gathering, or see it unfold on TV, internet or social media... In this session we look closer into Prince Abhaya's experience, the meaning behind Buddha's words and link it back to what we have already learned from the Buddha.   The Buddha's words from Dhp 171: “Etha passathimaṁ lokaṁ, cittaṁ rājarathūpamaṁ; Yattha bālā visīdanti, natthi saṅgo vijānataṁ.”   “Come, look at this world, which is like an adorned royal carriage. While fools sink down,   There is no clinging for those who understand.”   Other suttas that are mentioned directly or indirectly in this talk:  — Assu Sutta (SN 15.3)  — Samādhi-bhāvanā Sutta (AN 4.41)  — Paṭiccasamuppāda Sutta (SN 12.1)  — Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)  — Āhāra Sutta (AN 12.11)  — Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)  — Khattiya Sutta (AN 6.52)  — Lokapañhā Sutta (SN 35.82)  — Dutiyasaññā Sutta (AN 7.49)  — Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta (SN 56.11)   — Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)  – Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhāna Sutta (AN 5.57)  — Asubha Sutta (AN 4.163)   To read the full chapter Loka Vagga (Dhp 167–178) of the Dhammapada - https://suttacentral.net/dhp167-178/en/sujato The video of this talk has been published to the Sutta Meditation YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt3byZPNUi8 AND on Spotify as a video podcast. Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai