The Stream of Blood

Monks, this Cycle of Rebirth is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not identifiable of beings roaming and wandering on, hindered by ignorance (unknowing of true reality) and fettered by craving. What do you think, Monks, which is more: the stream of blood that you have shed when you were beheaded as you roamed and wandered on through this long course — this or the water in the four great oceans?

‘As we understand The Teachings taught by The Perfectly Enlightened One, Venerable Sir, the stream of blood that we have shed when our heads were cut of as we roamed and wandered on through this long course — this alone is more than the water in the four great oceans.’

Good, good, Monks! It is good that you understand The Teachings taught by me in such a way. The stream of blood that you have shed as you roamed and wandered on through this long course — this alone is more than the water in the four great oceans.

For a long time, Monks, you have been cows, and when as cows you were beheaded, the stream of blood that you shed is greater than the waters in the four great oceans.

For a long time you have been buffalo, sheep, goats, deer, chickens, and pigs, you were beheaded, the stream of blood that you shed is greater than the waters in the four great oceans.

For a long time you have been arrested as burglars, highwaymen, and adulterers, and when you were beheaded, the stream of blood that you shed is greater than the water in the four great oceans.

For what reason?

Because, Monks, this Cycle of Rebirth is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not identifiable of beings roaming and wandering on, hindered by ignorance (unknowing of true reality) and fettered by craving. For such a long time, Monks, you have experienced discontentedness, misery, and disaster, and swelled the cemetery.

It is enough to experience fading away of strong feelings towards all conditions, enough to become free from strong feelings towards them, enough to be liberated from them.

(Reference: SN 15.13)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how the blood we have shed in our past lives is equal to more water than in all of the seas.

We have lived so many past existences and experienced such great misery and despair in those existences, that The Buddha explains that the blood we have shed amounts to more volume than all of the water in all of the seas.

As a being is hindered by its own ignorance (unknowing of true reality) and fettered by craving, we continue to roam and wander throughout The Cycle of Rebirth continuing to experience existence and discontentedness in each existence.

The Buddha explains how we have been countless animal existences in the past and have died in those existences. He explains that we have been “arrested as burglars, highwaymen, and adulterers” throughout our past existences.

Again, this can help one to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion for beings who may be involved in these activities now. While in this existence you may have chosen to not do these things based on wisdom you have acquired, other beings have not been so fortunate.

Rather than looking down on others for their lack of wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline, we can practice loving-kindness and compassion towards “all beings” realizing that each individual being has been our mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, or some other relative in a past life.

Through viewing all beings as our relatives, this can cultivate a significant amount of loving-kindness and compassion in the mind that can be practiced through our intentions, speech, and actions resulting in improved personal and professional relationships.