One Who Sees The Teachings Sees Me

Enough, Vakkali!

Why do you want to see this foul body?

One who sees The Teachings sees me; one who sees me sees The Teachings.

For in seeing The Teachings, Vakkali,

one sees me; and in seeing me,

one sees The Teachings.

Monks, even if a Monk, taking hold of my outer robe, were to follow right behind me, placing his feet in my footsteps, yet if he were to be craving for sensual pleasures, strong in his passions, evil in mind, corrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness muddled, unalert, uncentered, his mind scattered, and his sense bases uncontrolled, then he would be far from me, and I from him.

Why is that?

Because he does not see The Teachings. Not seeing The Teachings, he does not see me.

But even if a Monk were to live one hundred leagues away, yet if he were to have no craving for sensual objects, were not strong in his passions, not evil in mind, uncorrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness established, alert, centered, his mind at singleness, and his sense bases well-restrained, then he would be near to me, and I to him.

Why is that?

Because he sees The Teachings. Seeing The Teachings, he sees me.

(Reference: SN 22.87)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how one who is learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings can “see him”.

This is a Teaching that was delivered upon people being saddened by The Buddha’s pending death understanding that they would no longer see him, those who were not yet Enlightened with craving/desire/attachment would have been sorrowful of the news of his pending death.

The Buddha attempts to calm his Students and delivers a Teaching to help them.

“Why do you want to see this foul body?” because he had already spent 45 years sharing The Teachings with countless people that they did not need his physical body to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings to experience the results of an Enlightened mind. All they needed, he had already given them - The Teachings.

During The Buddha’s lifetime, he was not only sharing The Teachings but he was also deeply practicing The Teachings. In order to provide guidance to others on The Path to Enlightenment, a Teacher needs to be a deep Practitioner of their Teachings - a role model. The Buddha makes that clear when he says “one who sees me sees The Teachings”.

Being a deep Practitioner of his own Teachings helps others to observe The Teachings being practiced in real life through another being’s well developed life practice and can assist Students in developing their own practice. Parents who practice these Teachings closely can be a real life example and role model for their children to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings creating a peaceful home and family environment. Employers, community leaders, and others can create a wholesome environment for those close to them to more readily practice these wholesome Teachings leading to a more peaceful environment. Those around you will look to you as a role model just by the nature of your position and their relationship with you.

Having learned, reflected, and practiced The Teachings one will have deep wisdom to understand what are The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment. Having deeply understood The Teachings “one who sees The Teachings sees me”, thus, The Buddha shares “why do you want to see this foul body?”.

The Buddha’s physical body was not needed as if one deeply understood The Teachings through practicing The Teachings, they would be close to him observing him everywhere around them as these Natural Laws of Existence are observable in the world.

If one does not practice The Teachings there would “be craving for sensual pleasures, strong in his passions, evil in mind, corrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness muddled, unalert, uncentered, his mind scattered, and his sense bases uncontrolled, then he would be far from me, and I from him”.

But for those who deeply understand and are practicing The Teachings, there would be “no craving for sensual objects, were not strong in his passions, not evil in mind, uncorrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness established, alert, centered, his mind at singleness, and his sense bases well-restrained, then he would be near to me, and I to him”.

You do not need to guess or just believe if this man, Master Teacher Gotama Buddha, lived and existed or not. As you learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment improving the condition of the mind, more and more you will see The Teachings everywhere around you as they are observable through the natural world around us. As you observe discontentedness caused by craving/desire/attachment, a Practitioner practicing loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, generosity, etc. and seeing the wholesome results experienced you will “see The Teachings. Seeing The Teachings, he sees me”.

We do not need The Buddha’s physical body to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings. Having spent 45 years to share The Teachings into the world, one only needs to seek guidance to discover the same truths as The Buddha acquiring wisdom to liberate the mind. Through the hard work with determination, dedication, and diligence of a Buddha, The Buddha points the way towards Enlightenment and all others must strive.

Upon death, a Buddha’s work is complete and it is up to the remaining Community to continue to share The Teachings into the world with all those who choose that they are finished with discontentedness and The Cycle of Rebirth being interested in laying down the burden to no longer experience the sorrow and displeasure of the unEnlightened mind.