Dhamma Principles › One Word Spoken, One Hearing: Apadānas of Praise and the Sound of the Dhamma
One Word Spoken, One Hearing: Apadānas of Praise and the Sound of the Dhamma
Everyday life

One Word Spoken, One Hearing: Apadānas of Praise and the Sound of the Dhamma

Thomanāya idaṃ phalaṃ

Apadānas of those who offered nothing at all — only a single sentence of praise, confidence in the sound of a voice, one hearing of the Dhamma, and the fact that someone gave them the refuges.

7 points

In the Apadāna of the Khuddaka Nikāya a number of elders' verses record no offering whatsoever. All the speaker did was speak, listen, or feel confidence. One chapter is even named for it: the Thomaka Vagga (26th), the chapter of the one who praised.

This page reads the Thomaka Vagga (26th), the Vījanī Vagga (6th) and the Tiṇadāyaka Vagga (53rd), with two further stories from the Saddasaññika Vagga (36th) and the Sakiṃsammajjaka Vagga (43rd). The verses are extremely short. One amounts to little more than: he heard the Dhamma, was gladdened, spoke one sentence of homage — and then closes, this is the fruit of praise.

One of them is reversed. Saraṇagamaniya Thera was not the one who encouraged anybody; he was the one to whom a monk gave the refuges at the moment their boat was going down. The collection thus records both the speaker's side and the hearer's side together.

  1. 1

    One sentence of homage Thomakattherāpadānaṃ

    Thomaka Thera (Thomaka Vagga, 26th) says that while in a deva realm he heard the Dhamma of the Buddha Vipassī, was gladdened, and spoke these words: homage to you, thoroughbred among men; homage to you, highest of men. The whole verse is under ten lines and ends: this is the fruit of praise.

    Applying it in daily life

    Say the appreciative thing on the day you think it; don't store it up. A short word said in time is worth more than a long one never said.

  2. 2

    The brahmin who praised with joined palms Sataraṃsiyattherāpadānaṃ

    Sataraṃsiya Thera (Vījanī Vagga, 6th) says he was a brahmin master of the mantras living near the mountain where the Buddha Padumuttara was staying. He went to him, raised his hands in salutation, and praised him as one who proclaims the excellent Dhamma and teaches unafraid like a lion. The verse says he offered only that salutation and those words.

    Applying it in daily life

    Praise good work in front of others. Speaking of someone's merit in a meeting helps them more than you would think.

  3. 3

    Confidence in a sound that was heard Saddasaññakattherāpadānaṃ

    Saddasaññika Thera (Saddasaññika Vagga, 36th) says he had been a deer hunter in the great forest and came upon the Buddha Sikhī proclaiming the four truths. He heard that beautiful speech and made his mind confident in the very sound of it. The verse does not say he understood the content — only that his mind grew confident in the sound.

    Applying it in daily life

    Sometimes a good impression begins with something small, like a courteous tone of voice. Don't dismiss that first good feeling; it can lead somewhere.

  4. 4

    Heard once and remembered Ekadhammasavaniyattherāpadānaṃ

    Ekadhammassavaniya Thera (Sakiṃsammajjaka Vagga, 43rd) says that as a matted-hair ascetic with psychic power he found he could not fly over the Buddha Padumuttara, so he came down to find out why. He then heard the teacher speak of the impermanence of formations and learned that one mark. Long afterwards, on hearing the same verse again, he attained arahantship on a single sitting.

    Applying it in daily life

    When you hear something good, write down one sentence and return to it often. Better than hearing a great deal and retaining nothing.

  5. 5

    The one who described those qualities in public Sugandhattherāpadānaṃ

    Sugandha Thera (Tiṇadāyaka Vagga, 53rd) says he was a merchant's son in Bārāṇasī who heard the Buddha Kassapa teach and left his wealth to go forth. Before long he was widely learned and a Dhamma speaker. The verse quotes his praise at length, including that the Buddha tamed himself and tamed others, was at peace himself and brought others to peace.

    Applying it in daily life

    If speaking or writing is your strength, use it to pass on what is good. It needs no capital and reaches many people.

  6. 6

    The person who reached us at the last moment Saraṇagamaniyattherāpadānaṃ

    Saraṇagamaniya Thera (Tiṇadāyaka Vagga, 53rd) tells it in two or three lines: he and a monk boarded a boat together, and as the boat was sinking the monk gave him the refuges. The verse closes: because of that refuge, I have known no bad destination. The giver's act is recorded here through the mouth of the one who received it.

    Applying it in daily life

    Good advice you give someone in their worst moment may be what they remember for life, even after you have forgotten it.

  7. 7

    Where praise ends and flattery begins Thomakavaggo

    The praise in these verses names qualities the speaker actually saw — teaching the deathless state, bringing many across — asks for nothing in return, and claims no more than was seen. Elsewhere the Buddha warns that extolling a person beyond the facts is a fault. So read these verses as telling the truth out of confidence, not as flattery.

    Applying it in daily life

    Praise the specific action — "the report arriving on time really helped the team" — rather than a vague "you're brilliant". Specific praise doesn't slide into flattery.

Try it in daily life

The immediate lesson here is that words cost nothing and can be given at any time. Praise that matches the truth, specific thanks, telling someone that what they did mattered — all belong to the same category as these verses.

The other side is listening. Ekadhammassavaniya Thera heard a verse on impermanence once and remembered it across lifetimes. People today hear far more Dhamma and good advice than that, and it passes straight through. The difference is attention in the moment.

Distinguish praise from flattery. The praise in these verses names qualities that were actually there; it was not said to please anyone or to get something from the listener.

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