THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
950
person's gain, already acquired or is likely to be acquired, is noticed, the fact of the
arising of envy in that person should be known through the knowledge of Abhidhamma,
the ultimate truth about natural mental phenomena.)
(2) Envy has the function of dissatisfaction with others prosperity.
(It is the function of envy to feel distressed to get annoyed, when someone sees or hears
other's gain.)
(3) Envy is manifested to the insight of the yogi, as turning away from others'
well being. (To the yogi, who has insight into mental phenomena, the result of
envy is manifested as the turning away in disgust from the success and wellbeing
of others. Of the four kinds of manifestation, this is the manifestation of result.)
(4) The proximate cause of envy is other people's wellbeing or status. (Envy
arises due to other person's prosperity. If one has no occasion to see or hear of
another person's wealth, there is no cause for envy to arise.) (Commentary on the
Abhidhamma)
The character of envy that reveals itself as begrudging others wellbeing and status should
be explained regarding both lay persons and
bhikkhus
. To wit: Someone may have acquired
through his own effort and qualities, in any form of enterprise, valuable things, such as
vehicles or horses or cattle or precious stones.
Another person, with envy in him, may find it an eyesore to see that successful man
prosper. He is very displeased with the other man's good fortune. ‚When will this fellow
meet his downfall? How I wish he become a pauper!‛ Such evil thoughts occupy the
envious person. And if the successful man does meet with bad fortune, the envious one
rejoiced to see it.
An envious
bhikkhu
sees another
bhikkhu
surrounded by fame and followership on
account of the latter's learnedness and efforts such as teaching the doctrine. The one with
envy is all the time thinking about the decline of the successful
bhikkhu
. If the latter does
sink in popularity, the former is pleased.
In this manner, the character of envy should be known as begrudging other's well being
and feeling displeased with other's gains. (Commentary on the Abhidhamma)
It is in the nature of envy to feel irritated by some gain that someone is enjoying as a
matter of fact. Even the likelihood of someone meeting with some good fortune cannot be
tolerated by envy. Envy longs for another person's failure and downfall. (Leda Sayadaw:
Paramattha Deplane, Chapter on Mental concomitants) This is an explanation on envy
(
issÈ
).
Macchariya: Stinginess, Miserliness, Meanness
Stinginess is also called meanness. It is a mean attitude concerning one's own possessions.
(1) It is characterized by a secretiveness about one's gains or status already enjoyed or
about to enjoy. (One oppressed by
macchariya
, an evil state of mind, is secretive
about one's success.)
(2) Stinginess functions as a reluctant attitude about one's own good fortune; the
reluctance is the attitude that no one should enjoy similar fortune. One oppressed by
stinginess is loath to share his gain or status with someone else. This meanness is the
function of
macchariya
.
(3)
Macchariya
is manifested as unwillingness to share one's gain or status with any
other person. If perforce when there is occasion to share it, the stingy person feels
very strongly against it. Or put it in another way, if it comes to sharing his property
with someone or making any donation to someone, he would part with a very tiny
portion of it reluctantly. (To a wise one with insight, stinginess is manifested as
meanness about one's property (or rights). This is the natural manifestation.
Considered from another angle, stinginess manifests itself in anger when one is
forced to part with one's property (or rights). This is manifestation by way of
function, i.e., how the manifestation works out itself. Or yet viewed in another way,