The Actor ........ Hell of Laughter

The Actor ........ Hell of Laughter


In relation to my opening entry for this year, "You Say Monkey or Not, lah?!" ( http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2010/01/you-say-monkey-or-not-lah.html ),

I would like to share with everyone a teaching which The Buddha, The Blessed One, gave to Talaputa, the head of an acting troupe, which I find is very interesting.

For those who aspires to be in the limelight, but didn't make it, or quite make it, perhaps after reading this entry, you'll heave a sigh of relief and thank your good kamma instead.

For those who hopes to be in the limelight, perhaps you'll change your mind or think twice after reading this.

And, for those who are (already) in the limelight,

Well ........

What can I say?

Except ........

Good luck to you!

Happy Reading and Enjoy! :)



"On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel's Sanctuary.

Then Talaputa, the head of an acting troupe, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.

As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One:

"Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of actors that

'When an actor on the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh & gives them delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas.'

What does the Blessed One have to say about that?"


"Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that."


A second time... A third time Talaputa, the head of an acting troupe, said:

"Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of actors that

'When an actor on the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh & gives them delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas.'

What does the Blessed One have to say about that?"


"Apparently, headman, I haven't been able to get past you by saying,

'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.' So I will simply answer you.

Any beings who are not devoid of passion to begin with, who are bound by the bond of passion, focus with even more passion on things inspiring passion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a festival;

Any beings who are not devoid of aversion to begin with, who are bound by the bond of aversion, focus with even more aversion on things inspiring aversion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a festival;

Any beings who are not devoid of delusion to begin with, who are bound by the bond of delusion, focus with even more delusion on things inspiring delusion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a festival;

Thus the actor — himself intoxicated & heedless, having made others intoxicated & heedless —

With the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the Hell of Laughter.

But if he holds such a view as this:

'When an actor on the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh & gives them delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas,' that is his WRONG VIEW.

Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you:

Either Hell or the Animal womb."


When this was said, Talaputa, the head of an acting troupe, sobbed & burst into tears.

The Blessed One said: "That is what I couldn't get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.'"

"I'm not crying, lord, because of what the Blessed One said to me, but simply because I have been deceived, cheated, & fooled for a long time by that ancient teaching lineage of actors who said: 'When an actor on the stage, in the midst of a festival, makes people laugh & gives them delight with his imitation of reality, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas.'

- SN 42.2: Talaputa Sutta — Talaputa the Actor


* Read "Nobody Me" ( http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/08/nobody-me.html )




"Conquered by gains, offerings, and fame, his mind consumed,

He looks down on other well-behaved monks.

That will be for this worthless man's long-term suffering and harm.

That's how cruel gains, offerings, and fame are :

A harsh, bitter obstacle to the attainment of the unexcelled rest from bondage."

- The Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya 17 : 5




"A man who is greedy for fields, land, gold, cattle, horses, servants, employees, women, relatives, many sensual pleasures,

Is overpowered with weakness and trampled by trouble,

For pain invades him as water, a cracked boat."

- The Buddha, Sutta Nipata 4:1




"There is the case where a certain monk is conquered by gains, offerings, and fame, his mind consumed.

He finds no pleasure whether he goes to an empty dwelling, to the foot of a tree, or to the open air.

Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits, wherever he lies down,

He is sunk in misery.

That's how cruel gains, offerings, and fame are :

A harsh, bitter obstacle to the attainment of the unexcelled rest from bondage."

- The Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya 17:8




"O Bhikkhus!

Gains, offerings, glory, praise are all harsh and fierce.

They are a danger preventing the achievement of the highest bliss of liberation - Nibbana."

- The Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya - Labha Sakkara Samyutta




"Fame, fortune, power, glory, praise and recognition are the real evils of the world -

They are truly the evils that will destroy us."




"When there's praise, there will be blame;

When there's fame, there will be ill-fame.

When there's happiness, there will be sorrow;

AND, when there's fortune, misfortune will quickly follow."

- The Buddha



*** Actors do not just mean artises. It also mean those people who act and pretend to be something they're not.