When the Palace Shook: A Lesson on Radical Letting Go from the King of Gods (Cula-tanhaskkhaya Sutta)
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa (Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One)
“Sabbe dhammā nālaṃ abhinivesāya” “All things are not worth clinging to.”
Blessings to you, wise seekers of inner peace.
In this era where the world spins faster than ever, where the currents of desire—the need to have, to be, and to own—flow violently, sweeping human hearts into confusion and chaos, we often find ourselves asking a silent question. We ask: “Why is it that the more I chase happiness, the hotter my heart feels? Why is it that the more I possess, the more terrified I am of losing it?”
Today, I invite you to travel back over 2,500 years, to a serene atmosphere at the Mansion of Lady Visakha in the city of Savatthi. We will listen to a legendary tale from the “Cula-tanhaskkhaya Sutta” (The Shorter Discourse on the Destruction of Craving). This is not just a story of deep philosophy; it is a story of miracles and a psychological lesson so powerful it once shook the heavens.
1. The Prologue: A Question from the King of Gods
Imagine, if you will, the most powerful being in the Tavatimsa Heaven: Sakka, Lord of the Devas (or Indra). He is possessed of divine wealth, absolute power, and celestial longevity. Yet, even amidst such paradise, the ultimate answer still eluded him. He descended to the human realm to ask the Buddha a question that had been weighing on his heart.
His question was short, precise, but covered the ultimate goal of existence: “Lord, how, in brief, is a monk liberated by the destruction of craving? How does he become the most excellent among gods and humans?”
Behold, my friends. Even a god who enjoys celestial bliss yearns for a “shortcut” to true freedom. The answer the Buddha gave is like a master key that unlocks every door of suffering. It is the sentence I quoted at the beginning:
“Sabbe dhammā nālaṃ abhinivesāya.” Meaning: “All phenomena… are not worth clinging to.”
2. The Method: The 3-Step Formula for Freedom
This single sentence may sound simple, but to practice it requires skill. The Buddha, therefore, expanded this “process of letting go” into three concrete steps for Sakka—and for us—to apply:
Step 1: Direct Knowledge (Abhijānāti) This is like opening your eyes in the dark. When you perceive something—a sight, a sound, a flavor, or a thought—you must first “know” it exists. Do not judge it yet. Do not elaborate on it. Just acknowledge its presence with sharp awareness.
Step 2: Full Understanding (Parijānāti) Once you know it, look deeper. Penetrate the surface to see its true nature. Whether it is your body, your house, your car, or your social status, see that these things are subject to the Law of Change. They are impermanent. They degrade. They are not sustainable.
Step 3: The Deciding Point—Observing Feeling (Vedanā) This is where we usually fail. When the mind contacts these things, feelings arise: Pleasant, Unpleasant, or Neutral. Usually, when it’s pleasant, we grab it and say “Mine!” When it’s unpleasant, we push it away. But the Buddha taught us to view these feelings with the eye of an “Observer,” not a “Participant.” See that happiness is just a temporary chemical reaction. See that suffering is just sediment that floats up and will settle down. Observe the fading away of these feelings, and then “Relinquish” them. Let them go. Do not claim ownership over them.
When this cycle is complete, the mind no longer trembles at the world. It finds a cool, unshakeable peace—Nibbana here and now.
3. The Climax: The Tremor from Moggallana’s Toe
The story seemed to end beautifully. Sakka listened, rejoiced, and returned to heaven. But… the nature of beings is often paired with “forgetfulness.”
Venerable Maha Moggallana, the Buddha’s Chief Disciple supreme in psychic powers, wondered: “Did Sakka truly understand? Or did he just pay lip service and forget?” He decided to ascend to the Tavatimsa Heaven to verify the truth.
And the scene he found was exactly as he feared. Upon returning to heaven, Sakka went straight back to his indulgences. He was frolicking with celestial nymphs, boasting about the grandeur of his “Vejayanta Palace”—a magnificent structure with 700 stories, adorned with glittering jewels. Sakka was so busy presenting his wealth and stability that he had completely forgotten the Dhamma he heard just moments ago.
Seeing this, Moggallana decided to deliver a lesson that would be remembered for an eon. He did not preach with words; he preached with action. He placed his big toe against the base of the massive Vejayanta Palace and used his psychic power…
RUMBLE!
Suddenly, the greatest, strongest, most beautiful palace in the heavens began to “shake, quake, and tremble.” It swayed like a sapling in a storm. Panic and “Samvega” (spiritual urgency) instantly struck the hearts of Sakka and the deities. Their hair stood on end. “Oh… even a celestial mansion that seems so permanent is not safe. It can be shaken by the mere toe of a monk.”
In that second, as the attachment to the material structure crumbled, mindfulness returned. Sakka finally realized the truth of the Buddha’s teaching: Nothing is worth clinging to.
4. Application: Shake Your Own Palace
Dear friends… The story of Sakka and the Vejayanta Palace is not a fairy tale. It is a mirror reflecting our modern lives.
Look at your own life. Are we not all busy building our own “Vejayanta Palaces”? Some build a palace of Career and Position. Some build a palace of Big Houses and Luxury Cars. Some build a palace of Likes, Followers, and Social Status. We dedicate our sweat and tears, laying brick after brick, hoping that this will be our security, this will be our permanent happiness.
But friends… the greatest mistake of life is not that we have these things. We can have them. We can use them. We can build them. The mistake is that we “delude” ourselves into thinking they will last forever, and we “cling” to them as if they are us.
Look at Sakka. A celestial palace stronger than any reinforced concrete on earth could shake in an instant. How much more fragile are our reputations, our bank accounts, or these bodies of ours?
Do not wait for life to send a “Moggallana” in the form of a “Crisis” to shake your palace. Do not wait for cancer to shake your body. Do not wait for bankruptcy to shake your assets. Do not wait for separation to shake your relationships… before you wake up.
Be wise. “Shake your own palace” today. Remind yourself constantly: “This thing is beautiful, but it is temporary.” “This position is honorable, but it will pass.” “This body is strong, but it must fade.”
Practice the “Art of Possession” like an awakened being. “Hold it in your hand, but do not let it stick to your heart.” Use your wealth to do good, but do not let wealth be the master of your life. Love your family deeply, but keep a space in your heart for the truth of change.
When you can train your mind to let go like this… “Sabbe dhammā nālaṃ abhinivesāya — All things are not worth clinging to.” Then… no matter how violently the external world shakes, No matter how fierce the storms of life become, The true palace—your “Mind”—will remain firm, cool, free, and unshakeable, like a solid mountain against the wind.
May the power of the Truth, well-expounded by the Blessed One, be a guiding light for your spirit. May you step over the wall of attachment, find the lightness of letting go, and access the ultimate happiness—Nibbana—in the near future.
Blessing.
