Returning to Queen Sāmāvati. Each day, the king gave Queen Sāmāvati eight coins to buy flowers. The money was given to the queen’s maid Khujjuttarā, who was given the daily task of buying flowers. One day, at the florist Sumana’s house, they hosted an offering feast for the Buddha and the Sangha. The flower seller invited Khujjuttāra to stay and listen to the Dhamma after lunch. Khujjuttarā attended the Dhamma talk, and after listening to the sermon, she became a stream-enterer who reached the first level of realization towards Nibbāna (Sotāpanna).
 
A stream-enterer strictly observes the five precepts. Formerly, Khujjuttarā would pocket four coins of the daily flower money, but she no longer did so. Now. she bought eight coins worth of flowers. When the queen saw more flowers than usual, she asked the maid: “Why, Khujjutāra? Did the King double the usual amount today?” Khujjuttarā replied in the negative. The queen then asked the reason for the increased number of flowers. A stream-enterer strictly adheres to the five precepts and therefore, never lies. Khujjutāra told the truth that she used to steal four out of the eight coins of flower money, but today she had stopped doing so. When asked why, Khujjuttarā said that she had the opportunity today to listen to the Buddha’s teachings at the florist’s house and had a spiritual awakening. Consequently, she no longer violated any of the five precepts.
 
Queen Sāmāvati was known for being kind and virtuous. Therefore, she was prudent and meticulous. She reflected on the changes in the attitude and personality of Khujjuttarā. The queen thought carefully about the maid. Khujjuttarā said she had become enlightened, no longer stole, and dared to speak the truth without fear. The queen concluded the dhamma that Khujjuttarā had attained must be very sacred. Knowing it would undoubtedly be a blessing, Queen Sāmāvati said to Khujjuttarā, “Sister, please allow us to drink the dhamma you have drunk.” Khujjuttarā sat on the seat where a Dhamma preacher typically sat and repeated the Buddha’s discourse clearly and thoroughly. Queen Sāmāvati and her five hundred attendants became stream-enterers after hearing that discourse.
 
From that day onwards, Khujjuttarā was elevated to the status of a mother, a wise and enlightened teacher, and was allowed to attend the Buddha’s teachings. After each sermon, she would return to the palace and repeat to everyone the teachings she had heard. In this way, Khujjuttarā became imbued with the teachings. Later, the Buddha praised her as the wisest in Dhamma and the foremost in Dhamma preaching among His female devotees.
 
Māgandiya gave money to her attendants and slaves, asking them to go out into the streets to insult the Buddha and drive him out of the city. Those without faith in the Buddha and his teachings followed Māgandiya’s request. When the Buddha and the Sangha entered the city, these people followed and shouted all kinds of insults. For example, they cursed, “You’re a thief; you’re a pervert; you’re a donkey; you’re a cow; you’re an eel; you’re an animal; you’re going to go to hell.” Or “For you, there will be no heaven but only hell.” These acts are truly terrible. Once people have deviated from the right path, their evil actions are multiplied many times. These people were buying evil consequences for their evil actions. None of them would receive any merits. After hearing such insults many times, the venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “Venerable Sir, this city is full of uncivilized people. They insulted us for reasons that are not just unclear but also irrational. Let’s go somewhere else.” The Buddha asked, “And what if people also insult us like this when we go to another place?” Ānanda replied, “Then, Venerable Sir, we will go to another place.”
 
The Buddha said, “Ānanda, when we are berated, it is not proper to go away somewhere else. Any problem of improper behavior or dispute needs to be resolved at the place it arose. Only after resolving it, then we may go to another place.” We must have the courage to endure the harsh words of the wicked. He uttered thus,
 
Ahaṃ nāgova saṅgāme,
cāpato patitaṃ saraṃ;
Ativākyaṃ titikkhissaṃ,
dussīlo hi bahujjano. (Dhammapada 320)
 
“Just as the great elephant on the battlefield withstands arrows from all directions, so the Tathāgata will endure all such insults without complaint. Most people are fond of doing evil, speaking evil, and being rude.”
 
Many people cannot control their actions and words, and most are rude. Only when you tolerate their improper behavior can you live among such people. So the Buddha said, “Just as the great elephant on the battlefield withstands arrows from all directions, so the Tathāgata will endure all such insults.” He continued to tell Ānandā, “Do not worry, they will continue their insults for seven days. By the eighth day, the situation will subside, and peace will be restored.” Indeed, It happened just as He said, and after seven days, the insults ceased. With instances of defamation against the Buddha, perhaps it always ended like this. That’s why in Myanmar (Burma) they have a saying: “Insulting lasts only seven days and praising, too, lasts only seven days.”

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Source: Dhammacetiya