Chapter XXVI: The Brahmana (Brahmanavagga)

(continued)

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Verse 410

XXVI (27) The Story of Thera Sariputta

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (410) of this book, with reference to Thera Sariputta.

On one occasion, Thera Sariputta accompanied by five hundred bhikkhus went to a monastery near a small village to spend the vassa. At the end of the vassa, Thera Sariputta wanted robes for young bhikkhus and samaneras. So he said to the bhikkhus, "If people come to offer robes, send them to me or inform me"; and then he left for the Jetavana monastery to pay homage to the Buddha. Other bhikkhus misunderstood Thera Sariputta's instructions, and said to the Buddha, "Venerable Sir! Thera Sariputta is still attached to material things like robes and other requisites of a bhikkhu." To them the Buddha replied, "Bhikkhus! My son Sariputta has no more craving in him. He told you to bring the robes to him, so that the chances to perform meritorious deeds may not decrease for lay -disciples, and the chances to accept whatever they may properly receive may not be reduced for young bhikkhus and samaneras."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 411

XXVI (28) The Story of Thera Maha Moggallana

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (411) of this book, with reference to Thera Maha Moggallana.

On one occasion, the bhikkhus told the Buddha about Thera Maha Moggallana the same thing they had said of Thera Sariputta that he still had attachment to worldly things. To them the Buddha said that Thera Maha Moggallana had discarded all craving.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 412

XXVI (29) The Story of Samanera Revata

While residing at the Pubbarama monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (412) of this book, with reference to Samanera Revata.

One day, the bhikkhus said to the Buddha, "Revata is getting many offerings from people, he is gaining fame and fortune. Even though he lives alone in the forest, through supernormal power he has now built five hundred pinnacled monasteries for five hundred bhikkhus." To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, my son Revata has discarded all craving; he has transcended both good and evil."

Verse 413

XXVI (30) The Story of Thera Candabha

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (413) of this book, with reference to Thera Candabha.

Candabha had, in a previous existence, made offerings of sandalwood to a stupa where the relics of Kassapa Buddha were enshrined-For this good deed, he was reborn in a brahmin family in Savatthi. He was born with a distinguishing mark, viz., a circle of light radiating from around his navel. As this circle of light resembled the moon he came to be known as Candabha. Some brahmins, taking advantage of this unusual feature, put him on a cart and took him round the town for exhibition and only those who paid a hundred or a thousand were allowed to touch him. On one occasion, they stopped at a place between the town and the Jetavana monastery. To ariyas going to the Jetavana monastery, they said, 'What is the use of your going to the Buddha and listening to his discourses? There is no one who is as powerful as Candabha. One who touches him will get rich; why don't you come and see ?" The ariyas then said to them, "Only our teacher is powerful; he is unrivalled and matchless."

Then the brahmins took Candabha to the Jetavana monostely to compete with the Buddha. But when Candabha was in the presence of the Buddha. the ring of light went out by itself. When Candabha was taken out of sight of the Buddha, the ring of light returned automatically; it again disappeared when taken back to the presence of the Buddha. Candabha then asked the Buddha to give him the mantra (words of incantation) that would make the ring of light disappear from around his navel. The Buddha told him that the mantra could be given only to a member of his Order. Candabha told the brahmins that he was getting a mantra from the Buddha and that after mastering the mantra he would be the greatest person in the whole of Jambudipa. So the brahmins waited outside the monastery.

Meanwhile, Candabha became a bhikkhu. He was instructed to contemplate the body, i.e., to reflect on the repulsiveness and impurity of the thirty-two constituents of the body. Within a few days, Candabha attained arahat ship. When the brahmins who were waiting outside the monastery came to enquire whether he had acquired the mantra, Candabha replied. "You people had better go back now; as for me I am no longer in a position to go along with you." Other bhikkhus, hearing him, went to the Buddha and said, "Candabha is falsely claiming that he has become an arahat." To them the Buddha replied, "Candabha speaks the truth; he has eradicated all moral intoxicants."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 414

XXVI (31) The Story of Thera Sivali

While residing in the Kundadhana forest near the city of Kundakoliya, the Buddha uttered Verse (414) of this book, with reference to Thera Sivali.

Princess Suppavasa of Kundakoliya was in pregnancy for seven years and then for seven days she was in labour pains. She kept contemplating the unique qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha and in the end she sent her husband to the Buddha to pay obeisance to him on her behalf and to inform him of her condition. When informed of the condition of the princess, the Buddha said, "May Suppavasa be free from danger and from sorrow; may she give birth to a healthy noble son in safety." As these words were being spoken, Suppavasa gave birth to her son at her house. On that very day, soon after the birth of the child, the Buddha and some bhikkhus were invited to the house. Alms-food was offered there and the newly born child offered filtered water to the Buddha and the bhikkhus. To celebrate the birth of the child, the parents invited the Buddha and the bhikkhus to their house to offer food for seven days.

When the child grew up he was admitted to the Order and as a bhikkhu he was known as Sivali. He attained arahatship as soon as his head was shaved off. Later, he became famous as the bhikkhu who received the largest amount of offerings. As a recipient of offerings he was unsurpassed.

On one occasion, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha why Sivali, with the qualifications to become an arahat, was confined in his mother's womb for seven years. To them the Buddha replied, "Bhikkhus! In a previous existence, Sivali was the son of a king who lost his kingdom to another king. In trying to regain their kingdom he had besieged the city on the advice of his mother. As a result, the people in the city were without food or water for seven days. It was for this evil deed that Sivali was imprisoned in his mother's womb for seven years. But now, Sivali has come to the end of all dukkha; he has realized Nibbana."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 415

XXVT (32) The Story of Thera Sundarasamudda

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (415) of this book, with reference to Thera Sundarasamudda.

Sundarasamudda was the son of a rich man from Savatthi. After he had entered the Order, he left for Rajagaha, which was forty-five yojanas away from Savatthi, to practise meditation. One day, while some festivities were going on in Savatthi, the parents of Sundarasamudda missed him very much; they also felt sorry for their son who was missing all the enjoyment and they wept. As they were weeping, a courtesan came to them and asked what the matter was. On hearing about their son, the courtesan said, "If I could make your son leave the Order and return to the life of a lay man how would you reward me?" The parents answered that they would make her rich. The courtesan then asked for a large sum of money and left for Rajagaha with a number of followers.

At Rajagaha, she rented a house with seven-tiered pinnacles on the route where Thera Sundarasamudda would come on his alms-round. She prepared good food and waited for him. On the first few days, she offered alms-food to the thera at the door of her house. Later, she invited him to come inside. Meanwhile, she paid money to some children to come and play just outside the house about the time the thera usually came on his alms-round. This gave her the excuse that it was very dusty and noisy on the ground floor; with this excuse she invited the thera to the top floor to have his alms-food. The thera consented and went up and as soon as he had entered the room, the courtesan closed the door. Then she started seducing the thera. She said to the thera, "Venerable Sir! Please be my youthful and energetic husband, and I will be your dearly beloved wife. After our long and happy wedded life we can both leave it to enter the Order and strive our very best to attain Nibbana." When he heard these words the thera suddenly realized his mistake and got alarmed. Then he said to himself, "Indeed, by being negligent and unmindful I have made a great mistake."

At that instant, the Buddha saw from his Perfumed Chamber what was happening to Thera Sundarasamudda at Rajagaha. He called the Venerable Ananda and said to him, "Ananda! On an upper storey of a pinnacled building in Rajagaha, there now goes on a struggle between Sundarasamudda and a courtesan; but in the end the thera will be the winner." After saying this to Ananda, the Buddha sent forth his radiance to the thera, made him feel his presence, and said, "My son! Be resolute and get rid of love of wealth and sensual pleasures."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 416

XXVI (33) The Story of Thera Jatila

While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (416) of this book, with reference to Thera Jatila.

Soon after the passing away (Parinibbana) of Kassapa Buddha, an arahat thera went round for donations to build a gold stupa where the relics of Kassapa Buddha were to be enshrined. The thera came to the house of a goldsmith while he and his wife were en gaged in a heated quarrel. The goldsmith shouted at the thera and said, "You had better throw your stupa into the water and go away." His wife then said to the goldsmith, "If you are angry with me you should abuse me only; you can even beat me if you like; but why do you have to abuse the Buddha and the thera? Surely, you have done a grievous wrong !" Hearing her words, the goldsmith realized the enormity of the wrong he had done and wanted to make atonement for it. So, he made some gold flowers, put them into three gold pots and offered them to be put into the relic chamber of the stupa of Kassapa Buddha.

In his present existence he was conceived in the womb of a rich man's daughter who had had an illicit love affair. When the child was born, she put it into a pot and floated it down the stream. A young woman who was bathing in the stream saw the child in the pot and took it with her. She adopted him and named him Jatila. Later, on the advice of a thera the woman sent Jatila to Taxila where he had his education. While at Taxila the thera arranged for him to stay at the house of a merchant who was a disciple of his. In due course, Jatila married the daughter of the merchant. Soon after the marriage, a large mound of gold appeared in the backyard of the house which was newly built for the couple. Three sons were born out of this marriage. After that, Jatila joined the Order and attained arahatship within a few days.

On one occasion, as the Buddha went on an alms-round with five hundred bhikkhus including Jatila, they came to the house of the sons of Jatila. His sons offered alms-food to the Buddha and his disciples for fifteen days. Some time afterwards, the bhikkhus asked Jatila whether he was still attached to his mound of gold and his sons, and he answered that he had no more attachment to them. The bhikkhus then said to the Buddha that Jatila was falsely claiming to have attained arahatship. To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! Jatila has got rid of craving and pride; he has indeed attained arahatship."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 416*

XXVI (34) The Story or Thera Jotika

While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (416) of this book, with reference to Thera Jotika.

Jotika was a famous rich man from Rajagaha. He lived in a stately mansion with seven tiered pinnacles. There were seven walls around his mansion, each of which had an entrance guarded by celestial demons. The fame of his wealth spread far and wide, and many people came to see his mansion. On one occasion, King Bimbisara came to visit Jotika; he also brought his son Ajatasattu with him. Ajatasattu seeing the grandeur of Jotika's mansion vowed that he would not allow Jotika to live in such a magnificent mansion when he became king. On the king's departure from his house Jotika presented the king with a large priceless ruby. It was the custom of Jotika to give presents to all visitors who came to see him.

When Ajatasattu ascended the throne, after killing his father, he came with his soldiers to take the mansion of Jotika by force. But as all the gates were well guarded by celestial demons, Ajatasattu and his soldiers had to retreat. Ajatasattu fled to the Veluvana monastery and he found Jotika listening to a discourse given by the Buddha. Seeing Jotika at the feet of the Buddha, Ajatasattu exclaimed, "After making your guards fight me, you are now pretending to be listening to a discourse!" Jotika realized that the king had gone to take his place by force and that he had been compelled to retreat.

In a past existence, Jotika had made a solemn wish that his properly might not be taken away from him against his wish, and this wish had been fulfilled. So Jotika said to King Ajatasattu, "O king! My property cannot be taken away against my wish." Saying this, he stretched out his ten fingers and asked the king to take off the twenty rings he was wearing on his fingers. The king tried hard to take them off but did not succeed. Jotika then asked the king to spread out a piece of cloth and as Jotika put his fingers on to the cloth, all his rings easily slipped off. After he had given all his rings to King Ajatasattu, Jotika asked the Buddha that he might be permitted into the Order. Soon after entering the Order, Jotika attained arahatship.

One day, when other bhikkhus asked him whether he had any more craving left in him for his mansion his wealth and his wife, he answered that he did not have any more craving for them. The bhikkhus then went to the Buddha and said, "Venerable Sir! Thera Jotika claims to have attained arahatship; he is telling lies." To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! Jotika speaks the truth; he does not have any more craving in him. He is now an arahat."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

  Verse 417

XXVI (35) The Story of Thera Nataputtaka

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (417) of this book, with reference to Thera Nataputtaka. who was the son of a dancer.

Once, the son of a dancer was going round the streets singing and dancing when he had a chance to listen to a discourse given by the Buddha. After listening to the discourse, he entered the Order and attained arahatship soon afterwards. One day, while the Buddha and the bhikkhus including Nataputtaka were going on an alms-round, they came across the son of another dancer dancing in the street. Seeing the young man dancing, the other bhikkhus asked Nataputtaka whether he still liked dancing. And Nataputtaka answered, "No, I do not." The bhikkhus then went to the Buddha and told him that Thera Nataputtaka was falsely claiming to have attained arahatship. Thereby, the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! Nataputtaka has gone beyond all bonds of attachment; he has become an arahat."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 418

XXVI (36) The Story of Thera Nataputtaka

While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (418) of this book, with reference to another Thera Nataputtaka, son of another dancer.

As in the previous story, the son of a dancer had entered the Order and had attained arahatship. Other bhikkhus went to the Buddha and told him about Thera Nataputtaka claiming to have attained arahatship. To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! Nataputtaka has given up taking delight in all things."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verses 419 and 420

XXVI (37) The Story of Thera Vangisa

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (419) and (420) of this book, with reference to Thera Vangisa.

Once, in Rajagaha, there was a brahmin by the name of Vangisa who by simply tapping on the skull of a dead person could tell whether that person was reborn in the world of the devas, or of the human beings, or in one of the four lower worlds (apayas). The brahmins took Vangisa to many villages and people flocked to him and paid him ten, twenty or a hundred to find out from him where their various dead relatives were reborn.

On one occasion, Vangisa and his party came to a place not far from the Jetavana monastery. Seeing those people who were going to the Buddha, the brahmins invited them to come to Vangisa who could tell where their relatives had been reborn. But the Buddha's disciples said to them, "Our teacher is one without a rival, he only is the Enlightened One." The brahmins took that statement as a challenge and took Vangisa along with them to the Jetavana monastery to compete with the Buddha. The Buddha, knowing their intention, instructed the bhikkhus to bring the skulls of a person reborn in niraya, of a person reborn in the animal world, of a person reborn in the human world, of a person reborn in the deva world and also of an arahat. The five were then placed in a row. When Vangisa was shown those skulls he could tell where the owners of the first four skulls were reborn but when he came to the skull of the arahat he was at a loss. Then the Buddha said, "Vangisa, don't you know? I do know where the owner of that skull is." Vangisa then asked the Buddha to let him have the magical incantation (mantra) by which he could thus know; but the Buddha told him that the mantra could be given only to a bhikkhu. Vangisa then told the brahmins to wait outside the monastery while he was being taught the mantra. Thus,Vangisa became a bhikkhu and as a bhikkhu, he was instructed by the Buddha to contemplate the thirty-two constituents of the body. Vangisa diligently practised meditation as instructed by the Buddha and attained arahatship within a short time.

When the brahmins who were waiting outside the monastery came to ask Vangisa whether he had acquired the mantra, Vangisa said, "You all had better go now; as for me, I should no longer go along with you." Other bhikkhus hearing him thought he was telling lies, so they went to the Buddha and said, "Venerable Sir! Vangisa is falsely claiming to have attained arahatship." To them the Buddha 'said, "Bhikkhus! Vangisa really knows the death and rebirth of beings.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 421

XXVI (38) The Story of Theri Dhammadinna

While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (421) of this book, with reference to Thenri Dhammadinna.

Once, there was a lay-disciple of the Buddha named Visakha in Rajagaha. After hearing the Buddha's discourses again and again Visakha attained Anagami Fruition and he said to his wife, "Please accept all my property; from today, I'm not going to take part in any of the affairs of the house." His wife Dhammadinna retorted, "Who would swallow the spittle you have thrown up?" Then she asked permission from him to enter the Order and became a bhikkhuni. After becoming a bhikkhuni she went to a monastery in a small village in the company of other bhikkhunis to practise meditation. Within a short time, she attained arahatship and returned to Rajagaha.

Visakha, hearing that Dhammadinna had returned, went to see her and asked her some questions. When he asked her about the first three maggas she answered him; but when he asked her questions on the arahatta magga and phala she said, "O lay-disciple! This matter is out of your depth; if you want, you may go and ask the Buddha." When Visakha asked the Buddha, the Buddha said, "Dhammadinna has already answered your question. If you ask me I shall have to give the same answer." Saying this the Buddha confirmed the fact that Dhammadinna had attained arahatship.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 422

XXVI (39) The Story of Angulimala

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (422) of this book, with reference to Thera Angulimala.

On one occasion, King Pasenadi and Queen Mallika made an alms-offering to the Buddha and his bhikkhus numbering five hundred in all, on a scale which could not be surpassed by anyone else. At that ceremony~each bhikkhu was to have an elephant holding a white umbrella over his head as a sunshade. However, they could get only four hundred and ninety-nine trained elephants and so they had to put in an untrained elephant and it was allotted to hold the umbrella over Thera Angulimala. Every one was afraid that the untrained elephant might give trouble, but when brought near Thera Angulimala it was quite docile.

It was with reference to this incident that the bhikkhus later asked Angulimala whether he did not get frightened or not. To this question Angulimala answered that he was not frightened. The bhikkhus then went to the Buddha and said that Thera Angulimala claimed to have attained arahatship. To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! It is quite true that Angulimala was not afraid; those who are like him are also not afraid."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 423

XXVI (40) The Story of Devahita the Brahmin

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (423) of this book, with reference to Devahita, a brahmin.

On one occasion, the Buddha suffered from a gastric ailment and he sent Thera Upavana to get some hot water from Devahita the brahmin. The brahmin was very pleased to have this rare opportunity to offer something to the Buddha. So, in addition to hot water he also gave the thera some molasses for the Buddha. At the monastery Thera Upavana gave a warm bath to the Buddha; after the bath he offered the Buddha a mixture of molasses and hot water. After drinking the mixture there was instant relief. The brahmin then came and asked the Buddha, 'Venerable Sir! An offering made to whom gives one the greatest benefit?" To him the Buddha said, "Brahmin! An offering made to one who has given up all evil is the most beneficial."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

End of Chapter Twenty-six: The Brahmana.

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