Gateway to Insight
Chapter 21: The Prophecy of Metteyya Chapter
(1) Imasmiṃ buddhuppāde. In this Buddha-era, the era of our Omniscient Lord, the Bodhisatta Metteyya was born in the womb of Queen Kañcanā, the chief queen of King Ajātasattu. When the ten months were complete, he was born from his mother’s womb and was named “Prince Ajita.” As he grew up, his royal heart became filled with faith in the Buddha’s teachings. Prince Ajita saw the glorious form of the Buddha and heard his teachings, and he thought, “A person who has not given alms, kept the precepts, and so on, cannot attain omniscient knowledge.” He then took leave of his father to ordain. He received full ordination along with a retinue of one thousand and learned the words of the Buddha, memorizing much and explaining the Tipiṭaka to many monks.
When the Teacher returned to the city of Kapilavatthu for the second time and was staying in the Nigrodhārāma monastery, Princess Pajāpatī Gotamī thought, “I have nothing to offer the Buddha, my master. I should offer him a robe. It would be fitting to buy an expensive cloth, but it would be even more fitting if I wove the cloth with my own hands.” The princess then had artisans make a golden loom. She planted cotton seeds in the earth and watered them with milk. When the cotton grew and produced flowers and bolls, she picked it with her own royal hands. She made it into cotton thread, spun it into yarn, and wove it into two pieces of cloth. Each piece was 14 cubits long and 5 cubits wide. She then folded the cloths, placed them in a golden box along with other fabrics, and had her ladies-in-waiting carry them as they followed her to the Nigrodhārāma monastery.
Upon arrival, she paid homage with the five-point prostration at the feet of the Sammāsambuddha. The princess then raised the cloth as an offering, explaining the story so that the Lord would accept it as a favor to her.
(2) Satthā taṃ sutvā. The Teacher, having heard this, replied, “Pajāpatī Gotamī, you should offer this cloth to the Sangha; it will bring great merit.” Princess Pajāpatī Gotamī pleaded with him two and three times, but the Teacher still instructed her to offer it to the Sangha. The reason for the Buddha’s advice to offer it to the Sangha was that he wished to expound on the virtues of the Sangha, which would be the lineage that came after him. Princess Pajāpatī, feeling disheartened, went to the Venerable Ānanda to ask for his help in persuading the Lord. But he still would not accept. He then gave a discourse on individual offerings versus offerings to the Sangha.
The princess, having heard the Dhamma talk, became filled with faith. She then lifted the cloth to offer it to the Sangha, placing it near the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta did not accept it. She then took it to the other elders in succession, but not a single one would accept it. She then went and placed it near the monk Ajita, who had just recently ordained and was sitting at the very end of the assembly. The monk Ajita accepted the cloth. The princess then felt a sense of disappointment.
The Teacher, knowing this, asked the Venerable Ānanda to bring him his bowl. When the Venerable Ānanda brought the bowl, the Lord made a determination: “May none of the other disciples be able to get this bowl. May the monk Ajita get this bowl.” He then tossed the bowl into the air. The Venerable Sāriputta said, “I will go and get the bowl, Lord.”
The Lord gave his permission. The elder went to look for it but could not find it. All the other elders went to look but also could not find it. Then, the Lord instructed the monk Ajita to find the bowl. Ajita thought, “All these elders, endowed with psychic powers, could not find the Lord’s bowl. How can I, a worldling, possibly find it?” But after thinking, he accepted, saying, “I will find the bowl at this time.” Then, the monk Ajita looked up at the sky and made a determination: “I did not ordain for the sake of gain, but only to practice the holy life for the benefit of enlightenment and the liberation of beings. May the Lord’s bowl come to rest in my hands quickly.”
At that moment, the bowl descended from the sky and, through this miracle, came to rest in the hands of the monk Ajita. The Buddha’s aunt saw this, and her royal heart was filled with joy. She paid her respects and returned to the royal palace. The Teacher then explained the past causes of the monk Ajita and made a prophecy about the monk Ajita, saying that he would become the Lord Ariya Metteyya.
(End of Chapter 21: The Prophecy of Metteyya Chapter)
