Gateway to Insight
Stories of the Buddha’s Disciples By Nhuk Thaem
[146] Monks, among the bhikkhus who know the night (are long-time disciples) and are disciples of the Tathāgata, Aññākondañña is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have great wisdom, Sāriputta is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have supernormal powers (iddhi), Mahāmoggallāna is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who utter words that dispel defilements, Mahākassapa is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have the divine eye (dibba-cakkhu), Anuruddha is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are of high birth (noble family), Bhaddiyakāḷigodhāyaputta is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have a pleasant voice (saṃlek), Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who roar the lion’s roar, Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are Dhammakathika (preachers of the Dhamma), Puṇṇamantanīputta is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who can expound in detail the meaning of the Dhamma that the Tathāgata has taught in brief, Mahākaccāna is foremost.
End of Vagga 1.
[147] Monks, among the bhikkhus who can create a body by resolution (or mind-made body) and are disciples of the Tathāgata, Cūḷapanthaka is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are skilled in opening the mind, Cūḷapanthaka is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are skilled in opening wisdom, Mahāpanthaka is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who dwell without defilements, Subhūti is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are worthy of a gift (dakkhiṇādāna), Subhūti is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who dwell in the forest, Revatakhadiravaniya is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have attained absorption (jhāna), Kaṅkhārevata is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have perfected effort (or energy), Soṇa Koḷivisa is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who speak pleasantly, Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have gains (material acquisitions), Sīvalī is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have firm faith (saddhā), Vakkali is foremost.
End of Vagga 2.
[148] Monks, among the bhikkhus who love the training (sikkhā) and are disciples of the Tathāgata, Rāhula is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who went forth with faith, Raṭṭhapāla is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who drew the first lot (for food/dwelling), Kuṇḍadhāna is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have ready wit (or clear expression), Vaṅgīsa is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have perfected serene faith, Upasena Vaṅgantaputta is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are arrangers of resting places (senāsana), Dabba Mallaputta is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are beloved and agreeable to devas (celestial beings), Pilindavaccha is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who attain realization quickly, Bāhiya Dārucīriya is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are clever in discourse (saṃdei ḍī vicit) Kumārakassapa is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who can answer questions/dialogue (paṭisaṃbhidā), Mahākoṭṭhita is foremost.
End of Vagga 3.
[149] Monks, among the bhikkhus who are learned (know much Dhamma) and are disciples of the Tathāgata, Ānanda is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have mindfulness, Ānanda is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have good memory (or retentive memory), Ānanda is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have firm resolve (or good determination), Ānanda is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are attendants (upaṭṭhāk), Ānanda is foremost too. Among the bhikkhus who have a large following (or group), Uruvelakassapa is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who inspire faith in families, Kāḷudāyi is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are free from sickness (or have few ailments), Bakkula is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who recollect past lives (pubbenivāsa), Sobhita is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who uphold the discipline (vinaya), Upāli is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who give advice to bhikkhunīs, Nandaka is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who guard the senses (indriya), Nanda is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who give advice to bhikkhus, Mahākappina is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are skilled in the fire element (tejodhātu), Sāgata is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who are skilled in ready wit (paṭibhāṇa), Rādha is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who wear coarse robes (cīvarasauhmoh), Mogharāja is foremost.
End of Vagga 4.
[150] Monks, among the bhikkhunīs who know the night (are long-time disciples) and are female disciples of the Tathāgata, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who have great wisdom, Khema is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who have supernormal powers (iddhi), Uppalavaṇṇā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who uphold the discipline (vinaya), Paṭācārā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who are Dhammakathikā (preachers of the Dhamma), Dhammadinnā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who have attained absorption (jhāna), Nandā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who have perfected effort (or energy), Soṇā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who have the divine eye (dibba-cakkhu), Sakulā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who attain realization quickly, Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who recollect past lives (pubbenivāsa), Bhaddā Kapilānī is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who have great super-knowledge (abhiññā), Bhaddā Kaccānā is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who wear coarse robes (cīvarasauhmoh), Kisāgotamī is foremost. Among the bhikkhunīs who have firm faith (saddhā), Sīgālamātā is foremost.
End of Vagga 5.
[151] Monks, among the male lay disciples (upāsaka) who have taken the first refuge and are disciples of the Tathāgata, Tapussa the Merchant and Bhallika the Merchant are foremost. Among the male lay disciples who are givers (dāyaka), Suddattagahapati, that is, Anāthapiṇḍika the millionaire, is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who are Dhammakathika (preachers of the Dhamma), Citta Gahapati who lives in Macchikāsaṇḍa District, is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who support the Sangha with the four bases of sympathy (saṅgahavatthu), Hatthaka Āḷavaka is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who give food of excellent taste, Mahānāma the Sakyan is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who give agreeable food, Ugga Gahapati who lives in Vesālī City, is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who are servants of the Sangha, Uggata Gahapati is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who have unwavering faith, Sūra Ambaṭṭha is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who inspire faith in others, Jīvaka Komārabhacca is foremost. Among the male lay disciples who are skilled in speaking to make others intimate, Nakulapitā Gahapati is foremost.
End of Vagga 6.
[152] Monks, among the female lay disciples (upāsikā) who have taken the first refuge and are female disciples of the Tathāgata, Sujātā Senānīdhitā (Commentary says Senīyadhītā) is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who are givers (dāyikā), Visākhā Migāramātā is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who are learned (know much Dhamma), Khujjuttarā is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who dwell with loving-kindness (mettā), Sāmāvatī is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who have attained absorption (jhāna), Uttarānandamātā is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who give with meticulous care, Suppavāsā Koḷiyadhītā is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who are servers of the sick, Suppiyā Upāsikā is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who have unwavering faith, Kātiyānī is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who are skilled in speaking to make others intimate, Nakulamātā Gahapatānī is foremost. Among the female lay disciples who have faith based on what is heard (report), Kāḷī Upāsikā Kuraraghārikā (or Kulaghārikā) is foremost.
End of Vagga 7.
1. The Story of the Venerable Aññā Kondañña Thera
From that time on, he resolved that whenever the prince renounced the world to become an ascetic, he would also go forth and become an ascetic after him.
In time, the Great Being (Bodhisatta) went forth and became an ascetic, and was engaged in austere practices. When the Brahmin Kondañña learned of this, he invited four other Brahmins—Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahānāma, and Assaji. These five individuals were called the “Group of Five” (Pañcavaggiyā), meaning a group of five or composed of five members. They went forth to become ascetics after the Bodhisatta, attending to and serving him constantly, with the hope that when he attained enlightenment, he would teach and guide them so that they too would gain knowledge.
Later, when the Brahmin Kondañña and the four other Brahmins saw that the Bodhisatta had given up his austere practices and had begun to strive in the mental path, their faith waned. They then left him and went to reside in the Deer Park at Isipatana, in the region of Bārāṇasī (Varanasi).
After the Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, he considered who would be worthy to receive his first teaching. He thought of the Group of Five monks who had previously been his companions in the holy life. He then journeyed to the Deer Park at Isipatana and delivered the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (The Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma) as his first sermon. At the conclusion of this Dhamma talk, the esteemed Kondañña attained the “Dhamma Eye” (meaning the eye that sees the Dhamma, i.e., the fruit of Stream-entry). The Supreme Teacher then uttered this exclamation: “Aññāsi vata bho Kondañño, aññāsi vata bho Kondañño.” This means:
“Indeed, Kondañña has understood! Indeed, Kondañña has understood!” Because of this exclamation “Aññāsi,” which means “has understood,” the name Aññā Kondañña became attached to him from that time forward.
After the Venerable Aññā Kondañña attained the Dhamma Eye, he prostrated himself and requested ordination in the Buddha’s dispensation. The Supreme Teacher granted him ordination as a bhikkhu through the “Ehi Bhikkhu” formula. Subsequently, his spiritual faculties matured, and he cultivated insight meditation for the sake of liberation. Then the Lord Buddha delivered the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (The Discourse on the Not-Self Characteristic). At the conclusion of this Dhamma talk, he, along with the other four monks, attained Arahantship.
From then on, he served as a great strength to the Supreme Teacher in the propagation of the dispensation. He received praise from the Lord Buddha and was designated pre-eminent (etadagga) as the foremost of the monks who were “long-ordained” (rattaññū), meaning he was the most senior elder and the very first disciple of the Supreme Teacher.
The story is told that he returned to his Brahmin village, called Doṇavatthu, which was his birthplace, and led his nephew, the young Brahmin Puṇṇa, to ordain and be accepted into the Sangha, bringing him into the Buddha’s presence. As he was old and aging, living in a monastery near a town was not very comfortable for him. He therefore took leave of the Supreme Teacher to spend the rains retreat in the Himalayan forest. The commentary states that for twelve years, he lived happily and comfortably at the Chaddanta Lake, where he eventually passed into Parinibbāna, before the Buddha’s own Parinibbāna.
2. The Story of the Venerable Vappa Thera
The Venerable Vappa Thera was the son of a Brahmin who was selected to be one of the interpreters of the marks of the Great Being. Because he had learned from his father, who had since passed away, that the Great Being possessed the characteristics prophesied in the scriptures of the marks of a great man, he had great respect and faith in him. When the Bodhisatta renounced the world, he, along with four other Brahmins led by Kondañña, went forth and served him morning and evening, hoping that whatever Dhamma the Bodhisatta realized, he would teach it to them as well.
Later, when the Great Being abandoned the austere practices that they had revered as the highest virtuous conduct, they became disheartened with him. They left him and fled to the Deer Park at Isipatana. When the Supreme Teacher attained enlightenment, he went to teach them, delivering the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and other miscellaneous discourses. The Venerable Vappa Thera then attained the fruit of Stream-entry (sotāpatti). Subsequently, he listened to the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta which the Lord Buddha delivered and attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a perfected one in the Buddha’s dispensation. He was a great help to the Supreme Teacher in propagating the teaching.
He shared the Dhamma with the masses and acted as a preceptor, ordaining clansmen during the initial period after the Buddha’s enlightenment, fulfilling his duties as a disciple. Later, when his life span reached its natural limit, he passed into Parinibbāna.
3. The Story of the Venerable Bhaddiya Thera
The Venerable Bhaddiya Thera was the son of one of the eight Brahmins chosen to interpret the auspicious marks of the Great Being shortly after his birth. He learned from his father, before his father’s passing, that the Prince possessed the characteristics of a great man, which led him to have immense respect for him. (His story is very similar to that of the Venerable Vappa Thera).
In the end, after listening to the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta, his mind was liberated from the taints (āsavas), and he attained the fruit of Arahantship. He then became a great help to the Supreme Teacher in propagating the Buddha’s dispensation during the initial period after enlightenment. When his life span reached its limit, he passed into Parinibbāna, and so on.
4. The Story of the Venerable Mahānāma Thera
He was the son of a Brahmin from Kapilavatthu. His father was one of the eight Brahmins who were chosen to interpret and make predictions based on the marks of the Great Being.
(His story is similar to that of the preceding Theras).
Ultimately, he listened to the Dhamma talk in which the Lord Buddha expounded upon the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta. He attained the fruit of Arahantship and became a great help to the Supreme Teacher in propagating the dispensation during the initial period after enlightenment, until he passed into Parinibbāna.
5. The Story of the Venerable Assaji Thera
The Venerable Assaji Thera was born into a prominent Brahmin family in the city of Kapilavatthu. He was the son of one of the 108 Brahmins who were invited to the royal feast during the ceremony of interpreting the marks of the Great Being. He learned from his father’s declaration that the Great Being possessed the characteristics that aligned with the scriptures on the marks of a great man. Later, he went forth into homelessness along with four other Brahmins: Kondañña, Vappa, Bhaddiya, and Mahānāma. They attended upon the Great Being during the time he was practicing extreme austerities. When the Great Being gave up these austerities and returned to the practice of mental cultivation, they all came to the conclusion that he would surely not attain enlightenment. Disheartened, they left him and went to stay in the Deer Park at Isipatana as has been mentioned above in The Story of the Venerable Aññā Kondañña Thera.
When the Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, he went and delivered the Dhamma talk on the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta. The monk Assaji also attained Arahantship. Later, when there were many Arahants in the world, the Lord Buddha sent his disciples to proclaim and spread the dispensation in various regions. The Venerable Assaji was one of the disciples among that number who went out to propagate the dispensation according to the Buddha’s words.
One day, while on his alms round in the city of Rājagaha, he met the wanderer Upatissa. He explained the core principles of the Buddha’s teachings to Upatissa, who then attained the Dhamma Eye. Upatissa then led him to the presence of the Supreme Teacher to receive ordination. This wanderer Upatissa was none other than the chief disciple of the right, the Venerable Sāriputta. From that time on, the Venerable Sāriputta held him in great reverence. Whenever he learned in which direction the Venerable Assaji was staying, before he lay down to sleep, he would pay homage in that direction and would sleep with his head turned toward that direction.
The Venerable Assaji Thera, having lived out his natural life span, extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
6. The Story of the Venerable Yasa Thera
The Venerable Yasa was the son of a wealthy merchant in Bārāṇasī (Varanasi). He had three mansions for the three seasons. One day, during the rainy season, the young nobleman Yasa was in his rainy-season palace, being entertained solely by female musicians, with no men present. During the night, Yasa fell asleep first, and the female attendants fell asleep after him. The lamps were still brightly lit. Yasa awoke before them and saw his attendants sleeping in various unseemly postures. One had a lute fallen by her armpit, another had a drum at her side. Some had disheveled hair, some were drooling, some were grinding their teeth and talking in their sleep. The scene did not inspire the same pleasure and delight as before. It appeared to Yasa like a charnel ground where corpses had been thrown away.
Seeing this, Yasa felt a sense of spiritual urgency and dismay. He exclaimed, “Oh, how oppressive it is! How afflicted it is!” Yasa, his mind deeply disturbed, put on his sandals, walked out of his home, and left through the city gate, heading towards the Deer Park at Isipatana. It was nearly dawn, and the Supreme Teacher was doing walking meditation in an open space. He heard the sound of Yasa’s exclamation as he approached. The Buddha said, “Here it is not oppressive, here it is not afflicted. Come, sit here, and the Tathāgata will teach you the Dhamma.”
When the young nobleman Yasa heard these words, he thought, “It is said that this place is not oppressive, that this place is not afflicted.” He then took off his sandals, approached, paid his respects, and sat down in a suitable place.
The Lord Buddha delivered a progressive discourse, cleansing Yasa’s mind from its delight in sensual pleasures, making it receptive to the Dhamma, like a clean, unblemished cloth ready to absorb dye. Then, the Lord Buddha systematically proclaimed the Four Noble Truths. At that very spot, Yasa attained the Dhamma Eye. And as he contemplated the state of Dhamma he had clearly seen, his mind was completely liberated from the taints (āsavas), without any clinging.
Meanwhile, Yasa’s mother went up to his palace in the morning and, not seeing her son, informed her husband, the wealthy merchant. He sent people to search in all four directions while he also went out to look for him. He happened to take the path leading to the Deer Park at Isipatana and saw his son’s sandals left there. He walked further until he reached the presence of the Teacher. The Teacher delivered a progressive discourse and taught the Four Noble Truths to the merchant, allowing him to see the Dhamma. The merchant prostrated himself, praised the Dhamma talk, and declared himself a lay follower (upāsaka), taking refuge in the Triple Gem, becoming the first lay follower in the world to do so.
The merchant, not knowing that his son Yasa had become free from all taints, then said, “Yasa, your mother is overcome with sorrow and grief for you. Please give her the gift of your life!”
Yasa looked at the Supreme Teacher. The Buddha said to the merchant, “The mind of the young nobleman Yasa is free from the taints, without any clinging. It is not fitting for him to return to the enjoyment of sensual pleasures as before.” The merchant prostrated himself, praising his son’s good fortune, and then invited the Lord Buddha, along with Yasa as his attendant monk, to receive alms at his house that morning.
After the merchant had paid his respects and departed, the Venerable Yasa prostrated himself and requested full ordination. The Lord Buddha granted him ordination with the “Ehi Bhikkhu” formula. At that time, there were now seven Arahants in the world, including the Venerable Yasa.
That morning, the Supreme Teacher, along with the Venerable Yasa, arrived at the merchant’s house. The mother and the former wife of the Venerable Yasa came to pay their respects. The Lord Buddha delivered a progressive discourse and taught the Four Noble Truths, enabling both women to see the Dhamma clearly. The two women then prostrated, praised the Dhamma talk, and declared themselves lay female disciples (upāsikās), taking refuge in the Triple Gem before any other women in the world.
When the time came, the mother, father, and former wife of the Venerable Yasa served the Supreme Teacher and the Venerable Yasa with exquisite food and delicacies with their own hands. After the meal, the Buddha gave a Dhamma talk, inspiring and gladdening the three of them in the Dhamma, and then returned to the Deer Park at Isipatana.
As for the four friends of the Venerable Yasa, who were sons of wealthy merchants in Bārāṇasī, they heard the news that Yasa had gone forth and become an ascetic. They thought, “The Dhamma and Vinaya for which the noble Yasa has gone forth must surely be of no little value; it must be genuine.” They then went to follow Yasa, and they too attained the fruit of Arahantship at that time, thus becoming newly arisen Arahants.
Furthermore, fifty other friends of the Venerable Yasa from the surrounding countryside heard the news and had the same thought as the previous friends. They unanimously decided to go forth and follow the Venerable Yasa, and all of them also attained the fruit of Arahantship. This brought the total number of Arahants in the world at that time to 61.
The Venerable Yasa Thera was a great strength to the Supreme Teacher in expanding the Buddha’s dispensation during the initial period after enlightenment. When his life span reached its natural limit, he passed into Parinibbāna.
7. The Story of the Venerable Vimala Thera
8. The Story of the Venerable Subāhu Thera
9. The Story of the Venerable Puṇṇaji Thera
10. The Story of the Venerable Gavampati Thera[1]
These four Theras were the sons of wealthy merchants in Bārāṇasī and were close friends of the Venerable Yasa Thera. When they heard the news that their friend, the young nobleman Yasa, had gone forth into the homeless life in the Buddha’s dispensation, they all came to the same conclusion: “The Dhamma and Vinaya that the young nobleman Yasa has undertaken cannot be a lowly thing; it must be a noble and sublime Dhamma and Vinaya.” The four of them then went to find the Venerable Yasa. He led his four friends to pay homage to the Supreme Teacher. The Buddha delivered a progressive discourse, explaining about generosity, virtue, the heavens, the dangers of sensual pleasures, and the benefits of renunciation, as a way to prepare and purify the minds of these young men, causing them to become dispassionate towards worldly desires. Then, he systematically explained the Four Noble Truths.
At the conclusion of the Dhamma talk, those young men attained Arahantship, their minds free from all clinging. They then prostrated and requested full ordination. The Supreme Teacher granted their request with the “Ehi Bhikkhu” formula of ordination. These four Theras became a great help to the Supreme Teacher in propagating the dispensation in various regions during the initial period after the Buddha’s enlightenment, until they each lived out their natural life span and passed into Parinibbāna.
11. The Story of the Venerable Uruvela Kassapa Thera
12. The Story of the Venerable Nadī Kassapa Thera
13. The Story of the Venerable Gayā Kassapa Thera
These three Theras were born into the Kassapa clan of Brahmins and were three brothers. The eldest was named Uruvela Kassapa, the middle brother was named Nadī Kassapa, and the youngest was named Gayā Kassapa. They were called Kassapa according to their clan name. The names Uruvela, Nadī, and Gayā were given to them based on the regions where they established their hermitages after ordaining as matted-hair ascetics (jaṭilas). The commentators have not specified the exact birthplace of these three brothers.
In their youth, the three brothers studied and mastered the three Vedas according to the Brahmin tradition. The three of them considered that the fruits of worldly studies lacked true substance, so they aspired for the fruits of the path to the next world. They went forth and became matted-hair ascetics, those who keep their hair long, along with their followers.
The eldest brother established his hermitage in the Uruvelā region, and thus received the name Uruvela Kassapa. The middle brother established his hermitage by the bank of the Ganges river, and thus received the name Nadī Kassapa. The youngest brother established his hermitage in the region of Gayāsīsa, and thus received the name Gayā Kassapa.
Uruvela Kassapa had 500 matted-hair ascetics as his followers. Nadī Kassapa had 300 followers. Gayā Kassapa had 200 followers. These three ascetic leaders led their followers in the practice of fire worship to burn away defilements, according to the Brahmin tradition.
After the Great Being attained enlightenment, he wished to and the Lord Buddha granted him the joy of the Buddha’s victory just as before.
The Supreme Teacher, having stayed in the region of Uruvela Kassapa for a suitable time, then journeyed with his Sangha of monks to the region of Gayāsīsa, near the Gayā river. He summoned all the monks to assemble and delivered the Ādittapariyāya Sutta (The Fire Sermon). In this discourse, he explained that all conditioned phenomena are burning, in a way that resonated with the former practices of these old matted-hair ascetics who had been devoted to fire worship.
At the conclusion of the Dhamma talk, the minds of all those monks were completely liberated from the taints and defilements, without any clinging (they attained Arahantship).
From there, the Lord Buddha, accompanied by his 1,003 Arahant disciples, traveled in stages until he reached the city of Rājagaha, where he stayed in a palm grove called the Laṭṭhivana. King Bimbisāra of Magadha heard the news and, accompanied by a large retinue of ministers and royal attendants, went to have an audience with the Supreme Teacher. The king observed that his royal retinue was in disarray and lacked composure. The Lord Buddha then spoke to the Venerable Uruvela Kassapa, who was highly respected by all those people, asking him to declare the emptiness of his old beliefs in order to incline the minds of the royal retinue to listen attentively to his Dhamma talk. The Buddha then delivered a progressive discourse and taught the Four Noble Truths. At the conclusion of the Dhamma talk, King Bimbisāra and his retinue, divided into 12 parts, saw 11 parts attain the Dhamma Eye, while the remaining part took refuge in the Triple Gem.
Therefore, it can be seen that the Venerable Uruvela Kassapa Thera was a great force in helping to proclaim the dispensation and establish the Buddha’s teachings in the city of Rājagaha. This Thera had a large following of disciples, which was a result of his ability to win their hearts, supporting them with both material things and the Dhamma. Because the Thera possessed such qualities, his followers loved and respected him. This is a quality that should be aspired to within the community of disciples. For this reason, the Supreme Teacher exalted him to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga) as the foremost among the monks who have a large following.
14. The Story of the Venerable Sāriputta Thera
The Venerable Sāriputta Thera was the son of a prominent Brahmin named Vanganta and the Brahmin lady Sārī, from the village of Nālaka or Nālandā, near the city of Rājagaha. His birth name was Upatissa. He was also called Sāriputta, meaning “son of Sārī.” After he was ordained in this Dhamma-Vinaya, his fellow monks in the holy life consistently referred to him only by the name Sāriputta.
The commentators have stated that the young man Upatissa was the son of a family endowed with great wealth and many attendants. He studied and mastered all the arts and sciences. He had a close friend named Kolita, of the Moggallāna clan, who was of the same age and also from an equally wealthy and prominent family. These two friends often went together to see the festivals in the city of Rājagaha.
Frequently, but one day, while the two friends were watching a performance, they were suddenly overcome with a sense of weariness and disenchantment. They agreed that watching plays was useless and that it would be far better to seek the path to liberation (Mokkha-dhamma). They then went forth into the homeless life under the teacher Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta, along with their followers. After mastering the teachings of Sañjaya, they reflected and saw that it lacked the essential substance to lead to liberation. They then made a pact with each other: whoever attained the deathless state first must inform the other.
One day, the wanderer Upatissa saw the Venerable Assaji Thera, who had been sent out by the Supreme Teacher to proclaim the dispensation. He saw the monk’s serene demeanor, which inspired great faith. He approached and questioned the Venerable Assaji. The Thera explained the core principles of the Dhamma in a concise manner for Upatissa to hear, and Upatissa attained the fruit of Stream-entry. He then asked the Thera where the Supreme Teacher was staying. Upon learning that the Buddha was at the Veḷuvana monastery, Upatissa returned to tell the wanderer Kolita and explained the Dhamma he had heard. Kolita also attained the fruit of Stream-entry. Then, they both went to take leave of Sañjaya, their former teacher. The two friends then led their followers to an audience with the Supreme Teacher, prostrated, and requested ordination. The Lord Buddha granted ordination to all of them. Among those monks, the ones who were their followers attained Arahantship first. The Venerable Moggallāna attained Arahantship seven days after his ordination. It was half a month after his ordination that the Venerable Sāriputta attained Arahantship.
There is a story about the circumstances of his attainment of Arahantship. One day, the Teacher was staying in the Sūkarakhatā cave on the Gijjhakūṭa mountain in the region of Rājagaha. He was delivering a discourse on the apprehension of feelings[2] to a wanderer named Dīghanakha of the Aggivessana clan, who had come for an audience and to converse with him. At that moment, the Venerable Sāriputta was fanning the Supreme Teacher. As he contemplated the Dhamma being taught, his mind was completely liberated from the taints (āsavas), without any clinging. As for the wanderer Dīghanakha, he attained the Dhamma Eye, prostrated himself in praise of the Dhamma talk, and declared himself a lay follower.
This Venerable Sāriputta was renowned for possessing wisdom and courage far surpassing other disciples. Therefore, the Lord Buddha praised him as pre-eminent (etadagga), the foremost of the monks endowed with great wisdom, able to expound the Dhamma Wheel and the Four Noble Truths in a way comparable to the Buddha himself. If a group of monks were to take leave to travel to a distant place, the Buddha would often instruct them all to go and take leave of the Venerable Sāriputta first, so that he could advise them. The Supreme Teacher exalted this Venerable Sāriputta as the chief disciple of the right, the counterpart to the Venerable Moggallāna (whose biography follows) who was the chief disciple of the left, and also as one who was a great benefactor to his fellow monks.
The Buddha compared the Venerable Sāriputta to a mother who gives birth to a child, able to guide clansmen to be established in the fruit of Stream-entry. If one sets aside the Buddha’s own words, the discourses given by Sāriputta are more numerous than those of any other disciple, such as the Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta. He was known for his profound gratitude; even if someone offered him just a single ladle of rice, he would not forget it. He lived until the final period of the Buddha’s ministry, in the 45th year. When he was near his Parinibbāna, he wished to teach his mother one last time. He then took leave of the Blessed One, and accompanied by the Venerable Cunda Thera, his younger brother, and his retinue, he journeyed to his birthplace. That night, he fell ill with dysentery. While afflicted with the illness, he endeavored to teach his mother, and continued until his mother attained the fruit of Stream-entry. At dawn, on the full moon day of the month of Kattika, the chief disciple passed into Parinibbāna. The next morning, the Venerable Cunda arranged the cremation ceremony for the body, collected the relics, and brought them to the Supreme Teacher. The Lord Buddha then instructed that a stupa be built to enshrine the relics, as a place of veneration for the masses, at the Jetavana monastery in the city of Sāvatthī.
15. The Story of the Venerable Moggallāna Thera
The Venerable Moggallāna Thera was born in a region near the city of Rājagaha. He was the son of a Brahmin headman of the area named Kolita, and his mother’s name was Moggallī. He was called Kolita according to his father’s clan name. He was also called by another name, according to his being the son of the lady Moggallī, thus Moggallāna. After he ordained in this Dhamma and Vinaya, his fellow monks in the holy life consistently referred to him by the name Moggallāna. Since his youth, he was a close friend of the Venerable Sāriputta; they were of the same age, studied the arts and sciences together, ordained as wanderers together, and entered into full ordination in this Dhamma and Vinaya together, as has been described in the preceding The Story of the Venerable Sāriputta. Here, we will speak specifically about his own life story.
Seven days after he had received full ordination, he was striving in meditation in the village of Kallavālaputta in the country of Magadha. His mind grew weak, and he sat nodding with drowsiness. The Blessed One journeyed to that place and explained the skillful means to overcome drowsiness. He then advised him not to be attached to families, but to stay in a quiet abode, a place suitable for calming the mind, in accordance with the way of an ascetic[3]. The Venerable Moggallāna followed the Buddha’s advice and instructions, and on that very day, he attained Arahantship.
The Supreme Teacher praised the Venerable Moggallāna as the counterpart to the Venerable Sāriputta, saying he was a great support to newly ordained monks and was the chief disciple of the left, as mentioned before.
Furthermore, the Buddha exalted him to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga) as the foremost of the monks who possessed psychic powers (iddhi). The Supreme Teacher had one disciple pre-eminent in wisdom and one pre-eminent in psychic powers. These two were established in the position of chief disciples, serving as an immense strength to the Lord Buddha in proclaiming and spreading the dispensation, causing it to flourish and grow in all directions.
The Dhamma talks of the Venerable Moggallāna are not found in great abundance in the scriptures. Only the Anumāna Sutta is seen, in which he gave advice to the community of monks, and which the compilers of the Dhamma included in the Majjhima Nikāya.
This Venerable Moggallāna, being proficient in psychic powers related to construction, was appointed by the Buddha as the overseer of construction (navakammādhhiṭṭhāyī) for the Pubbārāma monastery in the city of Sāvatthī, which the great laywoman Visākhā had built.
There is a story told before his Parinibbāna that when he was staying in the region of Kālasilā in the country of Magadha, a group of ascetics from other sects conspired, saying, “The monk Moggallāna is a great force for the Buddha. He can bring news from heaven and hell to tell the human world. If we can eliminate Moggallāna, our doctrines will flourish and prosper.” They then hired a band of robbers to go and assassinate him. The robbers ambushed him twice, but he escaped both times. When they came for the third time, the venerable one reflected and saw that his old kamma had caught up with him, so he did not try to escape. The robbers then seized him and beat him until his bones were crushed.
They then took his body and hid it in a thicket in the forest and fled. The Thera had not yet passed away. He sustained his physical form with the power of his meditative absorption (jhāna), went to take leave of the Supreme Teacher, asked for permission to enter Parinibbāna, and then returned to the original place to pass away. This occurred on the 15th day of the waning moon of the month of Kattika, half a month after the Venerable Sāriputta’s Parinibbāna. The Blessed One went to perform the cremation ceremony for the body. Afterwards, he gave instructions to collect the bone relics and build a stupa to enshrine them near the gate of the Veḷuvana monastery.
16. The Story of the Venerable Mahā Kassapa Thera
The Venerable Mahā Kassapa Thera was the son of the Brahmin Kapila of the Kassapa clan, from the village of Mahātittha in the country of Magadha. His original name was Pipphali. At the age of 20, he was married to the lady Bhaddā Kāpilānī, aged 16, the daughter of a Brahmin of the Kosiya clan from the city of Sāgala, also in Magadha. The families of this husband and wife were extremely wealthy, with many businesses that generated great riches, and they had numerous servants and animals for work, but they had no sons or daughters. After their parents passed away, the young man Pipphali managed the family’s wealth. Later, the couple reflected and saw that those who manage a household must incur sin, because the work done by others is sometimes good and sometimes not. They thus became disenchanted with the household life and decided to go forth and become ascetics. The young man Pipphali renounced the world, dedicating his renunciation to the Arahants in the world. He then met the Blessed One under the Bahuputtaka Banyan Tree, which stands on the border between the city of Rājagaha and the village of Nālandā. He felt great faith and offered himself as a disciple. The Supreme Teacher ordained him as a monk and gave him three exhortations: “Kassapa, you should train yourself thus: ‘I will establish a keen sense of shame and fear of wrongdoing towards senior, new, and middle-ranking monks.’ This is the first point. ‘Whatever teaching I hear that is connected with the wholesome, I will listen to it with attentive ear, reflecting on its meaning.’ This is the second point. ‘I will not abandon mindfulness directed to the body, that is, contemplating the body as an object of meditation.’ This is the third point.”
He accepted the Buddha’s advice with great respect. Being a diligent and non-negligent person, it was not long before he attained Arahantship, on the eighth day after his ordination. This Thera received praise from the Supreme Teacher for having a state of mind (vihāra-dhamma) equal to the Buddha’s own. The Buddha once accepted his outer robe (saṅghāṭi) to wear, and in turn gave his own robe to the Thera. He praised him as one who practiced contentment, had few wishes, always conducted himself as if newly ordained, did not show familiarity, and whose body and speech were detached, with a mind unentangled with families. One other point is that the Lord Buddha exalted him to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga) as the foremost of the monks who undertook the ascetic practices (dhutaṅga). He regularly observed three ascetic practices: 1. Wearing robes made from discarded cloth (paṃsukūla) as a practice. 2. Going for alms (piṇḍapāta) as a practice. 3. Dwelling in the forest as a practice. It was for this reason that the Supreme Teacher elevated and praised him in this regard.
The Venerable Mahā Kassapa Thera was a most important disciple, as he served as the president of the First Buddhist Council, held seven days after the Buddha’s Parinibbāna. This was initiated because of the disrespectful and contemptuous words spoken against the Dhamma and Vinaya by the old, late-ordained monk Subhadda. For this reason, he invited the community of monks to hold a council, and the Sangha agreed. They entrusted him with the task of selecting monks capable of participating in the council, numbering approximately 500. The Venerable Upāli Thera and the Venerable Ānanda Thera provided great support in answering questions about the Vinaya and the Dhamma, respectively. King Ajātasattu served as the royal patron. The council was held in the city of Rājagaha and concluded after seven months. After the First Council was completed, the Venerable Mahā Kassapa Thera established his regular dwelling at the Veḷuvana monastery. He diligently practiced without negligence, following the advice of the Blessed One, until he reached the age of 120. He then extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna between three mountains known as the Kukkuṭasampāta mountain.
17. The Story of the Venerable Mahā Kaccāna Thera
The Venerable Mahā Kaccāna Thera was the son of a royal chaplain (purohita) of the Kaccāna clan in the city of Ujjenī; his name was Kañcana. As he grew up, he studied and mastered the three Vedas. When his father passed away, he received the position of royal chaplain during the reign of King Candappajjota.
When King Candappajjota heard the news that a Buddha had appeared in the world, that he taught the masses, and that the Dhamma he taught was true and genuine, capable of bringing real benefit to those who practiced it, he had the royal wish to invite the Supreme Teacher to come and teach in the city of Ujjenī. He therefore issued a royal command to the chaplain Kañcana to go and extend an invitation to the Lord Buddha. The chaplain Kañcana requested permission to ordain as well. After the king granted his permission, he set out from the city of Ujjenī with a retinue of seven men. When they arrived, they went for an audience with the Supreme Teacher. After listening to the Dhamma talk, all eight of them attained Arahantship. They then requested ordination. The Buddha, the Master, ordained them as monks through the “Ehi Bhikkhu” formula. After he had been ordained, he conveyed the invitation to the Supreme Teacher, according to the royal wish of King Candappajjota. The Blessed One replied, “You should go alone. When you return there, the great king will surely have faith.” The Thera then paid his respects, took his leave, and led the seven monks in his retinue back to the city of Ujjenī to proclaim the Buddha’s teachings, inspiring faith in the great king and all the city’s inhabitants. He then returned to the presence of the Supreme Teacher.
The Venerable Mahā Kaccāna Thera was skilled at explaining concise statements in a detailed and expansive manner.
When the Supreme Teacher was staying at the Jetavana Mahāvihāra, he used the Bhaddekaratta Sutta, the Kaccānagotta Sutta, the Pārāyana Sutta, and the Madhupiṇḍika Sutta as the basis for exalting him to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga) as the foremost of the monks who could analyze and explain in detail what the Buddha had taught in brief. In addition to these, there are other Dhamma talks by this Thera, namely the Madhupiṇḍika Sutta and the Uddesavibhaṅga Sutta in the Majjhima Nikāya.
The Venerable Mahā Kaccāna Thera had a beautiful appearance, with a complexion as golden as natural gold. According to a story in the commentary to the Dhammapada, in brief, the son of a wealthy merchant in the town of Soreyya saw his form and thought, “If I could have a wife as beautiful and handsome as this monk, how wonderful it would be!” Due to the power of this disrespectful and sinful thought, the merchant’s son was transformed into a woman. Feeling great shame, she fled her town to live in another region. Later, she asked for forgiveness from the Thera, and was transformed back into a man as before.
If one examines the stories in the Dhammapada, it becomes clear that the Venerable Mahā Kaccāna Thera was a very important elder in the Buddha’s dispensation, and his lifespan extended into the period after the Buddha’s Parinibbāna.
18 – The Story of Venerable Ajita
Venerable Ajita was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī. When he came of age for study, his parents sent him to be with the great teacher, Brahmin Bāvarī. When the Lord Buddha arose in the world, the virtues of his reputation spread to various lands. Brahmin Bāvarī, hearing the news and wanting to know the truth, sent 16 of his students, led by the young Ajita, to go and ask questions to verify the truth. The 16 youths, each with their own retinue, went to find the Lord Buddha in the area of the Pāsāṇaka Cetiya. After asking for and receiving permission to ask questions, the young Ajita was the first to step forward and ask his questions in four verses, as follows:
“What is it that covers the world of beings, causing them to wander lost as if in darkness? What is the reason they lack clear wisdom? What, the Lord says, defiles and binds the world of beings, and what is its greatest fear?”
The Lord Buddha answered, saying: “The world of beings is covered by ignorance (avijjā), which causes them to wander lost as if in darkness. Because of craving for various things and heedlessness, they lack clear wisdom. I, the Tathāgata, say that craving is what defiles and binds the world of beings and I, the Tathāgata, say that suffering is the greatest fear of the world.”
“What is the restraint, the barrier for craving, which flows like a river into all the senses? By what principle can a person abandon this craving?”
“Mindfulness (sati) is the restraint and barrier for craving, and this craving can be abandoned through wisdom (paññā).”
“Where do wisdom, mindfulness, and this ‘name-and-form’ cease and disappear?”
“Because consciousness (viññāṇa) ceases first, name-and-form cease in that very place.”
“There are two kinds of people in this world: those who have contemplated and seen the Dhamma, and those who are still in training. I, your humble servant, beg to ask about the conduct of these two groups.”
“A monk who has contemplated and seen the Dhamma, and those who are still in training, should not delight in sensual pleasures, should have a mind that is not troubled or turbid, be skillful in all things, and be mindful in all postures.”
At the conclusion of the explanation, the young Ajita attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges (catuppaṭisambhidāñāṇa).
After the Lord Buddha finished resolving the questions of the other 15 youths, they asked for ordination. The Blessed One granted them the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination, making them monks in the Buddhist religion. Venerable Ajita is counted among the eighty great disciples. He lived for a suitable period of time and then entered Parinirvana.
19 – The Story of Venerable Tissa Metteyya
Venerable Tissa Metteyya was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī. When he came of age for study, he went to learn the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī, who had formerly been the chief royal chaplain of King Kosala. Later, feeling weary of the household life, he asked the king for permission to leave and become an ascetic according to the Brahmin tradition. He established a hermitage on the bank of the Godhāvarī river, at the border of the Assaka and Aḷaka regions, and became a great teacher of that time.
When the Lord Buddha arose in the world, his fame spread throughout all directions. Brahmin Bāvarī heard the news and, feeling astonished and doubtful, wanted to know the truth. So he formulated 16 sets of questions for his 16 students, one set for each, to take and test the Lord Buddha. Tissa Metteyya was among this number. They took leave of their teacher and, with their retinues, went to pay homage to the Lord Buddha at the Pāsāṇaka Cetiya in the land of Magadha, and asked for an opportunity to ask their questions.
…attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges. When the other youths had finished asking their questions, Tissa Metteyya, along with his fellow students, asked for the going forth and ordination. The Blessed One granted them monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination. Venerable Tissa Metteyya lived for a suitable period of time and then, his constituent aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
20 – The Story of Venerable Puṇṇaka
Venerable Puṇṇaka was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī. When he came of age, he went to study the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)[4]
When the youth Tissa Metteyya had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Puṇṇaka came forward to ask the third question, saying:
“Relying on what do people in this world perform sacrifices and make vows to the gods?”
The Victor over Māra prophesied, “Those people desire to obtain what they wish for. Relying on things that are subject to decay (as is natural), they perform sacrifices and make vows to the gods.”
“If those people are not heedless in their sacrifices, can they cross beyond birth and old age?”
“Those people, intending to get the rewards they desire, praise their sacrificial offerings and extol only what they wish for. This is due to their desire for gain. I, the Tathāgata, say that those who perform sacrifices are still subject to sensual craving and cannot cross beyond birth and old age.”
“If those who perform sacrifices cannot cross beyond birth and old age through their offerings, then who in the world of gods or the world of humans can cross beyond birth and old age?”
“Whoever has no craving or desire—which is the cause of restlessness and turmoil in the world—because they have clearly contemplated the Dhamma of tension and slackness in the world; I, the Tathāgata, say that such a person is peaceful and tranquil. They are free from the misconduct and evil deeds that cause defilement, like the black soot from a fire’s smoke. Their mind is untouched by defilements, free from craving and turmoil. They are the one who can cross beyond birth and old age.”
As the youth Puṇṇaka sent his mind along the stream of the Dhamma discourse, he attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges. He then asked for the going forth and ordination along with his fellow students at the conclusion of the sixteen questions’ explanation.
The Lord Buddha then granted them monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination.
Venerable Puṇṇaka lived his life in the religion for a suitable period of time, and then, his constituent aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
21 – The Story of Venerable Mettagū
Venerable Mettagū was the son of a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, he went to study the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Puṇṇaka had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Mettagū came forward to ask the fourth question:
“Venerable Sir, suffering in this world is of many kinds, not just one. What does it come from?”
The Lord Buddha prophesied, “Suffering in this world has its basis (upadhi), which is kamma and defilements, as its cause. It arises from this basis. An ignorant person, not knowing this, creates this basis. That very person is the one who experiences suffering in this world. Therefore, when one knows and sees clearly that the basis is the root of suffering, one should not create (that basis).”
“How can a wise person cross the great ocean of birth, old age, sorrow, and lamentation? May the Blessed One please teach this Dhamma to me.”
“The Tathāgata will teach a Dhamma that a person should see clearly for themselves in this very life, without needing to lean on the words of others that it is ‘like this’ or ‘like that’, so that you, being mindful, may cross over the craving that causes attachment in the world.”
“I rejoice exceedingly in this sublime Dhamma.”
“Whatever you know—in the realm above (the future), in the realm below (the past), and in the realm in the middle (the present)—you should dispel delight and clinging in all those realms. Your consciousness will not be established in any state of becoming. A monk who dwells thus, mindful and not heedless, having understood this, always abandons the clinging of ‘mine’ and will abandon suffering—birth, old age, sorrow, and lamentation—in this world.”
“I am extremely pleased with the words of the Blessed One. The Dhamma without basis that you have taught is excellent. It is true that the Blessed One has abandoned suffering because you have understood this Dhamma. Surely, even the learned ones whom you constantly instruct will also be able to abandon this suffering. Is it for this reason that I have come to pay homage, so that the Blessed One may instruct me always?”
“Know that whoever is a Brahmin who has reached the end of the three Vedas, who is without defilements as a source of trouble, and is not attached to the realm of sensual pleasures—that person has crossed the flood of the cause of suffering, like crossing a great ocean. Having crossed to the other shore, they are one who is not fettered by the house of defilements, and their doubts are gone. Having perfected the three Vedas in this teaching, they abandon the conditions that cause attachment to realms small and great. They are without craving, their mind is not overcome by strong defilements, free from restless desire. I, the Tathāgata, say that such a person has crossed beyond birth.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Mettagū attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges. He then asked for the going forth and ordination along with his fellow students at the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation. The Blessed One granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination. Venerable Mettagū lived his life in the religion for a suitable period of time and then, his constituent aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
22 – The Story of Venerable Dhotaka
Venerable Dhotaka was born into a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, his parents sent him to study at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Mettagū had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Dhotaka came forward to ask the fifth question, saying:
“I wish to ask the Blessed One, and I wish to hear his words.” Having heard the words of the Blessed One, I will study and practice them as a means to extinguish my own defilements.”
The Lord Buddha prophesied, “If so, then you should be a person of wisdom and mindfulness, and exert yourself in this teaching.”
“I have come to see that you, a Brahmin free from worries, wander through the worlds of gods and humans. Therefore, I have come to pay homage to you. Please, have mercy and free me from my doubts.”
“The Tathāgata cannot free anyone in the world who is still beset by doubts. When you yourself have known the supreme Dhamma, then you yourself can cross the great ocean, which is the defilements.”
“May the Blessed One, in his compassion, teach the Dhamma of peace, free from defilements, which I should know. Please instruct me so that I may become a person unattached, as clear as the sky, who has pacified the defilements and wanders in the world without any attachment.”
“The Tathāgata will tell you the supreme means for pacifying the defilements.”
“If you know that restless craving—in the realms above, below, and in the middle—is the cause of attachment in the world, then you should not create restless craving to be reborn in realms small or great (hereafter).”
At the end of this explanation, the youth Dhotaka attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges and asked for ordination. The Blessed One granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with the other students at the conclusion of the sixteen questions’ explanation. Venerable Dhotaka lived his life in the religion for a suitable period of time and then, his constituent aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
23 – The Story of Venerable Upasīva
Venerable Upasīva was born into a Brahmin family in Sāvatthī, in the country of Kosala. When he grew up, he went to study the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Dhotaka had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Upasīva came forward to ask the sixth question, saying:
“Alone by myself, without any support, I cannot cross the great flood of defilements. Please, Lord, tell me of a support to hold onto, by which I can cross this flood.”
The Buddha prophesied, “With mindfulness, contemplate the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana-jhāna), relying on the perception ‘there is nothing,’ and thus cross the flood. By abandoning sensual pleasures and being free from doubt, seeing the Dhamma as the end of craving, clearly, day and night.”
“One who is free from lust for sensual pleasures, has transcended other states of meditative absorption, relies on the sphere of nothingness (the mental focus that ‘there is nothing’), and inclines the mind towards this sphere of nothingness, which is the supreme means for removing perception—will such a person remain in that sphere of nothingness without fading away?”
“That person will remain in the sphere of nothingness without fading away.”
“If that person remains in the sphere of nothingness for many years, steadfast in that state, when they extinguish their aggregates and attain parinibbāna, what will their consciousness be like?”
“Just as a flame that is blown out by the wind cannot be said to have gone to any particular place, so it is with a sage who is freed from the mass of name-and-form; they are extinguished without remainder (extinguished along with all defilements and aggregates). It cannot be said that they have been reborn as anything; the analogy is thus.”
“Has that person been annihilated, or do they simply have no form, or do they exist eternally without harm? Please, Lord, explain this to me, for this Dhamma is something you have clearly understood.”
“There is no measure of the five aggregates for one who has extinguished the aggregates and entered Nibbāna. There are no defilements that could be the cause for saying that person has been reborn as anything. When all conditions (like the aggregates) have been abandoned by that person, then all means of speaking about them as ‘being’ anything are cut off.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Upasīva was established in the fruit of Arahantship and asked for ordination. The Blessed One granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with the other students at the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation. Venerable Upasīva lived his life in the religion for a suitable period of time and then attained Parinirvana.
24 – The Story of Venerable Nanda
Venerable Nanda was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, he went to study the Brahminical doctrine at the school of Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Upasīva had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Nanda came forward to ask the seventh question, saying:
“People in the world say there are ‘sages’ (muni). What does this mean? Is a person called a sage because of their knowledge, or because of their way of life?”
The Self-Awakened One prophesied, “The wise in this world do not say that a person is a sage because of their personal opinions, what they have heard, or their knowledge. I, the Tathāgata, say that one who has made themselves free from the mass of defilements, who is without defilements, without craving or restless desire—that person is called a sage.”
“Any ascetic or Brahmin who claims purity through views, through hearsay, through virtue and observances, and through many other methods—if they practice these methods which they believe lead to purity, can they cross beyond birth and old age? I have come to ask you, Lord; please explain this to me.”
“Even if those ascetics and Brahmins practice in that way, I, the Tathāgata, say they cannot cross beyond birth and old age.”
“If you, Lord, say that those ascetics and Brahmins cannot cross the flood, then who among humans or gods can cross beyond birth and old age?”
“I, the Tathāgata, do not say that all ascetics and Brahmins are oppressed by birth and old age. But I, the Tathāgata, say that those ascetics and Brahmins in this world who have abandoned the objects they have seen, heard, and known, as well as their virtues, observances, and many other methods; who have recognized craving as a fault to be abandoned; who are without cankers (āsava)—those ascetics and Brahmins have crossed the flood.”
“I am greatly pleased with the words of the Blessed One. Please, Lord, teach the excellent Dhamma that is without basis (upadhi). For I, too, say that those ascetics and Brahmins are crossers of the flood, just as the Blessed One has said.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Nanda attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges and asked for ordination. The Blessed Lord Buddha granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with his fellow students at the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation. Venerable Nanda lived his life in the religion for a suitable period of time and then, extinguishing his aggregates, entered Parinirvana.
25 – The Story of Venerable Hemaka
Venerable Hemaka was the son of a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, he went to study the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Nanda had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Hemaka came forward to ask the tenth question, saying:
“Before the teaching of the Blessed One, teachers would claim, ‘It was like this in the past, and it will be like this in the future.'”
“All these words, ‘like this, like that,’ only lead to more proliferation of speculative thought. I am not pleased with these words. Please, Lord, teach the Dhamma that is the cause for uprooting craving, so that by knowing it, I may, with mindfulness, cross beyond the craving that clings to this world.”
The Blessed One prophesied, “Those who know Nibbāna as the place for abandoning lust for pleasant objects—which they have seen, heard, known, tasted, touched, and cognized with the mind—as a state that is unchanging; they who are mindful, have seen the Dhamma, have extinguished defilements, and are peaceful and tranquil; they are the ones who cross beyond the craving that leads to attachment in the world.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Hemaka also attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges and came to ask for the going forth and ordination. The Lord Buddha granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with his fellow students at the time of the conclusion of the sixteen questions’ explanation. Venerable Hemaka lived his life in the religion for a suitable period of time, and then, his life-aggregates extinguished, entered Parinirvana.
26 – The Story of Venerable Todeyya
Venerable Todeyya was the son of a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, he went to study the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.) When the youth Hemaka had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Todeyya came forward to ask the ninth question, saying:
“In whom do sensual pleasures not exist? In whom is craving absent? And who has crossed beyond doubt? What is the nature of such a person’s release?”
The Blessed Lord, the Master, prophesied, “The release of that person is not otherwise (i.e., it is final and irreversible). For that person is free from sensual pleasure, free from craving, and free from doubt. Sensual pleasure, craving, or doubt will not arise again, requiring them to strive for release once more. The release of that person is firm and unchanging.”
“Is that person one with desire or without? Is he truly wise, or one who merely creates craving and views through questioning? How am I to know such a sage? Please, Lord, tell me.”
“That person is without restless desire; he is truly wise. He is not one who creates views and craving through questioning. Know that sage as one without worry, unattached to the realm of sensual pleasures.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Todeyya attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges, and then asked for ordination. The Blessed Sugata granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with the other students at the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation. Venerable Todeyya lived his life in the religion for a suitable period, and then, his aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
27 – The Story of Venerable Kappa
Venerable Kappa was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, he went to study at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Todeyya had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Kappa got his opportunity to ask the tenth question:
“Please, Lord, tell me of a refuge for those who are surrounded by old age and death, like an island for those in the middle of a terrifying, turbulent ocean, so that this suffering may not arise again.”
The Victor over Māra prophesied, “I, the Tathāgata, say that Nibbāna, which is without defilements as a source of worry, without craving as a source of clinging, and is the end of old age and death—that is the island. It is not any other state. Those who know that Nibbāna, are mindful, have seen the Dhamma, and have extinguished their defilements. Those people do not fall under the power of Māra; they do not walk on the path of Māra.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Kappa attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges and then bowed to ask for ordination. The Blessed One granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with the other students at the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation. Venerable Kappa lived his life in the religion for a suitable period, and then, his aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
28 – The Story of Venerable Jatukaṇṇi
Venerable Jatukaṇṇi was the son of a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī, named Jatukaṇṇi Māṇava. He went to study the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Kappa had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Jatukaṇṇi got his opportunity to ask the eleventh question:
“I have clearly understood that you, Lord, are one who does not crave for sensual pleasures and have crossed the flood of defilements. Therefore, I have come to pay homage and ask you, the one without sensual defilements. Please, O Blessed One, whose wisdom has arisen like the eye along with enlightenment. Please, Lord, teach the Dhamma that pacifies defilements to me. For you, Lord, have conquered and dried up sensual defilements, just as the sun with its rays heats the earth and causes it to dry up. Please, O Lord, whose wisdom is as vast as the earth, be compassionate and teach the Dhamma for abandoning birth and old age in this existence, which I should know—I who have little wisdom.”
The Lord Buddha prophesied, “You should remove all lust for sensual pleasures, and see renunciation from them as a state of security. Let no defilement that you were previously attached to through craving and views, and have now abandoned, pierce your heart again. Whatever worries you had in the past, let them dry up. Let no future worries arise. If you do not grasp at any worries in the middle, you will wander with pacified worries. For one who is free from lust for name-and-form in every way, the cankers of defilement, which are the cause for falling under the power of the King of Death, will not exist.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Jatukaṇṇi also attained the fruit of Arahantship, along with the four analytical knowledges, and then bowed to ask for ordination. The Lord Buddha granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with the other students at the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation.
Venerable Jatukaṇṇi lived his life in the religion until a suitable time and then attained Nibbāna.
29 – The Story of Venerable Bhadrāvudha
Venerable Bhadrāvudha was born into a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, he went to study knowledge at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the Lord Buddha had resolved the questions of the youth Jatukaṇṇi, the youth Bhadrāvudha got his opportunity to ask the twelfth question:
“I request you, Lord, who has abandoned home, cut off craving, is unshaken (by worldly conditions), has given up delight, and crossed the flood of defilements. You have abandoned discursive thoughts (of craving and views) and possess noble wisdom. People from various regions, wishing to hear your words, have come from their lands. Having heard your words, they will return from this place. Please, Lord, resolve this question for them, for this Dhamma is something you have understood.”
The Lord Buddha prophesied, “They should remove craving, which is the cause of firm grasping—above, below, and in the middle entirely. For whatever one grasps in the world, Māra follows that person because of that grasping. Therefore, a mindful monk, seeing that beings are stuck in the cycle of existence, which is the domain of Māra, because of grasping, should not grasp at anything and should be without worry in the entire world.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Bhadrāvudha attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges and then asked for ordination. The Lord Buddha granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with the other students at the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation.
Venerable Bhadrāvudha remained in the religion until the end of his lifespan and then, his aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
30 – The Story of Venerable Udaya
Venerable Udaya was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī. When he grew up, he went to study at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Bhadrāvudha had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Udaya got his opportunity to ask the thirteenth question, saying:
“I wish to ask a question, so I have come to pay homage to you, Lord, who is replete, the Sammāsambuddha, free from the root of defilements, without cankers, who has done what had to be done, and has reached the further shore of all phenomena. Please, Lord, teach the Dhamma of release (from defilements), which should be universally known, the Dhamma that shatters ignorance—the lack of clear knowledge of reality.”
The Lord Buddha prophesied, “I, the Tathāgata, speak of the Dhamma for abandoning both sensual pleasure and displeasure, for dispelling sloth and torpor, for warding off distractions, with equanimity and purified mindfulness, and preceded by thought accompanied by Dhamma, as the Dhamma of release (from defilements) that should be known, the Dhamma that shatters ignorance—the lack of clear knowledge.”
“What binds the world? What is its wanderer? By abandoning what is Nibbāna spoken of?”
“The world is bound by delight. Discursive thought is its wanderer. By abandoning craving, Nibbāna is spoken of.”
“How should one be mindful so that consciousness ceases? We have all come to pay homage to the Blessed One to ask this, so that we may hear the words of the Blessed One.”
“When one does not delight in feelings, neither internal nor external, being mindful in this way, one’s consciousness ceases.”
At the end of the sixteen questions’ explanation, the youth Udaya attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges and then asked for ordination in the religion. The Lord Buddha granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with his fellow students at the time of the conclusion of the sixteen questions’ explanation. Venerable Udaya lived his life in the religion until the end of his lifespan, and then he extinguished his aggregates and entered Parinirvana.
31 – The Story of Venerable Posāla
Venerable Posāla was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī, named Posāla Māṇava. When he grew up, he went to study the doctrine at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī. (etc.)
When the youth Udaya had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Posāla got his opportunity to ask the fourteenth question:
“I wish to ask a question, so I have come to pay homage to the Blessed One, who reveals wisdom of the past, who is not agitated (by pleasure and pain), who has cut off doubt, and has crossed to the further shore of all phenomena. I wish to ask about the knowledge of a person who has lust, perceives forms clearly (i.e., has attained jhāna), and then, all forms having disappeared (i.e., has surpassed the form jhānas), sees both internally and externally that ‘there is nothing at all’ (i.e., has reached the formless jhānas called the sphere of nothingness). How should such a person be guided and instructed further?”
The Lord Buddha prophesied, “I, the Tathāgata, knowing all the stations of consciousness, know such a person, even while they are in this world, that their inclination is towards the sphere of nothingness, with the sphere of nothingness as their future destination. Such a person, knowing that kamma is the cause of rebirth in the sphere of nothingness, rejoices and is delighted in that attachment. Then, they contemplate the co-arisen phenomena within that sphere of nothingness (i.e., the mental states that arise together with that jhāna). They know it clearly through the three characteristics (impermanence, suffering, non-self). This is the true knowledge of that Brahmin who has completed the holy life.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Posāla attained Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges and then asked for ordination. The Blessed One granted him monkhood as before. Venerable Posāla lived in the religion until a suitable lifespan and then he extinguished his aggregates and entered Parinirvana.
32 – The Story of Venerable Mogharāja
Venerable Mogharāja was the son of a family in the city of Sāvatthī, named Mogharāja Māṇava. When he grew up, he became a student at the school of Brahmin Bāvarī, the chief royal chaplain of King Kosala. Some time later, Brahmin Bāvarī, feeling weary of the household life, asked for leave from the king to retire from his position as chaplain. He went to become a matted-hair ascetic, establishing a hermitage on the bank of the Godhāvarī river, on the border of the Assaka and Āḷaka regions. Mogharāja Māṇava, along with his fellow students, went to be ordained with their teacher.
When the Lord Buddha arose in the world, his fame spread to various regions. The Brahmin heard of his fame and, being curious and wanting to investigate the truth, formulated questions for his 16 students, with Ajita as the leader, giving each one a set of questions to go and test the Buddha. Mogharāja Māṇava was among them. Along with their retinues, they went to see the Lord Buddha at the Pāsāṇaka Cetiya in the Magadha region and asked for permission to ask questions one by one. When the Blessed One granted permission, he answered the questions of Ajita first. After that was finished, Mogharāja intended to ask his questions next.
It is said that the youth Mogharāja, considering himself to be of superior intelligence, wanted to ask his questions first. However, out of respect for Ajita, who was the leader, he allowed Ajita to go first. The Lord Buddha, seeing this, told Mogharāja to wait. After eight other students had asked their questions in succession, Mogharāja again prepared to ask, but the Blessed One again told him to wait. After another six students had asked their questions, the youth Mogharāja finally got his opportunity to ask the fifteenth question, saying:
“In what way should I view the world so that the King of Death does not see me—that is, cannot catch me?”
The Victor over Māra prophesied, “O Mogharāja, be ever mindful, viewing the world as empty (suñña), having uprooted the view of self in every moment. In this way, you will cross beyond the King of Death. If you view the world in this way, the King of Death will not see you.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, the youth Mogharāja attained Arahantship along with his retinue. He then asked for ordination into the religion. The Lord Buddha granted him monkhood as before.
This Venerable Mogharāja, from the time of his ordination, always wore robes that were coarse in three ways: the cloth was coarse, the sewing was coarse, and the dyeing was coarse. For this reason, the Lord Buddha, while residing at the Jetavana monastery, declared Venerable Mogharāja to be the foremost (etadagga) among the monks who wore coarse robes. He lived in the religion for a suitable lifespan and then, his aggregates extinguished, he entered Parinirvana.
33 – The Story of Venerable Piṅgiya
Venerable Piṅgiya was born into a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī and was the nephew of Brahmin Bāvarī. When he grew up, he studied the arts and sciences under his grand-uncle. It is said that this Brahmin Bāvarī was the chief royal chaplain of King Kosala. Later, Brahmin Bāvarī asked the king for leave to go and be ordained according to the Brahminical tradition, establishing a hermitage on the bank of the Godhāvarī river on the border of the Assaka and Āḷaka regions. (etc.)
When the youth Mogharāja had asked his questions and, upon hearing the Dhamma discourse, had attained Arahantship, the youth Piṅgiya came forward to ask the sixteenth question, saying:
“I am an old man, weak, my complexion has faded, my eyes do not see clearly, and my ears do not hear well. Please, let me not perish in the meantime. Please, Lord, teach the Dhamma that I should know, the means for abandoning birth and old age in this very life.”
The Lord Buddha prophesied, “Seeing that people are heedless and are afflicted because of form, therefore, you should not be heedless. Abandon the attachment to form, and you will not be born again.”
“The four great directions, the four intermediate directions, and the directions above and below—in all these ten directions, there is nothing you have not seen, not heard, not known. Please, Lord, tell me the Dhamma I should know, the means for abandoning birth and old age in this very life.”
“Seeing that people are overcome by craving, afflicted with suffering, and oppressed by old age, therefore, you should not be heedless. Abandon craving, and you will not be born again.”
At the end of the explanation of the questions, Piṅgiya attained the ‘Dhamma-eye’ of a stream-enterer (sotāpatti-phala). The reason Piṅgiya did not attain Arahantship at that moment was because his thoughts went to his teacher, Brahmin Bāvarī, while listening to the Dhamma discourse. He felt regret, thinking, “My grand-uncle has not heard such a beautiful Dhamma talk.” Because of this fault of a distracted mind, he was unable to free his mind from the cankers. Subsequently, the youth Piṅgiya asked for ordination. The Lord Buddha granted him monkhood with the “Ehi-bhikkhu” ordination along with the other 15 students.
The monk Piṅgiya then took leave of the Lord Buddha to return and report the news to his teacher, Brahmin Bāvarī. Then, he purified his mind from all defilements (āsavakilesa). As for the Brahmin Bāvari, he attained the Dharma realization only up to the level of a learner (sekha-bhūmi). Venerable Piṅgiya Thera, having lived a life in the religion for a suitable period, entered Parinibbāna.
34. The Story of Venerable Rātha Thera
Venerable Rātha Thera was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Rājagaha, in the state of Magadha. When he became old, feeble, and weak, his wife and children refused to care for him. He then went to live with the community of monks at the Veḷuvana Mahāvihāra. This Brahmin, Rātha, wished to be ordained in the religion, but the monks would not ordain him, believing he would be unable to fulfill the duties and practices of the religion. Rātha the Brahmin then became distressed and grew thin and frail.
Later, he went to pay homage to the Blessed One and explained his wish to him. The Lord, seeing his potential for the Dharma, allowed him to be ordained under the guidance of Venerable Sāriputta Thera. After permitting Venerable Sāriputta to ordain Rātha the Brahmin, the Lord then stopped the practice of allowing monks to give the higher ordination (upasampadā) to lay followers simply by their taking refuge in the Three Jewels (Tisaraṇa), a practice He had previously allowed. This new method of higher ordination, which the Lord permitted from that time forward, was for the Sangha to ordain qualified individuals through the formal act of Ñatticatutthakamma-vācā (a formal motion and resolution repeated three times).
Venerable Rātha Thera was the very first to receive this new form of higher ordination. One day, he approached the Blessed One, paid homage, and said, “May the Lord please teach me the Dharma in brief, so that having heard it, I may withdraw from the company of others, remain alone, be diligent, and apply my mind to meditation.” The Supreme Teacher instructed him, “O Rātha, whatever is Māra, you should abandon the delight and craving for it. What is Māra? Form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent, suffering, not-self; they arise and cease, pass away, and are subject to destruction. This is called Māra. You should abandon delight in form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.”
After receiving this teaching, Venerable Rātha Thera wandered with his preceptor, Venerable Sāriputta. He diligently cultivated the practices of a monk and soon attained the state of an Arahant. Then, Venerable Sāriputta brought him to see the Blessed One. The Lord asked Venerable Sāriputta, “How is your co-resident (saddhivihārika)?” Venerable Sāriputta praised him, saying he was a very easy person to instruct. If advised that “this should be done, that should not be done; you should do this, don’t do that,” he never became angry. The Supreme Teacher then advised the monks to take him as a model, saying, “Monks, you should make yourselves easy to instruct, just like Rātha. When your preceptors and teachers point out your faults and give instructions, do not be angry. You should associate with the wise.”
Associating with a wise person who points out faults and rebukes is like having someone point out a hidden treasure. Such an association brings only excellent virtues and no faults whatsoever.
Because Venerable Rātha Thera was so exceptionally easy to instruct, at a later time, he received praise from the Blessed One as being foremost among the monks in terms of ready understanding (paṭibhāna), meaning his wisdom was bright and clear in understanding the Dharma, enabling him to explain in detail the teachings given by the Lord. Venerable Rātha Thera lived in the religion for a suitable period and then extinguished the aggregates (khandhas) and entered Parinibbāna.
35. The Story of Venerable Puṇṇa Mantānīputta Thera
Venerable Puṇṇa was born into a wealthy Brahmin family in a Brahmin village named Doṇavatthu, near the city of Kapilavatthu. He was the son of the lady Mantānī, the younger sister of Venerable Aññā Kondañña Thera. When Venerable Aññā Kondañña, his maternal uncle, visited Kapilavatthu to inquire about his family, he brought his nephew, the young Puṇṇa, to be ordained and receive the higher ordination in the Buddha’s religion. After his higher ordination, he was invited to stay in a country named Sunāparanta. There, he cultivated insight meditation (vipassanā-kammaṭṭhāna) and before long, attained the fruit of Arahantship, along with the four analytical knowledges (catuppaṭisambhidā-ñāṇa). He established himself in ten virtues: having few wishes, being content, delighting in solitude, being secluded, being energetic, being endowed with morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation. Even when he had disciples, he instructed them to be established in these ten virtues. Later, he acted as a preceptor and ordained 500 men from the land of Sunāparanta. He instructed those monks with the ten topics for discussion (kathāvatthu), which are: 1) talk that leads to having few wishes, 2) talk that leads to contentment, which is delighting in the requisites one has, 3) talk that leads to seclusion of body and mind, 4) talk that leads to not associating with groups, 5) talk that leads to energetic effort, 6) talk that leads to being established in morality, 7) talk that leads to calming the mind, 8) talk that leads to the arising of wisdom, 9) talk that leads to liberating the mind from defilements, and 10) talk that leads to the arising of the knowledge of seeing the mind’s liberation from defilements, based on what he himself had understood.
On one occasion, when the Supreme Teacher was traveling from Rājagaha to Sāvatthī, Venerable Puṇṇa Mantānīputta Thera heard the news. He went to pay his respects and listened to a Dharma discourse. Afterward, he took his leave to go and rest during the day in the Andhavana forest. Venerable Sāriputta Thera also heard the news and went to meet Venerable Puṇṇa. They exchanged courteous greetings, and then Venerable Sāriputta asked him about the seven stages of purification (visuddhi). Venerable Puṇṇa explained the seven stages of purification, using the analogy of a series of relay chariots, without any impediment. The two great elders then expressed their joy and appreciation for each other’s words.
Just as Venerable Puṇṇa established himself in these virtues, he also instructed and guided others to be established in them. When the Supreme Teacher was seated amidst the assembly of the Sangha, He elevated and appointed Venerable Puṇṇa to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga), as the foremost among the monks who were preachers of the Dharma (dhammakathika). After living in the religion for a life-span appropriate to his allotted time, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
36. The Story of Venerable Kāḷudāyī Thera
Venerable Kāḷudāyī Thera was the son of a chief minister in the city of Kapilavatthu. He was born on the same day as the Great Being (the future Buddha) and was considered his “co-natal” (sahajāti). Initially, his name was Udāyī because he was a source of delight for the people of the country. Later, he was called Kāḷudāyī because his complexion was dark (kāḷa). As he grew up, he dedicated himself as a royal attendant to the Great Being, along with Channa. When the Blessed One attained enlightenment and was staying in the city of Rājagaha, King Suddhodana, his royal father, learned the news. He sent a minister to invite the Lord to Kapilavatthu nine times, but without success. Then, realizing that the minister Kāḷudāyī was beloved by the Supreme Teacher and also trusted by him, the king dispatched him.
Kāḷudāyī also requested permission to be ordained. After the king granted his royal permission, he went to pay homage to the Supreme Teacher at the Veḷuvana monastery in Rājagaha. He listened to the Dharma discourse, attained Arahantship, and received the higher ordination as an “ehi-bhikkhu” (a monk ordained by the Buddha’s words “Come, monk”) in the Buddha’s dispensation. When the dry season arrived, Venerable Kāḷudāyī went to invite the Buddha, the Lord, to travel to the city of Kapilavatthu. He went ahead to inform the king, the Buddha’s father, as well as the royal relatives and all the people, so they would know of the Buddha’s journey.
When the people learned that he was coming, they were filled with joy and faith, and they welcomed him grandly. He led the people and the Sakyan clan to develop faith and confidence in the religion. The Supreme Teacher, considering this quality and capability of his, appointed him to a position of excellence, foremost among the monks in inspiring faith in families that were not yet faithful.
He lived in the religion for a suitable period and then extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
37. The Story of Venerable Nanda Thera
Venerable Nanda Thera was the royal son of King Suddhodana, the Buddha’s father, and Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, in the city of Kapilavatthu. From the time he was conceived in his royal mother’s womb, the relatives felt joy and happiness, wanting to see him. For this reason, the relatives gave him the name Nanda Kumāra (Prince Nanda).
When the Lord attained enlightenment and journeyed to the city of Kapilavatthu, he stayed at the Nigrodhārāma. He preached the Dharma and proclaimed the righteous path, inspiring faith in his royal relatives, led by King Suddhodana.
One day, during the royal wedding and consecration ceremony of Prince Nanda and the maiden Janapadakalyāṇī, the Buddha, the Lord, had his meal at Prince Nanda’s residence. After giving his blessing, as he was leaving, he handed his bowl to Prince Nanda to accept. The prince followed him with the bowl, thinking that wherever the Lord took back the bowl, he would quickly return to his residence. However, he did not dare to say anything due to his great respect and awe for the Lord. Meanwhile, the princess, Nanda’s bride, saw what was happening and called out to him, “May the royal prince please return quickly, do not delay.” When the Blessed One reached the monastery, he asked Prince Nanda, “Nanda, do you wish to be ordained?” Although Prince Nanda had no desire to do so, he could not refuse due to his great respect, so he bowed and replied, “I will be ordained.” The Lord then had Prince Nanda ordained. After his ordination, he remembered the words his bride had called out to him, and he grew weary and disenchanted with the holy life, thinking only of disrobing and returning to her. Sometime later, the Blessed One took Venerable Nanda on a journey to see women more beautiful than his bride. He made Venerable Nanda give up his love and affection for his bride and instead desire those more beautiful women. This continued until wisdom arose in him and he saw the truth that craving has no end. He then abandoned his attachment and became diligent. He strived earnestly and attained the fruit of Arahantship. He received praise from the Supreme Teacher as being pre-eminent among the monks in guarding the six senses: the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, not allowing joy or sorrow to arise through the power of worldly conditions, and being one endowed with ready understanding (paṭibhāna). Venerable Nanda Thera lived in the religion for a suitable period, and then he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna with the element of Nibbāna without residue (anupādisesa-nibbānadhātu).
38. The Story of Venerable Rāhula Thera
Venerable Rāhula Thera was the son of the Victorious Buddha and Princess Yasodharā (Bimbā), and the royal grandson of King Suddhodana of Kapilavatthu. After the Lord’s enlightenment, He went to teach and enlighten his relatives, including his father. He stayed at the Nigrodhārāma in Kapilavatthu. Prince Rāhula went to see him and asked for his inheritance. The Lord thought to himself that among all treasures, the enduring and noble treasure is superior to worldly wealth. Therefore, He taught the Seven Noble Treasures (Ariyadhana) and instructed Venerable Sāriputta to ordain Prince Rāhula as a novice (sāmaṇera), because he was still too young to receive the higher ordination as a monk (bhikkhu). After he was ordained as a novice by taking the Three Refuges, which was the first instance of novice ordination in the Buddha’s religion, he became dedicated to study and learning, and was patient with admonishments and instructions. When he reached the age of 18 and his spiritual faculties were mature, he listened to the Dharma discourses, the Rāhulovāda Sutta and the Cūḷa-Rāhulovāda Sutta, from the Supreme Teacher. He often wandered with the Blessed One and his preceptor. When he reached the full age of 20, he received the higher ordination as a monk. One day, Venerable Rāhula was in a mango grove near Rājagaha. The Blessed One went to that place. Seeing the Lord from a distance, he prepared a seat and placed water for washing the feet in readiness. The Supreme Teacher arrived, sat on the seat, and washed his feet. He then picked up the water vessel and asked him, “Rāhula, do you see that this water vessel has no water?” Venerable Rāhula replied, “Venerable Sir, may you be compassionate, there is no water.”
The Buddha: “Indeed. The spiritual quality of one who is shameless in telling a deliberate lie is just as empty. One who feels no shame in telling a lie will not refrain from any evil deed. Therefore, you should train yourself, ‘I will not tell a lie.’ Rāhula, what is the use of a mirror?”
Rāhula: “Venerable Sir, may you be compassionate, its use is for reflection.”
The Buddha: “Just as a mirror is for reflection, Rāhula, so should you reflect before acting. Before you do any action with body, speech, or mind, you should reflect carefully first. If you know that this action will lead to harm for yourself, harm for others, or harm for both, and that it is unwholesome with a painful result, you should not do it. If you know that this action does not lead to such harm, that it is meritorious and wholesome with a happy result, then you should do it. Even while you are doing an action, you should reflect in the same way. If you realize it is associated with harm as described, you should stop. If you realize it has no harm, you should continue with diligence. Even after you have done an action, you should reflect in the same way. If you realize it was harmful, if it was an action of body or speech, you should confess it openly to a teacher or a fellow practitioner of the holy life and restrain yourself in the future. If it was an action of the mind, you should feel remorse and disgust, and be vigilant in the future. If you realize it was harmless, you should dwell with joy and gladness, diligently studying the wholesome and meritorious teachings day and night.”
“Rāhula, whatever ascetics and brahmins in the past purified their actions of body, speech, and mind, all of them did so after reflecting in this very way. Even the ascetics and brahmins of the future, and those of the present, will do so in the same way. Therefore, you must train yourself, thinking, ‘I will purify my bodily, verbal, and mental actions after reflection.’ You must resolve in your mind to train this way.” Having thus instructed Venerable Rāhula, the Supreme Teacher departed.
One day, Venerable Rāhula went to see the Supreme Teacher, who instructed him in the meditation objects of the elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and space, saying that these exist both internally and externally. “Whatever pertains to oneself, which one identifies as ‘mine,’ is called the internal element. Whether the five elements are internal or external, they are merely elements of one kind or another. You should see with proper wisdom according to reality that ‘this is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one sees in this way, one becomes disenchanted and does not generate craving for these five elements. Rāhula, you should develop meditation, making your mind like the earth, water, fire, wind, and space. For if you can do so, pleasant or unpleasant sense objects that arise will not be able to overwhelm and dominate your mind, just as people throw clean and unclean things onto the earth in water, in fire, or as the wind blows clean and unclean things, the earth, water, and fire feel neither attraction nor aversion, and space is not attached to any place. Just as this is the simile, you should develop meditation making your mind like the earth, water, fire, and wind. The object of the simile is this: when you can do this, pleasant or unpleasant sensory impressions that arise will not be able to overwhelm and dominate your mind.”
Then the Supreme Teacher continued to instruct him on other meditation objects, saying, “Rāhula, you should develop meditation on loving-kindness (mettā), wishing for the happiness of all beings; on compassion (karuṇā), wishing for all beings to be free from suffering; on sympathetic joy (muditā), rejoicing in the good fortune of others; and on equanimity (upekkhā), remaining indifferent, with a neutral mind, not inclining to any side. Meditate on the foulness of the body (asubha), seeing it as unattractive and impure. Meditate on the perception of impermanence (anicca-saññā), seeing all conditioned things as unstable. When you develop loving-kindness, you will be able to abandon ill-will towards others. By developing compassion, you will abandon cruelty, the thought of harming others. By developing sympathetic joy, you will abandon envy and discontent. By developing equanimity, you will abandon liking and disliking. By developing meditation on foulness, you will abandon sensual desire for your own body and the bodies of others. By developing the perception of impermanence, you will abandon conceit (māna), the notion of ‘self.’ Furthermore, you should develop the meditation of mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati), because this meditation, when developed and cultivated, brings great fruit and benefit, and prevents mindlessness and distraction.”
After the instruction was finished, Venerable Rāhula joyfully and respectfully accepted the teaching. Later, he listened to a teaching on the path of insight, where the Lord took up the internal and external sense bases and explained them as “not-self” (anattā), not a living being. Venerable Rāhula Thera directed his mind along the stream of this Dharma discourse and attained the fruit of Arahantship. This Venerable Rāhula Thera was known for his dedication to the study of the Dhamma-Vinaya from the time he was a novice. For this reason, when the Lord was seated amidst the assembly of the Sangha, he appointed Venerable Rāhula Thera to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga), as the foremost among the monks who desired to study the Dhamma-Vinaya. Having lived to his full lifespan, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven.
39. The Story of Venerable Upāli Thera
Venerable Upāli Thera was born into the family of a barber in the city of Kapilavatthu. His name was Upāli. As he grew up, he was well-liked by the princes of the Sakyan clan and was appointed to the position of royal barber for the Sakyan dynasty. When the Blessed One came and stayed at the Anupiya Mango Grove, Upāli went forth to be ordained in the religion along with six princes: Anuruddha, Kimbila, Bhagu, Ānanda, and Devadatta. He received the higher ordination before them, according to the wishes of the princes.
After his ordination, he diligently practiced insight meditation and before long, he attained the state of Arahantship, becoming thoroughly proficient and skilled in the Vinaya Piṭaka (the basket of monastic discipline). Later, he was given the responsibility of clarifying three matters: the Ajjokaraṇavatthu, the Anupaññattivatthu, and the Kumārakassapavatthu. The Supreme Teacher judged these three matters, and for this reason, he appointed Venerable Upāli Thera to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga), as the foremost among the monks in upholding the Vinaya Piṭaka.
Because of this very quality, when Venerable Mahākassapa convened the Sangha for the First Buddhist Council, the assembly invited him to be the one to recite and clarify the Vinaya Piṭaka. He was considered a major disciple and a great pillar in preserving the continuity of the religion. Having lived to his full lifespan, he entered Parinibbāna with the element of Nibbāna without residue (anupādisesa-nibbānadhātu).
40. The Story of Venerable Bhaddiya Thera, the Sakyan King
Venerable Bhaddiya Thera was the son of the princess Kāḷigodhā of the Sakyan clan, belonging to the Khattiya caste in the city of Kapilavatthu. When he came of age, he was consecrated to rule the kingdom. At a later time, Bhaddiya the Sakyan king was persuaded and led by his old friend, Anuruddha the Sakyan, to go forth and be ordained under the Blessed One. He renounced his kingdom and went forth to take up the holy life in the Buddha’s religion, along with Anuruddha, Kimbila, Bhagu, Ānanda, and Upāli.
The seven of them went forth at the time when the Blessed One was staying at the Anupiya Mango Grove in the Malla country. After he received the going forth (pabbajjā) and higher ordination (upasampadā), he diligently practiced the duties of a monk and before long, in the very same rains-retreat of his ordination, he attained Arahantship. After attaining Arahantship, whether he went into the forest, sat under the shade of a tree, or stayed in a quiet dwelling, he would frequently exclaim the utterance (udāna), “Oh, what happiness!” The other monks reported this to the Blessed One, saying, “Venerable Bhaddiya is making this exclamation. He must not be happy in the holy life and is surely thinking of the happiness of his royal life.” The Supreme Teacher had Venerable Bhaddiya summoned and asked, “Bhaddiya, is it true that you have been making this exclamation?” Venerable Bhaddiya replied, “Venerable Sir, it is true.” “And what benefit do you see that you make such an exclamation?” “Formerly, when I was a king ruling the country, I had to arrange for guards and protection both inside and outside the palace, both inside and outside the country, throughout the entire kingdom. Even though I had people to protect and guard me like this, I was always fearful and startled. I constantly had to be on guard. But now, whether I am in a quiet forest, under the shade of a tree, or in another secluded place, I am not afraid, not terrified, not anxious, not startled. I have no worries, my hair stands on end as normal, I don’t get goosebumps from fear. I live on the alms that others provide.”
“I live with a mind like a wild deer. Seeing this benefit, I made that exclamation.” The Supreme Teacher uttered words of approval, “Excellent! Excellent, Bhaddiya, your exclamation is well-spoken.” On one occasion, the Blessed One was staying at the Jetavana Mahāvihāra and he appointed Venerable Bhaddiya Thera to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga) as the foremost among the monks of high birth.
A question is raised: There were many other monks of high birth. Why did the Supreme Teacher appoint only him to this position of pre-eminence? Is this not favouritism? The answer: It is true that there were many other monks of high birth, but this Venerable Bhaddiya, before he went forth to be ordained, was a king ruling the Sakyan kingdom. He was able to renounce his kingdom and go forth into the holy life. Another reason is that in a past life, Venerable Bhaddiya offered alms food to the community of monks headed by the Buddha for seven consecutive days and made an aspiration for this very position of pre-eminence. Therefore, the Supreme Teacher granted him the position according to his aspiration from a past life; it was not that the Lord showed favouritism. Venerable Bhaddiya lived in the religion for a suitable period and then extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
41. The Story of Venerable Anuruddha Thera
Venerable Anuruddha Thera was the son of Amitodana the Sakyan, who was the younger brother of King Suddhodana the Sakyan king in the city of Kapilavatthu. He had three siblings: two brothers, Mahānāma and Anuruddha, and one sister, Rohiṇī, who were relatives of the Supreme Teacher. Prince Anuruddha was a delicately nurtured royal, endowed with great happiness and merit. He was complete in his enjoyment of all wealth and possessions; he had never even heard the words “there isn’t any” or “there is none.”
During one period, the Supreme Teacher was staying at the Anupiya market town of the Malla kings. At that time, many Sakyan princes went forth to be ordained under the Supreme Teacher. Then one day, Mahānāma the Sakyan, Anuruddha’s elder brother, said to his younger brother Anuruddha, “Dear Anuruddha, from our family, no one has yet gone forth to follow the Lord. It would be fitting for either you or I to go forth.” Anuruddha the Sakyan replied, “I am used to a life of comfort; I will not go forth. Please, you go forth alone.” Then Mahānāma the Sakyan said, “If you stay to manage the household, you must learn and know all the duties of a householder.” He then explained the process of rice farming, from the very beginning to the final steps. At that time, Anuruddha the Sakyan was a young man.
He had never supervised any work; he was only busy playing and enjoying himself. When he heard Mahānāma’s instructions about the duties of a householder, he asked and learned that the work never ends, that there is no time to rest and enjoy oneself with sensual pleasures. He became disenchanted and replied to his brother Mahānāma, “You learn the duties of a householder by yourself; I will go and be ordained instead.” After Anuruddha the Sakyan said this, he went to his mother to ask for permission to go forth and be ordained. His mother replied, “Anuruddha, both you and your brother are my beloved children, dear to my heart. Even if I were to die, I would not want to be separated from you. Now that you are alive and well, how can I allow you to go forth?” Anuruddha the Sakyan persisted, repeatedly begging for permission to be ordained. Then his mother thought, “King Bhaddiya is Anuruddha’s dear friend; he would surely not be able to go forth.” So she said, “My dear Anuruddha, if King Bhaddiya ordains, then you may ordain with him.” Upon hearing this, Anuruddha went to see King Bhaddiya. He spoke with the familiarity they shared, “My dear friend, my going forth is connected to your going forth.” King Bhaddiya the Sakyan replied, “Let it not be connected, my friend. You may go forth as you please.” Anuruddha said, “Let’s go together, my friend. We will both be ordained together.” King Bhaddiya replied, “I cannot go and be ordained. If there is anything else I can do, I will do it.”
“You may go and be ordained alone.” Anuruddha replied, “My mother told me, ‘If King Bhaddiya also ordains, then you may ordain.’ If you do not ordain, my ordination remains tied to you. My dear friend, let us go forth together.” In the end, King Bhaddiya agreed. He then asked to wait for seven years, and after seven years, he would go forth with him. Anuruddha said, “That is too long, my friend. I cannot wait for seven years.” King Bhaddiya the Sakyan then asked to reduce the time, step by step, down to seven days. Anuruddha agreed and then went to persuade four other Sakyans: Ānanda, Bhagu, Kimbila, and the Koliyan, Devadatta, making a group of seven including Upāli, the barber. They all agreed and left the city of Kapilavatthu to meet the Supreme Teacher at the Anupiya market town in the land of Magadha. Before being ordained, the Sakyans said, “We Sakyans are proud and conceited. This Upāli has been our servant for a long time. Please ordain Upāli first. We will then have to perform acts of respect, such as bowing and rising for him, and other duties. In this way, we will be able to abandon our conceit and pride as Sakyans.” The Supreme Teacher approved their request.
After Anuruddha the Sakyan was ordained, he learned meditation practices from Venerable Sāriputta. One day, he went to the Pācīnavaṃsa deer park, a secluded place, and diligently cultivated the monastic life, reflecting on the thoughts of a great man: “This Dhamma is for one with few wishes, not for one with many wishes. This Dhamma is for one who is content, who delights in what one has, not for one who is discontent… for one who is secluded, not for one who delights in company… for one who is energetic, not for one who is lazy… for one with established mindfulness, not for one with a wandering mind… for one with a concentrated mind, not for one with an unconcentrated mind… for one with wisdom, not for one without wisdom.” When the Supreme Teacher arrived and knew that Anuruddha was reflecting in this way, He expressed his approval, saying, “Excellent, excellent, Anuruddha! You have reflected on the thoughts proper to a great man. If so, you should reflect on the eighth thought proper to a great man: ‘This Dhamma is for one who delights in non-proliferation (nippapañca), not for one who delights in proliferation (papañca).'” “Because you have reflected on these eight thoughts of a great man, you will attain the first, second, third, and fourth jhānas. After that, a robe made of discarded rags will appear to you like a chest full of variously dyed cloths belonging to a householder or his son. Food, meaning lumps of alms-food obtained by the strength of your legs, will appear to you like fine, pure rice with many kinds of curry, belonging to a householder or his son. Your lodging, the foot of a tree, will appear to you like a pinnacled mansion, well-plastered inside and out, with tightly sealed windows, belonging to a householder or his son. A bed and seat strewn with grass will appear to you like a couch adorned with fine, multi-coloured coverings of gold and silver, belonging to a householder or his son. Medicine, consisting of fermented urine, will appear to you like various medicines such as ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, and molasses, belonging to a householder or his son.”
Venerable Anuruddha Thera, upon hearing the Buddha’s words, diligently applied himself and attained the fruit of Arahantship. One day, the monks approached him and asked, “Venerable sir, by developing which practice have you attained such a state of profound knowledge?” “It is because I have developed the four foundations of mindfulness: contemplating the body as just a body, contemplating feelings as just feelings, contemplating the mind as just a mind, and contemplating phenomena as just phenomena, with ardour, clear comprehension, and mindfulness, having removed covetousness and displeasure for the world.” He then praised those who develop the four foundations of mindfulness, using an analogy for the monks to hear: “Imagine the river Ganges flowing eastward. If a great crowd of people came, hoping to block it and make it flow westward, what do you think, would they be able to do it?” “They would not be able to, venerable sir. Why? Because it is not easy to make the river Ganges, which flows eastward, flow backward. It cannot be done. That great crowd of people would only become weary and exhausted. It is the same for a monk who has developed the four foundations of mindfulness.”
“The four have a similar object of comparison. If a king or a royal minister, a relative, or a friend came to entice him with wealth, saying, ‘Friend, why do you wear these coarse ochre robes? Come, disrobe, enjoy wealth, and make merit,’ it would be impossible for that monk to renounce the training and disrobe according to their advice. Why? Because his mind has long been inclined towards seclusion.” Venerable Anuruddha Thera developed the four foundations of mindfulness himself and praised those who do so in this manner.
It is said that Venerable Anuruddha Thera, outside of his mealtime, would constantly survey all beings with his divine eye (dibbacakkhu-ñāṇa). He was skilled in the divine eye, possessing it as a result of offerings made at a shrine in a past life. For this reason, the Supreme Teacher praised him as the foremost among the monks who possess the divine eye. Venerable Anuruddha Thera lived his life in the religion until his allotted lifespan was complete. He then extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna with the element of Nibbāna without residue, after the Buddha’s Parinibbāna.
42. The Story of Venerable Ānanda Thera, the Buddha’s Attendant
This Venerable Ānanda Thera was born into the Sakyan clan, the son of Sakkodana the Sakyan, who was the younger brother of King Suddhodana, the ruler of Kapilavatthu. His mother’s name was Kisāgotamī. As he grew up, he studied various arts and sciences according to the tradition of those born into the royal clan.
When the Supreme Teacher came to fulfill his duties as a Buddha and was staying at the Anupiya market town of the Malla people, Prince Ānanda went forth to take up the holy life along with five other Sakyan relatives: King Bhaddiya, Bhagu, Kimbila, Anuruddha, and Devadatta, making seven in total with Upāli, the chief barber. Not long after he received the higher ordination, he listened to the teachings of Venerable Puṇṇa Mantānīputta and attained the fruit of stream-entry (sotāpatti). Some time later, the Supreme Teacher had no permanent attendant. The Sangha selected Venerable Ānanda to be offered the position, but as he was a person who was careful and had a firm sense of mindfulness, he did not immediately accept the role. He first requested certain boons. Only after the Lord granted them did he accept the position of the Buddha’s attendant. The eight boons he requested are as follows:
- May the Lord not give me any fine robes.
- May the Lord not give me any fine alms food.
- May I not have to dwell in the same chamber as the Lord.
- May the Lord not take me with him to an invitation.
- May the Lord go to an invitation which I have already accepted on his behalf.
- May I be able to bring visitors from afar to see the Lord as soon as they have arrived.
- Whenever a doubt arises, may I be able to approach the Lord and ask at that time.
- If the Lord gives a discourse in a place where I have not heard it, may the Lord repeat that discourse to me.
The reason he requested the first four boons was to prevent criticism that he was attending on the Supreme Teacher for the sake of material gain. The next three boons were to prevent criticism that “he serves the Supreme Teacher, yet for even a small benefit, the Lord does not oblige him.” The final boon was because he wished that if someone asked him, “What did the Lord teach? Where did he teach it?” he would be able to tell them, so they would not criticize him for “always being with the Lord, yet knowing nothing.”
From the time Venerable Ānanda Thera accepted the role of the Buddha’s attendant, he dedicated himself with reverence and had a sincere and honest heart towards the Blessed One, to the point of being willing to sacrifice his life for him, as when he stood in the path of the elephant Nāḷāgiri to protect the Lord from harm. He was a person of excellent mindfulness, able to remember a great deal, and possessed perseverance, patience, and skill in preaching. These qualities were the reason the Supreme Teacher praised and extolled him as foremost among the monks in being learned (bahussuta), having mindfulness (sati), being well-behaved (gati), having perseverance (dhiti), and being an excellent attendant (upaṭṭhāka). He was established in these five positions of pre-eminence.
After the Supreme Teacher’s Parinibbāna, when the Sangha assembled for the council to chant the Dhamma and Vinaya, he accepted the responsibility of reciting the Suttas and the Abhidhamma at the First Council. On the morning of the day the council was to be held, he attained the fruit of Arahantship in the interval between lifting his feet from the ground and reclining his body to lie down—that is, he attained Arahantship in the space between the four postures. He lived to the end of his lifespan and then extinguished the aggregates, entering Parinibbāna in the middle of the Rohiṇī river, which was the border between the city of Kapilavatthu and the city of Koliya. According to another account, at the time of his passing, he gave a lengthy Dharma talk, instructing his relatives and the general public. At the end, he explained the Four Noble Truths. When the discourse was over, many people attained the noble paths and fruits. He then performed various miracles and made a resolution that after his passing, his bodily relics should be divided into two portions, one for the Sakyans and the other for the Koliyans. This was a strategy to prevent the two groups of relatives from becoming jealous or quarrelling over his relics, and it also demonstrated his heart’s freedom from the four biases.
43. The Story of Venerable Soṇa Koḷivisa Thera
This elder was the son of the wealthy merchant Usabha in the city of Campā. He was a person of great merit and fortune from the time he was in his mother’s womb until his birth. People constantly brought gifts and offerings to his father, the great merchant. When he was born, his skin was bright and radiant, so his father named him Soṇa. The term “Koḷivisa” was his clan name. As he grew up, his father had three palaces built for his son to live in during the three seasons.
When the Blessed One was staying in the city of Rājagaha, King Bimbisāra sent this merchant’s son to the Buddha’s presence. After listening to the Dharma discourse, he developed faith and asked for ordination. The Lord told him to first ask for permission from his parents. After receiving permission, he returned to be ordained under the Blessed One. From the time of his ordination, his relatives and friends visited him frequently, leaving him little opportunity for solitude. So, he went to stay in the Sītavana forest to develop the monastic life, making a resolution to practice with great effort. He practiced walking meditation without stopping, until the soles of his feet blistered and bled. Unable to continue walking meditation, he thought to himself, “Among the disciples of the Blessed One who strive with great effort, I am one of them.”
“Yet, I have still not been able to attain any of the paths and fruits. Perhaps I am an unfortunate person. The wealth in my family is vast; I should disrobe, go and enjoy my wealth, make merit, and keep the precepts instead.”
The Supreme Teacher, knowing his thoughts, went to enlighten him. He gave him the advice of the Buddha, using the analogy of the strings of a lute. The elder respectfully accepted the advice and began to practice with moderate effort, neither too tight nor too loose. He attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a special Arahant in the Buddha’s religion, counted among the great disciples. He then went to pay homage to the Supreme Teacher, proclaiming his attainment of Arahantship with a lion’s roar in the presence of the Lord. The Lord praised him and appointed him to the position of pre-eminence (etadagga) as the foremost among the monks for his energetic effort. He lived his life in the religion until the end of his lifespan and then entered Parinibbāna.
44. The Story of Venerable Raṭṭhapāla Thera
This elder was the son of the wealthy merchant Raṭṭhapāla in the market town of Thullakoṭṭhita in the Kuru country. As he grew up, he studied the arts and sciences according to his family tradition.
One time, the Blessed One was traveling in the Kuru country with a large retinue of monks. He arrived at the market town of Thullakoṭṭhita and stayed there.
Raṭṭhapāla the young man, along with the brahmins and householders of the vicinity, heard the news that the Supreme Teacher had arrived. They went to see him and listen to a Dharma discourse.
Raṭṭhapāla the young man developed great faith and went to ask for ordination. The Lord replied that he does not ordain any young man who has not yet received permission from his parents. So, he returned to inform his parents and ask for their leave, but they did not give their permission for him to be ordained, as he was their only, beloved son. Greatly disappointed, he lay down and refused food, resolving either to die there on his bed or to be ordained. No matter how his parents, relatives, and friends tried to persuade him, he refused to eat any food.
Later, no matter how his friends tried to persuade him, he would not reply. They then thought among themselves, “If Raṭṭhapāla is not allowed to be ordained, he will surely die for nothing. If he is ordained, his parents and all of us will still be able to see his face from time to time. But this life of ordination is very strict; it is not easy. One must live the holy life, sleeping once, eating once a day. Raṭṭhapāla is used to a life of comfort; as a renunciant, he will surely not be able to live like that. He will surely return home before long. We should go and talk to Raṭṭhapāla’s parents and get their permission for him to go and be ordained for now.” His parents agreed with their suggestion. Then his friends went to inform him of the news. He was overjoyed, got up, washed himself, and ate food until he had enough strength. He then went to pay homage and ask for the going-forth. The Blessed One granted him ordination and higher ordination according to his wish.
After he was ordained, not long, about half a month later, the Supreme Teacher left the market town of Thullakoṭṭhita and went to stay in the city of Sāvatthī. He went along with the Lord. He established himself in diligence and developed insight meditation, attaining the fruit of Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges (catuppaṭisambhidā-ñāṇa). He then went to see the Lord to ask for leave to visit his parents. After receiving the Buddha’s permission, he left the city of Sāvatthī and wandered until he reached the market town of Thullakoṭṭhita, his hometown.
One day, King Koravya was visiting his royal park. His eyes fell upon Venerable Raṭṭhapāla Thera, and he recognized him. The king approached him, greeted him appropriately, and then asked, “There are four kinds of loss that some people experience, which lead them to go forth and be ordained: 1) old age, 2) sickness, 3) loss of wealth, and 4) loss of relatives, which make it impossible for them to establish themselves in the lay life. But as for you, you are in the prime of your youth and have not been affected by any of these losses. What have you seen or heard that has led you to go forth?”
The elder delivered the four summaries of the Dhamma that the Supreme Teacher had discovered, he who is the Arahant, enlightened by himself, and proclaimed them to the great king, saying: “The four points are: 1) The world (i.e., beings) is led on by old age and is not stable. 2) The world has no protector or master; one is not in control of oneself. 3) The world owns nothing; one must leave everything behind and go. 4) The world is insatiable, a slave to craving.”
After he explained the reason that led him to go forth to the great king, the king expressed his appreciation for his Dharma talk.
Venerable Raṭṭhapāla Thera rested in that region for a suitable time and then returned to the presence of the Supreme Teacher. Because he went forth with strong faith from the very beginning, and because it was so difficult for him to get ordained, the Buddha, the Lord, praised him as being the foremost among the monks who went forth out of faith. After he had lived to his allotted lifespan, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
45. The Story of Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja Thera
This elder was the son of a wealthy brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan in the city of Rājagaha. His name, according to his clan, was Bhāradvāja the young man. As he grew up, he mastered the three Vedas, becoming proficient and skilled. He took on the role of a teacher, instructing 500 young brahmin men in the sacred texts. Later, he became greedy for alms-food.
He wandered searching in different regions, appearing sometimes suitable and sometimes not, until he was criticized by the people. From that time on, the public gave him the additional nickname “Pipphali Bharadvaja.”
One day, the Supreme Teacher traveled to proclaim the religion in the city of Rājagaha. The man heard the news and went to have an audience and listen to the Dhamma sermon. Filled with faith, he bowed and requested to be ordained. After receiving ordination, he dwelt in diligence, not violating the monastic code for long, and soon attained Arahantship. He was endowed with three faculties: mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. After attaining Arahantship, wherever he traveled, he would always utter the exclamation, “Magge vā phale vā!” meaning, “Whoever has any confusion or doubt about the path or the fruit, please come and ask me.” Even in the presence of the Supreme Teacher, he would still make this exclamation. Because of this characteristic, the Blessed One praised him as being foremost among the monks in making the lion’s roar. When his lifespan was complete, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
46. The Story of the Venerable Mahāpanthaka Thera
47. The Story of the Venerable Cūḷapanthaka Thera
According to the story, these two venerable monks were the sons of a wealthy man’s daughter in the city of Rājagaha. Their mother had a relationship with her servant. Filled with fear of their wrongdoing, they fled to a region where no one knew them. Later, the wife became pregnant and could no longer endure the hardship. She pleaded with her husband to take her back to her family to give birth there. This happened many times, but her husband kept delaying, saying “tomorrow, tomorrow.”
One day, the husband went out to work. The wealthy man’s daughter, after entrusting the house to a neighbor and asking them to inform her husband, left. When her husband returned from work and learned that his wife had run away to her family’s home, he hurried after her. He caught up to her while she was giving birth on the side of the road. They then returned home, as the purpose of going to her family had been fulfilled. The son was named Panthaka because he was born on the road.
Some time later, the wealthy man’s daughter became pregnant again. She did the same as before and named the child Panthaka again, but the older child was called Mahāpanthaka.
The older brother was named Mahāpanthaka, and the younger brother was named Cūḷapanthaka. When the two sons grew up, they asked about their grandparents and lineage. Their mother told them the story. The two children then insisted that she take them to see their grandparents. The husband and wife, feeling great pity for their children, took them to the wealthy man’s family in the city of Rājagaha. However, the wealthy man would only accept the two young grandchildren, leaving the young parents to their own fate. The man argued that the two had brought him shame before the people and should not remain in his family’s lineage. But because the daughter was his own flesh and blood, he sent them some gold and silver, enough to sustain their lives.
As Mahāpanthaka grew up, he used to follow his grandfather to listen to the Dhamma sermons at the Veḷuvana Mahāvihāra. He developed a clear faith and wished to be ordained. His grandfather gave his permission and took him to the Blessed One. The Buddha allowed a monk to ordain him as a novice. When he reached the age of 20, he received higher ordination as a bhikkhu. He dedicated himself to developing insight meditation and, before long, attained Arahantship. He received praise from the Supreme Teacher as being foremost among the monks in the development of wisdom through meditation. Later, he approached the Blessed One and volunteered for the duty of assigning meals. The Buddha approved and entrusted him with this position, which he carried out smoothly thereafter.
The Venerable Mahāpanthaka always dwelled in the bliss of jhāna and the bliss of the path and the bliss of Nibbāna. Then he thought of his younger brother, wishing he could also experience this kind of happiness. So he went to his wealthy grandfather to ask for permission to ordain Cūḷapanthaka. The grandfather agreed to his wish. After Cūḷapanthaka was ordained, he turned out to be extremely dull. He spent four months trying to memorize a single verse praising the virtues of the Buddha under his elder brother, but he still could not remember it. Venerable Mahāpanthaka thought his younger brother was too dull and expelled him from his monastic dwelling. Cūḷapanthaka was heartbroken, losing all hope in the monastic life and intending to return to the lay life. It is said that his dullness was because, in a past life, he had laughed at and mocked dull students who were studying with him.
At that time, the physician Komārabhacca sent a servant to invite the Supreme Teacher and 500 monks to a meal. The servant went to Venerable Mahāpanthaka Thera, the meal-assigner, as was the procedure. The Thera removed Cūḷapanthaka’s name from the list of invitees. The younger brother, hearing this news, became even more disheartened and decided to disrobe. Just then, he met the Blessed One, who consoled him and gave him a clean white cloth, instructing him to rub it while meditating on the words “Rajoharaṇaṁ, rajoharaṇaṁ” (remover of dust, remover of dust). As he meditated and rubbed the cloth, it became dirty and stained. Taking this as a sign, he contemplated that just as the cloth, originally pure, became defiled, so too does the mind just as a pure and radiant mind becomes defiled by unwholesome states like greed and hatred that arise within it. He contemplated according to the Three Characteristics (impermanence, suffering, non-self) and before long, attained Arahantship with the four analytical knowledges and the six higher powers, including the power of mind-made bodies, meaning the ability to create a double of oneself, and also to make many people appear as one, as he wished.
When morning came, the Supreme Teacher, along with 499 monks, proceeded to the house of the physician Komārabhacca. When the gruel was offered, the Buddha covered his alms bowl. When they inquired about the reason, he stated that there was still one monk left at the monastery. The physician Komārabhacca then sent a servant to invite him. But the servant saw a thousand different-looking monks, each performing different duties, and was greatly bewildered. He returned to inform the physician Jīvaka Komārabhacca, who then sent him again to invite the monk Cūḷapanthaka. The servant asked, “Which one is named Cūḷapanthaka?” All of them replied in unison, “My name is Cūḷapanthaka.” The servant returned once more. Then, the physician Jīvaka instructed, “Whichever one answers first, go to him and say that the Blessed One has summoned him.” This time, he was able to get Venerable Cūḷapanthaka, and all the magically created monks vanished.
It was for this reason that the Supreme Teacher appointed him to the eminent position (Etadagga), declaring him foremost among the monks skilled in the knowledge of mind-made bodies. The two venerable Theras lived out their lifespans in the Buddha’s dispensation until they reached their allotted lifespan, then they extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
48. The Story of the Venerable Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa Thera
This venerable Thera was the son of a female lay disciple named Kālī, a stream-enterer (sotāpanna), born in the city of Rājagaha. While he was a layman, he wore earrings worth one crore (ten million). The people took this as a sign and called him Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa from that time on.
One day, the Venerable Mahākaccāyana Thera was residing on the Papatta mountain in the Kuru region of the Avanti country. The laywoman Kālī was his supporter. As her son grew up, he became very close to the Venerable Mahākaccāyana. He was ordained as a novice and studied the Dhamma and Vinaya for three years. Then, he was given higher ordination as a bhikkhu through the ñatticatuttha-kammavācā (formal act of ordination) in the presence of the Venerable Mahākaccāyana. He was instructed to develop insight meditation, and before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship. He studied the Suttas in his presence. After the rains retreat, he took leave of his preceptor to visit the Supreme Teacher, bringing with him a cloth his mother had sent to offer to the Buddha. The Blessed One graciously allowed him to stay near his quarters.
One day, the Supreme Teacher asked the Venerable Soṇa to preach the Dhamma. He then recited the Sutta concerning the eight items with a beautiful voice with a captivating and melodious voice. The Victorious One gave his approval, saying “Sādhu! Sādhu! It is very melodious and has the same tone as the Dhamma sermon that the Tathāgata has delivered.” Later, when he had the opportunity, he requested eight boons, following the instructions given by his preceptor, regarding the performance of the higher ordination ceremony by a chapter of five monks, including a Vinaya expert, in remote regions. The Buddha granted his request. Then, he took leave to return to the Venerable Mahākaccāyana, bringing the Dhamma he had preached to the Blessed One to preach to his mother once again.
This Venerable Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa was praised by the Supreme Teacher as being foremost among the monks in preaching the Dhamma with a melodious voice. After living out his lifespan in the Buddha’s dispensation, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
49. The Story of the Venerable Vakkali Thera
He was born into a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī and was named Vakkali. As he grew up, he learned and completed the study of the three Vedas. One day, the young Brahmin Vakkali saw the Blessed One entering the city of Sāvatthī, surrounded by a retinue of monks. He developed a deep faith and became attached to the physical beauty of the Buddha. Wanting to see him constantly, he decided to renounce the household life and sought higher ordination in the Buddha’s dispensation. After being ordained, he did not focus on practicing the duties of a monk but only thought of walking around to gaze at the physical form and beauty of the Buddha. Later, the Buddha realized that by doing so, Vakkali would not be able to realize any special Dhamma. Therefore, he dismissed him from his presence.
Vakkali was deeply distressed and went up Gijjhakūṭa Hill with the intention of jumping off to kill himself. The Buddha, knowing this, appeared before him. He then admonished and consoled him, saying that Vakkali had developed great joy and elation. Established in the Buddha’s advice, Vakkali contemplated with skillful means, dispelling the intoxication with physical form. He felt a sense of spiritual urgency and earnestly developed insight meditation. Before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges. He received praise from the Supreme Teacher as being the foremost among the monks in terms of liberation by faith (saddhāvimutti), that is, liberation from defilements through faith. When his life-sankhāras were exhausted at the appropriate time, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
50. The Story of the Venerable Vaṅgīsa Thera
The Venerable Vaṅgīsa Thera was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī, originally named Vaṅgīsa. As he grew up, he studied and mastered the three Vedas. He also mastered a type of mantra called chavasīsa, which was used to determine the rebirth of a deceased person by examining their skull. After mastering this mantra he wandered, earning his living with this skill, until he had a large following of people who would accompany him wherever he went. Then, the young man Vaṅgīsa heard praise of the Supreme Teacher as being an unparalleled sage. He went to see the Buddha at the Jetavana monastery, alone. The Buddha had the skull of an Arahant brought for Vaṅgīsa to examine. The Brahmin Vaṅgīsa tapped the skull with his fingernail and recited his potent mantra, but he was still unable to know the destiny of that Arahant. At his wit’s end, he bowed and asked to learn from the Buddha. The Buddha said that Vaṅgīsa must first be ordained.
He agreed to be ordained. After his ordination, the Buddha explained the Dhamma for him to recite. As he was already mindful and wise, and a diligent person, he recited the teachings and used his wisdom to penetrate the reasons and principles, and attained the fruit of Arahantship along with the four analytical knowledges. Whenever he went to see the Supreme Teacher, wherever he was, he would always first recite a verse in praise of the Buddha’s virtues, without fail. The Blessed One, referring to this, praised him as being the foremost among the monks in terms of extemporaneous and inspired speech (paṭibhāna), being clever with the words of verses. When his lifespan came to an end, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
51. The Story of the Venerable Kumārakassapa Thera
The Venerable Kumārakassapa Thera was the son of a wealthy man’s daughter in the city of Rājagaha. The story goes that the wealthy man’s daughter, his mother, had wished to be ordained in the Buddha’s dispensation since she was a maiden, but she could not get her parents’ permission. When she was married and became pregnant, though she was unaware of it, she again pleaded with her husband for permission to be ordained. Her husband consented, and she went forth to become a bhikkhunī (nun) in the faction of Devadatta’s followers. Sometime later, her pregnancy became apparent, and the other bhikkhunīs, feeling disgraced, took her to their leader, saying she was not a true ascetic and should be expelled. The pregnant bhikkhunī was unhappy because she believed herself to be pure since her ordination. Then the other bhikkhunīs took her to have an audience with the Supreme Teacher, who ordered the Venerable Upāli to settle the dispute.
The Venerable Upāli Thera had the great families of Sāvatthī, including the great laywoman Visākhā, gather together. After careful investigation, it was clearly established that the bhikkhunī had become pregnant while she was still a laywoman. Therefore, he judged, “The virtue of this bhikkhunī is pure and without blemish.”
The Supreme Teacher expressed his approval, saying, “Upāli, your judgment of the legal case is correct and good.” As for the bhikkhunī, when her pregnancy reached full term, she gave birth to a son. King Pasenadi of Kosala heard of this and had the child taken to be raised. When the boy grew up, the king had him ordained in the presence of the Supreme Teacher. The boy became a diligent monk, fulfilling his monastic duties in both scriptural study and insight meditation. Sometime later, he learned fifteen profound questions and their answers from the Supreme Teacher and attained the fruit of Arahantship, along with the four analytical knowledges. He then went to dwell in the Andhavana forest.
This Venerable Kumārakassapa was capable of preaching the Dhamma to the four assemblies with picturesque and elaborate speech, using similes and reasons, and was skilled in finding skillful means to instruct the assembly. The Supreme Teacher, referring to this virtue, praised him as being foremost among the monks in giving pictorial discourses (cittakathā), meaning preaching the Dhamma in a particularly excellent way. When his lifespan was complete, he entered Parinibbāna.
52. The Story of the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita Thera
The Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita Thera was born into a wealthy Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī. His father was the Brahmin Assalāyana, and his mother was the Brahmin lady Candavatī.
As he grew up, he studied and mastered the three Vedas according to the Brahmin tradition. One day, the young man Koṭṭhita went to have an audience with the Supreme Teacher and listen to the Dhamma sermon. He developed faith in the Buddha’s dispensation and went forth to be ordained under the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and the Venerable Sāriputta. It is said that while his hair was being shaved, he contemplated on insight meditation and abandoned craving at that very moment. When he changed from his layman’s clothes to the saffron robes, he attained the fruit of Arahantship, along with the four analytical knowledges, the three higher knowledges, and the eight liberations. From that time on, he devoted himself to study. Whenever he approached the great senior Theras, he was fond of asking questions about the Dhamma related to the four analytical knowledges. Even when he had an audience with the Supreme Teacher, he would ask questions about these Dhamma topics.
Later, the Supreme Teacher delivered the Mahāvedalla Sutta for his benefit. He then appointed him to the eminent position (Etadagga), declaring him foremost among the monks in penetrating the four analytical knowledges. After living his life in the Buddha’s dispensation until his lifespan was over, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
53. The Story of the Venerable Sobhita Thera
This venerable Thera was born into a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī and was named Sobhita. As he grew up, he went to have an audience with the Supreme Teacher. After listening to the Dhamma sermon he delivered, he developed faith and went forth to be ordained in the Buddha’s dispensation. He diligently practiced the duties of a monk and before long, attained the fruit of Arahantship, along with the four analytical knowledges. This venerable Thera had the habit of cultivating the five kinds of skills and was proficient in the knowledge of past lives (pubbenivāsānussati-ñāṇa), that is, the recollection of former existences. It was because of this that the Buddha appointed the Venerable Sobhita to the eminent position (Etadagga), declaring him foremost among the monks in the recollection of past lives. When the Venerable Sobhita’s lifespan was complete, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
54. The Story of the Venerable Nanda Thera
The Venerable Nanda Thera was the son of a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī. As he grew up, he listened to the Dhamma sermons in the presence of the Supreme Teacher and developed faith in the Buddha’s dispensation, so he went forth to be ordained. After his ordination, he dwelled in diligence, earnestly developing insight meditation. Before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha) in the Buddha’s dispensation. He was in the habit of cultivating the knowledge of past abodes (pubbenivāsānussati-ñāṇa), being skilled in recollecting past lives. He was also clever in preaching the Dhamma to the four assemblies, who were very pleased with his sermons. It is said that he preached the Dhamma about the six sense bases to five hundred bhikkhunīs, who all attained the fruit of Arahantship. The Supreme Teacher, referring to his ability as the primary reason, appointed him to the eminent position (Etadagga), making him the foremost among the monks in admonishing bhikkhunīs. When his lifespan came to its natural end, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
55. The Story of the Venerable Mahākappina Thera
The Venerable Mahākappina Thera was the royal son of the king of the Kukkuṭavatī kingdom in a border region. When his royal father passed away, he ascended the throne in his place. He heard from merchants from Bārāṇasī that the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha had arisen in the world. He was filled with great joy and elation. After rewarding the merchants, he entrusted the kingdom to his chief queen. Together with the royal family, retinue, and court officials, he set out to pay homage to the Supreme Teacher in the city of Sāvatthī. After receiving ordination, he developed the duties of a monk and, before long, attained the fruit of Arahantship.
Later, it is told that Queen Anojā, his chief consort, also renounced the kingdom, along with the royal family and her attendants, and went forth to be ordained as a bhikkhunī in the Buddha’s dispensation. The Victorious One entrusted her to the care of the Venerable Uppalavaṇṇā Therī.
After the Venerable Mahākappina attained Arahantship, in the beginning, he did not dare to admonish anyone because he had not yet received the Buddha’s permission. Later, the Buddha permitted him to admonish his retinue of one thousand monks, who all attained the fruit of Arahantship. Then, the Blessed One, referring to this ability, praised him as being the foremost among the monks in giving admonition to the assembly of monks. When his lifespan reached its limit, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
56. The Story of the Venerable Sāgata Thera
The Venerable Sāgata Thera was the son of a Brahmin in the city of Sāvatthī. His parents named him Sāgata. As he grew up, he listened to a Dhamma sermon in the presence of the Supreme Teacher and developed faith. He then went forth and was ordained. He developed the eight attainments (samāpatti) and cultivated them until he was skilled in all eight.
One day, the Supreme Teacher was traveling through the countryside. He arrived at a port near the territory of Kosambī and, along with the Sangha, rested there for one night. The Venerable Sāgata accompanied him on that occasion. He then went to the abode of a Nāga king and displayed his psychic power by creating smoke and fire, which filled the Nāga’s abode. The Thera then entered the fire kasina (meditation device), causing smoke and fire to rise up in confrontation. In the end, the Nāga king was subdued and gave up his fierce nature, taking refuge in the Triple Gem as a disciple.
When the people of Kosambī heard the news that the fierce Nāga of Ambatittha had been subdued by the Venerable Sāgata, they went to welcome the Supreme Teacher, offering many gifts and honors. From then on, they started to prepare a red liquor, like the color of a pigeon’s foot, and kept it in every house, following the explanation of the group of six monks (chabbaggiyā) who said that it was permissible for monks to drink it without committing an offense. The next morning, the Venerable Sāgata went on his alms round. The people offered him this liquor, and he accepted and drank it at every house. The power of the alcohol made him intoxicated, and he lost his mindfulness, falling down and rolling in the middle of the road, unconscious. The Buddha, knowing this, ordered the monks to carry him to the monastery. In the midst of the assembly of monks, he admonished him in many ways and then laid down the training rule called Surāpāna-sikkhāpada (the rule against drinking intoxicants) as a law for all monks from then on.
The next morning, the Thera sobered up and regained his mindfulness. He went to the Buddha, confessed his fault, and asked for forgiveness. Feeling remorse and disgust for his shameful act, he earnestly developed insight meditation, and before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship. Later, when the Blessed One was staying at the Jetavana monastery, he bestowed the eminent position (Etadagga) upon the Venerable Sāgata, declaring him foremost among the monks in entering the fire kasina attainment.
…managing the household, so he ran away and asked for ordination in the community of forest-dwelling monks.
After he was ordained, he diligently practiced the duties of a monk in the dense forest for over three months and attained the fruit of Arahantship. The Supreme Teacher, knowing this, went to his dwelling with the Venerable Sāriputta and a large number of monks. The Thera arranged a reception for the Buddha and the Sangha with great care. Sometime later, he received praise from the Victorious One as being foremost among the forest-dwelling monks. When his lifespan reached its limit, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
59. The Story of the Venerable Sīvali Thera
The Venerable Sīvali Thera was the son of Princess Suppavāsā, the daughter of the king of Koliya. From the time of his conception in his mother’s womb, he brought great fortune and honor to his mother. However, he remained in the womb for a very long time—seven years, seven months, and seven days—before being born, due to the ripening of past kamma. On the day of his birth, his mother had an extremely easy delivery, like water flowing from a pot. For this reason, his relatives named him Prince Sīvali, based on this auspicious sign. As he grew up, he went forth and was ordained under the Venerable Sāriputta Thera.
The venerable monk had him contemplate on the characteristic of suffering. He took this object of meditation, and at the moment of the first pass of the razor on his head, he attained the fruit of stream-entry (sotāpatti). At the moment of the second pass of the razor, he attained the fruit of a once-returner (sakadāgāmī). At the moment of the third pass of the razor, he attained the fruit of a non-returner (anāgāmī). By the time his head was completely shaved, he had attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “perfected one” (asekha) in the Buddha’s dispensation.
This venerable Thera had a very generous disposition and was fond of leading large groups of monks to travel with him, in order to support and care for them so they could live comfortably with the four requisites. Wherever he stayed or traveled, he was always abundantly supplied with the four requisites, due to the merit of his past generosity. Among the community of monks, there was no one who could compare to him in terms of receiving abundant offerings.
It was for this reason that the Blessed One praised and exalted him as being the foremost among the monks who were receivers of offerings. When his lifespan reached its appropriate end, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
60. The Story of the Venerable Bāhiya Dārucīriya Thera
This venerable Thera was born into a householder’s family in the Bāhiya country. As he grew up, he earned his living as a merchant. One day, he set sail on a ship to trade in the Suvaṇṇabhūmi region. Before reaching the country at the end of the journey, the ship broke apart and sank in the middle of the ocean. All the people on the ship became food for the sea creatures. Only he survived, clinging to a single plank of wood and floating ashore at the port of Suppāraka. The man used seaweed for clothing and carried a bowl to beg for food from the villagers. The people, seeing him act this way, thought he was an Arahant. With faith, they supported him with the four requisites. He acted as if he were indifferent, living as a naked ascetic. Sometime later, he came to the realization that deceiving people to make a living in this way was not appropriate. He felt a sense of spiritual urgency and went to have an audience with the Supreme Teacher. After listening to the Dhamma sermon on the threefold training—morality (sīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā)—he contemplated and directed his mind according to the stream of the Dhamma teaching and attained the fruit of Arahantship right there where he was sitting. It is said that after he attained Arahantship, before he could be formally ordained, while he was searching for a bowl and the three robes, a young cow with a calf charged and gored him, and he entered Nibbāna before receiving higher ordination. Sometime later, the Supreme Teacher praised him as being the foremost among the monks in terms of swift understanding (khippābhiññā), one who realized the Dhamma quickly.
61. The Story of the Venerable Bākula Thera
The Venerable Bākula Thera was the son of a great wealthy man in the city of Kosambī. The story goes that when he was five days old, his parents performed the auspicious hair-cutting ceremony, washing the child in the Ganges river to give him a name. At that moment, a large fish saw the infant, thought it was food, and swallowed it whole. The infant, having great merit, was unharmed, as if lying on a mattress in a room. The fish, after swallowing the infant, felt a burning sensation and swam away swiftly, getting caught in the net of some fishermen. They took the fish from the net, and it died. They then took the fish to sell to the villagers for a price of one thousand kahāpaṇas, but no one would buy it. When they brought the fish to the house of a wealthy man in the city of Bārāṇasī, he bought it and ordered his servants to cut it open. They found the infant inside the fish’s belly. The wealthy man then had a public announcement made to find the infant’s parents, but no one came forward. So the wealthy man raised the infant from then on.
When the great wealthy man of Kosambī heard the news that the wealthy man of Bārāṇasī had found a child in a fish’s belly, he knew for certain that it must be his own son. He went to the wealthy man of Bārāṇasī, saw the infant, recognized him, and asked to take him back. The two wealthy families could not agree, and a dispute arose.
They then went to the king of Bārāṇasī to ask him to make a final judgment. The king of Bārāṇasī ordered that both wealthy families should support and raise the child together. That is why he was given the name Bākula, which means “of two families.” The two wealthy families arranged to build a house for him in each of their respective towns, so that the young Bākula could alternate living there for periods of four months, complete with male and female servants, and he would travel back and forth between them every four months.
One day, the Supreme Teacher came to proclaim the teachings in the city of Bārāṇasī. The young Bākula, along with his retinue, went to have an audience and listen to the Dhamma sermon. He developed faith and asked for ordination in the Buddha’s dispensation. He received instruction in insight meditation from the Supreme Teacher. After practicing diligently for seven days, he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha) in the Buddha’s dispensation. He was a strict observer of the ascetic practices of sitting and dwelling in the forest. In the sixty years since his ordination, he had never spent the rains retreat in a monastery near a village. He had also never been afflicted by any illness, nor did he need to care for his body with medicine. He said that even a single slice of fruit was something he never ate. All this, he said, was due to the power and merit of having attended to a sick monk and offered medicine as a gift in a past life.
It was for this reason that the Supreme Teacher praised him as being the foremost among the monks in having few ailments. When his lifespan in the Buddha’s dispensation came to an end, he entered Parinibbāna. It is said that at the time of his passing, he entered the attainment of the fire element (tejo-samāpatti) and passed away in the midst of the Sangha of monks. A fire, arising from his meritorious power, consumed and completely destroyed his physical remains.
62. The Story of the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta Thera
This venerable Thera was the royal son of the chief queen of King Mallarāja. When he was seven years old, counting from his day of birth, he went to ask his mother’s permission to be ordained as a novice in the presence of the Supreme Teacher. After receiving the teaching, he developed insight meditation and attained Arahantship, along with the six higher knowledges and the four analytical knowledges, at the moment the razor touched his head. Sometime later, the Blessed One praised him as being the foremost among the monks in preparing and arranging lodgings. When he contemplated and saw that his life-sankhāras were about to end, he displayed his psychic power by levitating into the air, entered the attainment of the fire element, and after emerging from that attainment, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna, right there in the middle of the air.
This Venerable Dabba Mallaputta entered Parinibbāna at a young age, not yet old. Some teachers say that he was falsely accused of a Pārājika offense (an offense entailing expulsion) by the monks of the Mettiya region. Although the legal case was settled and he was cleared, they continued to verbally abuse him. The ordinary monks who sided with the Mettiya monks also looked down on him and scorned him in various ways. He thought to himself, “For what benefit am I enduring this burden? It would be better to enter Nibbāna.” Some other teachers reject this, saying it is unreasonable. Normally, an Arahant has abandoned pleasure and displeasure with regard to the worldly conditions and is not stirred by the words of others. The reason he entered Nibbāna at a young age was because his life-sustaining conditions were exhausted. This is a matter for you to reflect on and investigate for yourself.
63. The Story of the Venerable Subhūti Thera
This venerable Thera was the son of the wealthy man Sumana in the city of Sāvatthī. As he grew up, he went to have an audience with the Supreme Teacher and listened to the Dhamma sermon along with Anāthapiṇḍika, the wealthy man, during the dedication ceremony of the Jetavana monastery. He developed faith and asked to be ordained in the Buddha’s dispensation. After being ordained, he diligently studied the Vinaya Piṭaka and the Abhidhamma Piṭaka until he became proficient. Then he went into seclusion to practice the duties of a monk in the forest, and before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship. By nature, he was a person who possessed two virtues: proficiency in the dwelling of peace (araṇavihāra), which is mastery of the supramundane jhānas, and dwelling in a state free from defilements; and being a person worthy of offerings (dakkhiṇeyya). It was because of these virtues that he later received praise from the Supreme Teacher as being the foremost among the monks in these two qualities: the dwelling of peace and being worthy of offerings, as mentioned. When his lifespan reached its full term, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
64. The Story of the Venerable Kaṅkhārevata Thera
This venerable Thera was born into a wealthy and prosperous family in the city of Sāvatthī. As he grew up, he went to pay homage to the Teacher. He developed faith and asked for higher ordination in the Buddha’s dispensation. After receiving higher ordination, he dwelled in diligence and practiced the duties of a monk. Before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship. He was a person who was always doubtful about what was allowable (kappiya), that is, things or requisites that were proper according to the Buddha’s allowance. He would be doubtful about the allowable things he received, and only after he had considered them and was certain that they were proper according to the Buddha’s allowance would he dare to use or consume them.
It is for this reason that this venerable Thera was given the name Venerable Kaṅkhārevata (Revata the Doubter). He was proficient in both worldly and supramundane jhānas and could enter the jhānic attainments, which are the domain of a Buddha, on many occasions. For this reason, the Supreme Teacher praised him as being the foremost among the monks who delighted in jhānic attainments.
When his life span came to its appropriate end, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
65. The Story of the Venerable Nālaka Thera
This venerable Thera was the son of the younger sister of the ascetic Asita, also known as Kāladevala, in the city of Kapilavatthu. When the ascetic Kāladevala examined the Great Being and saw that his physical characteristics matched the predictions of the Brahmin scriptures, he instructed his nephew, the young Nālaka, to go forth and practice the ascetic life according to the Brahmin tradition, awaiting the Great Being. If he were to renounce the world, he would become an enlightened Buddha, the supreme teacher in the world. When the Buddha attained enlightenment, the wandering ascetic Nālaka heard the news and came to have an audience and ask questions about the practice of a sage (moneyya-paṭipadā). The Buddha explained the practice of a sage, the essence of which is to cultivate an even mind towards all beings, without anger or aversion, even when faced with unpleasant circumstances… When the Dhamma talk concluded, the man asked to be ordained in the Dhamma-Vinaya.
After being ordained, he asked the Supreme Teacher for permission to go and live in the forest. He practiced with utmost diligence, living like a newcomer, always detached from the villagers, not attached to any person or place, content with little in seeing, hearing, and asking. Before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship. At the age of seven months, he entered Parinibbāna while standing in the presence of the Blessed One. He was one of the great disciples who fulfilled the practice of a sage with utmost rigor in this dispensation. He received praise from the Blessed One as being the foremost among the monks who fulfilled the practice of a sage. It is said that one who practices the sage’s path with utmost rigor can live for seven months at a minimum, seven years on average, and sixteen years at a maximum. In the dispensation of one Buddha, there is only one such disciple.
66. The Story of the Venerable Aṅgulimāla Thera
The Venerable Aṅgulimāla Thera was the son of a Brahmin lady, the wife of the Brahmin chaplain to King Pasenadi of Kosala. His parents named him Ahiṃsaka (the harmless one). This was because when the child Ahiṃsaka was born from his mother’s womb, all the weapons in the city, including the royal sword of King Pasenadi, shone with a light brighter than fire. The Brahmin chaplain, his father, examined the celestial signs and knew for certain that his son was born under the constellation of a robber. He reported this fact to King Pasenadi of Kosala. Although it was an evil omen, no harm came to anyone. Therefore, the Brahmin named his son “Ahiṃsaka,” which means “one who does not harm.”
When the young Ahiṃsaka grew up, his parents sent him to study arts and sciences under the teacher Disāpāmokkha in the country of Takkasilā. Ahiṃsaka was a diligent and respectful student, and his conduct was impeccable, which pleased his teacher greatly. The other students, seeing that Ahiṃsaka was superior to them in both learning and conduct, became jealous and conspired to make the teacher hate him and expel him. The teacher believed them and devised a plan to have the boy killed by someone else’s hand. He tricked Ahiṃsaka, telling him to go out and kill people, cutting off one finger from each person until he had collected a thousand. Although Ahiṃsaka, being a Brahmin by birth, was reluctant and felt it was improper to kill people, which went against the Brahmin tradition, he felt compelled to do it because he wanted to master the knowledge that was called “The Art of Vishnu.”
The young man took a sword and went out, killing people indiscriminately. He would take the fingers and at the base of a tree, they had piled up and were rotting away. Later, when he had killed many, he would cut off their fingers and string them into a garland to wear around his neck. He had collected 999 fingers and needed only one more to complete the 1,000. It was because of this that he was given the name “Aṅgulimāla the Robber.”
The news, which caused shock, horror, and terror, spread throughout the country, villages, and remote areas. King Pasenadi of Kosala, upon hearing this, prepared his army to surround and kill Aṅgulimāla the robber. The Brahmin lady, his mother, heard this news and, realizing the danger to her son, rushed out before the army to warn him so he could be aware. According to the story, the Perfectly Enlightened Buddha, the master, knew that if Aṅgulimāla were to commit matricide, he would be lost from the path and its fruit. Therefore, he hastened to save him. He met Aṅgulimāla in the early dawn. When Aṅgulimāla saw the Buddha, he chased after him, intending to cut off his finger to complete his count of 1,000. But due to the Buddha’s miraculous power, no matter how fast Aṅgulimāla ran, he could not catch up. Exhausted, he shouted for the Buddha to stop. The Blessed One replied, “I have stopped.” But since he was still chasing, he accused the Supreme Teacher of lying. The Buddha replied, “The Tathāgata has long since stopped from all unwholesome actions that bring suffering. It is you who have not yet stopped from such evil deeds.” Just these words from the Buddha made Aṅgulimāla awaken to his senses and remember his wrongdoings. He took off his weapons and the garland of fingers and threw them into a mountain gorge. Then he came and prostrated himself, asking for ordination. The Buddha granted his request, ordaining him as a monk with the words “Ehi bhikkhu” (Come, monk) and brought him to the Jetavana monastery.
The next morning, he went for alms in the city of Sāvatthī. The people of the city, seeing him, were terrified and alarmed, running into the city walls. They closed all the city gates, large and small. There was a great uproar with various cries. Some said Aṅgulimāla had become a monk to escape royal punishment. Others said Aṅgulimāla had entered the city to harm the people. Wherever he went, the sound of commotion reached that place. Not a single person had the faith to offer him even a spoonful of alms. Any monk who went with him on that day went without food. His appearance was pitiful and pitiable. But then, good fortune came. He enabled a woman to give birth easily. That woman had a very easy and smooth delivery, like pouring water from a pot. The Pali verse that he recited was:
“Yato’haṃ bhagini ariyāya jātiyā jāto, nābhijānāmi sañcicca pāṇaṃ jīvitā voropetā. Tena saccena sotthi te hotu, sotthi gabbhassa.”[5] Which translates to: “Sister, since I was born with the noble birth, I do not recall intentionally taking the life of any living being. By this truth, may you be well, may the unborn child be well.”
“Since I was born with the noble birth, I have never intentionally deprived a living being of life. By the power of this truth, may you and your unborn child be well.”
From that time on, people came to respect and admire him, no longer fearing him as before. When his livelihood became easier, he diligently cultivated the duties of a monk without becoming weary. However, his mind was scattered and could not achieve concentration because the ghosts of the people he had killed appeared as visions, causing him to feel remorse and constant burning regret. The Supreme Teacher, knowing this, instructed him to try to abandon the past and not to dwell on what had not yet come, but to contemplate only the task at hand. He used mindfulness to reflect on his present virtue and actions again and again. Before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship and was counted among the great disciples. He received praise from the Supreme Teacher as being the foremost among the monks who consumed alms food without the fault of craving. When his lifespan in the Buddha’s dispensation came to its appointed end, he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
67. The Story of the Venerable Bhagu
This venerable Thera was born into the Sakyan clan in the city of Kapilavatthu. The young Sakyan prince Bhagu, having developed faith, was ordained in the Buddha’s dispensation along with four other Sakyan princes. After his ordination, Prince Bhagu diligently developed insight meditation until he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha).
68. The Story of the Venerable Kimbila
The Venerable Kimbila was born into the Sakyan clan in the city of Kapilavatthu. As he grew up, he went forth to be ordained along with four other Sakyan princes, including Anuruddha. After his ordination, he diligently developed insight meditation until he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha).
69. The Story of the Venerable Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya
This venerable Thera was the son of a very wealthy person in the city of Sāvatthī. One day, the young Lakuṇṭaka went to listen to the Dhamma sermon of the Supreme Teacher with other laymen and laywomen. He developed faith and went forth to be ordained in the Buddha’s dispensation. After his ordination, he studied the practice under the Supreme Teacher and before long attained the fruit of stream-entry (sotāpatti). Later, while having a Dhamma discussion with the Venerable Sāriputta, his mind was liberated from the cankers of defilements, and he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha). He was recognized with the eminent position (Etadagga) for having a melodious voice.
70. The Story of the Venerable Kuṇḍadhāna
This venerable Thera was born into a Brahmin family in the city of Sāvatthī, originally named Dhāna. As the young Dhāna grew up, he studied and completed the three Vedas. Later, he entered the Buddha’s dispensation. From the time of his ordination, a female figure would always follow him, though he himself could not see her. When he went for alms in the village, the people who gave him food would say, “This is a portion for the venerable, and this is a portion for his companion.” From that time on, people started calling him Kuṇḍadhāna. This affair caused great suspicion among the monks in the monastery. The Blessed One, knowing this, called all the monks together and explained Kuṇḍadhāna’s past kamma. After listening to the explanation, the monk Kuṇḍadhāna attained the fruit of Arahantship. He received the eminent position as the first to draw lots.
71. The Story of the Venerable Pilindavaccha
This venerable Thera was born into the Vaccha clan of Brahmins, originally named “Pilinda.” Combined with his clan name, he was known as “Pilindavaccha.” As he grew up, he developed faith and was ordained in the Buddha’s dispensation. He diligently practiced and developed insight meditation, and before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship. From that time on, the Venerable Pilindavaccha Thera would always address other monks as “vasala,” which means “outcast” a derogatory term. The other monks, feeling displeased, reported this to the Blessed One. The Buddha said, “Do not find fault with or blame the monk Pilindavaccha. This is because he was born into a Brahmin family for 500 lifetimes, and those Brahmins used to speak in this manner.”
The Venerable Pilindavaccha received the eminent position (Etadagga) as one beloved and cherished by the devas.
72. The Story of the Venerable Udāyī
There is no clear record of this venerable Thera’s life while he was a householder.
After his ordination, he became famous for preaching the Dhamma in a way that pleased all the assemblies, because he always upheld five principles of the Dhamma within himself. He lived out his lifespan in the Buddha’s dispensation until the appropriate time, and then he extinguished the aggregates and entered Parinibbāna.
73. The Story of the Venerable Upavāṇa
There is no record of this venerable Thera’s life before his ordination. The story of his life begins after he was ordained. The Venerable Upavāṇa Thera was once the attendant of the Supreme Teacher shortly before his Parinibbāna. At that time, it is told that the Venerable Upavāṇa was fanning the Buddha when he was asked to move away from the Buddha’s presence. At the time when a host of deities were crowding around to pay homage. This venerable Thera lived on until after the Buddha’s Parinibbāna, and then he too entered Parinibbāna.
74. The Story of the Venerable Meghiya
There is no clear record of this venerable Thera’s life as a layman; the account begins after his ordination.
This venerable Thera was also once an attendant of the Buddha. It is mentioned that when he went on his alms round, he saw a mango grove with cool shade that was pleasant to the mind. He wanted to go there to practice the duties of a monk. So he went to ask for leave from the Teacher. The Buddha stopped him, saying, “The Tathāgata is alone; wait for another monk to come and take a turn as attendant in your place.” The Buddha said this three times, but Meghiya did not listen and went away. The Venerable Meghiya practiced the duties of a monk in that place but did not achieve any result, because three kinds of unwholesome thoughts came and afflicted his mind. So he returned and reported to the Teacher. The Buddha then taught him the method to pacify the three kinds of unwholesome thoughts in many ways. Meghiya, abiding in the Buddha’s instruction, diligently developed insight meditation, and before long, he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha).
75. The Story of the Venerable Nāgita
There is no clear record of this venerable Thera’s life before his ordination. After his ordination it is mentioned that this venerable Thera was once an attendant of the Supreme Teacher when the Buddha, along with the Sangha of monks, was traveling through the Kosala country. At that time, the Brahmins and householders of the village of Icchānaṅgala prepared various kinds of food and drink and went to see the Buddha. They made a loud commotion outside the monastery gate. The Supreme Teacher asked Nāgita, his attendant, about the matter, and he reported the details of the event.
This Venerable Nāgita attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha) in the Buddha’s dispensation, but it is not known when he attained it.
76. The Story of the Venerable Cunda
This venerable Thera was the son of the Brahmin Vanganta and the Brahmin lady Sārī in the village of Nālaka in the Magadha country. He was the younger brother of the Venerable Sāriputta. His original name was Cunda, and later he was given another name, Mahācunda. He was once an attendant of the Buddha at the time when the Blessed One was about to enter Parinibbāna in the city of Kusinārā. The Venerable Mahācunda was a Dhamma preacher. He went to ask the Buddha about views that were related to oneself and to the world, and how to practice mindfulness in order to completely abandon those views. The Blessed One explained the method of polishing away the defilements in many ways. In the end, he attained the fruit of Arahantship.
When his elder brother, the Venerable Sāriputta, went to his home village to enter Parinibbāna in order to enlighten his mother, Mahācunda was invited to go with him. At that time, Mahācunda collected the bowl, robes, and relics of the Venerable Sāriputta and brought them to the Supreme Teacher.
77. The Story of the Venerable Yasoja
The Venerable Yasoja was born into a family of fishermen in the city of Sāvatthī. His father was the chief of 500 families of fishermen. When he was born, the children of the 500 fishermen chiefs were also born on the same day. The mother of the young Yasoja supported all 500 infants, paying for their milk and other needs, with the intention that in the future, these children would be companions to her son. As these children grew up, they fished together. One day, they caught a very large fish, red in color like gold, but with a foul-smelling mouth. They brought the fish to the Supreme Teacher to see. The Buddha, the master, explained that in a previous life, this fish was the monk Kapila, who had a large following but was lax in the Dhamma and Vinaya of the dispensation of the Buddha named Kassapa.
The 500 young men were moved by a sense of spiritual urgency and, with clear faith, asked for ordination. After being ordained, Yasoja and his 500 friends diligently practiced the duties of a monk, developing insight meditation until they attained the fruit of Arahantship.
78. The Story of the Venerable Sabhiya
It is not known whose son the Venerable Sabhiya was or where his homeland was. It is only known that he was a wandering ascetic named Sabhiya. The wandering ascetic Sabhiya had solved the questions of a deva who was his relative in a previous life. He then went around asking the great religious teachers, including the six heretical teachers. Those teachers were unable to answer. Then he took these questions and went to the Blessed One in the city of Rājagaha. The Blessed One answered every single question. In the end, the wandering ascetic Sabhiya developed faith and asked for ordination (following the deva’s instruction that if any ascetic or Brahmin could answer the questions, he should live the holy life under him). The Supreme Teacher had him undergo a probationary period of four months before ordination. After being ordained, he diligently developed insight meditation until he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha).
79. The Story of the Venerable Sela
The Venerable Sela was a Brahmin by birth, named Sela the Brahmin. He had studied and mastered the three Vedas and was a great teacher, teaching the Vedas to about 300 students. Sela the Brahmin examined the 32 marks of a great man on the Blessed One at the time when Keniya the matted-hair ascetic and his followers had invited the Buddha and 1,250 monks to receive a meal in his hermitage. After examining these marks, he developed faith and asked for higher ordination in the Dhamma-Vinaya of the Buddha’s dispensation. He diligently developed insight meditation until he attained the fruit of Arahantship.
80. The Story of the Venerable Mahāparantapa
There is no clear story about this venerable Thera, either before or after his ordination. It is only known that he attained the fruit of Arahantship, becoming a “worthy one” (asekha).
(Could this Mahāparantapa be the former King Parantapa, the father of King Udena?)
The stories of the disciples of the Buddha conclude here in brief.
[1] These four Theras have stories leading to their entry into the monastic life that are very similar, and their birthplaces were in the same region. Therefore, it is appropriate to narrate their biographies together as one.
[2] See the detailed account in the Majjhima Nikāya, Majjhima Paṇṇāsaka.
[3] See the detailed account in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, Sattaka Nipāta.
[4] The narrative is a continuous story, as in the biography of Venerable Tissa Metteyya above.
[5] This Pali verse is popularly used in blessing ceremonies and for making holy water, and it is still recited today.
