Maha Buddhavamsa - The arrival of two Nomad ascetic, Upatissa and Kolita

Maha Buddhavamsa
The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw


The arrival of two Nomad ascetic,
Upatissa and Kolita, to the Facade of Buddha


Hearing the news about the arrival of Buddha in Rajagaha,
King Suddhodana sent several ministers,
each accompanied by a thousand servants, to
invite Buddha to visit the royal city. this event
occurred in the days after the full moon in the month Phussa (Pyatho).
At that time, was the first day in the month of Magha, when the Buddha had
in Rajagaha for about a half month. At that time,
a professor of ascetic wanderers, Sanjaya, is staying in
Rajagaha along with two hundred and fifty of his followers.
At that time, ascetic wanderers Upatissa, later became the Chief Students
named Venerable Sariputta and ascetic wanderer Kolita, later
become Chief Student being named Venerable Moggallana
practicing under the guidance of professors Sanjaya.
Both recluses, Upatissa and Kolita, who had been friends since
childhood, realized, after completing training during
two or three days, that the ascetic teachings of the teacher does not contain
any doctrine of eternal Nirvana.
"My friend, this teaching of ascetic teachers is not helpful, does not have
core; let us promise, from now on, anyone who first


managed to achieve lasting Nibbana should notify
to others who are still looking. "
One day, about the first day of the month Phagguna, Venerable
Assaji, one of Pancavaggi, after straightening his robes and
taking bowl and robe over it, go to Rajagaha
to receive alms. Appearance and behavior
very authoritative and full of confidence, when walking, always
look forward with eyes in the distance limit
four arms.
When the ascetic Upatissa, later became Sariputta, see Venerable
Assaji entered Rajagaha with elegant looks and
authoritative, he thought:
"I'm sure this monk must have been one in this world that
has reached Arahatta-Magga-Phala. Should I approach him
and asked, "Friend, to whom you learned? Who
your teacher? Dhamma who you learned? But he
consider:
"This is not a good time to ask this monk, he was
collecting alms in the city. We are two best friends
really want a lasting Nibbana, has concluded that
"If there is death, there must be a state without a death." To me
who is looking for ways to achieve this nirvana,
should follow the footsteps of this monk. "Thus he
running just behind Venerable Assaji.
When Venerable Assaji has completed raising funds
food, Upatissa feel the desire to provide
seating for HRH Assaji. So he put
a short bench he always carried and gave water from
kendinya when Thera had finished eating. After doing
obligation is usually done by a student to
his teacher, he was involved in a warm and polite conversation
to thera and said:


"Friend, your face so clear and calm; your skin bright
and spotless, Friend, to whom you learned?
Who is your teacher? Dhamma who you learned? "
Assaji Venerable replied, "Friend, I studied under
guidance of the Buddha who has attained enlightenment,
descendants of the Sakya dynasty, which releases worldliness and
be a hermit. He is my teacher; I accept the teaching of-
His. "Then Upatissa asked," Friend, what is said
by your teacher, the Buddha? What does this teach him? "
Assaji Venerable thoughtfully, "it embraced the ascetic wanderer
opposing views to the gym, and I must
show Upatissa, this wandering ascetic nature
smooth and in the teaching "and gives an answer," Friend,
I was just a junior member who just joined
the Sasana. I was not able to explain the Dhamma
clear; I can only tell you the gist of it
brief. "
Upatissa wandering ascetic, later became Sariputta think
want to say to Venerable Assaji, "I Upatissa,
an ascetic wanderer and a scholar; please teach
I limited your ability, whether it's a little or a lot.
It is my responsibility to understand your teaching with
various ways, "but instead he simply said:
"Well, my friend. Please teach me a bit, (in doing
for that matter) please teach me only the most important meaning. I just
want to listen to the most important meanings that are useful to me
The same with if you teach in so many words,
poetry, and others. "
Furthermore, Venerable Assaji, teaches the Dhamma complete
the most important meaning of the Four Noble Truths:
Ye dhamma hetuppabbhavà,
Tesam hetum Tathàgato Aha;


Tesanca nirodho yo,
Vadi Evam Mahàsamano.
"Friends, the five aggregates, known as the Truth
About Dukkha (Dukkha Sacca) comes from the desire (tanha) or
the truth of the origin of Dukkha (Samudaya Sacca). Our teacher,
who have attained enlightenment, taught about
The Truth About Dukkha (Dukkha Sacca) and The Truth About
The cause of Dukkha (Samudaya Sacca). He also teaches
The Truth About the disappearance of dukkha (Nirodha Sacca) and
The Truth About the Road to disappearance of Dukkha (Magga Sacca).
Thus the sacred teachings embraced by the noble sage, our teachers
Four Noble Truths which describes this in detail. "
After listening to half of the sermon,
Upatissa wandering ascetic purity level reached Fruit
Sotapanna; he continued to listen to half the next part of the
sermon was when he had become a Sotapanna.
Upatissa then said:
Eseva Dhammo yadi tàvadeva,
paccavyyatha padamasokam;
adittham abbhatitam,
bahukehi kappanàhutehi.
"This is the Dhamma, the Truth that we are, two friends, looking for all along,
although this doctrine has been made through the Fruit of the
The first (Fruition-Phala). Thou, Lord, have reached
level where there is no longer suffering, Nibbana. Because we
have not seen this truth, Nibbana, we suffer a loss
large, wasting countless life cycles
many. "
Having said this, it occurred to ascetic wanderer
Upatissa that there must be things that are more particular about the
These non-worldly, even before he reaches a deeper level
high. He then appealed to Venerable Assaji as


follows, "Let everything stays like this for a while;
Do not teach a higher level of teaching. I beg
so you tell me where our teacher, who
have achieved enlightenment, is now. "" Friend,
Tathagata was in the monastery Veëuvana, "said Venerable
Assaji. Furthermore, the ascetic wanderer Upatissa said, "If
so, Venerable, please go first: I promised a
friend to show him the knowledge of eternity
I make that first. After fulfilling my promise
to him, I'll catch up with my friend before
Buddha. "He then saluted with a bow to
Thera, around three times as an expression of gratitude
and continue the journey to the residence of the hermit
wanderers.
Nomad hermit Kolita Purity Level Reached
Sotapanna
When the hermit saw ascetic wanderers wanderers Kolita
Upatissa come near, even from afar he thought, "Face
my best friend looks very different than the days
before, surely he has managed to penetrate the eternal Nirvana. "
Then he asked Upatissa, "Friend, your face is very
clear and calm; your skin clean, bright with no stains. How
it could beg, my friend? Do you have obtained
knowledge of eternal Nirvana? "" Yes, dear friend, I really
has penetrated Nibbana which is free from death. "When asked
by wandering ascetic Kolita how he attain Nibbana
immortal, Upatissa tells in detail what happened to
his meeting with Venerable Assaji and repeat the poem "Ye
hetuppabbhavà dhamma ", and so on. After listening
the poem to completion, Kolita achieve and Fruition-Phala
ask "My friend Upatissa, where our teachers, who have
achieve enlightenment, now? "Upatissa
replied, "our Master Tathagata Veëuvana dwelling at the monastery,
according to Venerable Assaji. "Hearing this, Kolita, (which is always
impulsive) said, "If so, friend, let us
immediately went to the residence of the Tathagata; Venerable Buddha, who achieved


Enlightenment is our teacher. "
Upatissa and Kolita Go Sanjaya and The Teacher Meeting
Pupils
Upatissa, later became iputta Sar, who in good faith
notice feelings of their followers, suggested
with great wisdom and patience, "My friends, two hundred
fifty wandering ascetic is highly dependent upon us,
always follow our example, and have dwelt in the hermitage,
always looking behavior and our character; let
we tell the two hundred and fifty ascetic wanderer
This, after we tell them, they may
act as they wish. "And also as a
that have a high respect towards his teacher, he also
suggested, "Let us also introduce what has been
we learn about Nibbana without death to our teachers,
Sanjaya. If he is wise enough, he will believe in us and
would definitely go with us to face the Tathagata. After
listen to the teachings of the Tathagata, he may be able to penetrate
Roads and fruit by direct penetration of knowledge. "
Thus these two friends first met two hundred and five
fifty followers and told them, 'We'll go
see Tathagata; Buddhist Noble, who has reached Enlightenment
Perfect is our teacher. "
The whole two hundred and fifty students answered, "We all are
settled here depends entirely upon you and watching
character and the follow-horn. If you decide to go
to the Tathagata and live holy lives together with Him, we
all will follow you. "
Then the two friends went to Professor Sanjaya and
made three attempts in vain to persuade him to want to
went to the Tathagata with them. Finally the teacher
big ask, "Young man, in this world, Which
more, wise or unwise? "When they
answered, "Teacher, in this world, many are not wise,


and few are wise, "the professor stated decision
last, "Young man, if so, the wise should
go to the ascetic Gotama, wise, and those who do not
wise may come to me, that is not wise. You
all must go; however, I can not join
you guys. "So the two friends, accompanied by two hundred and five
twenty followers traveled to the monastery Veëuvana in
where the Buddha dwells.
Once the two friends Upatissa and Kolita lead two hundred
fifty ascetic wanderer walking toward the monastery Veëuvana,
teachers throughout the hermitage of Sanjaya became silent as
there is no life. His followers had disbanded, and in
silence, the teacher Sanjaya a lonely feeling very sad
so that the sadness in her inner fire to boil the blood
overflowed from her mouth.
At that time, the Tathagata was sitting with a majestic
in the middle of the audience (which consisted of members
Samgha) and deliver the sermon. When the Tathagata see
from afar the coming of the two friends and two hundred and fifty
Veëuvana followers toward the monastery, he distracts
monks who were listening to his preaching, with
said:
"Monks, there came Kolita and Upatissa, two friends
since childhood; two people this will be a pair of Primary Students in
left and right of me. "
The two friends and two hundred and fifty of his followers closer to the
before the Buddha, saluted him with bowed head
their feet to touch the Tathagata with respect
very deep.
They All Be Ehi-monk
After prostrating to the Buddha, they appealed to the
Buddhist monks so that they become acceptable, "Buddha


Venerable! Buddha Venerable, may we be ordained
monk. "Buddha's hand stretched out his golden
and call them (same as before-before)
with, "Etha Bhikkhave" and so on, "" Come, monk!
Accept ordination you ask, My children. Dhamma
has been perfectly taught by me; try to undergo training
noble in three aspects to end the cycle of suffering. "
Soon after the Buddha's words, the two
friend and two hundred and fifty of his friends changed
become a full monk like the Thera seniors who have
a monk for six decades, complete with robes
and eight fixtures created a magical, they
pay homage to the Buddha. Lay their appearance
suddenly mysteriously disappeared when they changed to monk:
(The words spoken by the Buddha, "Come, monk"
serves as the ordination of monks. Not required
ordination procedure in ordination space).
Achievement Level Purity Arahatta By Two Hundred Five
Twenty Followers
Once they become 'Ehi-monk', the Buddha continued
give a sermon appropriate to the nature and level
Intellectual two hundred and fifty followers and the two friends
them. (With the exception of two Agga Sàvaka), two hundred and five
These twenty monks attained Arahatta on one
time sitting on the spot.
With respect to both the Main Students, they have not reached
three higher levels, because, of the three Sàvaka Nana, the condition
Agga Sàvaka to reach far beyond the two Nana parami
Another is, the Supreme Sàvaka parami Nana and Pakati Sàvaka parami
Nana and also much more difficult.
Venerable Moggallana Achieving purity level Arahatta
Since his ordination, Venerable Moggallana start practicing live
sacred in the woods in earnest with the dependent


on foods derived from a small village, named
Kalavàputta, in the kingdom of Magadha. Trying hard in training,
pacing on the trail for seven full days,
he felt tired and weak on the seventh day and sat on the edge
path, sleepiness, dominated by inertia. Tathagata
wake of inaction by providing teaching
and instruction so that eventually he was able to overcome them. After
listen to the instructions of the Buddha on meditation
elements (dhatu kammatthana) he managed to achieve three levels of
higher and reach levels of Sàvaka parami Nana.
Venerable Sariputta Achieving purity level Arahatta
Half a month (15 days) since he was ordained, (the full moon day
in the month of Magha), Venerable Sariputta while dwelling together
Buddha in Cave Såkarakhatà (dug by pigs) at Mount
Gijjhakåta, in Rajagaha, listening to the sermon of the Tathagata
Vedanàpariggaha Sutta also known as Dighanakha Sutta
(From 3-Paribbàjaka VAGGA, Majjhima Pannàsa, Majjhima)
submitted to the nephew Sariputta, ascetic wanderer
Dighanakha. Taking the discourse diligently,
Venerable Sariputta practice meditation with a sense object
(Vedana kamatthàna) and thereby develop
Clear view. Eventually he became Arahanta reaching
The highest level Sàvaka parami Nana. It is like someone who
enjoy the food prepared for others. He also
through clearly sixteen levels of knowledge.
(Here, the question will arise: Why Venerable Sariputta,
which has a high wisdom, reaching levels
Arahatta purity after Venerable Moggallana? Answers
brief are: The preparation stage undertaken by Venerable
Sariputta in terms of meditation practice, is more extensive and violent
than is done by His Royal Highness Moggallana. For example:
When an ordinary man going on a trip, they can
do it fast because they have little
equipment to carry, while a king can not be
do it fast because they have to do the preparation


in units of elephants, horsemen, driver-coachman, troops,
and so on, to accompany the king. As the saying goes, 'need
time during the time it takes to cook one ship
full of beans for a king to appear in public. "
Further explanation: Future Buddha or Samma Sambodhisatta,
Future Buddha or Pacceka Pacceka Bodhisatta, and Future Students
Buddha or Sàvaka bodhisatta all have, as
object of meditation, the group forms the conditioned
or phenomena of mind and body. This group is forming
object of meditation called Sammasanacàra which means the foundation
exercises to develop the knowledge of impermanence,
dissatisfaction, and no-self (anicca, dukkha, anatta). This is called
Vipassana also Bhåmi which means, the phenomenon of inner
and physical form the foundation for developing
Clear view, Vipassana Nana.
Types Bodhisatta this:
(1) Future Buddha reflect the characteristics of anicca, dukkha,
anatta, from an internal group of conditioned life,
the point is, the phenomenon of mind and matter arising
continuously in living beings, also object-
out of dead objects that do not have the ability to
respond to the contact, which appears within one hundred crore
universe.
(2) Pacceka-Bodhisatta reflect the characteristics of anicca, dukkha,
anatta, from mental and physical phenomena are conditioned the
appear in myself, in a group of inner-beings
living in the region also Majjhima objects outside
the dead who have no ability to respond
contact.
(3) Sàvaka Bodhisatta (going to the Main Student, the student will be used),
reflect the characteristics of anicca, dukkha, anatta of
phenomena of the conditioned mind and body without distinction
distinguish whether appearing in groups of inner self or


in other creatures, considered as one
extensive external phenomena.
Venerable Moggallana not reflect the most extensive area of
characteristics of impermanence, dissatisfaction, and non-self from
every conditioned phenomenon that appears in the inner
himself and the other inner beings, he chose only
some conditioned phenomena as objects of contemplation. Will
However, Venerable Sariputta, reflecting the three characteristics of
conditioned phenomena and develop a view Clear
more closely than is done by His Royal Highness
Moggallana, observed one by one out of every phenomenon.
Venerable Moggallana can be compared as a
touch the ground with the tip of his cane as he walked. He
touch only a very small area of ​​land and not
touch the vast area of ​​land. This resulted in it can
utilize the time to contemplate the object of meditation
Cloudy outlook and achieve holiness Arahatta after seven
day, he meditated only on the part of the phenomenon
conditioned. Venerable Sariputta, conversely, for fifteen
days before reaching the sanctity Arahatta-Phala, do
Sammasana exercises aimed at by the students (not
notice of exercise is intended to Sammàsambodhisatta
and Paccekabodhisatta) so nothing is left untouched
in terms of reflecting properties that stand out from the phenomenon
conditioned. After reaching Arahatta-Phala, he feels confident
so that, in addition to the Buddhas who have attained Enlightenment
Pacceka perfect and the Buddha, no one was
can compare with her in terms of intellectual he has accomplished in
systematic. He did not find an equivalent one.
Here is a parable. There are two people who
looking for bamboo poles. The first man, after finding
clump of bamboo, thinking that it will take time
long time to clear the bush in order to get
A good bamboo rod. So he cut the bamboo along
stuck out his arm to arm with a bamboo grove.


Although he managed to get the first bamboo rod, but
he did not get a good bamboo, straight, and sturdy. Person
The second, which also found a clump of bamboo, thinking that
he will not be able to get the bamboo he expect if he
do not clean the shrubs that block. He then
preparing a sharp knife to clean up bush that
tangled and chaotic and then cut a piece of bamboo
that straight and sturdy suitable to his option and go. Although
these people get the bamboo the latter, but he
obtain a good bamboo, sturdy, and straight. Venerable
Moggallana can be likened to the first
cut and get the first bamboo, but not the bamboo
that good, sturdy, and straight; Venerable Moggallana also
first attained Arahatta, but not the level of
The highest of Sàvaka parami Nana. Venerable Sariputta can
compared to a second person who patiently bear
a pain to get the bamboo stalk that straight and sturdy .
Venerable Sariputta patiently undergo the practice of meditation
for fifteen days to attain Arahatta,
which, although later but reached the highest peak of
Sàvaka parami Nana.