Maha Buddhavamsa - The Date of the Bodhisatta's Renunciation

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

Edited and Translated by
U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin

The Date of the Bodhisatta's Renunciation

      Before he renounced the world by going forth from the household life, the Bodhisatta made four visits to the royal gardens. On his visit to the royal garden riding on the chariot drawn by thoroughbreds on the full moon of Asalha (June-July) in the year 96, Maha Era, he saw on the way the first omen, that of an old man. On seeing this omen he discarded the pride arising from exuberance of youthfulness (yobbana mana,).
      Then, when the Bodhisatta Prince proceeded again to the royal garden as before on the full moon of Kattika (October-November), he saw on the way the second omen, that of a sick man. On seeing this second omen he discarded the pride arising from the exuberance of sound health (arogya mana).
      On proceeding again to the royal garden as before on the full moon of Phagguna (February-March), he saw on the way the third omen, that of a dead man. On seeing the third omen, the Bodhisatta discarded the pride arising from the exuberance of being alive (jivita mana).
      Then again, on the full moon of Asalha, in the year 97, Maha Era, the Bodhisatta went out to the royal garden as before. He saw on the way the omen of the recluse. The sight of this omen awakened in him a liking for the life of a recluse; and, making the resolution, "I shall become a recluse this very day," he proceeded on his journey to reach the garden the same day.
      (The Dhammasangani of the Abhidhamma Pataka gives an exposition on samvega in the Nikkhepa Kanda as follows: The fear of jati or the knowledge that jati is a big fearsome danger is called jatibhaya; the fear of jara or the knowledge that jara is a big fearsome danger is called jarabhaya; the fear of vyadhi or the knowledge that vyadhi is a big fearsome danger is called byadhibhaya; and the fear of marana or the knowledge that marana is a big fearsome danger is called. maranabhaya. The group of these four kinds of knowledge is known as samvega.)

      (Of the four kinds of great omens already described, the first three are known as samvega nimitta, omens which give rise to sense of religious urgency. Because, if birth takes place, there is unavoidable certainty of manifestation of ageing, illness and death. Because of the arising of birth, there is bound to be the arising of ageing, illness and death. There is no escape from ageing, illness and death for one who has been born. To one who looks upon these phenomenal dangers as fearsome, harsh and dreadful, they form the cause for the arising of terrible fright and alarm in them.)

      (The last omen, that of a recluse, is the manifestation to encourage the practice of the Dhamma, as a way of escape from the said dangers of ageing, illness and death. Hence it is called padhana nimitta, omen which gives rise to sense of meditational exertion.)

Sakka despatched Visukamma Deva to help the Bodhisatta Prince dress up

      The Bodhisatta Prince spent the whole day in the royal garden, playing and enjoying its delight; after taking a bath as the sun began to set, he remained sitting elegantly on the auspicious stone slab. At that moment he felt inclined to get himself dressed up. Sakka, becoming aware of the wish of the Bodhisatta, dispatched Visukamma Deva who taking the guise of a barber in the service of the Bodhisatta came to him and dressed him up with celestial attire and adornments. (Herein the glory of the Bodhisatta dressed in celestial attire should be visualized in anticipation.)
      Just while the musicians were entertaining, with five kinds of musical instruments and others with singing and dancing, and even while the Brahmins were extolling him in sweet words of praise, "May Your Majesty, be crowned with success, free from all forms of danger and hostility; may you be blessed with glory and happiness", the Bodhisatta Prince, thus dressed up in five celestial adornments ascended the royal chariot, decorated with precious ornaments to return to the royal palace.

The Birth of Son Rahula

      At that moment, King Suddhodana, the royal father received the information that the Bodhisatta's Chief Queen Yasodhara had given birth to a son. So he sent royal messengers to the Bodhisatta Prince with the glad tidings: "Go convey this good news to my son." When the Bodhisatta Prince Siddhattha heard the news that a son had been born, he remarked, as befitting one who kept in mind the sense of religious urgency (samvega): "The Asura Rahu who will seize and keep me captive has been born; a great bondage has come into existence!" (Rahu' is the name of the Asura (Demon of Fallen Deity) who is supposed to be responsible for the eclipse of the moon by taking it in his mouth.)
      When asked by King Suddhodana, "What has my son said?" the messengers related to him the remarks made by the Bodhisatta Prince. Thereupon, King Suddhodana announced the name and title of his grandson thus' "From now on, my grandson shall be known by the name of Prince Rahula."

Sakya Princess Kisa Gotami's joyous utterance of peace

      The Bodhisatta entered the royal capital of Kapilavatthu riding the chariot accompanied by a large retinue with majestic elegance at its height. As the Bodhisatta was thus entering the royal city by the chariot, the Sakyan Princess by the name of Kiss Gotami, who was possessed of charm and beauty, and who was not lowly birth but of high noble lineage, on seeing the physique (rupakaya) of the Bodhisatta Prince from where she was on the outer terrace of her mansion, and feeling delighted, uttered her feeling of joy as follow:

      Nibbuta nuna sa mata.
      Nibbuta nuna so pita
      Nibbuta nuna sa nari.
      Yassa yam idiso pati

      Peaceful and happy will be the mind of the fortunate mother who has given birth to such a son possessing the splendour like the rising sun, an extraordinary son of noble birth, top in beauty, superb in grace, foremost in intelligence. Reflecting meticulously on the twin attributes of her son's talent and beauty, her joyful satisfaction, day after day, will result in peace of mind.
      Peaceful and happy will be the mind of the fortunate father who has given rise to such a son possessing the splendour like the rising sun, an extraordinary son of noble birth, top in beauty, super in grace, foremost in intelligence. Reflecting meticulously on the twin attributes of his son's talent and beauty his joyful satisfaction, day after day, will result in peace of mind.
      Peaceful and happy will be the mind of the fortunate woman who has become the wife of such a husband possessing the splendour like the rising sun, an extraordinary husband with virility, top in beauty, super in grace, foremost in intelligence. Reflecting meticulously on the twin attributes of her husband's talent and beauty, her joyful satisfaction, day after day, will result in peace of mind.

      (When oil is poured into a pot and when it is filled to the brim, oil overflows. In the same way, when someone feels intensely joyful and satisfied for some reason or the other, the said feeling of joy and satisfaction (piti & somanassa,) becomes, as it were, full in the stomach and spills out. The outburst of such feeling of joy and satisfaction expressed in the form of verse (gatha,) or in the form of prose (cunniya) is called udana, expression of intense feeling of joy.)
      Hearing the joyful utterance by the Sakyan Princess Kisa Gotami, the Bodhisatta Prince reflected "This cousin sister of mine, Sakyan Princess Kisa Gotami, has made the joyful utterance that the sight of such a personality (attabhava) will give delight and serenity to the mother, the father and the wife. Now, what is that which when extinguished will bring true peace of mind?" It then occurred to the Bodhisatta, whose mind was already detached from defilements (kilesa), thus: "There is true peace only when the fire of passion (raga) is extinguished; there is true peace only when the fire of hatred (dosa) is extinguished, there is true peace only when the fire of delusion (moha) is extinguished, there is true peace only when the heat of defilements such as conceit (mana), wrong views (ditthi), etc., subsides. This Princess Kisa Gotami has spoken pleasant words about the element of peace. And, I am one who is going round in search of Nibbana, the Ultimate Reality, which is the true extinction of all suffering. Even as of today, I should renounce the world by going forth and becoming a recluse in the forest to seek Nibbana, the Ultimate Reality. "With this thought of renunciation occurring continuously to him, the Bodhisatta Prince, saying "Let this pearl necklace be the teacher's fee for the Princess Kisa Gotami for reminding me to go in search of the element of extinction, Nibbuti", took off the pearl necklace worth one lakh from his neck and had it sent to Kiss Gotami. The Princess was overjoyed with the thought, "This cousin of mine, Prince Siddhattha, has sent me the present because his mind is inclined towards me.
      The Bodhisatta Prince went up the residential palace, which was dignified, elegant, marvellous for delightful living, and reclined on the royal couch. The moment he reclined thus, all the female palace attendants and dancing girls who possessed the celestial beauty of form and complexion and who were adept in the art of singing, dancing and making music gathered round him with five kinds of musical instruments in their hands and started playing them, dancing and singing to let him enjoy the five kinds of sensual pleasure. But being disgusted with and wearied of activities which would kindle the fire of defilements, he found no pleasure in such entertainments of singing, dancing and music and fell asleep in a moment.
      Even as the Bodhisatta Prince had fallen asleep instantly, the female palace attendants and dancing girls thought to themselves thus: "We dance, sing and play music for the Bodhisatta Prince; but he has fallen asleep. Why should we now exhaust ourselves?", and they too fell asleep with their musical instruments pressed underneath. The fragrant oil lamps kept alight inside the golden palace continued to illuminate brilliantly.