Khuddaka Nikaya - Buddhavamsa - The Story of Mahapajapatigotami Theri

Khuddaka Nikaya - Buddhavamsa - The Story of Mahapajapatigotami Theri

The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Mingun Sayadaw

Edited and Translated by
U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin
Yangon, Myanmar

(a) The past aspiration of the Theri.

The Future-Mahapajapatigotami was born into a worthy family in the city of Hamsavati during the time of Padumuttara Buddha. On one occasion she was listening to a discourse by the Buddha when she happened to see a bhikkhuni being honoured by the Buddha as the foremost among the bhikkhunis who were enlightened earliest. (Rattannu Puggala =one who was enlightened earliest. This is a technical term which means the bhikkhu who is the senior-most in the Order. It also means the bhikkhu who understands the four Ariya Truths earliest. It also may mean the Bhikkhu who attain Arahatship earliest.) She aspired to the same distinction in a future existence. So she made extra ordinary offerings to the Buddha and expressed that wish before the Buddha. The Buddha predicted that her aspiration would be fulfilled.

In her previous existence as the Head of Water Carriers.

That worthy woman led a life of charity and observed the moral precepts and at the end of her life she was reborn in the deva realm. When she passed away from deva existence, during the interval between the two Buddhas, she was reborn into the slave class in Baranasi as the head of water carriers.

Then when the rains-retreat period was drawing near, five Paccekabuddhas who lived in Nandamu Cave descended at the Migadavana Forest near Baranasi from their travelling in the air and went into the city to gather alms-food. They stayed at the Isipatana Migadavana forest after the alms-round and discussed about seeking help in making small dwelling places for use during the rains-retreat.

(A bhikkhu who vows to remain at a chosen place during the rains-retreat period is required by the Vinaya Rules to live in a sort of dwelling with some roof, made of slate, or baked tile, or cement tile, or grass or leaves and with a door. This rule has no exception even for those bhikkhus who have vowed to observe such austere practices as the Nalaka practice or the Moneyya practice. If a dwelling for the purpose is not offered them ready-made, they have to seek assistance in getting one built. This dwelling is the place where they vow to live during the three-month rains-retreat period, and is essential for making the vow.)

The five Paccekabuddhas who had to fulfill the need for a dwelling for use during the rains-retreat arranged their robes in the evening and entered the city of Baranasi to seek assistance. Their going into the city was noted by the chief of the water carriers. The Paccekabuddhas stood at the door of the Rich Man of Baranasi but when they told him about their need the Rich Man said, "We were not prepared to help. May the revered ones go elsewhere"

The chief of water carriers met the Paccekabuddhasas they came out of the city at the city gate and putting down the water pot, she made obeisance. Then she asked the purpose of the revered ones in going into the city and coming out soon from it. The Paccekabuddhas told her that they were seeking assistance to have a small dwelling built for use during the rains-retreat period. And also on further inquiry, she learnt that the need was still unfulfilled. She asked them, "Is this dwelling to be the gift of only well-to-do donors? Or is it proper for a slave like me to donate one?"

"Anybody may do so, lay female supporter," the replied.

"Very well Venerable Sirs, we shall donate the dwellings tomorrow. Meantime, may the Venerable Ones accept my offering of food tomorrow."

After making the invitation she picked up her water pot and, instead of returning to the city, she went back to the water-hole and gathered her company of water carriers there. Then she said to them, "Now girls, do you want to be slaves to others all the time? Or do you want freedom from servitude?"

They answered in unison, "We want freedom from servitude!"

"If so, I have invited the five Paccekabuddhas to an offering tomorrow. They are in need of dwellings. Let your husbands give their hands for one day tomorrow.

"Very well," they all said. They told this to their husbands in the evening after the latter had come home from the forest where they worked. The men all agreed to help and made an appointment at the door of the chief of the male slaves. When they had assembled there the head of the water carriers urged them to lend a hand in the building of dwelling for the five Paccekabuddhas for use during the rains-retreat period, extolling the great benefits of such contribution. A few of the men who did not agree to help at first were admonished by her and persuaded into the task

The next morning, the head of the water carriers offered food to the five Paccekabuddhas. After that she signalled the five hundred slaves men to start work. They promptly went to the forest, cut down trees, and each group of a hundred men built a modest dwelling unit for one Paccekabuddha, complete with an adjacent walk to it. They filled the water pots and saw to the bare essentials in five dwellings for the five Paccekabuddhas. They offered them to the Paccekabuddhas, requested them to dwell there during the rains-retreat period, got the consent of the revered ones, and they took turns to offer daily food to them.

If there was some poor water carrier who was unable to prepare a meal for the five Paccekabuddhas on her appointed day, the head of the water carriers gave her the necessary provisions. The three months of rains-retreat period thus passed. Near the end of the period the head of the water carriers asked the five hundred slave girls each to weave a piece of rough cloth. The five hundred pieces collected from them were exchanged for five sets of fine robes for each of the five Paccekabuddhas which were offered to them. The Paccekabuddhas, after receiving them, rose to the sky in the presence of their donors and went away in the direction of Gandamadana mountain.

In the past existence as the Chief Weaver.

Those water carriers slave girls spent the rest of their life in doing meritorious acts. On their death they were reborn in the deva realm. The head of the deva girls, on her passing away, was reborn into the family of the chief weaver in a weaver's village near Baranasi. One day the five hundred sons of Queen Paduma devi, all Paccekabuddhas, went to the door of the royal palace at the Baranasi on invitation. But there was no one to attend to them to offer seats or to offer food. They had to return to their abode. As they left the city and were at the weaver's village, the chief weaver had much devotion for them and after paying obeisance to them, offered food. The Paccekabuddhas accepted her offering of food and, after finishing the meal, left for the Gandamadana mountain.

(b) Taking up Bhikkhuni hood in her last existence.

The chief weaver spent the rest of her life in deeds of merit. After passing away from that existence she was reborn in the deva realm and the human realm in turns. On the eve of the arising of Gotama Buddha, she was reborn into the Sakyan royal family as the younger daughter of King Mahasuppabuddha in Devadaha. She was called Gotami and was the younger sister of Princess Mahamaya. Court astrologers learned in the Vedas and adept at reading human forms and marks (physiognomy) and palmistry, after scrutinising the distinctive bodily features of the two sisters predicted that the sons born of the two sisters would become a Universal Monarch.

When the two sisters came of age they were betrothed to King Suddhodana and they were taken to Kapilavatthu where Princess Mahamaya was made the Chief Queen. Later, after the Buddha-to-be had passed away from Tusita deva realm, he was conceived in the womb of Queen Mahamaya. After the Queen had given birth to her son (on the full moon of Kason=May in the 68th year of the Great Era) on the seventh day she passed away and was reborn in Tusita deva realm by the name of Santusita. On the death of Queen Mahamaya, King Suddhodana made the younger sister Queen Gotami the Chief Queen.

After Queen Mahamaya had given birth to Prince Siddhattha, two or three days later Queen Mahapajapati Gotami, the step mother of Prince Siddhattha, gave birth to Prince Nanda. So at the time Queen Mahamaya died Prince Siddhattha was only seven days old while Prince Nanda was only four or five days old. Queen Mahapajapati Gotami nursed her step-son, Prince Siddhattha from her own breast, while leaving her own son, Prince Nanda to be nurtured by nurses. She devoted her whole attention to the bringing up of her little nephew, the Buddha-to-be.

Later, after the Buddha-to-be had renounced the world, won Supreme Enlightenment and as the all-knowing Buddha while he was on the Buddha's mission to bring welfare to the world, he made his first visit to Kapilavatthu. On the next day after arrival there he went into the city to collect alms-food. His father King Suddhodana had opportunity to listen to the Buddha's discourse while still on his alms-round and won Stream-Entry Knowledge. Then on the second day, Prince Nanda was admitted into the Order. On the seventh day the Buddha's son Rahula was admitted as a novice (The details of these events have already been given above.)

The Buddha spent his fifth rains-retreat period at Kutagara monastery in the Mahavana forest near Vesali. During that time King Suddhodana won Arahatship under the regal white umbrella at the court of Kapilavatthu and passed away the same day. Then Queen Mahapajapati Gotami was keen to renounce the world and become a bhikkhuni. Later the five hundred queen consorts of the five hundred Sakyan princes who became bhikkhus on the occasion of the expounding of the Mahasamaya Sutta unanimously decided to become bhikkhunis. They made Queen Mahapajapati Gotami their spoke-woman to request the Buddha for admission into the Order. The first attempt by the Queen, the Buddha's step-mother, failed. Then she and the five hundred Sakyan princesses shaved their heads, donned dyed robes, and marched on foot from Kapilavatthu to Vesali. They sought the Venerable Ananda's support in pleading for their case for admission. At last the Buddha admitted them into the Order as bhikkhunis or female bhikkhu. Mahapajapati Gotami was admitted by administering the eight principal vows garu dhamma. The five hundred Sakyan princesses were admitted by an assembly of bhikkhus only. (Note later under normal procedure, a bhikkhuni had to be admitted by an assembly of bhikkhunis also) (The details about this paragraph may be found in The Great Chronicle, Volume Three, Chapter twenty-three.)

The Buddha's step-mother, Mahapajapati Gotami Theri won Arahatship after hearing the Samkhitta sutta. The five hundred bhikkhunis later won enlightenment at various levels after hearing the Nandakovada sutta.

(c) Mahapajapati Gotami Theri, The Foremost Bhikkhuni.

On a later occasion when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery and designating foremost Bhikkhunis, the Buddha declared

"Bhikkhus, among my bhikkhuni disciples who are of long standing in the Order, Mahapajapati Gotami is the foremost."

(Herein, the name 'Gotami' represents the Gotama clan. 'Mahapajapati' is the epithet which means 'mother of great offspring'. This epithet was based on the prognostication of physiognomists and palmists that from the special features observed on her person she was to be the mother of a Universal Monarch if she gave birth to a son, or the mother of the wife of a Universal Monarch if she gave birth to a daughter.) — Commentary on Majja.

The passing away of Gotami Theri

When Gotami Theri was of 120 years' age, she was residing at a bhikkhuni monastery which was in the city of Vesali (As a rule Bhikkhuni monasteries were set up inside the town or village.) The Buddha was then staying at the Mahavana monastery near Vesali. One morning, after collecting alms-food in the city and finishing her meal, Gotami Theri entered into the attainment of Arahatta phala for a predetermined period. After rising from the Jhana attainment she remembered the long series of her acquisition of merits in her past existences and felt very delighted. Then she reviewed her life-span. She saw that it had come to an end. She thought it proper to inform the Buddha at Mahavana forest about her approaching death, as well as bidding leave of her passing away to his colleagues who had been a source of her inspiration such as the two Chief Disciples and co-resident Ariyas. Then only she would return to the monastery and pass away. The same idea arose in the minds of the five hundred bhikkhunis of Sakyan origin.

(The touching events concerning the passing away of Gotami Theri will now be told based on: (1) The Chiddapidhanani (Volume One, Chapter Twelve) by Mahavisuddharama Sayadaw, and the Apadana, Khuddaka Nikaya, IV. Only a gist of those texts is given here.)

The Buddha's step-mother, Gotami Theri thought "I am not going to live to see the passing away of my son, the Buddha, nor that of the two Chief Disciples, nor that of my grandson Rahula, nor that of my nephew Ananda. I am going to predecease them all. I shall seek permission to pass-away from my son, the Buddha now." The same thoughts passed in the minds of five hundred bhikkhunis of Sakyan origin.

At that moment the earth quaked violently. Unseasonable rains thundered in the sky. The guardian spirits of the bhikkhuni monasteries wailed. The five hundred bhikkhunis went to Gotami Theri and told her about the wailing of the guardian spirits and Gotami Theri told them her plan to pass away. The five hundred Bhikkhunis also told her their plan likewise. They all asked the guardian spirits of the monastery to pardon them if they had offended them in any way. Then, casting her last glance at the monastery, Gotami Theri uttered this verse.

"I shall now proceed to the unconditioned (Nibbana) where there is no ageing or death, no association with beings or things one dislikes, no separation from beings or things one holds dear."

Among those who heard those words, those who had not rid themselves of attachment, men and devas alike, wailed miserably. (The touching scene of their lamentation is vividly described in the Pali text)

When the bhikkhunis came out of their monastery along the High Street devotees came out of their homes, and kneeling themselves before Gotami Theri wailed, expressing their deep distress. The Buddha's step-mother Gotami Theri spoke words that help quell their sorrow. (Her words rich with the Doctrine may be gleaned from the Pali text. This remark also applies to other stanzas that she was to utter later on.) She uttered nine and a half stanzas to allay the lamentation of the citizens of Vesali. When she got before the presence of the Buddha she informed the Buddha of her impending death and asked the Buddha's approval to release her life-maintaining thought process in verse, sixteen in all, beginning with the words: Aham sugata te mata tum ca vira pita mama. The Buddha gave his approval in a stanza. After that she recited five stanzas in praise of the Bhagava.

Then she asked permission of the Samgha, the Venerable Rahula, the Venerable Ananda and the Venerable Nanda, to approve of her passing away in two stanzas (beginning with the words asivisalayasame) describing the banefulness of sentient existence The Venerable Nanda and Rahula who were then Arahats took the words of the great Theri as inspiring emotional religious awakening, but as for the Venerable Ananda who was still training himself for Arahatship they caused much sorrow and lamentation, expressing his grief in a stanza beginning with, "ha santim Gotami ya ti. " The great Theri solaced her nephew with words of wisdom.

Thereafter, the Buddha asked Gotami Theri in the following verse to display her supernormal powers.

"Gotami, for the sake of those fools who have doubts about female devotees attaining Enlightenment in my teaching, to enable them shed those doubts, display your supernormal powers."

The one-twenty-year old bhikkhuni complied by showing her supernormal powers as described in the text on Supernormal powers such as from being one to become many, from being many, to become one, to become visible and to become invisible, to pass through a wall or a mountain, etc. Then she walked in mid-air holding Mount Meru as the prop on which the great earth rested as an umbrella, and turning upside down this miraculous umbrella. She created an atmosphere of intense heat as when six suns arise simultaneously, etc. Having complied with the Buddha's request, she came down and making obeisance to the Bhagava, sat in a suitable place. She said, "Venerable son, I, your step-mother, is 120 years of age. I have grown old I have lived long enough. May I be allowed to die"

The audience, stunned by the miraculous powers displayed by Gotami Theri asked her, "Venerable One, what was the extent of merit you had performed to be endowed with such power and capability?" And Gotami Theri related to them the successive acts of merit she had performed since the days of Padumuttara Buddha down to the last existence. Those events ran into a number of stanzas.

Then the five hundred Bhikkhunis rose up to the sky as a cluster of stars, captivating the eye of the audience, displayed their supernormal powers, and having obtained the Buddha's approval to wind up their miraculous feats, made obeisance to the Bhagava and sat in a suitable place. They recounted to the Bhagava in verses how much they owed to Gotami Theri. Then they asked the Bhagava's permission to pass away.

The Bhagava said, "Bhikkhunis, you know the time to pass away. Thus having obtained the Buddha's approval, they made obeisance to the Bhagava and returned to their monastery. The Buddha accompanied by a large company of devotees, saw Gotami Theri off up to the entrance to his forest abode. There the great Theri and her five hundred Bhikkhunis disciples made their last obeisance to the Buddha together. Then the five hundred Bhikkhunis entered the city and sat cross-legged in their respective dwellings at the monastery.

At that time many male and female lay disciples of the Buddha, seeing the time had come to see the last of the noble ones , gathered around to pay their last respect, beating their bosoms in great sorrow. They threw themselves down on the ground like a tree uprooted. Gotami Theri caressed the head of the eldest of the female devotees and uttered this stanza

"Daughters, lamentation leads only to Mara's domain and is therefore in vain. All conditioned things are impermanent, they end up in separation, they cause endless agitation."

Then she told them to go back to their homes. When alone, she entered into the first jhana of the Fine Material sphere and upwards, stage by stage, till the jhana of the neither-consciousness-nor-non-consciousness, and then downwards, stage by stage, to the first jhana of the Fine Material sphere. Thus upwards and downwards she dwelt in the eight mundane jhanic attainments. Then she dwelt in jhanic attainment beginning from the first jhana up to the fourth jhana. Arising from that jhana she realised complete Cessation of the aggregates just as a lamp goes out when the oil and the wick become exhausted. The remaining five hundred Bhikkhuni disciples also realized complete Cessation.

At that moment the great earth quaked violently. Meteors fell from the sky. The skies rumbled with thunder. The celestial beings wailed. Celestial flowers rained from the sky. Mount Meru tottered like a dancer swaying. The great ocean roared as if deeply troubled. Nagas, asuras, devas and brahmas expressed their emotional religious awakening in such term as "impermanent are all conditioned things, they have the nature of dissolution"

Devas and brahmas reported the death of Gotami Theri and the five hundred bhikkhunis to the Buddha. The Buddha sent the Venerable Ananda to inform the matter to the bhikkhus. Then, accompanied by many bhikkhus, the Buddha joined the funeral procession which took this order; (1) men, devas nagas, asuras and brahmas marched at the head, followed by, (2) the five hundred Golden hearses of five hundred bhikkhunis with multi-tiered roofs created by deva Visukamma wherein were placed the remains of the bhikkhunis on their cots, and these hearses were borne by devas, (3) then followed the hearse of Gotami Theri the Buddha's step-mother, which was borne by the four Great Deva Kings, (4) then followed the Samgha and the Buddha. The whole route from the monastery to the funeral ground was canopied and all along the route were placed streams, pennants, while all the ground was strewn with flowers. Celestial lotus flowers came down thick and fast as though they were hanging loosely in the sky. All sorts of flowers and perfumes wafted in the air. All sorts of music; singing and dancing took place in honour of the departed noble Arahats.

During the progress of the funeral procession both the sun and the moon were visible to the people. Stars were shining in the sky. Even at that noon the sun's rays were cool like that of the moon. In fact, the occasion of Gotami Theri's funeral was surrounded by even more wonderful happenings than on the occasion of the funeral of the Buddha himself. On the occasion of the Buddha's funeral there was no Buddha nor the Venerable Sariputta and bhikkhu elders to supervise the funeral proceedings whereas on the occasion of the funeral of Gotami Theri, there were the Buddha and the bhikkhu elders such as the Venerable Sariputta to supervise the proceedings.

At the charnel-ground after the remains of Gotami Theri were incinerated, the Venerable Ananda picked up the relics and uttered this stanzas;

"Gone now is Gotami. Her remains have been burnt up. And soon the passing away of the Buddha, the much anxiously awaited event, will take place"

The Venerable Ananda collected the relics in the alms-bowl used by Gotami Theri and presented them to Buddha. Thereupon the Buddha held up the relics of his step-mother for the audience to view and spoke to the assembly of man, devas and brahmas thus:

"Just as a big tree full of hard core standing firmly has a great trunk and that great trunk, being of impermanent nature, falls down, so also Gotami who had been like a big tree trunk to the bhikkhuni Samgha is calmed (i.e., has entered Nibbana.)"

The Buddha uttered altogether ten stanzas for the benefit of the audience on that memorable occasion. These ten stanzas with text and word-for-word meanings may be gleaned by the reader in the Chiddapidhanti to his delight.)

(Here ends the story of Mahapajapati Gotami Theri)

Khuddaka Nikaya - Buddhavamsa - Mahakassapa Mahathera

(4) MAHA KASSAPA MAHATHERA

The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Mingun Sayadaw

Edited and Translated by
U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin
Yangon, Myanmar

(a) Aspiration expressed in the past.

A hundred thousand aeons ago the Buddha Padumuttara arose and, with the city of Hamsavatias his alms-resort, resided in the Deer Park called Khema. While he was so residing, a wealthy person of eighty crores named Vedeha (the future Maha Kassapa Mahathera) had his delicious early meal and observed Uposatha; with unguents, flowers. etc in his hand, he went to the monastery where he made obeisance and sat down at a proper place.

At that time the Buddha conferred an etadagga title on the Third Disciple, Maha Nisabha by name, saying: "Monks among my disciples. who themselves practise the dhutanga austerities and advise fellow monks to practise the same, Nisabha is foremost."

Hearing the Buddha's words Vedeha was very pleased and his faith increased and when the audience had left as the occasion came to an end, he respectfully paid homage to the Buddha and said: ''Exalted Buddha, please accept my alms-food tomorrow." "Donor," replied the Buddha, "the monks are too many!" "How many are they, Exalted Buddha?" When the Buddha said they were six million and eighty hundred thousand, he said boldly: "Exalted Buddha, without leaving even a single samanera at the monastery kindly have my meal together with all of your monks." The Buddha accepted the invitation of the devotee Vedeha by keeping silent.

Knowing well that the Buddha had accepted his invitation, Vedeha returned home and prepared a great offering and on the next morning sent a message to the Buddha announcing the time for having the meal. Taking his bowl and robe the Buddha went to Vedeha's house in the company of monks and sat down in the prepared seat. When the pouring of dedication water was over, the Buddha accepted the rice gruel, etc., and did the distribution and partaking of food. Sitting near the Buddha, Vedeha remained very pleased.

At that time, while on alms-round Maha Nisabha Mahathera came to that road. Seeing the Thern, Vedeha got up from his seat and drew near the Thera, showing his respect; he asked: "Venerable Sir, please hand your bowl to me." The noble Thera handed the bowl to Vedeha. "Please get into my house" said Vedeha, "the Exalted One is still seated there." "It is unbecoming to get into the house," the Thera replied. So the devotee filled the bowl with food and offered it to the Thera.

After sending off the noble Mahathera and returning home, Vedeha took his seat near the Buddha and said: "Exalted Buddha, although I told him that the Exalted Buddha was still here in my house, he did not want to come in. Does he possess virtues that are greater than yours?"

Never has a Buddha vannamacchariya, reluctance to speak in praise of others. Accorningly, the Buddha gave his reply as follows immediately after the lay devotee had asked:

"Donor, expecting food we are seated in your house. But Nisabha never sits, waiting for food. We occupy a dwelling near a village. But Nisabha stays in a forest dwelling. We stay under a roof. But Nisabha dwells only in open air. These are Nisabha's unusual attributes."

The Buddha elaborated the Thera's virtues as though he filled the ocean with some more water. As for Vedeha, he developed greater faith with greater satisfaction as though more oil is poured into the lamp that is burning with its own oil. So he came to a conclusion: "What use is there for me by human and divine luxuries? I shall resolve to become foremost among dhutavada monks who themselves practise dhutanga austerities and advise their co-residents to do so."

Again, the lay devotee Vedeha invited the Samgha headed by the Buddha to his food for the next day. In this way he offered a great Dana and on the seventh day, he distributed in charity three-piece robes to the monks. Then he fell at the feet of the Buddha and told of his wish as follows:

"Exalted Buddha, with the development of deed accompanied by loving-kindness (metta-kayakamma), word accompanied by loving-kindness (metta-vacikamma), and thought accompanied by loving-kindness (metta-manokamma), I have performed acts of merit for seven days such as this Mahadana. I do not long for the bliss of Devas, the bliss of Sakka or the bliss of Brahma as a result of my good work. As a matter of fact, may it be some wholesomeness that will enable me to strive for becoming foremost among those who practised the thirteen dhutanga practices in the lifetime of a coming Buddha-the position that has been achieved now by Maha Nisabha Mahathera."

Padumuttara Buddha also sureyed the Thera's future with his foreseeing power, wondering "whether he will achieve it or not, for it is so great an aspiration;" and he saw the man's wish would definitely be fullfilled. So the Buddha said prophetically as follows:

"Donor, you have expressed your wish for the position you love. In future at the end of a hundred thousand aeons, a Buddha by the name of Gotama shall arise. You shall then become the third Disciple, named Maha Kassapa, of the Buddha Gotama!"

Having heard that prophecy, the lay devotee Vedeha was happy as though he was going to attain that position even the following day, for he knew that "a Buddha speaks only the truth." As long as he lived Vedeha performed various sorts of charity, kept the precepts and did other wholesome deeds and on his death he was reborn in a divine abode.
Life as Ekasitaka Brahmin.

From that time onwards the devotee enjoyed luxury in the divine and human worlds. Ninety-one aeons ago VipassiBuddha arose and was staying in the Deer Park called Khema with the city of Bandhumatias his alms-resort. He then passed from the divine world and took rebirth in an unknown poor Brahmin family.

VipassiBuddha used to hold a special convocation once in every seven years and gave discourses. In so doing he held day and night sessions so that every being might be able to attend. For the day session he spoke in the evening and for the night-session he spent the whole night. When the convocation was drawing near there arose a great noise and, Devas, roaming about the whole Jambudipa, announced that the Buddha would deliver a discourse.

The Brahmin, the future Maha Kassapa, heard the news. But he had only one garment. So did his housewife, the Brahmin woman. As for the upper garment, the couple had but one That was why he was known all over the town as Ekasataka Brahmin, "the Brahmin with one garment." When a meeting of Brahmins took place to discuss some business, the Brahmin himself went to the meeting leaving behind his wife at home; When an assembly of Brahmin women occurred, the Brahmin stayed at home; the wife went there, putting on that upper garment.

On the day the Buddha was to speak, Ekasataka asked his wife: "O dear wife, how is it? Will you go to hear the discourse at night or will you go for the day session?" "We womankind are unable to listen to sermons by night. I shall attend the day-session." So saying she (left her husband at home and) went along with other female lay devotees and donors to the day-session wearing the upper garment; there she paid respect to the Buddha, sat at a proper place and listened to the sermons and came back together with those female companions. Then, leaving his wife the Brahmin in his turn, put on the upper garment and went to the monastery at night.

At that time VipassiBuddha was gracefully seated on the Dhammathrone and, holding a round fan, spoke the Dhamma-words like a man swimming in the celestial river or like a man stirring up the ocean forcefully with Mount Meru used as a churning stick. The whole body of Ekasataka, who, sitting at the end of the assembly and listening, was filled with the five kinds of piti profusely even in the first watch of the night. The Brahmin folded the upper garment and was about to give it to the Buddha. Then he became reluctant to do so as stinginess (macchariya) occurred to him increasingly manifesting a thousand disadvantages of giving it away. When stinginess thus occurred to him, he utterly lost his willingness to offer because of his worry that had overwhelmed him as follws: "We have only one upper garment between my wife and myself. We have nothing else for a substitute. And we cannot go out without it." When the second watch of the night came, the five kinds of piti re-appeared in his mind, and he got his enthusiasm once more as before. During the last watch too he felt the same joyful emotion. But this time the Brahmin did not allow stinginess to appear again and was determined, saying to himself "Whether it is a matter of life or a matter of death, I will think of the clothing at a later time." With this determination he folded the garment, placed it at the feet of the Buddha and wholeheartedly offered it to the Master. Then he slapped his bent left arm with his right three times and uttered aloud also three times: "Victory is mine! Victory is mine!"

At that time King Bandhuma, seated behind the curtain at the back of the throne, was still listening to the Dhamma. As a king it was he who should desire victory; so the shout "Victory is mine!" did not please him. He therefore sent one of his men to enquire what the shout meant. When the man went to Ekasataka and asked about it, the Brahmin answered:

"Man, all princes and others, riding elephants, horses and carrying swords, spears, shields and cover, defeat their enemy troops. The victory achieved by them is no wonder. As for me, like a man who with a club struck the head of a bull and made the beast run away, the beast that had followed him and jumped about to kill him from behind, and I have defeated my stingy heart and successfully given in charity the upper garment of mine to the Buddha. I have overcome miserliness which is invincible."

The man came back and reported the matter to the king.

The king said, "Friend, we do not know what should be done to the Buddha. But the Brahmin does." So saying he sent a set of garment to the Brahmin. The Brahmin thought to himself: "The king gave me nothing as I kept silent at first. Only when I talked about the Buddha's attributes did he give this to me. What use is there for me with this set of garment that occurred to me in association with the Buddha's attributes?" So thinking he also offered the set of garment to the Buddha. The king asked his men as to what the Brahmin did to the garment set given by him and came to know that the poor man had also given it away to the Buddha. So he had two sets of garment sent to the Brahmin. Again the Brahmin gave them away to the Buddha. The king had then four sets sent to the Brahmin, who again gave them away to the Buddha. In this way the king doubled his gift each time and had thirty-two sets sent to the Brahmin. This time the Brahmin thought: "Giving away all to the Buddha without leaving some for us seem to mean that we are increasingly receiving the garments." Accordingly, out of the thirty-two sets he took one set for himself and another set for his wife and gave the rest to the Buddha. Since then the Brahmin had become friendly with the Master.

Then one day in the extremely cold evening the king saw the Brahmin listening to the Dhamma in the presence of the Buddha; the king gave the Brahmin his red rug which he was putting on and which was worth a hundred thousand, asking him to cover himself while listening to the Dhamma. But the Brahmin reflected: "What is the use of covering this putrid body of mine with this rug?" He therefore made it a canopy and offered it to the Buddha after fixing it above the Buddha's couch in the Fragrant Chamber. Touched by the Buddha's six-coloured rays, the rug became all the more beautiful. Seeing the rug the king remembered what it was and said to the Buddha: "Exalted Buddha, that rug once belonged to me. I gave it to Ekasataka Brahmin to put on while attending your Dhamma assembly." The Buddha replied: "Great King, you honoured the Brahmin, and the Brahmin honoured me." The king thought to himself: "The Brahmin knows what should be done to the Exalted Buddha but we do not." So thinking the king gave all kinds of useful articles to the Brahmin, each kind equally numbering sixty-four. Thus he performed the act of charity called atthatthaka to the Brahmin and appointed him Purohita.

Understanding that atthatthaka, 'eight by eight', means sixty-four, the Purohita sent daily sixty-four vessels of food for distribution among the monks by lot. Thus he established his Dana as long as he lived, and on his death he was reborn again in the realm of Devas.
Life as a householder.

Passing away from the realm of Deva, the future Maha Kassapa was reborn in the house of a lay man in the city of Baranasiduring the Buddhantara Period between the two Buddhas, Konagamana and Kassapa, in this Bhadda-kappa. When he grew up he married and while living a householder's life he one day took a stroll towards the forest. At that time, a certain Pacceka Buddha was stitching a robe near a river-bank, and as he did not have enough cloth to make a hem he folded up the unfinished robe.

When the householder saw the Pacceka Buddha, he asked the latter why he had folded the robe. When the Pacceka Buddha answered that he had done so because he did not have enough cloth for the hem, he gave his own dress saying: "Please make the hem with it, Venerable Sir." Then he expressed his wish, praying: "In my coming existences in samsara, may I know no lack of things."

Later on at the householder's place there was a quarrel between the householder's sister and his wife. While they were quarrelling a certain Pacceka Buddha came in to receive alms-food. Then the householder's sister offered the food to the Pacceka Buddha and said, "May I be able to avoid her even from a distance of a hundred yojanas," and she meant by 'her' the householder's wife. While standing at the doorway, the wife heard the prayer, and thinking "May the Pacceka Buddha not partake of the other woman's food," she took the alms-bowl and threw away the food and filled the bowl with mud before she gave it back to the Pacceka Buddha. Seeing what the wife was doing, the sister scolded her, saying: "Hey you stupid woman, you may abuse me, or even beat me if you wish; but it is not proper to throw away the food and fill the bowl with mud and give it back to the Pacceka Buddha, who have fulfilled Paramis for so long a period of innumerable years."

Then only did the householder's wife regain her moral sense and said: "Wait, please, Venerable Sir." Then she begged his pardon and threw away the mud from the bowl and washed it thoroughly and rubbed it with fragrant powder. She then filled the bowl with catumadhu, and poured butter which was white like the colour of thickly grown lotus, and added brilliance thereby. Handing the bowl back to the Pacceka Buddha, the woman said: "Just as this food shines, even so may my body emanate brilliant rays." The Pacceka Buddha spoke words of appreciation, gave his blessing and flew up into the sky. The husband and wife performed meritorious deeds throughout their lives and upon their death they were reborn in the divine world.
Life as a Baranasi merchant.

Again, when they passed away from the divine world, the householder landed during the lifetime of the Buddha Kassapa in the city of Baranasias the son of a wealthy merchant who owned eighty crores worth of riches. Similarly, his wife became the daughter of another wealthy merchant.

When the son came of age, that very daughter was brought to his home as his wife. Because of her past misdeed, the result of which until now had been latent, as soon as she passed the threshold while entering the house, putrid smell issued forth from her body as though the toilet was opened. When the merchant son asked whose smell it was and came to know that it was the odour of the bride who had just come, he ordered that the bride be expelled and sent back to her parents' house in the same pomp and grandeur that had attended her when she came. In this way she had to return to her parents' home from seven different places because of the foul smell that appeared as soon as she was in-door. Terrible indeed is an evil deed!

At that time, as Kassapa Buddha had attained Parinibbana, people began to erect a relic-shrine (dhatu-cetiya) a yojana high with bricks of gold worth a hundred thousand and was made from pure solid bullion. While the cetiya was under construction, it occurred to the lady thus: "I am the one who had to return from seven places. What is the use of my living long?" So she sold out her jewellery and by the money thus obtained she had a gold brick made, one cubit long, half a cubit wide and four fingers thick Afterwards, she took the gold brick together with orpiment and eight lotus stalks and went where the shrine was situated.

At that moment a brick was wanted to fill the gap that appeared when an encircling layer of bricks were laid as part of the shine. So she said to the master mason; "Please, Sir fill the gap with my brick." "O lady," replied the master mason, "you have come at an opportune moment. Do it by yourself."

When permitted wholeheartedly thus, the wealthy daughter climbed up to that spot and, having mixed the orpiment with the liquid ingredient, she filled the gap with her brick by means of that cohesive mixture. Then she paid homage by placing the lotus stalks at the brick and expressed her wish. "In whatever existence in samsara, may the sandalwood fragrant emanate from my body and lotus fragrance from my mouth!" After worshipping the shrine respectfully she went home.

At that moment the wealthy merchant's son, to whom the lady was first sent, came to remember her. A festival was held in full swing then. The son asked his men: "Once there was a girl brought to my house; in whose house is she now?" When the men answered that the young lady was still at her father's house, the man said: "Friends, go and fetch her. Let us enjoy the festival together with her." So saying he sent his men for her.

When they got to the young lady's place, they paid respect to her and stood there. When the lady asked about their visit, they spoke of their purpose. "Brothers," said the lady, "I have offered all my ornaments in honour of the cetiya. I have no more to put on." The men reported the matter to their master. "You just bring the girl" said the man, "she will get some jewellery." So the lady was brought to him by his men. As soon as the merchant's daughter entered the house, the whole house was filled with sandalwood fragrance as well as lotus.

The wealthy son asked: "The first time you came here your body issued forth foul smell. But now it is sandalwood fragrance from your body and lotus from your mouth. What is the reason for that?" When the whole story of her meritorious act was told, the man's faith developed as he thought, "Ah, the Buddha's teaching is indeed able to free one from the cycle of suffering!" Accordingly, he wrapped up the golden shrine measuring a yojana, with velvet blankets. At certain places he made decorations in the form of golden paduma lotus flowers so as to add exquisive beauty to the shrine, the flowers being the size of a chariot's wheel. The hanging stems and stalks of the golden lotus were twelve cubits in length.
Life as King Nanda.

Having done meritorious deeds in that existence, the wealthy husband and wife lived the full span of life and were reborn in a divine realm on their death. Again, when they passed away from that realm, the husband landed at a place a yojana away from the city of Baranasiin the family of a noble man while the wife became the eldest princess in the palace in that city.

When both came of age, an announcement was made to hold a festival in the village where the noble man's son (Nanda) lived. Then Nanda asked his mother for a dress to put on while enjoying the festive amusements and got a washed, second hand dress. The son asked for [ 73 ] another dress on the ground that the one given to him was coarse. The mother gave another dress as a substitute. But it was also rejected because of its roughness. When the giving was repeated several times in this way, the mother said: "We are of such a noble man's household, dear son. We are not fortunate enough to have clothes better than this." "In that case, mother, I shall go where finer clothing is available." "I wish you, dear son," replied the mother, "kingship of Barainasieven today." Thus the mother gave her consent with such auspicious words.

Having done obeisance to his mother, the young Nanda asked her permission to go. And the mother willingly gave her permission. But she did so because of her conviction, thinking, "Where is my son going? He has nowhere else to go: He will be staying here and there in my home." As fate had decided Nanda left his village for Baranasiand took a nap with his head covered on the stately stone-couch in the royal garden. That was the seventh day after the king's demise.

The ministers performed the funeral rites and held a meeting in the courtyard, discussing among themselves: "Only a daughter was born to the king. He had no son. A kingdom without a king is unseemly. Who should become the monarch?" They proposed one another for kingship saying, "Be our king!", "(No) You should become the ruler." Then the Brahmin Purohita said: "We should not see many persons [to choose from]. Let us send the state chariot to search for the deserving one!" When the Purohita's decision was agreed upon by all, they let the state chariot loose that was followed by the four army divisions with the five kinds of musical instruments played.

.The chariot departed through the eastern gate of the city and ran towards the royal garden. Some people suggested that the chariot should be turned back because it was running towards the garden as a result of its force of habit. The suggestion, however, was rejected by the Purohita. The chariot entered the garden, circumambulated Nanda three times and stopped and set itself ready for Nanda to get on. After removing the edge of the covering cloth, from Nanda, the Purohita studied his soles and declared: "Let alone the Jambudipa, this man is worthy to rule over the four continents with their two thousand surrounding smaller islands." He also ordered the musicians to play three times.

Then Nanda removed the cloth that covered his face and saw the ministers with whom he entered a conversation: Nanda :For what purpose did you come here? Ministers :Great King, the kingship of Baranasi has come to you.

Nanda :Where is the king?

Ministers :He has passed away, Sir.

Nanda :How many days have elapsed since his passing away?

Ministers :Today is the seventh day.

Nanda :Did not the late king have a son or a daughter?

Ministers :He had only one daughter, but no son, Great king.

When the ministers said thus, he accepted kingship, saying: "In that case, I shall act as king." Then the ministers constructed a pavilion for consecration and brought the princess fully bedecked and made him king of Baranasiafter duly holding royal consecration ceremony.

Thereafter the ministers offered a dress costing a thousand coins to the consecrated Nanda. "Friends, what sort of clothing is it?" asked King Nanda. "Great King, it is for you to put on." "Friends," enquired the king, "this is but a coarse clothing. Have not you got a finer one?" "Great king, there is no finer one among the clothes to be used by men," replied the ministers "Did your late king put on such a dress?" asked Nanda. When the ministers answered in the positive, King Nanda remarked: "Your late king did not seem to be one of great fortune. Bring a golden jar [full of water]. We shall get very fine clothing." The ministers brought it and handed it to the king.

Rising from his seat, the king washed his hand and mouth, and carrying the water with his cupped hand, he tossed it in the direction of the east. Then eight wish-fulfilling trees emerged breaking up the great massive earth. When he did the same in the southern, the western and, northern directions, eight trees in each direction emerged. In this way there were thirty-two wish-fulfilling trees in the four directions. King Nanda wrapped the lower part of his body in a divine robe and put on another one for the upper part. Then he had an announcement made by the beat of drum, the announcement being "In this state of King Nanda let no women spin yarns!" He also raised the royal white umbrella, bedecked himself with adornments, entered the city on the back of an elephant, ascended the upper terrace of the palace and enjoyed a great kingly life.

After some years of Nanda's enjoyment of kingly life, the queen watching his life, showed her manner expressing pity as she thought: "Rare indeed is a new act of merit!" When the king asked why her manner expressed pity, she said remindingly: "Your luxurious life is really great. That is because you have truly performed good deeds with faith in the past. But now you do nothing for future happiness." "Whom should we give alms?" argued the king, "There are no virtuous recipients!" "Great King, the Jambudipa is not void of Arahants. You better arrange things to be given. I shall bring worthy individuals to receive," said the queen boldly.

The next day the king had the offerings arranged at the eastern gate of the city. The queen performed a vow early to observe the precepts and facing to the east and prostrating, invited by word of mouth. "If there be Arahants in the eastern direction, may they come and accept our alms-f'ood!" Since there were no Arahants in that direction, nobody came to do so. The offerings had to be made to destitutes and beggars. On the next day similar arrangements took place at the southern gate. The third day saw them too at the western gate. But no Arahants came from those directions either as there were none.

On the fourth day the offerings were arranged at the northern gate, and when the queen extended her invitation as before, Mahapaduma Pacceka Buddha, the oldest of five hundred Pacceka Buddhas, who were all sons of Queen Padumavati, addressed his younger brothers. "Brother Pacceka Buddhas, King Nanda has invited you. Accept his invitation with pleasure!" The Noble Ones accepted the invitation with pleasure, washed their faces at the Anotatta lake, came on their air journey and descended at the city's northern gate.

The citizens went to the king and informed him: "Great King, five hundred Pacceka Buddhas have come". With the queen the king went to the Pacceka Buddhas and welcomed them with folded hands. Holding the alms-bowl, he brought the five hundred Pacceka Buddhas to the upper terrace of the palace after performing the great act of alms-giving. When the performance was over, the king sitting at the feet of the eldest member of the assembly and the queen at the feet of the youngest member, made a request, saying: "Venerable Sirs, if you stay in our garden, you all will be happy with our supply of requisites. There will also be growth of merit on our part. Therefore, please give us your promise to stay in the garden of BaranasiCity." The promise was given to the king, who made full accommodations such as five hundred lodgings, five hundred walks, etc., in the royal garden. The four requisites were also provided to them so that they might find no trouble.

When such provision had lasted for some time, a state of unrest and disturbance took place in the border areas. The king asked her queen to look after the Pacceka Buddhas during his absence as he had to go and quell the border rebellion. And he left the city.

As the king had instructed, the queen supported the Pacceka Buddhas with the four requisites carefully. After some days, just before the king's return, the life process of the Pacceka Buddhas came to an end. So the eldest one; Mahapaduma, spent all three watches of the night in Jhana, and standing and leaning against the wooden back-rest, attained Anupadisesa Parinibbana. In the same manner the rest of Pacceka Buddhas attained Parinibbana.

On the next day, the queen prepared the seats for the Pacceka Buddha by applying cow-dung, strewing flowers and letting the air pervaded with perfumes, and waiting for their coming. As she did not see any signs of their approaching, she sent a male servant, saying: "Go, my son, and find out the reason. Is there any mental or physical discomfort happening to the Venerable Ones?"

When the royal servant went to the garden and looked for the Mahapaduma Pacceka Buddha after opening the door of his dwelling, he did not see him there; he went to the walk and saw him standing and leaning against the wooden board. After paying homage to him, the men invited the [first] Pacceka Buddha saying: "It is time to have meal. Venerable Sirs!" How could the lifeless person that had attained Parinibbana and was conditioned only by temperature utter in reply? There occurred no word at all. Thinking that the Pacceka Buddha was sleeping the man moved nearer and felt the back of his feet with his hands. After making such investigations, he came to know full well of the Pacceka Buddha's attainment of Parinibbana, for the feet were cold and stiff. So he went to the second Pacceka Buddha and then similarly to the third one. When he investigated thus, he realized that the Pacceka Buddhas had all reached the state of total extinction. On his return to the palace, the queen asked him: "Where are the Pacceka Buddhas, son?" "They had all attained Parinibbana, Madam" answered the man. The queen wept bitterly and went out from the city to the royal garden with citizens and performed funeral rites and cremation; she also took the relics and had a cetiya built (with the relics enshrined).

Having brought the border areas to normalcy, the king returned to the city and on seeing the queen who had come to meet him, he asked: "Dear Queen, did you attend to the Pacceka Buddhas without any negligence? Are the Noble Ones keeping fit?" When the queen replied that they all passed into Parinibbana the king was shocked and reflected: "Even to these Wise Ones of such nature occurred death! How can there he liberation from death for us!"

The king did not proceed to the city but entered the royal garden straight. He called his eldest son and handed kingship over to him and himself adopted the life of a recluse (like a monk in the dispensation of a Buddha). The queen too, thinking "If the king becomes a recluse, what is there for me to do? Of course, there is none!" followed suit as a female ascetic in the royal garden. Having developed Jhanas, both were reborn in the realm of Brahmas.
(b) Ascetic life adopted in final existence

While they were still in the Brahma's realm, the time had come for our Buddha to arise. At that time Pippali the youth, the future Maha Kassapa, took conception in the womb of the wife of a wealthy Brahmin named Kapila in the Brahmin village of Mahatittha in the Magadha country whereas his wife, the future Bhaddakapilani, did the same in the womb of the wife of another wealthy Brahmin, a Kosiya descendant, in the city of Sagala also in the Magadha kingdom.

When they grew up, the young Pippali being twenty years of age and Bhaddakapilani sixteen, the former's parents noticed that their son had come of age and asked him by force to get married, saying: "Dear son, you have come of age to raise a family. One's lineage-should last long!" As Pippali had come from the Brahma world, he refused to listen and said: "Please do not utter such words into my ears. I shall attend to you as long as you live, and when you are gone, I shall take up a homeless life as a recluse". After two or three days the parents again persuaded him. The son remained resolute. Another persuasion took place but that too fell on a deaf ear. From that time onwards the mother proved to be insistent.

When the insistence became too much, Pippali thought: "I shall let my mother know how much I want to become a monk!" So he gave a thousand ticals of gold to the goldsmiths, asking them to create a gold statue of a girl out of it. When the statue had been created and polishing had been done, he dressed up the statue with red garments and adorned it with colourful flowers and brilliant ornaments. Then he called his mother and said: "O mother, I shall remain at home provided I get a girl as beautiful as this statue! If not, I shall not do so."

Since the Brahmin mother, the wife of a wealthy merchant, was wise, she considered: "My son is one who has done good works, who has performed alms-givings, who has expressed his noble aspiration. While he was engaging in acts of merit in his past existence it was unlikely that he did them alone. Indeed my son must have got an excellent woman, very pretty like a golden figure, with whom he did meritorious deeds." So considering, she summoned eight Brahmins, had a great honour made to them and got the gold statue placed on a chariot and said: "Go, brothers! If you see a girl resembling this gold statue in a family who equals ours in caste, lineage and wealth, give the statue to her as a gift or as a pledge." With these words she sent the Brahmins away.

The eight Brahmins admitted, saying. "This indeed is a task to be done by the wise like us." So saying they left the village and discussed among themselves on the destination of their journey. Then they decided unanimously thus: "In this world, the country of Madda is the home of beautiful women. Let us go to Madda land." So they went to the city of Sagala which lay in that state. Having left the statue at the bathing-ford in that city, they were watching from a proper place.

At that time the female attendant of Bhaddakapilani, the daughter of a wealthy Brahmin, bathed her and bedecked her with ornaments and left her in the chamber of splendour before she went to the bathingford. On seeing the statue she thought. "My mistress has come ahead of me!" Then she scolded her and grumbled in various ways. "Hey little stubborn daughter! Why are you staying here alone?" As she said "Go home quick!" she raised her hand to strike her mistress. When she actually did strike the back of the statue, the whole of her palm was hurt very much as though it had struck a stone slab. The female attendant stepped back and spoke harshly to pick up a quarrel thus: "Oh! Although I saw this woman of such awful touch and thick neck, how foolish I have been to mistake her for my mistress! She is not worthy even to hold my lady's skirt!"

Then the eight Brahmins surrounded the attendant, asking: "Is your mistress of such beauty?" "What beauty is this lady of? Our lady's beauty is more than a hundred times or a thousand times superior to that of this lady," retorted the attendant, "if she sits in a room of twelve cubits, it is not necessary to light a lamp there; darkness can be expelled by her natural complexion." "In that case," said the Brahmins, "come, let us go!" So saying they took the attendant, and having brought the gold statue, they went to the house of the wealthy Brahmin of Kosiya clan and stopped at the doorway to announce their visit.

The Brahmin treated them well as a host and asked them as to where from did they come. They replied that they came from the home of the wealthy Brahmin Kapila of Mahatittha village in the kingdom of Magadha. When the host asked for the reason, they told him of the purpose of their visit. "Friends," said Kosiya Brahmin; "It is a welcome purpose. Kapila Brahmin is equal to me by birth, by descent and by wealth. I shall give our daughter as a bride." Having promised thus, Kosiya Brahmin took over the statue. The visiting Brahmins then sent a message to Kapila Brahmin, saying: "The bride has been found. Go ahead with doing whatever is necessary."

Getting the news, the servants of Pippali transmitted it to him gleefully, saying: "Master, the bride for you who looks like your gold statue has been found, it is learnt!" But Pippali reflected: "I thought it was impossible to get her. Now they said that 'the bride has been won!' As I do not want her, I shall write a letter and send it to her." So he went to a secluded place and wrote a letter as follows:

"I would like my dear sister to marry another proper man of equal by birth, descent and wealth. I am one who will adopt the life of a recluse in a forest. I do not wish you to be in distress later on."

Then he sent the letter secretly to Bhadda.

When the daughter of the wealthy Brahmin lady Bhadda learnt the news that her parents were desirous of giving her in marriage to Pippali the youth, son of the wealthy Brahmin Kapila of Mahatittha village, Magadha country, she similarly went into seclusion and wrote the following letter:

"I would like my brother to get married to another woman of equal caste, family and wealth. I am one going forth and becoming a female recluse. I do not want you to be unhappy afterwards."

She then sent the letter in secret to Pippali.

When the two parties of messengers met in midway, Bhadda's men asked: "From whom is the letter you are carrying, friends, and to whom is it going?" Pippali's men replied honestly: "The letter is sent by our master Pippali to Bhadda." They also asked in return: "From whom is the letter you are conveying and for whom is it meant?" Bhadda's men gave a straightforward reply: "It is from our mistress to Pippali."

When the messengers from both sides agreeingly opened and read the letters, they were amazed to know the significantly spiritual sense of the letters and said: "Look what the groom and the bride are doing!" Then they tore both the letters and threw them away in the forest. They also wrote two new letters expressing reciprocal agreement and gladness and sent them to their respective addresses. In this way the time for marriage between Pippali, the son of a wealthy merchant, and Bhadda, the daughter of another wealthy merchant, came as brought about by their parents and the middlemen despite their unwillingness for household life.
Unwithered garland of flowers.

On the day of their marriage either of them brought a garland of flowers; he placed his and she hers in the middle of their bed. Having had their dinner both simultaneously came to their bed and got on to it, Pippali by his right side and Bhadda by her left. They made an agreement thus: "The party, the garland of whose side withers, is to be regarded as having lustful thoughts. And the garlands should be left untouched." Both of them spent the night without being able to sleep throughout all three watches lest one should unconsciously touch the other. The garlands remained unwithered. By day they behaved like brother and sister even without a smile tinged with pleasure.

Immensely wealthy life.

Both the wealthy son and the wealthy daughter kept themselves aloof from fondness of sensual pleasure (lokamisa) and took no care of their household business at the same time; only when their parents passed away did they manage the business. The wealth belonging to Pippali was great: his gold and silver was worth eighty-seven crores. Even the gold dust which he threw away each day after using it for rubbing his body could amount to twelve Magadha cups (equal to six patthas) if collected. He owned sixty mechanized dams. The measurement of his farm was twelve yojanas. He had fourteen large villages as the colony of his servants and workers, fourteen divisions of elephant troops, fourteen divisions of cavalry and fourteen divisions of chariots.

Spiritual emotion of Pippali and his wife.

One day the wealthy Pippali went to his farm riding a fully equipped horse and while he was stopping at the edge of the farm, he saw crows and birds picking up earthworms and insects and eating them. He asked his servants what the crows and birds were eating and the servants answered that they were eating earthworms and insects. Again he asked: "Who is responsible for the evil acts of the crows and birds?" "As the farm is ploughed for you, Sir, you are responsible for those evil deeds," replied the servants. The reply stirred up Pippali's spiritual emotions, causing him to reflect seriously thus: "If I am responsible for the evil deeds done by the crows and birds, what is the use of eightyseven crores worth of my gold and silver. Indeed none! Nor is there any use of my riches such as the twelve-yojana vast farm, of the sixty mechanized dams and of the fourteen large villages of my workers. Indeed there is no use of them all! Therefore I shall hand over these riches to my wife Bhaddakapilaniand go forth to become a monk!"

At that moment his wife Bhaddakapilanihad sesame from three big jars spread out on mats and placed in the sun. While seated and surrounded by her maids she saw crows and other birds picking and eating sessame worms. When she asked her maids she came to know what the birds were eating. On further enquiry she was informed that she must be responsible for the evil acts done by the birds as the job was done for her sake. She too reflected seriously thus: "Oh, it is enough for me if I just get four cubits of cloth to wear and a cupful of rice cooked to eat. (I cannot wear more than four cubits of cloth; nor can I eat more than one cupful of cooked rice. ) If I am responsible for these wrongdoings done by others, surely I will not be able to surface myself from samsara the cycle of suffering, even after a thousand existences. When my husband comes, I shall give away all my wealth to him and leave household life and become a nun."

The couple's going forth.

The wealthy Pippali returned home and had a bath, went up to the upper terrace and sat down on a high seat which only noble personalities deserve. Then the feast worthy of a Universal Monarch was arranged and served to the merehant. Both the wealthy Pippali and his wife Bhaddakapilanitook the meal, and when their servants went away they retired to their quiet resort and stayed quietly at ease.

Thereafter the two discussed between themselves as follows:

Pippali:Madam Bhadda, when you came to this house, how much wealth did you bring?

Bhadda: I brought my wealth by fifty-five thousand carts.

Pippali: The wealth brought by you and the wealth extant here in this house such as eighty-seven crores of riches, sixty mechanized dams, ete., I entrust them all with you.

Bhadda: Oh, but where are you going?

Pippali: I am going to make myself a recluse, Madam,

Bhadda: Oh, Sir, I too have been readily waiting for the time of your coming back. I too shall become myself a female recluse.

To these two individuals endowed with Paramis, the three existences of sensual pleasures (kama), materiality (rupa) and immateriality (arupa) manifested to be three leaf-huts blazing with fire. The two great personality of Parami, therefore, had the robes and bowls bought from the market and had one's hair shaved by the other. Saying, "We dedicate our renunciation of the world to the noble Arahants," they came down from the main terrace with their bags, in which were put their bowls, hanging from their left shoulders. None of the servant and workers at home, male or female, recognized the two Paramiseekers.

Then the couple who left the Brahmin village of Mahatittha and went out by the servants' village gate were seen and recognized from their behaviour that they were the master and the mistress. Crying bitterly they fell at their feet and asked sorrowfully: "Master and mistress, why do you make us helpless?" The couple replied: "We have become recluses as we were shocked by the likeness between the three existences and the leaf-hut on fire. If we were to set you free from servitude one after another there will be no end even after a hundred years. Get your heads washed and be liberated from servitude and live free." So saying they left while the servants were wailing.

Parting company with each other.

While he was going ahead, Pippali the noble Thera thought in retrospect thus:

"This beautiful TheriBhaddakapilani, who is precious as much as the whole Jambudipa, has been following me. There is reason for any body to misunderstand us thinking 'These two cannot part from each other even though they have become recluses; they are doing something not in harmony with their ascetic guise.' And if one misunderstands us, one is in danger of landing in a state of woe. Therefore I should desert this fair lady, BhaddakapilaniTheri."

As he went on ahead, the noble Thera found a junction of two roads and stopped there. Having followed from behind, Bhadda Theri stopped there too and stood with her hands joined in reverence. Then the noble Thera addressed the Theri: "Bhadda Theri, people seeing a beautiful lady like you following me might offend us by wrongly thinking: 'These two individuals cannot part from each other despite their ascetic life and would thereby land in a woeful state. So take whichever road you choose between these two. I shall go by the road you do not prefer."

Bhadda Theri too replied thus: "Oh, yes, Sir! womankind means blemish to a monk. People would also blame us, saying that we are unable to leave each other even after becoming ascetics. You, Sir, follow one road. I shall follow the other. Let us be separated." Then she circumambulated exactly three times, and paid homage respectfully with the five kinds of veneration at the four places such as the front, the back, the left and the right of the Thera. With her hands joined and raised, she said: "Our love and intimacy as husband and wife that started a hundred aeons ceases today." She added: "You are of nobler birth, so the right road befits you. We womenfolk are of lesser birth. So the left one suits me." Saying thus she proceeded by the left road.

When the two walked separate paths, the great earth quaked, roaring echoingly as if it were uttering "Though I can bear up the universal mountains and Mount Meru, I cannot do so with regard to the virtues of these two marvellous personages!" There appeared thundering sounds in the sky, too. The universal mountains and Mount Meru grew up higher and higher (because of the earthquake).

Meeting with the Buddha.

By that time the Buddha arrived in Rajagaha after observing the first vassa and (in that year of his Enlightenment) was still sojourning in comfort in the Veluvana monastery. (It was a time before his journey to Kapilavatthu) While he was staying in the fragrant chamber of the monastery, he heard the noise of the quake of the great earth. As he reflected as to for whom the earth quaked, he came to know thus: "On account of the power of their virtues, Pippali the young man and Bhaddakapilani the young woman have become ascetics after having unflinchingly renounced their incomparable wealth, dedicating their lives to me. The quake took place at the junction where they parted. On my part it will be proper only if I do a favour to them." So he went out of the fragrant chamber, personally carrying his bowl and robe. And even without asking any of the eighty great Disciples to accompany him, he travelled alone to a distance of three gavutas to extend his welcome. He sat cross-legged at the foot of the banyan tree known as Bahuputtaka between Rajagaha and Nalanda.

What was peculiar to the Buddha now was that he did not sit there as an unknown monk practising dhutanga austerities; in order to promote the faith of the Venerable Maha Kassapa who had never seen him before, the Buddha did not conceal his natural splendour that shone forth with the major and minor marks; instead he sat there, emanating the massive Buddha's rays and illuminating brilliantly up to a distance of eighty cubits. The rays that were of the size of a leafy umbrella, or that of a cart-wheel or that of a pinnacled gable, rushed from place to place, brightening the whole forest grove as though it were a time when a thousand moons or a thousand suns rose with all their brightness. Therefore the whole forest grove was very pleasant with the splendour of the thirty-two marks of a great man like the sky brightened by stars, or like the water surface with the five kinds of lotus blossoming in groups and clusters. Though the natural colour of the trunk of the banyan tree must be white, that of the leaves green and the old leaves red, by the splendour of the Buddha's body, the whole of the Bahuputtaka banyan tree with many branches was all gold and yellow on that very day as they were bathed in the liminous rays of the Buddha's body light.

Maha Kassapa Thera thought: "This Venerable One must be my Teacher, the Buddha. Indeed I have become a monk, dedicating my monkhood to this very Teacher." From the spot on which he stood and saw the Buddha, the Thera walked up, bending his body; to a nearer distance. At all these three places far place, neither far nor near, near place, he adoringly worshipped the Buddha and received his discipleship by declaring three times thus: "Sattha me Bhante Bhagava, savako'hamasmi, 'Glorious Buddha, you are my Teacher! I am your disciple, Sir!"

Then the Buddha replied: "Dear son Kassapa, if you showed such immense reverence to the great earth, it might not be able to stand it. As for me, who have fared well like former Buddhas, the tremendous reverence shown by you, who are aware of such immensity of my qualities, cannot make a single hair of my body tremble. Dear son Kassapa, be seated. I shall give you my inheritance." (This is the exposition of the Etadagga Vagga, Ekaka Nipata of the Anguttara Commentary and the exposition of the Maha Kassapa Thera-Gatha, Cattalisa Nipata of the Theragatha Commentary.

In the Civara Sutta of the Kassapa Samyutta, Nidana-vagga, however, it is said as follows: When the Mahathera Kassapa solemnly declared his discipleship thrice, the Buddha said:

"Kassapa, if a man without knowing a pupil of all-round perfect mentality says 'I know', or without seeing him says 'I see', his head will fall off. As for me I say 'I know' because I do know him, or I say 'I see' because I do see him."

(Herein the meaning is: if a teacher outside the dispensation of the Buddhas admitted saying that he knew or saw without actually knowing or seeing an extremely faithful disciple with all mentality who showed extreme veneration as Maha Kassapa Thera did, the head of that teacher would drop off his neck as a ripe toddy-palm fruit does from its stem. Or it might split into seven pieces.

(Herein it may further be explained as follows: If Maha Kassapa Thera were to direct his great veneration, generated by such faith, to the great ocean, its water might disappear like drops of water falling into a tremendously hot iron pan would. If he were to direct his veneration towards the mountain of the universe it would break up into pieces like a ball of husks. If he were to direct it to Mount Meru, the mountain would be destroyed and tumble down in disarray like a lump of dough pecked by a crow's beak would. If he were to direct it towards the great earth, its soil would be scattered as a great pile of ashes when blown off by the wind. The Mahathera's veneration of such might could not make a hair on the back of the Buddha's instep tremble. Let alone Maha Kassapa Thera, even thousands of monks equal to the Mahathera would be unable to do so by performing their veneration. Theirs was powerless even to disturb a soft hair on the Buddha's instep, even to shake a single thread of the robe made of rags that the Exalted One was putting on. So great was the might of the Buddha.)

Ordination as Bhikkhu through acceptance of Buddha's advice.

Having said, "Dear son Kassapa, be seated. I shall give you my inheritance," as has been mentioned before, the Buddha gave the Mahathera three pieces of advice (according to the Civara Sutta of the Kassapa Samyutta):

"Kassapa, you must therefore practise thinking thus: "I shall abide by hiri and ottappa in dealing with those monks of higher standing, lower standing, or equal standing."

"Kassapa, you must therefore practise thinking thus 'I shall listen to all teachings on wholesomeness. I shall listen attentively to all these teachings, respectfully reflecting on them and bearing them well.

"Kassapa, you must therefore practise, thinking thus 'Mindfulness on the body (kayagata-sati) accompanied by happiness (sukha) shall never desert me!"

The Buddha gave him these three pieces of advice. Maha Kassapa Thera also received them respectfully. This three-piece advice amounted to the Mahathera's ordination lower as well as higher. Such kind of ordination the Venerable Maha Kassapa alone received in the Buddha's dispensation. And such is know as ovada-patiggahana upasampada, "ordination through acceptance of the Buddha's advice."

(Herein the Buddha grained the Mahathera Kassapa's ordination as a bhikkhu my means of these three pieces of advice. Of these three, the first is: "Dear son Kassapa, you must develop first the two 'effective' virtues of hiri and ottappa as you encounter three classes of fellow bhikkhus, namely, those of higher standing, who are senior to you by age and ordination, those of lower standing who are junior to you, and those of medium standing, who are equal to you," By this first advice Mahakassapa Thera was taught to abandon pride in birth, for he was of the Brahmin caste,

(The second advice is: "Dear son Kassapa, while you are listening to the faultless teaching you must be respectfully attentive by lending both your ears, the wisdom ear as well as the natural one, in all three phases of the teaching, the beginning, in the middle and towards the end". By this second advice the Mahathera was taught to abandon arrogance springing from his wide knowledge, for he was highly intelligent.

(The third advice is: "Dear son Kassapa, you must strive not to let the First Jhana get away from your mental process, the Jhana which is accompanied by feeling of happiness (sukha vedana) originated in mindfulness of the body (kayagata-sati) and the sense-object of breathing-in and out (anapana arammana)." By this third advice the Mahathera was taught to abandon self-love and self-craving (tanha-lobha) developing from possession of strong personality (upadhi), for he was good looking.

Having made Maha Kassapa Thera an advice-receiving monk at the foot of the Bahuputtaka banyan tree as has been said, the Buddha left and set out on a journey with the noble Mahathera as his follower. While the Buddha had thirty-two marks of a great being on his body and was thus exquisitely splendoured, Maha Kassapa Thera was graceful with seven marks. The latter closely followed the Buddha as a small golden boat trails a big golden one. After going some distance the Buddha diverted from the main road and gave a hint that he would like to sit at the foot of a tree. Knowing that the Master was desirous of sitting, the Mahathera made his (very soft) upper robe fourfold and spread it and said: "Exalted Buddha, may the glorious Buddha be seated here. The act of the Exalted Buddha's sitting will bring welfare and happiness to me for long."

Exchange of robes.

Having sat down on the outer robe in four folds, the Buddha felt the edge of the robe with his hand having the colour of a lotus blossom and said: "Dear son Kassapa, this upper robe of yours made of an old piece of cloth is very soft indeed!"

(Herein 'why did the Buddha uttered words of praise?' The answer should be: because he wanted to make exchange of robes with him.

Why did the Buddha want to make exchange of robes?' The answer should be: because he wanted to install the Mahathera in his position."

("For such installment were there not Sariputta and Moggalana Mahatheras?" one might argue. The answers is: Yes, they were there But it occurred to the Buddha thus: "Both of them will not live long. They will attain Parinibbana before me. Kassapa, however, will live for a hundred and twenty years. Four months after my Parinibbana, in the cave where a sattapanni tree grows he will hold a Council at which a mass recital in approval (sangayana) of the Dhamma and the Vinaya will be done; he will thus render service to my dispensation so that it may last for five thousand years.' The Buddha also was of the opinion that "if I install him in my place, monks will show obedience to him." Hence the Buddha's desire to install the Mahathera in his (the Buddha's) position. It was for this reason that the Buddha was desirous of exchanging of robes. It was because of this desire that the Buddha spoke in praise of Maha Kassapa.)

If somebody admiringly spoke of the good quality of the bowl or that of the robe, it was a natural practice of the noble Mahathera to say: "Please accept the bowl, Venerable Sir," or "Please receive the robe, Venerable Sir "Therefore, knowing by hint that "the Exalted Buddha would like to put on my outer robe, for he admired its softness," the Mahathera said: "Exalted Buddha, may the Glorious One please put on this outer robe." "Dear son Kassapa,-which robe will you don then?" asked the Buddha. "If I get the kind of robe you are wearing, I will don it," replied the Mahathera. Then the Buddha said: "Dear son Kassapa, can you do that? This robe made of rags have become very old because of my long use. Indeed, when I picked it up, that day saw the quake of this great earth down to the water limit. Those of less virtue are unable to wear this kind of robe that had been worn out. Only those who engage themselves in the Dhamma practice and who by nature are used to such attire deserve it." So saying the Buddha gave up his robe for Maha Kassapa Thera's. After the exchange of robes done in this way, the Buddha put on the Mahathera's robe and the Mahathera donned the Buddha's. At that moment the great earth quaked violently down to the water limit as if it were saying though it lacks mind and volition: "Exalted Buddha, you have done something difficult to do. There has never been in the past such an occasion on which a Buddha gives away his robe to his disciple. I cannot bear up this virtue of yours."

(c) Achievement of spirituality and an etadagga title.

On the part of the Venerable Maha Kassapa Thera, no arrogance arose in him just by getting the Buddha's robe; he never thought: "Now I have obtained the robe previously used by the Exalted One: I have nothing to strive now for higher Paths and Fruitions." Instead, he made a vow to practise the thirteen austere (dhutanga) practices most willingly as taught by the Buddha. Because he put great efforts in developing the ascetic Dhamma, he remained only for seven days as a worldling and on the eighth day at early dawn attained Arahantship with the fourfold Analytical Knowledge (Patisambhida-magga nana).

Setting this Mahathera as an example, the Buddha delivered many discourses as contained in the Nidanavagga Kassapa Samyutta (see the translation of the same Samyutta). The Buddha admired the Mahathera through many Suttas such as Cand'upama-Sutta in which the Buddha says: "Kassapo bhikkhave candupamo kulani upasankamati'Monks, Kassapa Thera approached his donors of the four social classes by controlling his deed, word and thought like the moon, i.e. being absolutely free from physical, verbal and mental roughness does he approach his donors." Later on the Buddha bestowed on him an etadagga title by citing the noble Mahathera's dhutanga practices as preserved in the Kassapa Samyutta and by uttering:

"Etadaggam bhikkhave mama savakanam bhikkhunam dhutavadanam yadidam Mahakassapo," "Monks, among my disciples bhikkhus, who practise by themselves and who teach and exhort others to practise the excellent dhutanga practices which shake off moral impurities (kilesa), Maha Kassapa Thera is the best."

That is the story of Maha Kassapa Thera.

Khuddaka Nikaya - Buddhavamsa - Sariputta & Moggallana Mahatheras

(2-3) THE TWO CHIEF DISCIPLES
SARIPUTTA AND MOGGALLANA MAHATHERAS

The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Mingun Sayadaw

Edited and Translated by
U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin
Yangon, Myanmar

In this dispensation the Venerable Mahatheras Sariputta and Moggallana are known as the two Chief Disciples of the Buddha. These two Mahatheras had mostly worked together for their Perfection during the period of their performance of meritorious deeds for that goal. In their last existence too they gave up the world together and became monks together. Hence their accounts are given together in the Atthakathas and Tikas. Following those treatises here in this book too their accounts will be given together.

(a) Aspirations expressed in the past

Counting back from this kappa, one asankhyeyya and a hundred thousands aeons ago the future Sariputta, a virtuous person, was born in a wealthy Brahmin family and named Sarada the youth. The future Moggallana, another virtuous man was also born in a another family and named Sirivaddhana the householder. They became intimate friends, having played together with soil grains in their childhood.

One day while Sarada the youth was examining and managing the wealth of his household (that came down from his forebears) as his father had died, there came a thought to him thus: "I know only about this existence. I do not know about hereafter. It is absolutely certain that beings born are subject to death. It will be proper therefore if I shall become a kind of recluse and seek the doctrine for liberation from samsara."

Sarada the youth went to his friend Sirivaddhana the householder and asked: "Friend Sirivaddhana, I shall become a recluse and seek the doctrine for liberation from samsara Will you be able to become one together with me?" "No, friend, I am not," answered Sirivaddhana. "You, friend, go ahead." Then it occurred to Sarada: "Among those who pass into hereafter there is none who is able to take his friends and relatives with him. It is indeed true that only his good or bad deeds are his own property [as they follow him]."

Thereupon, he opened his treasure houses and performed a great dana to destitutes, poor people, travellers and beggars. He made his way to the foot of a mountain and became an ascetic. Those who became matted-hair ascetics in the wake of Sarada numbered seventy-four thousand. The ascetic Sarada himself acquired the fivefold mundane Psychic power and the eightfold Jhana attainment. He also taught his followers how to make preparations for kasina meditation and practise that meditation and they too gained the same power and attainment.

At that time appeared the Buddha Anomadassi in the world. (The city and other particulars have been given in the Chronicle Vol. 1 Pt 2.) One day when Anomadassi Buddha surveyed the world of sentient beings after emerging from his Jhana of Karuna-samapatti at daybreak, he saw the ascetic Sarada and decided thinking thus: "When I visit Sarada a grand Dhamma-talk will take place. The ascetic will express his aspiration for Chief Discipleship flanking on the right-hand side of some Buddha in future. His friend Sirivaddhana will do similarly for the other Discipleship flanking on the left. At the end of the talk, Sarada's seventy-four thousand followers, those ascetics who accompanied Sarada, will attain Arahatship. I should therefore pay a visit to Sarada's place at the mountain-foot." So he took bowl and robe and set forth alone without informing any body else, like a lion-king. While Sarada's pupils were away gathering fruit Anomadassi Buddha made a resolution that Sarada should come to know him as an Omniscient Buddha, and while Sarada was looking on him the Buddha descended from the sky and stood on the pound.

As he had seen the magnificence and the physical splendour of Anomadassi Buddha, Sarada studied them in accordance with physiognomical treatises and unwaveringly believed "One who is possessed of these marks would become a Universal Monarch if he were to live a household life, but if he were to put on the yellow robe, he would become an Omniscient Buddha." He therefore welcomed the Buddha paid homage with five kinds of touching and gave the prepared seat to him. The Buddha sat down in that seat and the hermit also took an appropriate seat for himself

At that time the seventy-four thousand pupil hermits went to their master carrying with them fruit of various sizes with immensely rich flavour and nutrition. Seeing the seating arrangement of the Buddha and that of their teacher, they remarked to him:"Master, we wonder, believing that here is no person higher than you in the world. But now it seems that this noble man is far superior to you." The master reprovingly replied: "How dare you say so, pupils! you wish to compare a mustard seed with the great Mount Meru one hundred and sixty-eight thousand yojanas high. Do not weigh me against the Buddha." Then the pupils said among themselves: "If this were an unworthy one, our master would not have given such a simile. Indeed he must be supreme?" So, saying they all prostrated at the feet of the Buddha and venerated him with their heads.

Thereafter the hermit told his pupils: "Dear sons, we have no gift that is proper to the Buddha. It was during his hour for collecting almsfood that he came to our residence at the foot of the mountain. Let us give alms to the best of our ability. Bring, pupils, big and small fruits that appear nice and wholesome." Thus he had the fruit brought and, having washed his hands he himself offered the fruit by putting them in the bowl. No sooner had the Buddha accepted the fruit the Devas put ambrosia in the bowl. Sarada offered water that had been duly filtered by himself. Having eaten the fruit, the Buddha washed his hand and sat calm and quiet. While the Buddha was sitting thus, Sarada summoned all his pupils and remained speaking to the Buddha words that ought to be remembered for long. Then the Buddha resolved that his two Chief Disciples should visit him in the company of monks at the mountain-foot. The two Chief Disciples (Mahatheras Nisabha and Anoma), knowing the Buddha's desire, immediately came accompanied by a hundred thousand Arahats and, after paying homage to the Buddha, stood at suitable places.

Thereupon the hermit Sarada called his hermit-pupils and ordered "Dear sons, the seat made for the Buddha is still low. The hundred thousand monks are also without seats. You dear sons should do today highly appreciable honour to the Buddha. Bring beautiful and fragrant flowers from the foot of the mountain." The time spent for giving the order seemed even longer. The power of the mighty ones is wonderful. beyond imagination. Instantly, therefore the hermit-pupils miraculously brought flowers of beauty and fragrance and of them made for the Buddha the seat measuring a yojana. The floral seat made for the two Chief Disciples measured three gavutas each and that for the rest of monks measured half a yajana or two gavutas. Even for the youngest monk the seat was each one usabha in measurement.

After making the seats in this manner, Sarada stood before the Buddha and even while standing he addressed the Buddha with his joined hands raised: "Exalted Buddha, please take this seat of flowers for my long welfare and happiness." Anomadassi Buddha surmounted on the seat and sat down and remained there, engaging in Nirodha samapatti for seven days. Knowing what the Buddha was doing, the two Chief Disciples and the rest of monks, while remaining in their respective seats, in the wake of the Master engaged themselves in Jhanas.

Sarada hermit stood, holding a floral umbrella over the Buddha While the Buddha was being absorbed in the Nirodhasamapatti, the hermit pupils sought various roots and fruit during the food gathering hour and ate them; for the rest of the time they stood, raising their joined hands in the direction of the Buddha Sarada, however, did not move even for searching for fruit but held the umbrella over the Buddha and spent the time by means of the food of rapture.

Emerging from the Nirodha-samapatti, the Buddha asked the chief Disciple, Nisabha Thera who was sitting near him on his right side 'Preach, dear son, a sermon in appreciation of the flowers to the honouring hermits." With his mind immensely gladdened as a heroic warrior who had received a great reward from the Universal Monarch, Nisabha Thera preached by virtue of his perfect intelligence as Disciple. At the end of Nisabha Thera's preaching, the Buddha asked the other Chief Disciple Anoma Thera who was flanking on the left side; "You too preach a sermon, dear son," Reflecting on the Buddha's words contained in the Three Pitakas, the Venerable Anoma gave sermon.

The realization of the Truths and the attainment of release did no affect yet a single one of the hermits despite the preaching of the two Chief Disciples. Thereafter Anomadassi Buddha, having remained in his incomparable state of a Buddha, preached. At the end of the preaching all seventy-four matted-hair hermits attained Arahatta-phala. Sarada alone remained unaffected. Then the Buddha stretching his right arm and pronounced: "Come, monks!" At that very moment the hair and beard of all those ascetics disappeared and they became monks already equipped with the eight items of requisites.

Sarada's aspiration for chief Discipleship

It may be asked, "Why did he fail to attain Arahatship though he was a great teacher?" The answer is, "Because he was then distracted." Expanded answer: Since the time when Nisabha the Chief Disciple, the Right Flanker, started preaching, Sarada had been repeatedly distracted by the thought: It would be well if I should gain the same position as this Chief Disciple's in the dispensation of the Buddha to come. Because of this distraction Sarada failed to penetrate and gain the knowledge of the Path and Fruition.(He was left behind with no acquisition of the Magga and Phala.)

After his pupils had become ehi-bhikkhus, Sarada hermit paid homage to the Buddha and asked while standing before him: "What is the name of the monk who is sitting just next to you?" When the Buddha said, "His name is Nisabha, my Right Chief Disciple who in my dispensation can turn the Wheel-Treasure of the Dhamma after me, who had reached the apex of the perfect wisdom of a Disciple and who had penetrated the fifteen forms of Panna" Sarada hermit said: "As a result of my act of merit by honouring you with a floral umbrella held over you for seven days, I do not long for the state of a Sakka or that of a Brahma. In fact, I wish to become a real Chief Disciple, the Right Flanker, like this noble Mahathera Nisabha during the dispensation of some Buddha in the future."

When the Buddha Anomadassi tried to foresee through his Anagatamsa Nana whether Sarada's wish would be fulfilled, he foresaw that it would be fulfilled after one asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand kappas. So he said to the hermit: "Your wish would not go unfulfilled. In fact, when an asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand kappashave elapsed the Buddha Gotama will appear in the three worlds. His mother will be Queen Mahamaya, his father Suddhodana, his son Rahula and his left-flanking Chief Disciple Moggallana. But you will become Gotama Buddha's Right-flanking Chief Disciple by the name of Sariputta. Having prophesied thus, he gave a Dhamma-talk and rose into the air in the company of monks.

Sarada hermit then approached the Theras who had been his old pupils and said: 'Venerable Sirs, please tell my friend Sirivaddhana the householder thus: Your friend Sarada hermit has said at the foot of the Buddha Anomadassi for the rank of the Right-flanking Disciple. For that of the Left-flanking Disciple of Gotama, a coming Buddha, you householder may resolve." After giving the message thus, Sarada went hurriedly ahead of them by another road and stood at the door of the house of Sirivaddhana.

Thinking "Oh, my master has come after a long time. He has long been absent? Sirivaddhana gave a seat to Sarada and the hermit sat down in a lower seat and asked: "Venerable Sir, but your retinue of residential pupils do not show up." "Well, they do not, friend. Anomadassi Buddha visited our hermits; we honoured the Sangha headed by the Buddha to the best of our ability. The Buddha preached to us all. At the end of the preaching all except myself the seventy-four thousand hermits attained Arahatship and became monks." "Why did not you become likewise?" asked Sirivaddhana. "Having seen Nisabha Thera, the Buddha's Right-flanking Chief Disciple," replied Sarada, 'I said for a similar position during the dispensation of the coming Buddha Gotama. You too resolve for the (second) Chief Discipleship occupying the Buddha's left hand seat." When the hermit urged him thus his friend replied: "I have no experience of talking with the Buddha." Then Sarada said encouraging him: "Let the talking with the Buddha be my responsibility. On your part make an arrangement for your great act of merit (adhikara)."

Having listened to Sarada's advice,Sirivaddhana levelled the ground measuring eight pai in front of the doorway of his house and covered it with white sand, scattered over it confetti of flowers of five kinds with parched rice as the fifth. He also built a shed roofed with blue lotus flowers, prepared the seat for the Buddha and arranged things dedicated in honour of the Buddha. Then only did he give a signal to Sarada to bring the Sangha headed by the Buddha. Taking his cue from Sirivaddhana, Sarada brought the Sangha with the Buddha at its head to Sirivaddhana's house.

Sirivaddhana welcomed the Buddha and took the bowl and robe from the Buddha's hand and respectfully brought the Buddha into the shed and offered dedication water to the Buddha and his monks, fed them with excellent food. When the feeding was over he gave highly valued robes to the Buddha and his Sangha. Thereafter he said: "Exalted Buddha, this act of merit performed by me is not intended for a small reward. Therefore kindly do me a favour in this way for seven days." The Buddha kept silent in agreement. Sirivaddhana then performed a great alms-giving (Mahadana) in the same manner for a week. While standing with his joined hands raised respectfully in the direction of the Buddha, he said thus: "Exalted Buddha, my friend Sarada has begged the position of a Chief Disciple and the Right flanker to the Buddha Gotama. I too aspire for the post of the Left-flanker Chief Disciple to that very Buddha Gotama.

When the Buddha surveyed the future, he saw that the aspiration of Sirivaddhana would be fulfilled. So he prophesied: "An asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons from now you will become a second Chief Disciple, the Left-flanker." Hearing the Buddha's prophecy, Sirivaddhana was overjoyed. After giving a talk in appreciation of the Dana, the Buddha returned to the monastery in the company of monks. From then onwards till his death Sirivaddhana made efforts to perform acts of merit and on passing away from that existence he was reborn in the Kamavacara Deva world. Sarada the hermit developed the four sublime practices (Brahma-vihara) and landed in the Brahma realm.

(b)Ascetic life adopted in final existence

The Commentary says nothing elaborate about their good works done during the existences after their lives as the hermit Sarada and the householder Sirivaddhana, but it gives an account of their lives in the last existence.

Just before the appearance of our Buddha Gotama a virtuous man, the future Sariputta Thera who had formerly been hermit Sarada was conceived in the womb of a Brahmin woman, a merchant's wife, Rupasari by name, in the village of Upatissa near the city of Rajagaha. On that very day another virtuous man, formerly Sarada's friend Sirivaddhana and the future Moggallana, took conception in the womb of Moggali (wife of another merchant) in the village of Kolita also near Rajagaha. Those two great families had been very friendly households since seven generations ago.

For the two conceived boys, the future Chief Disciples, protection was provided on the same day. Also when they were born after ten months had elapsed, each boy was looked after by sixty-six nurses. On the naming day the son born of Rupasari was named Upatissa because he was the scion of the head of Upatissa village. The son born of Moggali was named Kolita as his family was chief in Kolita village. When the two boys grew up they became accomplished in all kinds of crafts.

The ceremonial paraphernalia of the youth Upatissa included five hundred golden palanquins to accompany him constantly when he paid a visit to the river, to the garden or to the hill for sport and pleasure. As for the youth Kolita, it was five hundred chariots drawn by the best breed of horses that usually went along with him. In Rajagaha there was an annual festival held on the hill-top. For the two friends the couches were fixed and prepared at the same place. Both took their seats together, and while watching the show they laughed when humour was effected and shocked when horror was; they also gave awards when they were supposed to do.

After enjoying the show in this manner many times, one day they became more sober at the show: no longer were they amused by funny scenes, no longer were they frightened by horrible ones. And there were absolutely no more awards given where they were expected. Both of them thought thus: "Where are those things attractive to the eyes on this festive occasion? Those who participate in the show and those who come to see it will all disappear before the end of a hundred years. We should therefore search for some form of spirituality for our escape from samsara." . They remained reflecting on the miseries of life.

Thereafter Kolita said to his friend Upatissa "Friend Upatissa, you show no satisfaction as on the other days. What are you thinking about, friend?" Upatissa replied "Friend Kolita, I found nothing worthy in watching the show. Enjoyment of the festivity is useless; it is empty. I am therefore sitting with the thought that I ought to seek something for myself that would lead to liberation from samsara." Having said this he asked: "Friend Kolita, why are you also wearing a long face and looking displeased?" Kolita's answer was the same as Upatissa's. Knowing that his friend was contemplating the same thing, Upatissa consulted, saying: "Our common idea, dear Kolita, is something well conceived. Those who seek release from samsara should adopt an ascetic life. Under whom shall we become ascetics?"

At that time the great wandering ascetic Sanjaya, the leader of a religious sect, was staying in Rajagaha with a large gathering of pupils. The two friends agreed to become ascetics in the presence of Sanjaya each with five hundred attendants. Since the time of the two friends' association with him Sanjaya had attained the height of his gain and the height of his possession of retinue and fame.

Within two or three days the two wanderers, Upatissa and Kolita, became well-educated in all the doctrines of the teacher Sanjaya and they asked: "Teacher, is that all that you have mastered? Or, is there still some more that we have to learn?" "That is all I have mastered," replied Sanjaya, "you have learned all the doctrines of mine" The two friends then discussed between them:

"In that case, it is useless to remain observing celibacy (Brahma-cariya) under this teacher Sanjaya. We have come out from the life of householders in quest of release from samsara. Never shall we be able to achieve that release in his presence. Vast is the Jambudipa. If we wonder about villages, towns and royal cities and search, certainly we shall find some teacher who will give us the means leading to liberation."

From that time onwards they visited the places which they learned were the resort of learned monks and Brahmins and had doctrinal dialogues and discussions. There were, however, no monks and Brahmins who were really learned and able to answer the questions raised by the two wandering friends. In fact, it was the two friends who had to solve the problems put forth by the so-called learned sages, having failed to find someone whom they should regard as their teacher though they had roamed about all over the Jambudipa, making inquiries, they returned to their ascetic dwellings and made an agreement between them that whoever received the doctrine concerning immortality earlier should inform the other.

(c) Attainment of unique spirituality

The time was the first waxing moon of Magha about half a month after the arrival of the Buddha in the city of Rajagaha. (Readers are refereed to the pages from 1 to 19 of the Third Volume of the Chronicle for details. The pages contain such episodes as (b) Conversion of the two friends and their pupils from the state of wandering ascetics to that of ehi-bhikkhu monks in the presence of the Buddha and (c) their attainment of the height of wisdom as Disciples. These episodes will therefore be omitted here.)

(d) Etadagga title achieved

In the year he became enlightened, the Buddha passed his vassa in the Deer Park; thence he went to the Uruvela forest and converted a thousand hermits headed by the three Kassapa brothers and established them in Arahatship by means of the Aditta-pariyaya Sutta; on the full- moon day of Phussa he arrived at Rajagaha in the company of a thousand monks. After a fortnight, on the first waxing moon of Magha, Upatissa met with the Arahat Assaji, a member of the Band of Five, in Rajagaha. Having listened to the verse beginning with "Ye dhamma hetuppabhava " from the Venerable Assaji, Upatissa became a Sotapanna Ariya. So did Kolita having heard the verse through Upatissa. Thereafter both the two noble Sotapanna friends and their followers became ehi-bhikkhus. Before they became such monks, the followers attained Arahatship the moment they heard the discourse from the Buddha. As the wisdom of Discipleship was too great to achieve, the future Chief Disciples were still away from that state, and it as on the seventh day of his bhikkhuhood that Maha Moggallana became Arahat and it was on the fifteenth day, that is on the full-moon day of Magha that Sariputta did. (Vide the Third Volume of the Chronicle from the beginning to p 17.)

In this manner the two Mahatheras reached the apex of their perfections and wisdom in Chief Discipleship while the Buddha was staying in Rajagaha. But at a later time while he was at the Jetavana monastery, Savatthi, he uttered in praise of them:

"Etadaggam bhikkhave mama savakanam bhikkhunam mahapannam yadidam Sariputto." "Monks, among my disciples who are of great wisdom, Sariputta is the foremost." "Etadaggam bhikkhave mama savakanam bhikkhunam iddhimantanam yadidam Maha Moggalano, "Monks, among my disciples who are of great supernatural powers, Maha Moggallana is the foremost."

With these words the Buddha placed the Venerable Sariputta in the top position in the matter of great wisdom and the Venerable Moggallana in the top position in the field of great supernatural powers.

These two Mahatheras had practised for the welfare of sentient beings for forty-four years since they became bhikkhus. The discourses given by them are quite numerous in the five Nikayas or the three Pitakas. They are so numerous that it is almost impossible to reproduce them here. Especially, the Patisambhidamagga Pali, the Mahaniddea Pali, and the CuIaniddesa Pali embody the words of Sariputta Mahathera. His Thera-gatha forms a potpourri of his doctrines. So does Moggallana's gatha his doctrinal miscellany. Those who desire them may read the translations of the texts concerned. Here in this work, however, the account of their attainment of Parinibbana after making efforts for the welfare of sentient beings for forty-four years will be given.

Sariputta Mahathera attainment or Parinibbana

Having observed his last and forty-fifth vassa at the small village of Veluva near the city of Vesali the Buddha emerged from that vassa and (as has been stated above) he left the village by the road he had taken in reaching there. After setting forth for the last time, the Buddha arrived in Savatthi and entered the Jetavana monastery. The Captain of the Dhamma, Sariputta Mahathera, served the Buddha and went to his day-resort. When his pupils fulfilled their duties to him there at his day-resort and departed, he swept the place and spread the leather mat; then he washed his feet, sat down crossed-legged and engaged in Arahatta phala.

When the prescribed time for meditation was over, the Mahathera rose from it and wondered whether a Buddha attained Parinibbana first or his Chief Disciples. He came to know that the Disciples usually did earlier and when he examined his life process, he found out that it would go on only for seven more days; he further considered where his attainment of Parinibbana should take place.

"Rahula Thera attained Parinibbana in Tavatimsa and Kondana Mahathera at the lake in Chaddanta," Where should I do so?" he pondered repeatedly and remembered his mother, the Brahmin lady Rupasari as follows:

"Oh, my mother has no faith in the Triple Gem, namely, the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, despite her being the mother of seven Arahats. Has that mother of mine possessed spiritual potentials for any of the Paths and Fruitions?"

When he reflected thus, he came to know that she had from her past acts of merit the potentials that would lead to Sotapatti magga. He continued to reflect on as to by whose preaching would she realize the four Truths, and it manifested to him thus:

"My mother's realization of the four Truths and conversion will happen by my own preaching, not by any other's. If I were to be indifferent without caring to convert her, people may come out with words of reproach, saying: 'Sariputta Mahathera is a dependable person to others. This is true. The day the Venerable One preached the Samacitta Sutta (Angutara Nikaya I) a hundred thousand crores of Devas and Brahmas atttained Arahatta-phala. Those who attained lower Fruitions are countless. Those who gained liberation by realizing the four Truths elsewhere have also been witnessed. Besides, the celestial families who have faith in the Mahathera are eighty thousand in number. That very Sariputta Mahathera is now helpless just to remove the wrong views of his own mother. Therefore after eradicating my mother's false notions, I shall attain Parinibbana in the very chamber in which I was born,"

Having decided thus he got an idea that he should inform the Buddha and seek his permission and set out even on that day. So he ordered his young brother Cunda: "Dear Cunda, inform my five hundred monk-pupils to make themselves ready with their bowls and robes. The Captain of Dhamma, Sariputta Thera, is desirous of going to Nalaka, his native village ". Cunda Thera did so as he was told by his older brother Mahathera.

The five hundred monks packed their beddings, took their bowls and robes and gathered round their master in unison. The Mahathera himself packed his own bedding, swept his day-resort; he stood at the doorway of his resort and viewed the place, thinking: "This is my last viewing. There will no longer be my coming again." In the company of his five hundred pupils, he went to the Buddha, paid homage to him and said in supplication "Exalted Buddha! May the Glorious One give me permission to leave. May the speaker of good words grant me permission. The time has come for me to attain Parinibbana. My life-process has been given up."

(Herein, the word anujanatu of the sentence " anujanatu me bhante bhagava.." of the text is translated "give me permission" and such is the required meaning. Its literal meaning, however, is "May you know of my proposed entry into Parinibbana, that is to say, "I am aware of my coming attainment of Parinibbana. May you also be aware of the same.")

When other disciples, who were also Arahats, came and sought permission for their demise, and if the Buddha said: "Do so!", those with wrong views would blame him: "The Buddha speaks in praise of death!" If on the other hand he said: "No, dear son, do not do that yet!," they would blame him all the same, saying: "He speaks in praise of suffering!" Hence there was neither way of replying on the part of the Buddha. That was why the Buddha asked the Thera Sariputta: "Dear Sariputta, where will you attain Parnibbana?" The Mahathera answered: "There is, Exalted Buddha, my birth-place in Nalaka village in the country of Magadha. There will I do so." "Now you are aware, dear son, of the time of your Parinibbana. It may be very difficult for your brethren particularly to see a man of your stature no longer. You had better give them sermons."

Seeing that the Buddha wanted him to engage in preaching, preceded by his performance of miracles, the noble Mahathera paid homage to the Buddha, rose up into the air to the height of a toddy palm tree, came down and paid homage at the Buddha's feet. Again he rose into the air to the height of two toddy palm trees, came down and paid homage at the feet of the Buddha once more. In this way he rose up to the height of three, four, five, six and seven toddy palm trees and displayed hundreds of miraculous feats. While so doing, he preached. How did he preach?

He preached while showing his person; he preached while hiding his person: he preached while showing and hiding the upper part of his person; he preached while showing and hiding the lower part of his person; sometimes he created and showed the shape of the moon, sometimes created and showed that of the sun, sometimes he did the shape of a great mountain, sometimes he did that of a great ocean; sometimes he became a Universal Monarch, sometimes Vessavana Deva-King, sometimes Sakka, King of gods, sometimes Maha Brahma. In this way the Mahathera preached while performing hundreds of miracles. The entire city of Savatthi assembled. Having preached in this way to his heart's content, he came down and paid homage at the Buddha's feet and stood firmly like a golden gate-post.

Then the Buddha asked: "Dear son, Sariputta, what is your kind of preaching called?" The Mahathera replied: "Exalted Buddha, it is called sihavikilita, something like the sport of a lion." The Buddha delightedly approved of the Mahathera's reply by saying: "Dear son [ 43 ] Sariputta; yours is indeed sihavikilita preaching! Your is indeed sihavikilita preaching."

Mahathera's last homage paid to the Buddha.

Firmly holding the turtle-like feet of the Buddha by the ankles with his hands in dark red like the colour of the liquified lac, the noble Thera Sariputta said in supplication:

"Exalted Buddha, I have fulfilled the Paramis for an asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons just to pay homage these two feet of yours. The result of the fulfilment of my heart's desire has now succefully reached its apex. There is no prospect of reunion with you somewhere in some existence through rebirth from now on. Familiarity or friendliness connected with this life has been totally cut off. Now shall I enter the city of Nibbana, which is free from old age, death and dangers, which is blissful, calm, secure, which hundreds of thousands of Buddhas have entered. Should there be any wrongdoings, physical and verbal, done by me to your displeasure, kindly forgive me. To me the final moment has come now, Exalted Buddha."

"My son Sariputta, I forgive you. There is nothing whatever wrong physically or verbally on your part. You may now go, my dear son, whatever you wish to." Thus gave the Buddha his permission.

Immediately after the Buddha had given permission, the Venerable Sariputta pressed and gripped the Buddha's feet most vigorously. When he rose up the great earth quaked instantly down to the water below very strongly as though it were saying, "Though I am able to shoulder Mount Meru, the universe, the Himavanta and the seven surrounding mountains, I cannot today bear this aggregate of virtues." A loud crash of thunder occurred roaring tumultously, across the entire sky. Huge clouds arose in a second and let pokkharavassa rain fell heavily.

The Buddha thought: "Sariputta has paid homage to my frame as I am sitting. Now I shall let him do so as I am standing".

So he rose from the Dhamma-throne, Buddha-seat, from which he usually gave sermons, and walked towards the Fragrant Chamber and stood on the wooden board studded with gems. The Buddha who was thus standing, the Mahathera Sariputta circumambulated, keeping the Buddha on his right and made obeisance from the front, from the back, from the left and from the right of Buddha Then he made his last supplication:

"Exalted Buddha, I expressed my wish prostrating at the feet of the Buddha Anomadassian asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons ago just for seeing you My wish has now been fulfilled I have had a chance to view you. When I expressed my wish, I listened continuously to the prophetic word of AnomadasiBuddha, and I visualized you through my knowledge and that was my first sight of you. My seeing you now is my last." There is no more chance for me to see you again."

Thereafter he raised his joined hands, which were graceful and bright with the ten nails, towards the Buddha and walked backward till the visibility of the Buddha ended Having paid respect thus he departed together with his five hundred pupils. Then again the earth failed to bear the Mahathera's excellence and quaked down to the water below.

The Buddha asked the monks surrounding him: "Dear sons, go and see your elder brother off!" All four classes of the assembly then left the Buddha alone at the Jetavana monastery and went out without any one remaining there, to give the Mahathera Sariputta a send-off. The citizens of Savatthi too learnt that the Mahathera was getting out of Jetavana as he desired to attain Parinibbana after seeking permission from the Buddha; wanting to get a glimpse of the noble Mahathera, they came out from the city gate that was wholly crowded with no room for exit or entry. Carrying perfumes and flowers and with their hair dishevelled, they wailed: "Venerable Sir, to which Thera should we go now, enquiring 'Where is Sariputta Thera of great wisdom? Where is Sariputta Thera, the Captain of the Dhamma?' Into whose hands do you entrust the Exalted Buddha and leave, noble Mahathera?" Wailing in this way, they followed the Mahathera step by step.

As the Mahathera Sariputta was of great wisdom, he exhorted the crowd briefly: "This path leading to death of every arising being is something which nobody is able to overcome." He also asked the monks "You too stay behind, monks, and do not neglect the Exalted One." Thus he sent them back and headed for Nalaka village together with his own followers. To those people who went along with him lamenting, "Formerly the Noble One used to travel only to come back. But his journey now is of no return?" The Mahathera gave an exhortatory discourse, saying "Dear donors, virtuous ones! Be persons of mindfulness. Conditioned things, whether physical or mental, happen like this. After arising do they end in passing away!" By this advice concerning mindfulness, the Mahathera made them all go home.

Thereafter uplifting the people on the way for seven days, spending just one night at each place, but without prolonging his stay, he travelled on and on till he reached Nalaka in one evening; he halted and rested at the foot of a banyan tree near the village gate.

Then the nephew of the Mahathera, a boy by the name of Uparevata, came out of the village. Seeing the noble Mahathera, he drew near him and stood, paying respect. The Mahathera asked the nephew: '"Uparevata, is your grandmother at home?" When the boy answered that she was, the Mahathera said: "Go and tell her of our arrival in the village if she asks the reason for our coming here, say that we shall stay here the whole day and ask her in my name to clean the chamber where I was born and also to arrange lodgings for five hundred monks.

The boy, Uparevata, went to his grandmother Rupasariand told her: "O grandmother, my uncle (Upatissa) has come." "Where is he now?" asked the grandmother. The boy answered: "At the city gate." "Is he alone or is there somebody else too?" "Yes, there are five hundred monks who have come along." "Why did he come?" the grandmother asked him again and the boy related all as instructed by the Mahathera "Oh, why did he want me to clean and arrange lodgings for such a great number of monks?" wondered the lady. "After becoming a monk in his youth, perhaps he desires to return to laity now that he has grown old." With this thought she cleaned the chamber which was the birthplace of the Mahathera and prepared the accommodations for the five hundred monks. She also lighted the standing lamps and sent for the Mahathera.

The noble Mahathera, having ascended to the upper terrace together with the five hundred monks and having entered the chamber and sat down there, he dismissed them saying: "Go to your respective places." As soon as the monks were out, a severe ailment occurred to the Mahathera's body. Deadly pains from discharge of blood developed incessantly. The treatment given to him involved exchange of a vessel in for a vessel out. Thinking, "I do not like the way my son is suffering," the Brahmin lady Rupasaristood, leaning against the doorway of her chamber.

Then the four Deva Kings surveyed where the noble Mahathera, the Captain of the Dhamma, was at present and they saw him lying on his deathbed in the chamber, his birth-place, in the village of Nalaka. And they decided to go there to pay their last respect and to give their last treatment. On arrival they stood near him in respect-paying attitude. When the Mahathera asked who they were, they answered that they were the four kingly deities. "Why did you come?" enquired the Venerable One and they answered, "we came to look after you, Sir." Then the Mahathera sent them back, saying: "Enough! I have a monk as my nurse. You go back!" When they went back Sakka came in the same way. When Sakka departed Mahabrahma came. Both Sakka and Mahabrahma were sent back by the Mahathera with the same word of leave.

Having seen the coming and going of Devas and Brahma, the Brahmin lady Rupasaribecame desirous of knowing who those beings were that came and paid homage to her son. She went near the doorway of the chamber and asked (her younger son Cunda who was already there): "Dear son Cunda, What is the matter?" The younger brother Cunda explained to his mother that the Mahathera was sick, and he told Sariputta Mahathera of their mother's presence. When the Mahathera asked why she came untimely, the mother replied that she did so to see her ailing son, and asked: "Who are those persons, dear son, that visited you first?" "Those who came first to me, madam, are the four great Deva Kings." "Are you superior to those Deva Kings, son?"

The Mahathera anwered: "Madam, those four Deva Kings are like the guardsmen of our residence. Armed with their swords they have protected our Master, the Exalted Buddha, since his conception." The mother continued to ask: "Who are those that came immediately after the Deva Kings?" "He is Sakka." "Are you superior to Sakka too?"

The Mahathera answered: "That Sakka, madam, is like a young samanera who carries my bowl and other articles. When our Master, the Exalted Buddha, descended from the Tavatimsa abode to the human world after his teaching of the Abhidhamma there, Sakka came along carrying the Master's bowl and robe." The mother asked again: "Who is he that came shinning immediately after Sakka's visit?" "Madam:" answered the Mahathera, "the one who came last is Mahabrahma, your God and Master." "Dear son, are you also superior to Mahabrahma, our God?"

Then the Mahathera said: "Oh, yes, madam! On the day our Teacher, the Exalted Buddha, was born, four Mahabrahmas, not just one, came and received the Bodhisatta, the Supreme One, with a gold net.

Mother's attainment of spirituality.

Then the mother reflected: "What I have seen now is my son's magnificence. I wonder how the magnificence of my son's Master, the Exalted Buddha, would like? It must indeed be inestimable!" While she was thus wondering, the five kinds of joy (piti,) occurred to her and pervaded her whole body. The Mahathera perceived: "Now joy and happiness (piti somanassa) has occurred to my mother. This is a very suitable occasion for me to give a Dhamma-talk to her." So he asked: "Madam, what are you thinking about?" "I am wondering, son, that what I have seen now is my son's magnificence and what your Master's would, like, for it must be inestimable." Then the Mahathera explained: "Madam, when our Master, the Exalted One, was born, when he gave up the world, when he gained Enlightenment and when he delivered the First Sermon of Dhammacakka, the system of ten thousand worlds trembled roaringly. There is none in the world who equals our Master in such virtues as morality, mental concentration, wisdom, emancipation and insight through emancipation. For these reasons, he is the possessor of such attributes as Araham, and Sammasambuddha" With this introductory speech, Sariputta Mahathera gave a Dhamma-talk expounding elaborately the attributes of the Buddha.

At the end of the sermon of her beloved eldest son, the mother was established in Sotapatti-phala and said reprovingly: "My dear son Sariputta, why did you fail to give me such wonderfully substantial happiness? Why did you have the heart to do like this?" Thinking "I have paid my debt of gratitude to my mother for my birth. Sotapattiphala is good enough for her," the Mahathera sent her away, saying "Go, madam!" Then he asked his brother Cunda about the time. When the reply was "Almost daybreak", the Mahathera called a meeting of monks; and when Cunda informed him that the monks had been assembled, he asked Cunda to help him sit up.

The Mahathera apologetically addressed the assembly: "Friends, if there is any unpleasant deed or word on my part while you were wandering along with me for forty-four years, kindly forgive me." The assembly of monks replied: "Venerable Sir, during our wandering with you without deserting you for forty-four years, we saw no unpleasant deed or word of yours. In fact, it is you, Venerable Sir, who are to forgive us." When they had said apologetic words, he gathered his robe and covered his face and lay on his right side. Like the Buddha, he entered upon the nine Jhanas that were to be taken up serially; he was absorbed in them progressively and then regressively; again he proceeded in his absorption from the First Jhana up to the Fourth Jhana Immediately after his emergence from the Fourth Jhana, the Mahathera attained Khandha-Parinibbana, Complete Extinction of the physical and mental aggregates occurring through Anupadisesa element, the element of Nibbana without any remnants of the aggregates, causing immediately the great earth to roar echoingly.

Being aware that her son did not say a word and wondering what had happened to her son, the mother RupasariBrahmin lady enquired by running her hands on the dorsum of the foot and felt, and she came to know well that her son had attained Parinibbana. So making a loud noise, she touched the Mahathera's feet with her head and cried, uttering: "Dear son, we did not know of your virtues previously. Now we have no opportunity to invite hundreds of thousands of monks, with you at their head, to my house for feeding! There is no chance to offer you robes! No occasion to have hundreds of dwellings built!" Thus she wailed till dawn. As soon as dawn came, the mother summoned gold smiths, had the treasuries opened and gold bars weighed with a huge pair of scales and handed them over to the goldsmiths, ordering: "Brothers, make with this gold bullion five hundred spired halls and five hundred pavilions."

Sakka too called Visukamma Deva and commanded him: "Friend Visukamma, the Captain of the Dhamma, Sariputta Mahathera, has attained Parinibbana. Create five hundred spired halls and five hundred pavilions of gold." Visukamma created them all under Sakka's command. In this way there were five hundred spired structures and five hundred pavilions caused to be built by the mother and another five hundred spired halls and another five hundred pavilions created by Visuakamma, totalling two thousand golden structures.

Thereafter a large hall was built with a big golden pinnacle in the middle at the centre of the Nalaka village and other pinnacles were made for lesser halls. Then took place the ceremony for funeral rites. In this ceremony Devas mingled with humans and humans with Devas and thus they all paid homage to the remains of the Mahathera, making the ceremony more crowded.

The story of Revatithe female devotee.

The Mahathera's female devotee, Revatiby name, came to the funeral having three golden vases made to honour her Master. At that moment Sakka too came to the human world with the intention to do honour to the Mahathera and with him were divine dancing girls as his companions, numbering two crores and five million. Learning of Sakka's visit, people turned back and moved away. In the crowd was Revatiwho also tried to move back like others, but as she was heavy with child, she could not get to a safe place and fell down in the midst of the people. Not seeing her the people trod on her and went away. Revatidied on the spot and was reborn in a golden mansion in Tavatimsa. Instantly she had a body about three gavutas, resembling a huge gem stone. Her ornaments were about the load of sixty carts and her retinue of divine maids were a thousand in number.

Then the maids place a big mirror in front of her. When she saw her luxuries she pondered: "This wealth is great indeed! What kind of good works have I done?" And this led her to know thus:"I paid homage to the Mahathera Sariputta with three golden vases. The people stepped on me and got away. I died on the spot and took instant rebirth in this Tavatimsa. I shall tell the people clearly of the result of my wholesome deeds done to the Mahathera. So she came down in her own flying mansion to the realm of human beings.

Seeing the golden mansion from a distance, the people were amazed wondering: "What is the matter? Are there two suns rising brightly?" While they were thus talking, the big mansion came near, and showed up its shape. Then they said: "This is not a sun. It is a gigantic gold mansion!" While the people were saying among themselves, the golden mansion came nearer in a moment and halted in the sky just above the funeral pyre of fragrant wood piled up to burn the remains of the Mahathera. The goddess Revatileft the mansion in the sky and came down to the earth. "Who are you?" asked the people and Revatireplied: "Do not you know me? I am Revatiby name. After honouring the Mahathera with three golden vases, I was trodden on by the people to death and was reborn in Tavatimsa. Behold my fortune and splendour. You too now give alms. Do other acts of merit as well." Thus she spoke in praise of the beneficial results of good works, she paid homage and circumambulated the funeral pyre by keeping it at her right; she then went back home to her divine abode of Tavatimsa. (This is the story of Revati.)

Conveyance of the relics to Savatthi by Cunda.

Having performed the funeral rites for seven days, the people made a heap of fragrant wood, its height measuring ninety-nine cubits, They put the Mahathera's remains on the fragrant wooden heap and lighted it with wisps of fragrant grass. On the site where the cremation took place a Dhamma-talk was given throughout the night. At day-break the Venerable Anuruddha Mahathera extinguished the fire of the funeral pyre with scented water. The Mahathera Sariputta's young brother Cunda Thera put the relics in the water filter, and thinking, I must not stay here now in this Nalaka village. I shall report the attainment of Parinibbana by my older brother Sariputta Mahathera, the Captain of the Dhamma, to the Exalted One." So he took the water-filter containing the relies and collected the Mahathera's requisites such as bowl, robe, etc., and went to Savatthi. He spent only one night, not two nights, at each stage of his journey and duly reached Savatthi.

Then Cunda Thera bathed in the lake near the Jetavana monastery, came up to the shore and put on his robes properly. He reflected: "Buddha are great personalities to be respected like a stone umbrella. They are diffictllt to approach like a snake with its erected hood or like a lion, tiger or an elephant in must I dare not go straight to the Exalted One to inform him. Whom should I approach first?" Reflecting thus he remembered his preceptor: "My preceptor, the custodian of the Dhamma, the Venerable Ananda Mahathera, is a very close good friend of my brother. I shall go to him and relate the matter and then shall I take him with me and speak with the Exalted One." So he went to Ananda Mahathera, paid respect to him and sat down at a proper place. And he said to Ananda Mahathera:"Venerable Sir; Sariputta Mahathera has attained Parinibbana. This is his bowl and this his robe, and this the water-filter containing his relics. Thus he presented one article after another while speaking to Ananda Mahathera. (It should be noted that Cunda Thera did not go straight to the Buddha but to Ananda Thera first, because he had profound respect for the Buddha as well as for his preceptor.)

Then Ananda Mahathera said: "My friend Cunda, we have some verbal excuse to see the Exalted One. Come, friend Cunda, let us go. Let us approach the Exalted One and tell him of the matter." So saying ƒnanda Mahathera took Cunda Thera and they went to the Buddha, paid respect to him, took their proper seats. Thereafter the Venerable Ananda said to the Buddha:

"Exalted Buddha, this Thera Cunda who has been known as a novice (saman'uddesa) has informed me that the Venerable Sariputta has attained Parinibbana". This is the' Mahathera's bowl, this his robe and this his water-filter with the relics.

So saying Ananda Mahathera handed over the water-filter to the Buddha.

The Buddha stretched out his hand to receive the water-filter and placed it on his palm and addressed the monks:

"Monks, my dear sons, fifteen days ago Sariputta performed a number of miracles and sought my permission to enter Parinibbana. Now only his bodily relics remain which are as white as the newly polished conch shell.

Monks, that monk Sariputta was one who had fulfilled Paramis for an asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons. He was the individual who turned the Wheel of the Dhamma that had been turned by me previously or one who had taught the Wheel of the Law that had been taught by me. Marvellously did he occupy the place that was next to mine.

That monk Sariputta caused the Savaka sannipata, the assembly of Disciples, with his presence extremely well. (The Savaka-sannipata emerged on the day he became an Arahant.) Leaving me aside he was peerless in possessing wisdom throughout the jatikhetta, the system often thousand worlds."

"That monk Sariputta was of great wisdom, of vast wisdom, of active wisdom, of quick wisdom, of sharp wisdom, and of wisdom destructive to kilesa (passion), of few wants, easily contented, free from nivaranas (hindrances), unmixed with people, highly energetic; he admonishes others by pointing out their faults, condemns evil deeds and evil doers regardless of their social positions."

"Dear monks, (a) that monk Sariputta embraced asceticism after renouncing his great wealth in five hundred existences; (b) that monk Sariputta had forbearance that was as mighty as the great earth; (c) that monk Sariputta was least conceited as a horn-broken bull; (d) that monk Sariputta was humble-minded as a beggar's son."

"Dear monks, behold the relics of Sariputta who was of great wisdom! Behold the relics of Sariputta who was of vast wisdom, of active wisdom, of quick wisdom, of sharp wisdom, of wisdom penetrative to kilesa, of few wants, easily contented, free from nivaranas, unmixed with people, highly energetic; he admonished others by pointing out their faults, condemned evil deeds and evil doers regardless of their social positions!" (After uttering thus in prose, the Buddha went on to speak the following verses:)

Yo pabbaji jatisatani panca pahaya kamani manoramani, Tam vitaragam susamahit'indriyam parinibbutam vandatha Sariputtam (1)

O my dear sons, monks! That noble monk named Sariputta unflinchingly and completely discarded sense pleasure that could delight the foolish mind; he adopted an ascetic life with great faith for five hundred existences. To that noble monk named Sariputta who now has totally cut off craving and passion, whose sense-faculties were well restrained, who has attained Parinibbana and ceased suffering, bow your heads in homage with your faith respectful and conceit destroyed.

Khantibalo pathavisamo na kuppati na ca'pi cittassa vasena vattati. Anukampako karuniko ca nibbuto parinibbutam vandatha Sariputtam. (2)

O my dear sons, monks! That noble monk named Sariputta had great forbearance as his strength; resembling the great earth he showed no anger to others; never yielded to the whims of the unstable mind; he looked after many beings with loving-kindness he was immensely compassionate; he quenched the heat of kilesa. To him, who has attained Parinibbana and ceased suffering bow your heads in homage with your faith respectul and conceit destroyed.

Candalaputto yatha nagaram pavittho nicamano carati kalopihattho Tatha ayam vicarati Sariputto parinibbutam vandatha Sariputtam. (3)

O my dear sons, monks! Just as the son of a poor beggar who enters towns and villages, looking for food with a worn out cup made of bamboo strips in his hand, wanders without conceit but humble-minded, even so this noble monk named Sariputta wandered knowing no pride but in all humility. To him, who has attained Parinibbana and ceased suffering, bow your heads in homage with your faith respectful and conceit destoryed.

Usabho yatha chinnavisanako ahethayanto carati purantare vane. Tatha ayam viharati Sariputto parinibbutam vandatha Sariputtam. (4)

"O my dear sons, monks! Just as the horn-broken bull wanders in towns, and villages and forests, absolutely harmless to other beings, even so the noble monk named Sariputta wandered doing no halm to others and lived in harmony with four postures of lying, sitting, standing and walking. To him, who has attained Parinibbana and ceased suffering bow your heads in homage with faith respectful and conceit destroyed.

Beginning thus the Buddha praised the virtues of the Venerable Sariputta Mahathera in five hundred verses.

The more the Buddha praised in all manner the Mahathera's virtues, the greater Ananda Thera's helplessness. As a chicken near a cat's mouth trembles, so does the Venerable Ananda helplessly tremble Accordingly he asked the Buddha:

"Exalted Buddha, having heard of the Mahathera Sariputta's Parinibbana, I feel as though my body becomes stiff, the directions blur my eyes, the Dhamma does not manifest itself to me. (I am not inclined to learn any unlearnt Dhamma-texts nor am I interested to recite what I have learnt.)"

Then in order to cheer him up the Buddha said as follows:

"My dear Ananda, does Sariputta attain Parinibbana taking with him the aggregate of your sila virtues or taking with him the aggregate of samadhi virtues, panna virtues, vimutti virtues, vimuttinana-dassana virtues?"

Thereupon Ananda Mahathera replied:

"Exalted Buddha, the Venerable Sariputta does not attain Parinibbana, taking the aggregate of my sila virtues, my samadhi virtues, panna virtues, vimutti virtues, or vimuttinana-dassana virtues.

In fact, Exalted Buddha, the Venerable Mahathera exhorted me, made me plunge into the Dhamma, made me understand the Dhamma, made me set up the Dhamma; he made me become ardent and happy to practise the Dhamma, he was anxious to preach to me; he showed favour to his co-residents, I always remember his Dhamma influence, his Dhamma instruments and his righteous support."

The Buddha knowing that the Thera Ananda was really in great distress, said to him as follows, for he desired to abate his sorrowful feelings:

"My dear Ananda, have not I talked to you long before about separation from one's beloved while alive (nanabhava), separation by death (vinabhava) and separation being in different existences (annathabhava)? Dear Ananda, herein how would it be possible to wish that something having the nature of newly coming to life, clearly coming into existence and being subject to conditioning and destruction should not pass away? Indeed there is no such possibility!"

"My dear Ananda, while a big substantial tree is standing, its largest branch might come to destruction; similarly, while the community of worthy monks is existing, Sariputta ceases to live Herein how would it be possible to wish that somehting having the nature of newly coming to live, clearly coming into existence and being subject to conditioning and destruction should not pass away? Indeed there is no such possibility.

"My dear Ananda, live not by depending on others but by depending on yourself. Live not by relying on other doctrines but by relying on the supramundane ones!" "My dear Ananda, how should a monk live not by depending on others but by depending on himself? How should one live not relying on other doctrines but by relying on supremundane ones?"

"My dear Ananda, in this dispensation a monk lives, eradicating craving and grief that tend to appear in the world, by putting strong efforts, by reflecting, by being mindful, by repeatedly seeing the body as the body. By putting strong efforts, by reflecting, by being mindful, (one lives, eradicating [ 57 ] craving and grief that tends to appear in the world), by repeatedly seeing feelings as the feelings, by repeatedly seeing the mind as the mind,... by repeatedly seeing phenomena as phenomena."

"My dear Ananda, in this way a monk lives not by depending on others but by depending on himself. He lives not by relying on other doctrines but by relying on supramundane ones."

"My dear Ananda, if monks at present or after my demise live by not depending on others but by depending on themselves, by not relying on other doctrines but by relying on supramundane ones, all of them will become noblest (Arahants) indeed among those who take the three trainings favourable."

Speaking him this way the Buddha gave some relief to the Venerable Ananda. Thereafter he had the bone relics of the Venerable Sariputta enshrined in a cetiya in the city of Savatthi.

This is an account of Sariputta Mahathera's attainment of Parinibbana.

Moggalana Mahathera's attainment of Parinibbana.

After having the relics of Sariputta Mahathera enshrined in a cetiya in Savatthi as has been said, the Buddha gave a hint to Ananda Mahathera that he would travel to Savatthi. Ananda Mahathera then informed the monks of the Buddha's proposed journey to that city. In the company of a large number of monks, the Buddha set out from Savatthi to Rajagaha and took residence in the Veluvana monastery.

(Herein the Buddha attained Enlightenment on the full-moon day of Vesakha (April-May). On the first waxing day of Magha the Thera Sariputta and Moggalana joined the Samgha and on the seventh day the Venerable Moggalana attained Arahantship. On the fifteenth day, the full moon of Magha, did Sariputta become an Arahant.

(On the full moon day of Kattika (October-November) of the year 148 Maha Era, the day the Buddha completed 45 vassas and the two Chief Disciples 44 vassas, the Venerable Sariputta attained Parinibbana at his native village Nalaka. It should be noted briefly in advance that the Venerable Moggalana did the same at the Kalasila stone slab on Mount Isigili, Rajagaha, on the new-moon day of that month of Kattika. The account of Sariputta Mahathera's attainment of Parinibbana has been given. Now comes that of Moggalana Mahathera's as follows:)

While the Buddha was staying at the Veluvana monastery of Rajagaha, the Mahathera Maha Moggalana was sojourning at the stone slab named Kalasila on Mount Isigili.

As the Mahathera was at the height of his super normal powers, he used to travel to the realm of Devas as well as to that of Ussada hell. After himself seeing the great enjoyment of divine luxuries by the Buddha's followers in Deva world and the great suffering of heretical disciples in Ussada, he came back to the human world and told the people that such and such a male or female donor was reborn in Deva world, enjoying great luxuries but among the followers of heretics such and such a man or a woman landed in a certain hell. People therefore showed their faith in the Buddha's teaching but avoid heretics. For the Buddha and his disciples the people's honour and hospitality increased whereas those for the heretics decreased day by day.

So the latter conceived a grudge against the Mahathera Maha Moggalana. They discussed and decided, saying, "If this monk Moggalana lives longer our attendants and donors might disappear and our gains might diminish gradually. Let us have him killed." Accordingly they paid a thousand coins to a chief robber called Samanaguttaka for putting the noble Mahathera to death.

With the intention to kill the Mahathera the chief robber Samanaguttaka went accompanied by a large number of robbers to Kalasila. When the Mahathera saw him, he evaded flying into the air by means of his supernormal powers. Not finding the Mahathera the chief robber came back that day and went there again the next day. The Mahathera evaded in the same way. Thus six days had elapsed.

On the seventh day, however, his misdeed done in the past, the aparapariya akusalakamma, got its chance to have its effect. The aparapariya unwholesome deed of the Mahathera will be dealt with as follows:

In one of his former existences when he was unexperienced, wrongly following the slanderous words of his wife, he wished to kill his parents; so he took them in a small vehicle (cart) to the forest and pretending to encounter the plunder by robbers, he attacked his parents. Being unable to see who attacked them because of their blindness and believing that the attacker was the real robber, cried for the sake of their son saying, "Dear son, these robbers are striking us. Run away, dear son to safety!"

With remorse he said to himself: "Though I myself beat them, my parents cried worrying about me. I have done a wrong thing!" So he stopped attacking them and making them believe that the robbers were gone, he stroked his parents' arms and legs and said: "O mother and father fear not. The robbers have fled." Taking his parents, he went home.

Having no chance to show its effect for a long time, has evil deed remained like a live charcoal covered by ash and now in his last existence it came in time to seize upon and hurt him. A worldly simile may be given as follows: when a hunter sees a deer, he sends his dog for the deer, and the dog following the deer, catches up at the right place and bites the prey. In the same way, the evil deed done by the Mahathera had now got its chance to show its result and did so in this existence of the Mahathera. Never has there been any person who escapes the result of his evil deed that finds its opportunity to show up at an opportune moment.

Knowing full well of his being caught and bitten by his own evil deed, the Venerable Mahathera was unable to get away by his supernormal power at the seventh attempt, the power that had been strong enough to make the Naga King Nandopananda tamed and to make the Vejayanta palace tremble. As a result of his past wickedness he could not fly into the air. His power that had enabled to defeat the Naga King and to make the Vejayanta tremble had now become weak because of his former highly atrocious act.

The chief robber Samanaguttaka arrested the Mahathera, hit him and pounded him so that the bones broke to pieces like broken rice, After doing this deed known as palalapithika (pounding the bones to dust so they become something like a ring of straw used as a cushion to put something on; it was a kind of cruelty.) After so doing and thinking that the Mahathera was dead, the chief robber threw the body on a bush and departed together with his men.

Becoming conscious the Mahathera thought of seeing the Buddha before his demise and having fastened his pounded body with the bandage of his psychic powers he rose up into the sky and went to the Buddha by air and paid homage to the Master. Thereafter the following conversation took place between the Mahathera and the Buddha;

Mahathera: Exalted Buddha, I have given up the control of my life process (ayusankhara). I am going to attain Parinibbana.

Buddha: Are you going to do so, my dear son Moggalana?

Mahathera: Yes, I am, Venerable Sir.

Buddha: Where will you go and do that?

Mahathera: At the place where Kalasila stone slab is, Exalted Buddha.

Buddha: In that case, dear son Moggalana, give me a Dhamma-talk to me before you go. I will not have another opportunity to see a Disciple like you.

When the Buddha said thus, the noble Mahathera, replying, "Yes, Exalted Buddha, I shall obey you," paid homage to the Buddha and flew up into the air up to the height of a toddy palm tree, then that of two palm trees and in this way he rose up to the height of seven trees, and as the Venerable Sariputta had done before on the day of his Parinibbana, he displayed various miracles and spoke of the Dhamma to the Buddha. After paying homage respectfully, he went to the forest where Kalasila was and attained Parinibbana.

At that very moment a tumult arose in all six planes of Deva worlds. Talking among themselves, "Our Master Mahathera Moggalana is said to have attained Parinibbana." Devas and Brahmas brought divine unguents, flowers, fragrance, smoke and sandalwood powder as well as various fragrant divine firewood. The height of the funeral pyre made of sandalwood was ninety-nine cubits. The Buddha himself came together with his monks and standing near the remains supervised the funeral arrangements and had the cremation conducted.

On a yojana-vast environs of the funeral site fell a rain of flowers. At the funeral ceremony there were human beings moving about among Devas and Devas moving about among human beings in due course, among Devas stood demons; among demons Gandhabba Devas, among Gandhabba Devas Nagas, among Nagas Garulas, among Garulas Kinnaras, among Kinnaras umbrellas, among umbrellas fans made of golden camar; (yak) tail, among those fans round banners, and among round banners were flat ones. Devas and humans held the funeral ceremony for seven days.

The Buddha had the relics of the Mahathera brought and a cetiya built in which the relics were enshrined near the gateway of the Veluvana monastery.

Murderers punished.

The news of the murder of MahaMoggalana Mahathera spread throughout the whole Jambudipa. King Ajatasattu sent detectives to all places to investigate and arrest the murderous robbers. While the murderers were drinking at a liquor shop one of them provokingly slapped down the liquor cup of another fellow. Then the provoked man said to pick a quarrel, "Hey, you wretched one, a stubborn fellow! Why did you do that and make my cup fall to the ground?" Then the first man annoyingly asked: "Hey, you scoundrel! How was it? Did you dare to hurt the Mahathera first?" "Hey, you evil one! Did not you know that it was I who first and foremost did harm to the monk?" the other man defiantly retorted.

Hearing the men saying among themselves "It was I who did the killing. It was I who murdered him!" the king's officers and detectives seized all the murderers and reported (to King Ajatasattu) on the matter. The king summoned them and asked: "Did you kill the Venerable Maha Moggalana?" "Yes, we did, Great King," the men replied admitting. "Who asked you to do so?" "Great King, those naked heretics did by giving us money," The men confessed.

The king had all the five hundred naked heretics caught and buried together with the murderers in the pit navel-deep in the the courtyard. They were covered with straw and burnt to death. When it was certain that they all had been burnt, they were cut to pieces by ploughing over them with a plough fixed with iron spikes.

(Herein the account of Maha Moggalana Thera's attainment is taken from the exposition of the Sarabhanga Jataka of the Cattalisa Nipata; that of the punishment of the murderers from the exposition of Maha Moggalana Vatthu of the Dhammapada Commentary.)

Concerning the fact that the Buddha himself supervised the funeral of the Mahathera Moggalana, the monks in the Dhamma-hall remarked: "Friends, since Sariputta Mahathera's Parinibbana did not take place near the Buddha he did not receive the Buddha's honour. On the other hand MahaMoggalana received it because he attained Parinibbana in the neighbourhood of the Buddha. When the Buddha came and asked the monks what they were talking about, they gave the answer. The Buddha then said: "Monks, Moggalana was honoured by me not only in this life but also in the past." The Buddha told them the Sarabhanga Jataka of the Cattalisa Nipata. (The detailed account of the Sarabhanga Jataka may be taken from the the Five Hundred and Fifty Jataka Stories.)

Soon after the Parinibbana of the two Chief Disciples the Buddha went on a great circular (Mahamandala) tour in the company of monks and reached the town of Ukkacela where he made his alms-round, and delivered the Ukkacela Sutta on the sand banks of the Ganga. (The full text of the Sutta may be read in the Mahavagga Samyutta.

This is the story is of the two Chief Disciples.