CHAPTER 7
THE TEACHING OF THE DHAMMA
"Happy is the birth of Buddhas. Happy is the
teaching of the sublime Dhamma.
Happy is the unity of the Sangha. Happy is the discipline of
the united ones."
-- DHAMMAPADA
The Conversion of Yasa and His Friends
In Benares there was a millionaire's son, named Yasa, who led a
luxurious life. One morning he rose early and, to his utter disgust, saw
his female attendants and musicians asleep in repulsive attitudes. The
whole spectacle was so disgusting that the palace presented the gloomy
appearance of a charnel house. Realizing the vanities of worldly life, he
stole away from home, saying "Distressed am I, oppressed am I," and went
in the direction of Isipatana where the Buddha was temporarily residing
after having made the five Bhikkhus attain Arahantship.[1]
At that particular time the Buddha, as usual, was pacing up and down in an
open space. Seeing him coming from afar, the Buddha came out of His
ambulatory and sat on a prepared seat. Not far from Him stood Yasa,
crying -- "O distressed am I! Oppressed am I!"
Thereupon the Buddha said – "Here there is no distress, O Yasa!
Here there is no oppression, O Yasa! Come hither, Yasa! Take
a seat. I shall expound the Dhamma to you."
The distressed Yasa was pleased to hear the encouraging words of
the Buddha. Removing his golden sandals, he approached the Buddha,
respectfully saluted Him and sat on one side.
The Buddha expounded the doctrine to him, and he attained the first stage
of Sainthood (Sotāpatti).
At first the Buddha spoke to him on generosity (dāna), morality
(sīla), celestial states (sagga), the evils of sensual
pleasures (kāmādinava), the blessings of renunciation (nekkhammānisamsa).
When He found that his mind was pliable and was ready to appreciate
the deeper teaching He taught the Four Noble Truths.
Yasa's mother was the first to notice the absence of her son and
she reported the matter to her husband. The millionaire immediately
dispatched horsemen in four directions and he himself went towards
Isipatana, following the imprint of the golden slippers. The Buddha saw
him coming from afar and, by His psychic powers, willed that he should not
be able to see his son.
The millionaire approached the Buddha and respectfully inquired whether He
had seen his son Yasa.
"Well, then, sit down here please. You would be able to see your son,"
said the Buddha. Pleased with the happy news, he sat down. The Buddha
delivered a discourse to him, and he was so delighted that he exclaimed:
"Excellent, O Lord, excellent! It is as if, Lord, a man were to set
upright that which was overturned, or were to reveal that which was
hidden, or were to point out the way to one who had gone astray, or were
to hold a lamp amidst the darkness, so that those who have eyes may see!
Even so has the doctrine been expounded in various ways by the Exalted
One.
"I, Lord, take refuge in the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Order. May the
Lord receive me as a follower, who has taken refuge from this very day to
life's end!"
He was the first lay follower to seek refuge with the threefold formula.
On hearing the discourse delivered to his father, Yasa attained
Arahantship. Thereupon the Buddha withdrew His will-power so that
Yasa's father may be able to see his son. The millionaire beheld his
son and invited the Buddha and His disciples for alms on the following
day. The Buddha expressed His acceptance of the invitation by His silence.
After the departure of the millionaire Yasa begged the Buddha to
grant him the Lesser
[2] and the Higher
Ordination.
"Come, O Bhikkhus! Well taught is the Doctrine. Lead the Holy Life to make
a complete end of suffering." With these words the Buddha conferred on him
the Higher Ordination.[3]
With the Venerable Yasa the number of Arahants increased to six.
As invited, the Buddha visited the millionaire's house with His six
disciples.
Venerable Yasa's mother and his former wife heard the doctrine
expounded by the Buddha and, having attained the first stage of Sainthood,
became His first two lay female followers.
[4]
Venerable Yasa had four distinguished friends named Vimala,
Subāhu, Punnaji and Gavampati. When they heard that their noble
friend shaved his hair and beard, and, donning the yellow robe, entered
the homeless life, they approached Venerable Yasa and expressed
their desire to follow his example. Venerable Yasa introduced them
to the Buddha, and, on hearing the Dhamma, they also attained Arahantship.
Fifty more worthy friends of Venerable Yasa, who belonged to
leading families of various districts, also receiving instructions from
the Buddha, attained Arahantship and entered the Holy Order.
Hardly two months had elapsed since His Enlightenment when the number of
Arahants gradually rose to sixty. All of them came from distinguished
families and were worthy sons of worthy fathers.
The First Messengers of Truth (Dhammadūta)
The Buddha who, before long, succeeded in enlightening sixty disciples,
decided to send them as messengers of Truth to teach His new Dhamma to all
without any distinction. Before dispatching them in various directions He
exhorted them as follows:
[5]
"Freed am I, O Bhikkhus, from all bonds, whether divine or human.
"You, too, O Bhikkhus, are freed from all bonds, whether divine or human.
"Go forth, O Bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the
many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, benefit, and
happiness of gods
[6] and men. Let not
two go by one way: Preach, O Bhikkhus, the Dhamma, excellent in the
beginning, excellent in the middle, excellent in the end, both in the
spirit and in the letter. Proclaim the Holy Life,
[7] altogether
perfect and pure.
"There are beings with little dust in their eyes, who, not hearing the
Dhamma, will fall away. There will be those who understand the Dhamma."
"I too, O Bhikkhus, will go to Uruvelā in Senānigāma, in order to preach
the Dhamma."
"Hoist the Flag of the Sage. Preach the Sublime Dhamma. Work for the good
of others, you who have done your duties."
[8]
The Buddha was thus the first religious teacher to send His enlightened
ordained disciples to propagate the doctrine out of compassion for others.
With no permanent abode, alone and penniless, these first missioners were
expected to wander from place to place to teach the sublime Dhamma. They
had no other material possessions but their robes to cover themselves and
an alms-bowl to collect food. As the field was extensive and the workers
were comparatively few they were advised to undertake their missionary
journeys alone. As they were Arahants who were freed from all sensual
bonds their chief and only object was to teach the Dhamma and proclaim the
Holy Life (Brahmacariya). The original role of Arahants, who
achieved their life's goal, was to work for the moral upliftment of the
people both by example and by precept. Material development, though
essential, was not their concern.
Founding of the Order of the Sangha
At that time there were sixty Arahant disciples in the world. With these
Pure Ones as the nucleus the Buddha founded a celibate Order which "was
democratic in constitution and communistic in distribution." The original
members were drawn from the highest status of society and were all
educated and rich men, but the Order was open to all worthy ones,
irrespective of caste, class or rank. Both young and old belonging to all
the castes, were freely admitted into the Order and lived like brothers of
the same family without any distinction. This Noble Order of Bhikkhus,
which stands to this day, is the oldest historic body of celibates in the
world.
All were not expected to leave the household and enter the homeless life.
As lay followers, too, they were able to lead a good life in accordance
with the Dhamma and attain Sainthood. Venerable Yasa's parents and
his former wife, for instance, were the foremost lay followers of the
Buddha.
All the three were sufficiently spiritually advanced to attain the first
stage of Sainthood.
With the sixty Arahants, as ideal messengers of Truth, the Buddha decided
to propagate His sublime Dhamma, purely by expounding the doctrine to
those who wish to hear.
Conversion of Thirty Young Men
The Buddha resided at Isipatana in Benares as long as He liked and went
towards Uruvelā. On the way He sat at the foot of a tree in a
grove.
At that time thirty happy young men went with their wives to this
particular grove to amuse themselves. As one of them had no wife he took
with him a courtesan. While they were enjoying themselves this woman
absconded with their valuables. The young men searched for her in the
forest, and, seeing the Buddha, inquired of Him whether He saw a woman
passing that way.
"Which do you think, young men, is better; seeking a woman or seeking
oneself?"
[9] questioned the
Buddha.
"Seeking oneself is better, O Lord! replied the young men.
"Well, then, sit down. I shall preach the doctrine to you," said the
Buddha.
"Very well, Lord," they replied, and respectfully saluting the Exalted
One, sat expectantly by.
They attentively listened to Him and obtained "The Eye of Truth."
[10]
After this they entered the Order and received the Higher Ordination.
Conversion of the Three Kassapa Brothers
Wandering from place to place, in due course, the Buddha arrived at
Uruvelā. Here lived three (Jatila) ascetics with matted hair known
as Uruvela Kassapa, Nadī Kassapa, and
Gayā Kassapa.
They were all brothers living separately with
500, 300 and 200 disciples respectively. The eldest was infatuated by his
own spiritual attainments and was labouring under a misconception that he
was an Arahant. The Buddha approached him first and sought his permission
to spend the night in his fire-chamber where dwelt a fierce serpent-king.
By His psychic powers the Buddha subdued the serpent. This pleased
Uruvela Kassapa and he invited the Buddha to stay there as his guest.
The Buddha was compelled to exhibit His psychic powers on several other
occasions to impress the ascetic, but still he adhered to the belief, that
the Buddha was not an Arahant as he was. Finally the Buddha was able to
convince him that he was an Arahant. Thereupon he and his followers
entered the Order and obtained the Higher Ordination.
His brothers and their followers also followed his example. Accompanied by
the three Kassapa brothers and their thousand followers, the Buddha
repaired to Gayā Sīsa, not far from Uruvelā. Here He preached the
Āditta-Pariyāya Sutta, hearing which all attained Arahantship.
*
Āditta-Pariyāya
Sutta -- Discourse on "All in Flames"
"All in flames, O Bhikkhus! What, O Bhikkhus,
is all in flames?
Eye is in flames. Forms are in flames. Eye-consciousness is in flames.
Eye-contact is in flames. Feeling which is pleasurable or painful, or
neither pleasurable nor painful, arising from eye-contact is in flames. By
what is it kindled? By the flames of lust, hatred, ignorance, birth,
decay, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair is it
kindled, I declare.
Reflecting thus, O Bhikkhus, the learned Ariya disciple gets disgusted
with the eye, the forms, the eye-consciousness, the eye-contact, whatever
feeling -- pleasurable, painful, or neither pleasurable nor painful --
that arises from contact with the eye. He gets disgusted with the ear,
sounds, nose, odours, tongue, tastes, body, contact, mind, mental objects,
mind-consciousness, mind contacts, whatever feeling -- pleasurable,
painful or neither pleasurable nor painful -- that arises from contact
with the mind. With disgust he gets detached; with detachment he is
delivered. He understands that birth is ended, lived the Holy Life, done
what should be done, and that there is no more of this state again."
When the Buddha concluded this discourse all the Bhikkhus attained
Arahantship, eradicating all Defilements.
*
Conversion of Sāriputta and Moggallāna, the
two Chief Disciples
Not far from Rājagaha in the village Upatissa,
also known as Nālaka, there lived a very intelligent youth named
Sāriputta (-- son of Sāri).
Since he belonged to the leading family of the village, he was also called
Upatissa.
Though nurtured in Brahmanism, his broad outlook on life and matured
wisdom compelled him to renounce his ancestral religion for the more
tolerant and scientific teachings of the Buddha Gotama. His brothers and
sisters followed his noble example. His father, Vanganta,
apparently adhered to the Brahmin faith. His mother, who was displeased
with the son for having become a Buddhist, was converted to Buddhism by
himself at the moment of his death.
Upatissa was brought up in the lap of luxury. He found a very
intimate friend in Kolita, also known as Moggallāna, with whom he was
closely associated from a remote past. One day as both of them were
enjoying a hill-top festival they realized how vain, how transient, were
all sensual pleasures. Instantly they decided to leave the world and seek
the Path of Release. They wandered from place to place in quest of Peace.
The two young seekers went at first to Sañjaya, who had a large
following, and sought ordination under him. Before long they acquired the
meager knowledge which their master imparted to them, but dissatisfied
with his teachings -- as they could not find a remedy for that universal
ailment with which humanity is assailed -- they left him and wandered
hither and thither in search of Peace. They approached many a famous
brahmin and ascetic, but disappointment met them everywhere. Ultimately
they returned to their own village and agreed amongst themselves that
whoever would first discover the Path should inform the other.
It was at that time that the Buddha dispatched His first sixty disciples
to proclaim the sublime Dhamma to the world. The Buddha Himself proceeded
towards Uruvelā, and the Venerable Assaji, one of the first five
disciples, went in the direction of Rājagaha.
The good Kamma of the seekers now intervened, as if watching with
sympathetic eyes their spiritual progress. For Upatissa, while
wandering in the city of Rājagaha, casually met an ascetic whose venerable
appearance and saintly deportment at once arrested his attention. This
ascetic's eyes were lowly fixed a yoke's distance from him, and his calm
face betokened deep peace within him. With body well composed, robes
neatly arranged, this venerable figure passed with measured steps from
door to door, accepting the morsels of food which the charitable placed in
his bowl. Never before have I seen, he thought to himself, an ascetic like
this. Surely he must be one of those who have attained Arahantship or one
who is practising the path leading to Arahantship. How if I were to
approach him and question, "For whose sake, Sire, have you retired from
the world? Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine do you profess?"
Upatissa, however, refrained from questioning him as he thought he
would thereby interfere with his silent begging tour.
The Arahant Assaji, having obtained what little he needed, was
seeking a suitable place to eat his meal. Upatissa seeing this,
gladly availed himself of the opportunity to offer him his own stool and
water from his own pot. Fulfilling thus the preliminary duties of a pupil,
he exchanged pleasant greetings with him and reverently inquired:--
"Venerable Sir, calm and serene are your organs of sense, clean and clear
is the hue of your skin. For whose sake have you retired from the world?
Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine do you profess?"
The unassuming Arahant Assaji modestly replied, as is the
characteristic of all great men -- "I am still young in the Order,
brother, and I am not able to expound the Dhamma to you at length."
"I am Upatissa, Venerable Sir. Say much or little according to your
ability, and it is left to me to understand it in a hundred or thousand
ways".
"Say little or much," Upatissa continued, "tell me just the
substance. The substance only do I require. A mere jumble of words is of
no avail."
The Venerable Assaji uttered a four line stanza, thus skilfully
summing up the profound philosophy of the Master, on the truth of the law
of cause and effect.
Ye dhammā, hetuppabhavā --
tesam hetum tathāgato
Āha tesañ ca yo nirodho --
evam vādī mahā samano.
Of things that proceed from a cause,
Their cause the Tathāgata has told,
And also their cessation:
Thus teaches the Great Ascetic.
Upatissa
was sufficiently enlightened to comprehend such a lofty teaching though
succinctly expressed. He was only in need of a slight indication to
discover the truth. So well did the Venerable Assaji guide him on
his upward path that immediately on hearing the first two lines, he
attained the first stage of Sainthood, Sotāpatti.
The new convert Upatissa must have been, no doubt, destitute of
words to thank to his heart's content his venerable teacher for
introducing him to the sublime teachings of the Buddha. He expressed his
deep indebted-ness for his brilliant exposition of the truth, and
obtaining from him the necessary particulars with regard to the Master,
took his leave.
Later, the devotion he showed towards his teacher was such that since he
heard the Dhamma from the Venerable Assaji, in whatever quarter he
heard that his teacher was residing, in that direction he would extend his
clasped hands in an attitude of reverent obeisance and in that direction
he would turn his head when he lay down to sleep.
Now, in accordance with the agreement, he returned to his companion
Kolita to convey the joyful tidings. Kolita, who was as
enlightened as his friend, also attained the first stage of Sainthood on
hearing the whole stanza. Overwhelmed with joy at their successful search
after Peace, as in duty bound, they went to meet their teacher Sañjaya
with the object of converting him to the new doctrine. Frustrated in
their attempt Upatissa and Kolita, accompanied by many
followers of Sañjaya, who readily joined them, repaired to the
Veluvana monastery to visit their illustrious Teacher, the Buddha.
In compliance with their request, the Buddha admitted both of them into
the Order by the mere utterance of the words -- Etha Bhikkhave!
(Come, O Bhikkhus!).
A fortnight later, the Venerable Sāriputta, attained Arahantship on
hearing the Buddha expound the Vedanā Pariggaha Sutta to the wandering
ascetic Dīghanakha. On the very same day in the evening the Buddha
gathered round Him His disciples and the exalted positions of the first
and second disciples in the Sangha were respectively conferred upon the
Theras Upatissa (Sāriputta) and Kolita (Moggallāna), who
also had attained Arahantship a week earlier.
[1]
This event took place on the fifth day after the delivery of the first
sermon when all the five Bhikkhus had attained Arahantship.
[2] By Pabbajjā,
lit., going forth or renunciation, is meant the mere admission into
the Holy Order by seeking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha.
[3] In the early
days of the Order the Higher Ordination -- Upasampadā --lit.,
replete with a higher morality, was granted with these words. See ch. 14
[4] Upāsaka
(m) upasikā (f.) lit., one who closely associates with the Triple
Gem. These two terms are applied to male and female lay followers of the
Buddha. One becomes an Upāsaka or Upāsikā immediately after
taking the three Refuges, viz:
Buddham saranam gacchāmi -- I seek refuge in the Buddha.
Dhammam saranam gacchāmi -- I seek refuge in the Doctrine.
Sangham saranam gacchāmi -- I seek refuge in the Order.
This is the threefold formula (Tevācika).
[5] Mahāvagga,
pp.19, 20.
[6] Note the
reference to gods (Devas).
[7] The Pāli term
Brahmacariya has no connection whatever with a God or Brahma. It is
used in the sense of noble or holy.
[8] Samussayatha
saddhammam -- desayantā isiddhajam Katakattabbakammantā
-- parattham patipajjatha.
[9] Seeking oneself.
This phrase is very significant. Attānam is the accusative of
atta which means self. Here the Buddha was not referring to any soul
or spirit latent in man as some scholars attempt to show. How could the
Buddha affirm the existence of a soul when He had clearly denied its
existence in His second discourse? The Buddha has used this phrase exactly
in the sense of "seek thyself" or "look within."
[10]
Dhammacakkhu
-- This refers to any of the three lower Paths -- Sotāpatti,
Sakadāgāmi, and Anāgāmi.
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