Story Of The Buddha & Buddhism ( Part 45 - 48 )

Part 45

A general, a fresh convert to Buddhism, offering meals to the Buddha

A General called "Siha" of Vesali was an important lay devotee of the teacher known as Nigantha Nataputta. He heard of the virtues of the three gems namely, the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Order from a gathering of Licchavi princes. Accordingly he asked his teacher to allow him to go to the Buddha, but was not allowed to go. He asked for permission for the second time but it was again refused. On the third occasion, however, without asking for permission he proceeded to where the Buddha was, with many followers in five hundred chariots.

When he came to where the Buddha was he asked the Buddha several questions on points which were not clear to him and was thoroughly satisfied with the answers given. He then said, "I take my refuge, Lord, in the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Order. May the Lord receive me as a disciple who, form this day forth while his life lasts, has taken his refuge in them?". After that the General requested the Buddha to visit his house on the morrow together with his retinue of monks to partake of food. He then, out of a very generous heat, served them with and excellent meal the next morning at his house.

Part 46

Devadatta's plan to get more alms by winning over Ajatasattu

Soon after he had ordained as a monk, Venerable Devadatta practised meditation and attained superhuman power and even the six higher psychic powers. Because he possessed these powers he wanted to become a rival and take the Buddha's place as the leader. Being eager for gain and honour he thought he would achieve his purpose by winning over Prince Ajatasattu, still a youth but with sure prospects of accession to the throne. Devadatta assumed the form of a lad with a girdle of snakes, and terrified Adjatasattu by appearing in his lap. He then comforted the Prince saying, "Oh, Prince, don't get alarmed. I am the person known as Venerable Devadatta"; He then assumed is proper form as a monk with the bowl and robes, and stood in front of the prince. Ajatasattu marveling at the wonder paid him great honour, and sent him 500 dishes daily. Devadatta secured more than enough alms according to his original plan.

Part 47

Prince Ajatasattu ordering that the soles of his father's feet be cut open with a knife

Venerable Devadatta instigated Prince Ajatasattu to kill his father King Bimbisara as he thought that, if the Prince became King in succession to his father, he would be able to take the place of the Buddha. The Prince was of the view that whatever his teacher Devadatta said was good, and was on his way to carry out his plan to murder his father. His father questioned him and the Prince admitted that he plotted to kill him because he wanted to become King. King Bimbisara gave up the throne in his favour.

After that, Venerable Devadatta told him that he would be able to rule without any risk of losing the throne only if his father was no longer alive. Prince Ajatasattu was impressed with this suggestion. But he did not wish to kill his father straightway. So he caused his father to be cast in prison. At first, the Prince's mother, the Queen was permitted to visit the King in person and he could take his meals. But, finally, the Queen was not permitted to visit the King any more, and the King kept himself fit by walking up and down inside the prison. Ajatasattu, however, ordered that the soles of the King's feet be cut open with a knife that he could not walk.

Part 48

King Ajatasattu asking his mother whether his father loved him

King Bimbisara died soon after the soles of his feet had been cut open with a knife. At the same time a son had been born to King Ajatasattu. The courtiers brought two messages: one, about the death of his father and the other about the birth of his son. The first presented him the message about the birth of his son. Love sprang in his heart upon his new-born son, right from the very marrow of his bones. He then began to have sympathy for his father, placing himself in the position of his father with regard to himself when he was a baby.

He, therefore, gave the order:-"Set free my father at once";. But the countries presented to him the message of his father's death, and he regretted very much for his hasty action. He, therefore, went to his mother and asked her, "Mother, did my father love me when I was a baby?"; The Queen Mother then said, "What a question you have asked?"; "When you were young burst inside his mouth and pus came out; even then instead of spitting the matter out he swallowed it lest it would cause you pain by taking the finger out". When she said this, both the mother and the son wept together

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Story Of The Buddha & Buddhism ( Part 41 - 44 )

Part 41

The Buddha preaching to Khema, Queen of King Bimbisara

The daughter of King Maddaraja of Sagala State, by the name of Khema, was one of the queens of King Bimbisara. She was very pretty and being proud of her own beauty, had no wish to go to the Buddha, who was in the habit of preaching that "beauty is but skin deep";. But she heard that Veluvana Park had been greatly improved and was looking so picturesque and pleasant that even gods were attracted by it. She therefore had a strong wish to visit it and went to the park where the Buddha was then in residence. King Bimbisara had told the attendants to see that the Queen should not come back without paying her respects to the Buddha. She dared not disobey the King and approached the Buddha before she left the Park. The Blessed One, with his superhuman power created a scene in which a woman, more handsome than the queen, was fanning him. The woman then becoming older ad older, fell down through infirmity and began to moan. The queen was very much startled by the sight. The Buddha then preached a sermon to her, and she became and Arahant and was admitted into the Holy Order of Nuns.

Part 42

The Buddha preaching the sermon of peace from the air to prevent war between Kapila and Koliya

Rohini river lying between Kapilavatthu and Koliya was the main source of water supply for these two cities to irrigate their lands for growing crops. At one time, when the crops became dry, the farmers from both cities went to draw water from the river when there was very little water and just enough left for them to take once only. A quarrel arose over it and there was an exchange of hot words touching the fair name of the Sakya clan. The Ministers including the one in charge of agriculture became so angry that they decided to settle this matter by battle and both sides sallied forth for a fight.

The Buddha saw, with they eye of a Buddha, that there would be much blood-shed if the relatives of both sides engaged in battle. He, therefore, went alone and sat cross-legged in the air midway between the armed forces of both sides. When they saw the Blessed One in the air, the armed forces of both sides, who were all kinsmen, laid down their arms and paid homage to Him. the Buddha then admonished them by preaching a sermon of peace saying, "Are you going to destroy your priceless lives for the sake of a little bit of worthless water?"

Part 43

The Buddha preaching to Kisa Gotami asking for medicine for her dead son

Kisa Gotami was he wife of a wealthy man of Savatthi worth 40 crores. She had an only son who died when he was just able to run about. She had never seen any death and, thinking that her son was only ill, did not cremate him. In her distress she took him in her arms and went about asking for medicine.

One wise man thought that no one but the Buddha would know of any, and sent her to Him. Kisa Gotami showed her dead son and asked the Buddha to give the medicine that would cure her boy. The Buddha answered: "I shall cure your boy if you get some mustard seeds from a house where no one has died". Carrying her dead son, she wondered from door to door. But she could not find any house where no death had occurred. At last she began to learn the truth, "No house is free from death". She went to a wood, laid her child there and returned to the Buddha, who comforted her by preaching to her the truth. She was established in the first holy stage of the Aryan Path, and was admitted into the Order of Nuns. She eventually became and Arahant.

Part 44

The Buddha taming Alavaka, the demon-god, with a sermon on loving-kindness

There stood a giant banyan tree at a distance of a little more than three miles from Alavi city. Alavaka, the demon-god had his dwelling in that tree. One night Alavaka was attending a meeting of goods at the Himalayas, when the Buddha entered his dwelling in order to tame this cruel monster. The door-keeper of the dwelling, a deity, paying homage to the Buddha, said, "May I go and seek permission from Alavaka for you to enter his dwelling?"; So saying, he went to the meeting of gods to get the permission.

At that moment, Alavaka who had to keep his anger in check became furious when he heard form other gods about the arrival of the Buddha at his dwelling. He left the meeting at once and jumped on to the dizzy heights of Kelasa Mountain, and shouted out this challenge: "Alavaka am I!"; Then throughout the night he flung all sorts of weapons at the Blessed One who was not hurt at all because of his infinite power of loving-kindness. Then Alavaka approached the Buddha who tamed him peacefully with a sermon on Loving-Kindness

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Story Of The Buddha & Buddhism ( Part 33 - 36 )

Part 33

King Kosala asking the heretical teachers if any of them claim to be the Buddha

Even before the Blessed One had attained the Supreme Enlightenment of a Buddha, there was six heretical teachers who wandered about towns and villages and deceived many people by professing themselves to be Buddhas. When they arrived at Savatthi, the minsters who had faith in these wandering ascetics informed King Kosala that their teachers were all Buddhas. King Kosala said to the ministers, "Please invite your teachers yourselves and bring them to this palace"

When these heretical teacher arrived at the palace, they dared not sit upon the magnificent seat of the King and some of them sat upon the floor, while others sat on the carpets. The King saw how they were seated and guessed that none of them could be the Buddha. He asked them a direct question, "Do you admit that you are the Buddha or deny it?"; They frankly admitted,"We are not the Buddha". They were then allowed to leave the palace in peace.

Part 34

King Kosala asking the blessed one whether he admit himself to be Buddha

The Buddha was dwelling at the Jetavana Monastery after his fist arrival at Savatthi upon the invitation of Anathapindika, the Millionaire. At the time King Kosala came to the Buddha and asked "Venerable Gotama, do you also admit that you are the all-knowing Buddha?" The Blessed One replied, "If you call any person as Buddha, you will be calling it correctly only if you call me so".

King Kosala then said,"Even elderly teachers of sects such as Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala, Nigantha Nataputta, Sanjaya Belatthaputta, Pakudha Kaccayana, Ajitta Kesakambala, do not admit themselves to be the Buddha. Why should you Venerable Gotama, since you are younger than those teachers, admit that you are the Buddha?"; The Buddha said, "A Prince, a fire, a snake and a virtuous monk should not be treated lightly with disrespect though small".

Part 35

Venerable Moggallana taming the king of dragons, Nandopanada

Nandopananda, king of the dragons, was dwelling on Mount Meru in magnificent splendour and luxury like a god. He was full of anger. One day while he was in the midst of his pleasure surrounded by dancing female dragons, the Buddha, together with a retinue of monks with supernatural powers, traveled by air to Tavatimsa heaven and passed over their heads. This made the king of the dragons very angry, and he coiled his body round Mount Meru and Tavatimsa heaven and covered them.

In the midst of their aerial journey, the holy monks could not see Tavatimsa heaven which was covered by the dragon-king. They knew this and asked the Blessed One to allow them to tame him, but did not get the permission. Only the Venerable Moggallana got the permission when he requested the Buddha. He then turned himself into a dragon, with a body much larger than that of the dragon-king, and coiling himself round the dragon-king's body, began to crush him down. By this and other means he tamed the dragon-king and taught him a good lesson. He then brought him to the Blessed One and made him take refuge in the triple gem, namely, the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Order of Monks.

Part 36

The Buddha causing Baka Brahma, a higher god, to change his wrong views

Baka Brahma was the chief of the first realm of higher gods. He was of the view that his realm was the highest and that he himself and his realm were everlasting, not knowing that there were higher realms above him own. The Blessed One visited the Brahma world and in the midst of an assembly of higher gods pointed out to Baka Brahma, "There are realms of higher gods above yours. The whole Brahma world of higher gods including your realm is not permanent". Then the Blessed One continued his discourse to Baka Brahma by saying, "I know how you have come into being and what your powers are. But, there are higher gods superior to you in status and power". Finding that all his views were wrong, Baka wished to show his own powers and said, "I will make myself invisible". He made several attempts to become invisible, but without success. The Blessed One then said, "I will now show you that I can make myself invisible", and instantly the Buddha disappeared from view and preached to him a sermon while remaining invisible

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Story Of The Buddha & Buddhism ( Part 29 - 32 )

Part 29

Venerable Anada reciting Ratana Sutta Paritta to relieve the people of Vesali from attacks of famine and pestilence

There was scarcity of rain at Vesali (modern Besrah) and many people died from the effects of famine which attacked it . The offensive smell from the corpses brought demons and ogres into the town and there were more deaths. To make matters worse, a disease very much like modern plague broke out, and there were still more deaths. The people discussed ways and means of relief from attacks of famine and disease. They eventually agreed to invite the Buddha for that purpose, and requested the Blessed One to come over from Rajagaha together with his retinue of monks. When the Blessed One arrived at Vesali in the royal barge there was a heavy downpour of rain which washed away all the corpses and the town had become clean. On arrival at the city gate the Venerable Ananda learnt the Ratana Sutta Paritta and recited it by walking round the city in between its three walls, and sprinkling the holy water from his bowl now and again while going round the city with the Licchavi Princes accompanying him. Thus, all the evil spirits were driven away from the city which was rendered free from diseases

Part 30

Mahapajapati Gotami begging permission for women to be admitted into the order as Nuns

The Buddha was dwelling at Kapilavatthu in Banyan Park Monastery. Maha-pajapati Gotami approached the Buhhda along with five hundred women of the Sakya clan, and begged permission for women to be admitted into the Order as Nuns. The Buddha refused permission saying, "Enough, O Gotami, do not ask that women be admitted into the Order as Nuns". She went away sorrowful and sad.

Later, when the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesali, Mahapajapati Gotami had her hair cut off, put on yellow garments and with five hundred of Sakya women followed to Vesali. She dared not enter the monastery grounds and stood outside the porch. Now the Venerable Ananda saw her standing there, and went to the Buddha and asked several times for permission to admit women into the Order as Nuns. At last, the Blessed One gave the permission and women were admitted to the Order. Thus an Order of Nuns was founded

Part 31

The Buddha converting Saccaka, the ascetic, who came to match his doctrine with that of the Buddha

There was in Vesali an ascetic called Saccaka, well-versed in a variety of dogmas and philosophies. He was a teacher of the princes. As he had humiliated many heretical teachers of the day, he was planning to defect also the Blessed One in argument. He met the Venerable Assaji one day and came to know about the doctrine of the Blessed One. He therefore came to the Buddha in order to have a debate on the doctrine. A great crowd came to watch the results of the debate.

During the debate, the Blessed One said, "Matter or form is insubstantial (that is, there is no such thing as a creative soul)". The ascetic refuted it by saying "There is a creative soul". The Blessed One then said, "If there is a creative soul, why does it not create a beautiful form" The hermit could not rebut it and sat quietly. The Buddha asked him for the second time and he still kept quiet. Now Sakka, lord of the gods, came and, assuming the form of a huge demon, threatened to strike him with his celestial weapon. When he was questioned for the third time he admitted that "matter or form is insubstantial"

Part 32

Dedication ceremony of the Jetavana monastery by Anathapindika, the millionaire

The Buddha was dwelling in Rajagaha, at the end of the first rainy season. Now, Anathapindika, the Millionaire, arrived in Rajagaha in connection with business. He heard that the Blessed One had attained the Supreme Wisdom of a Buddha, and had a strong desire to go to Him that very night, but could not do so. He went to bed with his thoughts fixed on the Blessed One. His faith in the Buddha was so intense that he could not sleep well and was between waking and sleeping, when a light emanated from his body. Thinking it to be daylight he went to where the Blessed One was.

When he met the Buddha, he was established in the fist holy stage of the Aryan Path. He came back, at once, to Savatthi and looked for a site to build a monastery, and found a park belonging to Prince Jeta, in a very quiet place, well connected with roads and neither too near nor too far from the town. He bought this park covering the whole site with gold coins and erected the famous Jetavana Monastery at great cost. He donated it to the Buddha and his many disciples after inviting them to come over from Rajagaha

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