CHAPTER 9
THE BUDDHA AND HIS RELATIVES
(Continued)
"Trustful are the best of relatives".
-- DHAMMAPADA
The Buddha and His step-brother Nanda
On the third day after the arrival of the Buddha at Kapilavatthu, Prince
Nanda, the son of Queen Mahā Pajāpati Gotami, was
celebrating his consecration ceremony, marriage ceremony, and the
house-warming ceremony. It was on the occasion of these three festivals
when congratulations were being offered to the prince that the Buddha
visited the palace. After the meal the Buddha handed the bowl to the
prince, and uttering a Blessing, rose to go without taking the bowl.
The prince followed Him thinking that the Buddha would take the bowl from
him at any moment. But the Buddha would not take it, and the prince out of
reverence for Him continued to follow the Teacher.
Janapada Kalyāni, to whom he was betrothed, hearing that the prince
was following the Buddha with bowl in hand, with tears streaming
down her cheeks and hair half-combed, ran after Prince Nanda as
fast as she could and said to him: "Return quickly, O noble Lord"! These
affectionate words penetrated his heart and he was deeply moved, but with
deference to the Buddha he could not possibly return the bowl to Him. So
he accompanied the Buddha to the park, His temporary residence. On arrival
there the Buddha questioned Nanda whether he would become a monk.
So great was his reverence for Him as the Buddha and as an elder brother
of his that, with reluctance, he agreed to be admitted into the Order.
But Nanda Bhikkhu enjoyed no spiritual happiness resulting from
renunciation. He was greatly depressed, and was constantly thinking of his
bride. He related his mental troubles to the Bhikkhus, saying: "Brethren,
I am dissatisfied. I am now living the Religious Life, but I cannot endure
to lead the Holy Life any longer. I intend to abandon the higher precepts
and return to the lower life, the life of a layman".
Hearing this, the Buddha questioned Venerable Nanda whether such
report was true. He admitted his weakness, and stated that he was worried
about his bride.
The Buddha devised a means to set him on the right path. With the object
of showing him celestial nymphs the Buddha, using His Psychic powers, took
him to the Tavatimsa Heaven. On the way the Venerable Nanda was
shown a singed she-monkey who had lost her ears, nose, and tail in a fire,
clinging to a burnt-up stump in a scorched field. Reaching heaven, the
Buddha pointed to him celestial nymphs and asked him: "Nanda, which
do you regard as being the more beautiful and fair to look upon and
handsome -- your noble wife Janapada Kalyāni or the celestial
nymphs?"
"Venerable Sir, Janapada Kalyāni is like the singed monkey when
compared to those celestial nymphs, who are infinitely more beautiful and
fair."
"Cheer up, Nanda. I guarantee that you will possess them if
you persevere as I bid you."
"In that case I shall take the greatest pleasure in living the Holy Life,"
said Venerable Nanda, childishly.
Hearing that Venerable Nanda was living the Holy Life with the
object of winning celestial nymphs, the Bhikkhus ridiculed him calling him
"hireling." Eventually he became ashamed of his base motive, and striving
diligently, attained Arahantship.
He thereupon, approached the Buddha and said: "Venerable Sir, I release
the Exalted One from the promise that He made when He guaranteed that I
should win celestial nymphs."
The Buddha replied: "When, Nanda, you ceased to cling to the things
of the world, and your heart was released from the Corruptions, at that
moment I was released from that promise."
He then uttered the following paean of joy:
"He that has crossed over the mud and crushed the thorn of lust;
"He that has destroyed delusion, such a man is unmoved whether in pleasure
or in pain."
When some monks doubted his attainment of Arahantship the Buddha in
explanation uttered the following stanzas:
"Even as rain penetrates an ill-thatched house, so does lust penetrate
an undeveloped mind."
"Even as rain does not penetrate a well-thatched house, so does lust not
penetrate a well-developed mind.
[1]"
Enjoying the bliss of Emancipation, he praised the Teacher, saying: "O
excellent is the method of the Master, whereby I was drawn out of the mire
of rebirth and set on Nibbāna's strand!"
Theragāthā attributes the following verses to him:
"Through not reflecting rightly I was attached to outward show.
Overcome by passionate love, I was restless and fickle.
Because of the skilful means devised by the Buddha, the "kinsman
of the sun", rightly I acted and drew out my mind from existence.
[2]"
Venerable Nanda Thera was placed chief amongst disciples in respect
of self-control.
The Buddha and Ānanda
Ānanda, a cousin of Prince Siddhattha, was the son of
Amitodana, a younger brother of King Suddhodana. As he was born
bringing happiness to all his kinsfolk, be was named Ānanda.
In the second year of the Buddha's ministry Ānanda entered
the Order together with the Sākya Nobles –Anuruddha, Bhaddiya, Bhagu,
Kimbila, and Devadatta. Not long after, hearing a sermon from
Venerable Punna Mantāniputta, he attained the first stage of
Sainthood (Sotāpatti).
When the Buddha was fifty-five years old Venerable Ānanda became
His chief attendant.
During the first twenty years after His Enlightenment the Buddha had no
permanent attendant. The few temporary attendants were not very dutiful
and their behaviour was not highly commendable. One day while residing at
Jetavana the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus and said: "Now I am old, O
Bhikkhus. When I say: Let us go this way some go by another way; some drop
my bowl and robe on the ground. Choose out one disciple to attend always
upon me.[3]"Forthwith
all the Bhikkhus, from Venerable Sāriputta downwards, volunteered
their services. But the Buddha declined their kind offer. As the Venerable
Ānanda was silent, he was advised by the Bhikkhus to offer his
services. He consented on condition the Buddha would grant the following
eight boons:--
(i) The Buddha should not give him robes which
He Himself had received.
(ii) The Buddha should not give him food which
He had received.
(iii) The Buddha should not allow him to dwell
in the same Fragrant Chamber.
(iv) The Buddha should not take him with Him
wherever the Buddha is invited.
(v) The Buddha should kindly go with him
wherever He is invited.
(vi) The Buddha should kindly give him
permission to introduce visitors that come from afar to see the Buddha.
(vii) The Buddha should kindly grant him
permission to approach Him whenever any doubt should arise.
(viii) The Buddha should kindly repeat to him
the discourses that were declared in his absence.
The Buddha granted these four negative and
positive boons. Thenceforth the Venerable Ānanda acted as His
favourite attendant for twenty-five years till the Buddha's last moment.
Like a shadow he followed Him everywhere, attending to all His needs with
great love and care. Both during day and night his services were always at
the disposal of his Master. At night it is stated that he used to go round
the Fragrant Chamber nine times with staff and torch in hand to keep him
awake and to prevent the Buddha's sleep from being disturbed.
Ānanda Bodhi Tree
It was Venerable Ānanda who was responsible for the planting of
the Ānanda Bodhi Tree. In the absence of the Buddha, devout followers who
used to bring flowers and garlands, lay them at the entrance to the
Fragrant Chamber and depart with much rejoicing. Anāthapindika came
to hear of it and requested Venerable Ānanda to inquire of the
Buddha whether there was a possibility of finding a place where his
devotees might pay obeisance to the Buddha when He was away on His
preaching tours. Venerable Ānanda approached the Buddha and asked:
"Lord, how many objects of reverence (Cetiyani) are there, may it
please you?"
"There are three, Ānanda. They are objects of reverence
appertaining to the body (Sāririka),[4]
objects of reverence appertaining to personal use (Pāribhogika) and
objects of reverence reminiscent of the Buddha (Uddesika)."
"Is it proper, Lord, to construct a Cetiya while you are alive?"
"No, not an object of reverence appertaining to the body which it is
proper to erect after the passing away of the Buddha. An object of
reverence reminiscent of the Buddha has no physical basis; it is purely
mental. But the great Bodhi tree, used by the Buddha, whether He is alive
or dead, is an object of reverence (Cetiya)."
"Lord when you go on your preaching tours, the great monastery of Jetavana
is without refuge, and people find no place of reverence. Lord, may I
bring a seed from the great Bodhi tree and plant it at the entrance to
Jetavana?"
"Very well, Ānanda, plant it. It will then be as if I constantly
abide in Jetavana."
Venerable Ānanda mentioned this matter to Buddha's principal lay
attendants -- Anāthapindika, Visākhā, and King Kosala -- and
requested the Venerable Moggallāna to secure a fruit from the great
Bodhi tree. Readily he consented and obtained a fruit that was falling
from the tree and delivered it to Venerable Ānanda.
This he presented to the King who in turn handed it to Anāthapindika.
Then he stirred up the fragrant soil and dropped it in the hole that
was dug. The tree that sprang up in that place was known as the
Ānanda-Bodhi.[5]
Ānanda and Women
It was also Venerable Ānanda who persuaded the Buddha to admit
women into the Order. Had it not been for his intervention Mahā
Pajāpati Gotami would not have succeeded in becoming a
Bhikkhuni (Nun). Bhikkhunis held him in high esteem, and his sermons were
greatly appreciated by them.
On one occasion he approached the Buddha and asked Him:
"How are we to conduct ourselves, Lord, with regard to womankind?"
"As not seeing them, Ānanda."
"But if we should see them, Lord, what are we to do?"
"Do not talk to them Ānanda."
"But if they should speak to us, Lord, what are we to do?"
"Be watchful, Ānanda."
This general exhortation was given to Bhikkhus so that they may constantly
be watchful in their dealings with women.
As he possessed a powerfully retentive memory, and as he had the rare
privilege of listening to all the discourses of the Buddha owing to his
close association with Him, he was later appointed the Custodian of the
Dhamma (Dhamma-bhandā-gārika).
Referring to his own knowledge of the Dhamma, in reply to a question, put
by a brahmin Venerable Ānanda said:
"Eighty-two thousand from the Buddha and two thousand
from the Bhikkhus I received.
There exist eighty-four thousand texts in all.
[6]"
The Buddha ranked him foremost amongst His disciples in five respects:
erudition (bahussutānam), retentive memory (satimantānam),
good behaviour (gatimantānam), steadfastness (dhitimantānam),
and ministering care (upatthakānam).
[7]
Though a distinguished disciple, well-versed in the Dhamma, he lived as a
"learner" (sekha), till the death of the Buddha. The Buddha's final
exhortation to him was -- "You have done merit in the past, Ānanda.
Quickly be free from Corruptions.
[8]"
It was only after the passing away of the Buddha that he attained
Arahantship. As he was expected to take a leading part in the First
Council, which was composed only of Arahants, he made a strenuous effort
and attained Arahantship on the night preceding the Convocation while he
was about to lie down on his couch. It is stated that he was the only
disciple who attained Arahantship free from the postures of
sitting, standing, walking or sleeping.
[9]
Venerable Ānanda passed away at the age of one hundred and twenty.
The Dhammapada commentary states that as people of both the sides of the
river Rohini were equally serviceable to him and as both sides vied with
each other to possess his relics, he sat cross-legged in the air
over the middle of the river, preached the Dhamma to the multitude and
wished that his body would split in two and that one portion would fall on
the near side and the other on the farther side. He then entered into the
ecstatic meditation on the element of fire (Tejokasina samāpatti).
Instantly flames of fire issued from his body, and, as willed, one portion
of the body fell on the near side and the other on the farther side.
The Theragāthā gives several stanzas uttered by him on various occasions.
The following verses which deal with the frailty of this so-called
beautiful body are particularly interesting:
"Behold this adorned body, a mass of sores, a lump infirm, much
thought of, whereof nothing lasts, nothing persists.
[10]"
The Buddha and Mahā Pajāpati Gotami
Mahā Pajāpati Gotami, was the youngest sister of King
Suppabuddha. Her elder sister was Queen Mahā Maya. Both were
married to King Suddhodana. She had a daughter named Nandā
and a son named Nanda. Later, both of them entered the Order. When
Mahā Maya died she adopted her sister's son, Prince Siddhattha,
entrusting her own son Nanda to the charge of nurses.
Her family name was Gotami, and she was named Mahā Pajāpati
because soothsayers predicted that she would be the head of a large
following.
When the Buddha visited the palace and preached the Dhammapāla Jātaka to
His father she attained the first stage of Sainthood.
After the death of King Suddhodana, as both Princes Siddhattha
and Nanda had renounced the world, she also decided to enter
the Noble Order and lead the Holy Life. When the Buddha visited
Kapilavatthu to settle a dispute between the Sākyas and Koliyas with
regard to the irrigation of channels from the river Rohini and was
residing at the Nigrodha park, Mahā Pajāpati Gotami approached the
Buddha and begging Him to grant permission for women to enter the Order,
pleaded thus:
[11]
"It would be well, Lord, if women should be allowed to renounce their
homes and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline
proclaimed by the Tathāgata."
Without stating His reasons, the Buddha straightway refused, saying:
"Enough, O Gotami, let it not please you that women should be
allowed to do so."
For the second and third time Mahā Pajāpati Gotami repeated
her request, and the Buddha gave the same reply.
Later, the Buddha having stayed at Kapilavatthu as long as He liked
journeyed to Vesali, and arriving there in due course, resided at the
Mahāvana in the Kūtāgāra Hall.
Resolute Pajāpati Gotami, without being discouraged by her
disappointment, got her hair cut off, donned yellow garments, and
surrounded by a great number of Sākya ladies, walked from Kapilavatthu to
Vesali, a distance of about 150 miles, experiencing many a hardship. With
swollen feet, her body covered with dust, she arrived at Vesali and stood
outside the porch of the Pinnacled Hall. Venerable Ānanda found her
weeping and learning the cause of her grief, approached the Buddha and
said:
"Behold, Lord, Mahā Pajāpati Gotami is standing outside the porch,
with swollen feet, body covered with dust, and sad. Please permit women to
renounce home and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and
discipline proclaimed by the Exalted One. It were well, Lord, if women
should be allowed to renounce their homes and enter the homeless state."
"Enough, Ānanda, let it not please you that women should be allowed
to do so!" was the Buddha's reply.
For the second and third time he interceded on their behalf, but the
Buddha would not yield.
So Venerable Ānanda made a different approach and respectfully
questioned the Buddha: "Are women, Lord, capable of realizing the state of
a Stream-Winner (Sotāpanna), Once-Returner (Sakadāgāmi.)
Never-Returner (Anāgāmi) and an Arahant, when they have gone forth
from home to the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline
proclaimed by the Exalted one?"
The Buddha replied that they were capable of realizing Saintship.
Encouraged by this favourable reply, Venerable Ānanda appealed
again, saying: "If then Lord, they are capable of attaining Saintship,
since Mahā Pajāpati Gotami had been of great service to the
Exalted One, when as aunt and nurse she nourished Him and gave Him milk,
and on the death of His mother suckled the Exalted One at her own breast,
it were well, Lord, that women should be given permission to renounce the
world and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline
proclaimed by the Tathāgata."
"If, Ānanda, Mahā Pajāpati Gotami accepts the Eight Chief Rules,
let that be reckoned to her as the form of her ordination," said the
Buddha, finally yielding to the entreaties of Venerable Ānanda.
The Eight Chief Rules
[12] are as follows:
1- A Bhikkhuni, even of a hundred years'
standing by Upasampadā,
[13] should salute a
Bhikkhu, rise up before him, reverence him, and perform all proper duties
towards him though he had received the Higher Ordination that very day.
2- A Bhikkhuni should not spend a Retreat (Vassa)
in a place where there is no Bhikkhu.
3- Every fortnight a Bhikkhuni should ask from
the Order of Bhikkhus the time of Uposatha
[14] meeting and
when a Bhikkhu would come to admonish them.
4- The Pavārana
[15] ceremony
after the Retreat should be held by a Bhikkhuni in the presence of both
Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis (to inquire whether through any of the three ways
of seeing, hearing, or suspicion a wrong has been done.)
5- A Bhikkhuni who has committed a major
offence should undergo Mānatta
[16] discipline
in the presence of the Order of both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.
6- A female novice (Sikkamānā), who is
trained in the Six Rules for two years, should receive the Higher
Ordination from the Order of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.
7- A Bhikkhuni should on no account rebuke or
abuse a bhikkhu.
8- Henceforth Bhikkhunis should not give
admonition to Bhikkhus, but Bhikkhus should admonish Bhikkhunis.
These rules are to be revered, reverenced,
honoured and respected as long as life lasts and should not be
transgressed.
When Venerable Ānanda mentioned them to Mahā Pajāpati Gotami
she gladly agreed to abide by those eight Chief Rules. By their acceptance
she automatically received the Higher Ordination.
In founding this Order of Bhikkhunis the Buddha, foreseeing the future
repercussions, remarked: "If, Ānanda, women had not received
permission to renounce the world and enter the homeless state under the
doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, the Holy Life would
have lasted long and the Sublime Dhamma would have survived for thousand
years. But since women have entered this homeless state, the Holy Life
would not last long and the Sublime Dhamrna would now remain only for five
hundred years.
[17]"
The Buddha added -- "Just as, Ānanda, houses in which there are
man, women and but few men are easily violated by burglars, even so, under
whatsoever doctrine and discipline women are permitted to renounce the
world and enter the homeless state, that Holy Life will not last long.
"And just as a man would in anticipation build an embankment to a great
reservoir beyond which the water should not overpass, even so have I in
anticipation laid down these eight Chief Rules for the Bhikkhunis, not to
be transgressed throughout their lives.
[18]"
In making these comments, which may not generally be very palatable to
womankind, the Buddha was not in any way making a wholesale condemnation
of women but was only reckoning with the weaknesses of their sex.
Although for several valid reasons the Buddha reluctantly permitted women
to enter the Order, it should be stated that it was the Buddha who, for
the first time in the history of the world, founded an Order for women
with rules and regulations. Just as He appointed two chief disciples,
Venerable Sāriputta and Mogallāna for the Order of monks,
two chief female disciples -- Venerable Khemā and Uppalavannā --
were appointed for the Order of nuns as well.
One day Bhikkhuni Mahā Pajāpati Gotami approached the Buddha and
invited him to deliver a discourse so that she may strive alone and
achieve her goal.
The Buddha declared -- "Of whatsoever doctrine thou shall be conscious,
Gotami, that these things conduce to passion and not to peace, to
pride and not to veneration, to wishing for much and not to wishing for
little, to love of society and not to seclusion, to sloth and not to the
exercise of zeal, to being hard to satisfy and not to contentment, verily
mayest thou then, Gotami, bear in mind: that is not Dhamma, that is
not Vinaya, that is not the teaching of the Master.
But of whatsoever doctrine thou shall be conscious, Gotami, that
these things conduce to peace and not to passion, to veneration and not to
pride, to wishing for little and not to wishing for much, to seclusion and
not to love of society, to the exercise of zeal and not to sloth, to
contentment and not to querulousness, verily mayest thou then bear in
mind: that is Dhamma, and that is Vinaya, and that is the teaching of the
Master.[19]
Before long she attained Arahantship, accompanied by intuitive and
analytical knowledge (Patisambhidā).
[20]
The other Sākya ladies, who received their ordination with her, also
attained Arahantship.
Amongst the female disciples Mahā Pajāpati Gotami was
assigned the foremost place in seniority and experience (Rattaññu).
In the Therigāthā appear several verses uttered by her after attaining
Arahantship.
[1]
Dhammapada vs. 13-14.
[2]
Psalms of the Brethren, p. 127 vs. 157, 158.
[3]
Jātaka No. 456, Jātaka Translation, vol. iv. p. 61
[4]
Such as bodily relics of the Buddha.
[5]
This oldest historic sacred tree is still to be seen at modern Sahet Mahet
(Sāvatthi) in India.
[6]
Psalms of the Brethren, p. 354. Theragāthā vs. 1424.
[7]
Anguttara Nikāya, Vol. i, p. 24. Gradual Sayings, part I. p. 19
[8]
Digha Nikāya, Parinibbāna Sutta.
[9]
Buddhist Legends, vol. iii, p. 160.
[10]
Psalms of the Brethren, p. 353. Theragāthā, v. 1020. Dhammapada v,
147.
[11]
Vināya Texts, part iii, p. 320. Anguttara Nikāya, Part iv, 274.
[12]
Some of these rules will not be intelligible to the lay readers as they
pertain to Vinaya Discipline
[13]
The Higher Ordination
[14]
The full moon and new moon days when Bhikkhus assemble to recite their
Fundamental Rules.
[15]
The formal termination of the rainy season.
[16]
A form of disciplinary action.
[17]
See Gradual Sayings, iv, p. 184
[18]
See Gradual Sayings, iv, p, 185
[19]
Vinaya Texts part III, pp. 329-330. See Gradual Sayings, iv, pp.
186, 187.
[20]
Analytical Knowledge with regard to the meaning (Attha), Texts (Dhamma)
Etymology (Nirutti), and the Understanding of these three (Patibhāna).
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