Teachings of the Dhamma Part 02

By Venerable Narada Mahathera

Continued from Part 01


Conversion of the Three Kassapa Brothers wandering from place to place, in due course, the Buddha arrived at Uruvela. Here lived three (Jatila) ascetics with matted hair known as Uruvela Kassapa, Nadi Kassapa, and Gaya 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 Gaya Sisa, not far from Uruvela. Here He preached the Aditta-Pariyaya Sutta, hearing which all attained Arahantship.

Aditta-Pariyaya 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 Sariputta and Moggallana, the two Chief Disciples not far from Rajagaha in the village Upatissa, also known as Nalaka, there lived a very intelligent youth named Sariputta ( son of Sari).

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 Moggallana, 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 Sanjaya, 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 among 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 Uruvela, and the Venerable Assaji, one of the first five disciples, went in the direction of Rajagaha.

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 Rajagaha, 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 dhamma, hetuppabhava
tesam hetum tathagato Aha
tesam ca yo nirodho
evam vadi maha samano.

Of things that proceed from a cause, Their cause the Tathagata 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, Sotapatti.

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 Sanjaya with the object of converting him to the new doctrine.

Frustrated in their attempt Upatissa and Kolita, accompanied by many followers of Sanjaya, 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 Sariputta, attained Arahantship on hearing the Buddha expound the Vedana Pariggaha Sutta to the wandering ascetic Dighanakha.

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 (Sariputta) and Kolita (Moggallana), who also had attained Arahantship a week earlier.