3.6 The Story about 500 Bhikkhus with Insight
Pañcasatavipassakabhikkhūnaṁ Vatthu

“Knowing this body is frail like a jar,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Sāvatthī with reference to some bhikkhus who attained insight.

At Sāvatthī, we are told, five hundred bhikkhus obtained from the Teacher a subject of meditation leading to Arahatship, and with the intention of devoting themselves to the practice of meditation, went a hundred leagues to a large village. When the inhabitants of the village saw them, they provided them with seats, served them with choice rice-porridge and other kinds of food, and asked them: “Venerable Sirs, where are you going?” The bhikkhus replied: “To some pleasant place.” Then said the inhabitants of the village: “Venerable Sirs, [29.18] reside right here during these three months. Under your direction we will abide steadfast in the refuges and will keep the precepts.” The villagers, having obtained the consent of the bhikkhus, said: “Venerable Sirs, there is a large forest-grove not far from this place. Take up your residence there.” So saying, the villagers dismissed the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus entered the forest.

Thereupon the Devatās dwelling in that forest-grove thought: “A company of bhikkhus {1.314} have come to this forest-grove. If, however, these bhikkhus dwell in this forest-grove, it will be improper for us any longer to take son and wife, climb the trees, and live here.” Accordingly they came down from the trees, seated themselves on the ground, and reflected: “If the bhikkhus remain in this place tonight, they will surely leave tomorrow morning.” But on the following day also the bhikkhus, after making their rounds for alms in the village, returned again to that same forest-grove. Thereupon the Devatās thought to themselves: “Someone must have invited the company of bhikkhus for tomorrow, and for this reason they have returned. Today they will not depart, but tomorrow they will surely depart.” Reasoning in this way, they sat for a fortnight on the ground.

Then they thought to themselves: “It is doubtless the intention of the bhikkhus to remain right here during these three months. But if they do remain here, it will be improper for us to take son and wife, climb the trees, and live here for three months. Moreover, it will greatly weary us to sit here on the ground. By what means can we best drive these bhikkhus away?” Accordingly in the night-quarters, in the day-quarters, and at the ends of the cloisters the Devatās caused the bhikkhus to see bodiless heads and headless trunks and to hear the voices of Amanussa. At the same time the bhikkhus were afflicted with sneezing and coughing and suffered from many other ailments besides. They said to each other: “Friend, what ails you?” – “I am afflicted with sneezing. I am afflicted with coughing.” – “Friends, today, at the end of the cloister, I saw a bodiless head. Friends, in the night-quarters I saw a headless trunk. {1.315} Friends, in the day-quarters I heard an Amanussa’s voice. We ought by all means to leave this place; this is an unpleasant place for us. Let us go to the Teacher.”

Accordingly they departed from the forest-grove, went in due course to the Teacher, worshipped him, and sat down respectfully on one side. The Teacher said to them: “Bhikkhus, were you unable to dwell in that place?” – “Even so, venerable Sir. While we dwelt there, such fearful objects as these presented themselves to our sight. [29.19] The place was so unpleasant for us that we decided we must leave it. Therefore we have abandoned it and have returned to you.” – “Bhikkhus, to that very place you ought to return.” – “We cannot do so, venerable Sir.” – “Bhikkhus, when you went there the first time, you went without a weapon. Now you must take a weapon with you when you go.” – “What kind of weapon, venerable Sir?” The Teacher said: “I will give you a weapon, and the weapon which I give you, you are to take with you when you go.” Then he recited the entire Metta Discourse, beginning as follows:

What should be done by one skilful in good,
who has comprehended the state of peace:
he ought to be able, straight, and upright,
easy to speak to, meek, without conceit, AJ: Khp 9, the commentary included only the first verse, I include the rest here.

satisfied with little, easy to support,
free from duties, and light in living,
with faculties at peace, prudent, not forward,
and greedless among the families,

he should not do the slightest thing whereby
others who are wise might find fault with him.
“May all beings be happy and secure,
may all beings in their hearts be happy!

Whatsoever breathing beings there are -
trembling, firm, or any other beings,
whether they be long or great, of middle
size, short, tiny, or of compact body,

those who are seen, and those who are unseen,
those who live far away, those who are near,
those who are born, and those who still seek birth -
may all beings in their hearts be happy!”

No one should cheat another, nor should he
despise anyone wherever they be,
he should not long for suffering for
another because of anger or resentment.

In the same way as a mother would
protect her son, her only son, with her life,
so toward all beings he should develop
the measureless thought of friendliness.

Towards the whole wide world he should develop
the measureless thought of friendliness,
above, below, and across the middle,
without barriers, hate, or enemy.

Standing, walking, sitting, lying, for as
long as he is without torpor,
he should be resolved on this mindfulness,
for this, they say here, is the true spiritual life.

Without going back to wrong views,
virtuous, and endowed with true insight,
having removed all greed for sense pleasures,
he will never come to lie in a womb again.

Having recited this Discourse, he said: “Bhikkhus, recite this Discourse from the forest-grove, without the hermitage, and then you may enter within the hermitage.” With these instructions he dismissed them.

They worshipped the Teacher, started out, and in due course arrived at that forest-grove. Reciting the Discourse in unison without the hermitage, they entered the forest-grove. Thereupon the Devatās residing throughout the forest-grove conceived friendly feelings in their hearts for the bhikkhus, came forth to meet them, asked the bhikkhus to let them take their bowls and robes, {1.316} offered to rub their hands and feet, posted strong guards on all sides, and sat down together with them. An Amanussa’s voice was not heard. The hearts of those bhikkhus became tranquil. Sitting in their night-quarters and day-quarters they strove to attain insight. Fixing in their minds the thought of the decay and death inherent in their bodies and reflecting upon the thought: “By reason of its fragile and unstable nature this body is like a potter’s vessel,” they developed spiritual insight.

The Sambuddha, even as he sat in the Perfumed Chamber, knowing that those bhikkhus had begun to develop spiritual insight, addressed them: “It is even so, bhikkhus. This body, by reason of its fragile and unstable nature, is precisely like a potter’s vessel.” So saying, he sent forth a radiant image of himself, and although a hundred leagues away, appearing to be seated face to face with them, diffusing six-colored rays of light, pronounced the following verse:

40. Kumbhūpamaṁ kāyam-imaṁ viditvā,
nagarūpamaṁ cittam-idaṁ ṭhapetvā,
yodhetha Māraṁ paññāvudhena,
jitañ-ca rakkhe, anivesano siyā.

Knowing this body is frail like a jar,
establishing the mind like a fortress,
fight Māra with the weapon of wisdom,
guard your success, and do not be attached.

At the end of the teaching the 500 bhikkhus while sitting there attained Arahatship, together with the analytic knowledges, and after worshipping and praising the golden body of the Realised One, they left.

last updated: August 2024