25.11 The Story about the Elder Vakkali

Dhp 381

Burlingame: “Whosoever Beholds the Dhamma, He Beholds Me”

Compare: SN 22.87; AN-a 1.14.2.10; Thag-a 205; Iti 5.3 BG: The author of Thag-a names the AN-a 1.14.2.10 about Vakkali and the Dhp-a as his authorities.

Elder Vakkali was obsessed with the Buddha’s body and even gave up his meditation to spend his time gazing at the Buddha; the Buddha sent him to spend the Rains Retreat elsewhere, and he was on the verge of suicide when the Buddha appeared to him and his sorrow vanished; the Buddha then taught him with a verse.

Keywords: Suicide, Radiant Image, Foremost Disciples

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“The bhikkhu, having much happiness,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veḷuvana with reference to Elder Vakkali. {4.118}

This venerable elder, we are told, was reborn at Sāvatthī in the household of a Brahmin. One day after he had reached manhood he saw the Realised One enter the city for alms. Having surveyed the Teacher’s beauty of person, not satisfied with the sight of the beauty of his person, he said to himself: “I will obtain the privilege of looking thus at all times upon the Realised One.” He therefore went forth under the Teacher.

He always stood where he could see the One of Ten Strengths, and abandoning the recitation of the sacred word and the practice of meditation, he spent his whole time gazing upon the Teacher. The Teacher waited for his knowledge to ripen and said not a word. One day the Teacher perceived within himself: “Now his knowledge has ripened,” so he said to him: “Vakkali, what shall it profit you to look upon this mass of corruption which is called my body? Whosoever, Vakkali, beholds the Dhamma, he beholds me.” AJ: See SN 22.87. Thus did the Teacher admonish Elder Vakkali.

But in spite of the Teacher’s admonition, Vakkali could not let the Teacher out of his sight or leave the Teacher’s presence. Finally the Teacher thought to himself: “Unless this bhikkhu receives a shock, he will never come to understand.” Now the season of the rains was at hand, and the Teacher desired to enter upon residence. So on the day appointed to enter upon residence, the Teacher went to Rājagaha, turning Vakkali away with the words: “Go back, Vakkali.” So for the space of three months Vakkali was unable to be [30.263] with the Teacher and kept saying to himself: “The Teacher speaks to me no more.” Finally he said to himself: “What is the use of my living any longer? I will throw myself headlong from the top of a mountain.” And with this thought in mind, he climbed to the top of Mount Vulture’s Peak.

The Teacher, perceiving that he was depressed and weary of the world, thought to himself: “If this bhikkhu receives no comfort nor consolation from me, he will destroy his predispositions to the attainment of the paths and the fruitions.” Accordingly he sent forth a radiant image of himself and displayed himself before the gaze of the bhikkhu. The moment the bhikkhu saw the Teacher, the weight of sorrow which oppressed him vanished. Then the Teacher, as though filling the dry bed of a lake with a torrent of water, caused intense joy and satisfaction to spring up within the bhikkhu, and pronounced the following verse: {4.119}

381. Pāmojjabahulo bhikkhu, pasanno Buddhasāsane,
adhigacche padaṁ santaṁ, saṅkhārūpasamaṁ sukhaṁ.

The bhikkhu, with much happiness,
with faith in the dispensation,
could attain to peace, happy in
the stilling of all conditions.

Having pronounced this verse, the Teacher stretched forth his hand to Elder Vakkali and said:

Come, Vakkali, do not fear,
look upon the Realised One,
I will pull you out, like an
elephant sunk in the mud.

Come, Vakkali, do not fear,
look upon the Realised One,
I will release you, just like
the sun freed from Rāhu’s grasp.

Come, Vakkali, do not fear,
look upon the Realised One,
I will release you, just like
the moon freed from Rāhu’s grasp.

Elder Vakkali thought: “I have seen the One of Ten Strengths, and he speaks to me, saying: ‘Come!’” Straightaway he experienced profound joy. “How pray shall I go?” he thought. And standing there on the mountain-top, though he saw no path, he sprang into the air face to face with the One of Ten Strengths, on hearing the first words of the verse. And as he soared through the air, pondering the verses pronounced by the Teacher, he completely suppressed the emotion of joy and attained Arahatship together with the analytic knowledges.

Praising the Realised One, he descended to the ground and stood in the presence of the Teacher. On a subsequent occasion the Teacher assigned him the foremost place among those who were inclined to faith.