4: The Early Days of the Renunciation
Crossing the River Anomā
Having reached the other bank of the river Anomā, the prince brought the royal horse to a halt at the edge of the river and asked charioteer Channa: “What is the name of this river?” When the charioteer replied that it was the Anomā, he took it as a good omen, saying: “My being a recluse will not be of poor quality; in fact, it will be a superior one (anomā).” Then by striking Kanthaka with the heel he gave it the signal for crossing the river, and Kanthaka jumped over to the other side of the very wide Anomā and stood there.
After alighting from Kanthaka, and while standing on the pearly sandbank, the prince addressed charioteer Channa: “Friend Channa, take Kanthaka together with my ornaments and return home. I will become a recluse.” When Channa said that he would also like to do the same, the prince forbade him three times saying: “You do have permission to become a recluse, friend Channa. Just go back to the city.” And he handed over Kanthaka and the ornaments to Channa.
Cutting His Hair
Thereafter, considering: “These locks of mine do not suit a recluse, I shall cut them with my sword,” the prince, with the sword in his right hand, cut off the hair-knot and seized it together with the diadem with his left hand. His hair of two finger-breaths in length that was left behind cuffed to the right and lay close to the head. The length of the hair remained two fingers long till the end of his life with no further cutting. The beard and the whiskers also existed for his whole life with their length good enough to look beautiful like the hair. There was no necessity for the Bodhisatta to shave them again.
The Bodhisatta, holding the hair-knot together with the diadem, made a solemn resolution thus: “If I am one who will become a Buddha, let this hair-knot stay in the sky. If not, let it fall to the ground,” and threw them up into the sky. Thereupon, the hair-knot together with the diadem went as far up as one league and marvellously remained in the sky like a hanging festoon of flowers.
At that time, Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, saw the Bodhisatta’s hair by means of his divine eye; and he received it and the diadem with a jewel casket, one league in size, and took them to his abode of Tāvatiṁsa. He then enshrined them in the Cūḷamaṇi Cetiya which he erected and embellished with the seven kinds of precious gems and which was three leagues high.
The Requisites
Again, the Bodhisatta reflected: “These garments of mine, made in the country of Kāsi, are priceless. They are not proper for one who is an ascetic.” Then Brahma Ghaṭikāra, who happened to be an old friend in the lifetime of Buddha Kassapa, considered with his genuine and noble loving-kindness (mettā) that had remained throughout the whole aeon empty of Buddhas (Buddhantara-kappa): “Ah, today my friend the Bodhisatta, seeing danger in such miserable phenomena as birth, old age, etc., has gone forth on a great renunciation (mahābhinikkhamana). I shall go, taking the requisites of a recluse for this old friend of mine, the Bodhisatta Prince.” So he brought the eight requisites, namely, a double robe, an upper robe, a lower robe, a belt, The four requisites that are close to, and go along with, the body. a needle and thread, an adze, A kind of knife for making teeth-cleaning sticks and for peeling sugar-cane. a bowl with its bag, and a water-strainer, These are the four external requisites. and offered them to the Bodhisatta.
The intervening period of time between the rise of one Buddha and another Buddha is called a period between Buddhas (Buddhantara-kappa). The period between Buddhas in this episode of the Brahma’s offerings was the intervening period between the time of Buddha Kassapa’s appearance and that of Buddha Gotama’s. After Buddha Kassapa appeared at the time when the lifespan of beings was 20,000 years, it gradually dwindled down to ten years and from that stage it rose again up to an immeasurable period (asaṅkhyeyya). On its decline, it went down to 100 years, and that is when Buddha Gotama appeared. Therefore, the intervening period in this case was more than one inclusive period (antara-kappa) long.
Thereupon, the Bodhisatta assumed the appearance of a noble recluse by putting on the robes properly – the robes which may be termed the banner of the Arahant, which were offered by the Brahma. Then he threw up also his layman’s garments into the sky.
Though there was nobody who could instruct the Bodhisatta Prince how to use the robes, etc., it should be understood that he knew the manner of using the requisites because he was experienced in so doing, as he was a monk in the presence of former Buddhas and as he was of great intelligence.
Thereupon, Brahma Ghaṭikāra seized the Bodhisatta’s garments that were thrown up into the sky. He erected a shrine (cetiya), twelve leagues in size and finished with various kinds of gems, where he kept these garments in reverence. As the shrine contains the garments, it is called the Dussa Cetiya.
Here, in connection with the location and the height of the shrine, it is explicitly written by the Monywe Zetawun Sayādaw in the Light on the All-Seeing One (Samanta-cakkhu-dīpanī): “Since the garments were brought by Brahma Ghaṭikāra, who was of Akaniṭṭha Abode, it should be taken that the Dussa Cetiya exists in the same Abode.” And quoting the Ornaments of the Victor (Jinālaṅkāra) and other works he adds: “The Dussa Cetiya, which is twelve leagues in height, should be considered to have existed in the Suddhāvāsa Akaniṭṭha Brahma world.”
With reference to the eight requisites offered by Brahma Ghaṭikāra, the first volume of the Traditions (Apadāna ) commentary (PTS 115) explains it differently: The Bodhisatta became a recluse after accepting the eight requisites which, by the power of the meritorious deeds of the perfections, appeared in a lotus-heart on the mound of the Mahā Bodhi at the beginning of the world and were brought therefrom by the Brahma (brahmunā ānīte iddhi-maye kappassa saṇṭhāna-kāle paduma-gabbhe nibbatte aṭṭha parikkhāre paṭiggahetvā pabbajitvā).
It is relying on this statement of the Traditions (Apadāna ) commentary that the incident is versified in the Poem on Restraint (Saṁvara Pyo). In the Illustration of the Meaning of the Victor (Jinattha-pakāsanī) too, it is said: “These eight requisites appeared in a complete set in the lotus flower that blossomed as an omen when the world first came into existence.”
In the commentary on the Long Discourse on the Traditions (Mahāpadāna-sutta, DN 14), however, it is stated: “The region of the Mahā Bodhi disappears last, at the time of the dissolution of the world and rises first, at the time of its origination. When the world originates, a lotus-heart appears, as an omen, at the site of the Bodhi-maṇḍala. If Buddhas are to appear in that existing aeon, the lotus-heart blooms; if Buddhas are not to appear, it does not bloom. If it is an aeon of only one Buddha, a single flower blossoms; if it is an aeon of two Buddhas, two flowers blossom; if it is that of three, four or five Buddhas, three, four or five flowers blossom respectively from the same cluster. Thus mention is made only of whether flowers blossom or not, but there is no mention of the requisites readily borne in the flowers.
Although the robes offered by Brahma Ghaṭikāra are explained in the Traditions (Apadāna)
Taking into consideration this statement of Mahā Buddhaghosa, it should be understood that the robes offered by Brahma Ghaṭikāra were not the robes that appeared by the power of the Bodhisatta’s deeds of merit (iddhi-maya), but the robes given by a celestial being (deva-dattiya). All this is mentioned for pondering the question whether it is a fact or not that the requisites offered by the Brahma were those contained in the lotus-heart that appeared as an omen on the mound of the Mahā Bodhi at the beginning of the world.
After becoming a recluse, the Bodhisatta sent back the charioteer Channa, saying: “Friend Channa, convey to my mother Mahā Pajāpati Gotamī and my father King Suddhodana that I am in good health.” Then Channa, after doing obeisance respectfully to the Bodhisatta and circumambulating him, took the bundle of the Bodhisatta’s ornaments along with the horse and departed.
The Rebirth of Kanthaka
Since he overheard the Bodhisatta’s conversation with charioteer Channa, Kanthaka the horse had been lamenting with the thought: “From now on, I shall have no opportunity of seeing my master.” When he went out of sight of the Bodhisatta, he could not bear the grief that arose from the suffering of separation from one’s beloved (piyehi vippayoga). As he was leaving behind the Bodhisatta, whom he loved so dearly, he died of a broken heart and was reborn in Tāvatiṁsa as a celestial being by the same name of Kanthaka. As for charioteer Channa, he had at first a grief caused by his separation from the Bodhisatta and now that Kanthaka had died, a second grief overcame him. Oppressed by the double sorrow, he made his way home to the city of Kapilavatthu, weeping and crying.
On his death, Kanthaka was reborn a Deva with the same name amidst great luxury and retinue in the realm of Tāvatiṁsa. Since he had been closely associated with the Bodhisatta and at his service in many existences, he died, being unable to withstand the misery of separation from the Bodhisatta. His rebirth in Tāvatiṁsa was not due to that sorrow. In the Bodhisatta’s speech made to him while he was about to be mounted, immediately before his master’s renunciation, he heard: “Kanthaka, I am giving up the world in order to gain omniscience.” On hearing the words of the Bodhisatta’s renunciation which had nothing to do with sensual pleasures, he became filled with joy and satisfaction that accompanied his clarity of mind, leading to the development of merit headed by faith. As a result of this merit, his rebirth as a deity took place in Tāvatiṁsa. Later on, when he visited the Buddha and listened to the Dhamma, he became a Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna).
All this is mentioned in the Stories about Mansions (Vimāna-vatthu) commentary. Those who wish to read a detailed account may refer to it (VvA, PTS 311ff).
The Bodhisatta’s Visit to Rājagaha
After becoming a recluse, the Bodhisatta spent seven full days in bliss in the nearby Mango Grove called Anupiya, and travelled a journey of 30 leagues on foot in one single day and entered the city of Rājagaha. This is the statement made in the Chronicles of the Buddhas (Buddha-vaṁsa) commentary and the Birth Stories (Jātaka) commentary. According to the Anthology of Discourses (Sutta-nipāta) commentary, however, the Bodhisatta, after becoming a recluse, observed the precepts with pure livelihood as the eighth (ājīvaṭṭhamaka-sīla), and journeyed to Rājagaha, 30 leagues away from the banks of the river Anomā in seven days.
When he was about to visit the city of Rājagaha for alms food, he stood at the eastern gate of the city, then it occurred to him thus: “If I send a message to King Bimbisāra about my visit, he will know that Prince Siddhattha, the son of King Suddhodana, has come to my city and, with due regard and attention, he will send plenty of offerings. It is not proper for me as an ascetic to inform him and receive the four requisites. Right now, I should go on alms round.” So, after putting on the rag robes (paṁsukūlika) offered by Brahma Ghaṭikāra and taking the bowl with his hand, the Bodhisatta entered the city by the eastern gate and went round from house to house for alms food.
For seven days before the Bodhisatta entered Rājagaha for alms, a festival was celebrated on a big scale and was enjoyed by all. The day the Bodhisatta entered the city, King Bimbisāra had the proclamation made to the people by beating the drum: “The festival is over. The people should now attend to their respective trades.” At that time, the citizens were still assembled in the palace ground. When the king opened the window, which was supported by a lion figure, and looked out to give the necessary instructions, he saw the Bodhisatta, who was entering Rājagaha for alms, with his sense-faculties well composed.
On seeing the incomparably graceful appearance of the Bodhisatta, the people of Rājagaha as a whole became wildly excited and the whole city turned into a state of commotion in the same way as it happened when Nāḷāgiri, the elephant, also known as Dhanapāla, entered the city, or in the same way as the male and female residents of celestial Tāvatiṁsa became agitated and perturbed when Vepacitti, the Lord of the Asuras, entered their abode.
When the noble Bodhisatta went round with the elegance of a king of the Chaddanta elephants for alms, from house to house in the city of Rājagaha, the citizens, seeing the incomparably graceful appearance of the Bodhisatta, were filled with strong feelings of joy and astonishment and became occupied with the sole intention of viewing the Bodhisatta’s unique demeanour.
One of the people then said to another: “Friend, how is it? Is it the lunar mansion that has come down to the human abode with all its radiance concealed in fear of Rāhu, the King of the Asuras?”
The second man ridiculed the first by saying: “What are you talking about, friend? Have you ever seen the full moon coming down to the human world? The fact is that Kāma Deva, the God of Desire, seeing the splendour of our king and his people, has come in disguise to play and have fun with us.”
Then the third person ridiculed the second by saying: “Friend, how is it? Are you crazy? Kāma Deva is one whose body is jet-black as he has been terribly burnt by the flame of arrogance and anger. The truth is that the person we are seeing now is Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, endowed with 1,000 eyes, who has come into our city mistaking it for his abode of Tāvatiṁsa.”
That third person was told in a rather smiling manner by the fourth: “How could you say so? Your words are self-contradictory. To name him Sakka, where are his thousand eyes? Where is his thunderbolt weapon? Why is he not riding elephant Erāvaṇa? If he is really Sakka, he must have a thousand eyes, the thunderbolt as his weapon and Erāvaṇa as his conveyance. He has none of them. In fact, he is Brahma, who, knowing that Brahmins have forgotten their Vedas and all, has come to urge them not to forget their learning and to practise in accordance with them.”
Another man, a man of learning, reproached them and stopped them, saying: “This is neither the moon-disc, nor Kāma nor Sakka nor Brahma. As a matter of fact, he is the most extraordinary man, the chief among men, the leader and teacher of the three worlds.”
While the citizens of Rājagaha were thus talking among themselves, each from his own point of view, royal servants went to King Bimbisāra and reported thus: “Great King, a
With his sense-faculties and mind well-composed and in his unique elegance, with downcast eyes looking only a few feet in front of him, captivating the eyes of the Rājagaha people, he went round and collected food just enough for his sustenance. The food which he received included all kinds of edibles, coarse and fine, of various colours all mixed up together. Then he asked the people: “Where do those ascetics who come to this city usually stay?” The people answered: “They usually stay at the entrance of the cave, facing east, on top of Paṇḍava mountain.” And so the noble Bodhisatta left the city by the eastern gate, through which he had entered. Thereafter he sat facing east at the entrance of the cave on the mountain and tried to eat the mixed meal of coarse and fine food that he had received.
Having enjoyed kingly bliss, which was as great as that of a Universal Monarch, only a few days previously, he made an effort to eat a morsel of food which was a mixture of coarse and fine foods in assorted colours. As he was about to put the morsel into his mouth, he felt miserable and almost vomited with his intestines turning upside down, for he had never seen such kinds of food in his life and found it particularly disgusting.
Then he admonished himself by saying: “You, Siddhattha, in spite of the fact that you have been reigning supreme in a palace where food and drinks are available at your pleasure and where you have meals of three-year-old seasoned fragrant rice with different delicacies whenever you like, you, on seeing a recluse in rag robes contemplated: ‘When shall I eat the meals obtained by going on alms round from house to house after becoming a recluse like him? When will the time come for me to live on meals thus collected?’ and have you not renounced the world and become a recluse with such thoughts? Now that your dream has come true, why do you change your mind?” Then without the slightest revulsion, he took the meal that was so rough and coarse.
The three ministers, sent by King Bimbisāra to investigate, approached the Bodhisatta and explored all the facts concerning him. Then two of the three stayed behind while the third returned to the king and reported: “Great King, that recluse who had gathered alms food is still sitting peacefully at the entrance of the cave, facing east, on top of mount Paṇḍava absolutely without fear like a lion king, or a tiger king or a bull king, after eating, in a normal manner, the meal that he had obtained.” Thereupon, King Bimbisāra made haste and went in an excellent chariot to the Bodhisatta’s place on Mount Paṇḍava, as far as the chariot could go; and then leaving the chariot, he continued his journey on foot.
When he got near the Bodhisatta, with permission he sat down on the cold stone slab and being very much impressed with the Bodhisatta’s deportment, he gladly conversed with him. He said: “Friend, you are still young and tender in age. You are also endowed with a handsome physique and characteristics. I think that you are of good birth belonging to a pure ruling class. I offer you as much royal pleasure and wealth as you want in these two countries of Aṅga and Magadha which are under my rule. Be a king and reign! Please also tell me your lineage.” Thus the king asked about the Bodhisatta and offered kingship to him.
Then the Bodhisatta considered: “If I had the desire to be a king, such a Deva king as the Four Great Kings of the celestial world and others would have offered me their respective regal fortunes. Or, if I remained living a kingly life in my palace, it would have been certain that I would become a Universal Monarch. Not knowing this, this King Bimbisāra has made such a proposal to me saying in such a way. I will now let him know of my royal life.” So thinking he stretched out his right hand pointing in the direction whence he had come; and then he said in verse: (Snp 424-426, PTS 73)
Ujuṁ janapado rāja, Himavantassa passato,
dhana-viriyena sampanno Kosalesu niketino.
O, noble king, you who please your people with loving-kindness by ruling them with the four modes of support. Four modes of support (saṅgaha-vatthu). See the Further Explanations. In the land of the Kosalan people near the mountains named the Himavanta, which is straight from here, in the direction of the north, exists the region of Kapilavatthu, full of grain, food and drink and famed like the divine city of Amaravati. That region belongs to my father, Mahā Suddhodana, the excellent torch of the lineage of the sun that has long had an aristocratic ancestry since the beginning of the world. It is the place which is endowed with the seven kinds of treasure and men of valour, numbering 82,000, who have the ability of plucking a star at the end of the sky by means of their prowess.
Ādiccā nāma gottena, Sākiyā nāma jātiyā,
tamhā kulā pabbajitomhi, na kāme abhipatthayaṁ.
O noble king, you who are recognized as a Deva! Because I am not a stranger but related to the Sun-god, I am Ādicca by clan, which is pure. I am Sākiya by birth, which is glorious, a new name which came about through the joyous utterance of King Ukkaka. Coming from the Ādicca clan and from Sākiya royal lineage, I have renounced the world with a view to becoming a Buddha, not because I aspire after objects of sensual pleasures.
Kāmesvādīnavaṁ disvā, nekkhammam daṭṭhu khemato,
padhānāya gamissāmi, ettha me rañjatī mano.
O noble king, you who are recognized as a Deva! With my insight wisdom, I saw clearly more of suffering and less of enjoyment in the material objects of sensual pleasures. I also saw renunciation of both the objects and the defilements of sensual pleasures as a haven, free from dangers. Having seen thus, I became a recluse with becoming a Buddha as my goal. I will proceed to strive for the attainment of Nibbāna, the ultimate reality that comes of renunciation and that excels all other states immensely in its quality of peace. My mind always yearns for that state called Nibbāna which is far superior to all other states.
With these three verses, the Bodhisatta told King Bimbisāra that he had come from the lineage of Sākiya and had taken up an ascetic life; that he had no desire at all for material pleasures; and that, having become a recluse with the aim of achieving Nibbāna, he would be retreating to the forest for the practice of the austerities (dukkara-cariyā) in order to speedily attain that very state of Nibbāna.
When told thus, King Bimbisāra replied: “Venerable sir, I have already heard that: “Prince Siddhattha, the son of King Suddhodana, after seeing the four omens with his own eyes, renounced the world to become a recluse, in order to attain Perfect Self-Awakening, the supreme leadership in the three worlds.” Having seen by myself your great aspiration after Nibbāna, I firmly believe that you will become a Buddha. Venerable sir, let me make a supplication to you. When you have become a Buddha, please visit my country first and foremost!” After thus solemnly extending his invitation, King Bimbisāra went back into the city.