22b: 500 Monastics become Arahats
The War over the River Rohinī
There was a small river by the name of Rohinī between Kapilavatthu and Koliya. The two kingdoms took turns, in harmony, to water their respective arable lands by controlling the flow of the channel with a single dam.
The level of the water in the channel was at its lowest in the month of June (Jeṭṭha) and the crops usually withered. The farmers of the two countries called a meeting to discuss the matter of sharing the water in the channel. At the meeting the Koliyan farmers said: “Friends, if the small amount of water in the river was to be divided and shared by both of us, neither of us would receive a sufficient amount to water our fields. One more flood of water would suffice to bring maturity to our crops. We request you therefore to let us make use of this small amount of water.”
The farmers of Kapilavatthu also had their say in this manner: “Friends, we can’t go from door to door of your houses carrying baskets with our purses filled with gold, silver and precious jewels in search of paddy, in a dejected manner, while you all sit down with your minds at ease having filled your granaries with paddy to their full capacities. Our early crops, too, are about to mature and need watering in the same manner as yours do.”
Heated arguments ensued, one side saying: “We are not going to yield,” the other side retorting in the same words. The exchange of words eventually led to blows, a farmer on one side attacked a farmer from the other side and the latter retaliated in a like manner. The affray that started between the farmers on both sides ultimately grew into hostilities, like a small bush fire which grows fierce and finally burns down a palatial mansion to the extent of decrying the royal clans on both sides.
The Koliyan farmers began the quarrel: “You have threatened us by placing your reliance on the royal clan of Kapilavatthu. The Kapilavatthu royal clan you depend upon behave like common dogs and jackals of the forest making their own sisters their wives. For the background stories about the Sakyans and Koliyans see the Further Explanations. What harm can their elephants, horses and armour do to us?”
The Kapilavatthu farmers retaliated in a no less acrimonious tone: “You threatened us by relying on your little lepers inflicted with horrible leprosy. The Koliyan descendents on whom you lean on for support are themselves in a miserable plight ever since they were banished from the city and lived like animals
The farmers returned to their respective cities and reported the matter to the ministers of agriculture, who in turn, brought the state of affairs to the notice of their chiefs.
Consequently, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu prepared to wage war on the Koliyas and came out of the city, shouting the war cry: “The husbands of their own sisters will demonstrate their strength of arms.” The rival royalties on the side of Koliyas also prepared for war and came out, their war cry being: “Those taking shelters in the hollows of Kola trees will display their strength of arms.”
At that time, the Buddha was residing in the Jetavana monastery of Sāvatthī. On the very day on which the two rival communities of Kapilavatthu and Koliya were prepared to go to the battlefield, he surveyed the world early at dawn and perceived that a bloody battle was imminent between the two opposing sides that very evening. He further perceived that he would be able to avert the war by going to the scene of hostilities and expounding three Birth Stories (Jātaka): The Birth Story about the Flame of the Forest Tree (Phandana-jātaka, Ja 475), the Birth Story about the Jackal’s Roar (Daddara-jātaka, Ja 172) and the Birth Story about the Quail (Laṭukika-jātaka, Ja 357). This would bring about peace, after which, he will have to teach the Birth Stories about the Way of Trees (Rukkha-dhamma-jātaka, Ja 74) and the Birth Story about the Quail (Vaṭṭaka-jātaka, Ja 33), aka the Birth Story about being in Agreement (Sammodamāna-jātaka, Ja 33) and lastly, followed by the Discourse about Taking up Weapons (Atta-daṇḍa-sutta, Snp 4.15) to bring home the benefits of unity and harmony. Having heard the discourses, the Sakyans and Koliyans will each give him 250 youths to enter the Saṅgha: “I will ordain them as monastics and it will culminate in the convening of the great assembly (mahā-samaya).”
Having perceived this, the Buddha decided to go to the place of hostilities and save the warring kinsmen from mutual destruction. He went early for the usual round of receiving alms food and stayed the whole day in the scented chamber. Towards evening, he left the chamber for the scene of strife all alone, carrying the double robe and alms bowl himself, without informing anyone. On arrival at the spot, he sat cross-legged in the sky in the middle of the rival groups, and caused a dark blue radiance to be emitted from his hair so that darkness prevailed all over, although the sun had not yet set. This was meant to cause contrition in the heart of the warring factions. While all the people were greatly frightened by the strange phenomenon, the Buddha, sending out a six-coloured radiance from his body manifested himself to them.
When members of the Sakyan clan saw the Buddha, they began to contemplate thus: “The Buddha has come, he is of our own blood. Perhaps he has knowledge of our strife.” They discussed among themselves and decided: “It is not right and proper for us to let our weapons fall upon the bodies of others in the presence of the Buddha; let Koliyans kill us or take us captives, should they desire to do so.” By mutual consent they abandoned all their weapons and sat down respectfully paying homage to the Buddha.
The Koliyans also arrived at the same decision amongst themselves. They too abandoned their weapons and sat down paying obeisance to the Buddha who then descended from the sky and sat on a reserved seat on the delightful sandy plain, with all the grace and glory of a Buddha.
The Buddha’s Teaching
The Buddha knowingly asked: “Why have you all come to this place?” The kings of both countries replied: “Most exalted Buddha, we have not come just to see the river, nor to sport in the river; as a matter of fact we have come to wage war upon one another on this sandy plain.”
The Buddha again asked: “Your royal highnesses, what is the actual cause of your strife?” Then they replied: “The water of this Rohinī stream is the cause of it.”
The Buddha then asked: “Your royal highnesses, what is the value of the water of this
Whereupon, the Buddha made this direct question: “How would you evaluate the nobility?” They replied: “The value of the nobility is unlimited.”
The Buddha then made this address: “Your royal highnesses, for some water of this Rohinī channel that is of small value, why do you wish to destroy the priceless nobility by fighting one another. Not the slightest amount of pleasure could be found in worthless conflicts and wasteful strifes. Your royal highnesses, there was a glaring instance where the seed of enmity sown by a tree Deva and bear remained potent throughout the auspicious (bhadda) world-element.”
The Birth Story about the Flame of the Forest Tree
The Buddha then went on to expound the Birth Story about the Flame of the Forest Tree (Phandana-jātaka, Ja 475), a brief account of which is as follows: “Your Royal Highnesses, a long time ago, during the reign of King Brahmadatta in Bārāṇasī, there was a village of carpenters just outside the city; and there was a Brahmin who was a carpenter by profession, he brought wood from the forest and made them into chariots for a living.
At that time, there was a Flame of the Forest (Phandana) tree in the region of the Himālayas. A bear used to go and sleep under that tree with ease and comfort after his meal. One day a dried branch broke due to a strong wind and fell on the bear’s back, hurting it slightly. The bear ran away through fright but soon returned to seek out the cause of his injury. He did not see his enemy.
So he thought to himself: “There is no wild beast, such as a lion, leopard or tiger, around here to harm me; and there can’t be anyone except the tree Deva who might be jealous of my sleeping under the tree, to cause me harm. I will surely have my revenge on him.” Thus making a mountain out of a molehill the bear hit the tree and scratched it with its paws, saying: “I have not eaten your leaves, nor broken your branches, you don’t show spite towards other animals taking rest under the tree, but you are jealous of me. What fault is there? You just wait for two or three days and I will uproot your tree and cut it into pieces.” Having threatened the tree Deva, the bear stayed in the neighbourhood, looking for a person capable of causing damage to the tree.
A Brahmin carpenter, accompanied by a few hands, went into the forest in a small vehicle in search of wood for the construction of chariots. They left the vehicle in a certain place and went into the forest with hatchets and choppers. They went round looking for the right type of wood and eventually came near the Flame of the Forest tree.
When the bear saw the Brahmin carpenter, it thought: “Today, I shall have my retaliation against my enemy,” and he went and stood at the base of the tree. As the carpenter passed by the tree, the bear seized the opportunity of addressing The conversation between the bear and the carpenter was made in seven verses. The verses in Pāli, which are not so important, are not reproduced; only their translation is provided here. him thus:
“My dear man, you have come into the forest with a hatchet in your hand. Tell me frankly which tree you have in mind to cut down?”
When the carpenter heard the words of the bear, he uttered in amazement:
“Dear boys, it is strange indeed that a bear speaks the language of the humans, a thing I have hitherto never seen or heard.”
He thought to himself then, such a bear speaking the human language would know the kind of wood suitable for making chariots, and so he asked the bear:
“Dear bear king, you have wandered all over, up the hills and down the valleys, please tell me honestly which kind of wood is most suitable for the construction of chariots?”
When the bear heard this, he felt that his wish was going to be fulfilled and he replied in verse:
“Red sandalwood (Pterocarpus indicu) is not strong enough to use as frame work; Cutch (Acacia catechu) is equally unsuitable; the Sāl tree (Shorea robusta) is the same; and shrubs (Lythrum fructicosum) are out of the question as they are equally weak. There is a certain kind of tree known as the Flame of the Forest; the wood of that tree is the strongest for the construction of chariots.”
The carpenter was delighted to hear it and so he thought to himself:
“I’ve come into the jungle on a truly auspicious day and even a beast, like the bear, pointed out to me the most suitable kind of wood for the construction of chariots. What good fortune!”
He asked the bear:
“My dear bear, how about the branches and leaves of that tree and its stem? Dear good friend, please tell me everything so that I know all about that tree.”
The bear gave his reply in two verses:
“My dear friend, Brahmin, there is a certain tree whose branches and twigs bend downwards and hang down. They are pliant, durable and strong. I am now standing at the base of that tree, it is called the Flame of the Forest. Its wood is the right stuff for making the circumference of wheels, axles, shafts and all other components of a chariot.”
After uttering these two verses, the bear made off with a happy mind to some other place suitable for seeking his prey. Then the carpenter started to make arrangements for cutting down the tree. The guardian spirit of the tree thought:
“Although I had not thrown down anything on his back, the bear has been harbouring a grudge against me and has sewn the seed of enmity for nothing. He has now plotted to cause the destruction of my habitation. With the destruction of my dwelling, I am certain to be destroyed too. I shall have to bring about his destruction with a ruse.”
He then transformed himself into the form of a human labourer and approaching the carpenter asked him: “Man, you have got a beautiful tree; what do you intend to do, once you have cut it into wood?” The carpenter replied: “I will make it into a chariot frame.”
“Who has told you that the wood of this tree is good for making chariots?” queried the tree Deva. “A bear told me so,” was the reply. The tree Deva said: “That’s good. The bear has given you a good advice. Indeed, the chariot you are going to make, according to the advice of the bear, should turn out to be a fine looking one. I too should like to give you a suggestion, that is, strengthen your chariot frame work with a girdle of bear’s skin, removed from round its neck. This will make it stronger than if it were secured with tin plates, and increase your income from the chariots.”
When asked by the carpenter: “My dear man, from where can I get the bear’s skin?” the tree Deva said:
“Man, are you still a young boy not to know that the tree is inanimate; it will remain here and will not run away. Just hurry after the bear who has told you about the tree and ask him by showing great respect: ‘My lord, which part of the tree you have shown me should be cut?’ and persuade him to come back to the tree. Then suspecting nothing, he would point out with his long stretched-out snout: ‘Cut here, cut here.” At that moment, you can cut him down with a sharp axe and put him to death. Then strip him of his leather, eat his flesh and attend to the business of cutting down the tree.”
Thus the seed of enmity was sown. On hearing the guardian spirit of the tree, the Brahmin carpenter expressed his feeling of delight in these words: “How marvellous, this is an auspicious day for me.” He returned home after killing the bear and cutting down the tree.
The Buddha concluded his discourse by expounding the following verses in order to exhort and instruct the feuding kinsmen:
Iccevaṁ phandano issaṁ,
aññam-aññaṁ vivādena, aññam-aññam-aghātayuṁ.
Your royal highnesses, in this manner, the tree Deva quarrelled with the bear; and the bear in turn disputed with the tree Deva. Their animosity finally led to the destruction of both.
Evam-eva manussānaṁ, vivādo yattha jāyati,
mayūra-naccaṁ naccanti, yathā te issa-phandanā.
Your royal highnesses, when people fight against one another, they do so like the bear and the tree Deva in the manner of a dancing peacock. Just as a peacock could not dance without exposing the private parts of his body, so the people fighting one another are not capable of concealing what is to be concealed.
This is a reference to the derogatory remarks concerning the origin of the Sakyans and the Koliyans made by the warring factions.
Taṁ vo vadāmi bhaddaṁ vo, yāvantettha samāgatā,
sammodatha mā vivadatha, mā hotha issa-phandanā.
Your royal highnesses, may you always be blessed with glory and graciousness, you who have gathered together on the banks of Rohinī, I exhort you to act after the manner of the waters of the two rivers, Ganges and Yamuna, harmoniously mixing together with loving-kindness. Avoid fighting one another and caused mutual destruction. Do not follow the example of the bear and the tree Deva.
Sāmaggim-eva sikkhetha, Buddhehetaṁ pasaṁsitaṁ,
sāmaggi-rato dhammaṭṭho, yogakkhemā na dhaṁsatī”ti.
Your royal highnesses, strive only for unity. Every Buddha has praised the virtues of unity. He who delights in harmonious living, established in the ten modes of good conduct (sucarita) Sucarita: 1. Avoidance of killing, of stealing, sexual misconduct, telling lies, slandering, harsh, abusive language, frivolous speech, avarice, ill-will, wrong view. is bound to achieve nothing less than the happiness of Nibbāna, the end of all ties (yoga), which yoke one to rebirth.
The two rival factions of the Sakyans and Koliyans were amicably reunited after hearing the discourse of the Buddha. In winding up the discourse, the Buddha revealed that he was the Chief Guardian deity of the whole forest who had personal knowledge of the conflict between the bear and the tree Deva.
The Birth Story about the Jackal’s Roar
The Buddha then went on by giving exhortation to the assembled crowd: “Your royal highnesses, do not believe what others say without giving careful consideration. All the quadrupeds of the Himālaya forest, which is three leagues in extent, were once about to plunge into the great ocean for trusting, without reason, the word of a hare that ran away screaming: ‘The earth has crumbled! The earth has crumbled!’ You should never allow yourself to become a person who is taken in by what others say without careful
This Birth Story (Jātaka) treats of the story of a hare who was unduly scared by the fall of a beli fruit on the palm leaf under which it was sleeping. It ran towards the ocean through fright screaming: ‘The earth has crumbled.’ Equally frightened without any reason, all the four-legged animals of the Himālayan forest ran along until they were stopped by the lion king who saved them from the impending danger after careful investigation into the matter.
The Birth Story about the Quail
Then the Buddha went on to explain to them that sometimes it is possible that someone who is weak could get an opportunity to destroy someone who is strong while, on other occasions, someone who is strong gets the chance to wreak havoc with someone who is weak.
Giving the instance where a young skylark had caused the death of a full grown elephant, he gave the following discourse on the Birth Story about the Quail (Laṭukika-jātaka, Ja 357):
Excellencies, once upon a time, a Bodhisatta was born as an elephant during the reign of King Brahmadatta in Bārāṇasī. When it grew up, it had a fine appearance and a huge body. It lived in the forests of the Himālayas, governing a herd of elephants numbering 80,000.
At that time a female skylark happened to have laid her eggs on the floor of the beaten tracks of elephants. The Bodhisatta elephant travelled in the company of 80,000 elephants along the route at a time when the baby skylarks were not yet capable of flying. Eventually, the Bodhisatta and his herd of elephants arrived at the spot where the skylarks were living.
When the skylark saw the king elephant, she was worried about the safety of her chicks. She thought: “If I do not approach the king elephant, it will surely tread upon my chicks and kill them. I should immediately approach it with a request for a rightful protection of my chicks.” So with her wings closed together as if to make obeisance, she stood right in front of the king elephant and made her submission:
Vandāmi taṁ kuñjara saṭṭhi-hāyanaṁ,
āraññakaṁ yūtha-patiṁ yasassiṁ,
pakkhehi taṁ pañjalikaṁ karomi,
mā me vadhī puttake dubbalāya.
O your majesty, king of elephants, one whose strength wanes only at the age of 60, chief of the herd of elephants that roam in the forest, I salute you, paying homage to you with clasped wings. I pray that my children be spared their lives by not treading upon them.
Whereupon the Bodhisatta gave her comfort with those words: “Skylark, don’t be downhearted, I will protect your chicks so that no harm will come to them,” and he stood over the young ones shielding them with his body. All the elephants by-passed him and the young skylarks were saved.
The Bodhisatta then called the female skylark and gave advice before he left: “Young skylark, a large rogue elephant, with no companions, will come this way after us. He will not listen to our words. When he comes along, you had better approach him also for the safety of your children, praying him to spare their lives.”
When the female skylark saw the rogue elephant coming along, she approached him with her wings clasped in homage and beseeched him thus as advised by the elephant king:
Vandāmi taṁ kuñjara eka-cāriṁ,
āraññakaṁ pabbata-sānugocaraṁ,
pakkhehi taṁ pañjalikaṁ karomi,
mā me vadhī puttake dubbalāya.
O elephant king, a lone wanderer of the forests, grazing in the valleys of rocky and sandy hills, I salute you, paying homage to you with clasped wings. I pray that my young ones will be spared their lives by not treading upon them.
On hearing the skylark’s humble request, the rogue elephant replied:
Vamissāmi te laṭukike puttakāni,
kiṁ me tuvaṁ kāhasi dubbalāsi,
sataṁ sahassāni pi tādisīnaṁ,
vāmena pādena papothayeyyaṁ.
Hey, skylark why do you put your young ones in my way? That’s enough of your insolence. I shall tread upon them and crush them to death. How can you wreak revenge on me when you are weak and I am powerful enough to pulverise 100,000 of your kind with just my left foot.
So saying the rogue elephant crushed the skylark’s young ones to dust, and washed them away in a stream of urine and departed, shouting with the voice of a crane.
Perched on the branch of a tree, the female skylark threatened: “Hey, you great brute of an elephant! You have the upper hand this time and go away, crowing gleefully in the tone of a crane. You just wait! Within two or three days you will see what I can do. You are not aware that intellectual might is more powerful than physical force. I will make you aware of that fact within a few days.
Na heva sabbattha balena kiccaṁ,
balañ-hi bālassa vadhāya hoti,
karissāmi te Nāga-rājā anatthaṁ,
yo me vadhī puttake dubbalāya.
O elephant king, not everything can be accomplished by means of physical force alone; unwise use of physical strength can be suicidal. You have mercilessly crushed to death my helpless children; I will bring about your destruction within a few days.
After thus making this war-cry, the skylark managed within two or three days to gain the friendship of a crow by waiting upon it. Being delighted by the skylark’s pleasant behaviour, the crow asked her: “Is there any thing I can do for you?” The skylark replied: “What I want to ask you as a favour is to cause damage to the eyes of the rogue elephant that used to roam about alone; that is the assistance I need.” The crow gave his word: “I will do it.”
The skylark then went to a big bluebottle fly and formed a friendship with it in a like manner. When the fly asked her what she wanted, she requested: “When my friend the crow has damaged the eyes of the lone rogue elephant, it is my wish that you help me by laying your eggs in the sockets of the elephant’s damaged eyes.”
When the bluebottle fly gave her assurance for co-operation, saying: “Yes, I will,” the skylark approached a frog and sought its friendship as before. The frog asked her what it could do to help her and she replied: “When the lone rogue elephant has gone blind through the assistance of my two friends, the crow and the fly, and is looking for water to quench his thirst, I wish you to croak from the top of the hill. When the elephant climbs up the hill after hearing your voice, you might get down to the bottom of the cliff to make a sound from there. This is all the assistance I look for from my frog friend.” The frog, likewise, gave his promise to assist the skylark.
On the following day, the crow pounded the eyes of the elephant with its beak as requested by the skylark; the bluebottle fly laid its eggs in the damaged eyes. Suffering painfully from damaged eyes now infested with maggots and from intense thirst, the rogue elephant groped blindly after water.
The skylark was delighted when it came to know of the death of her enemy, the rogue elephant, and uttered out of joy: “Oh! I have seen the back of my enemy,” so saying, it strutted to and fro on the back of the elephant several times and made off to a place of its liking.
The Buddha exhorted the two royal families, saying: “Your royal highnesses, you should not engage in hostilities with anyone; as explained, even an elephant of great strength can be brought to ruin by the combined efforts of small powerless creatures, such as the crow, the bluebottle fly, the frog and the skylark,” and he continued by teaching the following verse:
Kākañ-ca passa laṭukikaṁ, maṇḍūkaṁ nīla-makkhikaṁ,
ete nāgaṁ aghātesuṁ, passa verassa verinaṁ,
tasmā hi veraṁ na kayirātha, appiyena pi kenaci.
Members of the Sakyan clan! Look at these small creatures, the crow, the skylark, the frog and the bluebottle fly; these four creatures, because they were united, brought about the complete downfall of a powerful bull elephant. You can see the outcome of hatred accruing to a person who wishes to engage in hostilities. Therefore, you should not carry on a feud with anyone, not even with someone you do not like.
In winding up the discourse, the Buddha revealed that: “The rogue elephant at that time was the Devadatta of today, and the noble leader of the elephant herd at that time was myself.”
The Birth Story about the Way of Trees
Having expounded the three Birth Stories (Jātaka): about the Flame of the Forest Tree, the Jackal’s Roar and the Quail, the Buddha proceeded to expound two more Birth Stories (Jātaka) to bring home the advantages of unity.
The first was the Birth Story about the Way of Trees (Rukkha-dhamma-jātaka, Ja 74): “Your royal highnesses, you all are related to one another by blood; and it would be only right and proper for blood relatives to be closely united and work together in harmony. No enemy can harm you when you stand united. Unity is necessary even for trees that are insentient, leave alone conscious creatures such as human beings.
I will cite a relevant instance: once upon a time, a forest of Sāla trees in the Himālayas was struck by a violent storm. But not a single tree suffered the slightest damage, as they stood in a body, securely fastened to one another by plants and bushes. The storm could not touch the trees but brushed against the topmost part of the tree and broke away. In contrast a lone tree complete with big trunks and branches was blown down, root and branch, by a strong wind for want of solidarity and a united front, in close association and collaboration with other trees, plants and bushes. It is essential, therefore, that you all stand in a body united through co-operation and co-ordination.”
Whereupon the members of the royal family requested the Buddha to expound the appropriate Birth Story (Jātaka) in more detail: “Royal highnesses, it was during the reign of King Brahmadatta in Bārāṇasī that a Vessavaṇa Deva passed away and Sakka appointed another Deva in his place. During this transitional period, the new Vessavaṇa Deva issued a fresh order permitting all the Devas to accommodate themselves in the places of their own choice amongst trees, plants and thickets.
The Bodhisatta was then a sylvan deity in charge of a Sāla forest in the region of the Himālayas. He gave advice to his relatives thus: “My dear men, don’t choose the trees growing in the bare plane as your dwelling places; you will be well advised to dwell on the trees surrounding the one which I have chosen as my abode in the forest.”
The wise ones among the deities occupied the trees surrounding the abode of the Bodhisatta as he had advised. The unwise deities agreed amongst themselves: “No useful purpose would be served by residing in trees amidst the forest away from human habitations. Only those living in the vicinity of villages and towns could better their prospects, both for gain and fame.” So deciding, they chose to occupy trees along the main road in the bare plains.
After some time a violent storm accompanied by torrential rain visited the area and all the trees including the trees of great dimensions got their boughs and branches broken away and they fell down by the roots. When the violent storm reached the Sāla forest controlled by the Bodhisatta, they blew wildly all over the forest, but none of the trees fell because they were closely knit together.
Those, who were rendered homeless, went about holding their young ones by the hand, to their friends dwelling in the Sāla forest in the Himālayas and acquainted them with their miserable plight. Their friends in the Sāla forest recounted in turn, the story of their woes to the sylvan Deva who was the Bodhisatta.
Whereupon, the Bodhisatta made it plain to them: “It is quite natural that the people who decided to dwell in such places, against the advice of the wise, have to face such difficulties,” and expounded the following discourse in verse (Ja 74):
Sādhū sambahulā ñātī, api rukkhā araññajā,
vāto vahati ekaṭṭhaṁ, brahantam-pi vanappatiṁ.
O my relative Devas, when a great number of friends and relatives live close together, dependent upon one another, even the trees growing all over the forest, dwell comfortably, free from oppression by their enemies. But the tree growing in isolation on the open plain, in spite of its huge trunk and many thick branches, cannot withstand the tempest which uproots it with all its branches and leaves.
After giving this discourse, the Bodhisatta passed away at the expiry of his lifespan.
The Buddha concluded the discourse by exhorting them thus: “Royal highnesses, all the relatives should first strive to achieve unity; having achieved it, live happy, harmonious lives, suffusing one another with loving-kindness.” He finally revealed that: “The audience present today were the deities of the Sāla forest and I was the wise sylvan deity who gave them guidance.”
The Birth Story about the Quail
The Buddha then made further exhortation: “Royal highnesses, it is not at all proper to quarrel amongst your own relatives. There was an instance in the past where even animals could conquer their enemies by living together harmoniously and in unity, but they perished due to internal strife.” At the request of the kinsmen, the Buddha then gave an exposition of the Birth Story about the Quail (Vaṭṭaka-jātaka, Ja 33):
“Royal highnesses, a long time ago, the Bodhisatta was born as a quail and lived in a forest with thousands of companions during the reign of King Brahmadatta in Bārāṇasī. A bird-hunter used to go to where the quails dwelt and entice them by imitating their cry. Once the quails arrived and formed a gathering at the spot, he spread out his net over them. He then walked around the edge of the net to drive the quails to the centre of the net. The quails were then seized and put in a basket and taken away for sale. The hunter earned his living by catching and selling the quails in this way.
One day, the Bodhisatta addressed all the quails in the group under his care: “My dear quails, the bird-hunter has caused serious damage to our kind several times now. I have devised a plan to avert the danger of being caught by the bird-hunter, and this is what each and every one of us should do. Once we are caught under the net thrown over us by the hunter, everyone should push his head through the holes in the netting and then, all together lifting the net, fly away. You should all perch on a cluster of bushes, in a safe place, where the net will remain entangled with them. We can then make our escape from beneath the net and fly away.”
All the quails in his group accepted his advice saying: “Very well.” On the following day, all the quails lifted up the net at the same moment they were caught in the hunter’s net, and flew away. They threw the net on a bush and flew away in different directions.
The hunter could free his net from the bush only after dusk and went back home empty handed. The next day the quails acted in the same manner also. The hunter took a long time to retrieve his net and went home empty handed again. It continued in this way for some time. The hunter’s wife became cross with her husband and asked him: “You come home late and empty handed day after day. It is as if you have someone else to be maintained besides myself.”
“My woman, I have no one to maintain except you. The thing is, the quails are there flying about, but they are now more closely knit than before. As soon as I spread the net over them, they lift it up and carry it away and drop it onto thorny bushes. But, my dear, they cannot remain united for ever; so don’t trouble yourself with suspicion about me. There will surely come a time when the quails will start quarrelling with one another, then I will catch them all and bring them to you to make you smile,” advised the hunter, who recited the following verse:
Sammodamānā gacchanti, jālam-ādāya pakkhino,
yadā te vivadissanti, tadā ehinti me vasanti.
My good lady, with harmonious unity and co-operation the quails carry away the net I have thrown over them, drop it on the thorny bushes and make their escape. There will be a time when they start quarrelling amongst themselves. At that time, they will have to yield to my wishes.
A few days later, a quail accidentally trod on the head of another quail as it came down into the pasture. The one trod on, showing its anger asked in a threatening tone: “Who trod on my head?” The other quail replied meekly: “Please pardon me, my dear friend, I trod on it through carelessness. Please don’t be angry with me.” But the angry quail could not be pacified. The two began to make scurrilous attacks upon each other very often, beginning from that day.
When the two quails were found to be in a quarrelsome mood, arguing as to who could lift the hunter’s net, the Bodhisatta foresaw a trail of consequences: “Where there are heated arguments, there can be no peace and happiness. As of now, the quails will fail to take part in the lifting and carrying away of the net. The lives of numerous quails are at stake, the hunter will undoubtedly take advantage of the situation. It will not be proper for me to stay in this place any longer.”
He therefore departed from that place, taking along with him all the quails which were the associates forming his group. Only the group of quails, headed by the future Devadatta, remained in that forest.
The bird-hunter went to the same spot a few days later and made the sound in imitation
The Buddha, in winding up the discourse said: “Royal highnesses, strife amongst relatives is, on no account, justifiable. It is the causal condition of destruction,” and finally revealed that: “Devadatta was the leading and most ignorant quail and I was the wise leader of the quails of the other group at that time.”
The Discourse about Taking up Arms
The Buddha after expounding the five Birth Stories (Jātaka) proceeded to teach the Discourse about Taking up Weapons (Atta-daṇḍa-sutta, Snp 4.15) of the Discourse Anthology (Sutta-nipāta), as the final discourse.
[Mingun Sayādaw did not provide a translation of this important discourse, so I have made one myself, following his expansive style of translation.]
1. Fear arises, both now and in the future, for those who have taken bodily, verbal and mental weapons, just look at these Sakyans and Koliyans who are quarrelling; I will explain how I was stirred with a sense of spiritual urgency.
2. Seeing this generation of men trembling because of craving, views and other defilements like fish in a small pond tremble because of crows, herons and storks. Seeing them fight with each other I was overcome with fright.
3. The world is insubstantial on all sides, from hell unto the Brahma world, all conditioned things are in turmoil; desiring to find a shelter for myself, I saw nowhere that was not overcome by ageing, sickness and death.
4. Even at the end of their lives they are hostile. Seeing that I no longer took delight in life, I saw the darts of lust, hatred, delusion, conceit, views, suffering, and doubt that had settled in the mind.
5. When struck by those darts one runs around in all directions engaging in bad conduct, but when one has drawn out those darts one does not run around engaging in bad conduct any more, one does not get reborn over and over.
6. Here the training rules are recited: Whatever ties to the strands of sensual desire there are in the world, having pierced through all sensual desire, you must train yourself in higher conduct, higher mind and higher wisdom so as to attain Nibbāna.
7. One should be truthful in words, knowledge and path, not forward, free of deceit, one should get rid of slander, being without anger, a sage will cross over the evils of greed and selfishness.
8. One should overcome sleepiness, laziness and sloth, without abiding in heedlessness. One who does good deeds with a mind set on Nibbāna should not have great conceit.
9. One should not be determined on false speech, nor have affection for form, one should completely know conceit, and live without violence driven by passion and so forth.
10. One should not find happiness in what has passed, one should not prefer what is present now, one should not grieve for conditioned things in decline, one should not have an attachment to attractive things.
11. Yearning for conditioned things, I say, is a great flood, wanting is like the rapids that washes all away. It is the basis for forming intentions, the defilement of sensual desires which is hard to overcome.
12. The sage never deviates from truthfulness, right view and the path, the true Brahmin stands on form ground. Having forsaken all the sense spheres, one is indeed said to be peaceful.
13. The one who understands, the one who has highest knowledge, having understood the Dhamma, abandoning defilements, he is independent of the senses. He moves around rightly in the world, not yearning for anything at all.
14. Whoever has crossed over sensual desire, the clinging that is hard to cross over in the world, does not grieve, nor does he long for anything, having cut off the stream, he is no longer bound.
15. One must dry up whatever defilements there are regarding what has passed, and let there be none that come later, if you do not grasp at the five aggregates in the present, peacefully you will wander around.
16. One who cherishes nothing in the whole realm of mind and matter, and does not grieve for what he does not have, does not lose anything in the world.
17. The one who has nothing that he thinks is his own or as belonging to others, not finding any selfish attachments, has nothing to grieve about thinking: it is mine.
18. Not being jealous, not having greed, imperturbable, everywhere eqaunimous, being asked about being unshakeable, I say those are the four advantages.
19. The one who is imperturbable, who understands the Dhamma, who abstains from volitional striving, sees safety and security in all places.
20. The sage does not speak of himself as being amongst equals, superiors or inferiors, he is one who is at peace, without selfishness. He does not take anything up nor does he throw anything off.
The members of the royal families of the two countries were finally reconciled and appeased, and with devotional faith and full of gratitude, agreed amongst themselves: “Had not the Buddha come and intervened, we would certainly have destroyed one another and made blood flow in a stream. We have been saved from mutual destruction only because of him. Above all, had he not chosen to renounce the world, he would have been enjoying the life of a Universal Monarch, ruling over the four continents surrounded by 2,000 smaller islands. Accompanied by thousands of his sons of great intellectual and physical strength, he would have roamed over all his dominions followed by a large retinue.
But our royal kith and kin of noble blood, the Buddha, had renounced all the pleasures and luxuries of a Universal Monarch to become a recluse and he has blossomed forth as a Fully Self-Awakened Buddha. It would be only right and proper, now that he had become a Buddha, we should let him have monastics of royal blood attend upon him.” With this unanimous decision, the royal members of the two countries offered 250 princes from each country to the Buddha, for ordination.
The Buddha accepted them and ordained them as summoned monastics and took them to the Great Wood near the city of Kapilavatthu. From the following day onwards, he took alternate turns to receive alms food from Kapilavatthu and Koliya in the company of these 500 monastics. The people of the two countries offered the Saṅgha a large amount of alms food.
These 500 monastics had taken up the ascetic life not out of their own volition, but because they were unable to refuse the request of their parents and relatives. Thus, within a few days, the 500 monastics found their life tedious, uninteresting, and boring. News from their homes also did not help to make them happier in the monastery. “We beseech you not to take delight in the life of a monastic; from the time of your departure, our private business have been deteriorating day by day,” wrote their wives to them.
The Birth Story about Kuṇāla
The Buddha kept constant watch over these 500 monastics by personal contact, three times in a day and three times at night, a total of six times a day, just as a pheasant looks after her eggs, or as the fabulous yak (camarī) regards its tail, a mother cares for her only son, or a one-eyed man regards his one good eye.
He became aware of the unhappy state of their minds and he considered: “These monastics felt discontented and tedious even in the company of such a person as myself, the Buddha, what kind of discourse would be suitable for them?” He perceived that the Birth Story about Kuṇāla (Kuṇāla-jātaka, Ja 536) which mentions the frailties and weaknesses in the character of women would be best for them. Therefore, he made the decision: “I shall first take these monastics to the Himālayas, then, by relating the Birth Story about Kuṇāla, I shall bring home to them the imperfections and defects in the character of
The Buddha entered the city of Kapilavatthu in the morning for the usual round of alms food, and in the afternoon he asked the 500 monastics: “Have you ever seen the pleasant forests of the Himālaya regions?” and they replied: “We have never seen them, Lord.” He asked them again: “Would you like to pay a short visit to the forests of the Himālayas?” – “Most exalted Buddha, we do not possess any supernatural power; how would we go there?” Whereupon he asked: “But if someone who has the power offers to take you there, would you like to go along with him?” The monastics answered: “Yes, Lord, we will go.”
The Buddha, exercising his supernormal power, took them through the air to the Himālayas, and in the course of the journey, while still in the sky, they were shown the golden, silver, emerald, vermilion and mountains of glass, etc., the five great rivers and the seven great lakes. The Himālayas were of huge dimension, 500 leagues high with an area of 3,000 leagues. The Buddha revealed to the 500 monastics by his supernatural power only a small portion of the delightful splendours of the Himālayas. He also showed them four-legged animals such as lions, tigers, elephants, as well as enchanting parks and gardens teeming with the various kinds of flora and fauna, abounding in numerous species of birds, aquatic and land birds. They were shown the sheer cliff on the east side of the Himālayas, the whole surface of which was golden and the cliff on the west completely covered with vermilion.
From the moment they witnessed this rare spectacle and the strange scenery in the mighty Himālayas, all these 500 monastics had cut off their attachment to their former wives. Then the Buddha, with all 500 monastics, descended on the western slope of the Himālayas where there was a massive vermilion slab, 60 leagues in extent, on which was a huge Sāla tree that will last to the end of the present world-element, with a height and width of seven leagues. Under the shade of that tree, on a vermilion platform, three leagues in width, the Buddha took his seat surrounded by the 500 monastics. With brilliant six-hued radiance emitting from his body, he sat there looking like the morning sun whose radiance was reflected from the surface of the ocean. He then addressed the monastics: “Monastics, you may ask me if there is anything in this vast region of the Himālayas you have not seen before.”
At that moment, a king of the cuckoos, seated on a stick that was carried by a pair of youthful hen cuckoos with their beaks on either end of the horizontal stick, was seen coming down from a higher altitude They were accompanied by groups of eight youthful hen cuckoos, each group taking their positions above their heads, below them, on their right and left and on their front and back. Struck with wonder at the sight of the strange spectacle, the 500 monastics made their request to the Buddha: “Exalted Buddha, what kind of birds are these and what are they called?”
“Monastics, those birds are the descendants of a succession of generations of cuckoos that owe their origin to a species of bird I was born into a long time ago. Such youthful hen cuckoos treated me in like manner at the very outset, their number being 3,500 in my days. The number has dwindled in time and there is now just enough to preserve the species.”
Then the monastics requested the Buddha to recount how those 3,500 cuckoos had attended upon him in those forests. So he expounded the Birth Story about Kuṇāla in 300 verses so they could draw the lessons therefrom.
The Monastics Become Stream-Enterers
By the end of the discourse, all 500 monastics, the descendents of the Sakyan clan, attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala). At the moment of entering the path to Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-magga), all the monastics became endowed with supernormal psychic powers such as flying through space, etc.
An ordinary worldling has to practice the method of concentration on a meditation-device (kasiṇa) in order to attain the mundane meditations (jhāna) with supernormal psychic powers
Certain noble persons (ariya-puggala), after realization of the path and fruit, practise concentration meditation and attain the mundane meditations with psychic powers (abhiññā); other noble persons, having attained mundane meditations with psychic powers even while they were still worldlings, have no need to practise concentration meditation afresh; they can enjoy the privileges of mundane meditations and psychic powers easily at will.
Still there is another type of a noble person (ariya) who were not endowed with mundane meditations and psychic powers while still ordinary worldlings and yet, the moment they realize the supermundane path and fruition, they become endowed with mundane meditation and psychic powers which they can enjoy at will and easily. Such meditation attainments are termed absorption attained through the realization of the path (magga-siddhi-jhāna); and such psychic powers are called super knowledges attained through the realization of the path (magga-siddhi-abhiññā).”
Those 500 monastics, due to former application, and deeds of merit, achieved absorption and super knowledges attained through the realization of the path, without having to specially practise concentration meditation for them. They can enjoy these privileges freely at will.
The Buddha considered that the path and fruition stage of Stream-entry (Sotāpatti) should be sufficient for the 500 monastics for the time being and departed for the Great Wood by his psychic power. The monastics, who had relied upon him on their outward journey, returned to the Great Wood, by their own powers, accompanying the Buddha.
The Great Assembly
Taking his seat on the prepared throne in the Great Wood, the Buddha had the monastics assembled and addressed them: “Dear monastics, come on, sit down, I shall teach you the meditation practice that leads you to the three higher stages of the path (magga), through eradication of the defilements.” He then instructed them on the meditation method for attainment of the three higher paths.
The monastics thought to themselves: “The Buddha, being well aware that we were not happy leading the lives of monastics in the Dispensation, took us to Lake Kuṇāla and then, having removed our discontent and unhappiness, led us to the first stage of Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala). And now that in this Great Wood he has taught us the meditation method of attaining the three higher paths, we should not become lax with the thought: ‘We are noble Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna-ariya),’ but should strive hard like those pioneers who have gone before us to attain the state of perfection through application.”
They paid homage to the Buddha and left; in the secluded place at the root of trees, each of them spread their own small mats, and sat on them. The Buddha perceived: “These monastics, being Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna), know the way of attaining the path and fruit, and as such, they will not have any difficulty in achieving the higher stage of the paths and fruitions. Each and every one of these monastics who have now gone to practice insight meditation (vipassanā) will return in the evening to acquaint me with the virtues of the Arahat fruition he has gained. All the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element will also gather together in this universe at the same time. Then this will be an occasion of a Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya). It would be better for me to wait for such an assembly in a secluded place.” Having considered in this way, he went to a secluded spot and sat on the reserved place abiding in the fruition attainment (phala-samāpatti).
Of the 500 monastics, the one who left first after receiving instructions on meditation became an Arahat complete with the four analytical wisdoms (paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa) before the rest. The
The first monastic who became an Arahat rose from his seat, picking up the small mat on which he had been sitting, with a view to go to the Buddha to acquaint him with his attainment. The second and the third monastic and all the rest of them followed suit and headed towards the refectory. Then they went in a long queue as if they had lined themselves according to seniority in monkhood, to where the Buddha was waiting for them.
The monastic who arrived first sat on the small mat at a suitable distance and prepared to address the Buddha with the virtues of the Arahat fruition (Arahatta-phala) he had attained. But first, he turned round to see if there was anyone coming behind him with the same idea, and saw the second monastic, the third monastic, and finally all the 500 monastics lined up in a row after him.
When all the monastics had taken their seats at suitable places, each one looked at the other with a searching eye to form an idea of one another’s intentions and discovered that each one of them felt shy to address the Buddha about his attainment.
Noble Arahats always have the welfare of all beings at heart and their sincere wish is that humans, Devas and Brahmas acquire the penetrative insight-wisdom which they themselves have attained. They have no desire to reveal their attainment of Awakening for conspicuousness unlike the person who has discovered a pot of gold.
The Discourse about the Great Assembly
The Great Assembly of the 500 monastics, according to the commentary om the Discourse about the Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya-sutta, DN 20) took place in the cool evening on the full moon day of June (Jeṭṭha). No sooner had the 500 Arahats taken their seats than the moon appeared, rising from the top of Mount Yugandhara in the eastern hemisphere, free from the five kinds of obstructions: dew, mist, cloud, eclipse and smoke. The moon, in its fullness, assumed the form of a framed disc of a silver mirror or the frame of a silver wheel turning round and round on its edge, hanging high above the eastern horizon, shining with all its brightness as if to reveal the world that was made delightful and pleasurable by the appearance of the Awakened Buddha. At that auspicious moment, the Buddha was still in residence in the Great Wood near Kapilavatthu in the Sakka country, in the company of the 500 Arahats.
The Devas residing in the environs of the Great Wood, in great excitement, hailed one another: “Friends! Come, let us go. To pay homage to the Buddha is meritorious; to listen to the Dhamma is beneficial; to pay respects to the Saṅgha is to acquire great merit; Come, friends, let us go.” Thus clamouring, they congregated in the presence of the Buddha, made obeisance to him as well as to the 500 monastics who had just became Arahats.
Their rousing clamour, spread far and wide, reaching by stages from a haling distance, to half a mile, to a mile, to half a league, and to a league and thus extending from the centre of this universe to the surrounding 10,000 world-element. All the Devas and Brahmas, inhabiting these 10,000 world-element, therefore congregated in this universe, excepting for the Unconscious (Asaññā) Brahmas, the formless (arūpa) Brahmas and those Brahmas who happened to be absorbed in their meditation attainments (jhāna-samāpatti).
At that time, the universe was entirely packed with Devas from the celestial regions, reaching up to the Brahma realms like a needle case packed tightly with needles with no space left
When a Universal Monarch sat in congregation with all the monarchs from the vassal states, privileged and powerful rulers who arrived earlier could find their seats which were in the vicinity of the Universal Monarch and were not too uncomfortable. But those who arrived later could occupy only the back seats which were packed tight and provided little comfort. In a like manner, the space around the Buddha, who was like a Universal Monarch, was comparatively not so tight. All the powerful Brahmas, such as the Mahā Brahmas, Original had: Mahāsakkha Brahmas, but there seems to be no such category, or anything similar. could find their seats close by the Buddha. But even there, those privileged, powerful Brahmas had to make themselves comfortable, occupying a tiny space the size of a yak tail’s tip, in batches of ten, 20, upto 60, by making their bodies subtler and subtler.
When the Buddha and the 500 Arahats, together with the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element, had assembled, four Arahat Brahmas rose from absorption at the expiry of the pre-determined duration. When they looked around the Brahma realms, they found the whole region lifeless like a deserted mess room after lunch time. On investigating where the Brahmas had gone, they noticed that the Great Assembly was in progress.
The four Arahat Brahmas discussed among themselves: “This is a Great Assembly and we are left behind, and there will be no seats for late comers. Let us not go empty handed; let each of us prepare a verse for presentation to the Assembly. These gift verses will serve as an intimation of our arrival and as a gesture of our homage to the Buddha.” Having agreed thus, each Brahma composed a verse before they left the Brahma realm and then one Arahat Brahma descended on the edge of the eastern hemisphere of the universe; another descended on the edge of the southern hemisphere of the universe; another one descended on the edge of the western hemisphere of the universe and the last one on the edge of the northern hemisphere of the universe.
The Arahat Brahma who had descended on the edge of the eastern hemisphere entered into absorption through the meditation device on a dark blue object (nīla-kasiṇa); and to signify his presence, emitted brilliant dark-blue radiance from his body that enveloped all the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element as though they were covered with an emerald blanket. He then traversed along the Buddha approach passage (Buddha-vīthi), free from any hindrance and reserved for easy access to the Buddha and stood in front of the Buddha, paying homage by presenting the verse he had composed:
Mahā-samayo pavanasmiṁ, Deva-kāyā samāgatā,
āgatamha imaṁ Dhamma-samayaṁ,
dakkhitāye aparājita-saṅghaṁ.
Most exalted Buddha, today a Great Assembly of Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element has convened in the Great Wood to pay homage to the Arahats who have conquered the five kinds of death (māra) with pure devotional faith. Like all these Devas and Brahmas, we have also arrived with great delight at this congregation to pay our respect to the invincible victors, the Arahats, out of pure devotional faith.
Having presented this verse, he returned for want of space in the vicinity of the Buddha’s throne to the edge of the eastern hemisphere of the universe and remained standing there.
The Brahma who had descended on the edge of the southern hemisphere of the
Tatra bhikkhavo samādahaṁsu,
cittam-attano ujukaṁ akaṁsu,
sārathīva nettāni gahetvā,
indriyāni rakkhanti paṇḍitā.
Most exalted Buddha, at this congregation of the Devas and Brahmas, the 500 Arahats maintain their minds at peace and they are perfectly tranquil through developing the highest state of concentration (appana-samādhi). They maintain their minds perfectly upright, free from mental deviations which may be likened to the three deviations from straightness exemplified by a zigzag track of the urine of an ox, the comb shape crescent of the moon and the curvature of a plough’s handle. In the same way, a skilful charioteer of a chariot harnessed to well-tamed Sindh horses holds the reins gently without pulling them roughly to get an easy, comfortable ride, these 500 Arahats, wise with path-knowledge (magga-ñāṇa), have guarded with mindfulness the sense doors: the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind, against the inroads of the defilements. Most exalted Buddha, we have come to this Great Wood with the object of paying homage to these 500 Arahats.
Then he went back to his place at the edge of the southern hemisphere of the universe like his predecessor and remained standing there.
Then the Brahma who had descended on the edge of the western hemisphere of the universe entered into absorption based on the meditation device of a red colour (lohita-kasiṇa); and to signify his presence at the Great Assembly emitted shining red colour from his body that enveloped all the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element as though they have been wrapped up in a red cloak. Then after the manner of his predecessors, he approached the Buddha and presented his verse:
Chetvā khīlaṁ, chetvā palighaṁ,
inda-khīlaṁ ūhacca manejā,
te caranti suddhā vimalā,
cakkhumatā sudantā susu-nāgā.
Most exalted Buddha, the youthful Arahats, who, being well instructed, have been subdued and trained to restrain their six faculties by the Buddha who is gifted with five kinds of eyes: the eye of a Buddha who sees the heart of humans (Buddha-cakkhu); the eye of truth which means attainment of the path-knowledge (Dhamma-cakkhu); the eye of all round knowledge or omniscience (samanta-cakkhu); the Deva-eye which is all pervading, seeing all that proceeds in the hidden worlds (dibba-cakkhu) ; the physical eye which is exceptionally powerful and sensitive (maṁsa-cakkhu).
These youthful Arahats have done away with the thorns of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha) by the sword of the fourfold path-knowledge (magga-ñāṇa). They have struck off and destroyed the crossbars and bolts on the door of the chamber of existence: greed, hatred and delusion, which hinder any escape from Saṁsāra. By the same weapon of path-knowledge (magga-ñāṇa), they have uprooted the pillars: greed, hatred and delusion, stoutly standing at the gate of the city of personality-belief (sakkāya-diṭṭhi), by means of the fourfold path. Being devoid of craving, free from taints and desires, they freely roam about in all
Then he went back to the edge of the western hemisphere of the universe and like his predecessors remained standing there.
Then the Brahma who had descended on the edge of the northern hemisphere of the universe entered into absorption based on the meditation device of white colour (odāta-kasiṇa); and to signify his presence at the Great Assembly emitted radiance of white colour from his body enveloping all the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element as though they have been wrapped up in robes made of jasmine flowers. Then like the previous Brahmas, he approached the Buddha and recited the verse he had composed:
Ye keci Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatāse,
na te gamissanti apāya-bhūmiṁ,
pahāya mānusaṁ dehaṁ,
Deva-kāyaṁ paripūressanti.
Most exalted Buddha, any person who has taken refuge with confidence in the Buddha will not be reborn in the four realms of misery: the realm of suffering, animals, Petas and Asuras. Having thrown off the human body, they will fill up the Deva realms.
After presenting the verse, he went back to the edge of the northern hemisphere of the universe like his predecessors.
The Buddha observed that the Great Assembly of Devas and Brahmas was taking place in the vast space which extended to the edges of the universe in width and to the plane of Akaniṭṭha Brahma in height. He considered: “This is indeed a huge congregation of Devas and Brahmas; the 500 monastics may not be aware of this fact. I will make it known to them presently.”
He therefore addressed them: “Monastics, all the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element have congregated here now to pay homage to the omniscient Buddha whose coming is just as excellent as those of the Supreme Buddhas of the past, and to the monastics as well. Monastics, just like this Great Assembly, similar congregations of Devas and Brahmas of the same magnitude, no more and no less, have taken place during the time of Buddhas of the past also.
Monastics, just like this great assembly, similar congregations of Devas and Brahmas of the same magnitude, no more and no less, will also take place during the time of the Supreme Buddhas in the future.”
The Devas and Brahmas at the Assembly were of the opinion that, in consideration of the huge number of celestial beings present, the Buddha might mention only the names of the powerful Devas and Brahmas and those of minor importance might not be brought out. The Buddha, on considering what the Devas and Brahmas might be thinking about, perceived what was going on in their minds, as though he had held their hearts, or just as the case of a thief being caught red-handed with the exhibit, and accordingly decided: “I shall reveal the names and clans of all the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element who are present at this Great Assembly, irrespective of whether they are of great or small power.”
Buddhas are very great and glorious personalities. There is nothing that is beyond their ken. All six sense objects that make contact with the sense-organs of men and celestial beings to produce eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness and mind-consciousness are within the scope of their perception, with no obstruction whatsoever. The Buddha, therefore, had the power of differentiating between those who were fully mature and developed and ready to be released from Saṁsāra and those who were not yet ready to gain emancipation. He first mentally put aside all those beings who were not ready and gave his concentrated attention to those who would benefit immediately by his teaching.
Again, amongst those who would gain release from Saṁsāra, the Buddha divided them mentally into six groups, according to their inclinations, viz., Devas and Brahmas with a propensity for lust (rāga-citta); Devas and Brahmas with a propensity for hatred (dosa-citta); Devas and Brahmas with a propensity for delusion (moha-citta); Devas and Brahmas with a propensity for thought-conception (vitakka); Devas and Brahmas with a propensity for faith (saddhā), and Devas and Brahmas with a propensity for wisdom (paññā).
Then of these six groups, he decided that Devas and Brahmas with an inclination towards lust and craving should be taught the Discourse on the Correct Way to Wander (Sammā-paribbājanīya-sutta, Snp 2.13); those with a tendency towards aversion should be taught the Discourse on Quarrels and Disputes (Kalaha-vivāda-sutta, Snp 4.11); those with an inclination towards delusion should be taught the Long Discourse on the Array (Mahā-byūha-sutta, Snp 4.13); those with an inclination towards thought-conception should be taught the Short Discourse on the Array (Cūḷa-byūha-sutta, Snp 4.12); those with an inclination towards faith should be taught the Discourse of Being Quick (Tuvaṭaka-sutta, Snp 4.14) and those with wisdom should be taught the Discourse entitled Before the Break-Up (Purā-bheda-sutta, Snp 4.10).
He next determined which mode of teaching would be suitable for the assembled Devas and Brahmas out of the four modes, namely:
1. Teaching according to the Buddha’s free will (attajjhāsaya-sutta-nikkhepa).
2. Teaching according to the wish of the audience (parajjhāsaya-sutta-nikkhepa).
3. Teaching according to occasion or prevailing circumstance (aṭṭhuppattika-sutta-nikkhepa).
4. Teaching in the form of an answer to a particular question (pucchā-vasika-sutta-nikkhepa).
And he perceived that Devas and Brahmas would gain emancipation through realization of the four noble truths, on hearing a discourse taught by way of answering the question asked in harmony with their inclination. He then looked to see if any of the 500 Arahats was capable of raising such a question that would be in accord with the inclinations of the Devas and Brahmas, and perceived that there was none among them. He also found out that the 80 senior disciples and the two chief disciples were not capable of raising such a question.
He perceived that a Paccekabuddha was equally incapable of raising such a question. He then considered whether Sakka or Suyāma Deva could fulfil his need, but they were also found to be incapable of raising such a question.
Finally, realising that only a Fully Awakened Buddha like himself would be able to raise a question in accordance with the inclination of Devas and Brahmas, he looked into the innumerable world-elements with his infinite power of vision to see if there was another Awakened Buddha in any of the universes, and he discovered that there was none of his equal in any of the universes.
There is no wonder that he could find none to equal him. Indeed there was none of his equal, amongst the Devas and humans, even at the time of his last birth. As baby Prince Siddhattha, he uttered the bold words: Aggoham-asmi lokassa, “I am supreme in the whole world.” Needless to say, there was no one to equal him now that he had become a Fully Awakened Buddha.
Perceiving there was not another Buddha like himself, the Buddha considered: “These Devas and Brahmas would not get a penetrative insight into the Dhamma if I were to ask a question and then provide the answer myself. Only if another Buddha raised the question and I gave the answer to it, would it be a wonderful feat and the Devas and Brahmas would get a penetrative insight into the teaching. I have to create an image of my true likeness.”
For this purpose, the Buddha entered into the fourth form world absorption (rūpāvacara-kiriya-jhāna) which formed the foundation for the development of supernatural power (abhiññā). Then arising from the absorption, he made the resolution, through the exercise of the great knowledge joined with a thought process focused on determination (mahā-kiriya-ñāṇa-sampayutta-adhiṭṭhāna-javana), so that a Buddha of complete
At the sight of the mind-made Buddha (nimitta-buddha), the Devas and Brahmas expressed their views saying: “Friends, another moon has appeared besides the existing one.” When the mind-made Buddha was seen emerging from the surface of the moon and coming closer to them, they changed their views and said: “Friends, it is not the moon but the appearance of the sun.” As the image came nearer, they said: “Friends, it is not the sun but the mansion (vimāna) of a Deva.” When it was coming closer and closer, they said: “Friends, that is not a mansion but a Deva,” and again they said: “Friends, that is not a Deva but a Great Brahma,” and finally as it came quite close to them, they concluded: “Friends, that is not a Great Brahma, but, in fact, it is another Buddha coming to us!”
Of the celestial beings, ordinary (puthujjana) Devas and Brahmas thought to themselves: “When the universe was packed to its capacity by Devas and Brahmas congregating to pay homage to a single Buddha, the number of Devas and Brahmas for two Buddhas would be beyond imagination.” But the noble (ariya) Devas and Brahmas concluded that there could not be two Buddhas in one and the same universe at the same time; therefore the other Buddha must be a creation in his own likeness by the living Buddha.”
In the meanwhile, the mind-made Buddha came closer to the Buddha as the Devas and Brahmas were looking on, and sat face to face with him, on a seat kept in reserve on an equal level, without paying homage to the Buddha.
There were 32 characteristics of a great person on the body of the Buddha, and the mind-made Buddha also bore the same characteristics. Six-hued radiance emanated scintillating from the body of the Buddha; and the same kind of six-hued radiance also emanated scintillating from the body of the mind-made Buddha. The radiance of the Buddha was reflected from the body of the mind-made Buddha, just as the radiance of the mind-made Buddha was reflected from the body of the Buddha. The flashes of radiance from the body of the Buddha and those of the mind-made Buddha shot up to the Akaniṭṭha Brahma realm, and retracing their paths, rested on the heads of the Devas and Brahmas before they scattered towards the edge of the universe. The whole universe assumed the form of a scaffolding, made of bent rafters of gold, enclosing a relic shrine (stūpa), looking graceful and glittering.
All the Devas and Brahmas from the 10,000 world-element, grouped together in this single universe, enveloped in the chamber formed of the meshing radiance emanating from the two bodies of the Buddha and the mind-made Buddha. The mind-made Buddha, in his sitting posture, put forward a question, after a formal address in verse in praise of the Buddha for his conquest over the defilements (kilesa) on the throne of Awakening under the Bodhi tree.
Before proceeding to deal with the question presented by the mind-made Buddha, in the Discourse on the Correct Way to Wander (Sammā-paribbājanīya-sutta, Snp 2.13), in order to make the minds of the Devas and Brahmas malleable, pliable, firm and imperturbable, the Buddha decided to greet them, as it were, by announcing their names, families and clans, etc., without any distinction as regards to rank or status. Therefore, the Buddha proceeded to give the discourse on the Discourse about the Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya-sutta, DN 20), which began with words: Ācikkhissāmi, bhikkhave, Deva-kāyānaṁ nāmāni … “monastics, I shall disclose the identity of the audience by announcing their names, the names of their families, clans, etc.”
The Discourse about the Great Assembly has been dealt with in great detail by various eminent scholars giving the Pāḷi text and translation, including word by word translations (nissaya), based on the Collection of the Long Discourses (Dīgha-nikāya). Special mention must be made of the treatise entitled: “An Exposition of the Mahā-samaya-sutta with Pāḷi text and word-meanings,” by Ven. Bhaddanta Nandiya, presiding monk of the
At the conclusion of the discourse on the Discourse about the Great Assembly, 1,000 billion Devas and Brahmas became Arahats, and those who attained noble Stream-entry (Sotāpanna-ariya) were beyond calculation, according to the commentary to the Discourse about the Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya-sutta).
Ven. Sayādaw U Budh’s Note of Clarification
When we look at the Discourse about the Great Assembly as a whole, we find that the discourse was given with emphasis placed on the nomenclature of the Devas and Brahmas, mentioning their family and clan names; and the question may arise: in the absence of any exposition of the ultimate truth how could Devas and Brahmas realise the four noble truths and achieve emancipation, attain the state of Stream-entry, and so on only by hearing their family and clan names?
Here is the answer: 1) The Buddha was aware that by hearing the Great Assembly discourse, the mind of Devas and Brahmas had become imperturbable, malleable, free of hindrances, exulted and pellucid, and therefore at that moment he expounded the four noble truths which he himself had discovered. Having thus heard the discourse on the four noble truths, Devas and Brahmas became noble persons (ariya); 2) in other words, by hearing the Discourse about the Great Assembly, there arose in the mind continuum of the Devas and Brahmas, continuous mental states one after another, the preceding one serving as the cause for the arising of the following, which developed joyful satisfaction (pīti), tranquillity (passaddhi), happiness (sukha), concentration (samādhi), knowledge according to reality (yathā-bhūta-ñāṇa); getting thoroughly tired of worldly life (nibbida-ñāṇa); fading away of lust or passion (virāga-ñāṇa); knowledge of release (vimuccana-ñāṇa) or knowledge of the path (magga-ñāṇa); knowledge of emancipation (vimutti-ñāṇa) or knowledge of fruition (phala-ñāṇa); insight arising from knowing and seeing emancipation (vimutti-ñāṇa-dassana) or reflection knowledge (paccavekkhaṇa-ñāṇa). It was only because of the development of these series of mental states that Devas and Brahmas became noble persons.
In providing these clarifications, Ven. Sayādaw U Budh quoted the authority of the pertinent commentaries.
The Discourse about the Great Assembly has been held in high esteem by celestial beings. Therefore a wise person who wishes welfare and prosperity in both mundane and supermundane matters should recite this discourse on auspicious occasions such as the construction and occupation of houses, monasteries and villages.
When we think of why the Discourse about the Great Assembly was held in high esteem by Devas and Brahmas, we find that the Buddha was naturally the chief personality at the Great Assembly which comprised a variety of beings from the lowly earth deities to the most powerful Hārita Brahmas. The Discourse about the Great Assembly was, in fact, the opening address by the Buddha in his capacity as the chairman of the Great Assembly.
The Great Assembly was attended by three categories of celestial beings: Those of the highest rank and power, those of the middle rank and power and those from the lowest strata. To an audience of different social status, it would be a tactful measure for the chairman to evince interest in the members of the lowest rank by announcing first their presence to the congregation, followed by mentioning those of the medium status and finally the most powerful Devas. Any attempt to introduce the Devas of highest rank and power at the outset by announcing their family and clan names might cause displeasure and dissatisfaction among those of the lower rank.
As it happened, the Buddha made it a point to mention the members of the lowest
In view of the facts stated above, all the Devas have since been looking forward to hearing the Discourse about the Great Assembly, as they wander about in the four directions of the universe.
The following is an illustration of how the Discourse about the Great Assembly is held in high esteem by the Devas. There was a cave known as Nāgalena in the precincts of Koṭipabbata monastery. A celestial damsel was dwelling on an ironwood tree standing at the gate of the said cave. One day a young monastic dwelling in the cave was reciting the Discourse about the Great Assembly and the Devakaññā listened ardently to the recitation of the discourse. When the monastic’s recitation came to a close, the celestial damsel uttered: Sādhu, sādhu, at the top of her voice and a dialogue ensued between the youthful monastic and the Devakaññā:
Monk: Who is that saying sādhu?
Devakaññā: Venerable sir, it is me, a female deity.
Monk: Why have you said sādhu?
Devakaññā: It is because I had the good fortune to hear the Discourse about the Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya-sutta) for the first time when the Buddha propounded it in the Great Wood, and for the second time I heard it today. I understand that you have learnt the discourse well, exactly as taught by the Buddha, not making the slightest variation from the original even for a single letter. I therefore said sādhu on that score.
Monk: Have you heard the recitation by the Buddha yourself?
Devakaññā: Yes, I have, reverend sir.
Monk: It is said that there was a great assembly of Devas and Brahmas at the time of the recitation by the Buddha of this discourse. From which place did you hear the recitation?
Devakaññā: Venerable sir, I was then a resident of the Great Wood near Kapilavatthu, but I was unable to acquire a place in the whole of Jambudīpa because the powerful Devas and Brahmas crowded in. I was compelled to go across to Śrī Laṅkā, and as I was attempting to listen to the discourse standing at the port of Jambukola, powerful Devas came crowding in again. I was again pushed further and further backwards until I got to a small village of Rohana near Mahāgāma where, standing in the ocean to the depth of my neck, I was finally able to hear the recitation.
Monk: Devakaññā, how could you see the Buddha at the Great Wood which was at such a distance from where you happened to be at the time?
Devakaññā: Venerable sir, I really did see the Buddha; it appeared as if the Buddha was looking at me fixedly from the Great Wood all throughout the time he was expounding the discourse; so much so, I felt afraid and abashed and I felt like hiding myself beneath the foamy waves.
Monk: It is said that 1,000 billion Devas and Brahmas became Arahats on the day when the Discourse about the Great Assembly was delivered. Did you become an Arahat too?
Devakaññā: No, venerable sir, I did not.
Monk: Then I think you attained fruition stage of a Non-returner (Anāgāmī)!
Devakaññā: No, sir, I did not.
Monk: Then I think you had attained the fruition stage of stage of Once-returner (Sakadāgāmī)!
Devakaññā: No, sir, I did not.
Monk: Devakaññā, it is said that hearing the Discourse about the Great Assembly countless number of Devas and Brahmas attained the three lower paths; I am sure you must have at least become a Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna).
Devakaññā: As one who had indeed attained the fruition stage of Stream-entry (Sotāpanna) the Devakaññā felt shy and said: “Venerable sir, you should not have asked me such a question,” thus avoiding the issue.
The young monastic then asked the Devakaññā: “Can you manifest yourself to me?” She replied: “Venerable sir, not the whole body but only the tip of my finger, and so saying, she thrust one of her fingers through a key hole, exposing just the tip of it. The whole cave was then brightly illumined as though thousands of moons and suns had thrown beams of light into it.
The Devakaññā did not manifest her whole person so as to save the young monastic from the danger of temptation, which would ruin his life as a recluse.
Then the Devakaññā departed after paying her respects and urging the young monastic not to be remiss in his effort to practise the precepts prescribed for monastics. This is how the Discourse about the Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya-sutta) is held in high esteem by the Devas and Brahmas.
Discourses in Harmony with Inclinations
After delivering the Discourse about the Great Assembly, the Buddha proceeded to give discourses to the same Great Assembly on the following discourses in accordance with the dispositions of the different groups of Devas and Brahmas.
1. The Discourse on the Correct Way to Wander (Sammā-paribbājanīya-sutta, Snp 2.13) was taught to the Devas and Brahmas who had a propensity towards lust (rāga), by way of a dialogue between a mind-made Buddha and the Buddha himself. 100,000 Devas and Brahmas became Arahats at the conclusion of the discourse and countless Devas and Brahmas attained the three lower paths at the same time.
2. The Discourse on Quarrels and Disputes (Kalaha-vivāda-sutta, Snp 4.11) was taught to the Devas and Brahmas with an inclination towards aversion (dosa), such Devas and Brahmas achieved emancipation in a like manner.
3. The Long Discourse on the Array (Mahā-byūha-sutta, Snp 4.13) was taught to those who had inclination towards delusion (moha), such Devas and Brahmas gained emancipation likewise.
4. The Short Discourse on the Array (Cūḷa-byūha-sutta, Snp 4.12) was taught to those who were inclined to thought-conception (vitakka) with the same results.
5. The Discourse of Being Quick (Tuvaṭaka-sutta, Snp 4.14) was delivered to the audience with a tendency of faith (saddhā) in the Three Treasures with the same results.
6. The Discourse entitled Before the Break-Up (Purā-bheda-sutta, Snp 4.10) was taught to those who were inclined towards wisdom (paññā) in the same manner and with similar results.
For full particulars in respect of these six discourses, reference may be made to Bhikkhu Bodhi’s translation Suttanipāta, An Ancient Collection of the Buddha’s Discourses, together with its commentaries.