29: The 11th Rains Retreat (Kasibhāradvāja)
The Buddha’s Daily Activities
After staying at Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī for as long as there were beings to be converted, the Buddha journeyed again and eventually reached the Brahmin village named Ekanāḷa, in the district of Dakkhiṇāgiri, so named because it lay to the south of the hill that stood near the city of Rājagaha in Magadha country. There he observed the 11th Rains Retreat (Vassa) with the Brahmin village as his resort for alms.
While dwelling in the monastery named Dakkhiṇāgiri, as usual the Buddha did two series of activities: Before the meal, or morning, activities (pure-bhatta-kicca) and after the meal activities (pacchā-bhatta-kicca). Having finished the morning activities, he did the after the meal activities which were of four kinds. At the end of the fourth, he surveyed the world of sentient beings with his Buddha-eye (Buddha-cakkhu) that consists of the knowledge of underlying tendencies (āsayānusaya-ñāṇa) and the knowledge of others’ dispositions (indriya-paro-pariyatta-ñāṇa), and saw in his vision Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja who had the potential to become an Arahat because of his past meritorious deeds.
The Buddha came to know this: “On my visit to the Brahmin’s lands, my conversation with him will take place. When the conversation is over, the Brahmin, having listened to my discourse, will become an Arahat.”
The Buddha therefore went to the Brahmin’s farm, conversed with him and gave him a discourse called the Discourse to Kasibhāradvāja (Kasi-bhāradvāja-sutta, SN 7.11, Snp 1.4). The discourse in the Anthology of Discourses (Sutta-nipāta) and its commentary is the basis for the following narration.
With reference to the Buddha’s activities, the Collection of the Thematic Discourses (Saṁyutta-nikāya) commentary and others enumerate five series of activities, whereas the Anthology of Discourses (Sutta-nipāta) commentary combines the latter four, give only two: the morning activities and the after the meal activities. The idea, however, is the same. Hence two series according to the Anthology of Discourses commentary and five series according to the other commentaries, which add the activities in the first watch of the night (purima-yāma-kicca), the activities in the middle watch (majjhima-yāma-kicca) and the activities in the last watch (pacchima-yāma-kicca). These five series of activities will be described in serial order so that readers might develop their devotion.
1. The Buddha’s morning activities (pure-bhatta-buddha-kicca).
The Buddha rose early in the morning and, in order to honour his attendant monk with merit, as well as to see to his own physical well-being, he cleaned his body by washing his face first and then spent the rest of the time engaged in fruition attainment (phala-samāpatti) in quietude till the time for going on alms round. Then he adjusted his lower garment, girded his waist, put on his robe, took his bowl and entered the village, sometimes alone and at other times in the company of monks. His entry into the village took place sometimes in a natural manner and at other times attended by miracles.
For instance: When he went on alms round, gentle breezes blew, cleaning the ground before him. Clouds repeatedly dropped water, putting the dust to rest along the way, and followed the Buddha like a canopy above him. The winds also blew, bringing the blossoms from all places and scattering them to make a bed of flowers all the way along. The naturally high ground lowered itself and became even. So did the naturally low ground become high and level with other parts of the ground automatically. Stones, pebbles, potsherds, stumps and thorns moved away on their own accord. When the Buddha put down his foot on the ground, the surface became even; or the lotus flowers, which were as big as carriage wheels, and which provided a delightful touch, arose under the feet for ready support.
As soon as the Buddha laid his right foot on the threshold at the entrance of a town or a village, the six-hued radiance streamed out from his body as though they poured liquid of gold on the edifices, including square-roofed and pinnacled houses, or as though they covered them with exquisite drapery. The radiance rushed from place to place making them all luminous with brilliant lights. Horses, elephants, birds and other animals made agreeable sounds while remaining in their respective places. Similarly, drums, harps and other musical instruments produced pleasant music, even without players. Ornaments, such as necklaces, earrings, bangles, arm-bands, etc., which were worn by the people, sounded sweet automatically. From these signs they knew: “Today the Fortunate One comes into our town or village for alms food!”
Well-dressed and well-robed people came out of their houses with scents, flowers and other offerings in their hands. They gathered on the main road in the town-centre and paid respects with their offerings respectfully. They asked for monks, as many as they could afford, to provide meals, saying: “Venerable sirs, give us ten monks,” “Give us 20,” “Give us 100,” and so on. They also took the alms bowl of the Buddha and placed the seats and treated the monks to meals.
After partaking of his food, the Buddha instructed the devotees according to their inclinations so that some might be established in the three refuges, others in the five precepts, others in the monkhood, still others in one of the fruitions of Stream-entry (Sotāpatti), Once-returning (Sakadāgāmī) and Non-returner (Anāgāmī) and the rest became Arahats. In this way, he uplifted the multitudes spiritually by teaching them the Dhamma and finally he returned to the monastery.
On arrival at the monastery, the Fortunate One sat on his Buddha-seat, ready made in the round fragrant pavilion and waited until the monks had eaten their meals. When they had finished eating, the attendant monk would inform the Buddha. Then only did he go into the scented chamber.
All these were the Buddha’s activities in the morning. There were still others done in detail but not described here. These were recorded in the Discourse concerning Brahmāyu (Brahmāyu-sutta, MN 91).
2. The Buddha’s after the meal activities (pacchā-bhatta-buddha-kicca).
After the meal, the Buddha sat on the seat prepared by the attendant monk near the scented chamber, at the meeting place of the monks and washed his feet. Then standing on the washing-board, he exhorted the monks thus: “Monks, work out the completion of the threefold training with diligence. Rare indeed is it to live in the time of the appearance of a Buddha in the world. Rare indeed is it to have human life. Rare indeed is it to have faith. Rare indeed is it to become a monastic. Rare indeed is it to have an opportunity of listening to the Dhamma.”
At such meetings, some monks asked the Buddha about meditation. To them, he instructed on meditation methods according to their inclinations. They then paid respects to him and retired to their respective day-resorts or night-resorts, some going to the forest, some to the foot of a tree, some to certain places up in the hills while others went to the celestial realms of the Catumahārājika, Tāvatiṁsa, Yāma, Tusita, Nimmāṇarati or Paranimmitavasavattī Devas.
Thereafter, the Buddha entered the fragrant chamber and lay down on his right side, if he wished for a moment, without abandoning mindfulness. With his body eased, he rose and surveyed the world of sentient beings during the second period of the day. During the third period, however, as he was to live depending upon the village-resort for alms, residents of towns or villages, who had given morning alms, nicely dressed and robed, gathered in the monastery, bearing scents and flowers and other offerings, to listen to the Buddha’s discourse in the afternoon. Then the Buddha arrived in a miraculous way agreeable to the audience and sat down on his sacred Buddha-seat, which was prepared in the Dhamma hall where sermons were delivered. Then he gave a talk on the Dhamma which was appropriate to the length of the time available and dismissed the audience when he knew the time was up. The people, having saluted him, then left.
3. The Buddha’s activities in the first watch of the night (purima-yāma-buddha-kicca).
Having finished his daytime activities after the meal, the Buddha, if he wanted to bathe, rose from his Buddha-seat and went to the place where the attendant monk had fetched the water for his bath. Taking the bath-robe from his attendant’s hand, he entered the bathroom.
While the Buddha was bathing, the attendant monk brought a seat for him and placed it somewhere in the fragrant chamber. Having bathed, he put on the well-dyed and double folded robe, girding his waist, with his upper robe under the right arm and over the left shoulder, he then sat alone in the Buddha-seat, which was prepared in the fragrant chamber for a moment of quiet.
After a while, monks would arrive from their respective day-resorts and night-resorts to wait upon him. At such meetings, some monks presented their problems, some asked about meditation subjects, while others made requests for a discourse. To them all, the Buddha gave his help by fulfilling their wishes and thereby spending the early hours of the night.
4. The Buddha’s activities in the middle watch of the night (majjhima-yāma-buddha-kicca).
When the monks departed, after paying their salutations to the Buddha as the Buddha’s activities were over, Devas and Brahmas, from all over the 10,000 world-element, took the opportunity of approaching him to ask questions which had arisen in their thoughts. The questions asked were extensive and covered a wide range of topics but the Buddha answered them, leaving none unanswered. Thus, he let the hours around midnight pass.
5. The Buddha’s activities in the last watch of the night (pacchima-yāma buddha-kicca).
The last watch of the night near to daybreak was divided into three parts: The first part was used for walking up and down in order to ease the strain due to his sitting posture since dawn; the second part was taken up by his lying down on his right side without losing his mindfulness in the fragrant chamber; and in the third part, he rose from lying, sat cross-legged, surveying the world of sentient beings through his twofold Buddha-eye: The knowledge of underlying tendencies (āsayānusaya-ñāṇa) and the knowledge of others’ dispositions (indriya-paro-pariyatta-ñāṇa), to find out individuals, who had in their past lives done meritorious (adhikāra) deeds, such as generosity (dāna), morality (sīla), etc., in the presence of former Buddhas. This is the exposition given in the Collection of the Long Discourses (Dīgha-nikāya) and the Collection of the Thematic Discourses (Saṁyutta-nikāya) commentaries and other works.
The exposition of the Anthology of Discourses (Sutta-nipāta) commentary, reads as follows: The morning time was divided into four periods; in the first period the Buddha walked to and fro; in the second period, he lay down on his right side in the fragrant chamber without losing mindfulness, which was noble lying; the third period was spent engaged in the absorptions (jhāna) on fruition attainment (phala-samāpatti). In the fourth period, he was absorbed in the absorption of great compassion (mahā-karuṇā-samāpatti) and he surveyed the world of sentient beings by the aforesaid twofold Buddha-eye so that he could see what beings had less dust on their eyes, what beings had more dust, and so on.
Thus it was customary for the Buddha to carry out diligently the five kinds of activities daily wherever he stayed. In accordance with that practice, when the Buddha was now dwelling, during the 11th Rains Retreat (Vassa), at the Dakkhiṇāgiri monastery, he also performed these duties. One day, when he made a survey of the world of sentient beings through his Buddha-eye, which was one of his activities during the last watch of the night, he saw in his vision, by his omniscience, the Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja who was endowed with great merit (adhikāra) that would contribute to his becoming am Arahat. On
Kasibhāradvāja’s Ploughing Ceremony
That day witnessed the ploughing ceremony of Kasibhāradvāja Brahmin, a native of Ekanāḷa village. The Brahmin was so named because he was a farmer (kasi) of the Bhārādvāja clan.
The Brahmin’s programme for the first day of the ploughing and sowing festival was as follows: 3,000 bulls of draught were kept in readiness; all their horns were dressed beautifully in gold sheaths and so were their hoofs in silver sheaths. All of them were adorned with white flowers and the scented prints of the five fingers. They possessed the mark of the best breed, each with a splendid head and four legs. Some had the dark-brown colour of collyrium stones, some had crystal white colour, some coral red while others were splotchy like the cat’s-eye stone (masāra-galla).
Likewise, 500 farm workers, in white garments and bedecked with fragrant flowers, their right shoulders bearing large floral wreaths, were shining as they were besmeared with orpiment and realgar all over their bodies. When they set forth, they did so in groups, each having ten ploughs. The front of the ploughs, the yokes and the goads were covered with gold plates. Of the 500 ploughs, the very first had eight bullocks harnessed to it; each of the remaining ones had four bullocks. The rest of the bullocks were brought as reserves to replace those which were tired. To each group of ten ploughs was attached a cartload of seeds. The ploughing was done by each farm-worker in turn. In this way the sowing was accomplished.
The landlord, Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja himself, had his beard and moustache groomed early in the morning, he had also bathed, applied paste of great fragrance to his body, put on his garment worth 500 pieces and placed an upper robe worth 1,000 on his left shoulder, each of his fingers had two rings, thus making 20 rings all together, his two ears wore ear-plugs with the design of the lion’s mouth; his head had a turban like that of Brahma, a gold ornament with a pattern of flowers was worn at his neck. Surrounded by a host of Brahmins, he supervised the work.
Thereafter the Brahmin’s wife had many pots of milk food cooked and brought by carts. She bathed with scented water, fully dressed herself and went to the farm in the company of other Brahmin women.
In the Brahmin’s house everything was perfumed. Parched rice was strewn everywhere. Pots filled with water, banana-trees, flags, banners and streamers were used for decoration. And, with scents, flowers, etc., worship was done. In the field, cylinder-shaped and flat flags were hoisted everywhere. Assistants, workers, and those who assembled there numbered 2,500. Everyone was in new clothes and milk rice had been prepared for them.
When everything was ready for the occasion at the farm, the Brahmin had his golden bowl, which was normally used for his own eating, cleansed and filled with milk rice flavoured with butter, honey and molasses. He then had it offered in sacrifice to the god of the plough. The Brahmin’s wife had bowls of gold, silver, white copper and red copper distributed among the 500 farm workers, and she herself fed them by pouring the milk rice into their bowls, one after another, with a cup-like ladle. After finishing the offerings to deities, however, wearing his sandals with red straps and holding a red walking-stick of gold, the Brahmin went from place to place to oversee things as required, and to say: “Pour milk-rice into this man’s bowl! Put butter into this man’s bowl! Ladle out molasses into his bowl!” This was how the ploughing ceremony of the Brahmin landlord Kasibhāradvāja was held.
The Buddha Visits the Ploughing Ceremony
At that time, while staying at the fragrant chamber, the Buddha knew that the
Herein whenever the Buddha wished to collect alms food, the stone alms bowl in blue (inda-nīla) that had been presented by the Four Great Kings appeared automatically in the Buddha’s hands; it was not necessary for him to go elsewhere and bring it. As the bee comes to a variety of flowers, so the bowl presented itself to him.
One may ask: “Why did the monks not follow the Buddha?” The answer is: When the Buddha was desirous of going alone, he entered the fragrant chamber at the time of collecting food in the morning and remained there after closing the door. From that hint the monks knew: “Today the master wants to go alone into the town or the village. Surely the master must have seen in his vision somebody to convert.” Knowing thus, they took their respective alms bowls and went on their rounds after circumambulating the fragrant chamber. On that day too the Buddha did this. That was the reason why the monks did not go with the Buddha.
At the time of the Buddha’s visit, the Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja was still presiding at the milk-rice feast for the members of his retinue. The Buddha then reached the site of the feast and stood at a suitable distance.
The Buddha’s going to and standing on the feasting ground was just to grant his blessing to the Brahmin. In fact, he went there not because he wanted to partake of his share like a destitute. To elaborate: The Buddha had relatives numbering 160,000 which comprised 80,000 maternal relatives and 80,000 paternal relatives. These relatives could afford to provide permanent sustenance by their wealth. Indeed the Buddha donned the robe not for food. Truly, he became an ascetic with the determination: “For countless aeons I had given the five great gifts and fulfilled the perfections. Thereafter, having liberated myself from Saṁsāra, I will liberate beings worthy of liberating, as much as I am liberated. Having tamed myself with the restraint of the six senses, I will tame beings worthy of taming, as much as I am tamed. Having calmed myself with the extinction of all the heat of the moral defilements, I will calm beings worthy of calming, as much as I am calm. Having attained myself the element of peace with regard to the body and defilements, I will teach beings worthy of attaining the element of peace with regard to the body and defilements, as much as I do.”
Therefore, it was because he wanted to liberate these beings as much as he had liberated himself from Saṁsāra; it was because he wanted to tame those beings as much as he had tamed himself with the restraint of the six senses; it was because he wanted to calm those beings as much as he had calmed himself with the extinction of all the heat of the defilements; it was because he wanted those beings to attain the element of peace with regard to the body and moral defilements that he wandered about the world. In his present wandering, he went and stood there on the ground, where the feast of milk rice was in full swing, in order to show his favour to the Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja.
The Buddha, having stood at a place high enough for him to be seen and to be heard by Kasibhāradvāja, emitted his bodily-radiance in a colour like a mixture of gold liquid and yellow orpiment. Far brighter than the light of 1,000 suns and 1,000 moons, the radiance reached up to the distance of 80 cubits. Enveloped on all sides by the Buddha’s body light, the walls of the Brahmin’s workshop, the trees around and the lumps of turned-over earth and other objects looked like solid gold.
At that time the people who were helping themselves to the milk rice saw the peerless Buddha with the glowing Buddha-splendour. Accordingly, they washed their hands and feet and, with their joined hands raised in adoration, they stood surrounding the Buddha. When the Brahmin saw the Buddha being surrounded by the people, he became unhappy,
Because of his unhappiness and misapprehension, the Brahmin spoke to the Buddha contemptuously as follows: “Monk, I do the ploughing and sowing, by doing so I make a living. Though I possess no marks like yours, my work is not adversely affected. O monk, you too should plough and sow like me, by doing so, live a happy life as I do. To you who are endowed with the signs of greatness, what benefit will fail to accrue?”
The Brahmin had already learnt: “The glorious Prince Siddhattha has come into being at the palace of the Sakyans, in the city of Kapilavatthu! That prince has become an ascetic after renouncing the luxurious life of a Universal Monarch!” He therefore recognized that Prince Siddhattha was this monk. He spoke to the Buddha in the above manner because he meant to censure him, saying: “Having given up the luxuries of a world-king, should you, who have now become a monk, feel weary?” Or, as the Brahmin was of sharp intelligence, he said so not because he wanted to denounce him but because he personally had witnessed the Buddha’s attractive frame, and desired to extol his wisdom and lead him into a dialogue.
Then as the Brahmin farmer Kasibhāradvāja was somebody worthy of conversation with, the Buddha wanted to instruct him in accordance with his inclinations. Revealing himself as the top cultivator in the world of sentient beings, with its Devas and Brahmas, in order to give a Dhamma talk the Buddha said: “Brahmin, like you I too plough the field and sow the seeds and live happily thereby.”
Then it occurred to Kasibhāradvāja: “This monk Gotama says: ‘I too plough the field and sow the seeds,’ but I do not see his farming implements such as a yoke, goad, etc. Is he telling me a lie or is he not?” Then the Brahmin looked at the Buddha and examined him from the feet to the top of his hair and saw clearly that he was fully endowed with the marks of a great man. He therefore pondered: “There is no reason for a man endowed with these marks to say what is untrue.” At that moment there arose in him a sense of adoration for the Buddha and he abandoned such a rude mode of address as ‘ascetic,’ and called him by his clan name, and said: “We do not see venerable Gotama’s yoke, plough, ploughshare, goad and bullocks. Even though you asserted: ‘Brahmin, like you I too plough the field and sow the seeds and live happily thereby.’ ” The Brahmin then asked in verse (Snp 76):
Kassako paṭijānāsi, na ca passāma te kasiṁ,
kasiṁ no pucchito brūhi, yathā jānemu te kasiṁ.
Gotama, you declare that you are a farmer. But I do not see your implements, a yoke, plough and others things that are required for farming. As you are now asked, please tell us in such a way that we might know these farming implements of yours, Gotama.
To the question put forth by the Brahmin, the Buddha gave a complete reply in four verses, three containing the answers themselves and the fourth the conclusion. The text of the verses and their translations are as follows (Snp 77-80):
Saddhā bījaṁ tapo vuṭṭhi, paññā me yuga-naṅgalaṁ,
hirī īsā mano yottaṁ, sati me phāla-pācanaṁ.
“Brahmin Bhāradvāja! My faith is the seed, a faith which is of four kinds: faith inspired by the determination to become a Buddha (āgama); faith inspired by the attainment of path and fruition (adhigama); faith inspired by the understanding of the attributes of the Three Treasures (okappana); and faith inspired by the sight and sound of what is pleasing to the heart (pasāda). For these four, read the Collection of the Long Discourses (Dīgha-nikāya) commentary and others works. My restraint of the six senses is the rainfall that contributes to the development of the plants. My insight wisdom (vipassanā-paññā) and the fourfold path-wisdom (magga-paññā) are the yoke and the log of the plough. My conscience (hirī) and concern (ottappa) regarding evil deeds are the twin shafts of the plough. My mind generating concentration (samādhi) is the ropes which are of three kinds, one for tying, another for harnessing and a third for linking. My mindfulness (sati) accompanied by insight-wisdom, and that accompanied by path-wisdom are the plough-teeth and the goad.
The Brahmin asked exclusively about the yoke, plough and other implements. But the Buddha answered by adding essential facts omitted in the question. He did so because of the analogy between the two root-causes of faith and seeds. Such a way of teaching is an asset of every Awakened One. The Buddha, desirous of teaching by disclosing that asset, and by supplying the other required factors of the same analogy, said that his faith formed the seeds.
What is meant by the analogy between the two root-causes? Did not the Brahmin ask only with reference to the implements such as a yoke, plough and the like? Then why did the Buddha talk about his faith by comparing it to the seeds and by bringing it into his answer though not mentioned in the Brahmin’s question? If an answer contains something not asked about, is it not irrelevant to the questions? Although the Brahmin confined his questions to farm implements, such as the yoke, plough and the like, why did the Buddha touch upon extra things as well in his answers such as faith equalling the seeds and so on? Did not this render his answer irrelevant? Such queries might crop up. The answer is: never did the Buddha speak without relevance. It was customary for the Buddhas to teach by introducing new facts by way of analogy.
Here references should be noted as follows: The Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja asked about farming with reference to the yoke, plough and other implements. But the Buddha, who was thus asked, did not leave out anything at all from his answer saying: “Oh, this was not asked by the Brahmin.” Such regard, on the part of the Buddha, indicated the care taken for the Brahmin out of compassion. The Buddha spoke of farming from the very beginning so that the Brahmin might understand the whole business, together with the four points of: 1) Root-cause (mūla); 2) support (upakāra); 3) accumulation (sambhāra); and 4) result (phala) that were excluded from his questions. Though the Brahmin failed to ask fully because his knowledge and wisdom were not deep enough, the Buddha answered all the unasked, but essential points as well in his answer because his compassion was so great.
Seeds are the basic requirement for farming. If there are no seeds, there is no farming. The quantity of seeds determines the amount of farm work. There is no farm work done more than what is demanded by the seeds. Hence the seeds are the
Again, it may be argued: “What the Brahmin asked should have been answered first. Why did the Buddha answer at the beginning and not later what was not asked by the Brahmin?”
The answer in brief: 1) Though the seed-like faith should be answered later, the Buddha answered it first because it would benefit the Brahmin much; 2) the rainfall-like sense-restraint and the seed-like faith are related to each other as cause and effect; hence the rainfall-like sense-restraint was spoken of immediately after the seed-like faith, though it should have been done so later on.
To expand on the answer: 1) The Brahmin was intelligent. But as he was born in a family of wrong views, his faith was very weak. One who is strong in intelligence but weak in faith, does not believe others, not even his teachers. He does not practise what should be practised and is likely to fail thereby to attain the extraordinary paths and fruitions. Kasibhāradvāja’s faith, free from mental defilement, was weak because of his birth in a family of wrong views. Therefore his weak faith combined with strong intelligence could not earn him the paths and fruitions. The combination is somewhat like a bullock yoked together with an elephant. It was the faith that would lead the Brahmin to the spiritual attainment. Therefore, in order to establish him in faith which was required, the Buddha, incomparably skilful in teaching, taught faith first though it should come later.
Rainfall is immensely beneficial to the seeds. The relationship between cause and effect could be fully appreciated only if the Buddha spoke of rainfall immediately after his reference to the seeds. Hence his answer concerning rainfall, which should have followed later, was given next to the answer concerning the seed-like faith.
Not only the rainfall, but the Buddha spoke of the shafts of the plough, ropes, etc. at their respective and appropriate places in the sequence. The characteristics and other particulars of faith may be learned from the texts concerned.
The analogy between faith and seeds is this, the natural seeds, the basic cause of the farming of the Brahmin, did two things: shooting roots downwards and developing sprouts upwards. Similarly, the seed-like faith, the basic cause of the spiritual farming by the Buddha, performed two things: shooting the roots of morality (sīla) downwards and developing the sprouts of tranquillity (samatha) and insight (vipassanā) upwards.
Just as the natural seeds absorb the nutritious elements of the soil as well as of the water through the roots and grow to bring maturity to the crop through their stems, even so the seed-like faith absorbs the elements of tranquillity and insight through the roots of morality and grows to bring maturity to the crop of noble fruition (ariya-phala) through the stem of the noble path (ariya-magga).
Just as the natural seeds that lie in fertile soil attain development with their roots, sprouts, stems and ears, producing sap and paddy crop full of grains, even so the seed-like faith that lies in the fertile soil of the mental process attains development with moral purity (sīla-visuddhi), producing the sap of the noble path (ariya-magga) and the crop of the Arahat fruition full of analytical knowledge (paṭisambhidā) and the super knowledges (abhiññā). Hence the Buddha’s saying: “My faith is the seeds.”
With reference to the saying: “My restraint of the six senses is the rainfall.” Just as the Brahmin’s paddy seeds and the paddy-plants that had come out from the
By this saying the Buddha pointed out the profound meaning as follows: “Brahmin, if it rains after you have sown the seeds, that is all right. If not, you have to provide water by yourself. As for me, I attach the yoke and plough of insight wisdom (vipassanā-paññā) and path-wisdom (magga-paññā) to the plough of conscience (hirī) and concern (ottappa) by means of the rope of concentration (samādhi); then harnessing the draught-bullocks of energy (viriya) I prick and drive them with the goad of mindfulness (sati); thus I plough the fertile field of my mental processes and sow the seed-like faith. Never has there been a time when the seed-like faith is deprived of rain water. Rain in the form of restraint of the six senses is always falling on the fertile field of my mental processes.”
With reference to the Buddha’s saying: “My insight wisdom and path-wisdom are the yoke and the plough.” The Brahmin’s yoke and plough are analogous to the Buddha’s insight-wisdom and path-wisdom. The yoke is the support for the plough shafts. It lies before the latter, to which it is connected. It is also something on which the ropes depend. It serves by making the draught-bullocks move together. Likewise, wisdom is the chief support of faultless virtues led by conscience and concern. It is also the head and forerunner of faultless virtues. As it cannot exist without the shaft-like conscience and concern, the latter should be bound up with the yoke of wisdom. As it is something on which the rope of concentration depends, it gives support to the latter. As wisdom checks both excessive and meagre exertions, it serves it by regulating the movement in unison of the draught-bullocks of energy.
When ploughing is done, the log fitted with plough-teeth breaks up the soil. It also destroys big and small roots. Similarly, the Buddha’s log of wisdom fitted with the plough-teeth of mindfulness breaks up the four masses (ghāna): the mass of continuity (santati); the mass of composition (samūha); the mass of function (kicca); and the mass of sense objects (ārammaṇa). It also destroys all the big and small roots of the mental defilements (kilesa). Hence the Buddha’s saying: “My insight-wisdom and path-wisdom are the yoke and the plough.”
With reference to the saying: “My conscience and concern are the twin shafts of the plough.” Conscience and concern are born together and exist together. When conscience is experienced, concern also is then experienced. Hence the translation: “My conscience (hirī) and concern (ottappa) regarding evil are the twin shafts of the plough.”
Just as the Brahmin’s plough shafts hold on the yoke and the log, even so the Buddha’s twin shafts of conscience and concern hold onto the yoke and the log of mundane insight wisdom (lokiya-vipassanā-paññā) and supermundane path wisdom (lokuttara-magga-paññā), as the existence of these two kinds of wisdom depends on conscience and concern regarding evil. The yoke and the log do their respective jobs as has been mentioned before only when they are bound up with the shafts. Only then are they neither shaky nor loose but remain tight and fastened. In the same way, the aforesaid two kinds of wisdom perform their respective duties only when they are bound up with the twin shafts of conscience and concern. Only then are they neither slack nor weak but remain tight and fastened and unmixed with unwholesome things that may arise from lack of conscience (ahirīka) and lack of concern (anottappa). Hence the Buddha’s saying: “My conscience and concern of evil deeds are the twin shafts of the ploughs.”
With reference to the saying: “My mind is the ropes,” the key word “mind” here means “concentration.” Hence the translation: “My mind generating concentration is the ropes, which are of three kinds: one for tying, another for harnessing and the third for linking.”
There are three kinds of ropes, one for tying, i.e., tying the shafts and yoke;
With reference to the saying: “My mindfulness accompanied by insight wisdom and that accompanied by path wisdom are the plough-teeth of the plough and the goad.” Just as the natural plough-teeth guard and lead the plough pole, even so mindfulness guards wisdom by exploring the perspective of wholesome things and bringing them into focus. In many Pāḷi texts therefore the Buddha teaches mindfulness to be the protector. By never being negligent, the plough-teeth of mindfulness precede the plough-pole of wisdom. Indeed the factors that have been investigated by the preceding mindfulness are penetrated by the following wisdom.
Just as the natural goad, warning the bullocks of the danger of being pricked or beaten, gives them no chance of retreating and stopping, but checks their going astray, even so the goad of mindfulness, warning the bullock-like energy of the danger of falling into suffering states, gives it no chance of idling, retreating and stopping, and checks thereby its mental wandering in undesirable sensual pleasures; fastening it to meditation practice, it also deters the bullock-like energy from following the wrong path. Hence the Buddha’s saying: “My mindfulness accompanied by insight-wisdom and that accompanied my path-wisdom are the plough-teeth and the goad.”
Kāya-gutto vacī-gutto, āhāre udare yato,
saccaṁ karomi niddānaṁ, soraccaṁ me pamocanaṁ.
Brahmin Bhāradvāja! Just as you make your field secure by fences, even so I, the teacher of the three classes of beings, make the field of my mental process secure by the fences of the threefold wholesome physical conduct and fourfold wholesome verbal conduct. By this is taught the moral restraint under the Monastic Rules (Pātimokkha-saṁvara-sīla). With regard to the use of the four requisites, I restrain myself well to avoid the 21 unlawful ways of acquisition. By this is taught the moral practice of gaining a pure livelihood (ājīva-pārisuddhi-sīla). With regard to the stomach, I restrain myself well by eating moderately. By this is taught the moral practice of depending on requisites (paccaya-sannissita-sīla), represented by knowledge of moderation concerning food (bhojane mattaññutā). Through the eightfold noble speech (ariya-vohāra) with truthful words, I uproot the weeds of the eightfold ignoble speech (anariya-vohāra), the weeds of falsehood. Being an Arahat, delighting in the state called Nibbāna, means the outright removal of the plough, the complete giving up of the field and the perpetual retirement belonging to me, the teacher of the three classes of beings.
The meaning here is: “Brahmin, just as you make, after sowing the seeds, a barrier of thorns, a barrier of trees, a barrier of logs or a barrier of bamboos, so that cattle, buffaloes and deer have no access and cannot destroy the crop; even so I, after sowing the seeds of faith, build the three big walls of moral restraint under the Monastic Rules (Pātimokkha), the moral practice of living a life of purity and the moral practice of depending on requisites, so that cattle, buffaloes and deer in the form of the defilements, such as passion, hatred, delusion, etc, could have no access and destroy the crop of the various meritorious deeds that I, who am a great farmer, possess.
Paraphrase: Brahmin, just as you, after doing the external (bāhira) work of ploughing, with the hands or with the sickle, pull out and get rid of the weeds, which are damaging to the crop, even so I, after doing the internal (ajjhattika) work of spiritual ploughing, pull out and get rid of the following eightfold ignoble speech, the weeds of falsehood:
1. To say “I see” when not seeing.
2. To say “I hear” when not hearing.
3. To say “I attain” when not attaining.
4. To say “I know” when not knowing.
5. To say “I see not” when seeing.
6. To say “I hear not” when hearing.
7. To say “I do not attain” when attaining.
8. To say “I do not know” when knowing.
On this eightfold ignoble speech, the weeds of falsehood, do I perform the pulling out, cutting off and eradicating with the hands or the sickle of the eightfold noble speech, the truthful words, such as:
1. To say “I see not” when seeing not.
2. To say “I hear not” when hearing not.
3. To say “I do not attain” when not attaining.
4. To say “I do not knownot” when not knowing.
5. To say “I see” when seeing.
6. To say “I hear” when hearing.
7. To say “I attain” when attaining.
8. To say “I know” when knowing.
Brahmin, your removal of the plough, your giving up of the field and your retirement is not forever since you have to do the job of ploughing again in the evening, next week or next year. My removal of the plough, my giving up the field and my retirement is not like yours. Indeed, Brahmin, until I became an Arahat, I knew no such thing as the removal of the plough, the giving up of the field and retirement. I will explain further, Brahmin, since the lifetime of Buddha Dīpaṅkara I have not removed the plough, given up the field and retired until I attained the wisdom of the path to omniscience. For the whole period of four immeasurables (asaṅkhyeyya) and 100,000 aeons (kappa), I had to do the internal work of spiritual farming by harnessing the four big bullocks of right exertion to the plough of wisdom.
Brahmin, after restlessly doing the spiritual farming for the aforesaid period of four immeasurables and 100,000 aeons, only when I became an Arahat that is encircled by all the attributes of a Buddha, sitting on the golden throne that is undefeated (aparājita) under the Mahā Bodhi tree, which indeed is peace, the end of all worries, did I take off the bullocks of energy from the plough of wisdom, give up the field of mental processes and retire once and for all by engaging as long as time permitted in the Arahat fruition. Now I have nothing at all to do with the work of farming again.”
Viriyaṁ me dhura-dhorayhaṁ, yogakkhemādhivāhanaṁ,
gacchati anivattantaṁ, yattha gantvā na socati.
Brahmin Bhāradvāja! My two kinds of energy (viriya), physical (kāyika) and mental (cetasika), form a pair of draught bullocks that are harnessed to the plough at the front; or, my four kinds of right exertion (sammappadhāna) are the two pairs of draught bullocks. That pair of two bullocks of physical and mental energy of mine or those two
Just as the Brahmin’s plough-pole drawn by a pair of draught bullocks harnessed at the front crushed earth-masses and destroyed big and small tree roots, even so the Buddha’s log of wisdom, drawn forcefully by the twin bullocks of physical and mental energy, crushed the fourfold earth-mass: the mass of continuity (santati), the mass of composition (samūha), the mass of function (kicca) and the mass of sense objects (ārammaṇa). I also got rid of the big and small tree-roots of mental defilements.
Alternatively, just as there were two pairs of bullocks for the Brahmin’s plough, four bullocks in all, one pair attached to the first yoke and the other attached to the next, even so there were at the Buddha’s Dhamma-plough the fourfold right exertion corresponding to the Brahmin’s two pairs of bullocks; just as the Brahmin’s two pairs of bullocks attached to his plough struggle energetically and accomplished two functions: the function of destroying the weeds that had grown, as well as the weeds that would grow, and the function of generating the paddy plants, even so the Buddha’s fourfold exertion corresponding to the Brahmin’s two pairs of bullocks energetically struggled and accomplished two functions: the function of removing unwholesomeness that had arisen as well as unwholesomeness that would arise, and the function of generating wholesomeness.
Paraphrase: “Brahmin, just as your two pairs of draught bullocks move in the direction of the east, in the direction of the west and so on as you drive them, even so the bullocks – my two pairs of right exertion – move straight to Nibbāna as I drive them in that direction; the difference between your moving and mine is this: when your two pairs of bullocks reach the edge of the field they turn back. But my two pairs of bullocks, my right exertion, have been moving towards Nibbāna without turning away since the lifetime of Buddha Dīpaṅkara.
Your two pairs of bullocks could not manage to reach the place where a farmer like you is free from sorrow. As for my two pairs of bullocks, in the form of right exertion, they have managed to reach the place of Nibbāna free from sorrow of a farmer like me.”
Evam-esā kasī kaṭṭhā, sā hoti amatapphalā,
etaṁ kasiṁ kasitvāna, sabba-dukkhā pamuccati.
Brahmin Bhāradvāja! I, the teacher of the three classes of beings, have done the Dhamma-ploughing in my person without interruption for four immeasurables and 100,000 aeons. That Dhamma-ploughing of mine bears the fruit of Nibbāna with the rich taste of peace. It bears that tasty fruit of Nibbāna not only for me, but for anyone, be he a human, a Deva or a Brahma when the harnessing of the bullocks of right exertion and the Dhamma-ploughing is done in one’s person without interruption one could be free from all suffering and attain Nibbāna.
In this way, the Buddha, in delivering the discourse to Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja, concluded it by fixing it with the pinnacle of the Arahat fruition and leading it up to the height of Nibbāna.
Having listened to this profound teaching, the Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja came to a good understanding: “Despite my eating of the crop obtained from my ploughing, I feel hungry next day as usual. The Dhamma-ploughing of venerable Gotama, however, produces the fruit of deathlessness called Nibbāna. Having partaken of that fruit of deathlessness from the Dhamma-ploughing, one could liberate oneself from suffering once and for all.”
Thus the Brahmin developed devotion, understood clearly and was desirous of doing what every devotee would do: He poured milk rice into the golden bowl, which was meant for his own use and worth 100,000 pieces of money, then he added butter, honey, molasses, etc., to it so that it looked attractive. Finally he covered the golden bowl with a white cloth and took it himself and offered it respectfully to the Buddha with these words: “May venerable Gotama have the milk rice! Venerable Gotama is indeed a ploughman, for he has done the Dhamma-ploughing which produces the crop of Nibbāna!” Then the Buddha delivered these two verses to the Brahmin:
Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ,
sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa Dhammo,
gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti Buddhā,
Dhamme satī brāhmaṇa vutti-r-esā.
Brahmin Bhāradvāja! The food obtained by uttering verses ought not to be enjoyed at all by me. Enjoyment of such food thus obtained is not the custom of Buddhas, those who observe purity in livelihood. Therefore they reject the food obtained by uttering verses. Brahmin Bharadvāja! When one observes purity of livelihood, one seeks the four requisites lawfully without being attached to any family just like stretching one’s hand in space. Such is the way of making a pure living by all the Buddhas.
Herein a question may arise: did the Buddha utter the verses to get the milk rice, for mention is made of the food obtained by uttering verses? The answer is: No, the Buddha did not utter the verses to get the food. In fact, he did not receive even a ladleful of food though he stood near the field since early that morning; yet he uttered the three verses clearly describing how he performed the Dhamma-farming and thereby explaining fully the attributes of a Buddha. And the food thus received happened to be like something acquired by dancers by dancing and singing. Hence the food obtained by uttering verses. Such food is not worthy, nor to be eaten by the Buddhas. Hence it ought not to be enjoyed at all.
The verse contains four lines: The first three lines point out the purity of the discourse by absolving the Buddha from any blame and accusation by the unwise, who would say: “By singing this song the monk Gotama made the unfaithful and displeased Brahmin desire to give, and thereby accepted the food. This discourse of the monk Gotama was intended to attract the material offering of the food.” The fourth line indicates the purity of the Buddha’s livelihood.
When the Buddha uttered this the Brahmin Bhāradvāja became sad, thinking: “Venerable Gotama has rejected my milk rice. He said it was not worth eating. I am so unfortunate! I have been deprived of the opportunity of giving alms.” He thought further: “If venerable Gotama does not accept my milk rice, it were well if he would accept something else from me.” Then it occurred thus to the Buddha, who was aware of this: “After setting aside the hour for alms round I came here with the idea that I would arouse faith in the Brahmin within so limited a time. Now the Brahmin is dejected; should he form a wrong attitude towards me through dejection, he would not be able to attain the penetrative knowledge of supreme Nibbāna.” Being desirous of fulfilling the Brahmin’s wish so that he would cultivate faith in him, the Buddha uttered the following verse:
Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ,
khīṇāsavaṁ kukkucca-vūpasantaṁ,
annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,
khettaṁ hi taṁ puñña-pekkhassa hoti.
Brahmin Bhāradvāja! With food and drink, other than this,
Though the Buddha tried to arouse the desire in the Brahmin to give, he said only implicitly. He did not say directly: “Give it to me, bring it to me.” Only a Buddha’s Dispensation, with its eight marvellous characteristics, is the excellent great field of fertile soil for you, who have a bent on deeds of merit.
Then the Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja thought: “I have brought this milk rice for the sake of the Buddha. Therefore I should not give it to somebody else of my own accord,” and asked: “Venerable Gotama, in that case, to whom should I offer this milk rice?”
The Buddha replied:
Brahmin, neither in the world of celestial beings together with its Devas, Māras and Brahmas, nor in the world of human beings with its ascetics, and Brahmins, princes and commoners, do I see anybody, apart from me or my disciples, who can well digest that milk rice when eaten. Therefore, Brahmin, you should dump it in a place without green grass or in the water without insects.
Herein why could nobody among Devas and human beings digest this milk rice? It could not be digested because this coarse human food was mixed with the soft and delicate ambrosia of Devas. When the Brahmin was pouring the food intended for the Buddha, the Devas added ambrosia to it. It could have been digestible if it were only pure ambrosia and eaten by Devas, and so would have been the unmixed milk rice eaten by men.
The milk rice being coarse, even though mixed with the soft ambrosia, Devas could not digest it because they had delicate bodies and the food was indigestible for them. So was it for humans because it contained ambrosia and humans have coarse bodies.
As for the Buddha, he could digest the milk rice mixed with ambrosia by virtue of his natural metabolism. Some teachers attribute this ability to the Buddha’s physical and mental powers. For the Arahats, disciples of the Buddhas too, the food was digestible because of their power of concentration and their knowledge of how to eat it in moderation. This was not possible for others, not even for those with psychic powers. Or, this should not be a matter for speculation, it concerns only Buddhas.
The Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja floated the milk rice in the insect-free water. It at once made a sizzling sound and there arose much vapour from all sides, just as a ploughshare that has been baked the whole day sizzles and produces much vapour all round when it is dumped into water.
Thereupon the Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja became afraid with his hair standing on end, and approached the Fortunate One. Touching the feet of the Fortunate One with his head, he said: “Venerable Gotama! Very delightful indeed is your teaching! Just as an object lying prone is turned upside down; or a covered object is uncovered; or a man who has lost his way is shown the right way; or a torch is lighted in darkness in order that people with eyes may see different objects; so also venerable Gotama has clearly taught the Dhamma to me in many ways. Venerable Gotama! I seek refuge in you, in the Dhamma and in the Saṅgha! Venerable Gotama! Let me be initiated! Let me be ordained under you!”
The Brahmin Kasibhāradvāja became a monk under the Fortunate One and not long after his ordination, Ven. Kasibhāradvāja retired alone to a quiet place. There he practised the Dhamma, exerting his effort vigilantly and vigorously with his mind bent on Nibbāna. Finally, he attained and became an Arahat.