35c: More Stories about Wrong View
Baka Brahma
The account of the taming of Brahma Baka by the Buddha occurs in the Birth Story about Brahma Baka (Brahma-baka-jātaka, Ja 405), the Birth Story about the Ascetic Kesava (Kesava-jātaka, Ja 346), the Discourse about Brahma Baka (Baka-brahma-sutta, SN 6.4) and the Discourse about the Invitation of Brahmā (Brahma-nimantanika-sutta, MN 49), and their commentaries.
Once, while dwelling at Jetavana in the noble city of Sāvatthī, the Buddha called the monks and said: “Monks, on one occasion, I was living at the foot of a large Sāla tree in the Subhaga grove near the town of Ukkaṭṭha. Then arose, monks, the following thought in Brahma Baka: ‘The world of Brahmas together with this body is permanent, firm, stable, unique and subject to no change. In this Brahma world, there is no one who is conceived, who grows old, who dies, who falls, who is reborn by way of conception. There is no liberation higher than the Brahma world together with this body.’ Such was the very strong but wrong view of eternalism (sassata-micchā-diṭṭhi) that arose in Brahma Baka.”
Brahma Baka, who held this view, rejected the existence of the higher transcendent states of the second and third absorption (jhāna) planes in the Brahma worlds, the fourth absorption (jhāna) planes in the Brahma worlds, together with the four formless (arūpa) states and the paths, fruitions and Nibbāna, for he belonged only to the first absorption (jhāna) plane.
“Monks, knowing his thought with my mind, I disappeared then from the foot of the Sāla tree in the Subhaga grove, near Ukkaṭṭha and appeared in the first meditation Brahma abode, just as a strong man stretches his bent arm and bends his stretched out arm.
When Brahma Baka saw from afar my approaching, monks, he said: ‘Sir, please come. Sir, you are welcome. Sir, you visit this Brahma abode after a long time. Sir, the Brahma world, together with this body, is permanent, firm, stable, unique and subject to no change. In this Brahma world, there is no one who is conceived, who grows old, who dies, who falls, who is reborn by way of conception. There is no liberation higher than the Brahma world together with this body.’
Monks, when Brahma Baka spoke thus, I said:
Monks, Māra the Wicked One then possessed a young Brahma attendant (Brahma-pārisajja) and rebuked me thus: “Monk, do not criticize this Brahma Baka. Monk, do not criticize this Brahma Baka. He is great. He is dominant. He is indomitable. Surely, he sees all. He holds sway over all living beings. He rules the world. He created the world. He is the lord of the world. He determines a living being’s destiny declaring: ‘You shall be a king, you shall be a Brahmin, you shall be a merchant, you shall be a farmer, you shall be a labourer, you shall be a human, you shall be a monk, or, at the least, you shall be a camel or you shall be an ox.’ He is accomplished in absorption (jhāna). He is the father of beings that have arisen and beings that are arising.”
Of the expressions ‘beings that have arisen’ and ‘beings that are arising,’ the latter means ‘beings originating in the eggs or in the wombs.’ From the time they come out from the eggs or the wombs they are known as ‘beings that have arisen.’
In the case of beings originating in moisture (saṁsedaja), they are called ‘beings that are arising’ at the moment of their rebirth consciousness, and after that moment they are ‘beings that have arisen.’
As for the spontaneous (upapatti) beings they are called ‘beings that are arising’ at the moment of their first bodily posture and after that they are ‘beings that have arisen.’
“Monks! In this world, those ascetics and Brahmins before you, who, like you, condemned and abhorred the earth-element, the water-element, the fire-element, the wind-element as impermanent (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and without self (anatta) and who, like you, condemned and abhorred living beings, Devas, Māras and Brahmas, as impermanent, suffering and without self, they all landed in the lower worlds of woes after the dissolution of their bodies at death.
Monks, in this world, those ascetics and Brahmins before you, who admired and cherished the earth-element, the water-element, the fire-element, the wind-element as permanent, firm, stable, imperishable, unbreakable and inexhaustible and who admired and cherished the living beings, Devas, Māras and Brahmas as firm, stable, imperishable, unbreakable and inexhaustible they all landed in the sublime Brahma world after the dissolution of their bodies at death.
Therefore I say unto you, monk, I want to urge you to follow this Brahma’s teaching. Do not go against his teaching. Monk, if you go against his teaching, you will be like a man who beats and drives away with a six-foot long stick the glory that has come right to you or like a man who falls over a cliff and does not land on the supporting ground by not coming into contact with it by his hands and legs. This example will do for you. I therefore want to urge you to follow the Brahma’s teaching. Do not contradict it. Monk, you see the Brahmas who have assembled, do you not?”
“Thus, Monks, Māra the Wicked One aimed his speech at me and tried to make me a member of Brahma Baka’s assembly.”
Herein it may be asked: “How did Māra see the Buddha?” While staying in his
Monks, when the evil Māra spoke thus through the Brahma attendant, I refuted him as follows: ‘Wicked Māra! I know you. Do not think that the monk Gotama does not know you, Wicked One, you are Māra. You are the evil Māra: the Mahā Brahma, the assembly of Brahmas, the Brahma-attendants they all fall into your hand; they are all under your sway.’ Wicked Māra, you are wrong in believing thus: ‘This monk too may fall into my hand. This monk too may come under my sway.’ In reality, I do not fall into your hand. I do not go under your sway.
Monks, when I had thus spoken to Māra, Brahma Baka said to me: ‘Venerable sir, I speak of what is permanent as permanent. I speak of what is firm, stable, unique and imperishable as firm, stable, unique and imperishable. I say that in the Brahma world there is no one who is conceived, who grows old, who dies, who falls away, who is reborn, because in the Brahma world there is no one who is conceived, who is old, who dies, who falls away, who is reborn. I say that there is no liberation better than the Brahma world with this body because there is no liberation higher than the Brahma world together with this body.’
Monks, in this world, the practice of those ascetics and Brahmins before you was as old as your age. They might have known what liberation is higher than the Brahma world with this body as the liberation higher than the Brahma world with this body. They might have known the liberation no higher than the Brahma world with this body as the liberation that is no higher than the Brahma world with this body.
Monks, therefore I say to you this: ‘You will not find any other liberation higher than the Brahma world with this body.’ If you search for it, this will mean only trouble and suffering for you.
Monks, if you cling to the earth element you will live near me, you will live in my place, you will be my subordinate. If you cling to the water element, the fire element, the wind element, living beings, Devas, Māras and Brahmas, you will live near me, you will live in my place, you will be my subordinate.”
The Buddha replied: “Brahma, I too know this: If I cling to the earth element, I will live near you, I will live in your place, I will be your subordinate. So will I be if I cling to the water element, the fire element, the wind element, living beings, Devas, Māras and Brahmas. I know all this! Brahma, in fact, I know that you are of such great power, of such might, of such great fame and retinue. I know your abilities, too.”
Then Brahma Baka asked the Buddha: “Venerable sir, how do you know that I am of such great power, of such great might, of such great fame and retinue? How do you know my abilities too?” Then the Buddha answered: “Your authority lies in 1,000 universes, in each universe, the sun and the
A vast circular area in which the sun and the moon wander, illuminating all over the directions, is called a world-element (loka-dhātu), or a spherical universe (cakka-vāḷa).
“All over these universes, numbering 1,000, your Brahma’s authority spreads. You, Brahma Baka, know beings high and low, beings covetous and uncovetous, this and the remaining 999 universes, the rebirth and death of beings in these universes. Brahma Baka, I know that you are of such great power, of such great might, of such great retinue and fame. I know your abilities too.”
The Buddha’s words have not come to an end yet. A note may, however, be inserted here. By saying so, the Buddha tried to subdue the Brahma. What he meant to say was this: “Brahma Baka, your authority spreads only within 1,000 universes. Yet you think highly of yourself: ‘I am a Great Brahma.’ you are only a Brahma who can see 1,000 universes. There are other Brahmas who are superior to you such as those who can see 2,000 universes, who can see 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, 10,000 world-elements and those who can see 100,000 universes, and they are countless. And yet, like a man who tries to compare his piece of cloth, which is only four cubit long, with another piece of cloth that is far greater in length, like a man who desires to immerse himself in the water which is only ankle-deep, or like a small frog which thinks that the water in a bullock’s footprint is a deep pool, you have a high opinion of yourself, thinking: ‘I am a Great Brahma.’
“Brahma Baka, there is still another world indeed apart from this world of the first absorption (jhāna). You neither know it nor see it. But I know it and see it. Brahma Baka, there is still another world known as the Ābhassara world. Falling from that Ābhassara world, you have landed in this world of the first meditation. Because you have lived in this world of the first meditation you have lost your memory. Therefore you neither know nor see that Ābhassara world. But I know and see it. Brahma Baka, because I know the Ābhassara world which is unknown to you, you are not equal to me in intellect. Why should I be inferior to you? In fact, I am superior to you intellectually.”
The Buddha’s speech has not come to an end yet. Another note may, however, be inserted here. Brahma Baka had fallen from the higher worlds and landed in a lower world. In a past aeon (kappa), devoid of the appearance of a Buddha, Brahma Baka became an ascetic and practised meditation on a device (kasiṇa) as a prelude to the attainment of the absorptions (jhāna). When he passed away, without any slip of the meditation, he was reborn in the Vehapphala Brahma world of the fourth absorption, which is of a long lifespan, 500 aeons. Having lived the full lifespan there, he desired rebirth in a lower world and developed the third absorption (jhāna) to a high standard. When he passed away from that Vehapphala world, he landed in the Subhakiṇhā Brahma world of the third absorption (jhāna) which has a lifespan of 64 great aeons (mahā-kappa).
If a man commits a number of immediately resultant (anantariya) deeds, such as matricide, patricide, etc., only the severest and heaviest one of them bring about rebirth in the Mahā Avīci state of long suffering; others do not bring it about but contribute to its occurrence. Similarly of the four form absorptions (jhāna) that are developed, only the specially developed one with the four dominant (adhipati) factors brings about rebirth in the form worlds (rūpāvacara) and the remaining form meditations do not result in that rebirth as they themselves have no chance to do so; they merely facilitate the sustenance of that rebirth for its full lifespan.
Having existed in that Subhakiṇhā Brahma abode for the full lifespan of 64 great aeons, Brahma Baka developed in the previous manner the second absorption (jhāna) of the higher standard and when he fell from Subhakiṇhā he landed in the Ābhassara Brahma abode which is on the second meditation plane, lasting for eight great aeons. Having
In his present Mahā Brahma abode, however Brahma Baka remembered in the earlier part of his life, his performance of wholesome meditation and the former abode where he had existed. When he had been there for too long, he forgot even those two things and wrongly took to himself the false belief in eternalism. That was why the Buddha said to Brahma Baka: “You have lost your memory. Therefore you neither know, nor do you see that Ābhassara world,” and so on.
The Past Story of Brahma Baka
The following is based mainly on the commentary to the Birth Story about Brahma Baka (Brahma-baka-jātaka, Ja 405).
When the Buddha spoke thus, Brahma Baka thought: “The monk Gotama knows the lifespan of my previous lives, the worlds of my previous rebirths and the good deeds of absorption (jhāna) that I had practised before, I will ask him now about my good deeds in the past.” In response to his question, the Buddha told him about his good deeds. This Brahma Baka in one of his former births was a son of a good family. Seeing the dangers of sense desires he decided: “I will put an end to birth, old age, sickness and death.” Thereafter, he renounced the world and became an ascetic, developing mundane absorptions (jhāna). Having accomplished the absorptions which were the foundation of the super knowledges he built a small leaf-hut near the river Ganges and spent his time enjoying the bliss of the absorptions.
While he was staying thus, a caravan of 500 carts carrying merchants crossed a desert frequently. When they crossed the desert by night the bullocks that were harnessed at the foremost cart lost their way and turned back, thus coming back to the former track that they had taken. The other carts too similarly came back to the former track and this was known to the merchants only at dawn. For the merchants it was the day they needed to have passed through the desert. All their firewood and water had run out. Therefore, thinking that they were now about to lose their lives the people unyoked their bullocks from the carts, tied them to the wheels and went to sleep in the shade of the rear part of the carts.
The absorption-accomplished ascetic, the future Brahma Baka, got out of the leaf-hut early in the morning. While sitting at the hut door, he had a look at the Ganges and saw a great flood overwhelming the whole Ganges as though a huge green stone was rolling down. When he thought: “Are there in this world any beings that are wearied for lack of such sweet water?” he saw the caravan of those merchants suffering in the sandy desert. Wishing them well, he resolved through psychic powers: “May a great volume of water from the Ganges flow towards the merchants in the caravan.”
As soon as his psychic powers occurred, a great volume of water flowed into the desert as though into a drain. The merchants got up because of the sound of the water. On seeing the water they were overjoyed. They bathed, they drank, and they let the cattle drink and they finally arrived at their destination. In order to point out this past good deed of Brahma Baka, the Buddha spoke this verse:
Yaṁ tvaṁ apāyesi bahū manusse,
pipāsite ghammani samparete,
taṁ te purāṇaṁ vata-sīla-vattaṁ,
suttappabuddho va anussarāmi.
Brahma by the name of Baka! In the past, when you were an absorption-accomplished ascetic who caused, by your psychic powers, those thirsty people of a caravan, who were tortured by the sun in the desert, to have water to drink and to bath. Like a man waking up, I recollect again and again, by my power of the rememberance of former lives (pubbe-nivāsānussati-ñāṇa), your morality practised in the past.
At a later time, the ascetic, built a leaf-hut on the bank of the Ganges and lived there depending upon a small village for food. Then robbers beat the villagers and robbed them
Seeing the great army, the robbers thought that it was the marching of the king, they discarded their loot and fled. The ascetic resolved: “May the property go back to their respective owners,” and this happened in accordance with the ascetic’s resolve. The people were thus overjoyed. In order to point out also this past good deed of Brahma Baka, the Buddha spoke this verse:
Yaṁ eṇi-kūlasmi’ janaṁ gahītaṁ,
amocayī gayhaka niyyamānaṁ,
taṁ te purāṇaṁ vata-sīla-vattaṁ,
suttappabuddho va anussarāmi.
Brahma by the name of Baka! In the past when you were an absorption-accomplished ascetic on the bank of the Ganges, which was also named Eṇikūla because there were many herds of antelopes there, you caused the villagers, who were taken as hostages and whose properties were robbed by theives, to escape from the robbers’ hands by your creation of an army of four divisions. Like a man waking up, I recollect again and again, by my power of remembering former lives, your morality practised in the past.
Again at a later time, a family living in the upper part of the Ganges and another family living in the lower part held a wedding ceremony, one party giving the bride to the other and making friends together. They joined their boats, forming them like a raft which carried many kinds of food, unguents, flowers, etc, and which floated on the currents of the Ganges waters. The people on the boats had a great feast, dancing and singing. They revelled as though they were moving in a celestial flying mansion.
Then the Nāga King, ruler and resident of the Ganges, saw the people and became angry, thinking: “These people have no regard for me as they are not aware that their riotous merry making would annoy me, the Nāga King of the Ganges. Now I shall make them float into the ocean.” So thinking he assumed an enormous body and split the water into two halves between which he emerged all of a sudden. With his vast hood raised, he made a great hissing sound and stayed there as though he were going to bite the people and put them to death.
On seeing the Nāga King, the people became frightened and cried loudly and feverishly. While sitting in the leaf-hut the ascetic hearing their cries, thought: “Earlier these people were very happy, dancing and singing. Now they are making sounds of fear and grief. What is the matter?” Then he saw the Nāga King and desired for the people’s safety: “May they not perish while I am seeing them.” So he engaged himself in the absorptions, the foundation of his super knowledges, and after assuming the guise of a Garuḷa bird, he was poised to snatch away the Nāga King. Fearing being attacked, the Nāga King withdrew his hood and immersed himself in the water. All the people were thus saved. In order to point out this good deed of Brahma Baka, the Buddha spoke this verse:
Gaṅgāya sotasmiṁ gahīta-nāvaṁ,
luddena nāgena manussa-kappā,
amocayi tvaṁ balasā pasayha,
taṁ te purāṇaṁ vata-sīla-vattaṁ,
suttappabuddho va anussarāmi.
Brahma by the name of Baka! In the past when you were an ascetic you saved the people of two villages, who were going to be destroyed by the fierce Nāga King in the water currents of the Ganges, by your psychic powers known as the power of transformation (vikubbaniddhi) and you thus set them free from the threat of the Nāga King. Like a man waking up, I recollect again and again by my power of remembering former lives, your morality practised in the past.
Still at a later time, Brahma Baka was a noble ascetic known as Kesava. At that time our Bodhisatta was a youthful ascetic by the name of Kappa. Constantly staying near the ascetic Kesava and serving him as a residential pupil (antevāsika), who was always obedient, thinking to do only what was pleasing to his master, who was intelligent and who practised what was beneficial. The ascetic Kesava was unable to move about, to remain still, to eat or drink without the help of his close pupil, the young ascetic Kappa. At one time, he was looked after by the King of Bārāṇasī but he left the king and lived depending on his own pupil, Kappa the ascetic. In order to point out also this past good deed of Brahma Baka, the Buddha spoke this verse:
Kappo ca te baddha-caro ahosi,
Sambuddhim-antaṁ vatinaṁ amaññaṁ,
taṁ te purāṇaṁ vata-sīla-vattaṁ,
suttappabuddho va anussarāmi.
Brahma by the name of Baka! In one of the past existences I was a virtuous ascetic, Kappa by name, who, as your residential pupil, served you, a virtuous ascetic, Kesava by name. At that time you fondly spoke in praise of me, saying I was good, intelligent and that I had practised morality adequately. Like a man waking up, I recollect again and again by my power of remembering former lives, your morality practised in the past.
In this way the Buddha spoke to Brahma Baka, pointing out the latter’s good deeds done in his various past existences. While the Buddha was thus talking, Brahma Baka recollected his past lives. All his past deeds gradually manifested to him as though different objects become clear when 1,000 oil lamps are lighted. He was so pleased, having a faithful heart, he spoke the following verse:
Addhā pajānāsi mam-etam-āyuṁ,
aññam-pi jānāsi tathā hi Buddho,
tathā hi tāyaṁ jalitānubhāvo,
obhāsayaṁ tiṭṭhati Brahma-lokaṁ.
Fortunate One, who has done away with all suffering! Certainly, you know my past lives. You also know all other things worth knowing apart from my lives also. You are therefore an omniscient Buddha. This bright body-light of yours exists, illuminating the whole Brahma abode, outshining the light of hundreds and thousands of suns and moons.
Having related as a parenthesis to the past events of Brahma Baka at his request, the Buddha came back to his original topic, speaking thus: “Brahma Baka, there is also the Subhakiṇhā abode, Vehapphala abode, and Abhibhū abode. You neither know nor see them. I know and see them. I know what you do not, you are not equal to me intellectually. How can I be inferior to you? In fact, I am superior to you intellectually.”
Then in order to prove a step further that Brahma Baka was not his intellectual equal and
Brahma Baka, with extraordinary intellect, I know the water element, the fire element, the wind element, sentient beings, the Devas, Māras, Brahmas, Ābhassara Brahmas, Subhakiṇhā Brahmas, Vehapphala Brahmas, Abhibhū Brahmas, with extraordinary intellect. I know all individuality pertaining to the three planes of existence (te-bhūmaka) that is by nature impermanent, suffering and selfless. I know Nibbāna, that is inaccessible to all individuality by its very nature and I do not cling at all to individuality with craving, conceit and wrong view. I do not cling to it, as something in which self lies or, as something from which self emerges. I do not cling to all to individuality pertaining to the three planes of existences as I, mine, or my self. Brahma Baka, as I know Nibbāna, which is unknown to you, you are not equal to me intellectually. How can I be inferior to you? In fact, I am superior to you intellectually.”
Then Brahma Baka, wishing to charge the Buddha with falsehood, said: “Venerable sir, if it is true there is something as you say that is inaccessible to all by its very nature, your claim that you know it would come to nothing. Do not let it come to nothing. Your statement would become empty. Do not let it become empty.”
Herein some clarification will be made so that the virtuous readers of the Chronicle may not be confused. The English word all and the Pāḷi sabba are of similar meaning, but here the word sabba is used in the sense of all mundane things, all that has individuality (sakkāya). The complete terminology is sakkāya-sabba or all individuality. It is this sakkāya-sabba, all individuality, that is referred to in the Instruction about Burning (Āditta-pariyāya-sutta, SN 35.235) where: Sabbaṁ ādittaṁ occurs; the Pāḷi sentence means: “All things, monks, areon fire, with lust (rāga), hatred (dosa), etc.”
It cannot be said that supermundane things are burnt by fire, for unwholesome things, such as lust, hatred and delusion are absolutely incapable of taking the supermundane things as their target. They are capable of doing so only in the case of mundane things, individuality (sakkāya) or the factors of clinging to existence (upādānakkhandha); hence, the burning of mundane things by the fires of lust, hatred, etc. Therefore what is supermundane is to be excluded from “all,” whereas what is mundane is to be included therein. Therefore by the word all of the Instruction about Burning is meant sakkāya-sabba or, all individuality.
With reference to the term sabbaññutā-ñāṇa or, all embracing knowledge, or, omniscience, its component sabba includes both the mundane and supermundane, for the Buddha knows the whole range of things, mundane as well as supermundane. Therefore, the word sabba of sabbaññutā-ñāṇa means sabba-sabba, all this, and all that.
By this much the readers of this Chronicle might have understood that in the field of Dhamma literature the use of the word sabba, all is of two kinds: The use of it in the sense of sakkāya-sabba, all individuality, or all mundane things, and the use of it in the sense of sabba-sabba, all this, and all that, with both mundane or supermundane designations. Let us examine now the use of all by the Buddha and Brahma Baka.
When the Buddha asserted that he was intellectually superior to Brahma Baka, he presented 13 points as follows:
With regard to the first 12 points, Baka saw no reason to blame the Buddha. As regards the last point, however, he saw something to accuse the Buddha of.
When the Buddha said: “I know all (sakkāya-sabba) and I know Nibbāna which is inaccessible to all (sakkāya-sabba),” he said it as a puzzle. What he meant to say by this was: “Brahma Baka, I know all mundane things (sabba-sakkāya) by my extraordinary intellect that they are, by nature, impermanent, suffering and selfless. Having known this, I also know Nibbāna by my extraordinary insight (vipassanā), which cannot be attained by all (sakkāya) individualities.”
In that speech the statement reading: “I know all by all their nature,” means: “I know by insight (vipassanā) all individuality pertaining to the three planes of existence, and the five aggregates of mundane things in their nature of being impermanent, suffering and selfless.” Here the Buddha said: “I know all by all their nature,” with reference to sakkāya-sabba. “I know Nibbāna which is inaccessible to all by all nature,” means “I know Nibbāna with the path-knowledge, realizing that it is inaccessible to all individuality and the five aggregates of mundane things in their nature of being conditioned (saṅkhata).
Such conditioned material things as the earth element, the wind element, etc., have the nature of hardness, cohesiveness, etc., which are also conditioned, such conditioned mental things as contact, sensation, etc., have the nature of the tangibility, feeling, etc., which are also conditioned. All these conditioned things are absent in Nibbāna which is unconditioned. Only the nature of peace (santi), as opposed to conditioned things is present in unconditioned Nibbāna. This was in view when it was said that Nibbāna is inaccessible to the earth element. Nibbāna is inaccessible to the water element, Nibbāna is inaccessible to all individuality.
By this much, readers of the Chronicle must have understood that what the Buddha meant was as follows: “I know thoroughly all (sabba-sakkāya), or the five aggregates of mundane things and you know them too. I also know Nibbāna which cannot be reached by all individuality, but you do not know it, and that the word “all” in that speech implies the five aggregates of mundane things and that Nibbāna is something which cannot be attained by that “all.”
But as a fault-finding ideologue, Brahma Baka took it wrongly, that by all was meant sabba-sabba, each and everything, mundane or supermundane and designated, for he was totally ignorant of the fact that here mundane all (sakkāya-sabba) was referred to in the Buddha’s speech. This led him to his criticism of the Buddha: “Venerable sir, if the Dhamma is inaccessible to all other things by its nature, your saying that you know what is inaccessible would come to nothing. Do not let it come to nothing. Your statement would become empty. Do not let it become empty.”
The gist of Brahma Baka’s criticism was as follows: In your speech, venerable sir, you claim your knowledge of all, and your knowledge of the Dhamma that is inaccessible to all. The word all of the first statement covers all things. So there can be nothing which is inaccessible to all things. And yet the Buddha insists on his knowledge of what is mentioned in the second statement. His insistence, therefore, will be reduced to nonsense like the flower of the sky, the horn of a rabbit, the hair of a turtle, and the blood of a crab. If what is inaccessible is semantically exclusive of the word all of the first
In this way did Brahma Baka wanted to accuse the Buddha of false speech. In short, the Buddha spoke of all things (sakkāya-sabba), all that is mundane. The Brahma Baka mistook it for all that is either mundane or supermundane (sabba-sabba). Hence his accusation against the Buddha was unjust.
Being a supreme ideologue, 100 times, 1,000 times, nay, 100,000 times greater than Brahma Baka, the Buddha would still proclaim his knowledge of all and the Nibbāna that is inaccessible to all for the Brahma to listen to, in order to refute the Brahma’s charge of falsehood, so he went on to say: “Brahma Baka, there is Nibbāna which is higher than all conditioned things, which is to be known through path-knowledge, fruition-knowledge, reflection-knowledge, which is invisible to the naked eye or which has no resemblance that can be shown as its representative, which is completely devoid of an arising-and-passing nature, which is brighter than all other things or which never knows darkness but ever remains brilliant.” By these words the Buddha boldly affirmed the real existence of Nibbāna that is beyond all individuality on the three planes of existence.
That Nibbāna 1) cannot be reached by the earth element through the nature of earth; 2) cannot be reached by the water element; 3) by the fire element; 4) by the wind element; 5) by sentient beings through their nature; 6) by Devas; 7) Māras, 8) Brahmas, 9) Ābhassara Brahmas, 10) Subhakiṇhā Brahmas; 11) Vehapphala Brahmas; 12) it cannot be reached by Abhibhū Brahmas through their nature; it cannot be reached by all (sakkāya-dhamma) through the nature of them all (sakkāya). By these words the Buddha made clear that he spoke of all, too.
In this way there is the aggregate of all (sakkāya-dhamma) of the three planes of existence which is within the range of knowledge that belongs to persons like you. By that aggregate of all of the three planes of existence through the nature of them all, Nibbāna with the aforesaid four attributes cannot be reached. Thus the Buddha firmly asserted his doctrine.
Miracle Contest
Every aspect of his belief in the eternity of the Brahma world together with the body having been criticized and repudiated, Brahma Baka was at a loss for words. In order to cover his defeat, he gave up arguing for his belief and decided to show his superiority by performing miracles. So he said: “Venerable sir, if that is the case, I will now vanish in your presence. I am going to perform the sort of miracle whereby I become invisible to you. You just watch me.” The Buddha said: “Brahma Baka, you are not able to do so. If you indeed have such a power, then vanish before me now.”
Brahmas have two kinds of body, a natural body and an artificial or created body. The natural body which originates at the time of birth is so subtle that it cannot be seen by other Brahmas. So to make it visible, they take the form of a created gross body.
Therefore when Brahma Baka received consent, he bent his mind on changing his created gross body into the natural, subtle body. The Buddha knew his intention and resolved that his body should remain unchanged in its gross form. So Brahma Baka could not change his body into its natural, subtle form and there was no vanishing of his body.
Unable to change his body, Brahma Baka again tried to create darkness that might envelope his present body. But by means of his supernormal power, the Buddha dispelled
Being unable to hide by changing his body or by creating darkness, Brahma Baka desperately entered his mansion and hid there. He hid under the wish-fulfilling tree. He squat down furtively. Then hosts of Brahmas burst into laughter and jeered, saying: “This Brahma Baka is now hiding in the mansion. Now he is hiding under the wish-fulfilling tree, squatting furtively. O Brahma Baka what a pity that you think you have hidden yourself.” Being thus jeered at by other Brahmas, Brahma Baka wore a displeased face. Hence it is said in brief in the text: “Monks, though Brahma Baka said: ‘I will hide myself in the presence of the monk Gotama,’ he was unable to do so.”
To the Brahma who was unable to hide himself, the Buddha said: “Brahma Baka, if you cannot hide yourself, I will hide myself in your presence now. I am going to perform a miracle so that you cannot see me.” Then Brahma Baka replied to the Buddha: “Venerable sir, hide yourself in my presence now if you can.”
Then the Buddha first entered upon the fourth absorption (jhāna), the foundation of his resolve; then rising from that meditation, he resolved that the Mahā Brahma, the assembly of Brahmas and the young attendant Brahmas could only hear his voice but not see his body; then he entered upon the fourth absorption (jhāna), the foundation of his psychic power; when he rose from that meditation, a process of psychic power occurred in his mind; as soon as he felt that mental process but once, the Buddha’s body vanished and not a single Brahma could see him. To make them know that he was still with them though he had vanished, the Buddha uttered this verse:
Bhavevāhaṁ bhayaṁ disvā, bhavañ-ca vibhavesinaṁ,
bhavaṁ nābhivadiṁ kiñci, nandiñ-ca na upādiyiṁ.
Brahmas who have assembled here! Because I have seen clearly with my eye of wisdom, the dangers of birth, old age, and sickness on the three planes of existence such as the sense worlds (kāma-loka), the form worlds (rūpa-loka) and the formless worlds (arūpa-loka), and the endless arising of beings like Brahma Baka, who have gone astray in their search of Nibbāna that is non-existence, I no longer cling to any existence as permanent, constant, eternal, etc., under the power of craving and wrong view. I am entirely free from craving for existence as I have rooted it out and cut it off four times with the axe-like wisdom of the fourfold path-knowledge.
In this verse, by the word existence (bhava) is indicated the truth of suffering, by craving for existence (bhava-taṇhā) is indicated the truth of the cause of suffering, by non-existence (vibhava) is indicated the truth of the cessation of suffering, by I have no craving for existence (nandiñ ca na upādiyiṁ) is indicated the truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
Thus the Buddha taught the four truths in detail to the Brahmas according to their dispositions and led them to insight (vipassanā) and concluded his teaching with the Arahat fruition as its apex. At the end of the discourse, the Brahmas, reflectively following the discourse, were steeped in the essence of insight at various stages, some attaining Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala), some Once-returning (Sakadāgāmi-phala), some Non-returning (Anāgāmi-phala) and the rest became Arahats. Then the Brahmas rejoiced, marvelled and extolled the Buddha.
Hence it is said in the text: “Monks, then the Brahma, his followers and attendants were filled with great wonder, saying: ‘Friends, wonderful indeed is the great power and the great might of the monk Gotama! Never have we seen or heard any ascetic or Brahmin who is so powerful and mighty as the monk Gotama, a Sakyan Prince and an ascetic
Molestation by Māra
Then Māra reflected and came to know in anger thus: “While I am moving about the monk Gotama has taught 10,000 Brahmas and set themselves free from my dominion.” So furious was he that he once again possessed a young attendant Brahma.
Herein, how did Māra know that the 10,000 Brahmas had become noble ones (ariya)? He knew this by inference (nayaggāha or anumāna). He knew that when the Buddha taught to worthy beings, he pointed out the ills of Saṁsāra and the bliss of Nibbāna so that the listening beings would discern Nibbāna; that all his sermons were beneficial and effective like the thunderbolt (vajira) weapon hurled by Sakka; and that Devas and humans who were established in his teaching became invisible in Saṁsāra.
Having possessed the young Brahma, Māra spoke to the Buddha, disturbing him. This is mentioned in the text in the following manner: “Monks, at that time the wicked Māra possessed a young attendant Brahma and said to me thus: ‘Venerable sir, if you know the four truths analytically thus, if you know them by your omniscience, do not convey this doctrine to your disciples. Do not convey them to recluses and wandering ascetics. Do not preach to your disciples. Do not preach to recluses and wandering ascetics. Have no greed for your disciples. Have no greed for recluses and wandering ascetics.
Monk, there were ascetics and Brahmins who lived before you and who claimed to be Arahats or who claimed to have destroyed the enemy in the form of moral defilements, or who claimed to be Sammāsambuddhas, those who claimed to know all the doctrines by themselves. They conveyed their doctrines to their disciples and recluses and wandering ascetics. They taught to their disciples and recluses and wandering ascetics. They had greed for them and on the dissolution of their bodies at death they landed in the low suffering states.
Monk, there were in this world ascetics and Brahmins who lived before you and who claimed to be Arahats or who claimed to have destroyed the enemy in the form of moral defilements, or who claimed to be Sammāsambuddhas, those who claimed to know all the doctrines by themselves. They did not convey their doctrines to their disciples. They did not preach to their disciples and recluses and wandering ascetics. They had no greed for them and on the dissolution on their bodies at death they landed in the high Brahma worlds.
Therefore, monk, I would like to tell you thus: “Venerable sir, I urge you. Live in comfort, live without any bother. Sir, non-teaching is good. Do not exhort others.” I would like to tell you thus.’
Monks, when Māra the Wicked One said this, I spoke to him as follows: ‘Wicked Māra, I know you. Do not think that I do not know you. You are Māra the Wicked One, you have spoken thus not because you desire my welfare but because you desire my loss. You fear that those who follow my teaching will overcome the three kinds of existence that lie within your domain.
Wicked Māra, ascetics and Brahmins whom you speak of claimed to be Sammāsambuddhas without actually being Sammāsambuddhas. But I truly claim to be Sammāsambuddha, who know all the doctrines myself.
Wicked Māra, whether the Buddha preaches to his disciples or not, he has neither love nor hate; he is endowed with the attributes of being undisturbed (tādi). Why? Wicked Māra, the Buddha has abandoned the pollutants (āsava) that lead
Wicked Māra, as a palm tree cut off at its neck, cannot thrive, so the Buddha has abandoned the pollutants that lead to anxiety, rebirth, anguish and suffering, later on causing rebirth, old age, and death. He has rooted them out. He has made them like an uprooted palm tree. He has made it impossible for them to arise again. So, for the Buddha, there is absolutely no possibility of the resurgence of those pollutants.”
Thus the Buddha taught this discourse to silence Māra and imparted special knowledge to the Brahma. Hence this discourse is called the Discourse about the Invitation of Brahmā (MN 49, Brahma-nimantanika-sutta).
Cūḷa Subhaddā and Ugga
[The following is based on the Dhamma Verses (Dhp 304) and its commentary.]
While the Buddha was residing at Jetavana in the good city of Sāvatthī, he gave a discourse beginning with (Dhp 304): Dūre santo pakāsenti, “though people may stay many leagues away,” in connection with the merchant Anāthapiṇḍika’s daughter, Cūḷa Subhaddā.
The details are as follows: Ugga, who was another merchant, a citizen of Ugga city, was the childhood friend of the merchant, Anāthapiṇḍika. While they were educated by the same teacher, they promised to each other that when they grew up and had children, one who had a daughter should give her in marriage to a son of the other, who wanted her to be his daughter-in-law.
The two friends grew up and became great merchants in their respective cities. One day, the merchant, Ugga, went to the house of Anāthapiṇḍika in Sāvatthī with 500 carts to do business. Anāthapiṇḍika called his daughter, Cūḷa Subhaddā, and assigned a duty to her, saying: “Dear daughter, your would-be father-in-law Ugga the merchant has come. Do all that is necessary for him.”
“Very well,” said Cūḷa Subhaddā and from the day of Ugga’s arrival, she prepared and cooked the food personally for him. She put on flowers, perfumes and unguents, etc. While the merchant was being fed, she got the bath-water ready and after he had taken his bath, she personally supervised all the needful for him, and all was done with respect.
Observing she had the character of a good housewife, the merchant Ugga was pleased with Cūḷa Subhaddā. Then one day, while conversing cordially with Anāthapiṇḍika, he reminded his friend saying: “Friend, when we were young we made such and such a pledge to each other,” and then asked for Cūḷa Subhaddā for his son. But Ugga was a heretic. So Anāthapiṇḍika did not make any decision on his own but reported the matter to the Buddha, who seeing Ugga’s former good deeds that would contribute to his attainment of Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-magga) approved. He then discussed with his wife, Puññālakkhaṇa Devī, and they agreed to his friend’s proposal. He fixed the date and arranged an elaborate wedding ceremony, and when he sent Cūḷa Subhaddā away in marriage, he called his daughter and gave ten pieces of advice which were the same as those given to Visākhā by her father, Dhanañjaya.
My dear daughter, a woman who lives in the house of her parents-in-law:
1. She should not take the fire inside her house outside. That is, she should not tell people in other houses about the faults of her parents-in-law and husband.
2. She should not bring into her house the fire from outside. That is, when the neighbours speak ill of her parents-in-law and husband, she should not report it to them.
3. She should give only those who give back. That is, she should lend only to those who punctually return what they have borrowed from her house.
4. She should not give to those who do not give back. That is, she should not give another loan to those who do not punctually return what they have borrowed from her house.
5. She should give to others whether they give her or not. That is, when poor relatives come to her house, she should give them whether they can afford to give or not.
6. She should sit well. That is, she should stand up first at the sight of her parents-in-law and husband. It is not proper for her to remain sitting when she should stand up.
7. She should eat well. That is, she should not eat before her parents-in-law and husband but she should serve them and eat only after making sure everybody has his or her food.
8. She should sleep well. That is, she should not sleep in her bed before her parents-in-law and husband. She should sleep only after doing her duties towards them.
9. She should serve the fire respectfully. That is, she should regard her parents-in-laws and husband as a great mass of fire or a poisonous serpent Nāga King and look at them respectfully. She should not look at them disrespectfully by casting a side glance or frowning upon them.
10. She should worship the Devas in the house. That is, she should show respect to her parents-in-law and husband, regarding them as the Devas occupying the foremost or the most sacred place in the house.
These were the ten pieces of advice which Anāthapiṇḍika gave to his daughter as did the merchant Dhanañjaya to his daughter Visākhā (see chapter 45b.2). He also sent eight wise men as guarantors along with his daughter with these instructions: “Whenever a problem crops up for my daughter Cūḷa Subhaddā you must solve it lawfully.”
The day of her departure saw him giving alms lavishly to the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha. Then he sent his daughter to the merchant Ugga’s house with great pomp and ceremony as though he exhibited the magnificent fruition of the good deeds which Cūḷa Subhaddā had done in her previous lives.
Arriving at Ugga city, she was welcomed by the merchant’s family and hosts of the citizens. Like Visākhā, she entered the city standing in her chariot, and impressing the people much with her glory and splendour. She accepted the presents sent by the citizens and sent in return gifts appropriate to their distinguished status and thus by virtue of her wisdom she endeared herself to the whole city.
When her heretical father-in-law honoured the naked ascetics (acelaka) on auspicious occasions at his house, he sent for her as he wanted her to come and pay respect to his teachers. But she refused to go to the place where they were being honoured because she was so shy to see the unclothed teachers.
The merchant Ugga sent for her repeatedly but Cūḷa Subhaddā remained adamant in her refusal. So the merchant became angry and ordered her to be turned out of the house. She refused to take such unreasonable treatment. Instead she called in the eight wise men, her guarantors, and stated her case openly. They decided that she had no fault and informed the merchant accordingly.
The merchant told his wife that Cūḷa Subhaddā did not pay respect to his teachers, saying that they had no sense of shame. The merchant’s wife wondered what kind of monks were the teachers of her daughter-in-law whom she extolled so excessively. So she summoned Cūḷa Subhaddā and asked her (DhpA, PTS 3.467):
Kīdisā samaṇā tuyhaṁ, bāḷhaṁ kho ne pasaṁsasi,
kiṁ-sīlā kiṁ-samācārā, taṁ me akkhāhi pucchitā.
Our daughter-in-law Subhaddā! How are your teachers and monks possessed of noble qualities? You do praise them highly. Those teachers of yours, the monk Gotama and his disciples, what kind of distinction do they have? What kind of good conduct do they show? As you are asked, tell me
Then Cūḷa Subhaddā, desiring to talk to the wife of the wealthy merchant about the qualities of the Buddha and his disciples, uttered the following verse:
Santindriyā santa-mānasā, santaṁ tesaṁ gataṁ ṭhitaṁ,
okkhitta-cakkhū mitabhāṇī, tādisā samaṇā mama.
Madam, those monks of mine, comprising the Fortunate One and his disciples, in contrast to the fickle and self-indulgent behaviour of your teachers, are mentally serene, being free from the heat of all defilements. Therefore, their walking with their steps like lotus flowers or their standing with their twin golden feet is so calm that the faith of the beholders increases. They have their eyes downcast and never look beyond the length of a yoke. They speak moderately and with what is in accordance with time and place. My teacher, the Fortunate One, and his disciples possess such impressive attributes.
Kāya-kammaṁ suci nesaṁ, vācā-kammaṁ anāvilaṁ,
mano-kammaṁ suvisuddhaṁ, tādisā samaṇā mama.
Madam, all the physical behaviour of my teacher, the Fortunate One, and his disciples, is clear of unwholesomeness and pure; their verbal behaviour is serene by nature without the dust and mud of unwholesomeness, all their mental behaviour is free from the stain of evil character. They possess such impressive attributes.
Vimalā saṅkha-muttābhā, suddhā antara-bāhirā,
puṇṇā suddhehi dhammehi, tādisā samaṇā mama.
Madam, my teacher, the Fortunate One, and his disciples, are free from moral defilements like a conch-shell or a pearl necklace. They are pure both inside and out, having no dust of fault at all. They are fully endowed with the three kinds of pure training. They possess such impressive attributes.
Lābhena unnato loko, alābhena ca onato,
lābhālābhena ekaṭṭhā, tādisā samaṇā mama.
Madam, in the world, people become puffed up with pride when they acquire many things owing to their possession of effort now (payoga-sampatti) and their good deeds in the past. They become depressed when they do not acquire anything owing to their lack of effort now and their evil deeds in the past. But my teacher, the Fortunate One, and his disciples, are not affected by the acquisition, nor by the non-acquisition of things, but remain calm and tranquil. They possess such impressive attributes.
Yasena unnato loko, ayasena ca onato,
yasāyasena ekaṭṭhā,
Madam, in this world people became puffed up with pride when they become famous and have many followers owing to their possession of effort now and good deeds in the past. They become depressed when they cease to become famous and have fewer followers owing to their lack of effort now and their evil deeds in the past. But, my teacher, the Fortunate One, and his monastic disciples are not affected by having fame or not having fame and by having only a few followers, but remain calm and tranquil. They possess such impressive attributes.
Pasaṁsāyunnato loko, nindāyāpi ca onato,
samā nindā-pasaṁsāsu, tādisā samaṇā mama.
Madam, in this world people become puffed up with pride when they are praised owing to their effort now and good deeds in the past. They are depressed when they are dispraised owing to their lack of effort now and their evil deeds in the past. But my teacher, the Fortunate One, and his monastic disciples are not affected by praise or by dispraise, but remain calm and tranquil. They possess such impressive attributes.
Sukhena unnato loko, dukkhenāpi ca onato,
akampā sukha-dukkhesu, tādisā samaṇā mama.
Madam, in this world, people become puffed up with pride when they are affluent owing to their effort now and good deeds in the past. They become depressed when they are poor owing to their lack of effort now and their evil deeds in the past. But my teacher, the Fortunate One, and his monastic disciples, are not affected by affluence, but remain calm and tranquil. They possess such impressive attributes.
Thus, Cūḷa Subhaddā, the wise daughter-in-law, pleased her mother-in-law, by extolling the Fortunate One and his disciples. The merchant’s wife asked her whether she would be able to show them her teacher, the Fortunate One and his disciples, and Cūḷa Subhaddā said she could do so. Then her mother-in-law told her to make an arrangement so that they could see her teacher and all.
Having promised thus, Cūḷa Subhaddā prepared a great offering for the Buddha and the Saṅgha, and on the top of the mansion, facing towards the Jetavana monastery, she paid respects to the Buddha and contemplated his attributes. Then honouring the Buddha with sweet smelling flowers, and perfumes, she resolved thus: “Exalted Buddha, I invite the Saṅgha headed by the Fortunate One to an alms giving at my house. May the Fortunate One, the teacher of Devas and humans, know my invitation well through these jasmine flowers which I am now sending.”
After extending her invitation, she threw up eight handfuls of jasmine flowers into the air. Like small butterflies, the flowers travelled in the air and became a flower-canopy above the Buddha, while he was teaching amongst the four assemblies of people in the Jetavana monastery.
At that moment the merchant Anāthapiṇḍika, who had heard the Dhamma, invited the Buddha to his house the next day to his good deeds. The Buddha replied that he had already accepted the invitation to the meal offering by another supporter. The merchant said: “There is no one who has come and invited the exalted Buddha before me. Whose meal-offering have you accepted?” The Buddha replied that he had already been invited by
The Buddha replied: “You are right, merchant, but good people can manifest as if they were standing before me even though they may be living in a place that is many leagues away.” Then the Buddha uttered the following verse (Dhp 304):
Dūre santo pakāsenti, himavanto va pabbato,
asantettha na dissanti, rattiṁ khittā yathā sarā.
Merchant Anāthapiṇḍika, supporter of Jetavana! Though people, pure at heart and doers of good deeds, may stay many leagues away, they manifest themselves to my knowledge as does the Himavanta forest. Though foolish monks and lay persons exist near me, they never manifest themselves in the neighbourhood of my vision like the arrows shot in the darkness of four characteristics: midnight, moonless, in the heart of the forest and under an all cloudy sky.
By the end of the discourse, many people attained the fruition of Sotāpatti.
Knowing that the Buddha had accepted Cūḷa Subhaddā’s invitation, Sakka told Vissakamma to create 500 turreted flying vehicles in which the Buddha and his monks were to be taken to Ugga the next day. The next day, Vissakamma stood at the gate of the Jetavana monastery, after creating 500 flying vehicles. The Buddha took a batch of 500 choice Arahats as his entourage, and they, one seated in each vehicle, travelled by air to Ugga city.
Looking forward with his followers to the Buddha’s arrival, as instructed by his wise daughter-in-law Cūḷa Subhaddā, Ugga saw the Buddha coming with great glory. Overwhelmed by devotion, he welcomed and honoured the Buddha with flowers, scents, etc. After performing the alms giving, he invited the Buddha now and then and repeated his great offering for seven days.
The Buddha taught a Dhamma teaching that was suitable for Ugga. As a result, he and his wife, together with 84,000 beings, realized the four truths and became liberated.
In order to show his appreciation to Cūḷa Subhaddā, the Buddha told Ven. Anuruddha to stay behind in Ugga and he himself and the rest of the Arahats returned to Sāvatthī. From that day onwards the city of Ugga became a great centre of the faith and a city devoted to the Three Treasures.
A Brahmin with Wrong Views
[The following is based on the Dhamma Verses (Dhp 216) and its commentary.]
Once, while residing at Jetavana in Sāvatthī, the Buddha taught a discourse beginning with (Dhp 216): Taṇhāya jāyatī soko, “grief arises from craving,” in connection with a certain Brahmin. The story in detail is as follows: One day, a Brahmin, a citizen of Sāvatthī, who held wrong views, was clearing a farm land near the river Aciravatī.
The Buddha came to know that he had performed in the past an act that would contribute to his attainment of the paths and fruitions. The Brahmin saw the Buddha but as he was of wrong views, he did not pay his respects to the Buddha, not even talking to him but keeping silent. The Buddha himself first addressed the Brahmin,
The next day, too, the Buddha went to the Brahmin and asked him what he was doing. The Brahmin replied that he was ploughing the field. After hearing this reply the Buddha went away.
Again, the next day and the following days, the Buddha asked the Brahmin what he was doing and he replied that he was sowing seeds, planting seedlings, weeding or looking after the field. The Buddha heard the Brahmin’s answers which were appropriate to his work and went away.
In this way, owing to the frequency of the Buddha’s visit, the Brahmin began to like the Buddha. Wanting to make the Buddha his friend he said: “Gotama, you have been visiting me since the day I cleared my farmland. If the farm yields good and abundant crops, I will share them with you. I will not consume them without giving you first. From today you have become my friend.”
Then one day the crop on the Brahmin’s field became ripe and mature and he decided to have them reaped the next day. But, while he was making preparations for the harvesting, heavy rain fell at night and swept away all the crops. So the whole farmland was destroyed and barren like a field with all its crops removed.
Since the very day of his first visit, the Buddha had foreseen that the crops would come to nothing. But, if he started visiting the Brahmin only after the destruction of the crops, his discourse would have fallen on deaf ears. He had, therefore, been visiting the Brahmin from the day when the latter cleared the field, in this way the Buddha hoped to gain the Brahmin’s confidence and that would make him receptive to the discourse to be given on the day when the crops were ruined.
The Brahmin went early to his field and seeing his farmland stark empty, he was overwhelmed with grief. “The monk Gotama has been visiting me since I cleared my field,” he thought, “I have told him that I will give him a share of the crops after harvesting, that I will not consume them all by myself, without giving him and that he has become my friend. Now my desire will remain unfulfilled.” So thinking, he returned home, ate nothing and lay down on his bed.
Then the Buddha went to the Brahmin’s house. When the Brahmin heard of the Buddha’s coming, he told the people in his house to bring his friend inside and to give him a seat. They did according to his instructions. The Buddha sat down and asked where the Brahmin was. They answered that he was lying on his bed in the room. Thereupon, he told them to bring the Brahmin. The Brahmin came and sat at a suitable distance. Then he asked the Brahmin what was wrong with him.
The Brahmin said: “Gotama! You have been visiting me ever since I cleared my farm land. I have promised to share the crops with you when they come out well. But now my desire cannot be fulfilled and I am overwhelmed with anguish. I do not even want to eat my meal.”
Then the Fortunate One asked: “Brahmin! Do you know why grief arises in you?” The Brahmin said: “I do not know, Gotama. But do you know?” The Fortunate One replied: “Yes, I do. Grief and fear arises from craving.” Then the Buddha taught the following verse (Dhp 216):
Taṇhāya jāyatī soko, taṇhāya jāyatī bhayaṁ,
taṇhāya vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
Brahmin, grief arises from craving. From craving arises fear. There is not the least grief in a person who has become free from craving through
At the end of the discourse, the Brahmin attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-magga).
Ven. Candābha
[The following is based on the Dhamma Verses (Dhp 413) and its commentary.]
While dwelling in Jetavana, in Sāvatthī city, the Buddha taught the verse beginning with (Dhp 413): Candaṁ va vimalaṁ suddhaṁ, “the Arahat is free from the impurity of the five kinds of sensual pleasure,” in connection with Ven. Candābha.
Deed in the Past
The story in detail: Long ago, a trader in Bārāṇasī planned to go to a border country to collect fragrant sandalwood. So he took a lot of garments and ornaments to the border country. There, he camped near the gate of a village and asked the cowherds in the wood: “Boys, is there somebody who works at the foot of the hill?” The cowherds said: “Yes.” He asked again: “What is his name?” When they gave the man’s name, he also asked the names of the man’s wife and children. When they gave their names, he asked further the locality of man’s home. The cowherds gave their answers with honesty.
Acting on the information given by the cowherds, the trader went in a small cart to the house of the forest worker. He stepped down, went into the house and called the housewife by her name. Thinking that the visitor was one of their relatives, the woman quickly came out and gave him a seat. The trader sat down, and mentioning the name of her husband, he asked: “Where is my friend?” She replied: “Sir, your friend has gone to the forest.” Then he asked her about the children, mentioning their names and referring to them as “son” and “daughter.” He gave her garments and ornaments as presents for her husband and children. The housewife served the trader hospitably with very good food. When her husband returned from the forest, she told him about the guest, how he had inquired about their children by name and how he had given her presents for the whole family. The worker became intimate with the trader and dutifully did all that was necessary for the guest.
Then in the evening the trader sat on the bed and asked the forest worker: “What objects do you find abundantly at the foot of the hill while you are wandering there.” The forester said: “I do not find anything extraordinary other than the trees with red branches that are plentiful.” The trader asked him whether he found such trees abundantly and the forester assured him that the trees abounded. “In that case, please show me those trees.” Then, led by the forester, the trader went into the forest, cut down the red sandalwood trees and came back with 500 cart-loads of sandalwood. He gave the forester his address in Bārāṇasī and said: “I would like you to come to my place. You are always welcome. When you come, I want you to bring only those trees. I want no present other than the trees with red branches.” After speaking warmly out of friendship, the trader returned to Bārāṇasī.
In accordance with the trader’s instruction, the forest worker brought only red sandalwood whenever he went to see the trader. The trader was grateful for his kindness and gave much gold and silver.
On another occasion, after the passing away (Parinibbāna) of the Buddha Kassapa and the construction of a great relic shrine (stūpa), the forester came to his friend, the Bārāṇasī trader, with a lot of sandalwood. The trader had the sandalwood pounded, filled the bowl with it and said to his friend: “Come, friend, let us go to the great shrine before the meal is ready. We will honour the shrine and come back.” So saying he took his friend to the shrine and honoured it with an offering of sandalwood powder. His friend, the forest worker, too honoured the shrine by making the shape of a moon with red sandalwood powder on the bell shape part of the shrine.
This forest worker was the future Ven. Candābha. This above act of honouring
On his death, the forest worker was reborn in the Deva realm and after passing his time during the whole interval between the two Buddhas, he was reborn in an affluent Brahmin family in Rājagaha in the time of Buddha Gotama. From the navel of the young Brahmin there came out white, brilliant light like that of the full moon. So his parents and relatives named him Candābha, master moonlight.
This emission of the whole bright light like the full moon was the result of his honour done to Buddha Kassapa shrine with a sandalwood powder shaped like the moon.
The Brahmins decided to take the child round and make money by deceiving the people. They made the child sit in a vehicle and wandered about the whole Jambudīpa, boasting that those who stroked the youth’s body with their hands would acquire much wealth. Only those who could pay 100 or 1,000 pieces of money were allowed to stroke the child.
In the course or their wanderings, the Brahmins came to Sāvatthī and stayed in a place between the city and the Jetavana monastery. In the morning, fifty million noble, virtuous men gave alms, and in the afternoon, they went to Jetavana with scents, flowers, robes, medicines, etc. to listen to the Dhamma.
Seeing these people, the Brahmin asked them where they were off to. “We are going to hear the Fortunate One’s discourse,” answered the noble, virtuous men. Then the Brahmin said: “Come friend, what’s the use of going to that Fortunate One. There is no power like that of our Candābha. Certainly, those who stroke his body will have such and such benefits. Come and see Candābha.”
Candābha Taken to the Monastery
The good people said: “What kind of power does the Brahmin Candābha possess? Our teacher the Fortunate One is the most powerful being in the world.” Being unable to give a final decision on the issue by themselves, they at last agreed to go to the monastery and see the powers of the Fortunate One and of the Brahmin. So they went to the monastery taking the Brahmin Candābha.
As soon as the Brahmin came near him, the Buddha resolved to make the moonlight that emitted from the Brahmin’s navel disappear. The Brahmin became something like a small crow in a basket of charcoal. When the Brahmin was taken away from the Buddha, the light from his navel reappeared and when he was taken back to the Buddha, the light vanished as before. This occurred three times and Candābha wondered whether the Buddha knew any mantra that could dispel the light and he asked the Buddha accordingly.
The Buddha said: “Yes, I know it.” The Brahmin requested: “In that case please teach me the mantra.” The Buddha replied that he could not teach it to anyone who was not a monk. Then the Brahmin told his companions: “I will become the greatest man in the whole of Jambudīpa after learning this mantra. You wait for me in your lodgings in this city. I will learn the mantra within two or three days after ordination.” Having thus cheered up his friends he went back to the Buddha, asked for ordination and became a monk.
Then the Buddha taught Ven. Candābha contemplation of the 32 parts of the body (dvattiṁsākāra-kammaṭṭhāna). Then Ven. Candābha asked the Buddha what head-hair (kesa), body-hair (loma), etc. meant. The Buddha said: “That contemplation is preliminary (parikamma) to learning the mantra. You should recite it.”
The other Brahmins came occasionally and asked him if he had learnt the mantra. Ven. Candābha answered that he had not and that he was still reciting the preliminary. In this way
On hearing his words, other monks reported to the Buddha: “Exalted Buddha! This Ven. Candābha has falsely claimed to be an Arahat.” The Buddha said: “Monks! Now, my son, the monk Candābha, is an Arahat with all his pollutants (āsava) extinct. He speaks only the truth.” Then the Buddha uttered the following verse (Dhp 413):
Candaṁ va vimalaṁ suddhaṁ, vippasannam-anāvilaṁ,
nandī-bhava-parikkhīṇaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
Monks! The Arahat is free from the impurity of the five kinds of sensual pleasure; pure, spotless and clear like the flying mansion of the moon, free from all defilements and craving for the three kinds of existence. Such an Arahat, I call a true Brahmin, as he really and naturally is.
By the end of the Discourse many people attained Stream-entry fruition and higher levels.
Māra’s Temptation
[The following is based on the Dhamma Verses (Dhp 331-333) and their commentary.]
The Buddha taught the discourse beginning with (Dhp 331): Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā, “when there is any kind of understanding, friends are a source of happiness” in connection with Māra who came to tempt him to be a king.
The detailed account is as follows: Once the Buddha was dwelling in a small forest hermitage on the slopes of the Himālayas, in Kosala country. At that time, the kings still enforced their rule by oppressing the people. The Buddha saw the people in the countries of tyrants being ill-treated through various kinds of unlawful taxation and punishment. Being moved with pity, the Buddha wondered whether it was possible for one to be a good ruler without killing by oneself or through another person, without bringing about damage or loss of citizen’s property by oneself or through another person, and without making one grieve by oneself or through another person.
Māra knew what was passing through the Buddha’s mind and he thought: “Now, the monk Gotama is considering the possibility of being a ruler. Perhaps, now he wants to be a king. Kingship is a cause of negligence. If the monk Gotama becomes a king, I will have the opportunity to molest him. I will now go and make the monk Gotama try for kingship.” So thinking, he approached the Fortunate One and said: “Exalted Buddha, let the Glorious One be a king! Let the one who utters good words becomes a righteous king who does not kill by himself nor through another person, who does not bring about damage or loss of other’s property by himself or through another person and who does not make others grieve by himself or through another person.”
Thus Māra lured the Buddha. The Fortunate One said: “Wicked Māra! What do you see in me that makes you speak to me like this?” Māra replied: “Exalted Buddha, you have thoroughly and effectively developed the four foundations of supernormal power (iddhipāda). If your mind is inclined to turn the great Himālayas into gold, it will certainly become solid gold. If you act lawfully as a king, I will support you in all matters that require gold or silver.” Then the Fortunate One uttered the following verse (SN 4.20):
Pabbatassa suvaṇṇassa, jāta-rūpassa kevalo,
dvittā va nālam-ekassa, iti vidvā samañcare.
There may be a big mountain that is made up of pure gold unmixed with copper, iron, lead, or other minerals. Let alone such a mountain of gold,
Yo dukkham-adakkhi yato-nidānaṁ,
kāmesu so jantu kathaṁ nameyya,
upadhiṁ viditvā saṅgoti loke,
tasseva jantu vinayāya sikkhe.
If a man knows clearly that all kinds of suffering have their source in the five kinds of sensual objects, why should he be inclined to see anything good in them? In this world, a man who clearly sees sensuality as a substratum (upadhi) of existence that is bound with greed, hatred, ignorance, conceit and false beliefs, should devote himself to the threefold training in morality, concentration and wisdom in order to overcome sensual desire.
After startling Māra with these verses, the Buddha said: “Wicked Māra, your teaching is one thing while my teaching is another; you teach to strive to enjoy sense objects and sense pleasures while I stress the need for eradicating them. Certainly, by no means is it possible to enter into a doctrinal discussion with you. I teach as follows.” Then the Buddha taught the following verses (Dhp 331-333):
Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā,
tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena,
puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvita-saṅkhayamhi,
sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahānaṁ.
In this world, when there is any kind of understanding, friends are a source of happiness, contentment with whatever is available is the source of happiness, when one is dying, good deeds are a source of happiness. Awakening, which means the total abandoning of the whole round of suffering inherent in the life cycle, is the source of happiness.
Here the cause of happiness is described as happiness in the sense of being the source (phalupatti). The same may be said of the following verses. This verse mentions four causes of happiness.
Sukhā matteyyatā loke, atho petteyyatā sukhā,
sukhā sāmaññatā loke, atho brahmaññatā sukhā.
In this world, supporting one’s mother is a source of happiness, so is supporting one’s father, giving alms respectively to recluses, monks and wandering ascetics is also a source of happiness. Moreover, giving gladly and respectively to the Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas and to noble disciples is a source of happiness.
This verse also shows four sources of happiness.
Sukhaṁ yāva jarā-sīlaṁ, sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā,
sukho paññāya paṭilābho, pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ.
The good moral life involving the observance of the five, eight or ten precepts is good and productive of happiness until old age when one’s hair turns grey, teeth fall out and the skin becomes wrinkled.
Ruby earring, red garments, etc. are congenial to people only at a certain age. Young
Unwaveringly established faith, mundane and supermundane, is a source of happiness. So is the ability to acquire mundane and supermundane wisdom by diligence. Complete abstinence from doing evil deeds is another source of happiness. This verse also shows another set of four sources of happiness. By the end of the discourse, millions of Devas realized the four truths and became liberated.