13. Ven. Subhūti

Aspiration in the Past

This Subhūti, a virtuous man of good family, was born in the family of a Brahmin householder before the appearance of Buddha Padumuttara, 100,000 aeons ago, his name then was Nanda.

When the young Nanda came of age, he was educated in the three Vedas but since he could not find any beneficial substance in them, he became an ascetic with other youths, numbering 44,000, at the foot of the mountain named Nisabha. He attained the five mundane psychic powers and reached the eight mundane attainments. He also helped his companions, the 44,000 ascetics, attain the absorptions and psychic powers.

At that time, Buddha Padumuttara appeared in the world and while he was sojourning in the royal city of Haṁsavatī, he surveyed the world of sentient beings one morning and saw the potentials of Nanda’s pupils, the 44,000 matted-hair ascetics, to become Arahats. As for Nanda himself, the Buddha also saw that he would aspire to be a great disciple endowed with a twofold honour. Hence, he cleansed himself early in the morning and set out for the hermitage of Nanda, taking his bowl and robe by himself, in the way mentioned in the story of Ven. Sāriputta. The offering of various fruits, the spreading and offering of seats of flowers and the engagement in the attainment of cessation (nirodha-samāpatti) that took place at the hermitage was similar to that described in the account of Ven. Sāriputta.

What was different here was that when the Buddha rose from his attainment of cessation (nirodha-samāpatti), he instructed a disciple, who was endowed with the twofold honour of living free from mental defilements and blissfully and being worthy of receiving excellent offerings, saying: “Dear son, deliver a discourse in appreciation of the offering of floral seats to me by the whole group of ascetics!” Remaining seated, the venerable delivered the discourse, reflecting on the Baskets (Piṭaka). At the end of the venerable’s discourse, Buddha Padumuttara himself taught them. When this was over, all 44,000 ascetics became Arahats. As regards their teacher, the ascetic Nanda, he could not follow the Buddha’s discourse attentively, as he was admiring the teaching monastic. As he was taking interest in the teaching monk, he could not pay full attention to the teaching of the Buddha. Stretching out his hand to the 44,000 pupils, the Buddha summoned them: Etha bhikkhavo, “come, monks.” All of them instantly lost their head hair and beards and became equipped with the requisites made by supernormal powers, and turned into solemn monks with their sense-faculties well controlled, like great disciples of 60 years standing and 80 years of age.

Having saluted the Buddha, the ascetic Nanda stood in his presence and asked: “Venerable sir, who is the monk that gave the talk in appreciation of the offering of the floral seats.” – “That monk,” answered the Buddha, “is the foremost (etad-agga) who is free from the moral defilements, and is worthy of accepting excellent offerings in my Dispensation.” The venerable Nanda made his aspiration: “I do not wish for any other human or divine pleasure as the result of this meritorious (adhikāra) act of mine, performed for seven days, but I do wish to become the foremost (etad-agga) in twofold virtue, in the Dispensation of a Future Buddha, like this venerable who has just given an appreciative talk.” Seeing that his wish would come true without any obstacles, the Buddha made a prophecy and departed. As Nanda always listened to the Dhamma discourses in the presence of the Buddha and kept his absorptions (jhāna) in their undiminished state, he immediately took rebirth in the realm of the Brahmas on his passing.

Ascetic Life in His Final Existence

When 100,000 aeons had elapsed and when the present Dispensation came into existence, the man of good family, who would become the great elder Subhūti, was reborn as a son of Sumana, the wealthy merchant, who was the brother of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the city of Sāvatthī and [1253] was named Subhūti. When our Buddha appeared and while he was staying with Rājagaha as his resort for alms food, Anāthapiṇḍika the merchant arrived at the house of his friend and brother-in-law, the merchant of Rājagaha, bringing with him goods produced in Sāvatthī. On his arrival, he heard of the emergence of the Buddha.

After going to the Buddha, who was staying now in Sītavana forest, he became established in Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala) in his first meeting with him. And after becoming a noble Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna), he requested the Buddha to visit Sāvatthī and had lodgings built, one at every league, along the journey of 45 leagues between Sāvatthī and Rājagaha, at the expense of 100,000 pieces of money. He also bought Prince Jeta’s garden of 14 acres, for which the payment was made by placing gold coins, touching each other, covering the garden area. Then on the whole garden site, he built the Jetavana monastery for the Buddha and dedicated it to him. ^{For a detailed account of this event please refer to chapter 29 and the story of Anāthapiṇḍika.}

On the day of the dedication of the monastery, Subhūti went along with his older brother and listened to the Dhamma, and so strong was his faith that he adopted the monk’s life. Having become a monk, he studied and was accomplished in the Two Rules for monks and nuns (Ubhato-Pātimokkha), after which he learned meditation and strove to perfect the ascetic practices (dhutaṅga). All this led him to become an Arahat via the development of insight (vipassanā) based on absorption on the meditation on loving-kindness (mettā-jhāna).

Two Foremost Titles Achieved

When he gave a discourse, Ven. Subhūti did so objectively by concentrating on the Dhamma itself, and by not making any reference to an individual, the way the Buddha did. This led him to be declared the foremost (etad-agga) in living free from mental defilements (araṇa-vihārī).

When Ven. Subhūti went on alms round, thinking: “If I adopt this method, great benefits will accrue to the supporters.” At every house, he habitually engaged in loving-kindness absorption (mettā-jhāna) before he received the alms food. This caused him to be the foremost (etad-agga) in being worthy of excellent gifts (dakkhiṇeyya).

Later on, therefore, when the Buddha held a meeting with the assembly of monks, he spoke in praise of Ven. Subhūti as follows:

Etad-aggaṁ. bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
araṇa-vihārīnaṁ yad-idaṁ Subhūti,
dakkhiṇeyyānaṁ yad-idaṁ Subhūti.

Monks, among my monastic-disciples who live detached from defilements, Subhūti stands foremost; and also he stands foremost among those who are worthy of the best offerings.

Herein, with reference to those who live detached from the moral defilements (araṇa-vihārī-etad-agga), such as passion (rāga), hatred (dosa), etc., are called lamenters (raṇa) because they lead to lamentation. Arahats, who live enjoying bliss, as they are free from moral defilements, are said to be non-lamenters (araṇa-vihārī).

Apart from Ven. Subhūti, there were other Arahats who lived such a life too. But when they taught, they did so by employing the method which considered making reference to a certain person (puggalādhiṭṭhāna-dhamma-desanā) whom they either praised or censured. But Ven. Subhūti adopted the method which required him to speak of the Dhamma itself as his objective (Dhammādhiṭṭhāna) – the Dhamma taught by the Buddha. That was why he was declared the foremost among the monastics who lived detached from defilements (araṇa-vihārī).