14. Ven. Khadiravaniya Revata
Aspiration in the Past
The original name of this great elder was Revata. He was a younger brother of Ven. Sāriputta. As he dwelt in an acacia forest which was uneven and full of stones, he was thus known as Khadiravaniya Revata, “Revata of the acacia forest.” In giving his account only the name Revata will be used for convenience sake.
The great elder Revata was a citizen of Haṁsavatī and a virtuous person during the lifetime of the Buddha Padumuttara, 100,000 aeons ago. He was operating a ferry at the port of Payāga, on the river Ganges. Buddha Padumuttara, in the company of 100,000 monks, arrived at Payāga port to cross over the river.
On seeing the Buddha, it occurred to the virtuous Revata thus: “It is impossible for me to see the Buddha always. Now that the Buddha has come, it is a good chance for me to do a meritorious deed.” So he made a huge barge with a white canopy and he hung fragrant flowers on it. On the barge floor were spread exquisite coverings made of fibre of excellent quality. Then he ferried the Buddha and his 100,000 monastics to the other shore on that barge.
At that time, the Buddha declared a certain monk as the foremost forest-dweller (araññaka). Seeing this, the boatman thought: “I too should become like this monk in the Dispensation of a Buddha in the future.” So he invited the Buddha, performed a grand alms giving (mahā-dāna) for him and, prostrating at the foot of the Buddha, he expressed his aspiration thus:
Ven. Revata’s further good works done during the interval were not mentioned in the Great Commentary (Mahā-aṭṭhakathā).
Ascetic Life in His Final Existence
Due to his meritorious deeds, the good boat-man was reborn either in the divine or human worlds and never in any suffering state, and was conceived in the womb of his mother, Rūpasārī, the Brahmin lady, in the Brahmin village called Nālaka, in the country of Magadha. He was younger than the three brothers: Upatissa, Cunda and Upasena, and he had three sisters: Cālā, Upacālā and Sīsūpacālā, and was given the name Revata.
Thereafter, Revata’s parents discussed between themselves and agreed thus: “Our children, wherever they grew up, are taken away and turned into novices by monks, sons of the Buddha. Let us bind him with the fetters of household life while he is still young, before he is made a novice by the monks.”
Herein, after becoming an ascetic himself, Ven. Sāriputta had his three younger sisters: Cālā, Upacālā and Sīsūpacālā and two younger brothers: Cunda and Upasena, ordained. Only Revata, as a boy, was left behind.
Having discussed and agreed upon it, the parents brought a bride from a family of equal birth, wealth, and distinction and made them pay homage to the aged grandmother and they gave their blessings, saying: “Dear daughter, may you live longer than your grandmother here!”
The parents gave such a blessing because they wished for the longevity of the bride. At that time, their grandmother was 120 years of age with white hair, broken teeth, wrinkled skin, her whole body was covered with black moles and her back was extremely bent like a rafter of a decaying house.
Mentally Stirred
On hearing that blessing given by the parents, it occurred to Revata thus: “This girl is young and in the first age of life. Such a youthful appearance of hers, it is implied, will become sinewy and old like that of my grandmother! I shall first ask about the desire of my parents.” Then he asked: “With what in your mind did you say so?” The parents replied: “Dear son, we wish this girl, your spouse, the attainment of longevity like your grandmother. That was why we uttered our blessing.” – “Mother and father!” asked Revata again, as he truly did not understand, “will the youthful look of the girl become old like grandmother’s?” – “What are you talking about, son? Only those who are of great merit, such as your grandmother, enjoy long life.” Thus the parents tried to reason with him.
Revata then reflected: “It is said that such a fair and tender looking girl will decay, and end up resembling my grandmother. She will become white-haired, toothless and have wrinkly skin. What is the use of being infatuated with physical beauty that has the nature of growing old and wrinkled? There is none! I shall follow the footsteps of my older brothers. So he pretended to play games as boys would naturally do, he called friends of his own age, saying: “Come on friends, let us play runners-and-chasers.” The parents prohibited him, saying: “Do not go outside the house on the day of your wedding!” Nevertheless, Revata pretended to play with his friends. When it was his turn to run, he ran only a little and delayed his return by pretending that he had to answer the call of nature. When a second time came for him to run, he ran and came back somewhat faster. On a third time, however, he considered that it was his best chance to run away for good and he ran as fast as he could in the direction he was facing. Arriving at a forest-dwelling of some monks who were observing the dust-robe (paṁsukūlika) form of asceticism (dhutaṅga) he paid respect to them and asked for the going-forth.
When the monks rejected his request, saying: “Virtuous young man, we do not know
Other monks then gathered around him and said: “Virtuous young man, no one is robbing you of your garments or ornaments. But you are crying that you are being robbed! What do you mean by so saying?”
The boy Revata then said: “Venerable sirs, I do not mean that I am being robbed of my garments or ornaments. In fact, I am being robbed of the threefold bliss of Devas, humans and Nibbāna The expression of the threefold bliss of Devas, humans and Nibbāna was used through hearing from others. as the going-forth has been denied to me. I am referring to the robbery of the threefold bliss. Let it be so, if you do not want to ordain me. However, do you know my eldest brother?” – “What is the name of your eldest brother?” asked the monks. “My eldest brother’s name was Upatissa while a layman,” replied Revata, “now he bears the name Sāriputta, so they say, venerable sirs.”
Then the monks discussed among themselves: “Friends, in that case, this young man of good family happens to be our younger brother! Our elder brother, Ven. Sāriputta, the Captain of the Dhamma, has formerly left a message with us, saying: “My relatives are all heretics. If somebody comes and says that he is a relative of ours, let him be ordained in any possible manner.” This boy is our brother, Ven. Sāriputta, the Captain of the Dhamma’s very own younger brother, his closest relation. Let us therefore ordain him!” So they gave him the five objects ending with skin (taca-pañcaka) meditation subject and ordained him as a novice. Later on, when he completed 20 years of age, they ordained him as a monastic and made him make effort in meditation.
Having taken the meditation subject, Ven. Revata entered a forest of acacia trees, a rough and uneven place full of stones and pebbles, neither too near nor too far from his preceptors, and engaged in meditation practice. With a determination: “I will not see either the Fortunate One or my elder brother venerables until I attain the Arahat fruition (Arahatta-phala).”
Revata practised meditation assiduously and while he was so doing, three months elapsed. For a tender man of good family who was the son of a wealthy man the food he ate was so coarse that his mind became perplexed like wrinkled skin, and he could not achieve attainment of the Arahat fruition. But Revata was not discouraged, when the three months were over, he observed the Invitation (Pavāraṇā); he did not move to another place at the end of the Rains Retreat (Vassa) but remained in the same forest and continued to follow the ascetic practices. The more he strove with energy and perseverance, the more his mind became concentrated. When Ven. Revata proceeded to work with insight (vipassanā), and reached the state of an Arahat.
The Buddha’s Visit
Even at the time when Ven. Sāriputta learnt the news about the ordination of his younger brother Revata, he said to the Buddha: “Exalted Buddha, I have learned that my younger brother Revata has been ordained. He may or may not be happy in this Dispensation of yours. Let me go and see him.” At that time, Ven. Revata was strongly practising insight (vipassanā) meditation and knowing this, the Buddha prohibited his going twice. When the third request came, knowing that Revata had become an Arahat, the Buddha said: “I too shall go along with you, dear son Sāriputta. Inform the monks!”
Having gathered the monks, Ven. Sāriputta told them all this: “Friends, the Buddha is going on a journey. Those who wish to go along, may do so!” Whenever the Buddha travelled, the monks who stayed behind were very few. But those who went, thought: “We shall get a chance to have a continuous look at the golden complexion of the Buddha and also to listen to his sweet sermons!” As expected, the number of those who wished to follow the Buddha was overwhelming. The Buddha therefore left the monastery in a great company of monks with the intention: “I shall see Revata.”
Supernatural Power of Ven. Sīvali
When they were setting out thus, while coming to the juncture
Having said thus, the Buddha took the dangerous road with food scarcity in the grove. From the time they took the road, Devas had created a large city in advance at every league, as the lodgings for the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha. At every lodging occupied by the monks, Devas in the disguise of workers sent by the king of the city, brought rice-gruel, hard and soft food, etc. and enquired: “Where is Ven. Sīvali? Where is Ven. Sīvali?” Ven. Sīvali had all these offerings collected and went to the Buddha. Together with the monks, the Buddha partook of the food of various kinds offered to Ven. Sīvali by the Devas.
Having the offerings in this way, the Buddha travelled a league each day and covered the difficult journey of 30 leagues in one month, and eventually reached the agreeable dwelling which was prepared in advance by Ven. Revata, in the forest of acacia trees. As he knew beforehand of the Buddha’s visit, Ven. Revata had created in his acacia forest, by his supernatural power, dwellings adequate for the monks headed by the Buddha. For the Buddha, he had made a fragrant chamber, places for day, as well as for night resort, and so on. Then he welcomed the Buddha, who entered the dwelling through a decorated and orderly way. Thereafter, he went into the fragrant chamber. Then only did the remaining monks bed according to their seniority in monkhood. Knowing that it is not a time to partake of food, the Devas offered eight kinds of juice to the monks, and half a month had passed from the arrival of the Buddha.
The Misunderstanding of Restless Monks
At that time, some restless monks sat down together, gossiping among themselves. “The exalted Buddha, the teacher of Devas and humans, came to see the one whom he refers to as a younger brother of the chief disciple, but who spends his time doing odd jobs. What are the Jetavana, Veḷuvana and other monasteries near Revata’s dwelling for? This monk Revata is only a chore man busying himself with unimportant things. What kind of ascetic practice does such a busy man follow? Of course, it is nothing.”
Then the Buddha considered: “If I stay here long, the place will be crowded with visitors of the four kinds. Forest-dwellers want to be in quietude, if I remain too long, uneasiness will occur for Revata.” So he went to Ven. Revata’s day-resort. Ven. Revata saw the Buddha coming from a distance where he was sitting alone on a stone slab and leaning against a wooden board at the end of the walk. Then he welcomed the Buddha and made obeisance to him respectfully.
The Buddha asked: “Dear son Revata, this is a place inhabited by wild animals, such as lions, leopards, and tigers. What do you do when you hear the sounds of wild elephants, wild horses, etc?” – “Exalted Buddha,” answered Revata, “to me the sounds of wild elephants, wild horses, etc. repeatedly bring delight in the forest (arañña-rati).” The Buddha taught Revata a discourse on the benefits of forest-dwelling in 500 verses. Next day, he went on alms round in the nearby area, without returning to Revata’s dwelling in the forest of acacia trees. The Buddha let Ven. Revata go back; besides, he managed his supernatural power in such a way that the restless monks, who had spoken ill of Revata, forgetfully left behind their staffs, footwear, bottles of ointment and umbrellas.
These restless monks went back to Revata’s dwelling to get back their belongings. Though they took the route by which they came, they could not remember the place. In
At some places, they were compelled to walk on their knees. With such trouble and difficulty, they were bound to tread on small plants, bushes and thorns. When they reached a place which resembled their residence, they saw their umbrellas, footwear, ointment bottles and staffs, some hanging and others standing by acacia stumps. Then only did the restless monks realise that the monk Revata is a man of supernatural power indeed! Getting back their paraphernalia, they talked among themselves in great astonishment before they travelled to Sāvatthī: “Oh, what a wonder is the honour done to the Buddha.”
The monastic supporter, lady Visākhā, invited the monks, who arrived ahead in Sāvatthī, as they went ahead of others, and when they were seated, she asked them: “Venerable sirs, is Ven. Revata’s residence pleasant?” The monks replied: “Yes, dear supporter, Ven. Revata’s residence is pleasant and delightful. It is exactly like the celestial gardens of Nandana and Cittalatā.”
Later on, she asked the restless monks who were late-comers: “Venerable sirs, is Ven. Revata’s residence pleasant?” The reply given by these monks was: “Do not ask us, dear lady supporter. The residence of Revata is not worth talking about. Apart from being a barren high ground, his place is a great acacia forest with an extremely uneven surface full of pebbles, stone slabs and rocks. There Revata lives miserably.” Thus they recounted their experiences that they had very recently.
Noticing the difference between the two answers; one given by the earlier group monks and the other by the latter, and wanting to know clearly which answer was right, she paid a visit to the Buddha, bringing with her unguent and flowers. Having sat down in a suitable place, she asked the Buddha: “Exalted Buddha, some monks praise Ven. Revata’s residence while others ill-speak of it. Why are the two speeches different from each other, exalted Buddha?” Then the Buddha said: “Visākhā, a place in which the minds of the noble ones take delight is pleasant, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant in worldly terms.” Then the Buddha uttered the following verse (Dhp 98):
Gāme vā yadi vāraññe, ninne vā yadi vā thale;
yattha Arahanto viharanti, tam bhumi-rāmaṇeyyakam.
Visākhā, supporter of Pubbārāma and mother of Migāra! Whether it is a village that is thickly surrounded by the five worldly pleasures, or a forest away from these pleasures, or a low valley, watered by streams and green with dwelling at ease, in harmony with the four physical postures, the dwelling site of noble Arahats is truly a delightful place on the surface of the earth.
Foremost Title Achieved
At a later time, in an assembly of monks, the Buddha declared Ven. Revata the foremost (etad-agga) in forest dwelling, by praising him as follows:
Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
āraññakānaṁ yad-idaṁ Revato Khadiravaniyo
Monks, among my disciples who dwell in forests, Revata of the Acacia Forest is the foremost!
Herein, though other venerables dwelt in the forest, they did so only after studying the suitability of the place, the suitability of the water and the suitability of the village as an alms resort. But Ven. Revata ignored these conditions and dwelt in an acacia grove on a barren high ground with an uneven surface, full of pebbles, stone slabs and rocks. Hence it was he alone who was foremost in the practice of forest-dwelling.
The discourses connected with Ven. Revata Khadiravaniya may be taken from the Verses of the Elder Monks (Thera-gāthā, Thag 14.1), the Traditions (Apādāna, Tha-ap 11), the Dhamma Verses (Dhammapada, Dhp 98) and their commentaries, etc.