15. Ven. Kaṅkhā Revata
Aspiration in the Past
100,000 aeons ago, during the lifetime of Buddha Padumuttara, the future Kaṅkhā Revata went to the monastery along with many other people, like those virtuous future great disciples of old times. And while standing at the edge of the audience and listening to a discourse, he saw the Buddha declaring a certain monk the foremost (etad-agga) among meditators. Thinking: “I too should become like this monk,” he invited the Buddha for alms giving on a grand scale (mahā-dāna) for seven days. At the end of the discourse on the last day, in the wake of former aspirants, he made the aspiration: “Exalted Buddha, I do not wish for any other forms of bliss as a result of this wholesome meritorious (adhikāra) act but to be the foremost (etad-agga) among those engaged in meditation in the Dispensation of a Buddha in the future, like the monastic whom you declared such seven days ago.”
When Buddha Padumattara surveyed the future, he saw that the man of good family’s wish would be fulfilled and so he predicted before his departure: “At the end of 100,000 aeons, there will appear the Buddha Gotama. In the Dispensation of that Buddha, you will become the foremost (etad-agga) among the monks engaged in meditation!”
Ascetic Life in His Final Existence
Due to his deeds of merit throughout his life, the man of good family was reborn either in the worlds of Devas or humans and, in the lifetime of our Buddha, he was reborn in the family of a wealthy household in Sāvatthī and was named Revata. One afternoon the rich man’s son, Revata, went along with other people to Jetavana. While standing at the edge of the gathering and listening to the Buddha’s discourse, confidence arose in him and he was ordained as a monastic fulfilling the monastic duties. After taking a meditation subject from the Buddha, while preparing himself for mental concentration, he became a man of mundane absorption (jhāna). Using those absorptions (jhāna) as a base, he engaged in insight (vipassanā) meditation and became an Arahat.
Foremost Title Achieved
Ven. Revata was able to absorb most forms of meditation which the Buddha engaged in during day and night. Thereafter, in the meeting of monks, the Buddha declared Ven. Kaṅkhā Revata the foremost (etad-agga) in meditation, praising him:
Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
jhāyīnaṁ yad-idaṁ Kaṅkhā-revato.
Monks, among my disciples who habitually engage in meditation, Kaṅkhā Revata is the foremost.
Account of the Name Kaṅkhā Revata
Once, the Buddha was travelling from Sāvatthī to Rājagaha and on the way Ven. Revata entered a hut in which molasses were made. Seeing that the molasses were mixed with dough and bran as part of the process, which was necessary to solidify the molasses, he became doubtful as to the permissibility of the solidified molasses which had the two other ingredients, for the latter two were raw food (āmisa). Saying: “The molasses with the raw ingredients is improper as it contains dough and bran, which are raw. It is against the Discipline, it is unlawful to enjoy such molasses in the afternoon.” As such, he and his followers did not take the molasses that had been made thus into lumps.
Neither did the monastics who believed Ven. Revata’s word and practised according to it. Other monastics reported the matter to the Buddha who asked: “Monks, why did people
On the journey, Revata saw mung beans (mugga) sprouting in some human faeces and said: “Mung beans are unsuitable for consumption, for cooked beans can sprout too.” Thus, he doubted and, along with his followers, he did not take mung beans. The monastics, who trusted him, avoid eating those beans too. The matter was reported to the Buddha who laid down another rule allowing the eating of such beans whenever one desired. These accounts are given in the Chapter about Medicines (Bhesajjakkhandhaka, Vin Mv 6). In this way, Revata doubted even things that were permitted. Because he had great doubt as far as the Vinaya was concerned, he was known as Kaṅkhā Revata, Revata the Doubter.
The doctrines with reference to Kaṅkhā Revata may be taken from the Traditions (Apādāna, Tha-ap 544) and commentary, the Verses of the Elder Monks (Thera-gāthā, Thag 1.3) and its commentary, the Exalted Utterances (Udāna, Ud 5.7) and it commentary, etc.