30. Ven. Ānanda
Aspiration in the Past
100,000 aeons ago, from the present aeon, there appeared in the world, Buddha Padumuttara, who was born in the city of Haṁsavatī as the son of King Ānanda and Queen Sujātā. The two chief disciples of the Buddha were Ven. Devala and Ven. Sujāta. His two female disciples were Ven. Amitā and Ven. Asamā. The personal attendant to the Buddha was Ven. Sumana. The Buddha had 100,000 monastic disciples and the privilege of attending to his needs was extended to his royal father. He and the Saṅgha stayed near the city, from which they collected their daily alms food.
Before renouncing the world, Buddha Padumuttara had a younger half-brother by the name of Prince Sumana, who was the future Ven. Ānanda. King Ānanda appointed Prince Sumana, lord of a district, which was 120 leagues from the capital. The prince visited his father and his elder brother Buddha Padumuttara occasionally.
Once, there broke out a rebellion in the border region. The prince reported the matter to the king, who said: “Were you not placed there to keep law and order?” The prince, on receiving the king’s reply, took upon himself the quelling of the uprising and restored peace. The king was pleased and summoned his son to his presence.
Prince Sumana left for the capital accompanied by 1,000 officers. On the way, he discussed with them what reward he should ask, if his royal father were to grant him a boon. Some of the officers suggested elephants, horses, towns, gems, etc. but a few wise ones among them said: “Prince, you are the king’s son. Material prizes are of no consequence to you. You may get them but you must leave them behind at death. You should ask for a boon that is meritorious. Your deed of merit alone will be your real possession when you leave this existence. So, if the king were to grant you a boon, ask for the privilege of attending on the Buddha, your own elder brother, for one Rains Retreat (Vassa).”
The prince was pleased with the idea. “You are friends indeed to me. I had never thought about such a noble idea. I accept your advice.” Once in the capital, he was received with great love and esteem by his royal father who embraced him, kissed him on the forehead, and said: “Dear son, name any boon and I will grant it.” The son replied: “Great King, I wish to make my present life highly productive in the future, instead of going barren. To that end, I wish to attend on my elder brother, the Buddha, for one Rains Retreat. May my dear father grant this privilege to me!” The king replied: “Dear son, I cannot grant this wish. Name any other.” – “Dear father,” Prince Sumana said, “a sovereign’s word is steadfast as a rock. I do not want any other thing. I stand by my wish.”
The king then said: “Dear son, no one can know what the Buddha has in mind. If the Buddha does not accept your invitation what good is my concession to you?” – “In that case, dear father, I will go and ask the Buddha myself and find out what he thinks of my request,” replied Prince Sumana. Having thus made the king committed to his obligation, Prince Sumana went to the Buddha’s monastery.
When he arrived there, the Buddha had just gone into his Perfumed Chamber after having had his meal. Prince Sumana went to the Assembly Hall and met the monastics who asked him the purpose of his visit. “I have come, venerable sirs,” he said, “to see the Fortunate One. Would anyone show me where the Buddha is now.” – “Prince,” the monastics said, “we have no right to see the Buddha as and when we want to see him.” – “Who, then, has that right?” the Prince inquired. “Ven. Sumana has, prince,” they said. “Where is Ven. Sumana now?” And having been directed to where the monastic was, the prince went to him, made obeisance, and said: “Venerable sir, I would like to see the Fortunate One. Would you present me to the Fortunate One?”
Ven. Sumana then entered upon the absorption of a water-object (āpo-kasiṇa-jhāna) in front of the prince, and making
Buddha Padumuttara came out of his Perfumed Chamber and sat on the seat prepared for him. Prince Sumana made obeisance to the Buddha and exchanged cordial greetings with him. “When did you come, prince?” asked the Buddha. “Venerable sir, I arrived here just when the Fortunate One retired into the Perfumed Chamber,” replied the prince, “the monastics told me that they had no right to see the Fortunate One as and when they wished, and directed me to Ven. Sumana. As for Ven. Sumana, by saying just one word, he announced my presence to the Fortunate One and also arranged for my seeing the Fortunate One. I presume, venerable sir, that Ven. Sumana is close to the Fortunate One in this teaching.”
“Prince, what you say is true. This Sumana is close with the Realised One in this teaching.” – “Venerable sir, what kind of meritorious action leads one to become a close disciple to the Buddha?” – “Prince, by giving in generosity, by keeping morality and by observing the precepts, one may aspire to become a close disciple to the Buddha.” Prince Sumana now had the right opportunity to invite the Buddha to his place to receive an offering. He said: “Venerable sir, I wish to become an intimate disciple to some Future Buddha, just like Ven. Sumana. May the Fortunate One accept my offering of food tomorrow.” The Buddha signified the acceptance of the invitation by remaining silent. The prince returned to his temporary quarters in the city and made preparations for a great offering which lasted for seven days at his temporary quarters.
On the seventh day, Prince Sumana paid homage to the Buddha and said: “Venerable sir, I have obtained consent from my father, the king, to have the privilege of attending to the Fortunate One during the three-month Rains Retreat (Vassa) period. May the Fortunate One accept my attendance on him for the Rains Retreat (Vassa).” The Buddha reviewed the benefit that would accrue to the prince if the request be allowed, and seeing that it was going to be beneficial for him, said: “Prince, the Fortunate One likes to stay in a quiet place.”
“Exalted Buddha, I understand! Fortunate One, I understand!” said the prince. “I shall now build a monastery for the Fortunate One. When completed, I shall send messengers to the Fortunate One. Then may the Fortunate One and 100,000 monastics come to our monastery.” The prince left after obtaining consent from the Buddha. He then went to see his royal father and said: “Dear father, the Buddha has agreed to come to my town. When I send messengers to inform the time for the Buddha to come, may you see to the escorting of the Buddha on the journey.” He made obeisance to his father and left the city. Then he built a resting place for the Buddha and his company at intervals of one league along the 120 leagues stretch of the road from the city to his town. Back in his own town, he chose a suitable site to build a monastery for the Buddha. He bought the site, a garden owned by a rich householder Sobhana, for 100,000. And he spent another 100,000 for the building.
He built a Perfumed Chamber for the Buddha, sleeping places for 100,000 monastics, latrines, huts, small caves and sheds, some for use by day and others by night and an enclosure to the monastic compound with gates. When everything was completed, he sent messengers to the king to escort the Buddha at the start of the journey.
King Ānanda made food offerings to the Buddha and 100,000 monastics. Then he said to the Buddha: “My son, exalted Buddha, the venerable’s younger brother has made all the necessary preparations to receive the Fortunate One, and is eagerly expecting your arrival.” The Buddha then made the journey accompanied by 100,000 monastics, and resting for the nights at the rest houses put up along the route at intervals of one
Prince Sumana welcomed the Buddha from a league’s distance along the way from his residence. Giving a ceremonial welcoming with flowers and scents, he escorted the Buddha and the company of monastics to the monastery. Then he offered the monastery to the Buddha, speaking this verse recorded in the Story about the Elder Ānanda (Ānandatthera-vatthu, AA, PTS 1.291):
Sata-sahassena me kītaṁ, sata-sahassena māpitaṁ,
Sobhanaṁ nāma uyyānaṁ, paṭiggaṇha Mahā-muni.
Great Sage of Sages, I, Sumana, have bought the Sobhana Park for 100,000 pieces of money, and built this monastery at the cost of a further 100,000. May the Great Sage accept my gift of the monastery.
Prince Sumana donated the monastery on the day of the beginning of the Rains Retreat (Vassa). After the offering was completed, he called his family and followers and said: “The Fortunate One has come from a distance of 120 leagues. Buddhas attach importance to the Dhamma and not to material gifts. That being so, I will stay in this monastery during these three months using only two sets of clothing and observe the ten precepts. You will attend to the Buddha and 100,000 monastics for the three months as you have done today.” And so he spent the retreat at the monastery.
Prince Sumana ensured that the Buddha stayed not far away from his personal attendant, Ven. Sumana, who attended to all his needs. He admired the monastic and set his mind on becoming such a close monastic-disciple some time in the future. So, about a week before the end of the retreat, he gave a great offering to the Buddha and the Saṅgha. On the seventh day of this great offering, he placed a set of three robes before every one of the 100,000 monastics and paying respects, said to the Buddha: “All my meritorious deeds that began in the city of Haṁsavatī, at my temporary quarters, are not aimed at future worldly glory as Sakka or a Deva or a Māra. My aspiration in doing these deeds is to become the personal attendant to a Buddha of some future period.”
The Buddha reviewed the matter and seeing that the Prince’s aspiration would be fulfilled, made the prediction and then departed. On hearing the prediction of Buddha Padumuttara, the prince was so convinced of the certainty of the Buddha’s pronouncement as if he were to become the personal attendant of Buddha Gotama immediately as predicted by Buddha Padumuttara, carrying the Buddha’s alms bowl and robe.
Deeds of Merit in the Interim Period
Prince Sumana spent 100,000 years during the time of Buddha Padumuttara doing deeds of merit. At his death, he was reborn in the Deva realm. During Buddha Kassapa’s time, he donated his cloak to a monastic who was on alms round, to be used as the base for the alms bowl to rest on.
Upon his death in that existence, he was reborn in the Deva realm. After his Deva existence, he was reborn in the human world as the king of Bārāṇasī. When he saw, from the upper storey of his palace, eight Paccekabuddhas travelling in the air coming from Mount Gandhamādana, he invited them to his palace and offered food. He also built eight monastic dwellings in the royal gardens as residences for these eight Paccekabuddhas. Moreover, he made eight bejewelled seats for them to be used on their visits to the palace as well as the same number of ruby stands for placing their alms bowls. He attended upon the eight Paccekabuddhas for 10,000 years. These are some outstanding deeds of merit during the intervening period of 100,000 aeons; many other meritorious deeds also were done by him in that period.
Ascetic Life in His Final Existence
After performing various good deeds and thereby sowing seeds of merit during the intervening period of 100,000 aeons, the future Ven. Ānanda was reborn in Tusita Realm along with the Bodhisatta Gotama. After passing away from that existence, he was reborn as the son of Prince Amitodana of Kapilavatthu. He was named Ānanda or Joy, signifying the pleasure he caused to the family by his birth.
On the first
Ven. Ānanda Established in Stream-Entry
Not long after becoming a monastic, Ven. Ānanda listened to a discourse by Ven. Mantāṇiputta Puṇṇa and attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala). This is on record in the Discourse about Ānanda (Ānanda-sutta, SN 22.83). The gist of that discourse is as follows:
During the time when the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī, Ven. Ānanda addressed the monastics: “Friend monastics,” and the monastics responded, saying: “Friend.” Ven. Ānanda then said: “Friends, Ven. Mantāṇiputta Puṇṇa was very helpful to us when we were new monastics. He admonished us with this instruction: ‘Friend Ānanda, it is through having a cause that the conceit “I am” arises through craving and wrong view. The trio of craving, conceit and wrong view perpetuate the rounds of rebirth. They do not arise without a cause. Through what cause does the conceit “I am” arise? Because of corporeality (rūpa), the conceit “I am,” along with its associates craving and wrong view arises; without such cause, the conceit “I am” does not arise. Because of sensation (vedanā) … perception (saññā) … volitions (saṅkhāra) … Because of consciousness (viññāṇa), the conceit “I am,” along with its associates craving and wrong view arises; without such cause the conceit “I am” does not arise.
Friend Ānanda, let me give an example. If a young woman or man, who is fond of adorning herself or himself, looks at the image of their face in a clean and bright mirror or a bowl of clear water, they will see it depending on a cause: their own image and the reflecting surface of the mirror or the water, and not otherwise.
Friend Ānanda, even so, because of corporeality, the conceit (mānā), “I am,” along with its associates craving (taṇhā) and wrong view (micchā-diṭṭhi) arises; without such cause, it does not arise. Because of sensation, perception, volitions and consciousness the conceit “I am,” along with its associates, craving and wrong view, arises; without such cause, it does not arise.
Friend Ānanda, what do you think of what I am going to ask you: “Is corporeality permanent or impermanent?” – “Impermanent, friend.” This dialogue continues as in the Discourse about the Characteristics of Non-Self (Anatta-lakkhaṇa-sutta, SN 22.59), there is nothing more to do for the realization of the path.
“Friends, Ven. Mantāṇiputta Puṇṇa was very helpful to us when we were new monastics. He admonished us with the above instruction. By hearing the exposition of Ven. Mantāṇiputta Puṇṇa, I gained knowledge of the four noble truths, and attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala).”
With reference to the above discourse, it is clear that Ven. Ānanda became Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna) after listening to Ven. Mantāṇiputta Puṇṇa’s discourse on the simile of the mirror.
Ven. Ānanda Appointed Personal Attendant
There were no permanent personal attendants to the Buddha during his first 20 years after becoming a Buddha, called the first period after Awakening. During that period, a number of monastics acted as personal attendants, carrying the Buddha’s alms bowl and robe; they were: Vens. Nāgasamāla, Nāgita, Upavāṇa, Sunakkhatta, who was formerly a Licchavī Prince, Cunda, a younger brother of Ven. Sāriputta, Sāgata, Rādha, and Meghiya.
On a certain occasion, the Buddha, attended by Ven. Nāgasamāla, was making a
This is one of the incidents that led to the appointment of a permanent personal attendant.
On another occasion during the 13th Rains Retreat (Vassa) when the Buddha was staying on the mountain abode at Cālikā hill, after the alms round in Jantu village, the Buddha, with the temporary attendant Ven. Meghiya, was going by the side of the river Kimikāḷā when, on seeing a Mango Grove, Ven. Meghiya said to the Buddha: “Venerable sir, take the alms bowl and the double robe yourself, I want to meditate in that Mango Grove.” The Buddha tried to dissuade him three times not to do so, but he would not listen. Then, no sooner had Ven. Meghiya sat on a rocky platform to start meditating, than three demeritorious thoughts oppressed him. He returned to the Buddha and related what had occurred in his mind when he tried to meditate. The Buddha solaced him saying: “Seeing that was going to happen to you, I told you not to resort to that place.”
For details about this event, read chapter 32a. This is another instance that led to the appointment of a permanent attendant.
On account of such mishaps, the Buddha, on another occasion, sitting on the Buddha’s seat at the Assembly Hall in the precincts of his Perfumed Chamber at the Jetavana monastery, said to the monastics: “Monastics, I have grown old now. He was at that time past 55. Some of the monastics attending upon me would take a different route from what I chose; some monastics would even think of putting down my alms bowl and robes on the ground. Now please think of a monastic who will attend upon me on a permanent basis.” On hearing these words, many of the monastics became emotional.
Then Ven. Sāriputta rose from his seat, paid homage to the Buddha, and said: “Venerable sir, for one incalculable and 100,000 aeons, I have fulfilled the perfections simply to become a disciple of the Fortunate One. A person of great knowledge like myself must be deemed as one fit to be the permanent personal attendant to the Fortunate One. May I be allowed to attend on the Fortunate One.” The Buddha said: “That will not do, Sāriputta, wherever you are, there is the doctrine. For you expound the doctrine in the same way as the Realised One does. You ought not to attend upon the Realised One.” After the Buddha had extolled the virtues of Ven. Sāriputta, he repeated the offer to attend on him. Ven. Moggallāna offered himself for the post but was likewise rejected. Then the 80 great monastic disciples all offered themselves, all sharing the same result.
Ven. Ānanda’s Eightfold Boon
Ven. Ānanda remained silent without offering himself for the post. The monastics then urged him: “Friend Ānanda, each member of the Saṅgha is offering himself for the privilege of attending on the Fortunate One, you should also offer yourself.” Ven. Ānanda said to them: “Friends, a position relating to the Fortunate One is not something to be asked for. Does the Fortunate One not notice me? If the Fortunate One so wishes, he will say: ‘Ānanda, be my personal attendant.’ ”
Then the Buddha said to the monastics: “Monastics, Ānanda does not need anybody’s advice to attend upon the Realised One. He will do so on his free will.” Thereupon the monastics
1. The Fortunate One should refrain from giving me the fine robes that he has received.
2. The Fortunate One should refrain from giving me fine food.
3. The Fortunate One should refrain from letting me stay in the same dwelling place reserved for him.
4. The Fortunate One should refrain from taking me to lay supporters’ houses when they invite him.
The Buddha said to Ven. Ānanda: “Ānanda, what disadvantages do you see in these four matters?” And Ven. Ānanda explained thus: “Venerable sir, if I were given the four requisites enjoyed by the Buddha, then there is bound to arise the criticism that Ānanda has the privilege of receiving the fine robes received by the Fortunate One, receiving the fine food received by the Fortunate One, getting to stay together in the Buddha’s Perfumed Chamber, and having the privilege of accompanying the Buddha who visits to the houses of lay supporters. I see those criticisms as disadvantages.”
Further, Ven. Ānanda requested from the Buddha these four special privileges: “Venerable sir, if the Fortunate One would grant me these four special privileges, I will become the personal attendant to the Fortunate One:
1. The Fortunate One should agree to go to the places I invite him to.
2. The Fortunate One should give audience to visitors immediately upon their arrival.
3. The Fortunate One should explain to me any points of the doctrine that need elucidation.
4. The Fortunate One should recount to me all the discourses he makes while not in my presence.
The Buddha asked Ven. Ānanda again: “Ānanda, what benefits do you see in these four favours?” Ven. Ānanda explained thus: “Venerable sir, in this teaching which has eight marvellous quantities, certain lay supporters, who have great devotion to the Buddha, do not have direct access to invite him personally to their houses. They would ask me, as the Buddha’s personal attendant, to make their invitations and if I will accept their invitations on your behalf; those devotees, who come from afar to pay homage to the Fortunate One, should be allowed to see the Buddha without much waiting; whenever I am not satisfied with a certain saying of the Fortunate One I, as his personal attendant, ought to be allowed to ask the Fortunate One to have those unclear points of the doctrine elucidated.
Venerable sir, if the Fortunate One were not to comply with my requests to accept the invitations that are made by lay supporters through me; or not to comply with my request on behalf of pilgrims to give early audience; not to comply with my request to have the right to ask for elucidation on doctrinal problems, then people would say: ‘What is the purpose of Ānanda’s personal attendance to the Fortunate One, if he is devoid of even these things?’ These are the reasons in my asing for the first three boons. As regards the fourth boon, if other monastics were to ask me: ‘Friend Ānanda, where was this verse, or this discourse or this Birth-story given by the Fortunate One?’ and if I should be unable to answer their query, they would say: ‘Friend, you have been as close to the Fortunate One as his very shadow, and yet you do not know even this much.’ Venerable sir, to avoid such criticism, I am asking the Fortunate One this fourth favour, to relate to me all the discourses made by the Fortunate One not in my presence. Venerable sir, these are the advantages I see in four boons I am asking.”
The Buddha granted Ven. Ānanda all eight boons which comprised the four restraints and the four favours.
Thus Ven. Ānanda, after being granted the eight boons by the Buddha, became his permanent
His daily routine consisted of getting cold and hot water for the Buddha, making ready the three sizes of woodbine tooth-brushes to suit the occasion, massaging the arms and legs of the Buddha, scrubbing the Buddha’s back when he took a bath, cleaning up the precincts of the Buddha’s Perfumed Chamber, etc. Moreover, he was always by the Buddha’s side, seeing to the Buddha’s needs at all times and charting out an appropriate activity to be performed by the Buddha.
Not only did he keep a close loving supervision on the Buddha’s activities by day and at night, he also would keep himself awake by holding up a lamp and going round the precincts of the Buddha’s Chamber. Every night, he made nine rounds with the lamp in hand, his intention being to be ever ready when called by the Buddha at any hour. These are the reasons that lay behind his being designated as a foremost monastic.
Foremost Titles Achieved
On one occasion, when the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery, he extolled the virtues of Ven. Ānanda, the custodian of the doctrine, in many ways:
1. Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
bahu-sutānam yad-idaṁ Anando.
Monastics, among my monastic disciples who have wide learning, Ānanda is the foremost (etad-agga).
2. Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
satimantānaṁ yad-idaṁ Anando.
Monastics, among my monastic disciples who have mindfulness in retaining my discourses, Ānanda is the foremost.
3. Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
gatimantānaṁ yad-idaṁ Anando.
Monastics, among my monastic disciples who comprehend my teaching, Ānanda is the foremost.
4. Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
dhitimantānaṁ yad-idaṁ Anando.
Monastics, among my monastic disciples who are diligent in learning, remembering and reciting my teaching, Ānanda is the foremost.
5. Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
upaṭṭhākānaṁ yad-idaṁ Anando.
Monastics, among my monastic disciples who render personal service to me, Ānanda is the foremost (etad-agga).
Thus in Buddha Gotama’s teaching, Ven. Ānanda was named by the Buddha as the foremost (etad-agga) monastic-disciple in five areas: wide learning, mindfulness in retaining the doctrine, comprehending the teaching, diligence in bearing the teaching, and in caring for the teacher, by giving personal service to the Buddha.
[A section on the First Council which includes many details about Ven Ānanda has been removed from here and placed after the Buddha’s Parinibbāna in chapter 41a.]
Ven. Ānanda’s Parinibbāna
At the time of the First Council, in 483 BCE, Ven. Ānanda who was born on the same day as the Buddha was already 80 years of age. On the fortieth year after the First Council, when he was 120 years old, he reviewed his life-maintaining faculty and saw that he had only seven more days to live. He told this to his pupils.
When people learned this news, those living on one side of the river Rohiṇī, the bone of contention between the Sakyans and the Koliyans concerning the distribution of its waters that led to the Buddha’s discourse known as the Discourse on the Great Assembly (Mahā-samaya-sutta, DN 20) said that Ven. Ānanda had benefited much from them and so he would pass away on their side of the river. And those living on the other side of the river also said so.
On hearing these words from both sides, Ven. Ānanda thought: “Both groups have done much to benefit me. None can dispute this fact. If I were to pass away on one side of the river, those living on the other side would fight for possession of my relics. Then I would become the cause of strife between them. If there be peace I will have to be the cause of peace. It now depends on how I handle the matter.”
After reflecting thus, he said to both groups: “Male and female supporters, those of you who live on this side of the river have done me much benefit. Likewise, those of you who live on the other side of the river have done me much benefit. There is none among you who have not benefited me. Let those who live on this side gather together on this side, and let those who live on the other side gather together on that side.”
Then on the seventh day, he remained aloft in the sky at about seven palm trees’ height, sitting cross-legged above the middle of the river Rohinī and delivered a discourse to the people. At the end of the discourse, he willed that his body should split into two, with each portion falling onto each side of the river. He then entered into the absorption (jhāna) on the fire element (tejo-dhātu) which is the basis of attaining supernormal powers. On emerging from that absorption, the thought process pertaining to supernormal power arose in him. At the impulsion moment of that thought process, his body became ablaze and immediately after the end of that thought process, the death-consciousness arose and he passed away, realizing Nibbāna and making an end of all traces of existence.
His body split into two, as he had willed, one portion falling on one side of the river and the other portion falling on the other side. People on both sides wailed wildly. The outburst of their emotion sounded as if the earth itself were crumbling. The lamentation on this occasion would seem even more pitiable and desperate than it was on the death of the Buddha. They wailed for four whole months, muttering: “So long as we saw the Buddha’s personal assistant who went about holding the Buddha’s alms bowl and robes, we got some solace about the absence of the Buddha, but now that person himself is dead and no more, we have no means to solace ourselves. The Buddha’s passing away is now complete for us.”
Verses of Urgency
Hā saṁyogā viyogantā.
Dreadful indeed is grief, lamentation, etc. All forms of association between spouses, kinsmen, friends, teachers and pupils, end because there inevitably comes the parting between those dear ones either through death or through severance.
Hā aniccā va saṅkhatā.
Dreadful indeed is grief, lamentation, etc. All conditioned phenomena, mind, temperature and nutriment all end, due to their impermanence.
Hā uppannā ca bhaṅgantā.
Dreadful indeed is grief, lamentation, etc. All conditioned phenomena that have the nature of arising end because they are subject to decay and dissolution.
Hā hā saṅkhāra-dhammatā.
Dreadful indeed is it to be liable to sink in the turbulent ocean of woes is the unalterable course of mind and matter of conditioned phenomena, which all have the characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self.