31. Ven. Uruvelā Kassapa

Aspiration in the Past

The future Uruvelā Kassapa was born into a worthy family in the city of Haṁsavatī during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. When he came of age, he listened to a discourse by the Buddha. While doing so, he witnessed a monastic being named by the Buddha as the foremost monastic in having a large following. He was inspired by that monastic to become someone similar in the future. He made great offerings to the Buddha and his Saṅgha for seven days, at the end of which, he made an offering of a set of three robes to the Buddha and each of the members of the Saṅgha and, thereafter, he expressed his aspiration to become a foremost monastic at some future time, having a big following. The Buddha reviewed his aspiration and saw that it would be fulfilled and thus made the prediction: “You will be named by Buddha Gotama as the foremost monastic in his teaching with a big following.” After making the august pronouncement Buddha Padumuttara returned to his monastery.

Life as Royal Brother to Buddha Phussa

In that existence of receiving Buddha Padumuttara’s prediction, the future Uruvelā Kassapa lived a meritorious life until he died and was reborn in the Deva realm and subsequently either in the human world or the Deva realm. Then 92 aeons prior to the present aeon, when Buddha Phussa appeared in the world, the future Uruvelā Kassapa was reborn as the half brother of the Buddha. The Buddha had three younger half-brothers and this prince, the future Uruvelā Kassapa, was the eldest of the three.

Ascetic Life in His Final Existence

The three royal brothers gave a great offering of valuable articles to the Buddha and his Saṅgha at the end of the Rains Retreat (Vassa). They also spent their whole lives in doing meritorious deeds, and were reborn in the fortunate destinations only. During the present aeon, before the advent of Buddha Gotama, they were reborn into a Brahmin family whose clan name was Kassapa. On coming of age, they become masters of the three Vedas and the eldest brother had 500 pupils; the second brother had 300 pupils; and the youngest brother had 200 pupils who became their disciples.

When they reviewed their learning they realised that the Vedas offered teachings for the present life but lacked knowledge that was of benefit in the hereafter. The eldest Kassapa brother, together with his 500 disciples, renounced the world and led the life of a recluse. They retired into the Uruvelā forest and he became known by the name of his [1327] place as Uruvelā Kassapa. The second brother and his 300 disciples likewise became recluses and lived at the river bend of the Ganges and he came to be known as Nadī Kassapa. The youngest brother also became a recluse together with his 200 disciples and they dwelled at a place called Gayāsīsa, and hence he became known as Gayā Kassapa.

The three Kassapa brothers became famous as teachers of their own religious sects. During the time when the three Kassapa brothers were giving guidance to their respective groups, the Buddha Gotama appeared in the world. The Buddha passed the first Rains Retreat (Vassa) at the Deer Park, also known as Isipatana, where he caused the Awakening of the Group-of-Five ascetics and the 55 youths led by Yasa, son of a merchant, and these 60 disciples become the first Arahats in this world.

At the end of the Rains Retreat (Vassa), the Buddha enjoined the 60 Arahat monks to spread the good doctrine while he headed toward the Uruvelā forest alone. On his way, he met the 30 princes, all brothers, at Kappāsika forest, whom he summoned as monastics using the words: “Come, monastic,” and caused their Awakening as noble ones (ariya) of various grades, training them for Awakening.

The Buddha then proceeded alone to the Uruvelā forest because he saw the ripeness of Uruvelā Kassapa for Awakening and also saw that all three Kassapa brothers and their followers would gain Awakening. When the Buddha met Uruvelā Kassapa, he had to display 3,500 miracles to convince him, the most remarkable of which was the taming of the powerful Nāga. Finally, Uruvelā Kassapa and his 500 disciples were summoned by the Buddha into the monastic life. On learning the news of the eldest brother becoming a follower of the Buddha, the younger brothers and their followers likewise became followers. All of them were summoned by the Buddha into the monastic life. ^{For details refer to chapter 14.}

The Buddha took the 1,000 newly admitted monastics to Gayāsīsa. He sat on the rock platform there and considered the appropriate discourse for them. He remembered that these recluses of Brahmin origin had all along been indulging in fire worship, and accordingly delivered them a discourse giving the simile of the fire that relentlessly burns through the three forms of existence: The sense, form and formless realms. The discourse entitled the Instruction about Burning (Āditta-pariyāya, SN 35.235) had the desired effect of turning all the monastics into Arahats.

Then the Buddha saw that the time was opportune for him to visit Rājagaha, where before his Awakening, as he had promised King Bimbisāra that he would visit his city after becoming a Buddha. He journeyed to Rājagaha accompanied by 1,000 Arahats and rested in the toddy palm grove. King Bimbisāra, on hearing about the arrival of the Buddha, went to meet him, in the company of 120,000 Brahmin householders. After paying respects to the Buddha, he sat in a suitable place. On that occasion, the fame of Uruvelā Kassapa had become so well established that the Brahmin retinue of the king paid their homage to Uruvelā Kassapa. The Buddha knew that the audience were unable to decide which of the two, himself or Uruvelā Kassapa, was superior. He was also aware that the people, having doubts, could not pay attention to the Dhamma. So he said to Uruvelā Kassapa: “Kassapa, your followers are in a quandary. Clear up their mental confusion.” Thus, the Buddha indicated to Ven. Uruvelā Kassapa to show his allegiance.

Ven. Uruvelā Kassapa respectfully responded: Rising from his seat, he made obeisance to the Buddha with the hands, knees and forehead touching the ground, and rose up to the sky about a palm tree’s height. There, remaining in mid-air, he took on various forms as he wished, and said to the Buddha: “The Fortunate One is my teacher; I am his pupil, his disciple. The Fortunate One is my teacher; I am his pupil, his disciple.” Then he descended to the ground and paid homage to the Buddha at his feet. Then he rose up again to twice the height of a palm tree, created a variety of forms, came down and paid homage at the Buddha’s feet. On the seventh time of repeating this miraculous feat, he rose to a height of seven palm trees, and after descending to the ground, and paying respects to the Buddha, he sat in a suitable place.

The big audience were now in no doubt about the supremacy of the Buddha and acclaimed him as the great ascetic. Then only the Buddha gave a discourse to them, at the [1328] end of which, King Bimbisāra and 110,000 Brahmin householders attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala) and the remaining 10,000 Brahmins took the Three Treasures as their refuge; in that way they acknowledged the Buddha.

Foremost Title Achieved

The 1,000 pupils who had served Ven. Uruvelā Kassapa, after attaining Awakening, thought that since they had reached the peak of monastic practice, they did not need to go anywhere else for their religious advancement and so they remained in the company of their erstwhile leader.

On one occasion, the Buddha, in a monastic congregation at the Jetavana monastery, declared:

Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
mahā-parisānaṁ yad-idaṁ Uruvela-kassapo.

Monastics, among my monastic disciples who have a big following, Uruvelā Kassapa is the foremost (etad-agga).