32. Ven. Kāḷudāyī

Aspiration in the Past

The future Kāḷudāyī was born into a worthy family in the city of Haṁsavati, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. While he was listening to a discourse by the Buddha, he happened to witness the Buddha appoint a monastic as being the foremost disciple who could arouse devotion in the Buddha’s kinsmen, even before they had met the Buddha. The worthy man, the future Kāḷudāyī, aspired to such an honour during the time of some Future Buddha. After making the great offerings, he expressed his aspiration before the Buddha. Later, the Buddha uttered words predicting the fulfilment of his aspiration.

Ascetic Life in His Final Existence

Future Kāḷudāyī devoted himself to meritorious deeds till the end of his life. He was reborn in the fortunate destinations only. Finally, he was conceived in the womb of the mother who was of a high official family in Kapilavatthu. This took place simultaneously with the conception of the Bodhisatta, Prince Siddhattha, as the two boys were born on the same day. His parents placed him on a white cloth and presented him to King Suddhodana to become an attendant to Prince Siddhattha.

The Name Kāḷudāyī

On the day of naming the boy, they named him Udāyī because he arose (udaya) on the same day the Bodhisatta was born, and the whole city was filled with joy and excitement because of that. Since the boy had a somewhat darker skin, the word kāḷa (dark), was prefixed to the original name of Udāyī and he was therefore called Kāḷudāyī. As a boy, Kāḷudāyī lived in the royal palace and he played games privately with Prince Siddhattha in the place of Kapilavatthu.

Later on, Prince Siddhattha renounced the world and spent six harrowing years in pursuit of the truth. He eventually attained Awakening and delivered his first discourse, the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka). He was then residing at Rājagaha which was his place for collecting alms food.

This happened on the dark fortnight of the cold month of January (Phussa), in the year 528 BCE.

When King Suddhodana heard the good news that his son, the Buddha, was [1329] residing at the Veḷuvana monastery in Rājagaha, he sent a courtier with an entourage of 1,000 men, whose order was to request the Buddha to pay a visit to Kapilavatthu. The royal messenger made the 60 league journey to Rājagaha and entered the Veḷuvana monastery. At that time, the Buddha was teaching a discourse to the audience which consisted of the four types of listeners. The royal messenger sat at the edge of the audience and paid attention to the Buddha’s discourse, thinking he would communicate the king’s message to the Buddha after the discourse. But even while he was listening attentively to the discourse, he, as well as his entourage of 1,000 men, gained Awakening. Then the Buddha, extended his hand and said to them: “Come, monastics,” and all the men instantly became monastics with the grave appearance of those with 60 years of monastic standing and fully equipped with the requisites, created magically (iddhi-maya-parikkhāra).

As it is in the nature of noble ones (ariya) to become indifferent to worldly matters, the thousand monastics did not impart King Suddhodana’s message to the Buddha. They dwelt in the bliss of the attainment of Awakening. King Suddhodana felt annoyed to hear nothing from his messenger and sent another courtier with 1,000 men on the same mission.

This messenger also went before the Buddha, became absorbed in his discourse, and became an Arahat together with his 1,000 men. In this way, King Suddhodana sent a total of nine missions, one after another, each headed by a courtier with an entourage of 1,000 men to the Buddha and all the nine messengers and their 9,000 men neglected their mission because they became Arahats before they could extend the king’s invitation to the Buddha.

Kāḷudāyī’s Mission to Kapilavatthu

King Suddhodana then reflected on the situation: “The nine courtiers had no affection for me and so they said nothing to my son, the Buddha, about his visit to this city of Kapilavatthu of ours. Others would also fail to do so. But Kāḷudāyī, born on the same day as the Buddha, was his playmate in their childhood. This young man is affectionate to me.” And so he summoned him and said to Kāḷudāyī, now an official at his court: “Son, go to the Buddha with 1,000 men, and invite him to Kapilavatthu.”

Courtier Kāḷudāyī said to the King: “Great King, if you would give me permission to become a monastic, like the previous royal messengers, I will see to the Buddha’s visit to Kapilavatthu.” To which the king readily responded: “Son, do as you wish. Only see that my son, the Buddha, visits me.”

“Very well, Great King,” said Kāḷudāyī, “I shall do so,” when the king gave his permission. He left the city accompanied by 1,000 men and eventually reached Rājagaha. Sitting at the edge of the audience, he listened to the Buddha who was teaching a discourse. After hearing it, he and his thousand men became Arahats and were called up by the Buddha into the monastic life.

But minister Kāḷudāyī did not forget his mission. He thought that the cold season was not suitable for the Buddha to make the long journey to Kapilavatthu, and that, when spring had appeared, and the forest flowers were blooming forth and the grass and foliage putting on fresh greenness, then only should the Buddha travel to Kapilavatthu. So he waited till the full moon of March (Phagguṇa) and then he sang 60 verses giving a picturesque portrayal of the pleasantness of the season, indicating to the Buddha that the time was right for him to visit Kapilavatthu.

[For more on this see chapter 17a above.]

The Buddha knew Ven. Kāḷudāyī’s mind and decided that it was time that he visited Kapilavatthu. Then, accompanied by 20,000 Arahats, he took the journey of 60 leagues at a leisurely pace (aturita-desa-cārikā).

Ven. Kāḷudāyī, noting the Buddha’s departure from Rājagaha, appeared at King Suddhodana’s palace. The king was delighted on seeing him standing mid-air above the palace, and offered his throne for his seat. Then he filled the alms bowl of the [1330] venerable with cooked rice and dishes prepared for himself. Ven. Kāḷudāyī then moved as if to depart. The king said to him: “Son, take your meal here.” To which the venerable said: “I shall take it when I get back to the Fortunate One.” – “Where is the Buddha now?” asked the king. “The Buddha is now on his way, with 20,000 Arahats, to visit you.” – “Then, son, take your meal here. Then carry the food prepared in my palace to the Buddha daily, till he arrives.”

Henceforth, Ven. Kāḷudāyī took his meal at the palace and then received the alms food on behalf of the Buddha. In doing so, he gave a discourse to the king and the royal household on the noble qualities of the Buddha, thereby giving them a foretaste of the unparalleled pleasure they were to experience on meeting with the Buddha. Then, just as the people were watching him, he threw up into the air his alms bowl filled with food for the Buddha. He also rose into the air, took the alms bowl and offered it to the Buddha on the way. The Buddha received it in his hands and took his meal for the day.

Ven. Kāḷudāyī took upon himself the task of receiving alms food for the Buddha, and making the appropriate discourses to warm up the feelings of King Suddhodana and the royal household towards the Buddha, for the entire journey of his memorable journey to Kapilavatthu which was 60 leagues long, taken leisurely at the rate of one league a day.

This remarkable routine that Ven. Kāḷudāyī set for himself, to bring food to the Buddha, was the basis of his receiving a special mention from the Buddha.

Foremost Title Achieved

On a later occasion, in a congregation of monastics, the Buddha reflected on the role that Ven. Kāludāyī had played in warming up the feelings of King Suddhodana and the kinsmen of the Buddha, declared:

Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
kulappasādakānaṁ yad-idaṁ Kāḷudāyī.

Monastics, among my monastic disciples who are able to kindle devotion to me in the hearts of my kinsmen, Kāḷudāyī is the foremost (etad-agga).