41. Ven. Mogharāja
The story of Ven. Mogharāja is gleaned from the commentary on the Collection of the Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttara-nikāya) and the commentary on the Way to the Beyond (Pārāyaṇa-vagga, Snp 5).
Aspiration in the Past
The future Mogharāja was born into a worthy family in the city of Haṁsavatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. On one occasion, while he was listening to a discourse by the Buddha, he witnessed a monastic being declared by him as the foremost monastic among his disciples who wear robes that were inferior in three ways: of inferior rag material, of inferior thread, and of inferior dye. The future Mogharāja had a strong desire to be acknowledged likewise as a foremost monastic in some future time. He made extraordinary offerings to the Buddha and expressed this aspiration before him. The Buddha predicted that the aspiration would be fulfilled.
Life as Minister to King Kaṭṭhavāhana
The future Mogharāja spent a meritorious life and passed away into the realm of Devas and then in the realm of humans and Devas. Prior to the appearance of Buddha Kassapa he was reborn in the city of Kaṭṭhavāhana, into a noble family. When he was of certain age, he became a courtier at King Kaṭṭhavāhana’s court and later was appointed as a minister.
We shall now relate the story of King Kaṭṭhavāhana, the details of which are found in the commentary on the Way to the Beyond (Pārāyaṇa-vagga, Snp 5).
Before the advent of Buddha Kassapa, there was an accomplished carpenter, a native of Bārāṇasī, whose carpentry skill was unrivalled. He had sixteen senior pupils, each of whom had 1,000 apprentices. Thus, together with this master carpenter, there were 16,017 carpenters, who made their living in Bārāṇasī. They would go to the forest and gather various kinds of timber to make various kinds of articles and high class furniture, which were fit for royalty and nobility in the city. They brought their wares to Bārāṇasī in a raft. When the king wanted to have palaces built, ranging from a single-tiered mansion to a seven-tiered mansion, they did it to the satisfaction and delight of the king. They also built other structures for other people.
Construction of a Flying Machine
The master craftsman conceived an idea one day: “It would be too hard for me to live on my carpenter’s trade in my old age; I must do something.” He ordered his pupils to gather species of light wood with which he built a flying machine resembling the Garuḷa bird. After assembling the machinery in it, he started the engine which made the contraption fly in the air like a bird. He flew in it to the forest where his men were working and descended there.
He said to his pupils: “Boys, let us build flying machines like this and with our superior power, we can rule Jambudīpa. Now, copy this flying machine. We must escape from the drudgery of our carpenters’ existence.” The pupils successfully built similar flying machines and reported it to the master. “Now, which city shall we conquer?” asked the master. “Let us conquer Bārāṇasī, master,” they suggested. “That would not do, boys. We are known as carpenters in Bārāṇasī. Even if we were to conquer and rule it, everybody will know our origin as carpenters. Jambudīpa is a vast place, let us find our fortune elsewhere,” thus advised the master, and the pupils agreed.
Ascension to the Throne as Kaṭṭhavāhana
The carpenter guild of 16,017 members had each of their families put aboard a flying machine, and wielding arms, flew in the direction of the Himālayas. They entered a city,
Friendship with the King of Bārāṇasī
One day, a group of merchants from Bārāṇasī went to Kaṭṭhavāhana with their merchandise. When they were given audience by King Kaṭṭhavāhana, the king asked them where they lived. Being told that they lived in Bārāṇasī, the king said to them: “Men, I would like to be on cordial terms with the king of Bārāṇasī. Would you render your service to that end?” The merchants gladly undertook to help.
During their stay in Kaṭṭhavāhana, the king provided them with all their needs and at the time of their departure, they were again reminded courteously to help promote friendship between the two cities.
When the merchants arrived at Bārāṇasī, they conveyed to their king the message of the King of Kaṭṭhavāhana. The king was delighted. He made public announcement by the beat of the drum that the merchants of Kaṭṭhavāhana, who were selling their goods in Bārāṇasī, would be exempt from taxes. Thus, the two kings, who had never met, were already in the bonds of friendship. The King of Kaṭṭhavāhana reciprocated by proclaiming that merchants of Bārāṇasī, who were doing business in his city, would also be exempt from taxes. He also issued standing orders that merchants of Bārāṇasī would be provided with all their needs out of the king’s coffers.
The King of Bārāṇasī then sent a message to the King of Kaṭṭhavāhana to the effect that if there should occur within the domains of Kaṭṭhavāhana something noteworthy, whether seen or heard, King Kaṭṭhavāhana see to it that that event is also seen or heard by the King of Bārāṇasī. The King of Kaṭṭhavāhana also sent to the King of Bārāṇasī a similar message.
An Exchange of Gifts
One day the King of Kaṭṭhavāhana obtained a certain fabric of most rare quality which was not only extra-fine but had a sheen that dazzled like the rising sun. He remembered the message received from the King of Bārāṇasī and thought it fit to send this extraordinary fabric to Bārāṇasī. He had eight caskets of ivory carved out for him, and in each he put a piece of the fabric. Outside the ivory caskets, he had a lac ball cover each casket. The eight lac balls were placed in a wooden box which was wrapped in very fine fabric. On it was written the inscription: “To be presented to the King of Bārāṇasī.” An accompanying message suggested that the King of Bārāṇasī open this gift himself on the palace grounds where all the ministers should be present.
The royal delegation from the court of Kaṭṭhavāhana presented the gift box and the message to the King of Bārāṇasī who caused a meeting of the ministers at the courtyard. He opened the box in their presence. On finding just eight balls of lac, he was disappointed, thinking that the King of Kaṭṭhavāhana had played a practical joke on him. He struck one of the lac balls hard against the throne which he was sitting on and to his amazement when the lac broke open and the ivory casket and its lid came apart. Inside, the king saw the fine fabric. The seven other lac balls yielded similar ivory caskets with the fabric inside. Each piece of fabric measured 16 by 8 cubits.
When these fabrics were unfolded, they presented a most spectacular scene as though the entire courtyard were glimmering in the sun. The onlookers snapped their fingers in amazement and some threw up their head-gear
A Gift from Bārāṇasī
The King of Bārāṇasī sent for valuers and referred the fine fabrics to them for their appraisal. The valuers were at a loss to name a value for them. Then the king thought to himself: “My good friend, the King of Kaṭṭhavāhana has sent me a priceless gift. A return gift should be somehow superior to the gift received. What should that gift be?”
It was the time when Buddha Kassapa had appeared in the three worlds and was residing at Bārāṇasī. The king considered that there is nothing as adorable as the Three Treasures. “I should send the news of the appearance of the Buddha to King Kaṭṭhavāhana. That would make the most appropriate return gift.”
So he had the following verse consisting of six lines inscribed with vermilion on gold plate:
Buddho loke samuppanno, hitāya sabba-pāṇinaṁ.
Dhammo loke samuppanno, sukhāya sabba-pāṇinaṁ.
Saṅgho loke samuppanno, puññakkhettaṁ anuttaraṁ.
Friend Kaṭṭhavāhana, for the welfare of all living beings, the all-knowing Buddha has appeared in our world, like the rising of the sun at Mount Udaya in the east; for the happiness of all living beings, the Dhamma, comprising the four paths, four fruits, Nibbāna and the doctrine, has appeared in our world like the rising of the sun at Mount Udaya in the east; the Saṅgha, the incomparable fertile field for all to sow seeds of merit, has appeared in our world, like the rising of the sun at Mount Udaya in the east.
Besides these lines, the king had an inscription containing the practice of the Dhamma, beginning from getting established in morality for a monastic, progressively towards becoming an Arahat. The above gold plate was: 1) First put inside a casket wrought with the seven kinds of gems; 2) then the jewel casket was placed inside a casket of emerald; 3) then the emerald casket was placed inside a casket of cat’s-eye gem; 4) the cat’s-eye casket was then placed inside a casket of red ruby; 5) the red ruby casket was then placed inside a gold casket; 6) the gold casket was then placed inside a silver casket; 7) the silver casket was then placed inside an ivory casket; and 8) the ivory casket was then placed inside a casket of scented musk wood. This casket was put inside a box, wrapped with fine fabric and on it the royal seal was affixed.
This gift was sent to Kaṭṭhavāhana in state. A noble tusker in musk was fitted with golden ornaments, covered with gold lace, and a golden flag flew on his majestic body. On its back, they secured a raised platform, on which the gift box was placed. A white umbrella was hoisted above it. It was sent off after performing deeds of honour with flowers and scents, dancing and music. The king himself headed the group of royal escorts in sending it off up to the border of Kāsi Country, the king’s domain. Moreover, the King of Bārāṇasī sent presents with his messages to other rulers of neighbouring states on the route, requiring them to pay homage to the special return gift of his. All those rulers complied gladly till the carrier tusker reached the border of Kaṭṭhavāhana.
King Kaṭṭhavāhana went out to some distance to welcome the return gift; paying homage to it. The gift was opened in the courtyard before the people. After removing the thin cloth wrapper and opening the box, a scented hard-wood casket was found. Inside it, the eight caskets were opened, one after the other in turn till the gold plate informing of the appearance of the Three Treasures was revealed. “This is the rarest gift that one comes by, and only over an immense period of time. My good friend, the King of Bārāṇasī, has been very thoughtful in sending this news to me together with an outline on the practice of the Dhamma,” reflected King Kaṭṭhavāhana joyfully. “The appearance of the Buddha, never heard of
The Ministers’ Mission
The sixteen ministers, together with 1,000 followers each, said to the king: “Great King, if the Buddha has actually appeared in the world, there is no likelihood of our seeing you again at your palace, as we are all going to become monastics. If the Buddha has not actually arisen, we shall come back to you.”
Among the ministers was the king’s own nephew, the son of his sister, who said: “I am going too.” The king said to him: “Son, when you have found that the Buddha has appeared, come back to me and tell me the news.” His nephew agreed: “Very well, king.”
The sixteen ministers with their 16,000 followers went hastily, resting only once at a night camp on the way and reached Bārāṇasī. However, before they got there, Buddha Kassapa had passed away. The ministers entered the Buddha’s monastery and asked: “Who is the Buddha? Where is the Buddha?” But they found only the male monastic disciples who had been living together with the Buddha.
The monks told them: “The Buddha has passed away.” The ministers then wailed, saying: “We have come from afar and we missed the chance to even see the Buddha!” They said to the monks: “Venerable sirs, are there some words of advice or admonition of the Buddha left for the world?” – “Yes, lay supporters. They are: ‘Be established in the three refuges. Observe the five precepts all the time. Also keep the Observance Day (Uposatha) precepts of eight constituents. Give in generosity. If you are capable, take up the monastic life yourself.’ ” – “Thereupon, all the ministers, with the exception of the king’s nephew, together with their followers, took up the monastic life.
King Kaṭṭhavāhana’s Demise
King Kaṭṭhavāhana’s nephew returned to Kaṭṭhavāhana after having obtained an article that had been used by the Buddha, as an object of veneration. It was a water strainer. In this connection, it may be noted that the articles that had been used by the Buddha include the Bodhi tree, alms bowl, robes, water-strainer, etc. The nephew also arranged for a monastic who had learnt by heart the Dhamma, the Vinaya and the Abhidhamma to accompany him to Kaṭṭhavāhana.
Travelling by stages, the nephew reached Kaṭṭhavāhana and reported to the King: “Uncle, the Buddha actually has appeared in the world, and it is also true that he had passed away.” He related the Buddha’s advice as he had learned from the Buddha’s disciples. The king resorted to the monastic learned in the Three Baskets (Tipiṭaka) and listened to his discourses. He built a monastery for the teacher, erected a relic shrine (stūpa) where the Buddha’s water strainer was enshrined and planted a new Bodhi tree. He was established in the five precepts and kept the Observance Day precepts on the appropriate days. He gave freely in generosity; and after living till the end of his lifespan, he passed away and was reborn in the Deva realm. The sixteen ministers, who had become monastics together with their 16,000 followers, also practised the noble teaching, died as worldlings, and were reborn in the Deva realm as followers to the Deva who had been King Kaṭṭhavāhana. Among the sixteen followers of the Deva King there was the future Ven. Mogharāja.
Ascetic Life in His Final Existence
During the aeon that intervened between the two Buddhas, the master craftsman and all his followers had existence in the Deva Realms. Then on the eve of the advent of Buddha Gotama, they were reborn in the human world. Their leader was born as a son of the king’s Brahmin chaplain at the court of King Mahā Kosala, father of Pasenadi Kosala, and he was named Bāvarī, and was endowed with three distinguishing marks of a great man. Being a master of the three Vedas, he succeeded to the office of Brahmin chaplain at the death of his father. The remaining 16,000 men were reborn in Sāvatthī in the Brahmin clan. Among them
Ajito Tissa-metteyyo, Puṇṇako atha Mettagū,
Dhotako Upasīvo ca, Nando ca atha Hemako.
Todeyya-kappā dubhayo, Jatukkaṇṇī ca paṇḍito,
Bhadrāvudho Udayo ca, Posālo cāpi brāhmaṇo.
Mogharājā ca medhāvī, Piṅgiyo ca mahā isi.
1) Ajita, 2) Tissa Metteyya, 3) Puṇṇaka, 4) Mettagū, 5) Dhotaka, 6) Upasīva, 7) Nanda, 8) Hemaka, 9) Todeyya, 10) Kappa, 11) Jatukaṇṇī, 12) Bhadrāvudha, 13) Udaya, 14) Posala, 15) Mogharāja, 16) Piṅgiya.
These sixteen Brahmins learned the three Vedas from master Bāvarī. The 1,000 followers under each of them, in turn, learned from them. Thus, Bāvarī and his company of followers making a total of 16,017 Brahmins became united again in their last existence.
Renunciation by Bāvarī and his Followers
At the death of King Mahā Kosala, his son, Pasenadi Kosala, was anointed king. The king’s Brahmin chaplain Bāvarī retained his office under the new king, who granted fresh privileges to him in addition to those given by his father.
The new king, as a prince, had been a pupil under Bāvarī so that his relationship with the old Brahmin chaplain was not only official but also personal.
One day, Bāvarī, remaining in seclusion, took a cool assessment of the learning that he possessed. He saw that the Vedas were not of any value to him in good stead in the hereafter. He decided to renounce the world as a recluse. When he revealed this plan to King Pasenadi Kosala, the king said: “Master, your presence at our court gives me the assurance of elderly counsel which makes me feel I am still under the eyes of my own father. Please don’t leave me.”
But, since past merit had begun to ripen into fruition, old Bāvarī could not be persuaded against his plan, and insisted that he was going. The king then said: “Master, in that case, I would request you to stay as a recluse in the royal gardens so that I might be able to see you by day or by night.” Bāvarī acceded to this request and he and his company of sixteen senior pupils together with the 16,000 followers resided in the royal gardens as recluses. The king provided them with four requisites and paid his master regular visits, in the morning and evening.
After some time, the pupils said to their master: “Master, living near the city makes a recluse’s life unsatisfactory because of the many troubles. The proper place for a recluse is somewhere remote from the town. Let us move away from here.” The master had only to agree. He told this to the king but the king would not let him leave him alone. Three times Bāvarī made persistent requests to the king, and at last the king had to yield to his wishes. He sent along two of his ministers with 200,000 pieces of money to accompany Bāvarī and his followers to find a suitable site for their hermitage, on which all monastic dwellings for them were to be built.
The recluse Bāvarī, together with 16,016 pupils, under the care of the two ministers, left in the southerly direction from Sāvatthī. Then they went to south Jambudīpa to a place which lay between the two kingdoms of Assaka and Aḷaka, which was a big island where the two streams of the river Godhāvarī parted, a three-league wide forest of edible fruits, Bāvarī said to his pupils: “This is the spot where ancient recluses have lived. It is suitable for us.” As a matter of fact, it was the forest where famous recluses, such as Sarabhaṅga, had made their dwellings.
The king’s ministers paid 100,000 pieces of money of silver each to King Assaka and
The above account is what is stated in the commentary on the Way to the Beyond (Pārāyaṇa-vagga, Snp 5). The commentary on the Collection of the Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttara-nikāya) tells us of further incidents concerning recluse Bāvarī which are described now.
On the day, after the two ministers had returned to Sāvatthī, a man appeared at the dwelling and sought permission from the recluses to build a house for his dwelling on the estate. He was allowed to do so. Soon other families followed suit and there were 100 houses on the estate. And so, with the kindness of Bāvarī, the community of lay householders flourished, providing a source of daily alms food for the recluses, who also got daily sustenance from the fruit trees.
Yearly Charity Worth a Hundred Thousand
The village at the hermitage had become prosperous. Revenues from agriculture and other activities amounted to 100,000 every year which the villagers paid to King Assaka. But King Assaka said to them that the revenue should be paid to recluse Bāvarī. When they took the money to Bāvarī, the recluse said: “Why have you brought this money?” The householders said: “Reverend sir, we pay this sum as a token of our gratitude for the right of occupancy of your land.” Bāvarī replied: “If I cared for money, I would not have become a recluse. Take back your money.” – “But, sir,” the householders said, “we cannot take back what has been given to you. We shall be paying you the sum of 100,000 every year. We may humbly suggest that you accept our annual tribute and make your own donations with the money as you please.” Bāvarī was obliged to agree. And so every year there took place a big alms giving by the good recluse for the benefit of destitutes, peasants, travellers, beggars and mendicants. The news of this noble act spread to the whole of the Jambudīpa.
A Bogus Brahmin’s Threat
After one such annual occasion, in a certain year, while Bāvarī was exulting in the good deed at his dwelling, he was roused up from his short slumber by a hoarse cry of a man demanding: “Brahmin Bāvarī, give something in generosity. Give something in generosity.” It was the voice of a bogus Brahmin who was a descendant of Brahmin Jūjaka of The Birth Story about the Great King Vessantara (Vessantara-jātaka, Ja 547), who came from Dunniviṭṭha Brahmin village in the kingdom of Kaliṅga. He had come at the behest of his nagging wife who said to him: “Don’t you know that Brahmin Bāvarī is giving away freely in generosity? Go and get gold and silver from him.” The bogus Brahmin was a hen-pecked husband. He could not help but do her bidding.
Bāvarī said to him: “Brahmin, you are late. I have distributed everything to those who came for help. I have not a penny left now.” – “Bāvarī, I do not want a big amount of money. For you, who are giving away such big sums, it is not possible to be penniless as you say. Give me just 500.” – “I don’t have 500. You will get it at the next round.” – “Do I have to wait till the next time you chose to give?” he was clearly angry in saying those words for he started to utter a curse with some elaboration. He fetched some cowdung, red flowers, coarse grass into the dwelling, and hastily smeared the floor at the entrance to the residence of Bāvarī with cowdung, strewed it with red flowers, and spread the coarse grass all over. Then he washed his left foot with water from his water pot, made seven steps on the floor and, stroking his left foot with his hand, uttered the following curse as when a holy man would chant a mantra (Snp 1.989):
Sace me yācamānassa, bhavaṁ nānupadassati,
sattame divase tuyhaṁ, muddhā phalatu sattadhā.
If you refuse to give me the money I asked for, may your head splinter into seven pieces on the seventh day from now.
Bāvarī was deeply disturbed. “Perhaps his curse might take effect,” he pondered as he lay
Na so muddhaṁ pajānāti, kuhako so dhanatthiko,
muddhani muddha-pāte vā, ñāṇaṁ tassa na vijjati.
Son, that Brahmin does not know what is called “the head.” He is merely a bogus Brahmin who is out to get your money. Neither does he understand the meaning of “the head” (muddha) nor the factor that can cause “the head” to split asunder (muddhādhipāta).
Then Bāvarī said: “Mother, if you know what is meant by ‘the head’ and the factor that can cause ‘the head’ to split asunder, may I know them.”
The goddess said: “Son, I do not know these things.” – “Who in this world knows them? Please direct me to that person.” – “There is the all-knowing Buddha, Lord of the Three Worlds.” When the word “Buddha” was heard, Bāvarī was extremely delighted and all worries left him. “Where is the Buddha now?” – “The Buddha is residing at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī.”
Early next morning, Bāvarī called his sixteen pupils and said: “Men, the Buddha is said to have appeared in the world. Go and verify the fact and let me know. I mean to go to the Buddha myself but at my advanced age, I am expecting death at any moment. Go and see the Buddha and put these seven questions to him.” The questions arranged in verse known as the head-breaker (muddha-phālana), which is also known as the destruction of the head (muddhādhipāta) were then taught them in detail.
Note that it was on the eighth year of Bāvarī’s settling down by the banks of river Godhāvarī, that the Buddha appeared in the world. See the commentary on the Anthology of Discourses (Sutta-nipāta).
Then Bāvarī pondered thus: “All of my sixteen pupils are wise persons. If they have attained the ultimate goal of the monastic life, Awakening, they might or might not come back to me.” And so he said to Piṅgiya, his nephew: “Nephew Piṅgiya, you ought to come back to me without fail. Do tell me the benefit of the supermundane when you have attained it.”
Then the 16,000 followers of Bāvarī under the leadership of Ajita, one of the sixteen pupils, together with their sixteen teachers, made obeisance to Bāvarī and left their dwelling in the northerly direction.
The Journey to the Buddha
They proceeded on their journey through the royal city of Aḷaka Mahissati, Ujjenī, Gonaddha, Vedisa, Pavana, Kosambī, Sāketa, Sāvatthī, Setabya, Kapilavatthu, Kusinārā, Pāvā, Bhoga, Vesālī and Rājagaha, which was in Magadha country. It was a long journey covering many leagues.
As they passed a city, the people asked them where they were going and when they said that they were going to see the Buddha to clarify certain problems, many people joined them. By the time they passed Kosambī and reached Sāketa, the line of pilgrims was six leagues long already.
The Buddha knew of the coming of the recluses, the pupils of Bāvarī, and that they were being joined by many people along the way. But as the faculties of the recluses were not ripe yet, the Buddha did not stay in Sāvatthī to receive them, as the proper place for their Awakening was the Pāsāṇaka Shrine in Magadha. By having to pass through more cities to that particular place, the number of pilgrims would have grown larger and that all of them would benefit from his discourse there, and gain knowledge of the four noble truths. Taking into consideration this great advantage to the pilgrims, the Buddha left Sāvatthī and went in the direction of Rājagaha ahead of the arrival of the pilgrims there.
When the big crowd reached Sāvatthī, they entered the Buddha’s monastery and inquired where the Buddha was. At the entrance to the private quarters of the Buddha, the scented chamber, they noticed the footprint of the Buddha, which was left there by the Buddha’s
Rattassa hi ukkutikaṁ padaṁ bhave,
duṭṭhassa hoti avakaḍḍhitaṁ padaṁ,
mūḷhassa hoti sahasānupīḷitaṁ
vivaṭacchadassa idam-īdisaṁ padaṁ.
A person who is lustful has his or her footprint with a hollow at the middle. A person who is full of hatred has his or her footprint inclined backwards. A person who has much bewilderment has his or her print very markedly impressed at the toes and at the heel. The present footprint is surely that of the all-knowing Buddha who has destroyed all the defilements.
By their own learning, the recluses were sure that they had come across the footprint of the Buddha.
The Buddha travelled by stages through Setabya, Kapilavatthu, and so on and reached the Pāsāṇaka Shrine near Rājagaha, letting a big number of persons follow him. The recluses then left Sāvatthī as soon as they had ascertained for themselves the footprint of the Buddha, and travelling by stages through Setabya and Kapilavatthu, and so on reached the Pāsāṇaka Shrine near Rājagaha.
The Pāsāṇaka Shrine was a pre-Buddhist shrine. It was built on a vast rock in honour of a local deity. When the Buddha appeared, the people built a new temple and donated it for the use by Buddhist devotees. The old name however was retained.
Sakka had prepared sufficient room to have the huge crowd accommodated at the Pāsāṇaka temple. In the meanwhile, the recluses tried their best to catch up with the Buddha, travelling in the cool hours of the mornings and evenings. When they saw the Pāsāṇaka Shrine, the destination where the Buddha was understood to be residing, they were extremely happy like a thirsty man seeing water, or like a merchant who has realized a good fortune, or like a weary traveller seeing a cool shade. They rushed into the shrine in all haste.
Questioning the Buddha
They saw the Buddha delivering a discourse in the midst of many monastics with a voice that reminded them of a lion roaring. Ajita, the leader of the Brahmins, was greatly delighted on seeing the Buddha emitting the six Buddha-radiances while expounding the Dhamma, and was further encouraged by the Buddha’s amiable words of greetings, such as: “How did you find the weather? Was it tolerable?” and so on.
Sitting in a suitable place, he put the first question to the Buddha without speaking it aloud but directing his mind to the verse taught by his master Bāvarī, thus (Snp 1024):
Ādissa jammanaṁ brūhi, gottaṁ brūhi salakkhaṇaṁ;
mantesu paramiṁ brūhi, kati vāceti Brāhmaṇo.
May I be told: How old is our master Bāvarī? What distinguishing bodily marks is our master endowed with? What is his lineage? How accomplished is he in the three Vedas? How many pupils are learning the Vedas under him?
Bāvarī had instructed Ajita to put those questions mentally. And he did as he was told. The Buddha, as expected by Bāvarī, knew Ajita’s questions and gave the following answers without hesitation in two verses (Snp 1025-6):
Vīsaṁ vassa-sataṁ āyu, so ca gottena Bāvarī;
tīṇissa lakkhaṇā gatte, tiṇṇaṁ vedāna’ pāragū.
Ajita, your teacher’s age is 120 years, he belongs to the clan of Bāvarī, he has three distinguishing marks of a great man, he has mastered the three Vedas.
Lakkhaṇe itihāse ca, sanighaṇḍusa-keṭubhe;
pañca-satāni vāceti, sadhamme paramiṁ gato.
He has mastered the glossaries (nighaṇḍu), the liturgy (ketubha), the characteristics of the great man (lakkhaṇa), the Ancient Histories (Itihāsa), he is teaching the three Vedas to 500 pupils who are lazy and dull.
Ajita wanted to know what three characteristics are possessed by his master, with reference to the third answer above, and put the following question mentally (Snp 1027):
Lakkhanānaṁ pavicayaṁ, Bāvarissa naruttama,
kaṅkhacchida pakāsehi, mā no kaṅkhāyitaṁ ahu.
O supreme man endowed with the faculty of dispelling doubts of all beings, please specify in detail what are the three distinguishing marks of Bāvarī. Do not let us have any scepticism.
The Buddha made the following reply (Snp 1028):
Mukhaṁ jivhāya chādeti, uṇṇassa bhamu-kantare,
kosohitaṁ vattha-guyhaṁ, evaṁ jānāhi mānava.
Ajita, your teacher Bāvarī can cover his face with his tongue, there is the spiral auspicious hair between his eyebrows, his genital organ is sheathed like that of the Chaddanta elephant. Ajita, note these three distinguishing marks on him.
This the Buddha answered in precise terms. Then the audience, which covered an area of twelve leagues, were amazed, for they heard no one asking questions except the Buddha’s prompt and detail answers. Raising their joint palms above their heads, they wondered aloud: “Who is the questioner? Is he a Deva or a Brahma, or Sakka the beloved husband of Sujā?” Having heard the answers to his five questions, Ajita asked two more questions mentally (Snp 1031):
Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañ-ca, Bāvarī paripucchati,
taṁ vyākarohi Bhagavā, kaṅkhaṁ Vinaya no ise.
O virtuous one, our teacher wishes to ask two questions: First, what is meant by “the head” (muddha)? Secondly, what is the factor that can destroy “the head” (muddhāhipāta)? Kindly answer these two questions and dispel our doubts.
To Ajita’s mental question the Buddha answered aloud thus (Snp 1032):
Avijjā muddhā ti jānāhi, vijjā muddhādhipātini,
saddhā-sati-samādhīhi, chanda-viriyena saṁyutā.
Ajita, ignorance (avijjā) of the four noble truths is the head (muddha) of repeated rebirths. Understanding (vijjā) of the noble path (muddhādhipātini) that is associated with confidence (saddhā), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi), strong will (chanda) and endeavour (viriya), is the factor that destroys the head. Thus you should know.
On hearing the exact answers, Ajita was overjoyed. And, placing the antelope’s skin on his left shoulder, touched the Buddha’s feet with his head. Then he said aloud (Snp 1034):
Bāvarī brāhmaṇo bhoto, saha sissehi mārisa,
udagga-citto sumano, pade vandati Cakkhuma.
The venerable one who has made an end of suffering (dukkha), endowed with the eye of knowledge, Brahmin Bāvarī, together with his pupils numbering 16,000, being in high spirits, worships at your feet!
The other pupils of Bāvarī joined Ajita in these words of praise and made obeisance to the Buddha. The Buddha had compassion on Ajita and wished him well in these terms (Snp 1035):
Sukhito Bāvarī hotu, saha sissehi brāhmano,
tvañ-cāpi sukhito hohi, ciraṁ jīvāhi māṇava.
May Bāvarī and his pupils be happy and well! Young Brahmin, may you also be happy and well. May you live long!
Then the Buddha continued (Snp 1036):
Bāvarissa ca tuyhaṁ vā, sabbesaṁ sabba-saṁsayaṁ,
katāvakāsā pucchavho, yaṁ kiñci manasicchatha.
If Bāvarī or yourself, Ajita, or anyone of you would like to clear up any problem that may arise in your mind, I allow you to ask.
When this opportunity was extended to them, all the Brahmins sat down, made obeisance to the Buddha, and took turns to ask. Ajita was the first to do so. The Buddha answered his questions and those answers gradually culminated in the realization of Awakening. Ajita and his 1,000 pupils became Arahats at the end of the discourse; 1,000s of others also attained the paths and fruitions at various levels.
As soon as Ajita and his pupils became Arahats, they were called up by the Buddha into the monastic life. They instantly assumed the form of elders of 60 years’ standing, complete with monastic equipment which appeared by the supernormal power of the Buddha. They all sat before the Buddha in postures of worship.
The rest of Bāvarī’s pupils asked their own questions to the Buddha, the details about which may be found in the Way to the Beyond (Pārāyaṇa-vagga, Snp 5). Here we shall continue only with what is concerned with Ven. Mogharāja and Bāvarī.
Bāvarī’s pupils, mentioned above, asked questions in turn to which the Buddha gave answers and which ended in the attainment of Awakening by the questioner and his 1,000 pupils. All of them, becoming monastics, were called up by the Buddha.
Mogharāja was a very conceited person who considered himself as the most learned among the sixteen close pupils of Bāvarī. He thought it fit to ask his questions only after Ajita because Ajita was the eldest among the close pupils. So after Ajita had finished, he stood up to take his turn. However, the Buddha knew that Mogharāja was conceited and was not yet ripe for Awakening, and that he needed chastisement. So the Buddha said to him: “Mogharāja, wait till others have asked their questions.” Mogharāja reflected thus: “I have all along been thinking of myself as the wisest person. But the Buddha knows best. He must have judged that my turn to ask questions has not become due.” He sat down silently.
Then after the eight pupils of Bāvarī, viz., Ajita, Tissametteyya, Puṇṇaka, Mettagū, Dhotaka, Upasīva, Nanda and Hemaka, had finished their turns, he became impatient and stood up to take his turn. Again, the Buddha saw him still not ripe yet for Awakening and asked him to wait. Mogharāja took it silently. But when the remaining six pupils of Bāvarī, Todeyya, Kappa, Jatukaṇṇi, Bhadrāvudha, Udaya, and Posala, had finished their turns, Mogharāja was concerned about the prospect of his becoming the most junior monastic among Bāvarī’s disciples and took the fifteenth turn. And now that Mogharāja’s faculties had ripened, the Buddha allowed him. Mogharāja began thus (Snp 1122-1125):
Dvāhaṁ sakkaṁ apucchissaṁ, na me vyākāsi cakkhumā,
yāva-tatiyañ-ca devīsi, vyākarotī ti me sutaṁ.
Twice have I put my questions to the Buddha of Sakyan descent, but the possessor of the five eyes, has not replied to me. I have heard it said that the Buddha answers, out of compassion, at the third time.
Ayaṁ loko paro loko, Brahma-loko sadevako,
diṭṭhiṁ te nābhijānāti, Gotamassa yasassino.
Neither this human world nor the world of Devas and Brahmas understand the view held by Buddha Gotama of great fame and following.
Evaṁ abhikkanta-dassāviṁ, aṭṭhi pañhena āgamaṁ,
kathaṁ lokaṁ avekkhantaṁ, Maccu-rājā na passati.
To the one who sees the excellent Dhamma, the knower of the inner tendencies (āsaya), supreme release (adhimutti), destinies (gati) and Nibbāna, of the sentient world, we have come to ask a question: How should one perceive the world so that Māra cannot see him any more?
He asks by what manner of perceiving the conditioned world does one become an Arahat which is liberation from death?
To the question contained in the second half of Mogarāja’s three verses above, the Buddha replied:
Suññato lokaṁ avekkhassu, Mogharāja sadā sato,
attānudiṭṭhiṁ ūhacca, evaṁ maccu-taro siyā,
evaṁ lokaṁ avekkhantaṁ Maccu-rājā na passati.
Mogharāja, be mindful all the time, and abandoning the wrong view concerning the five aggregates, the delusion of self, perceive the world animate or inanimate as naught, as empty; by perceiving it in this way, one will be liberated from Death. One who perceives the world thus cannot be seen by Death.
The wrong view of a personal identity as “oneself” which is the mistaken concept of the present body (sakkāya-diṭṭhi), must be discarded and all conditioned phenomena should be viewed as insubstantial and not-self (anatta), and in truth and reality, a mere nothingness. When this right perception has struck root, death is conquered. When the Arahat fruition (Arahatta-phala) is realised, the Arahat passes beyond the domain of Death. “Passing beyond Death’s domain,” is a metaphor which means attainment of Awakening. This verse has as its main object the attainment of Awakening.
After hearing this verse which culminated in the Arahat fruition (Arahatta-phala), Mogharāja and his 1,000 followers became Arahats, as did the previous pupils of Bāvārī. They became monastics who were summoned. Thousands among the audience gained the paths and fruitions at various levels, too.
Foremost Title Achieved
Since he became a monastic by being summoned by the Buddha, Ven. Mogharāja had the habit of wearing only inferior or poor robes that were stitched out of coarse rags, dyed poorly just enough to meet the Discipline, and stitched with inferior thread. Therefore, on one occasion, when the Buddha was holding a congregation of monastics at the Jetavana monastery, he declared:
Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
lūkha-cīvara-dharānaṁ yad-idaṁ Mogharājā.
Monastics, among my monastic disciples who always wear coarse robes of poor material, poor dye and poor thread, Ven. Mogharāja is the foremost (etad-agga).
Bāvarī the Brahmin Teacher
Of the sixteen close pupils of recluse Bāvarī, the first fifteen, up to Mogharāja, after putting forwards their questions to the Buddha and receiving the answers, became Arahats along with their respective pupils of 1,000 each. All were monastics summoned by the Buddha. Piṅgiya, the sixteenth close pupil and a nephew of Bāvarī, who was then 120 years of age, asked the Buddha this question (Snp 1126):
Jiṇṇoham-asmi abalo vīta-vaṇṇo,
nettā na suddhā savanaṁ na phāsu,
māhaṁ nassaṁ momuho antarāva,
ācikkha Dhammaṁ yam-ahaṁ vijaññaṁ,
jāti-jarāya idha vippahānaṁ.
Venerable sir, I am worn out with age, weak and wan. My eyes and ears are failing me. I do not wish to die in ignorance before having the benefit of your teaching. So please show me, here in your very presence, the supermundane Dhamma that can abandon rebirth and ageing.
Piṅgiya was very much concerned about his physical deterioration as he had attachment to his body. To gain a detached view of the body, the Buddha taught him thus (Snp 1127):
Disvāna rūpesu vihaññamāne,
ruppanti rūpesu janā pamattā,
tasmā tuvaṁ Piṅgiya appamatto,
jahassu rūpaṁ apunabbhavāya.
Piṅgiya, the heedless multitudes are brought to ruin on account of corporeality. Having seen for yourself how corporeality is the cause of the suffering of those heedless persons, be heedful and mindful and abandon attachment to corporeality so that fresh existence may not arise.
The Buddha expounded the necessary practice (paṭipatti) that leads one to Awakening by the expression: “So that fresh existence (apunabbhava) may not arise.”
The hearer, Piṅgiya, however was old and getting mentally slow. So he did not gain Awakening at once. He put a further question in the following verse, extolling the immense wisdom of the Buddha (Snp 1128):
Disā catasso vidisā catasso,
uddhaṁ adho dasa disā imāyo,
na tuyhaṁ adiṭṭham asutaṁmutaṁ,
atho aviññātaṁ kiñcanam-atthi loke,
ācikkha Dhammaṁ yam-ahaṁ vijaññaṁ,
jāti-jarāya idha vippahānaṁ.
Venerable sir, in all the four cardinal directions, in all the four intermediate directions, above, and below, in all the ten directions, there is nothing whatsoever in the world that the Fortunate One does not see, hear, know, or understand. Do show me, here in your very presence, the supermundane Dhamma that can abandon rebirth and ageing.
The Buddha again pointed to the necessary practice leading to Nibbāna thus (Snp 1129):
Taṇhādhipanne manuje pekkhamāno,
santāpajāte jarasā parete,
tasmā tuvaṁ Piṅgiya appamatto,
jahassu taṇhaṁ apunabbhavāya.
Piṅgiya, the multitudes are afflicted by craving. Having seen yourself how they are worn out and ruined by the relentless process of ageing, be heedful and mindful and abandon craving for sense pleasures, for continued existence, and for non-existence so that fresh existence may not arise.
At the end of the discourse, which was directed towards the Arahat fruition, Piṅgiya became a Non-returner (Anāgāmi-magga), having path-knowledge at the third level. While listening to the discourse, Piṅgiya’s mind was wandering: he felt sorry that his uncle, Bāvarī, had missed the opportunity to hear such a profound exposition, and hence his failure to become an Arahat. However, his 1,000 pupils became Arahats. All of them, Piṅgiya as a Non-returner (Anāgāmī) and his pupils as Arahats, were summoned as monastics by the Buddha.
The question posed by each of the sixteen pupils of Bāvarī and the Buddha’s answers to them were compiled as distinct discourses by the reciters at the Council, such as the Questions of the Young Man Ajita (Ajita-māṇava-pucchā), etc. The background story and the sixteen discourses have been given the title of the Way to the Beyond because they lead to the yonder shore of Saṁsāra, to Nibbāna.
By the end of the Way to the Beyond 16,016 recluses became Arahats, i.e., all but Piṅgiya became Arahats. 140 million hearers also attained path and fruit at various levels of path-knowledge, having understood the four noble truths.
The huge audience, on the occasion of the Way to the Beyond, who came from different places, found themselves back at home at the end of the discourse due to the Buddha’s powers. The Buddha returned to Sāvatthī accompanied by thousands of Arahat disciples, with the exception of Ven. Piṅgiya.
Piṅgiya’s Discourses to Bāvarī
Ven. Piṅgiya did not accompany the Buddha to Sāvatthī because he had undertaken to report back his experience to his uncle. Buddha granted him permission to return to his dwelling. He appeared at the bank of river Godhāvarī by his psychic power, and thence went to his dwelling on foot.
As Bāvarī awaited the return of his nephew, sitting and watching the road, he saw Ven. Piṅgiya, in the guise of a monastic, instead of his former appearance as a recluse with the usual equipment. He rightly conjectured that the Buddha indeed had appeared in the world. When Ven. Piṅgiya got into his presence, he asked him: “How is it? Has the Buddha appeared?” – “It is true, Brahmin, the Buddha has appeared in the world. He gave us a discourse while residing at the Pāsāṇaka Shrine. I shall pass on the teaching to you.” On hearing this, Bāvarī and his 500 pupils prepared a special seat for Ven. Piṅgiya, showing him great respect. Then Ven. Piṅgiya took his seat and delivered a discourse consisting of 15 verses to Bāvarī, which is known as the Verses on the Recital of the Way to the Beyond (Pārāyaṇānugīti, Snp 1130-45). Refer to the Anthology of Discourses (Sutta-nipāta). A prose rendering follows.
1. “I will recite the Buddha’s Discourse on the Way Beyond (Pārāyaṇa): The Buddha who is an Arahat, untainted by the filth of delusion, endowed with vast knowledge which is comparable to the earth, released from sensuousness, barren of the forests of defilements, expounded the Dhamma as he has understood it. Why should the Buddha say something which is untrue?
2. Come, now, I will sing in praise of the Buddha, the one purified of the dirt of delusion (moha), the one purged of conceit (māna) and ingratitude (makkha).
3. Brahmin, the Buddha has dispelled the darkness of the defilements. He is endowed with the all-seeing eye. He has reached the end of the world. He has passed beyond all forms of existence. He is free of the pollutants. He has exhausted all suffering (dukkha). He has earned the name of ‘the Awakened One.’ This man, Brahmin, is the man I have resorted to.
4. Brahmin, like a bird that leaves the lowly bushes of scanty fruit and resorts to a fruitful grove, so also I have left the company of lesser minds, and like a golden swan, have reached a great lake of immense wisdom.
5. Brahmin, before the time of Buddha Gotama’s teaching, religious teachers proclaimed their views to me saying: ‘This is how it has always been, and this is how it will always be.’ They were mere hearsay knowledge, gaining ground as oral tradition. They only serve as sources of unwholesome speculation bearing on sensuality, and so on.
6. Brahmin, that Buddha Gotama whom I have followed is unrivalled. He is committed to dispelling darkness. He has a halo around his person and sheds the light of knowledge everywhere. My teacher, Buddha Gotama, has awe-inspiring wisdom. His intelligence is infinite like the earth.
7. Brahmin, the Buddha expounded to me the Dhamma which can be personally perceived, which is not delayed in its result, which leads to the end of craving, and to the security of Nibbāna. That Buddha, my teacher, is beyond comparison.”
8-9. Thereupon Bāvarī asked Piṅgiya thus: “Piṅgiya, whereas the Buddha expounded to you the Dhamma which is personally appreciable, which is not delayed in its result, which leads to the end of craving, and to security against all defilements and, whereas the Buddha is beyond comparison; has awe-inspiring wisdom, and infinite intelligence like the earth, yet why do you ever stay away from him?”
Bāvarī scolded his nephew for not staying close to such a great man as the Buddha.
10-11. “Brahmin, that Buddha, my Teacher, expounded to me the Dhamma which can be personally apperceived, which is not delayed in its result, which leads to the end of craving, and to security against all defilements. He has awe-inspiring wisdom, and infinite intelligence like the earth. In fact, I do not stay away from him even for a moment.
12. Brahmin, with mindfulness, I am seeing the Buddha in my mind as clearly as with my eyes, I am seeing him by day or by night. By night I remember his greatness with reverence. That is why I never consider myself away from the Buddha, even for a moment.
13. Brahmin, my conviction, my delightful satisfaction, and my mindfulness, never leave the Buddha Gotama’s teaching. Wherever the Buddha, endowed with infinite wisdom, goes, I bow in my mind in that direction in homage.
14. Brahmin, it is due to my old age that I am not physically able to go to the Buddha. But I always go to him in my thoughts. My mind is always connected with his presence.
15. Brahmin, I was laying in the mire of sensuousness, agitated all the time, while drifting from one island to another, while taking refuge in one teacher now, and then another teacher next. Now I have met the teacher, at the Pāsāṇaka Shrine who is free of the pollutants, who has crossed over the floods of Saṁsāra.”
Ven. Piṅgiya having become a noble one (ariya), could address his uncle only as “Brahmin,” and not “uncle.” On the part of Bāvarī, he was used to calling his nephew, “Piṅgiya” and did not mean to be disrespectful to the monastic in calling him by his name.
Buddha’s Delivery of a Discourse
At the end of the fifteenth verse above, the Buddha knew that Ven. Piṅgiya and his uncle, Bāvarī, had become fit enough to receive higher knowledge, their five faculties of confidence (saddhā), energy (viriya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā) had matured, and he sent his Buddha-radiance to them while remaining at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī. The golden-hued radiance appeared before them. Just as Ven. Piṅgiya was describing the noble qualities of the Buddha to his uncle, he saw the golden shaft of radiance and, paying attention to it carefully, he saw the presence of the Buddha as if the Buddha was standing in front of him. “Look! The Buddha has come!” he exclaimed in wonderment.
Bāvarī then stood up and paid homage to the Buddha with palms joined and raised to his forehead. The Buddha then intensified the radiance and let his person be seen by Bāvarī. Then he made a discourse suited to both Bāvarī and his nephew, but addressed it to Ven. Piṅgiya (Snp 1152):
Yathā ahū Vakkali mutta-saddho,
Bhadrāvudho Āḷavī Gotamo ca.
Piṅgiya, there have been monastics who became Arahats through sheer force of confidence in the Three Treasures such as Vakkali, Bhadrāvudha, who was one of the sixteen close pupils of Bāvarī, and Gotama of Āḷavī.
Evam-eva tvam-pi pamuñcassu saddhaṁ,
gamissasi tvaṁ Piṅgiya Maccu-dheyyassa pāraṁ.
Likewise, you should place your confidence in the Three Treasures and by directing that confidence towards Nibbāna, cross over from the other shore of Saṁsāra, which is the domain of Death.
At the end of the discourse, Ven. Piṅgiya became an Arahat. Bāvarī became a Non-returner (Anāgāmi-phala) and his 500 pupils attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala). Ven. Piṅgiya responded to the above admonition of the Buddha thus (Snp 1153-5):
Esa bhiyyo pasīdāmi, sutvāna munino vaco,
vivaṭṭacchado Sambuddho, akhilo paṭibhanavā.
Venerable sir, the words of the Great Recluse (Mahā-muni), the Buddha, makes me deeply satisfied. My confidence in the Three Treasures is strengthened. The Buddha has removed the roof of Saṁsāra. He is free from the darts of the defilements. He is endowed with elaborate and analytical knowledge.
Adhideve abhiññāya, sabbaṁ vedi varo-varaṁ.
pañhānantakaro Satthā, kaṅkhīnaṁ paṭijānataṁ.
The Perfectly Awakened One, who resolves all problems and who is the teacher of those that falsely claim to be free from doubt, knows the pure ones who are superior to the greatest of Devas and humans, having understood through his extraordinary wisdom all factors that lead to purity.
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
yassa natthi upamā kvaci,
addhā gamissāmi na mettha kaṅkhā,
evaṁ maṁ dhārehi adhimutta-cittaṁ.
Great Recluse, imperturbable, immutable, and beyond any standards of comparison is Nibbāna with no trace of existence remaining. And I have no doubt that I am bound for that Nibbāna. May the Fortunate One recognize me as one who has directed his confidence to Nibbāna, whose mind is free from defilements.