2. Anāthapiṇḍika the Rich Man
Aspiration in the Past
The future Anāthapiṇḍika was reborn into a wealthy family in the city of Haṁsavatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. When he was listening to a discourse by the Buddha, he saw a lay disciple being named as the foremost lay disciple among those who delight in generosity. He had a strong desire to become such a distinguished disciple and after making an extraordinary offering to the Buddha, he expressed his aspiration before him, and it was confirmed.
Discipleship in His Last Existence
The future Anāthapiṇḍika was reborn in fortunate destinations for 100,000 aeons and during the time of Buddha Gotama, he was reborn as the son of Sumana, a rich man of Sāvatthī. His name, given by his parents, was Sudattha. Sudattha in time became the head of the family. He earned the reputation of Anāthapiṇḍika, “one who gives food to the destitute.”
For more details about this remarkable man refer to chapter 20c. Here, only a brief account will be given as described in the commentary on the Collection of the Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttara-nikāya).
One day, Anāthapiṇḍika went to Rājagaha on a trading trip where he visited his friend a rich man in Rājagaha. There, he learned the news that the Buddha had appeared in the world. He could not wait till the city gates of Rājagaha were open the next morning so he could meet the Buddha. Such was his zeal. So he left the city at dawn with the Devas opening the gate for his visit. He met the Buddha, benefitted from a discourse by him, and was established in the fruition of Stream-entry knowledge. On the next day, he made a great offering to the Buddha and his Saṅgha and had the Buddha’s consent to visit Sāvatthī.
He returned to Sāvatthī, and on the way back he made arrangements with his friends of each location by providing them with 100,000 pieces of money to build a monastery at an interval of one league along the way for the temporary residence of the Buddha and his company of monastics. The distance between Rājagaha and Sāvatthī being 45 leagues, he therefore spent 4,500,000 on the 45 temporary transit monasteries.
At Sāvatthī, he bought a large park, which was the pleasure garden of Prince Jeta. He paid a sum of money according to the number of gold coins laid out over the entire park, with their rims touching each other. This amounted to 180 million. On that piece of land, he built a golden monastery costing another 180 million. At the formal dedication ceremony of the Jetavana monastery, which lasted for three months, Some say five months, some even nine months. a lavish feast was provided to guests, both in the mornings and in the daytime. This cost him another additional 180 million.
Foremost Title Achieved
The Jetavana monastery alone therefore cost 540 million. The regular donations to the Buddha and his Saṅgha consisted of the following offerings:
1. 500 monastics were offered alms food daily by the ticket system (salaka-bhatta).
2. 500 monastics were offered alms food once during the waxing period of the month and once during the waning period.
3. 500 monastics were offered rice gruel daily by the ticket system.
4. 500 monastics were offered rice gruel once during the waxing period of the month and once during the waning period.
5. Daily offerings of alms food were made to: 500 monastics who had arrived in Sāvatthī recently and who had not acquainted themselves with the daily route for collecting alms food;
6. There was always a seating place for 500 monastics at any time at Anāthapiṇḍika’s house.
Hence, on one occasion when the Buddha, while residing at the Jetavana monastery, was acknowledging lay disciples according to their merit, he declared:
Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ upāsakānaṁ
dāyakānaṁ yad-idaṁ Sudatto gahapati Anāthapiṇḍiko.
Monastics, among my lay disciples who delight in giving, Sudattha the householder, also known as Anāthapiṇḍika, is the foremost.
The Discourse Giving Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika
Here we shall give a condensed account of the Discourse giving Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika (Anāthapiṇḍikovāda-sutta) which Anāthapiṇḍika liked very much. A full account of this discourse is contained in the Collection of the Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima-nikāya, MN 143).
During the Buddha’s residence at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder was sick, in pain, and gravely ill. Then he called an attendant and said: “Please approach the Fortunate One. Prostrate yourself at his feet, and say to him: ‘Venerable sir, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is sick, in pain, and is gravely ill. He pays homage with his head at the feet of the Fortunate One.’ Further, approach Ven. Sāriputta, and prostrate yourself at his feet, and say to him: ‘Venerable sir, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is sick, in pain, and gravely ill. He pays homage with his head at the feet of Ven. Sāriputta.’ And also say thus: ‘Venerable sir, may Ven. Sāriputta, out of compassion, come to the house of Anāthapiṇḍika.’ ”
When Anāthapiṇḍika was in good health, he usually paid a visit to the Buddha at least once a day, and twice or thrice if he could manage it. But now that he was on his death bed, he was sending an attendant as messenger.
“Very well, sir,” replied the attendant to Anāthapiṇḍika, and went to the Buddha. He paid homage to the Buddha, prostrating himself at his feet, and said to him as instructed by his master. Then it was nearly sunset, and he next went to Ven. Sāriputta, approached him, prostrating himself at his feet, and said to Ven. Sāriputta as instructed by his master, requesting the venerable to visit Anāthapiṇḍika. Ven. Sāriputta signified his acceptance by remaining silent.
Then, Ven. Sāriputta robed himself up, and carrying his alms bowl and double robe, went to the house of Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, accompanied by Ven. Ānanda as his attendant in place of another monastic which was the custom. Upon arrival and after taking the seat prepared for him, he asked Anāthapiṇḍika: “Householder, are you feeling well? Are you feeling better? Is your pain decreasing and not increasing? Does it appear to be decreasing and not increasing?”
Anāthapiṇḍika, replied to Ven. Sāriputta how he was feeling unwell, how he was not feeling any better, how his pain was increasing and not decreasing, and how it appeared to be increasing and not decreasing, by giving four examples.
Ven. Sāriputta knew that the illness of the householder was not controllable but that it would end only with this death. So he considered it important not to talk about anything but to give a discourse that would be of benefit to him.
He gave the following discourse in a comprehensive manner: Since there is no possibility of checking an ailment which will end only with the death of the sufferer who, being under the influence of craving, conceit and wrong view, is attached to the six sense spheres, the six sense objects, the six kinds of consciousness, the six kinds of contact, the six kinds of sensation, etc.
So he said: “Householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for the eye, by way of either craving or conceit or wrong view, which is corporeality with sensitivity of seeing; then the consciousness which is dependent on the eye, through a subtle fondness (nikanti-taṇhā) for the eye
Herein, “You should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment to the eye,’ is said to exhort the householder to view the eye as impermanent (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and unsubstantial (anatta). This is so because if one views the eye as impermanent, conceit cannot gain any foothold, and it cannot arise; if one views the eye as suffering (dukkha), craving and attachment to the eye as “my eye” cannot arise; if one views the eye as unsubstantial, the wrong view of a personal identity or the ego as “my self” cannot arise. Hence to be free of the misconceptions through conceit, craving and wrong view, one should repeatedly view the eye as impermanent, suffering and unsubstantial.
The three misconceptions of conceit, craving and wrong view are crude mental states. Even when those misconceptions disappear, there is a subtle fondness (nikanti) for the eye that tends to persist. Ven. Sāriputta exhorts the householder to have his consciousness freed of this subtle fondness. The same applies to the other five sense bases, such as ear, nose, etc. and also to sense objects, etc.
Having exhorted Anāthapiṇḍika to train himself to be free of attachment from the eye through conceit, craving and wrong view, and also to have no lingering fondness for the eye, Ven. Sāriputta further exhorted him as follows:
“That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for the ear … the nose … the tongue … for the mind, the mind-base; and not even a subtle fondness for the mind.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for visual objects … sounds … odours … tangible objects … mind-objects; and not even a subtle fondness for mind-objects.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for eye-consciousness … ear-consciousness … nose consciousness … body-consciousness … mind-consciousness; and not even a subtle fondness for mind-consciousness.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for eye-contact … ear-contact … nose-contact … tongue-contact … body-contact … mind-contact; and not even a subtle fondness for mind-contact.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for sensation arising out of eye-contact … ear-contact … nose-contact … tongue-contact … body-contact … mind-contact; and not even a subtle fondness for sensation arising out of mind-contact.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for the element of solidity … the element of cohesion … the element of heat … the element of motion … the element of space … the element of consciousness; and not even a subtle fondness for the element of consciousness.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for corporeality … sensation … perception … volitions … consciousness; and not even subtle fondness for consciousness.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for the absorption (jhāna) of the infinity of space … the infinity of consciousness … nothingness … neither-consciousness-nor-non-consciousness; and not even a subtle fondness for the absorption of neither-consciousness-nor-nonconsciousness.’
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for the present world; then the consciousness which is dependent on the present world,
That being so, householder, you should practise thus: ‘I will have no attachment for the hereafter; then the consciousness which is dependent on the hereafter, through a subtle fondness for the hereafter, will not arise in me.’ Householder, you should practise the threefold training in this way.”
From the first to the eighth round of exposition, the sentient world is being referred to. In the last, ninth round, “the present world” refers to volitions related to dwelling, food and raiment and other possessions; “the hereafter” means all forms of existence beyond the human existence. Ven. Sāriputta, by mentioning the hereafter, hints that the householder should not crave for grand mansions, gorgeous food and raiment, etc. in any of the celestial worlds.
Thus Ven. Sāriputta gave a comprehensive discourse in nine turns on the same theme. It may be noted that the three roots: craving, conceit and wrong view, are completely eliminated on becoming an Arahat. Of the three, wrong view is eradicated when Stream-entry knowledge in gained.
Ven. Sāriputta repeatedly exhorted Anāthapiṇḍika to practise so that no attachment to anything arises in the mind through any of these misconceptions. This connotes that becoming an Arahat should be the goal. This theme he impressed on the householder by nine different factors: sense spheres, sense-objects, consciousness, contact, sensation, elements, aggregates, absorption of the formless realm, and all things (sabba-dhamma) knowable. The voidness, the emptiness, the unreality of these phenomena is comprehended when one becomes an Arahat.
When the discourse had ended, Anāthapiṇḍika, wept bitterly. Then Ven. Ānanda said to Anāthapiṇḍika: “Householder, are you attached to your possessions? Householder, are you wavering about your meritorious deeds?”
“Venerable sir,” replied Anāthapiṇḍika, “I am not attached to my possessions. Nor am I wavering. I have indeed, for a long time, attended upon the Fortunate One. I have also attended upon the monastics who are worthy of respect. But, I have never heard such words of Dhamma before.”
“Householder, the laity who wear white cloths cannot easily understand this word of the Dhamma.”
For lay persons it is not easy to follow the exhortation to break away from dear ones, such as wife and children, and various other possessions, such as valued attendants, fertile fields, etc.
“Householder, this word of the Dhamma can be understood easily only by monastics.”
“Ven. Sāriputta, I beg of you. Let this word of the Dhamma be made clear to the laity who wear white cloths. Venerable sir, there are many worthy men whose understanding is not clouded by the dust of defilements. For them, it is a great loss in not being able to see the supermundane through not having heard the Dhamma. There are likely to be people who will be able to fully understand the Dhamma and become Arahats, if only you expound the Dhamma to them.”
“I have never heard such words of the Dhamma before,” these words spoken by Anāthapiṇḍika needs to be explained. It is not that the householder was never before admonished by the Buddha using words of the same profound meaning. But the doctrine leading to becoming an Arahat expounded by means of such a comprehensive arrangement involving nine different rounds, such as the six sense spheres, the six sense objects, the six kinds of consciousness, the six elements, the aggregates, the four absorptions (jhāna) of the formless realm, the present world and the hereafter, through all manner of knowing them, through seeing, hearing, attaining, cognizing, has never been taught him before.
To explain in another way: Charity and the delight in giving is the hallmark of Anāthapiṇḍika’s character. Never would he pay a visit to the Buddha or to monastics worthy of respect empty-handed. In the mornings, he would take gruel and edibles
The Buddha, during the 24 years of his association with Anāthapiṇḍika, mostly praised him for his generosity: “I had practised generosity over four incalculable periods and 100,000 aeons. You are following my footsteps.” Great disciples, like Ven. Sāriputta, usually discoursed to Anāthapiṇḍika on the benefits of giving in generosity. That is why Ven. Ānanda said to him: “Householder, the laity who wear white clothes cannot easily understand this word of the Dhamma,” with reference to the present discourse by Ven. Sāriputta.
This should not be taken to mean that the Buddha never discoursed to Anāthapiṇḍika on the cultivating of insight, leading to path-knowledge and its fruition. In fact, the householder had heard the need for insight-development. Only that he had never listened to such an elaborate discussion running to nine rounds as in the present discourse. As the sub-commentary on the Discourse giving Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika has pointed out: “As a matter of fact, the Fortunate One had indeed discoursed to Anāthapiṇḍika on the subject of insight development as the straight course to the attainment of the noble path.”
Anāthapiṇḍika Reborn in the Tusita Realm
After admonishing Anāthapiṇḍika, Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Ānanda departed. Not long after they had left, Anāthapiṇḍika passed away and was reborn in the Tusita Realm.
Then, around the middle watch of the night, the Deva Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Buddha, and made obeisance to him.
Herein, the reason for Deva Anāthapiṇḍika’s visit to the Buddha should be noted. Being reborn in the Tusita Realm, Anāthapiṇḍika found out, was a great thing, full of sense pleasures. His body, three miles long, was shining like a mass of gold. His mansion, pleasure gardens, the wish-fulfilling tree where he could get anything by mere wishing, etc. were indeed alluring.
He reviewed his past existence and saw that his devotion to the Three Treasures had been the cause of this resplendent fresh existence. He considered his new Deva life. It was full of ease and comfort which could easily drown him in sense pleasures and forget the good doctrine. “I must now go to the human world and sing the praises of the Jetavana monastery, which was his past deed of merit, the Saṅgha, the Buddha, the noble path, and Ven. Sāriputta. Only on returning from the human world will I start enjoying this freshly acquired life.”
Four Verses Addressed to the Buddha
[These verses are found in the Discourse giving Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika (Anāthapiṇḍikovāda-sutta, MN 143)]
Venerable sir, this Jetavana monastery is the resort by day and by night of the Saṅgha, comprising monastics who are Arahats as well as those training themselves for Awakening. It is the residence of the Fortunate One, the King of the Dhamma. That is why it is source of delight to me.
The Jetavana monastery was a monastic complex comprising the Buddha’s Perfumed Chamber, the square pinnacled monastery, a number of monastic dwellings with exquisite ornate designs with fruit trees, flowering trees and shrubbery and restful seats. It was a religious place of rare elegance, a visitor’s delight. However, the real attraction of the Jetavana monastery lay in its residents, the taint-free noble ones (ariya) such as the Buddha and his noble disciples. And it was that spiritual beauty of the place rather than the sensual attraction that appealed to a noble one (ariya) like Anāthapiṇḍika.
It is through action, volitions associated with the path (magga), knowledge, including right view and right thinking, Dhamma, meaning right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration, and virtuous living based on morality, meaning right speech, right action and right livelihood, that beings are purified. They are not purified through lineage or wealth.
In this verse, Anāthapiṇḍika extols the noble path of eight constituents.
That being so, the wise person, discerning his own welfare which culminates in Nibbāna, should contemplate, with right perception, the impermanence, the suffering and the unsubstantiality of the five aggregates which are the objects of clinging. Contemplating this, that person is purified through realizing the four noble truths.
The mind-body complex which one clings to as oneself, when brought to its ultimate analysis by means of insight-development, reveals its true nature. As insight fully develops into path-knowledge, the truth of the suffering (dukkha) of repeated existences, is seen through by the full understanding of phenomena. The truth of the origin of suffering is seen through and discarded. The truth of the cessation of suffering is realized by direct experience. The truth of the path is penetratingly understood by developing it. Then the yogi is free from the defilements and purity is achieved. In this verse, Anāthapiṇḍika extolled the development of insight and the realization of the path-knowledge.
A certain monastic reaches the other shore of Nibbāna. In this respect, he is equal to Ven. Sāriputta. But Ven. Sāriputta, with his knowledge (paññā), morality (sīla) and calm (upasama), through the pacification of the pollutants (āsava), is the noblest among those monastics who reach the other shore of Nibbāna.
In this verse, Anāthapiṇḍika extols the virtues of Ven. Sāriputta.
Deva Anāthapiṇḍika addressed these four verses to the Buddha. The Buddha listened to them without making any interruption, thus showing his approval. Then, Deva Anāthapiṇḍika thinking gladly: “The Teacher is pleased with these words, of mine,” made obeisance to the Buddha and vanished there and then.
Then, when the night had passed and morning had come, the Buddha addressed the monastics thus: “Monastics, last night, about the middle watch of the night, a certain Deva approached me, made obeisance to me, and stood in a suitable place. Then he addressed me with these verses.” The Buddha recited to the monastics the verses spoken by Deva Anāthapiṇḍika.
Here, the Buddha did not mention the name of Anāthapiṇḍika because he wanted the intuition of Ven. Ānanda to be brought to the fore.
Accordingly, as soon as the Buddha had spoken, Ven. Ānanda, without hesitating a moment, said: “Venerable sir, that Deva must have been the Deva Anāthapiṇḍika. Venerable sir, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had much devotion to Ven. Sāriputta.”
“Well said, Ānanda, well said, Ānanda, you have the right intuition. Ānanda, that Deva was indeed Deva Anāthapiṇḍika,” so said the Buddha.