by Donald Lopez
‘Thus Āḷāra Kālāma, teacher, placed me, his pupil, on an equal footing with himself and awarded me the highest honour. But it occurred to me: “This dhamma does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to nibbāna, but only to reappearance in the base of nothingness.” Not being satisfied with that dhamma, I left it and went away.
‘Still in search, bhikkhus, of what is wholesome, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace, I went to Uddaka Rāmaputta and said to him, “Friend, I want to lead the holy life in this dhamma and discipline.” Uddaka Rāmaputta replied: “The venerable one may stay here. This dhamma is such that a wise man can soon enter upon and abide in it, realizing for himself through direct knowledge his own teacher’s doctrine.” I soon quickly learned that dhamma. As far as mere lip-reciting and rehearsal of his teaching went, I could speak with knowledge and assurance, and I claimed, “I know and see” – and there were others who did likewise.
‘I considered: “It is not through mere faith alone that Rāma declared: ‘By realizing for myself with direct knowledge, I enter upon and abide in this dhamma.’ Certainly Rāma abided knowing and seeing this dhamma.” Then I went to Uddaka Rāmaputta and asked him: “Friend, in what way did Rāma declare that by realizing for himself with direct knowledge he entered upon and abided in this dhamma?” In reply Uddaka Rāmaputta declared the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
‘I considered: “Not only Rāma had faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom; I too have faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom. Suppose I endeavour to realize the dhamma that Uddaka Rāmaputta declared he entered upon and abided in by realizing for himself with direct knowledge?”
‘I soon quickly entered upon and abided in that dhamma by realizing for myself with direct knowledge. Then I went to Uddaka Rāmaputta and asked him: “Friend, was it in this way that Rāma declared that he entered upon and abided in this dhamma by realizing for himself with direct knowledge?” – “That is the way, friend.” – “It is in this way, friend, that I also enter upon and abide in this dhamma by realizing for myself with direct knowledge.” – “It is a gain for us, friend, it is a great gain for us that we have such a venerable one for our companion in the holy life. So the dhamma that Rāma declared he entered upon and abided in by realizing for himself with direct knowledge is the dhamma that you enter upon and abide in by realizing for yourself with direct knowledge. And the dhamma that you enter upon and abide in by realizing for yourself with direct knowledge is the dhamma that Rāma declared he entered upon and abided in by realizing for himself with direct knowledge. So you know the dhamma that Rāma knew and Rāma knew the dhamma that you know. As Rāma was, so are you; as you are, so was Rāma. Come, friend, now lead this community.”
‘Thus Uddaka Rāmaputta, my companion in the holy life, placed me in the position of teacher and accorded me the highest honour. But it occurred to me: “This dhamma does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to nibbāna, but only to reappearance in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.” Not being satisfied with that dhamma, I left it and went away.
‘Still in search, bhikkhus, of what is wholesome, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace, I wandered by stages through the Magadhan country until eventually I arrived at Senānigama near Uruvelā. There I saw an agreeable piece of ground, a delightful grove with a clear-flowing river with pleasant, smooth banks and nearby a village for alms resort. I considered: “This is an agreeable piece of ground, this is a delightful grove with a clear-flowing river with pleasant, smooth banks and nearby a village for alms resort. This will serve for the striving of a clansman intent on striving.” And I sat down there thinking: “This will serve for striving.”
‘Then, bhikkhus, being myself subject to birth, having understood the danger in what is subject to birth, seeking the unborn supreme security from bondage, nibbāna, I attained the unborn supreme security from bondage, nibbāna; being myself subject to ageing, having understood the danger in what is subject to ageing, seeking the unageing supreme security from bondage, nibbāna, I attained the unageing supreme security from bondage, nibbāna; being myself subject to sickness, having understood the danger in what is subject to sickness, seeking the unailing supreme security from bondage, nibbāna, I attained the unailing supreme security from bondage, nibbāna; being myself subject to death, having understood the danger in what is subject to death, seeking the deathless supreme security from bondage, nibbāna, I attained the deathless supreme security from bondage, nibbāna; being myself subject to sorrow, having understood the danger in what is subject to sorrow, seeking the sorrowless supreme security from bondage, nibbāna, I attained the sorrowless supreme security from bondage, nibbāna; being myself subject to defilement, having understood the danger in what is subject to defilement, seeking the undefiled supreme security from bondage, nibbāna, I attained the undefiled supreme security from bondage, nibbāna. The knowledge and vision arose in me: “My deliverance is unshakeable; this is my last birth; now there is no renewal of being.”
‘I considered: “This dhamma that I have attained is profound, hard to see and hard to understand, peaceful and sublime, unattainable by mere reasoning, subtle, to be experienced by the wise. But this generation delights in worldliness, takes delight in worldliness, rejoices in worldliness. It is hard for such a generation to see this truth, namely, specific conditionality, dependent origination. And it is hard to see this truth, namely, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, nibbāna. If I were to teach the dhamma, others would not understand me, and that would be wearying and troublesome for me.” Thereupon there came to me spontaneously these stanzas never heard before:
Enough with teaching the dhamma
That even I found hard to reach;
For it will never be perceived
By those who live in lust and hate.
Those dyed in lust, wrapped in darkness
Will never discern this abstruse dhamma
Which goes against the worldly stream,
Subtle, deep, and difficult to see.
Considering thus, my mind inclined to inaction rather than to teaching the dhamma.
‘Then, bhikkhus, the Brahmā Sahampati knew with his mind the thought in my mind and considered: “The world will be lost, the world will perish, since the mind of the Tathāgata, accomplished and fully enlightened, inclines to inaction rather than to teaching the dhamma.” Then, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, the Brahmā Sahampati vanished in the Brahmā-world and appeared before me. He arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, and extending his hands in reverential salutation towards me, said: “Venerable sir, let the Blessed One teach the dhamma, let the Sublime One teach the dhamma. There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are wasting through not hearing the dhamma. There will be those who will understand the dhamma.” The Brahmā Sahampati spoke thus, and then he said further:
In Magadha there have appeared till now
Impure teachings devised by those still stained.
Open the doors to the deathless! Let them hear
The dhamma that the Stainless One has found.
Just as one who stands on a mountain peak
Can see below the people all around,
So, O wise one, all-seeing sage,
Ascend the palace of the dhamma.
Let the Sorrowless One survey this human breed,
Engulfed in sorrow, overcome by birth and old age.
Arise, victorious hero, caravan leader,
Debtless one, and wander in the world.
Let the Blessed One teach the dhamma,
There will be those who will understand.
‘Then I listened to the Brahmā’s pleading, and out of compassion for beings I surveyed the world with the eye of a buddha
. Surveying the world with the eye of a buddha, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and with dull faculties, with good qualities and with bad qualities, easy to teach and hard to teach, and some who dwelt seeing fear in blame and in the other world. Just as in a pond of blue and red lotuses, some lotuses that are born and grow in water thrive immersed in the water without rising out of it, and some other lotuses that are born and grow in the water rest on the water’s surface, and some other lotuses that are born and grow in the water rise out of the water and stand clear, unwetted by it; so too, surveying the world with the eye of a buddha, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and with dull faculties, with good qualities and with bad qualities, easy to teach and hard to teach, and some who dwelt seeing fear in blame and in the other world. Then I replied to the Brahmā Sahampati in stanzas:
Open for them are the doors to the deathless,
Let those with ears now show their faith.
Thinking it would be troublesome, O Brahmā,
I did not speak the dhamma subtle and sublime.
‘Then the Brahmā Sahampati thought: “I have created the opportunity for the Blessed One to teach the dhamma.” And after paying homage to me, keeping me on the right, he thereupon departed at once.
‘I considered thus: “To whom should I first teach the dhamma? Who will understand this dhamma quickly?” It then occurred to me: “Āḷāra Kālāma is wise, intelligent and discerning; he has long had little dust in his eyes. Suppose I taught the dhamma first to Āḷāra Kālāma. He will understand it quickly.” Then deities approached me and said: “Venerable sir, Āḷāra Kālāma died seven days ago.” And the knowledge and vision arose in me: “Āḷāra Kālāma died seven days ago.” I thought: “Āḷāra Kālāma’s loss is a great one. If he had heard this dhamma, he would have understood it quickly.”
‘I considered thus: “To whom should I first teach the dhamma? Who will understand this dhamma quickly?” It then occurred to me: “Uddaka Rāmaputta is wise, intelligent and discerning; he has long had little dust in his eyes. Suppose I taught the dhamma first to Uddaka Rāmaputta. He will understand it quickly.” Then deities approached me and said: “Venerable sir, Uddaka Rāmaputta died last night.” And the knowledge and vision arose in me: “Uddaka Rāmaputta died last night.” I thought: “Uddaka Rāmaputta’s loss is a great one. If he had heard this dhamma, he would have understood it quickly.”
‘I considered thus: “To whom should I first teach the dhamma? Who will understand this dhamma quickly?” It then occurred to me: “The bhikkhus of the group of five who attended upon me while I was engaged in my striving were very helpful. Suppose I taught the dhamma first to them.” Then I thought: “Where are the bhikkhus of the group of five now living?” And with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I saw that they were living at Benares in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
‘Then, bhikkhus, when I had stayed at Uruvelā as long as I chose, I set out to wander by stages to Benares. Between Gayā and the Place of Enlightenment the Ājīvika Upaka saw me on the road and said: “Friend, your faculties are clear, the colour of your skin is pure and bright. Under whom have you gone forth, friend? Who is your teacher? Whose dhamma do you profess?” I replied to the Ājīvika Upaka in stanzas:
I am one who has transcended all, a knower of all,
Unsullied among all things, renouncing all,
By craving’s ceasing freed. Having known this all
For myself, to whom should I point as teacher?
I have no teacher, and one like me
Exists nowhere in all the world
With all its gods, because I have
No person for my counterpart.
I am the Accomplished One in the world,
I am the teacher supreme.
I alone am a Fully Enlightened One
Whose fires are quenched and extinguished.
I go now to the city of Kāsi
To set in motion the wheel of dhamma
In a world that has become blind
I go to beat the drum of the deathless.
‘By your claim, friend, you ought to be the Universal Victor.’
The victors are those like me
Who have won to destruction of taints.
I have vanquished all evil states,
Therefore, Upaka, I am a victor.
‘When this was said, the Ājīvika Upaka said: “May it be so, friend.” Shaking his head, he took a byway and departed.
‘Then, bhikkhus, wandering by stages, I eventually came to Benares, to the Deer Park of Isipatana, and I approached the bhikkhus of the group of five. The bhikkhus saw me coming in the distance, and they agreed among themselves thus: “Friends, here comes the recluse Gotama who lives luxuriously, who gave up his striving, and reverted to luxury. We should not pay homage to him or rise up for him or receive his bowl and outer robe. But a seat may be prepared for him. If he likes, he may sit down.” However, as I approached, those bhikkhus found themselves unable to keep their pact. One came to meet me and took my bowl and outer robe, another prepared a seat, and another set out water for my feet; however, they addressed me by name and as “friend”.
‘Thereupon I told them: “Bhikkhus, do not address the Tathāgata by name and as ‘friend’. The Tathāgata is an Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One. Listen, bhikkhus, the deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you, I shall teach you the dhamma. Practising as you are instructed, by realizing for yourselves here and now through direct knowledge you will soon enter upon and abide in that supreme goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life to homelessness.”’
From the Ariyapariyesanā Sutta, Majjhima Nikāya (MN i 163–172).
From The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya, trans. Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995), pp. 256–64.
15
A LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
As noted in the previous chapter, the earliest accounts of the life of the Buddha are those found in the collections of discourses traditionally attributed to the Buddha. Here the Buddha autobiographically recounts individual events that occurred from the time that he left his life as a prince until he achieved enlightenment six years later. A separate text, the Mahāparinibbānasutta, describes the Buddha’s last days, his passage into nirvāṇa, his funeral and the distribution of his relics. Biographical accounts in the early sūtras provide little detail about the Buddha’s birth and childhood.
Near the beginning of the Common Era, independent accounts of the life of the Buddha began to be composed. Yet here again, they do not recount his life from birth to death, often ending instead with his triumphant return to his native city of Kapilavastu, which is said to have taken place either one year or six years after his enlightenment. These partial biographies add stories that were to become well known, such as the four chariot rides outside the city in which he first learns of the existence of old age, sickness and death.
In a sense, jātaka stories (see chapters 17–19) might also be considered part of the Buddha’s biography, recounting his lives as a bodhisattva. These jātaka stories (of which there are 547 in a Pali collection) have remained among the most popular forms of Buddhist literature over the centuries; at the stūpa at Bhārhut in India, dating from the second century BCE, there are some thirty-two jātaka stories depicted in stone carvings, compared with fifteen events from the last life of the Buddha.
Lives of the Buddha that comprised events from his birth until his death began to appear in the second century of the Common Era; one of the most famous is the Sanskrit poem Buddhacarita (Deeds of the Buddha) by Aśvaghoṣa. However, it is only in texts such as the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya (probably dating from the fourth or fifth century CE) that there is an attempt to gather the many stories of the Buddha into a single chronological accoun
t. In the centuries that followed, the life of the Buddha would be written and rewritten in India and across the Buddhist world, adding and subtracting elements as necessary.
The biography of the Buddha that appears here is taken from a work called the Chronicle of the Councils (Saṅgītyavaṃsa) by Vimaladhamma, written in Pali in Thailand in 1789. It is a highly compressed biography, moving through the events of the Buddha’s life and death at a rapid rate. Unlike the autobiographical account in the previous chapter, this version begins long before the Buddha’s final birth, and ends after his death. Indeed, this account begins with the story of Sumedha, the yogin who, aeons ago, vowed to free all beings from rebirth, and who made that vow in the presence of the past buddha Dīpaṃkara, who predicted that he would become a buddha named Gotama. The bodhisattva perfected himself over millions of lifetimes until his penultimate birth, in the Tusita heaven, from whence he surveyed the world to select the place of his final birth and achievement of buddhahood. The biography goes on to describe his childhood and youth, his renunciation of the world, practice of asceticism and achievement of enlightenment. It moves quickly through the conversion of his first disciples and the establishment of the order of monks (there is no mention of the order of nuns), before describing the Buddha’s passage into nirvāṇa. The text does not end there, but continues to describe the concern of Mahākassapa and other senior disciples that the dharma and the vinaya may pass away with the master. They therefore convened a council of elders to recite everything that they had heard from the Buddha and to codify it into what is known as the tripiṭaka (tipiṭaka in Pali), the three collections of the sūtra, vinaya and abhidharma.
Each biography of the Buddha has perspectives which it seeks to promote; among those here is the view of the Theravāda school as standing in a direct line of transmission to this council of the Buddha’s chief disciples.