The Diamond Sutra: 1 of 12

Thus have I heard. Once upon a time, the Buddha sojourned in the Jetavana park near Sravasti with an assembly of twelve hundred and fifty bhiksus.

One day, at mealtime, the World Honored One put on His robe, took His bowl, and entered the great town of Sravasti to beg for His food. After He had begged from door to door, He returned to His place. When He had taken His meal, He put away His robe and bowl, washed His feet, arranged His seat and sat down.

At the time, the elder Subhuti who was in the assembly, rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt upon his right knee, respectfully joined the palms of his hands and said to the Buddha: ‘It is very rare, O World Honored One! How well the Tathagata protects and thinks of all Bodhisattvas; How well He instructs all the Bodhisattvas.

“O World Honored One, when virtuous men or women develop the supreme-enlightenment mind, how should their minds abide and how should they be subdued?’

The Buddha said: “Execellent, excellent, Subhuti! As you say, the Tathagata protects, cherishes and instructs Bodhisattvas so well.

Now list attentively and I will tell you how the minds of virtuous men and women, who develop the supreme enlightenment mind, should thus abide and be subdued.”

(Subhuti replied:) ‘Oh yes World Honored One, I shall be glad to hear (your instruction).’

The Buddha said: ‘Subhuti, all Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas should subdue their minds as follows: All living beings born from eggs, wombs, humidity or by transformation, with or without form, either thoughtful or thoughtless, and neither thoughtful nor thoughtless are all led by me to the final Nirvana for the extinction of reincarnation. Although immeasurable, uncountable and unlimitable numbers of living beings are thus led to (the final Nirvana for) the extinction of reincarnation, it is true that not a living being is led there. Why so, Subhuti? (Because) if a Bodhisattva (still) clings to the false notion (laksana) of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, he is not (a true) Bodhisattva.’

‘Furthermore, Subhuti, a Bodhisattva’s mind should not abide anywhere when giving alms, that is to say, he should give without a mind abiding in form, or he should give without a mind abiding in sound, or in smell, or in taste, or in touch or in things. Subhuti, thus a Bodhisattva should give alms without a mind abiding in false nations of form laksana.’

“Why? (Because) if a Bodhisattva’s mind does not abide in forms (laksanas) when practicing charity (dana), his merit will be inconceivable and immeasurable. Subhuti, what do you think? Can you think of and measure the extent of space in the East?

‘I cannot, World Honored One!’
‘Subhuti, can you think of measure (all) the extent of space in the South, West and North, as well as in the intermediate directions, including Zenith and Nadir?’

‘I cannot, World Honored One!’

‘Subhuti, (when) a Bodhisattva practices charity without a mind abiding in forms, his merit is equally inconceivable and immeasurable.’

‘Subhuti, a Bodhisattva’s mind should THUS abide as taught.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen by means of His bodily form?’

‘No, World Honored One, the Tathagata cannot be seen by means of His bodily form. Why? Because when the Tathagata speaks of bodily form, it is not (real) form.’

The Buddha said to Subhuti: ‘ Everything with form is unreal; if all forms are seen as unreal, the Tathagata will be perceived.’

The Diamond Sutra: 2 of 12

Subhuti said to the Buddha: ‘ World Honored One, will there be living beings who can develop a true belief in these words, sentences and chapters when they are expounded to them?’

The Buddha said: ‘ Subhuti, do not speak like that. In the last 500 years, before the final passing of the Tathagata, there will be those who will observe the rules of morality and perform good actions which will result in blessing. These people will be able to develop a faith in these sentences (which they will consider as) embodying the Truth. You should know that they will not have planted good roots in just one, two, three, for, or five Buddha lands. They will have planted them in countless thousands and tens of thousands of Buddha lands. Upon hearing these sentences, there will arise in them a single thought of pure faith. Subhuti, the Tathagata knows and sees all; these living beings will thus acquire immeasurable merits. Why? (Because) they will have wiped out false notions of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, of Dharma and Not-Dharma. Why? (Because) if their minds grasp form (laksana), they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. If their minds grasp the Dharma, they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Why? (Because) if their minds grasp the Not-Dharma, they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Therefore, one should not grasp and hold on to the notion of Dharma as well as that of Not-Dharma. This is why, the Tathagata always said: “Ye Bhiksus, should know that the Dharma I expound is likened to a raft.” Even the Dharma should be cast aside; how much more so that Not-Dharma?

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Has the Tathagata (in fact) obtained Supreme Enlightenment (Anubodhi)? Does the Tathagata (in fact expound the Dharma?’

Subhuti replied: ‘As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, there is not fixed Dharma called Supreme Enlightenment and there is also no fixed Dharma the Tathagata can expound. Why? (Because) the Dharma the Tathagata expounds cannot be clung to and cannot be expressed (in words); it is neither Dharma nor Not-Dharma. Why is this? All Bhadras and Aryas differ on account of the Eternal Asamskrta Dharma.’

The Diamond Sutra: 3 of 12

‘Subhuti, what do you think? If someone filled the Universe with the seven treasures and gave them all as alms, would his merit be great?’

Subhuti replied: ‘Very great, World Honored One. Why? Because this merit is not the nature of merit, the Tathagata says it is great.’

‘Subhuti, if on the other hand, someone received and kept even a four line stanza of this sutra and expounded it to others, his merit would surpass that (of the giver of treasures). Why? (Because), Subhuti, all Buddhas and their Supreme-Enlightenment-Dharma originate from this sutra. Subhuti, the so-called Buddhas and Dharmas are not real Buddhas and Dharmas.

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can one who has entered the stream (srota-apanna) have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of entering the stream?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why? Because srota-apanna means ‘entering the stream’, but actually there is no entry into either form, sound, smell, taste, touch or dharma. Therefore, he is called srota-spanna.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can a Sakrdagamin have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of a Sakrdagamin?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why? Because Sakrdagamin means “once more to come”, but actually there is neither coming nor going. Therefore, he is called a Sakrdagamin.”

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Anagamin have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of an Anagamin?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why? Because Anagamin means “no-coming” but actually there is no such a thing as no-coming. Therefore, he is called an Anagamin.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can a Arhat have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the enlightenment of an Arhat?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why?’ Because there is no Dharma which is called Arhatship. World Honored One, if an Arhat thinks “I have obtained the enlightenment of an Arhat”, he will still grasp and hold on to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. World Honored One, the Buddha has declared that I have obtained the Passionless Samadhi and that I surpass all men. I am, therefore, the highest passionless Arhat. World Honored One, I do not think “I am a passionless Arhat” for, World Honored One, if I had thought “I have attained Arhatship”, the World Honored One would not have said: “Subhuti takes delight in the calm and quiet, free from temptation and distress.” The fact that Subhuti does not act (mentally) is called the calm and quiet in which Subhuti takes delight.’

The Buddha said to Subhuti: ‘What do you think? Did the Tathagata obtain anything from the Dharma, when in the past He was with Dipamkara Buddha?’

‘No, World Honored One. When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara, He did not obtain anything from the Dharma.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Do Bodhisattvas adorn Buddha lands (by their moral actions)?”

‘No, World Honored One. Why Because this is not real adornment; it is (merely) called the adornment of Buddha lands.’

The Diamond Sutra: 4 of 12

‘Subhuti, this is why all Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas should thus develop a pure and clean mind which should not abide in form, sound, smell, taste, touch and dharma. They should develop a mind which does not abide in anything.’

‘Subhuti, supposing a man has a body as great as mount Sumeru, what do you think? Would such a body be great?”

Subhuti replied: ‘Very great, World Honored One. Why? Because the Buddha says it is not the real body but is (merely) called a great body.’

‘Subhuti, if there were as many rivers like the Ganges as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, would the total of grains of sand in all these rivers be very great?’

Subhuti replied: ‘Very great, World Honored One! These rivers would be innumerable; how much more so would be their sand-gains.’

‘Subhuti, I now tell you truly. IF a virtuous man or woman filled a number of universes, as great as the number of sand-grains in all these rivers, with the seven treasures, and gave them all away in alms (dana), would his or her merit be great?’

Subhuti replied: ‘Very great, World Honored One!’

The Buddha said to Subhuti: ‘If a virtuous man or woman receives and holds (in mind) even a four-line stanza of this sutra and expounds it to others, his or her merit will surpass that of the almsgiver. Furthermore, Subhuti, wheresoever this sutra or even one of its four-line stanzas, is expounded, you should know that all devas, men and asuras should make their offerings there as if the place was a Buddha stupa or a Buddha temple. How much more so if someone is able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite the whole sutra! Subhuti, you should know that such a person will achieve the highest and rarest Dharma. Wheresoever this sutra may be found, the Buddha and His respected disciples will be there also.’

The Diamond Sutra: 5 of 12

Subhuti then asked the Buddha: ‘World Honored One, what name should be given to this sutra and how should we receive and hold it (in mind)?’

The Buddha said: ‘This sutra should be called “The Diamond prajna-paramita” under which name you should receive and hold it. Why? Because, Subhuti, the Prajna-paramita as expounded by the Buddha, is not Prajna-paramita but is (merely) so called.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata expound the Dharma?’

Subhuti said: ‘World Honored One, the Tathagata does not expound anything.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Are there many particles of dust in the universe?

Subhuti replied: ‘Many, World Honored One!’

‘Subhuti, the Tathagata says these particles of dust are not (real),(but) are (merely) called particles of dust. The Tathagata says the universe is not (real), but it is (merely) called the universe.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be perceived by means of His thirty-two physical characteristics (laksanas)?”

‘No, World Honored One. The Tathagata cannot be perceived by them. Why? Because the Tathagata says they are not real but are (merely) called the thirty-two physical characteristics.’

‘Subhuti, if on the one hand, a virtuous man or woman, in giving alms (dana), sacrifices as many lives as there are sand-grains in the Ganges, and on the other hand, someone receives and holds (in mind) even a four-line stanza of this sutra, and expounds it to others, the merit resulting from the latter will be greater.’

The Diamond Sutra: 6 of 12

At that time, after listening to this sutra, Subhuti had understood its profound meaning and was moved to tears. He said to the Buddha: ‘How rare, O World Honored One! The Buddha has expounded such a very profound sutra. Since I have acquired the wisdom eye, I have not heard of such a sutra. World Honored One, if someone after listening to this sutra believes that his mind is clean and pure, he will realize reality. We should know that such a person will achieve the highest and rarest merit. World Honored One, this Reality is not Reality but the Tathagata calls it Reality. World Honored One, as I now listen to this sutra I have no difficulty in believing, understanding, receiving and holding it, but in the last epoch, the last five hundred year period if there be a man who (happens to) listen to this sutra, believes, understands, receives and holds it, he will be most rare. Why? Because he will no longer (think in terms of) an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Why? Because the forms of an ego, a personality, a being and a life are not forms. Why? Because when he has rejected all forms he is called a Buddha.’

The Buddha said: ‘Just so! Subhuti, just so! If on the one hand, there be a man who listens to this sutra and is not filled with alarm, fear, or dread, you should know that such a person is most rare. Why? Because, Subhuti, as the Tathagata says, the first perfection (paramita) is not so (but) is (merely) called the first perfection (paramita).

‘Subhuti, the Tathagata speaks of the Perfection of Patience (ksanti-paramita) which is not but is called the Perfection of Patience. Why? Because, Subhuti, in (a) past (life) when my body was mutilated by Kaliraja, I had at that time no notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Why? Because, in the past, when my body was dismembered, if I (still) held the conception of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, I would have been stirred by feelings of anger and hatred. Subhuti, I also remember that in the past, during my former five hundred lives, I was a Ksantyrsi and held no conception of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Therefore, Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should forsake all conceptions of form and resolve to develop the Supreme Enlightenment Mind (Anuttara-samyaksam-bodhi). Their minds should not abide in form, sound, smell taste, touch, and dharma. Their minds should abide nowhere. If minds abide nowhere, it will be in falsehood. This is why the Buddha says that Bodhisattvas’ mindsd should not abide in form when practicing charity (dana). Subhuti, all Bodhisattvas should thus make offerings for the welfare of all living beings. The Tathagata speaks of forms which are not forms and of living beings who are not living beings.

The Diamond Sutra: 7 of 12

Subhuti, the Tathagata’ words are true and correspond to reality. They are ultimate words, neither deceitful nor heterdox. Subhuti, the Dharama the Tathagata has obtained is neither real nor unreal.

‘Subhuti, in future ages, if a virtuous man or woman is able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite this sutra, the Tathagata, by means of His Buddha Wisdom, will know and see clearly that such a person will achieve immeasurable and unlimitable merits. Subhuti, if (on the one hand) a virtuous man or woman sacrifices in the pratice of charity (dana), as many lives as the sand-grains of the Ganges in the morning, at midday and again in the evening, and continues so doing throughout numberless aeons; and if, (on the other hand) a person after listening to this sutra believes in his own mind without (further) contradiction, the latter’s merit will surpass that of the former. How much more so if this sutra is written, received, held, read, recited and expounded to others!

‘Subhuti, to sum up, the merits resulting from this sutra are inconceivable, inestimable and without limit. The Tathagata expounds it to those initiated into the Mahayana and the Supreme Yana. If they are able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite it and expound it widely to others, the Tathagata will know and will see that they will achieve inexpressible and inconceivable merits that are without measure or limit. They will bear (responsibility for) the Tathagata’s Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi). Why? Because, Subhuti, those who take delight in the Hinayana and hold the view of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, cannot listen to, receive, hold (in mind), read and recite this sutra and explain it to others.

‘Subhuti, wheresoever this sutra may be found, all worlds of devas, men and asuras should make offerings, for you should know that such a place is just a stupa which should be revered, worshipped and circumambulated, with offerings of flowers and incense.

‘Furthermore, Subhuti, if a virtuous man or woman receives, holds (in mind), reads and recites this sutra and is despised by others, this person who is bound to suffer from evil destinies in retribution for his past sins, and whose karmic sins are now eradicated by others’ contempt, will attain Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi).

‘Subhuti, I remember that is the past countless aeons before the advent of Dipamkara Buddha, I met 84,000 milliards of Buddhas to whom I made offerings and who I served faultlessly. Now if in the last period (of 500 years) in the Buddha kalpa someone is able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite this sutra, his merits will far exceed mine which resulted from my offerings made to Buddhas, for mine cannot be reckoned as one hundredth, one thousandth, one ten thousandth or one hundred thousandth part thereof; in fact no computation or comparison is possible. Subhuti, in the last period of the Buddha kalpa, if a virtuous man or woman is able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite this sutra, my full statement of this person’s merits will create derangement, doubt and disbelief in the minds of all listeners. Subhuti, you should know that as the meaning of this sutra is inconceivable, so is the fruit of its reward.’

The Diamond Sutra: 8 of 12

At the time, Subhuti asked the Buddha: ‘World Honored One, if a virtuous man or woman is determined to develop the Supreme Enlightened Mind, how should his or her mind abide and how should it be subdued?’

The Buddha said to Subhuti: ‘A virtuous man or woman who is determined to develop the Supreme Enlightened Mind, should thus develop it: I have to lead all living beings to put a stop to (reincarnation) and escape (suffering), and when they have been so led, not one of them in fact stops (reincarnating) or escapes suffering. Why? Because, Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva clings to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, he is not a (true) Bodhisattva. Why? Because, Subhuti, there is not really a Dharma which can develop the Supreme-Enlightenment-Mind.

‘Subhuti, what do you think? When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara Buddha, did He have any Dharma by means of which He attained Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi)?

‘No, World Honored One. As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, when He was with Dipamkara Buddha, He had no Dharma by means of which He attained “Supreme Enlightenment”.’

The Buddha said: ‘Just so! Subhuti, just so! There was really no Dharma by means of which the Tathagata attained Supreme Enlightenment. Subhuti, if there had been, Dipamkara Buddha would not have predicted: “In your next life, you will be a Buddha named Sakyamuni”.

‘Why is it? Because “Tathagata” means the suchness of all Dharmas. If someone still says: “The Tathagata obtained Supreme Enlighenment,” I tell you, Subhuti there is no Dharma by means of which the Buddha did so, (because), Subhuti, that Enlightenment was by itself neither real or unreal. This is why the Tathagata says that all Dharmas are Buddha’s Dharmas. Subhuti, these so-called Dharmas are not, but are (expediently), called all Dharmas. Subhuti, supposing there is a man whose body is great …’

Subhuti said: ‘World Honored One, the great body of which the Tathagata speaks is not great, but is (expediently) called a great body.’

‘Subhuti, in like manner, if a Bodhisattva says: “I should lead uncountable living beings to put a stop to (reincarnation) and escape (from suffering)”, he cannot be called a Bodhisattva. Why? Because there is really no dharma called the Bodhisattva (stage). Therefore, the Buddha says: “Of all dharmas, there is not a single one which possesses an ego, a personality, a being and a life.” Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva says: “I should adorn Buddha lands”, he cannot be called a Bodhisattva. Why? Because when the Tathagata speaks of such adornment it is not, but is (expediently), called adornment. Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva is thoroughly versed in (the doctrine of) the unreality of ego and of thins (dharma), the Tathagata will call him a true Bodhisattva.

The Diamon Sutra: 9 of 12

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess human eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses human eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess deva eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses deva eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess wisdom eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses wisdom eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess Dharma eyes?

‘Yes, World Honored One. The Tathagata possesses Dharma eyes’

‘Subhuti, What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess Buddha eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses Buddha eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata say that the sand-grains in the Ganges are sand-grains?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata says they are sand-grains.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? If there were as many Ganges rivers as sand-grains in the Ganges, and if there were as many Buddha realms as sand-grains of all these Ganges rivers, would there be many world systems?’

‘Many, World Honored One!’

The Buddha said: ‘The living beings in all these world systems have many different minds which are all known to the Tathagata. Why? Because the minds the Tathagata speaks of are not minds, but are (expediently) called minds. And why? Because, Subhuti, neither the past, the present nor the future mind can be found.

‘Subhuti, what do you think? If someone filled the universe with the seven treasures and gave all away in his practice of dana, would this (good) cause enable the giver to gain a great merit?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, because of this (good) cause the giver would gain a great merit.’

‘Subhuti, if the merit was real, the Tathagata would not say it was great. He says so because there is no merit.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be perceived by His completely perfect physical body (rupa-kaya)?’

‘No, World Honored One, the Tathagata should not be so perceived. Why? Because the Buddha says the completely perfect rupa-kaya is not, but is called the completely perfect (rupa-kaya).’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be perceived by His completely perfect forms?’

‘No, World Honored One, the Tathagata should not be so perceived, because the Tathagata says the completely perfect forms are not, but are called completely perfect forms.’

The Diamon Sutra: 10 of 12

‘Subhuti, do not say that the Tathagata thinks: ‘I must expound the Dharma”. Do not have such a thought. Why? Because if someone says so, he will really slander the Buddha and be unable to understand my teaching. Subhuti, when (the Tathagata) expounds the Dharma, there is really no Dharma to teach: but this is (expediently) called teaching the Dharma.’

Then the wise Subhuti said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One, will there be in future ages living beings who will believe this Dharma when they hear it?’

The Buddha said: ‘Subhuti, the living beings (you just mentioned) are neither living nor not living beings. Why? Because, Subhuti, the Tathagata says these living beings are not (really), but they are (expediently), called living beings.’

Subhuti said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One, does your (own) attainment of Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi) mean that you have not gained anything whatsoever?’

The Buddha replied: ‘Just so, Subhuti, just so, I have not gained even the least Dharma from Supreme Enlightenment, and this is called Supreme Enlightenment. Furthermore, Subhuti, this Dharma is universal and impartial; wherefore it is called Supreme Enlightenment. The practice of all good virtues (Dharmas), free from attachment to an ego, a personality, a being and a life, will result in the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment. Subhuti, the so called good virtues (Dharmas), the Tathagata says, are not good, but are (expediently) called good virtues.

‘Subhuti, if (on the one hand) a man, in his practice of charity (dana) gives away the seven treasures piled up in a heap as great as all the Mounts Sumeru in the Universe put together, and (on the other hand) another man receives, holds (in mind), reads and recites even a four-line stanza of this Prajna-paramita Sutra, and expounds it to others, the merit resulting from the former’s dana will not be worth one-hundredth, one-thousandth, one-ten-thousandth and one-hundred thousandth part of that obtained by the latter, as no conceivable comparison can be made between the two.’

The Diamond Sutra: 11 of 12

‘Subhuti, what do you think? You should not say the Tathagata has this thought (in His mind): “I should liberate living beings.” Subhuti, you should not think so. Why? Because there are really no living beings whom the Tathagata can liberate. If there were the Tathagata would hold (the concept of) an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Subhuti, (when) the Tathagata speaks of an ego, there is in reality no ego, although common men think so. Subhuti, the Tathagata says common men are not, but are (expendiently) called, common men.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be recognized by His thirty-two physical characteristics?’

Subhuti replied: ‘Yes,yes, He can!’

The Buddha said: ‘Subhuti, if the Tathagata can be recognized by His thirty-two physical characteristics, a world ruler (cakravarti) would be the Tathagata.’

Subhuti said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One, as I understand your teaching, the Tathagata cannot be recognized by His thirty-two physical characteristics.’

Thereupon, the World Honored One recite the following gatha:

‘He who sees me by outward appearance
(And) seeks me in sound,
Treads the heterodox path,
(And) cannot perceive the Tathagata.

‘Subhuti, if you have (in your mind) this thought: ‘The Tathagata does not rely on His possession of characteristics to obtain Supreme Enlightenment,” Subhuti, banish that thought. Subhuti, if you think it while developing the Perfect Enlightenment Mind, you will advocate the annihilation of all Dharmas. Do not have such a thought. Why? Because one who develops the Supreme Enlightenment Mind, does not advocate the annihilation (of things).

‘Subhuti, if (on the one hand) a Bodhisattva gave in his practice of dana, all the seven treasures in quantities sufficient to fill worlds as many as sand-grains in the Ganges, and (on the other hand) another man comprehended that all dharmas were egoless and thereby surpass that of the former. Why? Because, Subhuti, all Bodhisattvas not receive reward for their merits?’

Subhuti asked the Buddha: ‘World Honored One, why do Bodhisattvas not receive reward for their merits?’

‘Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should have no longing and no attachment when they practice meritotious virtues; therefore, they do not receive a reward.

The Diamon Sutra: 12 of 12

‘Subhuti, if someone says that Tathagata comes or goes, sits or lies, he does not understand what I mean. Why? Because the Tathagata has neither whence (to come) nor whither (to go); therefore, He is called the Tathagata.’

‘Subhuti, What do you think? If a virtuous man or woman reduced to dust all the worlds in the Universe, would those particles of dust be many?’

Subhuti replied: ‘Many, World Honored One. Why? Because if they really existed, the Buddha would not say they were particles of dust. And why? Because when the Buddha speaks of particles of dust, they are not, but are (expediently) called, particles of dust. World Honored One, when the Tathagata speaks of worlds, they are not but (expediently) called, worlds. Why? Because if they really exist, they are just agglomerations. The Tathagata speaks of agglomerations which are not, but are (expediently) called, agglomerations.’

‘Subhuti, that which is called an agglomeration cannot be spoken of, but the vulgar man has longing for and attachment to this thing.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? If someone says: “The Buddha speaks of the view of an ego, a personality, a being and a life.”, Subhuti, does that Person understand what I mean?’

‘No, World Honored One, that person does not understand. Why? Because (when) the Tathagata speaks of the view of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, it is not really, (but) is (expediently) called the view of an ego, a personality, a being and a life.’

‘Subhuti, he who develops the Supreme Enlightenment Mind, should thus know, see, believe and comprehend (all things); he should not set up the perception of things (dharma-laksana) in this mind. Subhuti, the so-called form of things (dharma-laksana), the Tathagata says is not, but is, (expediently) called the form of things.’

‘Subhuti, if on the one hand, someone gave away in alms (dana) the seven treasures in quantities sufficient to fill all the worlds in uncountable aeons, and if on the other hand, a virtuous man or woman developed the Bodhi-mind, and received, held (in mind), read and recited even a four-line stanza of this sutra and expounded it to others, the latter’s merit would surpass that of the former. In what manner should it be taught to others? By teaching it without attachment to form with the immutability of the absolute.

‘Why is it? Because:
All phenomena are like
A dream, an illusion, a bubble and a shadow,
Like dew and lightning.
Thus should you meditate upon them’.

When the Buddha had finished expounding this sutra, the elder Subhuti, together with bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasaka, upasikas, and all the worlds of devas, men and asuras who had listened to His teaching, were filled with joy and believed, received and observed it.

The Life of The Buddha: 0 of 32

Credits
======
Compiled by: Rev. Siridhamma
Donated by: The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation
Address: 11th Floor, 55, Hang Chow S. Rd. Sec 1, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.
Year: 1995

For Free Distribution

King Suddhodana and Queen Maha Maya: 1 of 32

Long ago, there was a king called Suddhodana. He married a beautiful Koliyan princess named Maha Maya. The couple ruled over the Sakyas, a warrior tribe living next to the Koliya tribe, in the north of India. The capital of the Sakya country was Kapilavatthu.

Since King Suddhodana was a very good king and Queen Maha Maya was equally good, everyone in the kingdom loved them. But they did not have children and they were longing for a son for a long time.

One full moon night, in the palace, the Queen had a dream. She felt herself being carried away by four DEVAS (angels) to Lake Anotatta in the Himalayas. After bathing her in the Lake, the DEVAS clothed her in Heavenly clothes. Soon after a white elephant, holding a white lotus flower in its trunk, appeared and went round her three times. Finally the elephant disappeared. She woke up. She found it was all a dream.

The next day, early in the morning, the Queen told the King about the dream. The King was puzzled and so he sent for some wise men and asked them the meaning of the dream.

The wise men said

“Your Majesty, you are very lucky, the DEVAS have chosen our Queen as the mother of the Purest-One and the child will become a very great being.”

The King and Queen were very happy when they heard this.

They were so pleased that they invited many of the noblemen in the country to the palace to a feast and to tell them the good news.

Even the needy were not forgotten. Food and clothes were given to the poor people.

The Birth in Lumbini Park: 2 of 32

About ten months after the dream, the Queen was expecting her child and so she went to the King and said

“My dear, I have to go back to my parents. My baby is about due now.”

Since it was the custom in India, for a wife to have her baby in her father’s house, the King agreed saying

“Very well, I will make the necessary arrangements for you to go.”

The King then sent soldiers ahead to clear the road and some were retained to guard the Queen as she was carried in a decorated palanquin. The Queen left Kapilavatthu in a long procession of soldiers and retainers, for the capital of her father’s kingdom.

On the way to the Koliya country, they passed a garden called Lumbini Park. This garden was near the kingdom called Nepal, at the foot of the Himalayan Mountains. At that time, the park was full of sweet scented flowers growing on the Sala trees and thousands of birds, bees and other insects had flocked to the trees.

The beautiful park with its trees and scented flowers and busy birds and bees attracted the Queen. Since the park was a good resting place, the Queen ordered the bearers to stop there for a while. However, as she rested underneath one of the Sala trees, her baby boy was born. It was an auspicious day. The birth took place on a VESAK full moon day, in the year 623 B.C.

According to the legends about this Birth, the baby began to walk seven steps forward and at each step, a lotus flower appeared on the ground where his foot should have been.

Another legend tells us that the baby said:

Aggohamsmi Lokassa (I am the chief in the world)
Jettho Lamasmi Lakassa (There is no equal to me)
Settho Hamasmi Lokassa (I am supreme)
Aya mantima jati (This is my last birth)
Natthi dani punabhavo (No Rebirth for me)

After the birth of her baby son, Queen Maha Maya immediately returned to Kapilavatthu.

When the King learnt of this he was very happy and there was rejoicing all over the country.

The Naming Ceremony: 3 of 32

The King Suddhodana had an old teacher. As the teacher was very wise, he was known as a Sage. His real name was Kala Devala but people usually call him Asita the Sage. Asita lived in the jungle. He had heard that the King then had a son; he was very happy because this was the first time a child was born to the King.

The next day, he went to see the King’s son. The King was very happy to see his wise old teacher again. In the palace , after the sage was seated, the King brought the Prince before the Sage and said

"Teacher, my son was born only yesterday. Here he is. Please see if his future will be good.”

As the King said thus, he lowered the infant Prince before the Sage so that he might examine him properly. However, the baby turned his feet on to the Sage’s head. Thus surprised, Asita took hold of the baby’s feet and examined them very carefully. He saw some marks on the Prince’s feet. Then he got up and said,

“This Prince will become a very great Teacher in this world.”

The Sage was very pleased and putting him palms together, paid due respect to the baby Prinece. The King seeing this, also did the same. This was the first salutation of the King.

Everyone was happy and pleased to know of the Sage’s prediction.

On the fifth day, the King invited five wise men to witness the Naming Ceremony and to suggest a good name for the Prince. The wise men examined the birth marks of the Prince and concluded that

“The Prince will be a King of kings if he wants to rule. If he chooses a religious life then he will become the Wisest – the Buddha.”

The youngest of the five wise men called Kondanna said

“This Prince will be the Buddha and nothing else.”

Then the wise men gave hime the name SIDDHARTHA meaning “wish-fulfilled”

His Education: 4 of 32

On the seventh day, Prince Siddhartha’s mother died. The king had another queen called Prajapati Gotami. She was the younger sister of Queen Maha Maya. She had given birth to a son on the same day that Queen Maha Maya died. Then Prajapati Gotami gave her own son to a nurse and brought up Prince Siddhartha as her own son. She loved him very much. Prince Siddhartha could not remember his own mother.

When Prince Siddhartha was only a few years old, King Suddhodana sent him to school. There were many children in his class. All of them were from noble families. His teacher was called Sarva Mitra.

He learnt languages, reading, writing, mathematics, history, geography, science and many games like boxing, archery, wrestling and many others. He learnt all these subjects faster than any other pupil in his class. He was the cleverest in the class, the best in games and the best in everything. He gained distinction in every subject and become cleverer than his teachers. He was the wisest and the only one who asked many questions from his teachers and elders. He was the strongest, the tallest and the most handsome boy in the class. He was never lazy, never misbehaved and never disobedient to the teachers. He loved everybody and everybody loved him. He was a friend of all; kind even to animals and never harmed them.

Prince Siddhartha's Kindness: 5 of 32

Prince Siddhartha was very kind to people, animals and other living things. As a very brave horseman he won many prizes in the country. Although he did not have to suffer any hardships and difficulties as he had everything, he always thought of the poor people and living things who were working hard to make him happy. He felt sorry for them and wanted to make them happy too as he always was.

One day he was walking in the woods with his cousin Devadatta who had his bow and arrows with him. Suddenly Devadatta saw a swan flying and shot at it. His arrow brought the swan down. Both the boys ran to get the swan. As Siddhartha could run faster than Devadatta, he reached the bird first and found, to his surprise, that the swan was still alive. So he gently pulled out the arrow from the wing. He then got a little juice from cool leaves, put it on the wound of the bird to stop the bleeding and with his soft hand, stroked the swan which was very frightened. When Devadatta came to claim the swan, naturally Prince Siddhartha refused to give it to him. Devadatta was very angry to see his cousin keeping the swan away from him.

“Give me my bird, I shot it down.”

Said Devadatta.

“No, I am not going to give it to you. If you had killed it, it would have been yours. But now since it is only wounded and alive it belongs to me because I saved its life.”

Said Siddhartha.

Devadatta still did not agree. Then Siddhartha suggested,

“Let us go to the court of wisemen and ask them who really owns the swan.”

Devadatta agreed and then both of them went to the court of wisemen to tell them about their quarrel. The wisemen said,

“A life certainly must belong to him who tries to save it, a life cannot belong to one who is only trying to destroy it. The wounded swan by right belongs to Siddharta.”

Prince Siddhartha’s Wedding: 6 of 32

Prince Siddhartha finished his studies very soon. He had the best teachers to learn from; the best friends to play with; the best house to live in; the best clothes to wear and the best food to eat. His father had built him three palaces one for each season – one for winter, one for summer and one for the rainy season. He had also built for him extensive parks and hunting grounds with ponds with water-lilies, swans and beautiful fish in them.

Asita and Kondanna who come to the palace had warned the king,

“When your son sees a sick man, an old man, a dead body or a monk, he will want to leave your palace and become a monk himself.”

The king was worried that his son would see them and leave the palace. Therefore he gave him many young servants and did not allow any sick man or old man to go into the palace. The king did not even let anybody talk about sickness, old age, death and monks. But Prince Siddhartha was very thoughtful and was asking people many questions. He really wanted to know the meaning of life.

One day the king asked some wise people,

“What shall I do to make my son happy? He seems to be thinking always.”

They said:

“Now your son is sixteen years old. Shall we get a beautiful girl for him to marry?”

The King agreed and sent for all the beautiful girls in the country to come to the palace. When all of them came the King asked the prince to choose one to be his wife.

Among them there was a most charming and kind girl by the name of Yasodhara. When Prince Siddhartha gave her a present more valuable than what he had given to the other maidens, the King saw that the Prince had chosen his love. The King happily accepted Yasodhara and allowed his son to marry her.

An Old Beggar: 7 of 32

After what he had done for the Prince the King was satisfied that his son would follow his footsteps and become a king later. He ordered a high wall to be built round the Palace including the park. But the Prince was not happy in this palace living like a prisoner. One day he told his father,

“Father, I must go out of the palace gate and see how other people live.”

“Very well, my son,”

said the king,

“you shall go outside the palace wall to see how people live in my city. But first I must prepare things, so that all would be good and proper for my noble son’s visit.”

When the people had decorated the city the king said,

“Now you can go, my dear son, and see the city as you please.”

As the young Prince was going through the streets, all of a sudden, from a small old hut beside the road, out come an old man with long silver grey hair, wearing very old torn, dirty rags. The skin of his face was all dried up and wrinkled. His sunken eyes were dim and he was almost blind. There was no teeth in his mouth. He stood up trembling all over almost bent double holding a stick and he did this with two skinny hands to save himself from falling. The old beggar dragged himself along the street paying no attention to all the people around him. He was speaking very feebly, begging people around him to give him food as he would die they very day if he had nothing to eat. The Prince saw the old man. He did not know what he was looking at as that was the first time in his life that he saw an old man of this type.

“What is that Channa?”

He asked his driver.

“That really cannot be a man! Why is he all bent? What is he trembling for? Why is his hair silver grey, not black like mine? What is wrong with his eye? Where are his teeth? Is that how some men are born? Tell me, O, good Channa, what does this mean?”

Channa told the Prince, that it was an old man but he was not born like that.

“When young he was like us and now due to his old age he has become like this.”

He told the Prince to forget this man. But the prince was not satisfied.

“Everyone in the world, if he lives long enough becomes like this man. It cannot be stopped,”

said Channa.

The Prince ordered him to drive back home at once as he was very sad, and wanted to think carefully about that terrible thing called old age; as, a prince and others must one day grow old, weak and sad and none could stop old age, although once is rich, great and powerful.

That night there was a grand Royal treat for the prince. He was not interested or happy at all during the dinner and dance. He was thinking all the time,

“Some day you will all grow old, everyone of you, even the prettiest.”

He could not sleep when the time came. He was in bed thinking that one day, everyone would grow old, grey, wrinkled, toothless and ugly like that old beggar. He wanted to know if anyone had found a way to stop this horrible thing – old age.

The king, when he heard this story, was very sad and worried and was thinking whether this would make his son leave the palace. So he told his attendants to put on more dances and dinners. But the prince begged his father to allow him to see Kapilavatthu on an ordinary day without the people being told of his visit.

A Sick Man: 8 of 32

The king very unwillingly allowed the prince to visit the city, but he thought it would not do any good trying to stop him now since it would only make him unhappy. On this occasion the prince went with Channa, dressed up as young men from noble families, because he did not want the people to know them.

This time the city was quite different. No more joyous crowds of people hailed the prince, no flags, bunting, flowers and well-dressed people, but simple people doing their daily work to earn a living. A black-smith was sweating and pounding to make knives. The jewelers and goldsmiths were making necklaces, bangles, earrings and rings out of diamonds, gold and silver. The cloth-dyers were dyeing clothes of lovely color and hanging them up to dry. The bakers were busily baking bread, cakes and sweets and selling them to the customers who ate them still hot. The prince looked at these simple common people. Everyone was very busy, happy and pleased in his work.

He also saw a man on the ground, twisting his body, holding his stomach with both hands and crying out in pain at the top of his voice. All over his face and body were purple patches, his eyes were rolling, and he was gasping fro breath.

Once again for the second time in his life something made him very sad. At once the prince, being a very kind person, ran forward and carried the man and resting his head on his knee, patted the man and said,

“What is wrong with you, what is wrong?”

The sick man could not speak but only cry.

“Channa, tell me why this man is like this?”

questioned the prince,

“What is the matter with his breath? Why does he not talk?”

“O! my prince,”

said Channa,

“do not hold this man like that. This man is sick. His blood is poisoned. He has plague fever and it is burning all over the body and that is why he is crying loudly without being able to speak.”

“But are there any other men like this?”

Asked the prince.

“Yes, you may be the next, if you hold the man so close as that. Please put him down and do not touch him or the plague will come out of him and go to you. You will become the same as he is.”

“Are there any other bad things, besides this plague, Channa?”

“Yes, my prince, there are hundreds of other sicknesses as painful as this,”

replied Channa.

“Can no one help it? Will everyone be sick? Can it happen at any time by surprise?”

asked the prince.

“Yes, my dear prince,”

said Channa,

“Everybody in this world. No one can stop it and it can happen any time. One may fall ill and suffer much.”

The prince was sadder this time and he returned to the palace and began to think.

A Dead Body: 9 of 32

On his return to the palace he was still very dissatisfied and was now thinking more often. The king seeing him so changed become very sad. But once again the prince asked for his permission to go out of the palace to see more life in the city. The king agreed as it was of no use trying to stop his son.

This time, too, wearing the clothes of noblemen the prince and Channa went out from the palace walking in many parts of Kapilavatthu. Then he saw a few people coming along the street crying while four men at the back were carrying a plank on which a very thin man lay flat and still. He was like a stone, never saying a word. Then the people went a little farther, rested the person down on a pile of wood and set the wood on fire. The man did not move as the flames were burning the wood from all sides.

“What is this Channa? Why does that man lie there so still allowing these people to burn him up?”

“He does not know anything. He is dead.”

replied Channa.

“Dead! Channa, Is this called death? And everyone has to be dead like that man?”

“Yes, my dear prince, all living things must die someday. No one can stop death from coming.”

replied Channa.

The prince was shocked and surprised and he could not say anything more. He thought that it was a terrible thing that such a thing called death should come to everybody, even kings, and sons of kings. Was there no way to stop it? He went home in silence and began to think in his own room in the palace the whole day.

He was very sorry and sad and said,

“Everybody in the world must some day die; no one has found out how to stop it. O, there must be a way to stop it. I must find it out and help the whole world.”

A Monk: 10 of 32

When he visited the city for the fourth time, in a garden the prince saw a happy man wearing an orange colored robe. Then he asked Channa.

“Who is this man wearing an orange colored dress? His hair is all shaved off. Why does he look so happy? How does he live and what does he do for a living?”

“That is a monk,”

Said Channa.

“He lives in a temple goes from house to house for his food and goes from place to place telling people how to be happy and how to be good.”

The prince was very happy now. He thought:

“I must become one like that,”

And then he walked through the garden very happily.

He walked until he was tired. Then he sat down under a tree to rest. As he was sitting under a cool shady tree, news came that his wife had given birth to a fine baby boy. As soon as he heard the news he said,

“Rahula has been born to me, an obstacle has been born to me,”

and his son’s name become “Rahula”.

As he was returning to the palace from the garden he passed the room of one of the Princesses called Kisagotami. She was looking out of the window and saw the prince coming. She was so taken in by the young handsome prince that she said loudly:

“O, How happy, and how cool must be the mother, and the father, and the wife of such a handsome young prince!”

As he passed this woman, he heard this and thought to himself that everybody would be happier if they knew what real and selfish happiness were.

Leaving Home: 11 of 32

The king arranged a grand dinner and dance for the prince to celebrate the birth of his grandson. He invited the best dancers and singers in the country for this. He did this because he saw that the prince was unhappy although he just had a son and the king knew that the prince was going to leave the palace for good. So for the last time at least he must do his best to stop this from happening.

During the dinner the most delicious food was served. The most enchanting, and beautiful dancing girls in the country danced before him. The prince attended the party just to please his father. In fact he was tired and was thinking of how he could stop old age, sickness, unhappiness and death. He was so tired of thinking that he soon fell asleep.

When the singers and the dancers saw that they were dancing and singing to a sleeping prince, they, too, stopped and rested for a while until the prince woke up again. Like the prince they, too, were very tired and soon fell asleep. Some time later that night the prince got up and was so shocked and unhappy to see these people. What a sight – all the prettiest, most charming dancing girls and singers in the country, who, an hour ago, were trying to make the prince so happy, were now all over the floor of the room – on chairs, satees and beds in the most ugly, shameful and loathsome positions. Some girls were snoring like pigs, with their mouths wide open, some grinding and chewing their teeth like hungry devils. So ugly and dirty did they look now that this made the prince even more disgusted and very unhappy. He got up quietly from the room as he did not want to wake any of the dancing girls and called his faithful servant, Channa, to saddle his favorite white horse, Kanthaka to go out on a long journey.

As Channa was getting ready his horse he went quietly to see his new born son for the first time in his life. His wife was sleeping with the baby beside her and her hand cover the baby’s face. He could not see the baby’s face even. He knew that if he moved his wife’s hand to see his son’s face he might wake her up and she definitely would not allow him to leave the palace. He said to himself,

“If I try by moving her hand to see my son’s face, I fear, I may wake her. No! I must go without seeing my son’s face this time, but when I have found what I am going forth to seek, I shall come back and see him and his mother again.”

Then quietly he went out of the palace at midnight on his white horse Kanthaka with Channa, his faithful servant, holding on to its tail. He came to the city’s gate and nobody stopped him and he rode away from all who know, respected and loved him so much. He took a last look at Kapilavatthu – sleeping so quietly in the moonlight. He was going away to find out a way to stop old age, sickness, and death.

He rode to the bank of the river Anoma. He got down, removed all his jewellery and princely clothes and gave them to Channa asking him to return them to the king. Then he took his sword and cut his long hair. He put on orange colored clothes, took a begging bowl and asked Channa to go back.

“It is no use living in the palace,”

Said Channa very sadly.

"without you, my master. I want to follow you.”

“Don’t do that, Channa,”

said the prince,

“take these clothes and jewelery to my father and tell him, my mother and wife not to worry. I am going away to find out a way to stop old age, sickness and death.”

As soon as I have found it, I will return to the palace to teach it to my father, mother, wife, son and everybody in the world. Then all of them can be very happy.”

Channa started to go but the horse refused to go. The prince talked to the horse very kindly, patted it and said,

“Please, Kanthaka, go with my friend. Don’t wait for me.”

Both of them went a little distance and then the horse stopped and turned round to have a last look at the prince. Channa understand the horse’s feelings and said,

“Friend, our master is going away to bring us something very good. Don’t be sad. He will come soon. Let us go.”

The horse looked very sad. Tears rolled down from its eyes. It kept its eye fixed at the prince for a few moments. Later, the horse died of sorrow.

King Bimbisara’s Offer: 12 of 32

From the Anoma river, dressed as a beggar, the young prince wandered from place to place. Sometime later he come to Rajagaha city, where King Bimbisara lived. Here with his begging bowl in his hands Siddhartha walked round the streets of this city begging for food from door to door like any other religious monk.

Now he did not have a house to go to nor a friend to talk to nor food to eat. Therefore he ate whatever food was given to him by the people. People began to call him ‘Sage’. Some called him ‘Ascetic’ and some called him ‘Ascetic Gotama’, but nobody called him ‘Prince Siddhartha’ any more.

He was most handsome, very young, very healthy, very clean and neat. He spoke very kindly and gently. He did not ask people to give him anything. But people were very happy and pleased to put some food into his bowl.

Some people went and told the king

“Your majesty, there is a young man, Some people call him ‘Ascetic Gotama’. He is very clean, neat, kind, polite and not like a beggar.”

When King Bimbisara heard the name ‘Gotama’ at once he knew that this prince was the son of King Suddhodana, his friend. He went up to him and asked him,

“Why do you do this? Have you quarreled with your father? Why do you go about like this? Stay here and I shall give you half of my kingdom.”

“Thank you very much, Sir, I love my parents, my wife, my son, you and everybody. I want to find out a way to stop old age, sickness, worries and death. Therefore I am going thus,”

Said Ascetic Gotama and off he went.

Alara and Uddaka: 13 of 32

When Prince Siddhartha left his palace and a life of luxury, five of his friends who heard this, left their homes to become monks like him. One of them was Kondanna, the young wise man. In fact he was the cleverest of the lot. The other wise men were Bhaddiya, Wappa, Mahanama and Assaji. They, too, were wearing orange robes and went from place to place begging for food.

At that time in India there were many religious teachers. The best and well known one was Alara Kalama. Ascetic Gotama went with his five friends to study under him. He stayed and learnt all that Alara could teach him very faithfully and obediently. He was the most hardworking pupil and his master liked him very much as he was very clever too. Finally he could not teach him any more and he said:

“You are the same as I am now. There is no difference between us. Stay here and take my place and teach my pupils with me.”

Ascetic Gotama was surprised and asked,

“You cannot teach me more? Can you teach me the way to stop death, sickness and old age?”

“No”

said Alara.

“I cannot, for I do not know that myself. So how can I teach you that. There is none in the world who knows this.”

Ascetic Gotama left him with his band of five friends. They wandered all over the country practicing what they had learnt. At least they heard of another great teacher who was famous for his cleverness. He was called Uddaka. They went and learnt from him for sometime. Here too Ascetic Gotama learnt very obediently and became his best pupil.

Uddaka too, could not teach him how to stop suffering, old age and death and he too, had never heard of anyone who could solve these problems. Once again Ascetic Gotama was very disappointed and left Uddaka with his five friends and made up his mind to struggle by himself very hard until he found the cause of all the sufferings of life.

Torturing the Body: 14 of 32

After leaving Uddaka, Ascetic Gotama and his five friends wandered from place to place as before. He practiced fasting which was thought to be one of the best ways to acquire wisdom. He, too, at the beginning took little food. Later on he only ate one meal a day for months. Then he took food once in two or three days. He was eating roots of plants, leaves and juice of various leaves and fruits. Because of the lack of proper food his body became so thin that his legs became like bamboo sticks, his backbone was like was like a rope, his rib-bones in the chest were like an uncompleted roof of a house, his eye sank right inside, like a stone in a deep well. His skin was so dry and wrinkled that hairs were missing. In fact he looked like a living skeleton – all bones without any flesh! He suffered terrible pain and hunger and he thought that the only way to happiness was to be most unhappy now. He continued to meditate but still he did not know anything new.

Another way of torturing his body and mind was holding his breath for a long time until he felt terrible pains in the ears, head and the whole body. Then he began to be alone or practiced loneliness. During the Full Moon and New Moon nights he went out to the forests, cemetery and other lonely places to meditate. He became frightened at first in these places, especially when wild animals came. But he never ran away from these places, He stayed behind bravely in these dreadful places meditating all the time.

He used to wear rags or torn dirty clothes from grave-yards and rubbish heaps during this period. In the hot summer he stayed indoors at night and in the burning sun in the day time. In the cold winter at midnight he used to dip himself in the icy cold water and stay for a long time. This was to torture his body and mind even more and suffer even more than ever.

For six long years he did all these practices and in spite of the great pain and suffering he did not find out anything. He finally thought that this was not the way to find out wisdom. One day he fainted in a place called Uruvela. Then a goat boy came and gave him some milk and that made him better. Soon he began to take more milk and food and built up his body. When the five friends saw that he was not fasting anymore, they felt disappointed and left him alone.

Sujata Gave Him Milk-Rice: 15 of 32

In a village called Senani there lived a young, very beautiful and rich girl who wanted to marry and have a son. She waited for many years and she was not successful. The people told her that she must go to a Banyan tree near Neranjara river and ask the tree-god to give her a husband and a lovely son. People at that time believed and prayed to trees and images for help. She did as told by the people. Later on she got married to a young man and they had a lovely son. She was extremely happy and decided to fulfil her vow to that tree-god for giving her all that she had asked for. So on the day she wanted to fulfil the vow she sent her servant to the tree to clean the foot of the Banyan tree.

This young and beautiful lady’s name was Sujata. She had a thousand cows and she fed them with sweet creepers called Valmee so that the cow’s milk was sweet. Then she milked the thousand cows and fed that milk to five hundred cows and their milk to two hundred and fifty cows and so on until she only fed eight cows. She did this to get the sweetest and most nourishing milk to make the delicious milk-rice for the tree-god. She then cooked the rice in this milk. Suddenly she was surprised to see her servant running and coming to her very happy and excited and said:

“O! my lady Sujata, the Banyan tree-god himself has come down from the tree for your food. He is seated under the tree meditating. How lucky you must be to have the good in person to accept you food.”

Sujata too was very happy and excited. She danced with joy with the servant. They then took even more pains to prepare the milk-rice.

Talking with them the delicious milk-rice both of them went towards the Banyan tree. Sujata was so surprised and excited to see her tree-god himself – who was so handsome-looking so serene, sitting and meditating. She did not know that he was in fact Ascetic Gotama. While she was putting the delicious milk-rice in his bowl she said,

“May you be successful in obtaining your wishes as I have been.”

Ascetic Gotama ate the food and then with the empty bowl in his hand, crossed the river Neranjara on the way to Gaya.

Enlightenment – Buddhahood: 16 of 32

In the evening after Sujata’s lovely meal he went to Gaya and looked for a suitable place to sit down and meditate. He sat under a tree called the Bodhi tree with his face to the East and made an earnest wish with very strong determination that

“Though my skin, my nerves and my bones, shall waste away and my life blood go dry I will not leave this seat until I have attained the highest wisdom called supreme Enlightenment that leads to Everlasting Happiness.”

So he practiced the concentration (deep thinking) of breathing in and breathing out on the Wesak Full Moon eve. During this period of concentration on the breathing in and breathing out many evil thoughts began to come to his mind – desire for worldly things, dislike for a holy pure and good life, hunger and thirst, feeling of great thirst and hunger; craving – the intense desire or liking, longing for all things, laziness and idleness; fear of things like devils, evil spirits, doubt stupidity, stubbornness, wish to have everything for oneself; wish to be praised and honored and to do things for fame; thinking very highly about oneself and looking down upon others. These thoughts began to disturb his concentration; but he was more firm than ever. He became more calm and brave and continued his concentration. At last he destroyed all these thoughts during the earlier part of the night and got the power of seeing his own past lives.

In the second part of the night he got the power of seeing the death of living beings and their rebirth and in the third part of the night – in the following morning – he got the power of understanding the cause of all evil and how to get rid of them. Thus he became the wisest person in the world who could answers to the questions lodged in his mind for so many years were then found. He knew how to end sorrow, unhappiness, suffering, old age and death. He also found out the real peace, happiness and freedom. He knew everything more than Man could ever know and he became perfect.

Seven Weeks after the Enlightenment: 17 of 32

1st Week: Under the Bodhi Tree
During the whole of the 1st week, the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree enjoying the happiness of freedom or the joy of everlasting peace. He was then free from disturbing thoughts.

2nd Week: Gazing at the Tree
During the second week, as a great deed of thankfulness or gratitude to the Bodhi tree which sheltered Him during His struggle for Buddhahood, He stood a few feet from the Bodhi tree gazing or looking at the tree without moving His eyes for the whole week. He was meditating on the Bodhi tree.

Following this noble example all Buddhists still pay respect or homeage to, not only the original Bodhi tree, but also its descendants.

3rd Week: Golden Bridge:
He again meditated during the third week. Lord Buddha saw through His mind’s eye and knew that the Devas in the heavens were not sure whether he had attained Enlightenment completely as He continued to stay there. Then to prove His Enlightenment to them the Buddha created a golden bridge in the air and walked up and down for the whole week.

4th Week: Jewelled Chamber
In the fourth week, He created a beautiful jeweled chamber and sitting inside it meditated on the Higher Teaching, or ABIDHAMMA. His mind and body were so purified that six colored rays came out of his body. They were blue, yellow, red, white, orange and mixture of these five. Today these six colors form the Buddhist flag. In fact that week onwards all the six color were round his whole body. Each color represented one noble quality of the Buddha. Yellow for Holiness, white for purity, blue for confidence, red for wisdom, orange for desirelessness and the mixed color represented all these very noble qualities and we too, if we develop our minds and bodies to a high degree of purify, can gain these colors.

5th Week: Three Girls
During this week, the fifth week, while he was enjoying the joys of freedom sitting under the famous Ajapala Banyan Tree near the Bodhi tree, three most beautiful and charming girls called Tanha, Rati and Raga came to disturb his mediation by dancing in the most seductive and charming manner. They did everything to tempt Lord Buddha to watch their dance. He just shut his eyes and continued his meditation and many hours later they felt so tired that they left him in peace.

6th Week: Mucalinda (Tree)
He went and meditated at the foot of another tree called Mucalinda tree. As it was raining very heavily a huge king cobra came and coiled his body seven times round the Buddha’s body, but kept his hood over the Buddha’s head so that the Buddha was protected from getting wet by the heavy rain. When the rain stopped, the snake became a young man and paid his respects to Lord Buddha. This snake was supposed to be a supernatural being. Then the Buddha said:

“Happy is he who is contented. Happiness is for him who has heard the truth and for him who sees the truth. Happy is he who has goodwill in this world towards beings. Happy is who lives in this world with non-attachment, passing beyond sense-desires. The disappearance of the “I am conceit is indeed the highest happiness.”

7th Week: Rajayatana Tree
During the seventh week He was meditating under a tree called the Rajayatana tree.

One the 50th morning, after His long fast for seven weeks, two merchants came to His presence. They were called Tapussa and Bhallika. In fact, they were going in a different direction to another city. Tapussa and Bhallika offered the Buddha rice-cakes and honey.

The two merchants, by taking the two Refuges – in the Buddha and the Dhamma, became the first lay followers of the Buddha. There was no Sangha or Order of Monks then. They requested the Buddha for something sacred to keep with them. They requested the Buddha wiped His head with His right hand and got some hair and gave these to them. This hair was called Kesa Datu (Hair Relics). With this sacred Hair Relics, Tapassu and Bhallika left the place. Later when they reached their hometown they built pagodas and enshrined these sacred Hair Relics in them.

After His meal, the Buddha began to contemplate. He was reluctant to teach His Dhamma to the people. He thought people would not be able to understand His noble and deep teaching for they were very ignorant. Then Brahma Sahampati – Lord of the Three World’s (Human, Deva, and Brahma worlds) came and requested Him to preach the Dhamma to all. The Buddha compassionately accepted this invitation to expound the Dhamma.

Meeting the Five Friends: 18 of 32

Now the Buddha wanted to tell other people how to become wise, good and do service to others. On the fiftieth day the Buddha thought

“Now Asita, Alara and Uddaka are dead. I cannot tell them what I know. But my friends – Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Wappa, Mahanama and Assaji are in Benares. I must go there and preach to them.”

Then He set out to walk to Benares about a hundred miles to tell them what He had found. And wandering day after day from place to place, at last one evening, He came near the grove where those five ascetics were staying. This grove was called the “Deer Park”.

They saw Him coming towards them and one said to another,

“Look yonder! There is that ascetic Gotama coming here – a luxury-loving fellow who gave up fasting and fell back into a life of ease and comfort. Don’t let us speak to Him! Don’t let use show Him any respect! Let nobody go and offer to take His bowl or His extra robe from Him. We’ll just leave a mat there for Him to sit on if He wants to, and if He doesn’t want, He can stand. Who is going to attend on a good-for-nothing ascetic like Him!”

However, as the Buddha came nearer and nearer, they began to notice that somehow He was not the same as He used to be in the days when they had lived with Him and studied under Him. Now there was something about Him, something noble and majestic such as they never had seen before. And almost in spite of themselves, before they well knew what they were doing, they had forgotten all they had just agreed on as to how they were going to receive Him. And one was hastening forward to meet Him, and respectfully taking His bowl and robe from Him, another busily preparing a seat for Him, while a third hurried off and brought Him water to was His feet.

After He had taken the seat the Buddha spoke to them and said:

“Listen, ascetics. I have found the way to deathlessness. Let me tell you. Let me teach you. And if you listen and learn and practice as I tell you, very soon you will know for yourselves not in some future life but here and now in this present lifetime that what I say is true. You will realize for yourselves the state that is beyond all living and death.”

Naturally the five ascetics were very much astonished to hear their old master and teacher talking like this. They had seen Him giving up His hard life of fasting; they had seen Him stop from all efforts to find the Truth, and here He was actually coming to them and telling them that He had found the Truth! They simply did not believe Him; and they told Him so.

“Why friend Gotama,

said they,

“when we were living with you, you practiced all sorts of stern bodily mortifications such as were practiced by no other ascetic we ever heard of in the whole of India, and that was why we took you for our master and teacher. Yet with all you did, you never found out the Truth you wanted to find. How is it possible you can have found it now when you are living a life of luxury, have ceased from striving, and have turned to live in ease and comfort?”

But the Buddha replied,

“You are mistaken, ascetics. I have not given up all efforts. I am not living a life of selfindulgence and idle comfort and ease. Listen to me. I really have attained supreme knowledge and insight. And I can teach it to you so that you also may attain it and possess it for yourselves.”

When the five monks were willing to listen to Him, He delivered His first sermon to these five ascetics. Here in this sermon, the Buddha advised his followers to avoid two extremes such as self-indulgence and self-torture and to practice his teachings. He also advised them to understand the four Noble Truths and to practice the Nobel Path, or to lead a Buddhist way of life.

Yasa and His Fifty-Four Friends: 19 of 32

The Buddha preached to those five friends so that they may attain everlasting happiness. Kondanna, the wisest of the five, listened to Him very attentively and understood the whole teaching of the Buddha. All of them remained there for a short period.

While the Buddha was thus staying in the Deer Park at Isipatana, Benares, there came to see Him a rich young man of the neighbourhood, called Yasa. And after the young Yasa had heard the Buddha explain His teaching and what it led to, he was so pleased with what he heard that he became a Bhikkhu (monk) in order to hear and learn more.

But towards evening, that day, an elderly man came to where the Buddha was, and told Him that his son had left home that morning saying he was going to visit the Buddha, but he had not come home again, and his mother was crying, thinking that he must have been killed by robbers on the way. Then the Buddha told the man that his son had become a Bhikkhu and He began to explain His teaching to the new Bhikku’s father. And so well did He speak that when He had ended, the father also asked to be His follower. The Buddha made him His follower.

Yasa’s father was a millionaire and he invited the Buddha and the other six monks to take lunch in his house. The Buddha accepted the invitation and went to his house. After lunch the Buddha preached to Yasa’s mother and Yasa’s former wife.

Yasa had fifty-four friends. They also were present to see the Buddha and they saw Yasa as a monk. When they heard the preaching of the Buddha they also told the Buddha that they wanted to become monks like Yasa himself. The Buddha agreed and made them monks. In this way within a short time there were sixty monks.

The Kassapa Brothers: 20 of 32

As soon as He had sixty monks the Buddha sent them away to preach His teaching to people everywhere and then He himself also left the deer park at Isipatana, and turning Southwards in the direction of the Magadha country, at last came back to Uruvela.

On the bank of the river there lived three brothers whose names were Uruvela Kassapa, Nadi Kassapa and Gaya Kassapa. They were living separately with 500, 300 and 200 followers respectively.

One evening the Buddha visited Uruvela Kassapa’s hut and said;

“If it is not an inconvenience to you may I spend the night in your kitchen?”

“I don’t mind, Great Gotama, your spending the night in my hut. But there is a fierce serpent king in the kitchen. I am afraid that it would harm you.”

said Uruvela Kassapa.

“O! that I don’t mind. If you have no objection shall I spend the night over there?”

said the Buddha.

“All right, go and sleep. Good night and best of luck.”

said the ascetic.

The Buddha also wishing him good night went into the kitchen and spreading some grass on the floor sat down on it. The serpent-king became very fierce and opening his mouth went to sting the Buddha.

“I will not harm this poor serpent-king. But I will subdue him by my love and kindness.”

thought the Buddha.

The more the serpent-king became angry the more kindly became the Buddha. The serpent-king could not do any harm to the Buddha. Early in the next morning the ascetic thought that the Buddha might have been killed by the serpent-king and said to himself,

“Let me go and bury his body.”

So he went to see the Buddha.

When he went there he found Buddha sitting in deep meditation. The ascetic was shocked and asked Him whether the serpent-king had harmed Him or not.

“Here it is, see yourself.”

said the Buddha and opened His begging bowl in front of the ascetic. Out came the fierce serpent-king. The ascetic ran away for his life. The Buddha stopped him and said that He had a great charm to tame any fierce serpent.

“Can I too learn it?”

asked the ascetic who was very proud of his power at the beginning. He realized that the Buddha had acquired greater power than he and so he became a follower of the Buddha.

As soon as his younger brothers came to now that their elder brother had become a Buddhist, they too followed him. And all the thousand followers of these brothers also became Buddhists.

Returning Home: 21 of 32

When King Suddhodana came to know that the Buddha was preaching in Rajagaha he sent nine messengers, one after another, inviting him to come to Kapilavatthu. All the messengers became monks under the Buddha. The Buddha’s teachings were so appealing to them that they wished to listen more of his teachings and they forgot that they wished to listen to more of his teachings and they forgot to convey the King’s message.

The King also had made arrangements for the Buddha to stay in a park named Nigrodha. But when the Buddha did not come, the King sent Kaludayi who was a playmate of the Buddha to invite the Buddha. Then only, the Buddha received the message and agreed to go to the palace.

When the people of Kapilavatthu came to know that the Buddha had come to their city all of them flocked to the city to see the Buddha, and the Prince Siddhartha’s own relatives said,

“He is our younger brother, our nephew, our grandson.”

They asked their younger ones,

“You go forward and respect him. We will sit behind you.”

Then the Buddha realized that some people even then, did not understand that He was already Enlightened but felt they were His elders. He showed them a miracle called the “Twin miracle”. The King seeing this miracle worshipped him.

The next day, He took his begging bowl and went from door to door asking for food. The King was very annoyed when he saw his son begging in the street. He ran to Him and said,

“Why do you disgrace me, my son? Why do you ruin me like this? Why don’t you take food in the palace? Is it proper for you to beg food in this very city where you used to travel in golden sedan chairs? Why do you put me to shame, my dear son?”

“I am not putting you to shame, O Great King. This is our custom,”

said the Buddha calmly.

“How can it be? Nobody in our family had ever to beg like this. How can you say ‘it is our custom?’”.

“O Great King, that is not the custom of your Royal family. But it is the custom of the Buddhas. All the former Buddhas have lived by receiving their food like this.”

However when the king begged Him to take food in the palace, the Buddha went into the palace to take food.

Princess Yasodhara: 22 of 32

When the Buddha had taken His meal all who knew him as Prince Siddhartha except Yasodhara, came to talk and respect Him. All of them were still surprised but were very happy to see their beloved prince now in an orange colored robe, respected by everybody, loved and worshipped by everybody.

But Yasodhara was in her room thinking,

“Prince Siddhartha is now an Enlightened One – a Buddha. He now belongs to the line of Buddhas. Is it right for me, to go to him? He does not, and cannot need me. Is it right for me to go to him? I think it is better to wait and see. If he comes here, then I will pay him the respect he deserves.”

After a while the Buddha asked,

“Where is Yasodhara?”

“She is in her room,”

said his father.

“Come, let us go there,”

said the Buddha and giving His bowl to the king went to her room. As He entered the room the Buddha said,

“Let her pay me respect as she likes. Say nothing.”

When Yasodhara knew that the Buddha was coming to her room, she ordered her servant girls to wear yellow robes and to welcome Him. And as the Buddha entered her room and before He took His seat she came quickly to Him and holding His ankles, placed her head on His feet and cried and cried until His feet were wet with her tears. The Buddha kept quiet and nobody stopped her until she was very tired of crying. Then she cleaned the Buddha’s feet and sat down respectfully.

When she had sat down, her father-in-law, King Suddhodana said:

“Lord, when my daughter-in-law heard that you were wearing yellow robes, she also robed herself in yellow; when she heard that you were taking one meal a day, she also did the same; when she heard that you had given up lofty couches, she lay on a low couch; when she heard that you had given up garlands and scents, she also gave them up; when her relatives sent messages to say that they would maintain her, she would not even look at anyone. So virtuous was my daughter-in-law.”

“Not only in this last birth O King, but in a previous birth, too, she protected me and was devoted and faithful to me.”

said the Buddha and told him the story of the Candakinnara Jataka – one of the previous Birth Stories.

Prince Nanda: 23 of 32

Prince Nanda was the step-brother of the Prince Siddhartha. When he was thirty-five years old King Suddhodana wished to give him Prince Siddhartha’s place in the palace, marry him to Princess Janapada Kalyani and let him live in a separate palace. The king wished to have all these festivals on the same day and waited for the Buddha to return to Kapilavatthu and bless Nanda and Janapada Kalyani. On the third day after the Buddha’s return to Kapilavatthu he made all the arrangements for the festivals and invited the Buddha to attend the wedding. The Buddha went there, had lunch, blessed all of them and handed His begging bowl to Nanda and went away.

Nanda thought,

“The Lord Buddha will take the bowl at the door step.”

But the Buddha went straight on without taking the bowl. Then Nanda thought,

“He will take it at the palace gate.”

His bride, Janapada Kalyani, also saw Nanda following the Buddha and thought,

“My husband may be going to the temple to send the Buddha off.”

Then she said,

“Darling, don’t be late, return quickly.”

When Prince Nanda went to the temple to return the bowl the Buddha asked him,

“Nanda, do you like to be a monk?”

“Yes, Sir.”

said Nanda and the Buddha ordained him. But Nanda was afterwards very sad and unhappy. He was always thinking of his beautiful bride. Other monks saw him very sad and asked Nanda,

“Why are you so sad, Nanda?”

“Brothers, I am disappointed. I do not like this monk’s life. I want to leave it and go home.”

was Nanda’s reply.

They went and reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha showed him a charred she-monkey and then some fairies and asked him,

“Nanda, which is more beautiful and charming – your noble wife or these fairies?”

“Venerable Sir, Janapada Kalyani is like the charred she-monkey when compared to these fairies who are more beautiful and charming.”

“Cheer up, Nanda, I guarantee that you will possess them if you work hard as I tell you.”

“In that case I shall take the greatest pleasure in living the monk’s life.”

said Nanda and began to follow the Buddha’s teaching very carefully and in a short time he realized the Truth of life destroying all kinds of desires and became so wise and holy that he did not want to go home any more.

Prince Rahula: 24 of 32

On the day the Prince left the palace Rahula was born and now he was seven years old. He was brought up by his mother and grandfather. On the seventh day after His home-coming Princess Yasodhara gaily dressed up young Rahula. Then she pointed to the Buddha who was then having His meal, said to Rahula,

“Darling, can you tell me who is that?”

“His is the Buddha, mother”

said Rahula.

The mother’s eyes were filled with tears and she said,

“Darling, that golden colored ascetic, looking like Brahma, surrounded by twenty thousand ascetics was your father, and he had great property. Since He life home, we do not know what has happened to it. Go up to him and ask for your presents and say,

“Father, I am prince. When I become the king I will be a king of kings. I want property, for the son is the owner of what belongs to the father.”

Innocent Rahula came to the Buddha, held one of His fingers, looked up at His face and telling Him all that his mother had asked him to say, said,

“Father, even your shadow is pleasing to me.”

After the meal the Buddha left the palace and Rahula followed Him, saying,

“Give me inheritance, I am going to be the king; I want wealth; you have plenty of them; please father, give me my inheritance.”

Nobody tried to stop him. Nor even the Buddha stopped him following Him. Coming to the park the Buddha thought,

“He desires his father’s wealth, but this goes with the world and is full of trouble. I shall instead give him the sevenfold noble wealth which I received at the foot of the Bodhi tree, and make him an owner of an excellent inheritance.”

When they came to the temple, the Buddha asked one of His pupils named Sariputta to make Rahula a monk.

King Suddhodana was deeply grieved to hear of his beloved grandson becoming a monk. He went to the Buddha and very respectfully told Him not to ordain any one without the permission of the parents. He said

“When you left home it made me very, very sad and painful. When Nanda left home my heart began to ache and I was very sad and unhappy. Then I began to concentrate my love on Rahula, my grandson and loved him more than anyone else. Now you have brought him here and ordained him. I am very sorry and most unhappy about this. Please don’t ordain anybody hereafter without the permission of his parents.”

The Buddha agreed and never ordained anybody after that without the parents’ permission.

The Two Chief Disciples: 25 of 32

Near Rajagaha there were two villages called Upatissa and Kolita. The headmen of these two villages were also know by these two names. Both the families were very close friends.

One day Upatissa’s wife, Sari, gave birth to a son. On the same day Kolita’s wife, Moggali, also gave birth to a son. Upatissa’s son, and Kolita’s son was known as Kolita or Moggali Putta – Moggali’s son or Moggallana. Both the sons were extremely friendly from their childhood.

When they grew up both of them used to watch dramas. One day while watching a drama called Giragga Samajja – mountain festival – young Kolita and Upatissa decide to leave home in order to seek greater happiness than watching a drama.

Now about this time there was staying near Rajagaha a famous religious teacher called Sanjaya. These two close friends went to him to seek advice. After some time they were not satisfied at all with the teaching of this master and stopped going to him. They wanted to know something more than what their teacher knew and taught. They asked to be taught the way of deathlessness. And they promised each other they would both search and study and meditate with all their power and to try to find the Truth of life, and whichever of them found it first, he would let the other know.

One morning, as Upatissa was in the main street of Rajagaha, he saw at some distance away, an ascetic going round from door to door begging alms of food. And as he looked at him, he was very pleased with everything about him. The unknown ascetic seemed to him to be most modest, so calm and collected in his way of walking along and standing still while the people brought out food from their houses and put it in the bowl. But when he had come nearer, his admiration of the ascetic was turned into wonder and reverence, for there was a look in his face such as he had never seen on the face of any ascetic before – a look of perfect peace, as of as smooth undisturbed lake under a calm, clear sky.

“Who is this?”

said Upatissa to himself.

“This ascetic must be one who has found what I am seeking, or else he must be the pupil of such a one. I wonder who is his teacher. Whose teaching can it be that he follows?”

I must go after him and find out.

When the ascetic had gone round all the houses, and now was going out of the city gate, Upatissa went up to him, and humbly spoke to him thus,

“Your coming and going, brother, are so pleasant. Your face is so clear and bright; Who is your teacher, Sir? What is your teacher’s name, Sir? What is he teaching Sir?”

“I can soon tell you that, brother”

said the ascetic happily.

“There is a great ascetic of the Sakya race who has left his home and country behind in order to follow the homeless life. And it is to follow him that I have left my home. He is my teacher. It is His teaching that I follow and practice.”

“And what is that teaching, Sir? What is it that your master preaches? I also would like to know it.”

said Upatissa eagerly, thinking that perhaps at last now he was going to hear from this ascetic about the Truth of life for which he and his friend Kolita had been looking for so long.

“I am only a newcomer into the monk’s life of the Buddha”

replied the ascetic modestly.

“It is only very recently since I began to study Buddha’s teachings, so I do not know very much yet about His Teachings. I cannot explain it to you in every little point. But if you want I can tell you the summary of it in a few words.”

“That is all I want, brother.”

said Upatissa quickly.

“Tell me the summary. The summary is just what I want. What need to make a lot of words about it?”

“Very well, then”

said the ascetic

“listen!”

The Buddha taught:

“There is a cause of everything,
The Buddha knows it;
He also knows that if there is no cause there is no result,
That is what he teaches.”

Assaji was the name of this ascetic whom Upatissa met and spoke to. Assaji was one of the first five monks who listened to the Buddha’s first sermon.

Venerable Assaji spoke only two lines, but Upatissa was so clever that he understand the other two lines and the meaning of the whole stanza. He realized the Truth that everything that ever has come into existence, or ever will come into existence, must pass away. And he said to the ascetic;

“If this is the doctrine you have learned from your teacher, then indeed you have found the state that is free from sorrow, free from death which has not been made known to men for ages and ages.”

Then he thanked him, paid him due respect and took leave of him. Off he went to find his friend Kolita and to bring him the great news that at last he had found what they wanted.

After a while he met his friend and before he spoke a word Kolita said:

“Why, brother, how clear and shining your face is! Can it be, brother, that at last you have found ‘The Truth of life’ we both ave been seeking so long?”

“It is so, brother; it is so”

was Upatissa’s glad reply.

“I have found the Truth of life.”

“But how, brother, how?”

Kolita asked eagerly.

When Upatissa explained to him how he got it, Kolita too realized the Truth of life and both of them went to see the Buddha. As they had already known His teaching it was very easy for the Buddha to make them monks. In a short time the Buddha made them His chief disciples. Sariputta’s wisdom and Moggalana’s miraculous power are well know in Buddhist history.