The Buddha's Eight Great Victories or Jayamangala Gatha
The Buddha's Eight Great Victories or Jayamangala Gatha
बुद्ध की आठ महान विजयें
या जयमंगला गाथा
1. Conquering Maara:
After Prince Sukiti (or Famous name Sidharth 623 - 543 B.C.), the Bodhisattva left the palace, he practiced asceticism in Uruvela for six years as the ascetic Gotama. Gaining no satisfaction and seeing no benefit. From such practice, he accepted a nourishing meal of rice cooked in milk from a woman named Sujata.
In the afternoon of the Vesak full moon, when he was thirty-five years old, Gotama stood under the Bodhi tree. As he sat down on the Dimond throne, facing east, he made a strong determination: "Even though my blood dries up, and my bones and skin waste away, I will not get up from this seat until I have attained perfect Enlightenment!" He began meditating and soon attained the tranquility of the Jhanas. Many Devas gathered around him to pay homage and to praise him for his determination.
At that time, Maara, the Evil One, seated in his adobe in the highest heaven of the sensuous World, heard this determination and became both worried and angry. This mighty deva, the personification of death, realized that, if Gotama succeeded, he would free not only himself but also countless others from suffering. This would greatly weaken Maara's power over mankind.
Assuming the form of a fierce yakkha with one thousand arms, each brandishing a deadly weapon, Maara mounted his elephant, Girimekhalaa. Accompanied by his ten armies, Maara roared loudly and stormed forward. All the other devas fled in terror.
Maara's soldiers assumed frightening forms and surrounded Gotama. They attacked him on all sides, but they could not break his concentration. All of their dangerous weapons turned to flowers and fell at Gotama's feet. Then Maara plunged the world into absolute darkness. He created a thunderstorm and split the darkness with bolts of lightning. He showered the meditating Gotama with ice and boiling water, followed by fiery hot sand and stones. He created a cyclone with a wind strong enough to uproot trees. He made the wind both foul-smelling and poisonous, but Gotama remained calm and undisturbed. failing at all of this, Maara sent his three daughters, Discontent (Arati), passion (Raga), and Craving (Tanhaa), to distract Gotama. They danced seductively, but he never looked at them. Unable to break the Bodhisatta's concentration, these beautiful young maidens become old and disappear.
Maara Realized that he could neither frighten nor distract Gotama, so he decided to tempt him with a seemingly irresistible offer. "Gotama!" he shouted. "I will make you king of the entire world. You will have unlimited power, and you will enjoy unlimited pleasures. All you have to do is abandon your quest."
Gotama replied that his attainments were already greater than that.
in desperation, Maara asked what right Gotama had to sit on the Diamond Throne. All of Maara's soldiers again rushed forward to push Gotama from his seat. Gotama calmly touched the earth with the middle finger of his right hand. The deva of the earth appeared and testified that the Bodhisatta had fulfilled the Ten Perfections during his previous lives.
As proof of the Bodhisatta's virtue, this deva, who is sometimes called Mother Earth, wrung out her, releasing a great flood. From her hair flowed all the water that Vessantara had poured in his innumerable acts of generosity. There was so much water that it washed away Maara's armies. This perfect generosity was too much for Maara. He surrendered and paid homage to the Bodhisatta. As the sun was rising, all the devas joyfully returned and gathered around the Bodhisatta to celebrate his victory.
As the full moon arose, the Bodhisatta continued meditating and made greater attainments. During the night, he recalled all his past lives. then he saw the kamma and rebirth of all living beings in Samsara, the Round of Existence. Finally, at dawn, having destroyed all his mental defilements, he attained perfect Enlightenment and became the Buddha.
बाहुं सहस्समभिनिम्मित सावुधन्तं,
गिरिमेखलं उदितघोरससेनमारं।
दानादि-धम्मविधिना जितवा मुनिन्दो,
तं तेजसा भवतु ते जयमङ्गलानि ॥१॥
2. Converting Alavaka Yakkha:
Alavaka was a fierce and powerful Yakkha, who lived near the city of Alavi, about thirty yojanas from Savatthi. His brightly lit mansion was on the way to the Himalayas, and some ascetics, who saw it as they passed overhead, stopped to find out what it was.
From his parents, Alavaka had learned some questions that they had received from Kassapa Buddha. Alavaka had forgotten the answers, but he had preserved the questions by writing them on the gold leaves. Whenever an ascetic visited, Alavaka asked him the questions, but the ascetic, unable to answer, went mad and was devoured by the yakkha.
Near Alavaaka's mansion was a huge banyan tree. Vessavana, king of the yakkhas, had given Alavaka the right to eat anyone who stepped into its shade.
One day, the king of Alavi went hunting for deer in the forest and happened to pass under that tree. As soon as he entered the shade, Alavaka captured him and threatened to eat him. Thinking quickly, the king asked Alavaka whether he preferred to eat only that day or every day. Alavaka asked what that meant, and the king explained that, if the yakkha let him go free, he would send an offering of a human being with a bowl of rice every day. The yakkha immediately agreed.
As soon as the king returned to Alavi, he conferred with his ministers.
"Did you set a time limit?" they asked
"No," the king replied, "I didn't think of that."
"Well," said the ministers, that means that you will have to make an offering every day of the rest of your life, but don't worry. We can send prisoners to Alavaka."
The king was pleased with this idea and announced that any prisoner who would take a bowl of rice to the forest would gain his freedom. At first, many prisoners volunteered, but, when no one returned, they suspected that something was wrong. Nevertheless, the king continued sending one prisoner every day, and soon the prisoners were empty.
Next, the ministers suggested dropping small bags of coins in the streets. They explained that anyone who picked one up could be arrested as a thief and sent to Alavaka. The king was pleased with this plan, too, and for a while, it worked very well. So many people disappeared, however, that citizens became afraid to touch a bag. Whenever they saw one, they crossed the street to avoid it. In fact, robbery completely disappeared from the city.
Finally, the ministers suggested sending children to Alavaka, and the king agreed. Parents became terrified, and families fled from Alavi. After twelve years, the city was empty. there was only one child left, and that was the king's own son.
Surveying the world with his Divine Eye, the Buddha realized that the king was going to send the prince to Alavaka the next morning. Out of compassion for the king, the little prince, and Alavaka, the Buddha set out for Alavi. He was able to travel the thirty yojanas in one day and reached the gate of Alavaka's mansion by evening.
The yakkha was away from home, and the Buddha asked the gatekeeper for permission to spend the night in the mansion. when the gatekeeper left to ask Alavaka about this, the Buddha went in, sat on the yakkha's seat, and taught the Dhamma to his wives.
When Alavaka heard what was happening, he became furious. He stood on top of the Himalayas and shouted, "I am Alavaka!" This was heard throughout all Jambudipa.
Alavaka hurried home. With his extraordinary power, he created a terrifying storm with thunder, lightning, wind, and rain, but Buddha was not disturbed.
Next, Alavaka attacked the Buddha with weapons, but they all harmlessly at the Buddha's feet.
Unable to frighten the Buddha, Alavaka shouted, "It is not right for you, a holy man, to enter another man's house and sit with his wives while he is away! Get out!" The Buddha got up and left the mansion.
"Come back!" Alavaka shouted. Hoping to kill Buddha with fatigue, the yakkha ordered the Buddha three times to get out and three times to reenter the mansion. Each time, the Buddha did as he was ordered. When Alavaka ordered the Buddha to leave for the forth time, however, he refused to do so, saying, "I am not going to obey you, Alavaka. Do whatever you can, but I' m going to remain here."
"All right," Alavaka replied, "I will ask you some questions. If you can't answer, I will drive you mad, kill you, or throw you across the river."
"Alavaka," the Buddha replied calmly, "there is no one among the devas, ascetics, or ordinary men who can do such thing to me, but, if you want to ask anything, you may do so."
Alavaka began asking the questions which he had learned from his parents.
"What is the greatest wealth?" he asked.
"Confidence," the Buddha answered.
"What, when well practiced, brings the greatest happiness?"
"The Dhamma,"
"What is the sweetest taste?"
"Truth."
"What is the best way to live?"
"With wisdom"
"How can one cross the flood?"
"By having confidence."
"How can one cross the ocean of existence?"
"With diligence."
"How can one overcome suffering?"
"By making effort."
How can is one purified?"
"By wisdom."
"How can one gain wisdom?"
"By having confidence in and listening to the Dhamma."
"How can one gain wealth?"
"By making an effort."
"How can one gain fame?"
"By upholding the truth."
"How can one gain friendship?"
"By practicing generosity."
Frustrated that the Buddha could so easily answer his questions, Alavaka asked a final question: "How does one pass from this world to the next without regret?" The Buddha replied, "He who possesses these four virtues-truth, Dhamma, steadfastness, and generosity-passing away with regret."
Alavaka understood the meaning of the Buddha's words and gained the fruit of the First path. "Now I know the secret of a favorable rebirth!" he exclaimed joyfully. "It is for my own welfare that Buddha came to Alavi." The yakkha prostrated himself before the Buddha and begged to be accepted as a disciple.
The next morning, when the king's ministers arrived with the young prince, they were surprised to see Alavaka sitting respectfully and listening attentively to the Buddha. They handed the boy to Alavaka, but the yakkha felt ashamed of what he had been. He stroked the child on the head, kissed him, and handed him to the Buddha. The Buddha blessed the little prince and gave him back to the ministers. After that, the prince was called Hatthaka because he had been handed from one to another.
When the king and the citizens of Alavi heard that Alavaka had become a follower of the Buddha, they built a special residence for the yakkha and provided him with endless gifts of flowers and incense.
The Conversion of Alavaka showed how the Buddha, with his great patience, could tame a savage yakkha and turn him into a gentle disciple.
मारातिरेकमभियुज्झितसब्बरत्तिं,
घोरम्पनालवकमक्खमथद्धयक्खं।
खन्ती सुदन्तविधिना जितवा मुनिन्दो,
तं तेजसा भवतु ते जयमङ्गलानि ॥२॥
3. Timing Nalagiri:
Devadatta was the brother of Yashodhara, Prince Siddhattha's wife. Since his father, Suppabuddha, was Queen MahaMaya's brother, Devadatta was also her nephew and Siddhartha's cousin. Devadatta had become a bhikkhu, along with several other Sakyan princes after the Buddha visited Kapilvastthu, but he was jealous and ambitious. He had developed various extraordinary powers but had made no spiritual attainments. One day, he suddenly appeared in Prince Ajatasattu's lap in the form of a young boy with serpents coiling around his body. The prince was so impressed that he became a follower of Devadatta and supported him generously.
After a while, Devadatta encouraged Prince Ajatasattu to kill King Bimbisra. "Your father," he told the prince, "seems to be growing stronger every day. You might die without ever becoming king. Kill him, and become king of Magadha. I will kill Gotama and become the Buddha!" Following this advice, Prince Ajatasattu killed his father, and Devadatta tried to kill the Buddha.
In the first attempt, Devadatta sent an archer to kill the Buddha. By another road, he sent two archers to kill the first. Then he sent four archers to kill those two, eight more to kill those four, and sixteen more to kill those eight. He didn't want anyone to trade the deed back to him. This elaborate plan failed because all of the archers met the Buddha and took refuge in the Triple Gem.
In his second attempt, Devadatta rolled a huge rock from Vulture Peak while the Buddha was walking back and forth in front of his cave, but this plan also failed.
Finally, Devadatta asked King Ajatasattu for permission to use Nalagiri, the man-killing elephant. Because Nalagiri was both brave and intelligent, he had been the king's favorite elephant. Once, however, he had run amok and had killed many people. Instead of destroying the elephant, the king had made him the official executioner. Whenever a prisoner was sentenced to death, Nalagiri was given liquor, which made him so savage that he trampled the condemned man.
Devadatta told the mahouts to give Nalagiri twice as much alcohol as usual and to release him on the streets of Rajagaha while Buddha was walking on his alms rounds. An announcement was made, with the beating of drums, that Nalagiri was going to be released and that everyone should stay off the city streets. People told the Buddha not to walk for alms there that morning, but he ignored the warning and went into the city with bhikkhus from the eighteen monasteries of Rajagaha.
Many people were watching from the rooftops of their houses. Those without confidence cried, "The great, handsome monk will be killed!" The wise, however, declared, "The great elephant will be calmed by the Buddha!" Some of the Bhikkhus begged the Buddha to turn back.
As soon as the elephant saw the Buddha, he raised his trunk, trumpeted loudly, and charged. Townspeople fled in terror. "Do not be afraid, bhikkhus," the Buddha said. "It is impossible for anyone to kill the Tathagata."
In spite of the Buddha's order, Ananda stood in front of the Buddha to protect him. The Buddha used his extraordinary power to move his attendants. Just then, a woman carrying a baby saw the elephant coming and started to run. In her panic, she dropped the infant at the Buddha's feet. As Nalagiri was about to trample the baby, the Buddha spoke gently and radiated loving-kindness toward the elephant knelt in front of the Buddha. The Buddha stroked the elephant's forehead with his right hand and taught him the Dhamma. If Nalagiri had not been an animal, he would have become a stream-enterer at the moment.
The townspeople were amazed to see the fierce elephant paying respect to the Buddha. From the rooftops, they threw down their jewelry onto Nalagiri's back. The ground was quickly covered with valuables, and from that time on, the elephant was known as Dhanapala or Treasurer. With his trunk, Nalagiri picked up dust from the Buddha's feet and sprinkled it on his head. Then he returned quietly to his stable.
At the time, nine hundred million begins, who witnessed the Buddha's victory over Nalagiri, realized the Truth and attained one of the paths. Afterward, people recalled this event in verse:
Some can be tamed with sticks goads and whips,
But the Buddha tamed a mighty tusker with neither stick nor whip.
नालागिरिं गजवरं अतिमत्तभूतं,
दावग्गि-चक्कमसनीव सुदारुणन्तं।
मेत्तम्बुसेक-विधिना जितवा मुनिन्दो,
तं तेजसा भवतु ते जयमङ्गलानि ॥३॥
4. Reforming Angulimala:
One of the advisors of King Pasenadi had a son named Ahimsaka. He was an intelligent youth, and, when he was old enough, he was sent to Takkasila for his education. He was such an exceptional student that the other students became jealous. They spread a rumor that he was having an affair with the teacher's wife. At first, the teacher did not believe the rumor, but he heard it so often that, at last, he was convinced that it was true. He became so angry that he wanted to kill Ahimsaka and devised a wicked plan. Rather than accepting money, the teacher told Ahimsaka that the fee for his studies was one thousand fingers, one from each victim that he murdered.
Ahimsaka, whose name meant "harmless one" and whose family always practiced the five precepts, begged his teacher to change his demand. The teacher refused, and Ahimasaka had to comply.
Ahimsaka went to the Jail forest near Savatthi and began his bloody quest. He became a brutal and merciless killer, attacking anyone he could find on the highways. Utterly fearless, he even attacked groups of ten twenty, and thirty, sparing no one. Villages became deserted, and people were afraid to travel. At first, Ahimsaka hung the fingers on a tree, but crows ate them. To keep count of his victims, he started to wear a garland (maala) of fingers (anguli) around his neck, and he became known as Angulimala.
finally, the people appealed to the king for help. They demanded that the king catch Angulimala and stop his killing spree. The king led a force of five hundred soldiers to capture the outlaw.
Angulimala's mother heard that the king intended to catch the murderer. Believing him to be her own son, she set out to warn him. By this time, Angulimala had collected nine hundred ninety-nine fingers. He needs only one more to reach his goal. He saw his mother coming, and, not recognizing her, decided to kill her as the final victim.
That morning, when the Buddha surveyed the World, he saw that Angulimala was ripe for insight and that he would attempt to kill his own mother. Knowing that, if Angulimala committed matricide, he would fall into hell, the Buddha set out to save him.
Angulimala saw the Buddha walking alone, but he thought he was an ordinary bhikkhu. Assuming that it would be very easy to kill him, Angulimala abandoned the idea of killing his mother and ran after the Buddha instead. With his extraordinary power, the Buddha prevented Angulimala from catching him, no matter how fast he ran. Frustrated, Angulimala shouted, "Stop, Bhikkhu! Stop!"
"I have stopped, Angulimala," the Buddha calmly replied. "Now, you must stop." Puzzled by this, but knowing that bhikkhus always told the truth, Angulimala asked, "What do you mean?"
"I have completely stopped all violence toward living beings," the Buddha replied.
"You go on killing. I have stopped, Angulimala. You have not stopped."
"At long last, a sage has come to the great forest for my sake!" Angulimala declared. Having heard your admonition, from now on, I will abandon evil!" He hurled his sword and other weapons over a cliff, paid homage at the Buddha's feet, and asked for ordination.
"Come, Bhikkhu!" the Buddha declared, and Angulimala was instantly provided with all the requisites.
With the newly ordained bhikkhu as his attendant, the Buddha returned to Jetavana.
On his way to the forest in search of the mass murderer, King Pasenadi stopped at Jetavana to pay his respects to Buddha. After the king had bowed down to the Buddha and sat at one side, the Buddha asked him, "What is it, Sire? Why have you set out with such a large force? Have you been attacked by one of the neighboring kings?"
"No, Venerable sir. No hostile king has attacked Kosala. There is a bandit called Angulimala who is terrorizing Savatthi. He has killed hundreds of travelers, showing no mercy. I am going with these soldiers to capture him and stop his killing spree."
"Sire, suppose you were to see Angulimala with his hair and beard shaved off, wearing the yellow robe, having gone forth from the home life into homelessness, refraining from killing living beings, restraining the senses, and virtuous. What would you do to him?"
"We would bow down to him, Lord. We would offer him the requisites. We doubt, however, that there could be any virtue and restraint in such an unruly and evil character."
With his right hand, the Buddha pointed to a bhikkhu sitting near him and said, "That, Sire, is Angulimala." Kinh Pasenadi was terrified, and his hair stood on end.
"Don't be afraid, Sire," The Buddha said. "He poses no danger to you."
The king went over to the bhikkhu and asked, "Venerable sir, are you really Angulimala?"
"Yes. Your Majesty."
"Venerable sir, please allow me to offer you the requisites for your livelihood."
Since Venerable Angulimala had undertaken the Dhutanga practice, including the wearing of robes made of cast-off cloth, he replied. "Enough, Sire. My triple robe is complete."
King Pasenadi bowed again to the Buddha and said, "It is wonderful, Venerable sir. It is marvelous how blessed One tames the untamed, brings peace to the unpeaceful, and leads to Nibbana those who not attained Nibbana. Venerable sir, we ourselves could not tame him with force and weapons, yet the Blessed One has tamed him with neither force nor weapons. And now, Venerable sir, we depart. We are busy and have much to do."
For some time, even though Venerable Angulimala was a fully ordained bhikkhu, many people still thought of him as a vicious murderer and refused to offer alms. Later, however, by making an asseveration of truth, Venerable Angulimala saved the lives of a woman and her baby during a difficult and dangerous delivery. When this became well known, devotees began paying him a great deal of respect, and he easily obtained alms. Venerable Angulimala cultivated solitude for intensive meditation, and, in no long time, he achieved arahantship.
उक्खित्त खग्गमतिहत्थ-सुदारुणन्तं,
धावन्ति योजनपथङ्गुलिमालवन्तं।
इद्धीभिसङ्घतमनो जितवा मुनिन्दो,
तं तेजसा भवतु ते जयमङ्गलानि ॥४॥
5. Exposing Cinca:
As the Buddha became more popular, many people, including kings, merchants, farmers, and outcastes, became his devoted followers, and his support greatly increased. The teachers of other sects were like fireflies after sunrise. As their honor and donations decreased, they became jealous. "Is the ascetic Gotama the only Buddha?" they grumbled. "We are also Buddhas!" They begged people to give them alms, too. "Do you think that only gifts given to Gotama bring great fruit?" they asked. "There is great merit in giving gifts to us. Please do not neglect us!"
One day, some of these ascetics gathered secretly in one of their monasteries to discuss this problem. "if things continue like this," one of the teachers said, "we will be ruined!"
"What can we do to make people stop respecting Gotama and giving so generously to him?" another asked.
"I have an idea!" a third ascetic said. "Cinca-Manavika is attractive, and she is also very clever. She can help us. All she has to do is create a scandal." All of them agreed that this was a good idea. Cinca-Manavika was a female ascetic in Savatthi, but she had not been invited to the meeting.
The next time Cinca-Manavika visited the ascetics' monastery, she greeted them three times, but they completely ignored her. Upset by their silence, she asked, "What mistake have I made?" No one answered. Again, she asked, "What have I done wrong? Why don't you speak to me?"
Finally, one ascetic asked, "Sister, haven't you noticed that the ascetic Gotama has become a great problem for us? He is getting all the honor and gifts that we used to get."
"No, Sirs," she replied. "I hadn't noticed that. What can I do about it?"
"If you are our friend," the ascetic said, "you will ruin Gotama's reputation."
"Oh, I see," Cinca-Manavika replied slowly, as she considered what they wanted."
"All right. That's an easy matter, sirs. Leave everything to me." Without saying another word, she left their monastery.
Cinca-Manavika immediately began carrying out her secret task. Every evening, she put on a bright red silk robe and walked toward Jetavana carrying flowers. She smiled at the devotees who were leaving the monastery after listening to the Buddha. If anyone asked where she was going, she answered sharply, "It is none of your business where I spend the night."
When no one was watching, she went quietly to the monastery of the other ascetics, which was near Jetavana.
Early every morning, she walked slowly back to the city, again smiling at the Buddha's devotees who were going to Jetavana to pay their respects. If anyone asked where she had spent the night, she replied, "It is none of your business where I spent the night."
After a few weeks, she began answering, "I spent the night at Jetavana with the Ascetic Gotama."
After three months, she wrapped cloth around her body to make herself look pregnant. She told people believed her.
After eight months, she tied a wooden disk to her stomach. She beat herself with the bone of an ox to make her body swollen and her skin discolored. She looked like a woman who would soon have a baby.
One evening, while the Buddha was teaching at Jetavana, Cinca-Manavika pushed her way through the crowd, stood directly in front of the Buddha, and shouted, "Well, great monk! Your voice is sweet, and your lips are soft as you preach to this great gathering of people. You have made me pregnant, but you have not done anything for me or for your unborn child! You certainly know how to take your pleasure, but you don't know how to care for the baby you have fathered!"
The Buddha stopped teaching and said in a clear and strong voice, "Sister, whether what you say is true or false, only you and I know!"
"That is true, Gotama," she retorted. "This happened through something that only you and I can know."
At that moment, Sakka's throne became hot. The king of devas realized the cause and declared, "Like someone throwing filth at the moon, Cinca-Manavika is falsely accusing the Buddha! I must clear up this matter immediately."
Sakka called four devas transformed them into rats, and descended with them to Jetavana. The rats ran under Cinca-Manavika's red robe and gnawed the strings that held the wooden disk on her stomach. At the same time, Sakka created a wind that blew her robe so that everyone could see her trick. The heavy wooden disk fell on her feet and cut her toes.
"Liar!" the angry crowd shouted. "Wretched woman! Shame on you for falsely accusing the Enlightened One!" People began beating Cinca-Manavika and drove her out of Jetavana, As soon as she stepped outside the monastery gate, the earth opened up, and flames of Avici rose from the depths. Cinca-Manavika was swallowed up and fell into that lowest of hell.
Because of this, the rival ascetics received even fewer gifts, but the honor of the Buddha continued to increase.
कत्वान कट्ठमुदरं इव गब्भिनीया,
चिञ्चाय दुट्ठवचनं जनकाय-मज्झे।
सन्तेन सोमविधिना जितवा मुनिन्दो,
तं तेजसा भवतु ते जयमङ्गलानि ॥५॥
6. Vanquishing Saccaka:
Saccaka was the son of two wandering ascetics, skillful debaters, who had married and settled down in Vesali. Saccaka's four older sisters had, like their parents, become wandering ascetics, but they were defeated in debate by Venerable Sariputta and became bhikkhunis.
Saccaka, considered even more brilliant than his sisters, stayed in Vesali as the teacher of the young Licchavi princes. His fame as a debater and man of great learning spread widely. Being very proud of his vast knowledge, he wore a special corset under his shirt so that his stomach would not burst in the heat of debate.
Saccaka often claimed that he could defeat any ascetic or teacher. He boasted that any opponent would tremble at the sight of him and that sweat would pour from his armpits. "In fact," he declared, "even if were to debate a pillar, that pillar would quake!"
One day, Saccaka saw Venerable Assaji, one of the first five arahat disciples of the Buddha, on his alms rounds. Saccka held a grudge against the Buddha and the Sangha because of his sisters. Seeing this as an opportunity for revenge, he approached the bhikkhu and asked, "Good Assaji, how does the ascetic Gotama formulate his Teachings and train his disciples?"
Venerable Assaji answered, "Well, Aggivessana (Saccaka's family name), the Blessed One teaches that form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent; that these five aggregates are not self; that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent; and that all things are not self."
"What you have just said is ridiculous!" Saccaka replied. "If that is what the ascetic Gotama teaches, we should meet him. We might even be able to dissuade him from such a pernicious view!"
Saccaka announced to the Lacchivi princes that he was going to debate the Buddha. He declared that he would push and pull the ascetic Gotama back and forth just as a strong man would push and pull a long-fleeced ram. In the past, Saccaka had intimidated other debaters by surrounding himself with important and powerful fingers, and he wanted to do the same thing when he challenged the Buddha. Saccaka was so emphatic and confident that five hundred Licchivi princes went with him to the Gabled Hall of the Mahavana Monastery. When they arrived, the Buddha was sitting in meditation under a large tree. Saccaka paid his respects, as a matter of courtesy, and sat down, surrounded by the Lacchivis.
"If the good Gotama would permit me to ask a question," he began, "I would like to ask how you formulate your teachings."
Buddha answered this question in exactly the same words that Ven. Assaji had used.
"Good Gotama," Saccaka replied, "An analogy occurs to me."
"Please state it, Aggivessana," said the Buddha.
"Seedlings and plants are rooted in the earth; they grow and flourish because of the Earth. In the same way, a person takes the form of the self and does good or bad deeds.
Another person takes feelings as the self; another perception; another mental formation; and another consciousness; and each does good or bad deeds."
"Are you maintaining," the Buddha asked, "that form, that is, the body, is the self and that feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are the self?"
"Yes indeed, good Gotama, I am maintaining that, and everyone in this great assembly agrees with me."
"Then, Aggivessana, I will ask you a counterquestion. Does a king have the flower in his own territory to execute one who is to be executed, to confiscate that which is to be confiscated, and to exile one who is to be exiled?"
"Certainly, good Gotama, a king has that power in his own territory. Even the leaders of a principality have that power."
"All right," the Buddha countered, "you maintain that the body is self, but do you have complete power over your body, so that it will obey your wishes?"
Saccaka did not answer. The Buddha repeated his question and warned Saccaka that it was not the right time to remain silent. Sakka, king of the devas, visible only to the Buddha and to Saccaka, stood in the air just above Saccaka and declared, " If Saccaka does not answer the Blessed One, when asked a legitimate question three times, I will split his skull into seven pieces with this thunderbolt."
Saccaka was so frightened that his hair stood on end. Shaking, he begged the Buddha to repeat his question once more so that he could answer it.
"For the third time, Aggivessana," the Buddha said, "you maintain that the body is the self, but do you have complete power over your body, so that it will obey your wishes?"
"No, good Gotama."
"Be careful, Aggivessana! Think carefully about what you are saying. What you said before does not agree with what you have just said. You have maintained that feelings perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are the self, but do you have complete power over them so that they will obey your wishes?
"No, good Gotama."
"Aggivessana, do you think that the body is permanent or impermanent?"
"It is impermanent, good Gotama."
"Does what is impermanent lead to happiness or to suffering?"
"It leads to suffering, good Gotama."
"it is suitable to think of what which is impermanent and which leads to suffering as 'This is mine; I am this is my self?"
"No, good Gotama, it is not suitable."
"Aggivessana, are feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"They are impermanent, good Gotama."
"Being impermanent, do they lead to happiness or to suffering?
"They lead to suffering, good Gotama."
"Is it suitable to think of that which is impermanent and which leads to suffering as 'This is mine; I am this; this is my self?"
"No, good Gotama, it is not suitable."
"Aggivessana, can one who clings to suffering, is overpowered by suffering, and regards suffering as, 'This is mine; I am this; this is my self,' ever clearly understand his own suffering and put an end to his suffering?"
"No, good Gotama. Indeed, he cannot."
"In that case, Aggivessana, don't you think that you yourself cling to suffering, are overpowered by suffering, and regard suffering as, 'This is mine; I am this; this is my self.'
"Yes, good Gotama, I think that I do and that I am."
"Imagine this, Aggivessana. A man with a sharp ax enters a forest in search of hardwood. He sees a tall banana plant, absolutely straight and without defects. He cuts it down, chops off the roots and the crown, and removes the layers, one after another. When he has finished, he cannot find softwood, let alone hardwood! In the same way, Aggivessana, when questioned, cross-questioned, and pressed by me the underlying truth of your own arguments, you have proved to be empty and mistaken. You have been defeated.
"Aggivessana, you have often boasted to the Licchivis that you could defeat any opponent in a debate and make him sweat, but it is from your brow that drops of sweat are pouring and dripping onto the ground. As for me, there is absolutely no sweat on my body."
Ashamed and confused, Saccaka remained silent. He sat with his shoulders drooping and his head down. Dummukha, one of the Licchivi princes, called out, "Venerable sir, an analogy occurs to me. Imagine that there is a pond near a village with a crab living in it. Some village children go to the pond, catch the crab, and pull him out of the water. They turn the crab over on his back and smash his claws and legs. That crab will never be able to go into the pond again. In the same way, Venerable sir, you have smashed all of Saccaka's distortion, controversies, and evasions. It is now impossible for Saccaka to confront the Blessed One in debate ever again."
"With, Dummukha!" shouted Saccka. "We are discussing with the good Gotama."
"To the Buddha, he said, Good Gotama, I now see that my view, which is shared by all other ascetics and brahmins, is mere idle chatter. Please tell us how your disciples are able to develop confidence so that they are not dependent on you."
"Aggivessana," the Buddha replied, "my disciples regard the five aggregates as 'This is not mine; I am not this; this is not my self.' When, with right wisdom, they see things as they really are, they become confident and are no longer dependent on me."
"Please tell us" Saccaka requested, "how a bhikkhu becomes perfect with all desires destroyed, puts down the burden, and is released."
"Aggivessana," the Buddha replied, "When a bhikkhu considers these five aggregates in this way and, with right wisdom, sees things as they really are, the mind is perfectly released, and the bhikkhu so released honors the Tathagata. He proclaims that the Tathagata, being enlightened, teaches for enlightenment; being tamed teaches for taming; being appeased teaches for appeasement; having crossed over teaches for crossing over; and, being extinguished teaches for extinguishing."
"Venerable sir," Saccaka replied, "we have been proud and presumptuous, in trying to attack you in a debate. It might be safe for a person to attack a rutting elephant, a blazing fire, or a poisonous snake, but there is no safety in attacking the Venerable Gotama. Would the Venerable Gotama, together with the Order, be willing to accept a meal from me tomorrow?"
The Buddha consented with silence.
सच्चं विहाय मतिसच्चक-वादकेतुं,
वादाभिरोपितमनं अतिअन्धभूतं।
पञ्ञापदीपजलितो जितवा मुनिन्दो,
तं तेजसा भवतु ते जयमङ्गलानि ॥६॥
7. Subduing Nandopananda:
One afternoon, Anathapindika visited Jetavana Monastery. After listening to the Buddha's Teaching, he invisted the Buddha and five hundred bhikkhus for a meal the next day. The Buddha consented with silence.
Early the next morning, when the Buddha surveyed the world, he saw Nandopanada. Although this powerful naga king had no confidence in the Triple Gem, the Buddha realized that was ripe for conversion. The Buddha wondered who might convert him and saw that venerable Moggallana would be able to do that.
After daybreak, the Buddha told Venerable Ananda to summon five hundred bhikkhus to accompany him to Tavatimsa. At the time, there was a festiveal in the naga realm, and Nandopananda was reclining on an exquisite couch under a royal white umbrella while musician and dancers enterained him. The Buddha took a route to Tavatimsa which passed directly over the naga's palace. Nandopananda looked up, saw the Buddha and the bhikkhus, and shouted "Look at those shavelings! how dare they pass over my palace and scatter the dust from their feet on our heads!"
He hurried to the foot of Mount Sineru and coiled his huge serpentine body seven times around the mountain. When he spread his gigantic hood over the summit, Tavatimsa was plunged into darkness.
"Venerable sir," Venerable Ratthapala said to the Buddha, "always before, when we passed this way, we could clearly see Mount Sineru, Tavatimsa, and the colourfu banner flying atop Vejayanta, Sakka's palace. Today we can see nothing at all. Why is that?"
"Ratthpala," the Buddha replied, "it is because Nandopananda, in his rage, has blocked the sun."
"Shall I tame him?" Venerable Ratthapala asked.
"No," the Buddha replied. He also refused to give permission to Venerable Bhaddiya, Venerable Rahula, and several other bhikkhus.
Finally, Venerable Moggallana asked, and the Buddha replied, "Yes, Tame him, Moggallana".
Venerable Moggallana transformed himself into an even large naga and coiled his body fourteen times around Mount Sineru. As he raised his hood above Nandopanada's, he passed the naga king tightly against the mountain.
Although Nandopananda was suffering great pain, he belched foul smoke. Not at all bothered by that, Venerable Moggallana exclaimed, "I can do that, too!" Then he belched smoke so thick that it almost suffocated Nandopananda.
Recovering alittle, Nandopananda spat fire, but that did not bother Venerable Moggallana either. "I can do that, too!" he exclaimed, and he spat fire so hot that it burned the naga king.
"This is not an ordinary naga," Nandopananda thought. "He is much stroger than I am." Aloud he asked, "Sir, who are you?"
"Nanda, I am Moggallana."
"Veberable sir," Nandopananda begged, "please assume your form as a bhikkhu." Venerable Moggallana complied, but he immediately entered Nandopananda's right ear and came out of his left ear. Then he entered his left ear and came out his right ear. Next, he entered the naga's right nostril, came out of the left nostril, turned around, and did the reverse. Nandopananda opened his mouth to complain, but the great monk stepped into the naga's mouth and went into his stomach. Venerable Moggallana walked back and forth inside Nandopananda's body, and the naga cried out in distress.
"Moggallana, be careful!" the Buddha cautioned. "This is a powerful naga."
"Most Venerable sir," Venerable Moggallana replied, "I have fully developed the four bases of power. Indeed, Lord, I could tame ahundred, a thousand, or even a hundred thousand naga kings like Nandopananda, let alone just this one!"
Deeply angered and offended by that, Nandopanada thought, "I didn't see Moggallana when he entered my mouth, but when he comes out, I will kill him!" Aloud, he shouted, "Venerable sir, please come out!"
As soon as Venerable Moggallana had stepped out of Nandopananda's mouth, the naga king sent a powerful blast of hot poisonous breath ffrom his nostrils.
Venerable Moggallana, however, instantly entered the fourth jhana, which protect him, and not even a single hair on his body was disturbed. Foreseeing that Nandopananda would attack in this way, the Buddha had not allowed anyone except Venerable Moggallana to fight the naga king. Although other bhikkhus and developed all the other extraordinary power, only Moggallana and the Buddha could protect themselves by entering jhana so quickly. Anyone else have been reduced to cinders.
"It is amazing, " Nandopanada gasped, "that this bhikkhu is able to withstand my hot poisonous breath!"
Venerable Moggallana then assumed the form of a huge garula, the dreaded enemy of the nagas. Utterly shaken, Nandopananda assumed a human form and fell at Venerable Moggallana's feet. "Venerable sir," he cried, "I go to you for refuge."
"Nanda," Venerable Moggallana replied, "the Buddha himself is here. It is to him that you should go for refuge." Then he led the naga king to where the Buddha was standing.
Nandopananda paid homage to the Blessed One and said, "Most Venerable sir, I go to you for refuge."
After establishing Nandopananda in the Triple Gem, the Buddha blessed him, saying "May you be happy, king of nagas."
Having accomplished his mission, the Buddha led the five hundred bhikkhus to Anathapindika's house.
"Most Venerable sir, what has delayed you?" Anathapindika asked.
"There was a great contest between Moggallana and Nandopananda."
"Who won, Most Venerabale sir, and who was defeated?"
"Moggallana won, and the naga king was defeated. Nandopananda was completely tamed and subdued."
"Most Venerable sir," Anathapindika replied, "to celebrate this great victory over Nandopananda, may the Blessed One accept my alms for seven consecutive days." Thus, for one week, Anathapindika paid homage to the Buddha, honored Venerable Moggallana, and provided food for them and all the other bhikkhus.
8. Correcting Baka Brahma's view:
In a former birth this Brahma had once practiced meditation, so he was born in the Vehapphala heaven. Having spent there an existence of five hundred kalpas, he was born in the Subhakiṇṇa heaven; after sixty-four kalpas there he passed and was born in the Ābhassara heaven, where existence is for eight kalpas. It was there that this false Dhamma arose in him. He forgot that he had passed from higher Brahmaloka heavens and had been born in that heaven, and perceiving neither of these things had taken up the false Dhamma.
The Lord, understanding his reflections, as easily as a strong man can extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, disappearing from Jetavana, appeared in that Brahmaloka. The Brahma, seeing the Lord, said: “Come here, my lord; welcome, my lord; it is a long time, my lord, since you have taken this opportunity, even for coming here; this world, my lord, is perpetual, it is permanent, it is eternal, it is absolute, it is unchanging; this world is not born, it decays not, it dies not, it passes not away, it is not born again; apart from this world there is no other escape beyond.”
When this was said, the Lord said to Baka the Brahma, “Baka the Brahma has come to ignorance, he has come to ignorance, when he will say that a thing which is not permanent is permanent, and so on, and that there is no other escape apart from this when there is another escape.” Hearing this the Brahma thought: “This one presses me hard, finding out exactly what I say,” and as a timid thief, after receiving a few blows, says, “Am I the only thief? So and so and so and so are thieves too,” showing his associates; so he, in fear of the Lord’s questioning, showing that others were his associates, spoke the first verse:
1.
“Seventy and two, O Gotama, are we
Righteous and great, from birth and age we’re free;
Our heaven is wisdom’s home, there’s nought above;
And many others will this view approve.”
Hearing his words, the Teacher spoke the second
verse:
2.
“Short your existence in this world; ’tis wrong,
Baka, to
think existence here is long;
A hundred
thousand aeons past and gone
All your existence well to me is known.”
Hearing this, Baka spoke the third verse:
3.
“Of wisdom infinite, O Lord, am I;
Birth, age, and sorrow, all beneath me lie;
What should I do with good works, long ago?
Yet tell me something, Lord, that I should know.”
Then the Lord, relating and showing him things of past time, spoke four verses;
4.
“To many a man of old you gave a drink
For thirst and parching drought ready to sink;
That virtuous deed of thine so long ago
Remembering, as if waked from sleep, I know.
5.
By Eṇi’s bank you set the people free
When chained and held in close captivity;
That virtuous deed of thine so long ago
Remembering, as if waked from sleep, I know.
6.
By Ganges’ stream the man you did set free,
Whose boat was seized by Nāga, cruelly
Lusting for
flesh, and save him mightily;
That virtuous deed of thine, so long ago
Remembering, as if waked from sleep, I know.
7.
And I was Kappa, your disciple true,
Your wisdom and your virtues all I knew;
And now those deeds of thine so long ago
Remembering, as if waked from sleep, I know.”
Hearing his own deeds from the Teacher’s discourse, Baka gave thanks and spoke this last verse:
8.
“You know every life that has been mine;
Buddha you are, all wisdom sure is thine;
And sure your glorious majesty and state
Even this Brahma Realm illuminate.”
So the Teacher, making known his quality as Buddha and expounding the Dhamma, showed forth the Truths. At the end the thoughts of ten thousand Brahmas were freed from attachments and defilements. So the Lord became the refuge of many Brahmas, and going back from Brahmaloka to Jetavana preached the Dhamma in the way described and identified the Jātaka, “At that time Baka the Brahma was the ascetic Kesava, Kappa the disciple was myself.”
दुग्गाहदिट्ठिभुजगेन सुदट्ठ-हत्थं,
ब्रह्मं विसुद्धिजुतिमिद्धि बकाभिधानं।
आणागदेन विधिना जितवा मुनिन्दो,
तं तेजसा भवतु ते जयमङ्गलानि ॥८॥
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