History of Buddhism-Buddhism

Buddha taming Ala Vaka, the demon-god

Comment August 6, 2016

The Buddha taming Ala Vaka, the demon-god with a sermon on loving-kindness

44. The Buddha taming Ala Vaka, the demon-god, with a sermon on loving-kindness

There stood a giant banyan tree at a distance of a little more than three miles from Alavi city. Alavaka, the demon-god had his dwelling in that tree. One night Alavaka was attending a meeting of gods at the Himalayas, when the Buddha entered his dwelling in order to tame this cruel monster. The door-keeper of the dwelling, a deity, paying homage to the Buddha, said, “May I go and seek permission from Alavaka for you to enter his dwelling?” So saying, he went to the meeting of gods to get the permission. At that moment, Alavaka who had to keep his anger in check became furious when he heard from other gods about the arrival of the Buddha at his dwelling. He left the meeting at once and jumped on to the dizzy heights of Kelasa Mountain, and shouted out this challenge:

“Alavaka am I!” Then throughout the night he flung all sorts of weapons at the Blessed One who was not hurt at all because of his infinite power of loving-kindness. Then Alavaka approached the Buddha who tamed him peacefully with a sermon on Loving-Kindness.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Buddha preaching to Kisa Gotami

Comment August 3, 2016

The Buddha preaching to Kisa Gotami asking for medicine for her dead son

43. The Buddha preaching to Kisa Gotami asking for medicine for her dead son

Kisa Gotami was the wife of a wealthy man of Savatthi worth 40 crores. She had an only son who died when he was just able to run about. She had never seen any death and, thinking that her son was only ill, did not cremate him. In her distress she took him in her arms and went about asking for medicine.

One wise man thought that no one but the Buddha would know of any, and sent her to Him. Kisa Gotami showed her dead son and asked the Buddha to give the medicine that would cure her boy. The Buddha answered: ” I shall cure your boy if you get some mustard seeds from a house where no one has died”. Carrying her dead son, she wondered from door to door. But she could not find any house where no death had occurred. At last she began to learn the truth, “No house is free from death”. She went to a wood, laid her child there and returned to the Buddha, who comforted her by preaching to her the truth. She was established in the first holy stage of the Aryan

Path, and was admitted into the Order of Nuns. She eventually became an Arahant.

Rohini river lying between Kapilavatthu and Koliya was the main source of water supply for these two cities to irrigate their lands for growing crops.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Buddha preaching the sermon of peace

Comment August 2, 2016

The Buddha preaching the sermon of peace from the air to prevent war between Kapila and Koliya

42. The Buddha preaching the sermon of peace from the air to prevent war between Kapila and Koliya

Rohini river lying between Kapilavatthu and Koliya was the main source of water supply for these two cities to irrigate their lands for growing crops. At one time, when the crops became dry, the farmers from both cities went to draw water from the river when there was very little water and just enough left for them to take once only. A quarrel arose over it and there was an exchange of hot words touching the fair name of the Sakya clan. The Ministers including the one in charge of agriculture became so angry that they decided to settle this matter by battle and both sides sallied forth for a fight.

The Buddha saw, with the eye of a Buddha, that there would be much blood-shed if the relatives of both sides engaged in battle. He, therefore, went alone and sat cross-legged in the air midway between the armed forces of both sides. When they saw the Blessed One in the air, the armed forces of both sides, who were all kinsmen, laid down their arms and paid homage to Him. The Buddha then admonished them by preaching a sermon of peace saying, “Are you going to destroy your priceless lives for the sake of a little bit of worthless water?”

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Buddha preaching to Khema, queen of King Bimbisara

Comment July 31, 2016

The Buddha preaching to Khema, queen of King Bimbisara

41. The Buddha preaching to Khema, queen of King Bimbisara

The daughter of King Maddaraja of Sagala State, by the name of Khema, was one of the queens of King Bimbisara. She was very pretty and being proud of her own beauty, had no wish to go to the Buddha, who was in the habit of preaching that “beauty is but skin deep”. But she heard that Veluvana Park had been greatly improved and was looking so picturesque and pleasant that even gods were attracted by it. She therefore had a strong wish to visit it and went to the park where the Buddha was then in residence. King Bimbisara had told the attendants to see that the Queen should not come back without paying her respects to the Buddha. She dared not disobey the King and approached the Buddha before she left the Park. The Blessed One, with his superhuman power created a scene in which a woman, more handsome than the queen, was fanning him. The woman then becoming older and older, fell down through infirmity and began to moan. The queen was very much startled by the sight. The Buddha then preached a sermon to her, and she became an Arahant and was admitted into the Holy Order of Nuns.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Cinca-Manavika making a false accusation against the Buddha

Comment July 30, 2016

Cinca-Manavika, a female ascetic, making a false accusation against the Buddha

40. Cinca-Manavika, a female ascetic, making a false accusation against the Buddha

There dwelt in Savatthi city, a female ascetic called Cinca-manavika, who was as pretty as a goddess. The heretical teachers, who did not get enough alms and were envious of the Buddha attempted to destroy His reputation by setting her to make a false accusation against Him. She wrapped a scarlet shawl round her and pretended to pay visits to the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery at nightfall, though, as a matter of fact, she slept at the monastery of the heretical teachers, and at day break she entered the city as if she was coming back from the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery. In this way she caused doubts to arise in the minds of devotees returning in the evening from the monastery after hearing a sermon from the Buddha, and those who were going there early in the morning to pay their respects to the Buddha. After a period of about nine months she placed a wooden knob against her stomach and tied it with an apron round her body to make it appear that she was big with child. Then she approached the Buddha who was preaching and made a false and wicked accusation thus: “Why have you not prepared my confinement room?” The gods appeared as mice and bit loose the apron round her body, when the knob of wood fell before the audience, and she was given a sound beating and driven away.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Angulimala reciting a Paritta blessing

Comment July 27, 2016

Angulimala reciting a Paritta blessing for a woman in the throes of childbirth

39. Angulimala reciting a Paritta blessing for a woman in the throes of childbirth

Angulimala led a peaceful life after he had become a monk. But most of the people were still scared of him and dared not approach him on his alms-round. He therefore found it difficult to get enough food for his meals. One day as he went on his alms-round, he saw a woman in the throes of childbirth. Moved by compassion, he reported this pathetic case to the Buddha who then taught him the Angulimala Paritta in Pali which means:—” Sister, from the day I was born of the Noble Birth, (i.e., since my Ordination), I have not consciously deprived any living being of life. By this truth may health be to thee and thy unborn child”. He studied this Paritta, and going to the presence of the suffering sister sat on a seat separated from her by a screen and made this asseveration by reciting the Paritta in Pali. Instantly she was delivered of the child with great ease. After that he had enough food on his alms-rounds and was contented and happy.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Conversion by the Buddha of Angulimala

Comment July 26, 2016

Conversion by the Buddha of Angulimala, a robber of the forest

38. Conversion by the Buddha of Angulimala, a robber of the forest

Angulimala was the son of the Kings Chaplain of the Savatthi City, and a student of the Taxila University. The teacher and his wife were very fond of him, as he was a brilliant, clever and faithful pupil. Unfortunately his associated grew jealous of him, made up a false story and succeeded in setting the teacher against him. The enraged teacher, suspecting him to have had an affair with his wife contrived to put an end to his life by ordering him to fetch a thousand fingers as a present in return for the education he received. In obedience to the teacher, he took to the forest of Savatthi and started killing people to collect fingers for the necessary offering. Later he wore a garland of these fingers to ascertain the number—hence the name Angulimala. When he had collected 999 fingers, and was ready to complete the number he chased his own mother who came out to ask him to desist from killing.

The Buddha saw this in advance and appeared on the scene to prevent him from killing his mother. He chased the Buddha to kill Him, but could not overtake Him on account of His supernatural power. He was eventually converted to the noble Doctrine of the Buddha and was admitted into the Order.
THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Buddha and the Venerable Ananda, washing a monk

Comment July 25, 2016

The Buddha and the Venerable Ananda, washing a monk suffering from dysentery

37. The Buddha and the Venerable Ananda, washing a monk suffering from dysentery

One monk was suffering from dysentery. As he did not wait upon others, there was no one to wait upon him. The Buddha, accompanied by the Venerable Ananda, went round inspecting the buildings of the monastery and saw the ailing monk sleeping in filth. Immediately the Blessed One sent the Venerable Ananda to fetch water and Himself poured water while the Venerable Ananda scrubbed and cleaned him. The Buddha and the Venerable Ananda thus did their duty of ministering to the sick. Having washed and cleaned the monk, the Blessed One held him by the head, while the Venerable Ananda took hold of his feet and placed him on a couch. The Buddha had the monks assembled and exhorted them thus:—”You have no parents nearby to wait upon you, and if you do not wait upon one another, who will do so?” And then the Blessed One admonished them as follows:— “Whosoever, Brethren, would wait upon me, he should wait upon the sick”.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Buddha causing Baka Brahma to change his wrong views

Comment July 24, 2016

The Buddha causing Baka Brahma, a higher God, to change his wrong views

36. The Buddha causing Baka Brahma, a higher God, to change his wrong views

Baka Brahma was the chief of the first realm of higher gods. He was of the view that his realm was the highest and that he himself and his realm were everlasting, not knowing that there were higher realms above his own. The Blessed One visited the Brahma world and in the midst of an assembly of higher gods pointed out to Baka Brahma, “There are realms of higher gods above yours. The whole Brahma world of higher gods including your realm is not permanent”. Then the Blessed One continued his discourse to Baka Brahma by saying, “I know how you have come into being and what your powers are. But, there are higher gods superior to you in status and power”. Finding that all his views were wrong, Baka wished to show his own powers and said. “I will make myself invisible”. He made several attempts to become invisible, but without success. The Blessed One then said, “I will now show you that I can make myself invisible”, and instantly the Buddha disappeared from view and preached to him a sermon while remaining invisible.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Venerable Moggallana taming the king of dragons

Comment July 23, 2016

Venerable Moggallana taming the king of dragons, Nandopananda

35. Venerable Moggallana taming the king of dragons, Nandopananda

Nandopananda, king of the dragons, was dwelling on Mount Meru in magnificent splendour and luxury like a god. He was full of anger. One day while he was in the midst of his pleasures surrounded by dancing female dragons, the Buddha, together with a retinue of monks with supernatural powers, traveled by air to Tavatimsa heaven and passed over their heads. This made the king of the dragons very angry, and he coiled his body roundMount Meru and Tavatimsa heaven and covered them.

In the midst of their aerial journey, the holy monks could not see Tavatimsa heaven which was covered by the dragon-king. They knew this and asked the Blessed One to allow them to tame him, but did not get the permission. Only the Venerable Moggallana got the permission when he requested the Buddha. He then turned himself into a dragon, with a body much larger than that of the dragon-king, and coiling himself round the dragon-king’s body, began to crush him down. By this and other means he tamed the dragon-king and taught him a good lesson. He then brought him to the Blessed One and made him take refuge in the triple gem, namely, the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Order of Monks.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post