1. The Story of the Buddha’s Return from the Tavatimsa Deva World

    Comment October 4, 2023

    Verse 181: The wise who practise jhana concentration and Insight Meditation take delight in the peace of liberation from sensual pleasures and moral defilements. Such wise and mindful ones, who truly comprehend the Four Noble Truths (i.e., Arahats and Buddhas) are held dear also by the devas.

    The Story of the Buddha’s Return from the Tavatimsa Deva World

    On return from the Tavatimsa deva world, the Buddha uttered Verse (181) of this book at Sankassanagara, in reply to Thera Sariputta’s words of welcome.

    On one occasion, while at Savatthi, the Buddha performed the Miracle of the Pairs in answer to the challenge of the ascetics of various sects. After this, the Buddha went to the Tavatimsa deva world; his mother who had been reborn in the Tusita deva world as a deva known as Santusita also came to the Tavatimsa deva world. There the Buddha expounded the Abhidhamma to the devas and the brahmas throughout the three months of the vassa. As a result, Santusita deva attained Sotapatti Fruition; so did numerous other devas and brahmas.

    During that period Thera Sariputta spent the vassa at Sankassanagara, thirty yojanas away from Savatthi. During his stay there, as regularly instructed by the Buddha, he taught the Abhidhamma to the five hundred bhikkhus staying with him and covered the whole course by the end of the vassa.

    Towards the end of the vassa, Thera Maha Moggalana went to the Tavatimsa deva world to see the Buddha. Then, he was told that the Buddha would return to the human world on the full moon day at the end of the vassa to the place where Thera Sariputta was spending the vassa. Continue reading →

  2. The Story of Thera Sariputta

    Comment October 13, 2019

    Verse 97. He who is not credulous, who has realized the Unconditioned (Nibbana), who has cut off the links of the round of rebirths, who has destroyed all consequences of good and bad deeds, who has discarded all craving, is indeed the noblest of all men (i.e., an arahat).

    1. Vantaso: one who has discarded all craving (lit., one who has vomited out all craving).

    The Story of Thera Sariputta

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (97) of this book, with reference to Thera Sariputtta.

    Thirty bhikkhus from a village had arrived at the Jetavana monastery to pay homage to the Buddha. The Buddha knew that the time was ripe for those bhikkhus to attain arahatship. So, he sent for Sariputta, and in the presence of those bhikkhus, he asked, “My son Sariputta, do you accept the fact that by meditating on the senses one could realize Nibbana ?” Sariputta answered, “Venerable Sir, in the matter of the realization of Nibbana by meditating on the senses, it is not that I accept it because I have faith in you; it is only those who have not personally realized it, that accept the fact from others.” Sariputta’s answer was not properly understood by the bhikkhus; they thought, “Sariputta has not given up wrong views yet; even now, he has no faith in the Buddha.”

    Then the Buddha explained to them the true meaning of Sariputta’s answer. “Bhikkhus, Sariputta’s answer is simply this; he accepts the fact that Nibbana is realized by means of meditation on the senses, but his acceptance is due to his own personal realization and not merely because I have said it or somebody else has said it. Sariputta has faith in me; he also has faith in the consequences of good and bad deeds.”

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
    Verse 97: He who is not credulous, who has realized the Unconditioned (Nibbana), who has cut off the links of the round of rebirths, who has destroyed all consequences of good and bad deeds, who has discarded all craving, is indeed the noblest of all men (i.e., an arahat).

    At the end of the discourse, all those bhikkhus attained arahatship.

    Dhammapada Verse 97
    Sariputtatthera Vatthu

    Assaddho akatannu ca
    sandhicchedo ca yo naro
    hatavakaso vantaso1
    sa ve uttamaporiso.

    Source: Tipitaka

  3. The Story of Thera Sariputta

    Comment April 27, 2019

    Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.

    1. apetakaddamo: free from mud. The lake water being free from mud is unpolluted; the arahat being free from defilements is also serene and pure.

    The Story of Thera Sariputta

    While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (95) of this book, with reference to the Chief Disciple Sariputta and a young bhikkhu.

    It was the end of the vassa; and Thera Sariputta was about to set out on a journey with some followers. A young bhikkhu, who bore some grudge against the thera, approached the Buddha and falsely reported that Thera Sariputta had abused him and beaten him. The Buddha therefore sent for the thera and questioned him, and Thera Sariputta replied as follows: “Venerable Sir! How could a bhikkhu, who steadfastly keeps his mind on the body, set out on a journey without apologizing, after doing wrong to a fellow bhikkhu? I am like the earth, which feels no pleasure when flowers are cast on it, nor resentment when rubbish and excreta are piled upon it. I am also like the door-mat, the beggar, the bull with broken horns; I also feel abhorrence for the impurity of the body and am no longer attached to it.”

    When Thera Sariputta spoke thus, the young bhikkhu felt very much distressed and wept bitterly, and admitted that he had lied about the Chief Disciple Sariputta. Then the Buddha advised Thera Sariputta to accept the apology of the young bhikkhu, lest a heavy punishment should fall on him and get his head crushed. The young bhikkhu then admitted that he had done wrong and respectfully asked for pardon. Thera Sariputta pardoned the young bhikkhu and also asked to be forgiven if he also had done any wrong.

    All those present talked in praise of Thera Sariputta, and the Buddha said, “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu like Sariputta has no anger or ill will in him. Like the earth and the door-post, he is patient, tolerant, and firm; like the lake free from mud, he is serene and pure.”

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
    Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.

    Dhammapada Verse 95
    Sariputtatthera Vatthu

    Pathavisamo no virujjhati
    indakhilupamo tadi subbato
    rahadova apetakaddamo1
    samsara na bhavanti tadino.

    Source: Tipitaka

  4. The Story of Thera Sariputta

    Comment October 7, 2015

    Sariputta

    Verse 11: They take untruth for truth; they take truth for untruth; such persons can never arrive at the truth, for they hold wrong views.

    Verse 12: They take truth for truth; they take untruth for untruth; such persons arrive at the truth, for they hold right views.

    1. asare: lit., essenceless; according to the Commentary, wrong view, i.e., untruth.

    2. sare: lit., essence; according to the Commentary, right view, i.e. , truth.

    3. siram: Truth  According to the Commentary, essence of the Dhamma. The essence of the Dhamma comprises sila (moral precepts or morality), samadhi (concentration), panna (knowledge), vimutti (liberation), vimutti-nanadasasana (Knowledge of and Insight into liberation), haramattha (ultimate truth) and Nibbana.

    While residing at Veluvana, the Bamboo Grove monastery in Rajagaha, the Buddha uttered Verses (11) and (12) of this book, with reference to Sanjaya, a former teacher of the Chief Disciples, the Venerable Sariputta and the Venerable Moggallana (formerly Upatissa and Kolita).

    Upatissa and Kolita were two youths from Upatissa and Kolita, two villages near Rajagaha. While looking at a show they realized the insubstantiality of things and they decided to search for the way to liberation. First, they approached Sanjaya. The wandering ascetic at Rajagaha, but they were not satisfied with his teachings. So they went all over Jambudipa and came back to their native place, after searching for, but not finding the true dhamma. At this point they came to an understanding that one who found the true dhamma should inform the other.

    One day, Upatissa came across Thera Assaji and learned from him the substance of the dhamma. The thera uttered the verse beginning with “Ye dhamma hetuppabhava”, meaning, “those phenomena which proceed from a cause”. Listening to the verse, Upatissa became established in the Sotapatti Magga and Phala. Then, as promised, he went to his friend Kolita, explained to him that he, Upatissa, had attained the state of Deathlessness and repeated the verse to his friend. Kolita also become established in Sotapatti Fruition at the end of the verse. They both remembered their former teacher and so went to Sanjaya and said to him, “We have found one who could point out the Path to Deathlesseness; the Buddha has appeared in the world; the Dhamma has appeared; the Sangha has appeared… Come, let us go to the Teacher.” They had hoped that their former teacher would go along with them to the Buddha and by listening to the discourses he, too, would come to realize Magga and Phala. But Sanjaya refused.

    So Upatissa and Kolita, with two hundred and fifty followers, went to the Buddha, at Veluvana. There, they were initiated and admitted into the Order as bhikkhus. Upatissa as son of Rupasari became known as Thera Sariputta; Kolita as son of Moggali became known as Thera Maha Moggallana. On the seventh day after the initiation Maha Moggallana attained Arahatship. Thera Sariputta achieved the same a fortnight after initiation. On that day, the Buddha made them his two Chief Disciples (Agga-Savaka).

    The two Chief Disciples then related to the Buddha how they went to the Giragga festival, the meeting with Thera Assaji and their attainment of Sotapatti Fruition. They also told the Buddha about their former teacher Sanjaya, who refused to accompany them. Sanjaya had said, “Having been a teacher to so many pupils, for me to become his pupil would be like a jar turning into a drinking cup. Besides, only few people are wise and the majority are foolish; let the wise go to the wise Gotama, the foolish would still come to me. Go your way, my pupils.”

    Thus, as the Buddha pointed out, Sanjaya’s false pride was preventing him from seeing truth as truth; he was seeing untruth as truth and would never arrive at the real truth.

    Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

    Verse 11: They take untruth for truth; they take truth for untruth; such persons can never arrive at the truth, for they hold wrong views.

    Verse 12: They take truth for truth; they take untruth for untruth; such persons arrive at the truth, for they hold right views. At the end of the discourse, many people came to be established in Sotapatti Fruition.

    At the end of the discourse, many people came to be established in Sotapatti Fruition.

    Dhammapada Verses 11 and 12
    Sariputtatthera Vatthu

    Asare1saramatino
    sare2casaradassino
    te saram3 nadhigacchanti
    micchasankappagocara.

    Saranca sarato natva
    asaranca adhigacchanti
    te saram adhigacchanti
    sammasankappagocara.

    Source: Tipitaka

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