“Happy is the birth of Buddhas. Happy is the teaching of
the sublime Dhamma. Happy is the unity of the Sangha.
Happy is the discipline of the united ones.” —
DHAMMAPADA The Conversion of Yasa and His Friends In
Benares there was a millionaire’s son, named Yasa, who
led a luxurious life. One morning he rose early and, to
his utter disgust, saw his female attendants and
musicians asleep in repulsive attitudes. The whole
spectacle was so disgusting that the palace presented
the gloomy appearance of a charnel house. Realizing the
vanities of worldly life, he stole away from home,
saying “Distressed am I, oppressed am I,” and went in
the direction of Isipatana where the Buddha was
temporarily residing after having made the five Bhikkhus
attain Arahantship.
At that particular time the Buddha, as usual, was pacing
up and down in an open space. Seeing him coming from
afar, the Buddha came out of His ambulatory and sat on a
prepared seat. Not far from Him stood Yasa, crying — “O
distressed am I! Oppressed am I!” Thereupon the Buddha
advised “Here there is no distress, O Yasa! Here there
is no oppression, O Yasa! Come hither, Yasa! Take a
seat. I shall expound the Dhamma to you.” The distressed
Yasa was pleased to hear the encouraging words of the
Buddha. Removing his golden sandals, he approached the
Buddha, respectfully saluted Him and sat on one side.
The Buddha expounded the doctrine to him, and he
attained the first stage of Sainthood (Sotapatti).
At first the Buddha spoke to him on generosity (dana),
morality (sila), celestial states (sagga), the evils of
sensual pleasures (kamadinava), the blessings of
renunciation (nekkhammanisamsa). When He found that his
mind was pliable and was ready to appreciate the deeper
teaching He taught the Four Noble Truths.
Yasa’s mother was the first to notice the absence of her
son and she reported the matter to her husband. The
millionaire immediately dispatched horsemen in four
directions and he himself went towards Isipatana,
following the imprint of the golden slippers. The Buddha
saw him coming from afar and, by His psychic powers,
willed that he should not be able to see his son.
The millionaire approached the Buddha and respectfully
inquired whether He had seen his son Yasa.
“Well, then, sit down here please. You would be able to
see your son,” said the Buddha. Pleased with the happy
news, he sat down. The Buddha delivered a discourse to
him, and he was so delighted that he exclaimed:
“Excellent, O Lord, excellent! It is as if, Lord, a man
were to set upright that which was overturned, or were
to reveal that which was hidden, or were to point out
the way to one who had gone astray, or were to hold a
lamp amidst the darkness, so that those who have eyes
may see! Even so has the doctrine been expounded in
various ways by the Exalted One.
“I, Lord, take refuge in the Buddha, the Doctrine and
the Order. May the Lord receive me as a follower, who
has taken refuge from this very day to life’s end!” He
was the first lay follower to seek refuge with the
threefold formula.
On hearing the discourse delivered to his father, Yasa
attained Arahantship. Thereupon the Buddha withdrew His
will-power so that Yasa’s father may be able to see his
son. The millionaire beheld his son and invited the
Buddha and His disciples for alms on the following day.
The Buddha expressed His acceptance of the invitation by
His silence.
After the departure of the millionaire Yasa begged the
Buddha to grant him the Lesser and the Higher
Ordination. “Come, O Bhikkhus! Well taught is the
Doctrine. Lead the Holy Life to make a complete end of
suffering.” With these words the Buddha conferred on him
the Higher Ordination. With the Venerable Yasa the
number of Arahants increased to six.
As invited, the Buddha visited the millionaire’s house
with His six disciples.
Venerable Yasa’s mother and his former wife heard the
doctrine expounded by the Buddha and, having attained
the first stage of Sainthood, became His first two lay
female followers. Venerable Yasa had four distinguished
friends named Vimala, Subahu, Punnaji and Gavampati.
When they heard that their noble friend shaved his hair
and beard, and, donning the yellow robe, entered the
homeless life, they approached Venerable Yasa and
expressed their desire to follow his example. Venerable
Yasa introduced them to the Buddha, and, on hearing the
Dhamma, they also attained Arahantship.
Fifty more worthy friends of Venerable Yasa, who
belonged to leading families of various districts, also
receiving instructions from the Buddha, attained
Arahantship and entered the Holy Order.
Hardly two months had elapsed since His Enlightenment
when the number of Arahants gradually rose to sixty. All
of them came from distinguished families and were worthy
sons of worthy fathers.
The First Messengers of Truth (Dhammaduta) The Buddha
who, before long, succeeded in enlightening sixty
disciples, decided to send them as messengers of Truth
to teach His new Dhamma to all without any distinction.
Before dispatching them in various directions He
exhorted them as follows: “Freed am I, O Bhikkhus, from
all bonds, whether divine or human.
“You, too, O Bhikkhus, are freed from all bonds, whether
divine or human.
“Go forth, O Bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the
happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world,
for the good, benefit, and happiness of gods and men.
Let not two go by one way: Preach, O Bhikkhus, the
Dhamma, excellent in the beginning, excellent in the
middle, excellent in the end, both in the spirit and in
the letter. Proclaim the Holy Life, altogether perfect
and pure.
“There are beings with little dust in their eyes, who,
not hearing the Dhamma, will fall away. There will be
those who understand the Dhamma.” “I too, O Bhikkhus,
will go to Uruvela in Senanigama, in order to preach the
Dhamma.” “Hoist the Flag of the Sage. Preach the Sublime
Dhamma. Work for the good of others, you who have done
your duties.” The Buddha was thus the first religious
teacher to send His enlightened ordained disciples to
propagate the doctrine out of compassion for others.
With no permanent abode, alone and penniless, these
first missioners were expected to wander from place to
place to teach the sublime Dhamma. They had no other
material possessions but their robes to cover themselves
and an alms-bowl to collect food. As the field was
extensive and the workers were comparatively few they
were advised to undertake their missionary journeys
alone. As they were Arahants who were freed from all
sensual bonds their chief and only object was to teach
the Dhamma and proclaim the Holy Life (Brahmacariya).
The original role of Arahants, who achieved their life’s
goal, was to work for the moral uplift of the people
both by example and by precept. Material development,
though essential, was not their concern.
Founding of the Order of the Sangha at that time there
were sixty Arahant disciples in the world. With these
Pure Ones as the nucleus the Buddha founded a celibate
Order which “was democratic in constitution and
communistic in distribution.” The original members were
drawn from the highest status of society and were all
educated and rich men, but the Order was open to all
worthy ones, irrespective of caste, class or rank. Both
young and old belonging to all the castes, were freely
admitted into the Order and lived like brothers of the
same family without any distinction. This Noble Order of
Bhikkhus, which stands to this day, is the oldest
historic body of celibates in the world.
All were not expected to leave the household and enter
the homeless life. As lay followers, too, they were able
to lead a good life in accordance with the Dhamma and
attain Sainthood. Venerable Yasa’s parents and his
former wife, for instance, were the foremost lay
followers of the Buddha. All the three were sufficiently
spiritually advanced to attain the first stage of
Sainthood.
With the sixty Arahants, as ideal messengers of Truth,
the Buddha decided to propagate His sublime Dhamma,
purely by expounding the doctrine to those who wish to
hear.
Conversion of Thirty Young Men The Buddha resided at
Isipatana in Benares as long as He liked and went
towards Uruvela. On the way He sat at the foot of a tree
in a grove.
At that time thirty happy young men went with their
wives to this particular grove to amuse themselves. As
one of them had no wife he took with him a courtesan.
While they were enjoying themselves this woman absconded
with their valuables. The young men searched for her in
the forest, and, seeing the Buddha, inquired of Him
whether He saw a woman passing that way.
“Which do you think, young men, is better; seeking a
woman or seeking oneself?” questioned the Buddha.
“Seeking oneself is better, O Lord! replied the young
men”. “Well, then, sit down. I shall preach the doctrine
to you,” said the Buddha. “Very well, Lord,” they
replied, and respectfully saluting the Exalted One, sat
expectantly by.
They attentively listened to Him and obtained “The Eye
of Truth.” After this they entered the Order and
received the Higher Ordination.
පුර අටවක
පසෙලාස්වක
අව
අටවක
අමාවක