(1) Mahakassapa Thera Bojjhanga

Mahakassapa Thera Bojjhanga Sutta started on one occasion when the blessed one was reciting at Rajagaha in Bamboo grove where the squirrel fed on the ground.

According to G. P. Malalasekera^[1] the Bamboo grove which was famous and known as the Velubana was the park near Rajagaha and was also the pleasure garden of Bimbisara. Buddha on his first visit to Rajagaha after his attainment and Enlightenment he stayed at the Latthivanuyyana and after his arrival he accepted the kings invitation for a meal in the palace. After the meal, the king was looking for a place for Buddha to live in which would not be too far from the town, not too near but going and coming or so to say that would be easily accessible for the people yet it would not be crowded during the day or exposed to noise or clamour during the night yet it would have to be clean of the smell of people and hidden and suitable for secluded living. Thus fitting all this criterian the Velubana was selected and was bestowed to Buddha and his fraternity. This was Buddha’s first acceptance of arama and thus the rule was circulated allowing the monks to accept such aramas. The Buddha stayed there and once here Sariputta and Moggallana were ordinated in the order.

There is another interesting story to be heard of. Once king Bimbisara went to Velubana for a picnic and being over drunk fell asleep. Why he fell asleep his retinue on seeing him asleeping wandered away in search of flowers and fruits while a snake being attracted by the smell of liquor approached the king from the neighbouring treetrunk and would had bit him if tree spirit would not had assumed the form of a squirrel and warned the king by her chirping sound. The Raja in gratitude of the squirrel ordered that the squirrels in the locality should be fed regularly, thus food (Nivapa) was regularly placed for the squirels.

Kalandakanivapa became an all time favourite for Buddha and his Sangha.

Mahakassapa Thera at the age of one hundred twenty years fell ill and recided in the pipphali cave.

The Mahakassappa thara who was Buddha’s one of the most eminent disciple and also the chief of those followed a minute observences of form (dhutavadanam). There was born in the Brahminvillege of Mahatirtha in Magdha and his father being Kapila and mother Sumanadevi was called pippali. On growing up he refused to marry against the wishes of his parents but had to marry at the end under the pressure of his parents. Yet he agreed on the condition that his wife had to resemble a statue which he had made.

Bhaddakapilani was found at Sagala who fulfilled this condition. Accordingly pippali and Bhaddha wrote to each other with the suggestion that some one was to be found and the match for each other and ultimately their letters were intercepted and they were married with mutual consent although the marriage was not consummated as both of them spent the night separated by chain of flowers.

The couple found that both of them were of one accord and took yellow raiment and they cut of each other hair and taking bowls in their hand went across their weeping servants and granted them their freedom and they departed together with pippali leading. All though they agreed that they must walk together as each must prove hindrance to the other thus as the cross road came he took the right and she took the left and the earth trembled to see such virtue.

At that time Buddha was sitting in the Gandhakuti in Veluvana^[2] and he immediately understood the signification of the earthquake. And walked three gavutas^[3] down at the foot of the bahuputtaka Nigrodha between Rajagaha and Nalanda in all glory of Buddha. Pippali who was known as Mahakassapa saw Buddha and recognized him as his teacher and prostrated himself before him, Buddha asked him to be seated and instructed the rules to him. He was ordinated and they together returned to Rajagaha. Seven of the 32 marks of a great being and thus followed Buddha to seat at the foot of a tree by the road side and folded his Sanghati (pilotikasanighati) for Buddha as a sit and Buddha sat on it. Kassapa asked Buddha to accept and Buddha inquired that what would he then wear.

Kassapa then begged that he might be given the used rag robe worn by the Buddha. Buddha said that it was fade with use. But Kassapa said he would prize it above the whole world and the robes were exchanged.^[4] The earth quaked again in recognition of Kassapa’s virtues, for no ordinary being would have been fit to wear the Buddha’s cast off robe. Kassapa conscious of the great honour, took upon himself the thirteen austere vows (dhutaguna) and after eight days became an Arahant.

Kassapa was not present at the death of the Buddha; as he was travelling from Pava to Kusinara he met an Ajivaka carrying in his hand a mandarava-flower picked up by him from among those which had rained from heaven in honour of the Buddha, and it was he who told Kassapa the news that it was then the seventh day after the Buddha’s death, and the Mallas had been trying in vain to set fire to his pyre. The arahant Theras, who were present, declared that it could not be kindled until Mahakassapa and his five hundred companions had saluted the Buddha’s feet. Mahakassapa then arrived and walked three times round the pyre with bare shoulder, and it is said the Buddha’s feet became visible and came out of the pyre in order that he might worship them. He was followed by his five hundred colleagues, and when they all had worshipped, the feet disappeared and the pyre kindled by itself.^[5] It is said^[6] that the relics of the Buddha which fell to Ajatasattu’s share were taken to Rajagaha by Kassapa, in view of that which would happen in the future. At Pava [on the announcement of the Buddha’s death), Kassapa had heard the words of Subhadda, who in his old age, had joined the order that they were “well rid of the great Samana and could now do as they liked.” This remark had suggested to Kassapa’s mind the desirability of holding a recital of the Buddha’s teachings. He announced his intention to the assemble of monks, and being the senior among them and as having been considered by the Buddha himself to be fit for such a task, he was asked to make all necessary arrangements.^[7] In accordance with his wishes, all the monks, other than the arahants chosen for the Recital, left Rajagaha during the rainy season. The five hundreds who were selected met in council under the presidency of Kassapa and recited the Dhamma and the Vinaya.^[8] This recital is called the pathama-thera sangati or Theravada (q.v.).

The book contains numerous references to Mahakassapa–he is classed with Moggallana Kappin and Anuruddha for his great iddhi-power.^[9] The Buddha regarded him as equal to himself in exhorting the monks to lead the active and zealous lives^[10] and constantly held him up as an example to others in his great contentment^[11] and his ability to win over families by his preaching.^[12] The Buddha also thought him equal to himself in his power of attaining the jhanas and abiding there in.^[13]

Kassapa viewed with concern the growing laxity among members of the order with regard to the observance of rules, even in the very life-time of the Buddha, and the falling off in the number of those attaining arahantship, and we find him consulting the Buddha as to what should be done.^[14] Kassapa himself did his utmost to lead an exemplary life, dwelling in the forest, subsisting sobly on alms, wearing ragrobes, always content with little, holding himself aloof from society, ever strenuous and energetic.^[15] When asked why he led such a life, he replied that it was not only for his own happiness but also out of compassion for those who came after him, that they might attain to the same end. Even when he was old and the Buddha himself had asked him to give up his coarse rag-robe and to dwell near him, he begged to be excused.^[16] Once, when Kassapa lay grievously ill at pipphaliguha, the Buddha visited him and reminded him of the seven bojjhangas which he had practiced.^[17] (Mahakassapa thera bojjhanga).

The knowledge that he had profited by the Master’s teaching, surprisingly the visit calmed his blood and purified his system, and the sickness fell away from him “like a drop of water from a lotus leaf.”

Owing to his great saintliness, even the gods envied with each other to give alms to Kassapa. Once when he had risen from a trance lasting seven days, five hundred nymphs, wives of Sakka, appeared before him; but snapping his fingers, he asked them to depart, saying that he bestowed his favours only on the poor.^[18] When Sakka heard of this he disguised himself as a weaver worn with age, and accompanied by Sujata, transformed into an old woman, appeared in a weaver’s hut along the lane where Kassapa was begging. The act succeeded and Kassapa accepted their alms; but, later he discovered the truth and chided Sakka. Sakka begged forgiveness, and on being assured that in spite of his deception the alms giving would bring him merit, he flew into the air shouting, “Ahdanam, mahadanam, Kassa-passa patitthitam. “The Buddha heard this and sympathized with Sakka in his great joy.^[19] But on one occasion, so great was the opportunity with which the monks of Alavi had worried the people, that even Mahakassapa failed to get alms from them.^[20] The Visuddhi-magga^[21] relates a story of how once, when Kassapa was begging for alms in Rajagaha in the company of the Buddha, on a festival day, five hundred maidens were going to the festival carrying cakes, “round like the moon.” They saw the Buddha but passed him by, and gave their cakes to Kassapa. The Elder made all the cakes filled up just in his single bowl and offered it to the Buddha.^[22]

Sariputta seems to have held Kassapa in great esteem and the Kassapasamyutta contains two discussions between them: One on the necessity for zeal and ardour in the attainment of Nibbana,^[23] and the other on the existence of a Tathagata after death.^[24] This regard was mututal, for when Kassapa saw the great honour paid to Sariputta by the devas he rejoiced greatly and broke forth into song.^[25]

Kassapa lived to be very old, and when he died, had not layed on a bed for one hundred and twenty years.^[26]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Dictionary of Pali proper Names, G. P. Malalasekera, M. A. Ph.D. London-p-476.

[2]:

Dictionary of Pali proper names G. P. Malalasekera. P. 936.

[3]:

This journey of the Buddha is often referred to–e.g., M.A. i. 347, 357.

[4]:

This incident Kassapa always re-called with pride, e.g.–S. ii. 221. It is said that the Buddha paid him this great honour because he knew Kassapa would hold a recital after his death, and thus help in the perpetuation of his religion. Saratthapakasini (Samyutta commentary) ii. 130.

[5]:

D.ii. 163 f.

[6]:

Mahavamsa XXXi. 20. F; see also Vsm. 430.

[7]:

See, eg., Sumangalavilasini i.3

[8]:

Ibid, 3f; 5ff’ sp.1:4ff; Mahavamsa iii. 3ff

[9]:

E.g., S.i. 114; but his range of knowledge war limited; there were certain things which even Kassapa did not know (DRA.i. 258).

[10]:

S.ii.205

[11]:

Ibid., 194f.

[12]:

The Buddha compares him to the moon (candopama). Unobtrusive; his heart was free from bondage, and he always taught others out of a feeling of compassion. S. ii. 197 ff-kassapa’s freedom from any kind of attachement was, as the Buddha pointed out to the monks due to the earnest wish his hand made for that attainment in the past.—“He has no attachment to requisities or house holds or monasteries or cells; but is like a royal swan which goes down into a lake and swims there, while the water does not adhre to his body” (Dhammapadatthakatha Ii. 169f.)

[13]:

S. ii. 210 ff.

[14]:

S. ii. 224f. At the First council, when Ananda stated that the Buddha had given leave for the monks to do away with the minor rules of the order, kassapa was opposed to any such stem, lost it should lead to slackness among the monks and contempt from the laity (vin. ii. 287f.).

[15]:

See also the Mahagosinga sutta (M. i. 21), where kassapa declares his belief in the need for these observances; that his example was profitable to others is proved by the case of somamitta (q. v.) who, finding his own teacher Vimala given up to laziness sought kassapa and attained arahantship under his guidance.

[16]:

S. ii. 202f.; but see. S.v. Jotidasa, who is said to have built a vihara for kassapa, and entertained him.

[17]:

S. v. 78.

[18]:

The story of Kalavilangika is an example of Kassapa’s compassion for the poor. Once, after a seven day’s trance, he went to the house of Kalavilangika and received alsm from his wife, which he gave to the Buddha for this greater benefit. The Buddha took a portion of this and gave the rest tot five hundred monks. Kalavilangika received only a mouthful of the food left. The Buddha said that as a result he would be a sethi within seven days. Kalavilangika told this to his wife. It happened that a few days later the king saw a man impaled alive in the place of execution; the man begged him for some food, which he agreed to send. At night, when eating, the king remembered his promise, but could find no one bold enough to go to the cemetery. On the offer of one thousand pieces, Kalavilangika wife agreed to go in the guise of a man. On the way she was stopped by the yakkha Dighata phala (1. V.), who however, later released her and gave her treasure, as did also the Yakkha’s father in-law, the deva Sumana. The man ate the food and, when wiping his mouth, recognized her as a woman and caught hold of her hair. But she cut off her hair, and proved to the satisfaction of the king that her mission had been accomplished. She then recovered the treasure give her by the Yakkha and Sumana; when the king discovered her weath, she and her husband were raised to the rank of sethi (M.A. ii. 812 ff).

[19]:

Dhammapadatthakatha i. 423 ff.; cp. Udana Iii. 7.

[20]:

J. ii. 282.

[21]:

403

[22]:

This is probably the incident referred to at Vsm. 68.

[23]:

S. ii. 195 f.

[24]:

Ibid., 222 f.

[25]:

Theragatha vs. 1082-5.

[26]:

Sumangalavilasini ii. 413; Manorathapurani (Anguttara commentery) Ii. 596; he was one hundred and twenty at the time of the first recital (Saratthapakasini (Samyutta commentary) ii. 130). According to northern sources Kassapa did not die; he dwells in the kukkuta Mountains, wrapt in samadhi, awaiting the arrival of Metteya Buddha (Beal, op. cit., ii. 142f.). A tooth of Mahakassapa was enshrived in the Bhima Titthavihara in Ceylon (cv.lxxxv. 81).