Guide to Tipitaka

Canonical Pâli Buddhist Literature of the Theravâda School

by U Ko Lay | 48,543 words

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Part III - Paribbajaka Vagga

(1) Tevijjavaccha Sutta

Vacchagotta, the wandering ascetic, questioned the Buddha whether it would be true to say that Sabbaniiuta Nana was constantly and continuously present to him all the time, while walking or standing, asleep or awake The Buddha replied that it would not be true to say so It would be true to say only that the Buddha was ac- complished in the three kinds of knowledge, namely, knowledge of the past, power of divine seeing, and knowledge of liberation

(2) Aggivaccha Sutta

This discourse was given by the Buddha at Savatthi in connec- tion with Vacchagotta who approached the Buddha quite often to ask many questions about atta On this occasion too he asked the Buddha whether there was atta, whether atta was permanent, etc The Buddha told him he held no theones about atta because he had seen the nature of things as they really were Then he explained to him the dhamma m some detail

(3) Mahavaccha Sutta

This discourse was given by the Buddha to Vacchagotta at Raja- gaha. On his visit to the Buddha after a long interval, Vacchagotta no longer troubled the Buddha with his speculations about atta, loka, etc , instead, he requested to be taught on good and bad deeds (Kusalakusalam Kammam) in brief The Buddha explained to him the dhamma on good and bad deeds m brief as well as in detail

Vacchagotta became a disciple of the Buddha and received admis- sion into the Order Then practising the dhamma as instructed, he ultimately attained Arahatship, realizing Nibbana. The problems of atta, loka, etc , no longer obsessed him

(4) Dighanakha Sutta

This important discourse was given by the Buddha in the Stkara- khata Cave near Rajagaja, to Dighanakha, the wandering ascetic, a nephew of the Venerable Sanputta, in order to remove his wrong views of annihilation As the Buddha taught him the dhamma on con- templation of the body and contemplation of sensation (sukha, dukkha, adukkhamasukha), his uncle the Venerable Sanputta was standing be- hind the Buddha, fanning him. It was only fifteen days ago that the Venerable Sanputta had been admitted into the Order by the Buddha.

While following the progress of the discourse, as though sharing the food prepared for another, the Venerable Sariputta advanced rapidly from the stage of a Sotapanna which he had already reached, and at- tained the perfect state of Arahatship with the fourfold Analytical Knowledge (Patisambhida Nana) At the end of the discourse his nephew, the wandering ascetic Dighanakha, became a Sotapanna

(5) Magandiya Sutta

This discourse was given by the Buddha at the market town of Kammasadhamma in the Kuru country in connection with Magandiya, the wandering ascetic, who resented the Buddha's criticism of his wrong beliefs The Buddha exhorted him to practise control of the senses and sensuous thoughts He told the wandering ascetic the story of his renunciation, how he had left his luxurious palaces and how, on discovering the Truth, he found happiness in Arahattaphala which was far superior to any of the sensuous pleasures. Magandiya gave up his wrong views to become a disciple of the Buddha.

(6) Sandaka Sutta

This discourse was given at Kosambi to Sandaka, the wandering ascetic, and his followers by the Venerable Ananda. The Venerable Ananda explained to them the four wrong views of sect-leaders who held there was no existence after death, that there was no evil nor good, no cause for any phenomena, and that there were only aggre- gates of seven elements. Finally he taught the wandering ascetics the dhamma as expounded by the Buddha. As a consequence of his teaching, Sandaka and his followers abandoned their wrong views and became disciples of the Buddha,

(7) Mahasakuludayi Sutta

At one time the Buddha and his company of bhikkhus were re- siding at Rajagaha where six leaders of sects were also spending the rains with their respective followers. Then Udayir, the wandering ascetic, who was visited by the Buddha, extolled the virtues of the

Buddha saying that other leaders were sometimes criticized even by their followers, whereas the Buddha was the exception Even if the Buddha's disciples left the Order, they did not find fault with the Buddha nor the Dhamma. They ojily blamed themselves for not being able to follow his Teaching Udayi attributed this difference in reveren- tial respect enjoyed by the Buddha to five aspects of his virtues The Buddha rejected Udayi's enumeration of his virtues which were mostly attributed to ascetic practices, and explained to him the real cause of the total veneration bestowed on him by his followers

1 Vide , Majjhimapannasa Pah
3 PanbbajakaVagga.
6 Sandaka Sutta, Para 228

(8) Samanamtmdika Sutta

The wandering ascetic Uggahamana, son of Samanamundika, was teaching that any recluse who refrained from wrong deed, wrong word, wrong thought, and wrong livelihood was a fully accomplished Arahat The Buddha rejected his assertion, saying that m that case, even an infant sleeping innocently upon his bed could claim to Arahatship. He then explained that it was only the Noble Path of Eight Constituents leading to Right Knowledge and Right Liberation that could bring about realization of Arahatship

(9) Culasakuludayi Sutta

This discourse was given at Rajagaha The wandering ascetic Sakuludayi asked the Buddha many questions about atta and sila, and the Buddha explained to him the practice in the Teaching beginning with the precept of not taking the life of a being and ending with the realization of Nibbana

(10) Vekhanasa Sutta

This discourse was given at SavatthL The Buddha explained to Vekhanasa, the wandering ascetic, how happiness accruing from spiri- tual attainments was superior to that derived from sensuous plea- sures. The Buddha also gave the assurance that any honest worker who would follow his instructions sincerely could enjoy the bliss of spiritual attainments  

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