Part 1 - The buddha’s visit to Rājagaha

When the Buddha had stayed at Gayāsīsa for as long as He desired, in order to liberate the one thousand former hermits by making them attain arahatta-phala, He set out for Rājagaha, accompanied by them who were then arahats. The visit to Rājagaha was to comply with the request made by King Bimbisāra (whom He met as He started His Going Forth): “Venerable Sir, may I make this request? When you have gained Enlightenment, let my country be the first you bless with your visit.” Eventually, He arrived at the large Palmyra Sapling Grove near Rājagaha. He stayed at the foot of the Suppatittha banyan tree which offered an expansive shade and which was regarded as a shrine by people who made their worship.

(After His Enlightenment, the Buddha spent His first rain-retreat (vassa) at Isipatana, Migadaya; at the end of the vassa, after conducting the Pavāraṇā{GL_NOTE::} ceremony, He went to Uruvelā forest. While He stayed there for fully three months, He instructed and taught the hermit brothers and their one thousand followers till they attained arahatta-phala. Then on the full moon of Phussa (December-January), the Blessed One, accompanied by the one thousand arahats, went to Rājagaha where He stayed for full two months.)

     ——Jātaka Commentary and Buddhavaṃsa Commentary——

At that time, King Bimbisāra heard from the royal gardener the good news of the arrival of the Buddha at Rājagaha thus:

“O Friends, the Buddha Gotama, the prince of the uninterrupted Sakyan descendants, who went forth into homelessness from His Sakyan clan, has come to Rājagaha and is living at the foot of the Suppatittha banyan tree, in the Palmyra Sapling Grove.

“The fame, the good name of the Buddha Gotama has spread and arisen as far as bhavagga: The Blessed One is endowed with nine attributes beginning with that of being an Arahat (arahaṃ) and ending with that of possessing the six great glories (Bhagavā); He makes known to the world of sentient beings with devas and Brahmās, the Dhamma which He has himself realised through higher knowledge (abhiññā).

“The Buddha Gotama teaches the Dhamma which is good in the beginning, good in the middle and good in the end, complete with the spirit and the letter. He explains to devas and humans the noble practice of sīla, samādhi and paññā which is perfect and pure, being free from defilements of wrong deeds.

“It is extremely good and beneficial to go and see such accomplished One who is worthy of veneration.”

Then accompanied by a hundred and twenty thousand Magadhan brahmin householders, King Bimbisāra went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to Him, sat at a place which is free from six faults of location, viz., not too far, not too near, not at the front, not at the back, not at a high site and not on the leeward side. Of the hundred and twenty thousand householders who had accompanied the King,

(1) Some paid homage to the Blessed One and sat at a site free from six faults.

(2) Some exchanged greetings with Him, entered into courteous and memorable talks with Him and sat down at a site free from six faults. (These two categories of brahmins belonged to the group which held right view.)

(3) Some raised their palms together inclining them towards the Blessed One and sat down at a faultless site. (They were sitting on the fence, not committing themselves to side with those holding wrong view, nor with those holding right view Their thinking’s were: (a) Should those holding wrong view blame us for paying homage to the monk Gotama, we would say: “How could mere raising of hands with palms together amount to paying homage?” and (b) should those holding right view find fault with us saying: “Why did you not pay homage to the Blessed One?” we would reply: “How is that? Is worshipping made only when the head touches the ground? As a matter of fact, raising of palms joined together also constitutes a formal worship.” With this thought of sitting on the fence, they took their respective seats.)

(4) Some pronounced their names in the Blessed One’s presence: “O Friend Gotama, I am Datta, son of so and so; I am Mitta, son of so and so” and took their seats at a faultless place, Some pronounced their clan in the Blessed One’s presence: “O friend Gotama, I am of Vasettha clan; I am of Kaccāyana clan” and sat down at a place which was free from six faults. (These brahmins were poor and undistinguished people. By announcing their names and clan amidst the assembly, they had hoped that they would become known and recognised.)

(5) Some wealthy brahmins just sat down without a word. These brahmins were the crafty and the fools. Their crafty thoughts: “A word or two with them will lead to friendliness, when one becomes friendly, it is not wise not to feed them once or twice.” Fear of friendliness with them and of feeding them cause their silent, quiet sitting. Just because they were ignorant and foolish, they sat down where they were like big lumps of earth dumped on the ground.

The Brahmins’ Doubt

When thus seated, these one hundred and twenty thousand wealthy brahmin felt uncertain and wondered: “Does the Great Monk lead the noble life under the great teacher Uruvelā-Kassapa as a disciple or does Uruvelā-Kassapa lead the noble life under the Great Monk?”

Knowing what was in the mind of these brahmins, the Buddha questioned the Venerable Uruvelā-Kassapa in verse:

Ki meva disvā Urvelavāsi
pahāsi aggiṃ kisakovadāno
pucchāmi taṃ Kassapa etamathaṃ
kathaṃ pahīnaṃ tava aggihuttaṃ

O dear son, Kassapa, a resident of Uruvelā forest, being a great teacher yourself, instructing the lean hermits (because of their austere practices), seeing what fault did you give up fire-worship? I ask of you, Kassapa, what made you abandon fire-worship?

The Venerable Uruvelā-Kassapa replied to the Buddha in verse also:

Rūpe ca sadde ca atho rase ca
kami'itthiyo cābhivadanti yaññā
etaṃ malantī upadhīsu ñatva
tasmā na yiṭṭhe na hute aranjiṃ

Glorious Buddha, it is said (by sacrificial teachers) that through sacrifice one can enjoy five sense-pleasures, namely, sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, as well as womenfolk, especially the kind of women who resemble the tiger preying and devouring by means of its sensuality-like claws. Seeing and knowing well that the sense-pleasures and women serve only as defilements of the five aggregates, I no longer enjoy offering sacrifices. I no longer take delight in daily practice of fire-worship.

The Buddha then asked him again in verse:

Etth'eva te mano na ramittha (Kassāpāti Bhagavā)
rūpesu saddesu atho rasesu
atho ko carahi devamanussaloke
rato mano Kassapa bruhi metaṃ.

Dear son Kassapa, if your heart finds no delight in the five sense pleasures of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch and in women, what sense object in this world of devas and humans delights you. Answer Me that, Kassapa. The Venerable Uruvelā-Kassapa replied in verse:

Disva padaṃ santamanūpadhīkam
akincanaṃ kāmabhave asattaṃ
anannathābhāvimanannaneyyaṃ
tasmā na yitthe na hute arinjiṃ

Glorious Buddha, because I have distinctly perceived Nibbāna which has the characteristic of peace, free from the four attachments (upadhis){GL_NOTE::}, which cannot be made known by others (which can be achieved only through the Path (magga) developed by oneself), which is not subject to change (being free from birth, old age, and death), and which is forever free from lust of life and attachment to existence. I no longer enjoy offering sacrifices, I no longer take delight in daily practice of fire-worship.

Having given this reply, in order to make it known that he himself was a disciple of the Buddha, the Venerable Uruvelā-Kassapa rose from his seat, arranged his robe on the shoulder, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha, saying: “Glorious Buddha, You, the Exalted Buddha, are my Teacher. I am but a disciple of Yours.” 'Then he rose to the sky, first up to the height of a palm tree. Descending from it, he made obeisance to the Buddha. Then he rose up to a height of two palm trees in his second display, and subsequently, to a height of three palm trees in his third attempt, and so on. In this way, he rose up, in his seventh display, to a height of seven palm trees, then descending from there, making obeisance to the Buddha and sat at a place free from six faults.

Having observed these miracles, many of the wealthy brahmins acclaimed, saying in praise of the qualities of the Buddha: “Oh, how mighty and powerful the Buddha is. Even the hermit teacher, Uruvelā-Kassapa, whose wrong view was so strong and firm and who believed himself to be an arahat, has been tamed by the Buddha, by destroying the net of his wrong views.”

Hearing the words of praise being spoken by the brahmins, the Buddha addressed them: “O Brahmins, taming this Uruvelā-Kassapa when I have achieved the sabbaññutā-ñāṇa is really not so wonderful. In a former existence as a Bodhisatta, not yet free from mental defilement (rāga), when I was a Brahmā named Nārada, I had destroyed the net of wrong views of King Angati who is Uruvelā-Kassapa now.” At the request of the brahmin audience, the Buddha recounted to them the story of Mahānārada-Kassapa. (The story of Mahānārada-Kassapa may be read in detail in the Ten Great Jātaka)

Through the personal acknowledgement of the Venerable Uruvelā-Kassapa, the one hundred and twenty thousand brahmins became convinced that “It is the great teacher, Uruvelā-Kassapa, who, having followed as a disciple, lives a holy life under the Great Monk Gotama!” When the Buddha became aware, through His cetopariya-abhiññā, that their minds have now been free from doubt, He taught the audience of one hundred and twenty thousand monks and brahmins, headed by King Bimbisāra, the course of Moral practice leading to the realization the Path and Fruitions (magga-phala): (1) Discourse on charity (Dāna-kathā) (2) Discourse on morality (Sīla-kathā) (3) Discourse on happy destination (Sagga-kathā) and Discourse on the good Path and the line of conduct for the realization of magga-phala and Nibbāna (Magga-kathā), as well as Kāmānaṃ-ādīnavakathā together with Nekkhamma-ānisaṃsa-kathā in a progressive manner. Thereafter, when the Buddha knew that the minds of King Bimbisāra and the one hundred and twenty thousand brahmins had become firm and imperturbable, soft and malleable, free from hindrances, eager, gladdened, purified and pellucid, He taught the Dhamma which was originally discovered by Him (Sāmukkaṃsika dhamma desanā), the Four Truths. The one hundred and ten thousand brahmins, headed by King Bimbisāra, became established in sotāpatti-phala; the remaining ten thousand brahmins became lay devotees were established in the Threefold Refuge.

King Bimbisāra’s Five Aspirations

Bimbisāra, King of Magadha, who had now become a sotāpanna, addressed the Buddha:

“Lord, formerly when I was a young prince, I had five aspirations. Now they are fulfilled.”

“Lord, when I was a young prince, I wished: ‘If only the people of Magadha anointed me (as a) king.’ Glorious Buddha, this was my first aspiration and it has now been fulfilled.”

“Lord, when I was a young prince, I wished: ‘If only the Homage-worthy Buddha would come to this kingdom when I became king.’ Glorious Buddha, this was my second aspiration and it has now been fulfilled, too.”

“Lord, when I was a young prince, I wished: ‘If only I could pay homage and do honour to that Buddha, when He visited my kingdom.’ Glorious Buddha, this was my third aspiration and it has now been fulfilled, too”

“Lord, when I was a young prince, I wished: ‘If only the Buddha, who visited my kingdom, taught me the Dhamma which would lead to Nibbāna.’ Glorious Buddha, this was my fourth aspiration and it has now been fulfilled, too.”

“Lord, when I was a young prince, I wished: ‘If only I might thoroughly understand the Dhamma taught by the Buddha.’ Glorious Buddha, this way my fifth aspiration and that too has now been fulfilled, too.”

“Glorious Buddha! It is indeed very delectable! Glorious Buddha! It is indeed very delectable! To cite worldly examples, just as one turns up what lies upside down, just as one holds up a lamp in the darkness for those with eyes to see various visible objects, even so has the Venerable Buddha revealed the Dhamma to me in many ways. Glorious Buddha! I take refuge in the Buddha, in the Dhamma and in the Sangha. Glorious Buddha! May you take me as a lay disciple established in the Threefold Refuge from now on till the end of my life. Glorious Buddha! In order that I may gain merit, may you kindly accept my invitation to meal, together with the community of bhikkhus.” On thus being invited, the Buddha remained silent, signifying His acceptance of King Bimbisāra’s invitation to the (morning) meal.

Thereupon, knowing quite well that the Buddha had accepted his invitation, King Bimbisāra rose from his seat and returned to his golden palace after making obeisance to Him with due respect and circumambulating Him.

(It is to be noted here that King Bimbisāra took the Threefold Refuge only after becoming established in sotāpatti-magga-phala. Although taking refuge in the Three Gems was accomplished on realizing sotāpatti-magga, at that time it was only making up his mind that the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha are truly the refuge, the shelter, the support. Now he took the refuges by actually uttering the words of Refuge according to the Atta-sanniyyātana-saraṇa-gamana formula. [see “notes on taking refuge” below] Through realisation of sotāpatti-magga, King Bimbisāra became one who was established in the imperishable supramundane Refuge, Niyata-saraṇa-gamana. It was because he wanted to declare to others of his establishment in the Niyatasaraṇa-gamana by word of mouth and also because he wanted to take upon himself the Paṇipāta-saraṇa-gamana that he addressed the Buddha by actually uttering the words of Refuge.)

The Buddha entering Rājagaha for Meal

After the night had passed and the new day dawned, having sumptuous meals of hard and soft food prepared ready in his palace, King Bimbisāra sent messengers to inform the Buddha: “Glorious Buddha, it is time for meal. The aims-food is ready.”

Sakka descends to manage

The Huge Crowd As the time drew near for the Buddha to enter Rājagaha for alms-food, the citizens of Rājagaha, those who had seen and those who had not seen the Buddha, numbering eighteen crores, left the city very early in the morning. Wishing to see the Buddha and they made their way, in groups, to the Grove of young palms. The road leading to it, which was three gāvutas in length, was choked with people. The whole of the palm Grove also was so densely crowded with people that there was hardly any space among them. People could not feel satisfied watching and admiring the personality of the Buddha rendered so graceful by the thirty-two Major Marks, eighty minor characteristics and six-coloured rays emanating from His body.

The entire Palm Grove and the whole length of the road were so jammed with people that even a single bhikkhu would find it impossible to find a way out of the Palm Grove and it appeared as if the Buddha would miss His meal for the day. As if to intimate that this should not happen, the orange-coloured ornamented stone (paṇḍu-kambala) which served as Sakka’s throne, became warm. Pondering upon the cause of this manifestation, Sakka came to realise the difficult situation (in the Palm Grove). Assuming the guise of a youth, Sakka instantly appeared in the presence of the Buddha, singing praises of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Through his supernormal powers, he carved a way for the bhikkhus headed by the Buddha and acted as usher for them, announcing the entry of Buddha into the city in the following verses:

Danto dantehi saha purāṇa-jatilehi
vippamutto vippamuttehi
singīnikkha-savaṇṇo
Rājagaham pāvisi Bhagavā.

(O countrymen) the Exalted Buddha, possessing the yellow colour of the best refined singī gold, at the request of the King of Magadha, with His two feet moving like the sun and the moon has entered the city of Rājagaha together with one thousand arahats, former hermits whom the Buddha Himself tamed, has tamed by giving the Deathless Elixir: whom the Buddha, the leading Bull Himself released from the three states of existences{GL_NOTE::} and the three cycles of sufferings{GL_NOTE::}, has released from these states of existences and cycles of suffering by teaching the essence of Dhamma.

Muttomttchi saha purāṇa-jatilehi
vippamutto vippamuttehi
siṅgīnikkha-savaṇṇo
Rajagahaṃ pāvisi Bhagavā

(O countrymen) the Exalted Buddha, possessing the yellow colour of the best refined singī gold, at the request of the King of Magadha, with His two feet moving like the sun and the moon, has entered the city of Rājagaha together with the one thousand arahats, former hermits whom the Buddha Himself emancipated from Mara’s snare of the cycle of one thousand five hundred defilements, has emancipated from that snare of Mara by showing them the way-out; whom the Buddha, the leading Bull Himself released from the three states of existences and the three cycles of suffering, has released from those states of existences and cycles of suffering by teaching the essence of Dhamma.

Tiṇṇo tiṇṇehi saha pūraṇa-jatilehi
vippamutto vippamuttehi
siṅgīnikkha-savanno
Rājagaham pāvisi Bhagavā.

(O countrymen) the Exalted Buddha, possessing the yellow colour of the best refined singī gold, at the request of the King of Magadha, with His two feet moving like the sun and the moon, has entered the city of Rājagaha together with the one thousand arahats, former hermits whom the Buddha, having Himself crossed over the four violent floods and reached the other shore, has conveyed over the four violent floods to the other shore by giving the beautiful eightfold mechanized vehicle; whom the Buddha, the leading Bull Himself released from the three states of existences and the three cycles of suffering, has released from those states of existences and cycles of suffering by teaching the essence of Dhamma.

Santo santchi saha purāṇa-jatilehi
vippamutto vippamuttehi
siṅgīnikkha-savanno
Rājagahaṃ pāvisi Bhagavā.

(O countrymen) the Exalted Buddha, possessing the yellow colour of the best refined singī gold, at the request of the King of Magadha, with His two feet moving like the sun and the moon, has entered the city of Rājagaha together with the one thousand arahats, former hermits whom the Buddha Himself calmed, devoid of the heat of defilements, has calmed with the entire heat of defilements removed by sharing with them the water of deathlessness; whom the Buddha, the leading Bull Himself released from the three states of existences and the three cycles of suffering, has released from those states of existences and cycles of suffering by teaching the essence of Dhamma.

Dasavāso dasabalo
dasadhammvidū dasabhi cupato
so dasasatapa-rivāro
Rājagahaṃ pavisi Bhagavā

(O countrymen!) The Exalted Buddha, who is endowed with ten deportments of the Noble Ones, the ten-fold physical strength, and ten-fold cognitive strength, who perfectly comprehends the ten ways of accomplishing deeds (kammapatha), who is possessed of the ten characteristics of arahats (asekkha), at the request of the Magadha King, with His two feet moving like the sun and the moon, has entered the city of Rājagaha, being accompanied by the one thousand arahats, former hermits.

Singing these verses of praise melodiously, Sakka walked ahead of the bhikkhus, led by the Buddha, announcing their approach to the crowd.

The citizens of Rājagaha, on seeing Sakka in the guise of a youth, discussed among themselves: “O friends, this youthful person is extremely handsome; this youthful person is so good looking;this youthful person inspires deference,” and they wondered “whose personal attendant he happened to be.”

Overhearing their remarks about him, Sakka replied to them:

Yo dhiro sabbadhi danto
suddho appaṭipuggalo
Arahaṃ Sugato loke
tassāham paricārako

(O countrymen!) Under the disguise of a youth, I am simply a servant and donor to Him, who is richly endowed with marvellous virtue; He is one, who in this world is a great wise personality of Omniscience, who concerning six sense-faculties and the six sense-doors has tamed Himself so that He may be free of the blemishes of wrongdoings; who is pure and untainted by the dust of the one thousand and five hundred defilements; who is peerless throughout the entire three existences of the universe; who is worthy of unique homage and offering from devas, humans and Brahmās; who speaks only two kinds of words whether people like them or not;words which are beneficial and lead one to the Path and the Fruition and words which are truthful and subject to no change at all.

Notes on taking refuge:

Kinds of Refuges:

A.(i) Lokiya saraṇagamana: Refuge taken by worldlings (puthujjana) by contemplating the attributes of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, the Three Gems. It is insecure, impermanent, perishable.

(ii) Lokuttara saraṇagamana: Refuge in which the ariyas are established simultaneous with their realisation of the Path with Nibbāna as their object.

B.(i) Dvevācika saraṇagamana— like that taken by Tapussa and Bhallika uttering Buddhaṃ saranam gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saranaṃ gacchāmi, at the time when there was not yet the Community of Bhikkhus.

(ii) Tevācika saraṇagamana–like that taken by Yasa'a father, mother, his ex-wife, and others after the formation of the Order by uttering the complete formula: Buddhaṃ saranaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saranaṃ gacchāmi, Sanghaṃ saranaṃ gacchāmi.

Four Formulae for taking Refuge.

(i) Atta sanniyyātana saraṇagamana formula: Ajja adiṃ katvā ahaṃ attanaṃ Buddhassa niyyātemi. In order to escape from the round of saṃsāra, I entrust my own body to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha and take refuge in them, starting from today.

(ii) Tapparayāna saraṇagamana formula: Ajja adiṃ katvā ahaṃ, Buddhassa parayāno...Dhammassa parayāno....Sanghassa parayāno. Starling from today, I have only the Buddha the Dhamma and the Sangha to rely on, to depend on.

(iii) Sissabhavupa gamana saraṇagamana formula: Ajja adiṃ katvā ahaṃ Budhassa antevāsiko...Dhammassa antevāsiko... Sanghassa antevāsiko. Starting from today, I am a disciple of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.

(iv) Paṇipāta saraṇagamana formula: Ajja adiṃ katvā ahaṃ, Buddhassa Abhivadānaṃ paccuppaṭṭhanaṃ añjalī kammaṃ samicikammaṃ karomi...Dammassa...Sanghassa...karomi. Starting from today, kindly regard me as one who pays homage, who stands up in welcoming, who reveres the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Pavāranā: The formal ceremony which concludes the rain-retreat, in which a bhikkhu invites criticism from his brethren in respect of what has been seen, heard or suspected about his conduct.

[2]:

Upadhis: wife and children, flocks and herds, silver and gold.

[3]:

The three slates of existence (tibhava): (a) Kāma bhava. (b) Rūpabhava (c) Arūpabhava (F. N. I p. 161—Ten Suttas from Dīgha Nikāya, Burma Piṭaka Assn.)

[4]:

Three cycles of suffering (tivaṭṭa): (a) kilesa-vaṭṭa, the cycle (round) of defilements comprising ignorance (avijjā). craving (taṇhā) and clinging (upadāna) (b) kamma-vaṭṭa. comprising Kamma formations or rebirth producing volitions and mental phcnomena associated therewith (saṅkhāras) (c) vipāka-vaṭṭa, the Kammic resultant rebirth-process comprising viññāṇa, nāma-rūpa, āyatanas, phassa, vedanā- (Buddhist Dictionary-Ñyānatiloka).