Biography (1) Koṇḍañña Mahāthera

(a) Aspiration expressed in The Past

Counting backward from this Bhadda-kappa, over a hundred thousand aeons ago, there appeared the Buddha Padumuttara. (The reason for the Buddha having this name has been mentioned in Chapter IX: Padumuttara Buddhavaṃsa). Having appeared among the three classes of beings, Buddha Padumuttara, in the company of a hundred thousand monks, made His alms-rounds visiting a series of villages, townships and royal cities in order to release many compassionately [from suffering] and arrived at His (native) city of Haṃsāvatī. His father, King Ānanda, heard the good news of his son’s visit, and together with his people and officials extended welcome to the Buddha. As the Buddha gave a sermon to the crowd headed by King Ānanda, some became sotāpannas, some sakadāgāmins, some anāgāmins and the rest arahats at the end of the sermon.

The King then invited the Buddha for the next day’s meal, and the next day he sent for the Buddha with a message about the meal-time and made a grand offering of food to the Him and His company of a hundred thousand monks at his golden palace. Buddha Padumuttara gave a talk in appreciation of the meal and went back to the monastery. In the same way, the citizens gave their mahā-dāna the following day. The third day saw that of the King. Thus the mahā-dāna performed by the King and the citizens on alternate day went on for a long time.

At that time, a good clansman, the future Koṇḍañña, was born in a prosperous household. One day, while the Buddha was preaching, he saw the citizens of Haṃsāvatī with flowers, perfumes, etc. in their hands, heading to where the Buddha’s delivery of the sermon took place and he went along with them too.

In the meantime, Buddha Padumuttara declared a certain bhikkhu as the first of all rattaññū (long-standing) bhikkhus to realize the Four Truths and to gain release from saṃsāra thereby in His dispensation. When the clansman heard this, he reflected: “Great indeed is this man! It is said that, leaving aside the Buddha Himself, there is no other person before him who has realized the Four Truths. What if I too become a monk like him, realizing the Four Truths before all others do in the dispensation of a coming Buddha!” At the close of the Buddha’s preaching, the clansman approached the Buddha and invited saying: “Please accept my offering of food tomorrow, Exalted Buddha!” The Buddha accepted the invitation by keeping silent.

Knowing clearly that the Buddha had accepted his invitation, the clansman paid his respect to the Buddha and returned home. During the whole night, he spent decorating the seats with fragrant festoons of flowers and also by preparing delicious food. The following day, he treated the Buddha and His company of a hundred thousand monks at his house to a sumptuous feast of sāli rice with gruel and other courses as side-dishes. When the feast was over, he placed, at the feet of the Buddha, an entirely new and soft but thick pieces of cloth made in the country of Vaṅga and enough to make three robes. Then he reflected as follows: “I am not a seeker of a small religious post but I am a seeker of a big one. A day’s mahā-dāna like this may not be adequate if I aspire for a lofty designation. Therefore, I shall aspire after it by performing mahā-dāna for seven days successively.”

Thus, the clansman gave mahā-dāna in the same manner for seven days. When the mealoffering was over, he had his store-house of garments opened and put fine and nice clothes at the feet of the Buddha and offered three-piece sets of robes to the hundred thousand monks. He then approached the Buddha and said: “Exalted Buddha, just as the bhikkhu whom you admiringly declared an etadagga seven days ago, may I be able to become the first to penetrate the Four Truths after donning the robe in the dispensation of a coming Buddha.” Having said so, he remained paying respect in prostration at the Buddha’s feet.

Hearing the clansman’s words of aspiration, Buddha Padumuttara tried to see in His vision, saying to Himself: “This clansman has done most significant acts of merit. Will his aspiration be fulfilled or not?” He then came to know clearly that “It will definitely be!”

Indeed, there is no hindrance at all, even as an atom, that would cover His vision when a Buddha tries to see the past or the future or the present events. All the events in the past or the future, though there be a barrier of crores and crores of aeons, or all the events in the present though there be a barrier of thousands of universes, they are all associated with reflection. (As soon as they are reflected, they become manifest distinctly.) In this way, with His intellectual power that knew no hindrances, Buddha Padumuttara saw in His vision thus: “A hundred thousand aeons from now, there will arise singularly, an Exalted One, Gotama by name, among the three classes of beings. Then will this clansman’s aspiration be fulfilled!” Knowing thus, the Buddha prophesied to the clansman: “Dear clansman, a hundred thousand aeons from now, a Buddha, by the name of Gotama, will appear in the three worlds. When Buddha Gotama delivers the first sermon, ‘the Wheel of the Law’; at the end of this sermon, the Dhammacakkap-pavattana Sutta, with its three functions, will you be established, together with eighteen crores of Brahmās, in sotāpattiphala.

[Story of Two Brothers: Mahākāla and Cūlakāla]

(b) Ascetic Life adopted in His Final Existence

The virtuous Mahākāla, the future Koṇḍañña Mahāthera, performed acts of merit in this way throughout the Buddha’s life as well as throughout his, and he wandered from the human abode to the divine and vice versa and enjoyed divine and human luxuries. When our Buddha was about to arise, he was reborn in a wealthy brahmin family in the brahmin village of Doṇavatthu, near the city of Kapilavatthu. On his naming day, the young brahmin was given the name of Koṇḍañña. While being brought up, he was educated in the three Vedas and was accomplished in physiognomy of a great man.

At that time, our Buddha had passed away from the Tusitā celestial abode and took His conception in the womb of Mahāmāyā, Chief Queen of King Suddhodāna of Kapilavatthu, and was duly born. On the naming day, the King presented one hundred and eight Brahmins with absolutely new garments and fed them with sweet pure milk-food. He selected from among them eight highly intelligent brahmin wise-men and let them be seated in serial order in the court-yard. He then had the little Prince, the Bodhisatta, put lying on white linen and brought to the Brahmins who were to examine the baby’s bodymarks.

The brahmin, who occupied the first seat among the eight, raised his two fingers and predicted: “If this boy remains a layman, he will become a Universal Monarch. If he lives an ascetic life, he will definitely become a Buddha in the three worlds!” In the same way, the remaining six Brahmins declared, by putting up two fingers. Of those eight Brahmins, the youthful Koṇḍañña was the youngest. When his turn to predict, he studied very carefully the marks on the body and (having pondered that one who would become a Universal Monarch should not have the mark of a Universal Monarch on one’s soles but the boy had the same mark on his.) he put up only one finger, boldly predicting: “There is absolutely no reason for the Prince to stay in the middle of a household. The Prince will indeed become a Buddha!”

After the predictions, the wise Brahmins went back to their respective homes and summoned their sons and gave instructions saying: “Dear sons, we have become old. We may or may not be living by the time Prince Siddhattha, son of King Suddhodāna, attain Omniscient Buddhahood. When the Prince does, you, dear sons, should become monks in his dispensation.”

King Suddhodāna brought up his son in comfort by providing him with great protection, facilities and resources beginning with his appointment of attendants. When he became sixteen years of age, the Prince enjoyed deva-like royal luxuries and at the age of twentynine, when he became intellectually more mature, he saw the disadvantages of sensepleasures and the advantages of renunciation. So, on the day his own son Rāhula was born, he performed a great act of renunciation by riding the royal steed, Kaṇḍaka, in the company of his connatal and personal officer, Channa, and by going through the city-gate that was opened by gods. On that single night, he passed through the three cities of Kapilavatthu, Koliya and Devadaha, and proceeded to the bank of River Anomā where he put on the robe and other paraphernalia which were brought and offered by Ghaṭikāra Brahmā. Soon, he arrived at the city of Rājagaha in the very pleasing manner, like a Mahāthera of sixty years’ standing and eighty years of age. After going on alms-round, he partook his meal in the shadow of the Paṇḍava Hill. Though King Bimbisāra invited him to stay on and promised to give his kingdom, he turned down the offer, and proceeding, he reached, in due course, the grove of Uruvelā. “Oh!” he exclaimed and uttered: “This flat ground is very pleasant! For clansmen who wish to devote themselves in meditation, it is the ideal place.” With this reflection, he sojourned in that grove and commenced his meditative practice of dukkara-cariya.

By the time of the future Buddha’s renunciation, all the wise Brahmins, except Koṇḍañña, had deceased. The youngest Koṇḍañña alone remained in good health. On hearing the news that the Bodhisatta had gone forth, he visited the sons of these deceased Brahmins and said: “It is said Prince Siddhattha had become an ascetic. No doubt the Prince will attain real Buddhahood. If your fathers were alive, they would go forth even today. Come, if you wish to do so. Let us become monks in the wake of that great man.” But the seven sons were not unanimous in their aspirations: three did not like the idea. Only the remaining four donned the robe under Koṇḍañña’s leadership.

After becoming ascetics, the Band of Five (Pañca-vaggī) went on round for food in villages, towns and royal cities and reached the Bodhisatta’s dwelling eventually. While the Bodhisatta was practising his meditation of austerity for six long years, they entertained great hope, thinking: “He will soon attain Buddhahood! He will soon attain Buddhahood!” So thinking, they attended to the future Buddha, staying and moving about him.

In the sixth year, the Bodhisatta came to realize that the practice of dukkara-cariya would absolutely not earn him the Noble Path and Fruition (ariya-magga-phala) though he had passed the time by eating just a rice-grain, a sesame seed, etc. and had become emaciated and weary. (As has been described in Chapter 7) he collected food in the village of Senānī and ate whatever was available, such as rice and hard cakes. Then the Band of Five, as compelled by the law that dictates the lives of all Bodhisattas, were fed up with the Bodhisatta and left him for Isipatana the Deer Park.

After the Band of Five had thus left him, by eating whatever was available, such as rice and hard cakes, the Bodhisatta’s skin, flesh and blood became normal in two or three days. On the full moon day, (the day he was to become enlightened) he took the excellent milkfood offered by Sujātā, wife of a wealthy merchant. He then placed his bowl in the current of River Nerañjarā and came to decide that he would become a Buddha definitely, on that very day. In the evening, having been spoken of in praise in all manner by the Nāga King Kāla, he went to the Mahābodhi, the site where the Mahābodhi tree was and sat crossedlegged on the Aparājita Throne, the unshakable seat, facing the eastern universe. Having developed his fourfold exertion, he drove away Māra the Deity just before sunset, acquired pubbenivāsa-ñāṇa in the first watch of the night, dibba-cakkhu-ñāṇa in the middle watch and, in the last watch he was absorbed in the wisdom of Paṭicca-samuppāda doctrine. He reflected, with his diamond-like great vipassanā-ñāṇa (Mahāvajira Vipassanā Ñāṇa), on its twelve factors forward and backward, up and down, and finally attained Buddhahood, having gain unique Omniscience (asādhāraṇa sabbaññutā-ñāṇa), which is the property of all Buddhas (as has been told in the section of the Buddha’s Enlightenment). On that very Throne under the Mahābodhi tree, the Buddha passed seven days, being absorbed in the arahatta-phala-samāpatti.

In this way, the Buddha stayed in the seven places and on being requested by Sahampati Brahmā, He considered, asking Himself: “To whom should I preach first?” Then He came to know that the religious teachers, Āḷāra and Udaka, had deceased and when He continued to think, He remembered thus: “To the Band of Five, I have been thankful very much. They served Me while I was engaged in the austere practice. What if I should preach to them first.” Such an idea is conceived by all Buddhas as a rule. In fact, with the exception of Koṇḍañña, there was none who could first grasp the Four Truths in the dispensation of the respective Buddha. As for Koṇḍañña, his capabilities of grasping the four Truths, first and foremost was because he had performed significant acts of merit for a hundred thousand aeons and had given the unique dāna of the first crop, nine times to the Sangha headed by the Buddha, as has been told above.

(c) Attainment of Unique Spirituality

Taking His bowl and robe, the Buddha set out to the Isipatana Deer Park and duly reached the dwelling of the Band of Five Bhikkhus. The five bhikkhus saw the Buddha coming and they made an agreement among themselves not to fulfil their obligatory duties, but, as the Buddha was approaching nearer they could not keep their original agreement: one took the bowl and robe from the Buddha, another prepared the seat for Him;still another brought water for washing His feet; the fourth washed the Buddha’s feet; and the fifth brought a round fan made of palm-leaf to fan Him;thus they rendered their respective services. When the five bhikkhus had taken their seats near the Buddha after doing their duties, the Buddha delivered the Dhammacakka-pavattana Sutta with three functions to the five bhikkhus, with the Venerable Koṇḍañña as the principal listener in His presence.

A New Name for The Thera: “Aññāsi Koṇḍañña”

At that time the Buddha thought: “As the ascetic Koṇḍañña was first to penetrate the Four Truths which I have brought with thousands of difficulties, he deserves the name Aññāsi Koṇḍañña,” and so He uttered a solemn utterance: “Aññāsi vata bho Koṇḍañño; aññāsi vata bho Koṇḍañño!——Oh, Koṇḍañña has penetrated the Four Truths! Oh, Koṇḍañña has penetrated the Four Truths!” Because of this solemn utterance, Venerable Koṇḍañña came to be known as “Aññāsi Koṇḍañña, the ‘Penetrating Koṇḍañña’ ” from that time onwards.

(d) Etadagga Title Achieved

In this way, the Venerable Koṇḍañña became a sotāpanna on the full-moon day of Āsāḷhā (June-July) in the year 103, Mahā Era (the year the Buddha attained Buddhahood). Likewise, the day after the full moon, Bhaddiya Thera also became a sotāpanna; two days after the full moon, Vappa Thera, three days after the full moon, Mahānāma Thera, and four days after the full moon, Assaji Thera. Five days after the full-moon, at the end of the delivery of the Anatta-lakkhaṇa Sutta, all five members of the Band were established in arahatta-phala. At that time, the number of arahats among human beings were six, i.e. the Buddha Himself and the Band of Five Theras.

From that time onwards, to the ariya-magga and phala, the Buddha led fifty-five friends headed by Yasa, the son of a wealthy merchant; thirty-three Bhadda Princes, in the Kappāsika grove; a thousand former matted-hair ascetics, on the stone plateau of Gayāsīsa and others. After leading a large multitude of people to the Noble Path and Fruition, on the full moon day of Phussa (December-January), in the same year, the Buddha arrived in Rājagaha and established brahmin householders, numbering a hundred and ten thousand headed by King Bimbisāra in sotāpatti-phala and ten thousand such householders in the Three Refuges. Having caused the abundant blossoming and fruition of His teaching, with the eight wonders and three trainings, throughout the Jambudīpa, the entire land of which He caused to be illuminated bright with the colour of the robes and caused the environs to be blown by the rushing wind from the moving monks and other noble ones.

Later on, once when He arrived at the Jetavana monastery of Sāvatthi City and while remaining there at the monastery and sitting on the Dhamma Throne, the seat for a Buddha, He delivered a sermon and in the course of His delivery, He became desirous of declaring that His eldest son, Koṇḍañña, was the best of all who were first to realize the Four Truths; and He uttered:

Etadaggaṃ bhikkhave mama sāvakānam bhikkhūnam rattaññūnaṃ yadidaṃ Aññāsi Koṇḍañño.

O monks, of My monk-disciples who are of long standing (rattaññū), Aññāsi Koṇḍañña is the foremost (etadagga).

Thus speaking in praise of the Venerable Koṇḍañño, the Buddha declared him the Rattaññū Etadagga.

(Herein “rattaññū” literally means “one who knows night-time”, that is to say “one who has passed through the long duration of many nights since one’s renunciation.” In the Buddha’s dispensation there was none who realised the four Truths earlier than Koṇḍañña. Hence Koṇḍañña was the one who knew many nights (i.e. who lived over the greatest number of years) since he became a monk. (According to this explanation, a rattaññū individual means “the senior-most in monkhood.”

Or, as Venerable Koṇḍañña realized the four Truths before all others, since his realization, he had passed through many a night. According to this, the word in question means “the earliest knower of the Four Truths.”

Or, as every arahant is conscious of day-time and night-time, he earns the epithet rattaññū, “one who is aware of the divisions of day and night time.” Because Venerable Kondañña was the earliest of all arahants, he stood out from other rattaññūs arahats knowing the divisions of time).

Aññāsi Koṇḍañña Mahāthera after His Attainment of Arahatship

The Venerable Aññāsi Koṇḍañña attained arahatship on the fifth day after the full moon of Āsāḷhā. On the full moon day of Phussa that year, the Buddha arrived in Rājagaha and on the first waxing day of Māgha (January-February), the future Chief Disciples (Sāriputta and Moggallāna) donned the robe. On the seventh day, the Venerable Moggallāna became arahat and the Venerable Sāriputta did so on the full-moon day. In this way, there arose complete categories of arahants, such as Chief Disciples, Great Disciples and Ordinary Disciples, in the Buddha’s dispensation, all going for alms-round (in a single line, with the most senior in front and the most junior last in the line). When the Buddha gave a discourse, He sat on the Dhamma Throne, the Buddha-seat decorated in the middle of the assembly. The Captain of the Dhamma, Venerable Sāriputta, sat on the right side of the Buddha and Venerable Moggallāna on the left side.

At the back of the two Chief Disciples, a seat was prepared for Venerable Koṇḍañña. The remaining monks took their seats surrounding him. Because Koṇḍañña was the first to understand the four Truths in the Buddha’s dispensation and because he was senior also by age, the two Chief Disciples were respectful to him, they regarded him as Mahā Brahmā, as a huge mass of fire, or as a highly poisonous serpent. They felt somewhat scared, though they occupied the front seats. They were also shy and embarrassed. Venerable Koṇḍañña then reflected: “For the front seats, these two Chief Disciples had fulfilled their pāramīs for one asaṅkhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons. Though they are taking those seats, they were less confident, shy and embarrassed. I shall do whatever necessary to make them stay at ease.” This was a reason (for his vacant seat.)

Besides, Koṇḍañña was a highly powerful mahā-thera. Like the attributes of the Buddha, his attributes spread among the people in this universe as well as among the devas and Brahmās of the ten thousand universes. Therefore, whenever the divine and human beings visited and honoured the Buddha with perfumes, flowers, etc. they immediately (after that) approached the Venerable Koṇḍañña and honoured him, remembering: “This Venerable One was the first to comprehend the unique doctrine of the Four Truths.” There is also a religious custom, according to which the visited monk is to give a Dhamma-talk or to exchange greetings with them. As for the Venerable, he was inclined only to remain blissfully in the attainment of phala-samāpatti (ariya-vihāra). Therefore, to him, Dhammatalks given to and greetings exchanged with the visitors appeared superfluous. This was another reason.

For these two reasons, the Venerable desired to stay away from the Master. As he foresaw that his nephew, the young Puṇṇa, son of the brahmin lady Mantānī, would become a famous Dhamma-preacher (Dhamma-kathika), he went to the brahmin village of Doṇavatthu and made his nephew a monk and helped him become a resident pupil (antevāsika) with the thought that he would stay behind near the Exalted One. Then he approached the Buddha and made a request: “Glorious Buddha, to me a rural residence is not suitable. I am not capable of staying with the laity. Therefore, kindly permit me to live in the Chaddanta forest.” And the permission was granted by the Buddha.

Having obtained the permission from the Buddha, Venerable Koṇḍañña packed up his bedding, and taking his bowl and robe, he went to the Maṇḍākinī lake in the Chaddanta forest. In the region around Chaddanta, eight thousand elephants, who were experienced in serving Paccekabuddhas and who were long-lived like spirits, became happy as they thought: “A large expanse of fertile field has come to us so that we might sow the seeds of meritorious deeds.” So they shovelled a path with their feet and got rid of grass to make a walk for the Thera.

They also cleared the walk of twigs and branches that might be in his way and after making the his residence clean, the eighty-thousand elephants held a discussion among themselves thus:

“Friends, if we expect ‘this elephant will do what is necessary to the Thera’ or ‘that elephant will do it for him,’ the Thera will then have to return to his dwelling from alms-round with his bowl washed as before, as if he had been to a village of his relatives. Therefore, let us serve him by taking turns so that there might be no negligence. We must be careful especially when it is an assignment of a particular one (without ignoring with the thought it is not mine).”

And so they took turns in serving the Venerable. The elephant on duty would arrange water for washing the face, and twigs for brushing the teeth. The arrangement went on like this. The elephant whose assignment was to serve, made fire by rubbing the dry firewood that could burn easily such as pine. With this fire, he baked stones and rolled them down by means of sticks into the water in the stone basins. After ascertaining the water’s being hot enough, he would place a tooth brush made of firewood stick. Then the same elephant assigned would sweep the meditation hut that was the Venerable’s dwelling, both inside and out with a broom made of branches. He would also perform [other] duties including his feeding of the Venerable in the way that will soon be described.

The Maṇḍākinī lake where the Venerable resided was fifty yojanas wide. The middle area of the lake, measuring twenty-five yojanas, was entirely free from algae and other aquatic plants. The water was crystal clear. In its outer circle, where the water was waist deep, there flourished white-lotus thickets of half a yojana's width, surrounding the lake of fifty yojanas; beyond the white lotus thickets existed red-paduma lotus thickets also of half a yojana's width; beyond them white-kumudra lotus-thickets...; beyond them blue-lotus thickets...; beyond them red lotus thickets...; beyond them flagrant red paddy fields...; beyond them creeper thickets full of such tasty vegetables as cucumber, gourd, pumpkin, etc. and measuring half a yojana in width;beyond them existed sugar-cane thickets also of half a yojana width, encircling the lake. The sugar-cane stalks growing there were as thick as the trunk of an areca palm.

Beyond the sugar-cane thickets lay bananatree thickets, also of half a yojana's width encircling the lake. Those who happened to have eaten two bananas or so would suffer, feeling stiff and uneasy; beyond the banana tree thickets lay jack-fruit grove bearing fruit, each being the size of a large jar; beyond that grove lay Eugenia grove; beyond that lay mango grove; in this way there lay further groves of fruit trees. In short, it could not be said there were no edible fruit around the Maṇḍākini lake. There were fruit of all kinds.

During the flowering period, the wind blew, carrying the pollens from the blossoms and placed them on the lotus leaves. Drops of water fell on these leaves. By the heat of the sun, the pollens were cooked and became solidified milk. It was called lotus-honey (comb). It was brought to the Venerable by the elephants in turns.

The lotus stems were as thick as the tilling log. These stems too the elephant took and gave to the Venerable. The lotus stems were as large as a drum head. Each joint of the stems contained about one pattha of lotus milk. That lotus milk too the elephants brought and offered to the Venerable.

The elephants mixed the lotus stock with honey and offered them to the Venerable. They placed the sugar-cane plants, which were as thick as areca palm, on the stone slab and crushed them with their feet. The juice then flowed into stone cups and holes and was cooked by the heat of the sun and it became solidified sugar-cane cakes that were like solidified milk (godan stones). They then brought these sugar-cane cakes and offered them to the Venerable.

On the Kelāsa hill, in the Himavanta, lived a god named Nāgadatta. The Venerable Koṇḍañña sometimes went to the doorway of his mansion. The god filled the Venerable’s bowl with pure milk food made of newly produced butter and powder of lotus-honey. The god gave a dāna of sweet smelling butter and milk by the lot for twenty thousand years during the life time of the Buddha Kassapa. Hence, such pure milk food containing butter and powder of lotus-honey appeared to him as nourishment. In this way the Venerable Koṇḍañña dwelt near the Maṇḍākinī lake in the Chanddanta forest. When he reflected on his life process (āyu-saṅkhāra), he found that it was coming to an end. When he further reflected as to where he should decease, it occurred to him thus: “These eight thousand elephants who have served me for twelve years have done what is difficult to do. I am greatly thankful to them. I shall first go to the Exalted Buddha and seek His permission to pass into Parinibbāna and shall do so in the meditation hut near these elephants.” Having decided thus, he immediately appeared at Veḷuvana monastery in Rājagaha and visited the Buddha. He bowed his head touching the feet of the Buddha and sucked them in his mouth; he also pressed them with his hand forcefully. He then mentioned his name in his supplication to the Buddha: “Glorious Buddha! Koṇḍañña I am, Speaker of good words! I am Koṇḍañña.”

(Herein, the reason for Venerable Koṇḍañña’s mention of his own name was this: at that time among the monks around the Buddha some elderly monks knew him but younger ones did not. Therefore, it occurred to him: “The young monk who do not know me might offend me with the thought who is this white-haired, bending, toothless and failing old monk? Who is he that is talking with the Exalted Buddha? These young monks who wronged me might land in a woeful state. If I mention my name, those who previously did not know me will now realize who I am. Thus the two groups of monks, viz. one older and aware of my name and the other younger and coming to know me now, will be pleased and faithful at the thought: “Ah, here is a Great Disciple (Mahā-sāvaka) who has renounced like the Exalted Buddha throughout the system of ten thousand worlds and this would lead them to the realm of devas.” In order to close the road to the woeful states and open that to the deva abodes for the beings, the Thera disclosed his name in his announcement to the Buddha.)

At that time, a thought arose in the mind of the Venerable Vangīsa thus: “This Venerable Aññāsi Kondañña visited the Exalted One after twelve long years; he touched the feet of the Exalted One with his head and suck the feet with his mouth. And, he also pressed them with his hand. Mentioning his name, he also said: ‘Glorious Buddha! Koṇḍañña I am. Speaker of good words! I am Koṇḍañña.’ What if I should sing appropriate verses in praise of this Venerable in the presence of the Buddha.” So he rose from his seat, adjusted his robe so that it covered his left shoulder, raised his joined hands towards the Buddha and addressed Him thus: “Glorious Buddha, these clear verses (patibhanagatthā) came into my head! Speaker of good words, these clear verses came into my head!”

Thereupon, the Buddha granted His permission, saying: “Dear son Vangisa, you may have clear verses in your head as you wish.”

Accordingly, Venerable Vaṅgīsa sang appropriate verses in praise of the Venerable Koṇḍañña in the presence of the Buddha as follows:

(1) Buddhā’nu buddho so thero
Koṇḍañño tibbanikkamo
Lābhī sukha-vihārānaṃ
vivekānaṃ Abhiṇhaso.

That Thera, who is known by his clan name Koṇḍañña and who has visited the supremely glorious Buddha, is distinguished as Buddha’nubuddha, for he is the first who understood the four profound Truths, having contemplated intelligently after the Buddha. He is endowed with unique, forceful energy of right exertions. He achieves without interruptions the three forms of seclusion, the means of blissful living.

(2) Yaṃ sāvakena pattabbaṃ
satthu sāsanakārinā
Sabbassa tam anuppattaṃ
appamattassa sikkhato.

The Sangha of noble disciples, who follow the Buddha’s exhortation, should attain the four Paths, the four Fruitions, the Analytical Knowledge, etc. through their wisdom. That top personality of glory, the Venerable Koṇḍañña, attained them all i.e. the Paths, the Fruitions, the Analytical Knowledge, etc. ahead of several other disciples, as smoothly supported by necessary facilities, for he has possessed mindfulness and practised assiduously in the threefold training.

(3) Mahānubhāvo tevijjo
cetopariyāyakovido
Koṇḍañño buddhadāyādo
pāde vandati satthuno.

The Venerable, who is known by his clan name Koṇḍañña, who is highly powerful, who clearly possesses the threefold Knowledge of pu, di and ā, who is the owner of cetopariya-abhiññas as he knows all the mental activities, who has inherited first and foremost, the nine supramundane legacy of the Buddha, has respectfully paid homage at the Buddha’s lotus feet by touching them with his head, sucking them (in his mouth), and gripping them with his hands indeed.

By the time these verses had been sung, silence reigned in the assembly. Knowing of the silence, Venerable Koṇḍañña exchanged a few words with the Buddha and asked for permission: “Exalted Buddha, my life process has come to an end. I am going to pass into parinibbāna.” “Where will you pass into parinibbāna, my dear son Koṇḍañña?” questioned the Buddha. The Venerable replied: “Glorious Buddha, the elephants who served me for twelve years have done something that is difficult to do. Therefore, I shall pass into parinibbāna somewhere around the elephants, by the lake in the Chaddantta forest.” The Buddha granted His permission by keeping silent.

(Herein, when Venerable Koṇḍañña requested permission to attain parinibbāna, if the Buddha were not to grant permission, it might tantamount that the Venerable took delight in the round of suffering in the three worlds, which he himself had taught to be something sickening. On the other hand, if the Buddha were to grant permission, it might mean that He encouraged him to die. In order to avoid these two ends, therefore, the Buddha, following the neutral way, asked: “Where would you pass into parinibbāna?”)

Thereupon the Venerable Koṇḍañña made obeisance to the Buddha and spoke: “Exalted Buddha, formerly when you were practising dukkara-cariya, we visited you for the first time to attend to you. In other words, my first obeisance took place in the Deer Park. Now this is my last!” While many people were lamenting, the Venerable paid homage to the Buddha, came out from His presence and, standing at the doorway, admonished the people: “Do not be sad! Do not lament! There is none among those conditioned, be they Buddhas or Disciples, who will not come to destruction.” While the people were looking on him, the Venerable disappeared from there and reappeared near the lake, in the Chaddanta forest, where he bathed. Thereafter, he put on the robe properly, put away his bedding and spent the three watches of the night engaging in meditation of phala-samāpatti. (He was absorbed in the phala-samāpatti for the whole night.) Just before morning came with its very brilliant light, the Venerable entered the Anupādisesa-parinibbāna.

No sooner had the Venerable Koṇḍañña entered parinibbāna, all the trees in the Himavanta burst open with flowers and fruit both at the top and bottom and they bent down as well. The elephant, whose turn it was to serve the Venerable, performed his usual duties early by placing water for washing the face and tooth-brush made of twigs and stood at the end of the wall without knowing the Venerable’s parinibbāna. Not seeing the Venerable coming, though he had waited till sunrise, the elephant began to wonder: “The noble Venerable used to take an early walk and used to wash his face. But now he has not come out from his dwelling even at sunrise. What could be the reason for this?” So he opened the door of the dwelling wide enough to see into it, he saw the Venerable sitting. He stretched out his trunk to investigate whether there was in-breath or out-breath and it came to know there was neither. Then, coming to know that the Venerable had entered parinibbāna, he put his trunk in his mouth and trumpeted aloud. The sound of its trumpet echoed all over the Himavanta.

The elephants held a discourse in unity. The Venerable’s body was put on the largest elephant. The others surrounded him, each carrying branches that had fully blossomed. After repeatedly went around the Himavanta and paying homage, they conveyed the remains to the lake in the Chaddanta forest.

Then Sakka summoned Deva Visukamma and gave him an order: “Dear Visukamma! Our elder brother, the Venerable Koṇḍañña, has passed into parinibbāna. Let us do homage to him. Create a coffin measuring nine yojanas and adorn it with a pinnacle!” Visukamma created as he had been asked. The remains of the Venerable was put in the coffin and returned to the elephants

Carrying the coffin together and repeatedly moving around the whole Himavanta, measuring three thousand yojanas, the elephants paid homage. From the elephants, the coffin was taken by devas of the sky who performed funeral rites. Thereafter, the coffin was taken by devas of rain-clouds, devas of cold-clouds, and devas of hot-clouds, Catumahārāja devas, Tāvatiṃsa devas and so on. In this way, the pinnacled coffin containing the Venerable ’s body reached up to the realm of Brahmās. Again the Brahmās returned it to the devas and in this way the coffin went back to the elephants.

Each deva or Brahmā brought two sandalwood pieces, each being about the breadth of four fingers. The pile of such sandalwood pieces was nine yojanas high. Upon the pile of sandalwood was put the coffin carrying the Venerable’s body, Five hundred monks appeared simultaneously and recited the Dhamma throughout the night. The Venerable Anuruddha gave a sermon in the Assembly. As a result, many devas realized the Four Truths and were released [from saṃsāra] thereby.

The night saw the burning of the remains. On the following morning, at dawn, the pile of burning fragrant wood was extinguished and the monks filled the water-filter with the relics, which were as white as Jasmine buds and brought them to the Buddha, who was readily waiting and welcoming at the doorway of the Veḷuvana monastery.

Growth of a Cetīya out of the Earth

Holding the filter containing the relics, the Buddha delivered a discourse befitting that occasion and causing religious emotion [in the minds of those present], after which He stretched out His hand towards the earth. Instantly, a colossal cetiya, resembling a huge silver bubble, emerged, penetrating the great earth. The Buddha enshrined the relics of the Venerable Koṇḍañña with His hands in that cetiya. It is said that the cetiya exists even today.