History of Buddhism-Buddhism

Twin miracle performed by the Buddha

Comment July 3, 2016

Twin miracle performed by the Buddha before his kinsmen and a shower of rain fell wetting only to those who wished to be wet

24. Twin miracle performed by the Buddha before his kinsmen and a shower of rain fell wetting only to those who wished to be wet

Members of the Sakya clan were very proud, and when the Buddha arrived at Kapilavatthu, they let only the younger kinsmen pay their respects to the Blessed One while the older folk sat down without making obeisance to Him. The Blessed One, who saw this behaviour, rose in the air and walked over the heads of the elders. He performed the miracle of the pairs, in which flames of fire came from the upper part of His body and streams of water from the lower part. Then the process was reversed. Next fire came out from the right side of His body and water from the left, and so on.

He thus showed his superhuman power and emitted six resplendent rays of light from his body, at which they marveled. Suddhodana himself was so deeply moved by the sight that he bowed his head and touched it with the feet of the Blessed One in salutation. At this, all the other members of the clan could not help paying homage to the Blessed One. The sky then became overcast with clouds and poured down a shower of rain by which only those who wished to be wet became wet and not others. They marveled at this miracle and showed greater respect towards the Buddha.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
The Buddha visited Kapilavmthu

Comment June 10, 2016

The Buddha visited Kapilavmthu at the request of Kaludayi Thera

23. The Buddha visited Kapilavmthu at the request of Kaludayi Thera

King Suddhodana heard that the Buddha was dwelling at the Veluvana Monastery offered by King Bimbisara of Rajagaha. He wanted to see Him. Nine courtiers, each with a large following, were sent on nine successive occasions to invite the Buddha to Kapilavatthu. All nine attained Arahantship and no reply was received. The King finally despatchedKaludayi. He went on condition that he would be allowed to enter the Order.

Kaludayi also became an Arahant and entered the Order. He then requested the Buddha to visit the city of Kapilavatthu. The Buddha proceeded there with a following of twenty thousand Arahants covering a distance of 60 yojanas at the rate of one yojana a day. It took him fully two months to do the journey. Kaludayi Thera traveled by air everyday by superhuman power and kept the Buddha’s father, Suddhodana, informed of the progress of the march. And on the day of the Buddha’s arrival, a great welcome awaited Him.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
King Bimbisara sending forth military officers

Comment June 4, 2016

King Bimbisara sending forth military officers to disturbed areas

22. King Bimbisara sending forth military officers to disturbed areas

King Bimbisara, although he was established in the first holy stage of the Ariyan Path, had to depend chiefly upon his army for ruling his kingdom. At one time, there was an armed rising in the frontier areas and the people there had to run away elsewhere leaving their village, many of which were destroyed. This news made the King very sad and sorry for the people of those parts. He therefore summoned the best military officers and ordered them to go out to the disturbed areas with these words of command:—
“My officers, go ye to the areas where disturbances have taken place and people have fled from the village, and restore law and order and give people protection so that they can live safely in their villages and work their fields again under normal conditions”. He gave orders not to kill the insurgents but to protect the inhabitants. The army sallied forth and, after stamping out the disturbances by peaceful means as commanded by the King, came back safely to the capital.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana

Comment June 3, 2016

Conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana

21. Conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana

Sariputta and Moggallana were the two most distinguished of the Buddha’s disciples and were well-known as his two chief disciples. Before they met the Blessed One they were leading the religious life under Sanjaya as wandering ascetics in search of truth. One day Sariputta saw theVenerable Assaji going round Pajagaha early in the morning for alms, with decorous walk and perfect deportment. He thought, “Surely this is one of the monks who are arahants, or who have entered on the path of arahantship”, and followed in the wake of this monk.

When the Venerable Assaji had taken his meal, Sariputta drew near and spoke to him as follows:—”Who, brother, is your teacher and whose doctrine do you approve?” The Venerable Assaji replied, “The Blessed One, a great Sakayaputta monk, is my teacher. The Doctrine proclaimed by the Blessed One I approve. It shows suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering and the path leading to the cessation of suffering”. On hearing this exposition of the Doctrine, Sariputta was established in the first holy stage of the Ariyan Path. Then Sariputta went to tell his friend the good news and Moggallana was also established in the first holy stage of the Ariyan Path. Both of them with a large following of their disciples became monks under the Doctrine and Discipline of the Buddha.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Buddha taming the dragon

Comment May 31, 2016

The Buddha taming the dragon in the fire-shed with his supernatural power

20. The Buddha taming the dragon in the fire-shed with his supernatural power

After sending forth the Arahants to preach, the Blessed One went to Uruvela to convert a thousand hermits headed by the three Kassapa brothers known as Uruvela Kassapa, Nadi Kassapa and Gaya Kassapa. The Buddha tamed the King of the Dragons in a fire-shed by using a variety of his supernatural powers. The thousand hermits became monks and with this retinue, the Blessed One proceeded to Gayasisa. On arrival there he preached to them again and they all became arahants.

The Buddha went from there to Rajagaha accompanied by those monks and dwelt in the Toddy Palm Grove. King Bimbisara went there with a large following of 120,000 persons to pay his respects to the Buddha. As the ascetic Kassapa was held in high esteem by his people, he was at a loss to understand whether the Buddha was a disciple of Kassapa or the latter was a disciple of the former. The Venerable Kassapa knew this and placing his head upon the Buddha’s feet acknowledged the Buddha’s superiority, saying, “My teacher, Lord, is the Lord, I am the disciple” repeatedly. Continue reading →
Buddha sending out a mission of sixty Arahants

Comment May 29, 2016

Buddha sending out a mission of sixty Arahants

19. Buddha sending out a mission of sixty Arahants

After the Buddha had kept his retreat at the Deer Park at Isipatanaduring the first rainy season, there were fully sixty Arahants besides the Blessed One. He called them and said. “Released am I, O Bhikkhus, from fetters both human and divine. Ye also are free from fetters both human and divine. Go ye, now O Bhikkhus, and wander for the gain of the many, for the good of the many, for the gain and welfare of gods and men. Preach, O Bhikkhus, the doctrine which is glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle, glorious at the end, in spirit and in letter. Proclaim the Holy Life altogether perfect and pure. There are beings with a little dust in their eyes, who, not hearing the Doctrine will fall away. There will be those who will understand the Doctrine”. With this exhortation the Buddha despatched His first sixty disciples in various directions.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Bhadda-vaggiya brothers converted by the Buddha

Comment May 23, 2016

Bhadda-vaggiya brothers when searching for a woman, and were converted by the Buddha.

18. Bhadda-vaggiya brothers when searching for a woman, and were converted by the Buddha.

The Buddha went back from Benares to Uruvela, and on his way he entered a grove and sat under a tree. At that time, thirty Bhadda-vaggiyabrothers, who were born of the same father as King Pasenadi of Kosala, were sporting with their wives in that grove. One of them had no wife and they had brought a courtesan for him, but while they were not noticing she had taken their bag of valuables and fled. They came seeking her, and when they came near the Blessed One they inquired, “Did you not see a woman ?” “What do you think, young men,” Buddha replied, “which is better for you, to go in search of a woman or to go in search of yourselves?” The brothers admitted, “It is better to go in search of oneself’. Buddha then told them to sit down and preaching to them the evils of sensual indulgence, converted and ordained them as monks of the Holy Order.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Venerable Yasa and his father met the Buddha

Comment May 21, 2016

Venerable Yasa and his father met the Buddha

17. Venerable Yasa and his father met the Buddha

Yasa was the first born son of Sujata who offered milk-porridge to the Great Being on the very day he was to become the Enlightened Buddha. He had been brought up in the greatest luxury as in the case of the Future Buddha, three separate mansions being provided for three different seasons, namely, the wet, cold and dry seasons. Waking up one night, he found his palace attendants, female musicians, asleep in unseemly conditions, and deeming the scene to be a cemetery, went out from his house and the city to the Deer Park of Isipatana that every night.

Yasa came into the presence of the Buddha and, after hearing the sermon from the Blessed One, was established in the first noble stage of the Ariyan Path. Yasa’s father went in search of his son and came to the Buddha. The Buddha made Yasa invisible with his supernatural power and assuring him with these words, “You will find your son” preached a sermon to him. Yasa’s father was also established in the first holy stage of the Aryan Path, while Yasa was established in the fourth holy stage of the Aryan Path. The Blessed One then discontinued the use of the supernatural power with the result that the father met the son, and ordained Yasa as a monk at his request.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
The Buddha preaching the sermon

Comment May 19, 2016

The Buddha preaching the sermon “The wheel of law” to the band of five disciples”

16. The Buddha preaching the sermon “The wheel of law” to the band of five disciples”

Soon after the birth of the Future Buddha, eight Brahmin fortune-tellers, observed the marks and characteristics of the Future Buddha’s person. Five of these Brahmins interpreted that prince Siddhattha would unquestionably become a Buddha and with that belief, had already become ascetics. When Siddhattha retired from the world, they attended to his personal needs. Then seeing that the Future Buddha had given up extreme asceticism and gone back to the usual way of taking ordinary material food, they doubted if he would ever become a Buddha, and deserted him. Then they went and lived in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Benares.

The Blessed One, having attained the Supreme Wisdom, began his life as the Great Teacher. He first thought of the persons whom he should first aid with his teaching, and saw that these five ascetics had developed mature intellect. He therefore went to the Deer Park at Isipatana near Benares, 18 yojanas (1 yojana =about 8 miles) away from the Bodhi tree and preached his First Sermonto this “Band of Five Disciples” before sunset on the full moon day of Wazo (June-July). Kondanna was established in the first noble stage of the Ariyan Path, along with eighteen crores of higher and lower gods.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post
Cakes being offered to the Buddha

Comment May 12, 2016

Cakes being offered to the Buddha by the brothers Tapussa and Bhallika

15. Cakes being offered to the Buddha by the brothers Tapussa and Bhallika

Not long after his attainment of Supreme Buddhahood, the Blessed One sat cross- legged at the foot of the Rajayatana tree (Buchanania latifolia). At that time two brothers Tapussa and Bhallika, from a village called Ukkala went for trade to (the middle Districts of) India where the Buddha was dwelling. A deity who was related to them in a past existence informed the two brothers that the Blessed One had recently attained the Supreme Buddhahood, and directed to the place where the Blessed One was then dwelling. The deity also instructed them to offer to the Buddha the cakes which they had brought with them.
As directed by the deity, the two brothers approached the Buddha and offered the cakes which they had brought They then addressed the Buddha with the words, “We take our refuge, Lord, in the Blessed One and the Dhamma; may the Blessed One receive us as disciples, who from this day forth, while our life lasts, have taken their refuge in Him”. They then asked the Blessed one, “What shall we receive as an object of worship from today, Lord?” The Blessed One rubbed his head with his hand and gave to the two brothers whatever hairs came off and stuck to his hand.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post