Overall Teaching

The Bodhisattva studies with Ārāḍa Kālāma in Vaiśālī and achieves all he teaches, leaving his saṅgha instead of staying to teach with him. The Bodhisattva proceeds to Rājagṛha where the people are impressed with his appearance and the King, Bimbisāra, invites him to stay in his kingdom. The Bodhisattva rejects and explains that he has renounced. The king is pleased that he remains in his kingdom, and the Bodhisattva proceeds to Nairañjana River.

Summary

1.     Chanda told the Śākyas what had happened in order to alleviate their suffering.

2.     The Bodhisattva took on saffron coloured robes and adopted the lifestyle of a renunciation order to act in agreement with worldly people’s perceptions and in order to mature the minds of others.[1]

3.     The Bodhisattva enjoyed the hospitality of many hermits while walking to Vaiśālī.

4.     Ārāḍa Kālāma taught a saṅgha of three hundred students in Vaiśālī.

a.     When they saw the Bodhisattva approaching they were impressed at his appearance, and he announced that he had come to learn from Kālāma.

b.    Kālāma taught the Bodhisattva, he understood and actualised Kālāma’s teaching (the sphere of nothingness) after meditating alone for a while.

c.     The Bodhisattva then went to Kālāma and let him know he had attained the same level. Kālāma installed him as a teacher in residence who could share his duties with him.

d.    However, he realised that Kālāma’s teachings did not bring freedom, so he departed for another place.

5.     The Bodhisattva proceeded to the city of Rājagṛha in Magadha and stayed on the slope of Pāṇḍava mountain protected by many gods.

a.     Once when entering Rājagṛha for alms the people thought it was a deva.

b.    People dropped what they were doing and rushed to see the Bodhisattva.

c.     King Bimbisāra was informed that Brahmā himself was doing alms in his city.

d.    The King, on his balcony, saw the Bodhisattva shining like gold, and sent alms to him.

e.     At night the King visited the mountain and saw it ablaze in glory. When he approached the Bodhisattva he touched his head to his feet.

f.      The King offered the Bodhisattva half of his kingdom and the Bodhisattva informed him that he has already discarded a beautiful kingdom to become a monk and is searching for peace with no expectations for the future.

g.     King Bimbisāra insisted that he stay in his kingdom and enjoy himself as he is still young and fresh.

h.    The Bodhisattva wished fortune to the king, but said that he does not wish anymore desires, that he abandoned them like putrid snot. He noted that one never gets enough of desires, and that they never satisfy anyone: even if one had all the pleasures of the gods they would never be satisfied but increase their craving more. As he has already abandoned many delights, he has left conditioned existence wherein no joy is to be found.

i.      The King asked about where the Bodhisattva was from and the Bodhisattva informed him that he was a Śākya, son of Śuddhodana, and renounced to seek for deeper qualities.

j.      The King said he was glad to see him and asked forgiveness for inviting him to enjoy sense pleasures. He invited him to share the Dharma with him if he becomes awakened and was glad that he lived in his country.

k.     The King then circumambulated the Bodhisattva and returned to his palace.

l.      The Bodhisattva resided as long as he wished in Magadha and eventually proceeded to the Nairañjana River.

[1] That is to say, the Bodhisattva did not need to engage in renunciation—leaving home was part of a teaching about the drawbacks of household life, and becoming a renunciant is to show the drawbacks of asceticism, and the advantages of renunciation for those who are not a 10th level bodhisattva.