explained what has to be done, the Buddha went on to explain to Rahula how it could be done.
“Rahula, what is the purpose of a mirror?”
“The purpose of a mirror is to look at yourself.”
“Even so, Rahula, one should act with body, speech or mind only after first looking at oneself. Before acting with body, speech or mind, one should think, What I am about to do, will it harm me or others?” If you can answer, Yes, it will,” then you should not act. But if you can answer, “No, it will not,” then you should act. You should reflect in the same way while acting and after having acted. Therefore, Rahula, you should train yourself to act only after repeatedly looking at and reflecting on yourself.”
Rahula was trained in the Ten Precepts and monastic discipline and when he was eighteen, the Buddha decided that he was ready for meditation. The Blessed One then gave Rahula an advice on how to practice, saying, “Develop a mind that is like the four great elements (earth, water, fire and air) because if you do this, pleasant or unpleasant sensory impressions that have arisen and taken hold of the mind will not persist. Develop love, Rahula, for by doing so you will get rid of ill-will. Develop compassion, for by doing so you will get rid of violence. Develop sympathetic joy, for by doing so you will get rid of animosity. Develop equanimity, for by doing so you will get rid of uncontrolled reaction. Develop the perception of the foul, for by doing so you will get rid of attachment. Develop the perception of impermanence, for by doing so you will get rid of the conceit of selfhood. Develop mindfulness of breathing for it is of great benefit and advantage.”
Following his father’s advice and guidance on meditation, Rahula finally attained enlightenment. He was eighteen at the time. After that everyone always referred to him as Rahulabhadda (Rahula the Lucky).
16. ANANDA
Many people in Kapilavatthu listened to the Buddha’s teachings and took refuge in his doctrine, among them Nanda, Siddhattha’s half-brother; Devadatta, his cousin; Upali the barber; and Anuruddha the philosopher. Some years later Ananda, another cousin of the Blessed One, also joined the Sangha.
The Buddha was always accompanied by an attendant whose job was to run messages for him, prepare his seat and to attend to his personal needs. For the first twenty years of his ministry, he had several attendants, Nagasamala, Upavana, Nagita, Cunda, Radha and others, but none of them proved to be suitable. One day, when he decided to replace his present attendant, he called all the monks together and addressed them, “I am now getting old and wish to have someone as a permanent attendant. Which of you would like to be my attendant?”
All the monks enthusiastically offered their services, except Ananda, who modestly sat at the back in silence. Later, when asked why he had not volunteered he replied that the Buddha knew best who to pick. When the Buddha indicated that he would like Ananda to be his personal attendant, Ananda said he would accept the position, but only on eight conditions.
The first four conditions were that the Buddha should never give him any of the food that he received, nor any of the robes, that he should not be given any special accommodation, and that he would not have to accompany the Buddha when he accepted invitations to people’s homes. Ananda insisted on these four conditions because he did not want people to think that he was serving the Buddha out of desire for a material gain.
The last four conditions were related to Ananda’s desire to help in the promotion of the Dharma. These conditions were: that if he was invited to a meal, he could transfer the invitation to the Buddha; that if people came from outlying areas to see the Buddha, he would have the privilege of introducing them; that if he had any doubts about the Dharma, he should be able to talk to the Buddha about them at any time and that if the Buddha gave a discourse in his absence, he would later repeat it in his presence. The Buddha smilingly accepted these conditions. Ananda was a man after the heart of the Blessed One; he was his most beloved disciple, profound in comprehension and gentle in spirit. He remained always near the Buddha until the death parted them.
17. KASSAPA
As soon as he had 60 disciples, the Buddha sent them away to teach people everywhere. He left the Deer Park and turned southwards towards the Magadha country.
Along the way, on the banks of a river, there lived three brothers whose names were Uruvela Kassapa, Nadi Kassapa and Gaya Kassapa. Each lived with 500, 300 and 200 followers respectively. These were brahmin hermits with matted hair, worshiping the fire and keeping a fire-dragon. They were renowned throughout all India, and their names were honored as some of the wisest men.
The Blessed One paid a visit to Uruvela Kassapa and said, “Let me stay a night in the room where you keep your sacred fire.”
Kassapa, seeing the Blessed One in his majesty and beauty, thought, “This is a great monk and a noble teacher. Should he stay overnight in the room where the sacred fire is kept, the fire-dragon will bite him and he will die.” Kassapa then warned the Buddha, saying, “I do not object to your staying overnight in the room where the sacred fire is kept, but the dragon lives there; he will harm you.”
Still, the Buddha insisted and Kassapa admitted him to the room where the sacred fire was kept. And the Blessed One sat down with body erect, surrounding himself with mindfulness. In the night the dragon came, belching forth in rage his fiery poison, and filling the air with burning vapor, but could do the Buddha no harm, and the fire consumed itself while the Blessed One remained composed. In the end, the venomous serpent became so wroth that he died in his anger.
In the morning the Blessed One showed the dead body of the dragon to Kassapa, saying, “His fire has been conquered by my fire.” And Kassapa thought, “He is a great monk and possesses high powers, but he is not holy like me.”
There was in those days a festival and Kassapa thought, “The people will come from all parts of the country and will see the great Buddha. When he speaks to them, they will believe him and abandon me.” And he grew envious. When the day of the festival arrived, the Blessed One retired and did not come to Kassapa.
Kassapa went to the Buddha on the next morning and said, “Why did you not come?”
The Buddha replied, “Did not you think, Kassapa, that it would be better if I stayed away from the festival?”
Kassapa was astonished and thought, “Great is this monk; he can read my most secret thoughts, but he is not holy like me.”
Then the Blessed One addressed Kassapa and said, “You see the truth, but do not accept it because of the envy that dwells in your heart. Is envy wholesome? Envy is the last remnant of self that has remained in your mind.”
And Kassapa gave up his resistance. His envy disappeared, and, bowing down, he said, “O Master, let me receive the ordination from the Blessed One.”
Then Kassapa went to his followers saying, “I am anxious to lead a religious life under the direction of the great Buddha, who is the Enlightened One. Do what you think is best.”
Kassapa’s followers replied, “We have conceived a profound affection for the great Buddha, and if you are joining his Sangha, we will do likewise.” And all of them took refuge in the Buddha, the
