The Buddhist Catechism Part 4

78. Q. _How is it called in the Pali language?_

A. _Ariyo atthangiko maggo_.

79.. Q. _Whither did the Buddha then go?_

A. To Uruvela.

80. Q. _What happened there?_

A. He converted a man named Kashyapa, renowned for his learning and teacher of the Jatilas, a great sect of fire-worshippers, all of whom became also his followers.

81. Q. _Who was his next great convert?_

A. King Bimbisara, of Magadha.

82. Q. _Which two of the Buddha's most learned and beloved disciples were converted at about this time?_

A. Sariputra and Moggallana, formerly chief disciples of Sanjaya, the ascetic.

83. Q. _For what did they become renowned?_

A. Sariputra for his profound learning (_Prajna_), Moggallana for his exceptional spiritual powers (_Iddhi_).

84. Q. _Are these wonder-working powers miraculous?_

A. No, but natural to all men and capable of being developed by a certain course of training.

85. Q. _Did the Buddha hear again from his family after leaving them?_

A. Oh yes, seven years later, while he was living at Rajagrha, his father. King Suddhodana, sent a message to request him to come and let him see him again before he died.

86. Q. _Did he go?_

A. Yes. His father went with all his relatives and ministers to meet him and received him with great joy.

87. Q. _Did he consent to resume his old rank?_

A. No. In all sweetness he explained to his father that the Prince Siddhartha had pa.s.sed out of existence, as such, and was now changed into the condition of a Buddha, to whom all beings were equally akin and equally dear. Instead of ruling over one tribe or nation, like an earthly king, he, through his Dharma, would win the hearts of all men to be his followers.

88. Q. _Did he see Yasodhara and his son Rahula?_

A. Yes. His wife, who had mourned for him with deepest love, wept bitterly. She also sent Rahula to ask him to give him his inheritance, as the son of a prince.

89. Q. _What happened?_

A. To one and all he preached the Dharma as the cure for all sorrows.

His father, son, wife, Ananda (his half-brother), Devadatta (his cousin and brother-in-law), were all converted and became his disciples. Two other famous ones were Anuruddha, afterwards a great metaphysician, and Upali, a barber, afterwards the greatest authority on Vinaya. Both of these gained great renown.

90. Q. _Who was the first Bhikkuni?_

A. Praj.a.pati, the aunt and foster-mother of Prince Siddhartha. With her, Yasodhara and many other ladies were admitted into the Order as _Bhikkhunis_ or female devotees.

91. Q. _What effect did the taking up of the religious life by his sons, Siddhartha and Ananda, his nephew, Devadatta, his son's wife, Yasudhara, and his grandson, Rahula, have upon the old King Suddhodana?_

A. It grieved him much and he complained to the Buddha, who then made it a rule of the Order that no person should thenceforth be ordained without the consent of his parents if alive.

92. Q. _Tell me about the fate of Devadatta?_

A. He was a man of great intelligence and rapidly advanced in the knowledge of the Dharma, but being also extremely ambitious, he came to envy and hate the Buddha, and at last plotted to kill him. He also influenced Ajatashatru, son of King Bimbisara, to murder his n.o.ble father, and to become his--Devadatta's--disciple.

93. Q. _Did he do any injury to the Buddha?_

A. Not the least, but the evil he plotted against him recoiled upon himself, and he met with an awful death.

94. Q. _For how many years was the Buddha engaged in teaching?_

A. Forty-five years, during which time he preached a great many discourses. His custom and that of his disciples was to travel and preach during the eight dry months, but during the season of Way--the rains--he and they would stop in the pansulas and viharas which had been built for them by various kings and other wealthy converts.

95. Q. _Which were the most famous of these buildings?_

A. Jetavanarama; Veluvanarama; Pubbarama; Nigrodharama and Isipatanarama.

96. Q. _What kind of people were converted by him and his disciples?_

A. People of all ranks, nations and castes; rajas and coolies, rich and poor, mighty and humble, the illiterate and the most learned. His doctrine was suited to all.

97. Q. _Give some account of the decease of the Buddha?_

A. In the forty-fifth season after his attaining Buddhahood, on the full-moon day of May, knowing that his end was near, he came at evening to Kusinagara, a place about one hundred and twenty miles from Benares. In the sala grove of the Mallas, the Uparvartana of Kusinagara, between two sala trees, he had his bedding spread with the head towards the north according to the ancient custom. He lay upon it, and with his mind perfectly clear, gave his final instructions to his disciples and bade them farewell.

98. Q. _Did he also make new converts in those last tours?_

A. Yes, a very important one, a great Brahmana pandit named Subhadra. He had also preached to the Mallya princes and their followers.

99. Q. _At day-break what happened?_

A. He pa.s.sed into the interior condition of _Samadhi_ and thence into Nirvana.

100. Q. _What were his last words to his disciples?_

A. "Bhikkhus," he said, "I now impress it upon you, the parts and powers of man must be dissolved. Work out your salvation with diligence."

101. Q. _What convincing proof have we that the Buddha, formerly Prince Siddhartha, was a historical personage?_

A. His existence is apparently as clearly proved as that of any other character of ancient history.

102. Q. _Name some of the proofs?_

A. (1) The testimony of those who personally knew him.