365bet娱乐

Summary: Removing the Wrong Views of One Thousand Hermits headed by Aggidatta

Notes: This story of Aggidata is mentioned in the Buddha Vagga of the second volume of Dhammapada Commentary.

This discourse of five stanzas, beginning with the words, bahum ve yaranam yanti, etc., was expounded by the Buddha while residing at Jetavana monastery, with reference to a hermit by the name of Aggidatta, (formerly a court brahmin of King Kosala) who was then residing near a pile of sand.

(N.B. The hermit Aggidatta was living near a pile of sand lying between the three countries of Anga, Magadha and Kuru that were adjacent to 搁腻箩补驳补丑补. That appeared to be the reason why Sayagyi U Lin, who was first in charge of the translation project, had put this story of Aggidatta in the table of contents of events that took place when the Buddha was keeping vassa in the city of 搁腻箩补驳补丑补.)

The Brahmin Aggidatta was the court advisor of King 惭补丑腻 Kosala, father of King Pasedani Kosala. On the expiry of his father, King Pasedani Kosala retained Aggidatta in the same rank as his court advisor, esteeming him as his father鈥檚 old counsellor. When Aggidatta went to the palace to attend to duties, he was treated with due respect by the King and was given the same seat which he had occupied before.

One day, it occurred to Aggidatta: 鈥淜ing Pasenadi Kosala treats me with due respect, no doubt, but it is not easy to make kings accept one鈥檚 counsel all the time. It is natural that the King would prefer to deal with advisors of his own age. I have become too old, it is time that I lead the life of a recluse.鈥�

So he sought permission from the King and having made public his decision by the beating of drums in the city of Savatthi, within seven days he abandoned all his belongings to become a recluse outside of the Buddha鈥檚 Teaching, 蝉腻蝉补苍补.

Ten thousand male followers became his disciples and they dwelt at a place situated between the Anga, Magadha and Kuru countries. Aggidatta, as their leader, gave them instruction for their observance: 鈥淢y disciples.... anyone thinking any of these thoughts; thoughts of sensual desire (办腻尘补-vitakka), thoughts of ill-will (惫测腻辫腻诲补-vitakka), thoughts of harming others (惫颈丑颈峁僡-惫颈迟补办办补), shall carry one bundle of sand from the river and dump it here.鈥� His disciples promised to observe this disciplinary rule and every time they detected an unwholesome thought, such as 办腻尘补-vitakka, etc., arising in their mind, they chastised themselves by carrying a bundle of sand from the river and dumping it as promised, in the appointed place. In time, the pile of sand assumed a huge dimension.

The pile of sand was later taken over by a 苍腻驳补 king named Ahichatta. People from Anga, Magadha and Kuru used to come with offerings for the hermits every month. The hermit Aggidatta then exhorted them thus: 鈥淥 my disciples, go to the hills for refuge, go to the jungles for refuge; go to the parks for refuge; go to the trees for refuge. If you take refuge in the hills, in the jungles, in the parks and in the trees, you will be free from all kinds of suffering.鈥� He also made the same exhortation to his ten thousand hermit disciples.

Aggidatta was popularising himself through teaching wrong practices at a time when the Bodhisatta, as Prince Siddhattha, after renouncing the world had attained Buddhahood and was residing in the Jetavana monastery of Savatthi. Rising one early morning at dawn and mentally surveying the whole world for sentient beings who are ripe for emancipation, the Buddha perceived in His mind鈥檚 eye the hermit Aggidatta together with all of his ten thousand disciples. The Buddha also knew then that all of them had accomplished the sufficing conditions (upanissaya) for attainment of arahatship. So He gave instructions to the Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补, saying: 鈥淪on 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补, why have you ignored the hermit Aggidatta who is making people walk along the wrong Path that will not lead them to the Shores of 狈颈产产腻苍补, go now, son 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补, to these hermits and exhort them.鈥�

Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 replied: 鈥淭he most Glorious, Exalted Buddha, the number of these hermits is great. They might not readily accept the instructions from me alone. Should your Reverence also come along, they would readily obey your instructions.鈥� Whereupon, the Buddha responded: 鈥淲e will come also, but you might go ahead first to exhort them.鈥�

While proceeding first as instructed by the Buddha, Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 thought to himself: 鈥淭hese hermits are many and strong, any attempt to give instructions to them while gathering in one place might lead them to turn against me en masse.鈥� So he caused a torrential rain to fall, through his 补产丑颈帽帽补, with the result that the hermits rising from their places, rushed into their own dwelling places.

Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 then stood in front of the entrance to Aggidatta鈥檚 dwelling and called the hermit by name: 鈥淥 Aggidatta.鈥� On hearing the Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补鈥檚 voice, Aggidatta wondered as to who had called him by name, since there was no one in the world who could address him thus. In a fit of pique, he gave a sharp reply: 鈥淲ho is that calling me by my name?鈥� Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 answered: 鈥淚ts me, Brahmin Aggidatta.鈥� 鈥淲hat do you want to say?鈥� responded Aggidatta. When the Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 made the polite reply: 鈥淚 wish you could show me a place where I could spend a night,鈥� Aggidatta said curtly: 鈥淭here is no vacant place for you; each room has its own occupant.鈥�

Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 then replied: 鈥淎ggidatta, it is natural that men come to the abode of men, bullocks to the abodes of bullocks and recluses to the abode of recluses. Please do not talk to me like that, do allot a lodging to me to spend the night.鈥� The hermit then asked: 鈥淎re you a recluse?鈥� 鈥淵es, I am,鈥� was the reply. Aggidatta then queried: 鈥淚f you are a recluse, where are the equipments of recluse; what are your utensils?鈥� 鈥淥 Brahmin,鈥� replied 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 in a serious manner, 鈥淚 possess the equipments of a recluse; but thinking it is cumbersome to carry them separately while wandering around, I take them along only inside me.鈥� Aggidatta was much annoyed to see the Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 going about without the necessary equipments of a recluse.

Knowing the state of his mind, Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 said: 鈥淥 Aggidatta, don't be angry with me, just point a place for me.鈥� Aggidatta gave the terse reply: 鈥淭here is no place for you around here.鈥� Indicating the pile of sand with his finger, 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 enquired with patience: 鈥淲ho lives at that pile of sand?鈥� 鈥淎 dragon king,鈥� was the reply. 鈥淭hen allot it to me,鈥� insisted Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补. The hermit made the cautious reply: 鈥淚 dare not allot it to you. The dragon king is of violent, terrible nature.鈥� 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 replied: 鈥淟et it be, never mind about it. You just allot it to me.鈥� 鈥淚f so, you better judge for yourself whether the place is suitable for occupation or not,鈥� retorted Aggidatta.

Then the Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 went towards the pile of sand and when the dragon king, Ahichatta, caught sight of him, he thought to himself: 鈥淭his recluse does not seem to know my presence here. I will dispose of him by exhaling fumes.鈥� With this thought, the dragon king started emitting dense clouds of noxious vapour. Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 considered: 鈥淭his dragon king has over estimated himself, thinking no one else can send out fumes.鈥� Therefore, he also started exhaling wave after wave of vapour, which, together with that emitted by the dragon king, rose higher and higher up to the realm of the 叠谤补丑尘腻蝉. The voluminous fumes exhaled by both of them caused great suffering to the dragon king while Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 remained unscathed.

Suffering from the effects of the fumes, the 苍腻驳补 king became so furious that he sent out a continuous stream of blazing flames. By developing the 箩丑腻苍补 of the fire-device (Fourth 谤奴辫补惫补肠补谤补 kriya 箩丑腻苍补 with fire-device as its object), 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 also sent out, in competition, more violent flames. The blazing fires produced by both of them went up as far as the 叠谤补丑尘腻 realm; but none of them caused any harm to the Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 while the Naga king was subjected to great suffering. His whole body appeared as though it were consumed in a blazing fire. At the sight of the massive conflagration, the hermit teacher, Aggidatta, and his disciples wrongly concluded: 鈥淭he 苍腻驳补 king had set the recluse ablaze; he has been destroyed now completely, for not listening to our advice. It serves him right.鈥�

Having overcome the 苍腻驳补 king by subduing its haughtiness, Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 sat on the pile of sand, while the 苍腻驳补 king kept itself coiled around the sandpile, with its hood spread over him like a terraced chamber crowned with a fine pinnacle.

To make immediate enquiries as to the fate of the recluse, the hermits went to the scene of recent combat and saw the Venerable 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 sitting becomingly on the peak of the sand-pile. They could not help making obeisance to him with their clasped hands, speaking highly of him in many ways, and asked him: 鈥淥 recluse, have you not suffered anything at the hands of the 苍腻驳补 king?鈥� Then 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 replied: 鈥淒on't you see the 苍腻驳补 standing by with its hood spreading like a white umbrella over me?鈥� The hermits uttered in amazement: 鈥淥 friends, this is a wonderful feat worthy of cheers by the snapping of the fingers! The recluse has subdued a powerful 苍腻驳补 such as this. It is marvellous indeed!鈥� They then rallied round 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 in a group.

At that moment, the Buddha arrived there, 惭补丑腻 惭辞驳驳补濒濒腻苍补 rose from his seat and made obeisance to Him. The hermits asked him: 鈥淚s this recluse more powerful than yourself?鈥� 鈥淭his great recluse is replete with six glories; He is my master, I am merely His disciple,鈥� was the reply.

The Buddha took His seat on the pile of sand. The hermits went around and with clasped hands raised, spoke in high praise of the Buddha: 鈥淭he recluse who subdued the 苍腻驳补 king is but a disciple, one wanders how mighty his master might be.鈥� The Buddha then called

Aggidatta and asked him: 鈥淲hat kind of instructions do you give to your hermits and lay disciples for their guidance?"

Aggidatta gave his reply 鈥淓xalted Buddha, I gave this instruction to them, 鈥極 Disciples, go to the hills for refuge, go to the jungles for refuge, go to the parks for refuge; go to the trees for refuge. If you take refuge in the hills, in the jungles, in the parks and under the trees, you will be free from all kinds of suffering.鈥� On hearing this truthful answer, the Buddha said:

鈥淎ggidatta, one who takes refuge in the mountains, forests, gardens, trees cannot escape from suffering; as a matter of fact, one who takes refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha alone can escape from all the sufferings of the round of rebirths! The Buddha then went on expounding the true way of escape from suffering in five stanzas:

1) Bahum ve saranam yanti
pabbat膩ni van膩ni ca
腻谤腻苍补谤耻办办丑补肠别迟测测腻苍颈
manuss膩 bhayatajjit膩

Aggidatta, people take refuge, through fright, in the mountains, such as Mt. Isigili, Mt. Vepulla, Mt. Vebbara, etc., or in the forest groves, such as 惭补丑腻vana, Gosinga sandal groves, etc., or in the gardens and parks, such as 痴别岣穟惫补苍补, Jivaka mango park, etc., and under the trees, such as Udena treetemple, Gotama tree-temple, etc. All these are erroneously regarded as refuges and means of protection from dangers.

2) Neta峁� kho 蝉补谤补苍补峁� 办丑别尘补峁�
neta峁� sarana尘耻迟迟补尘补峁�
netam saranam膩gamma
蝉补产产补诲耻办办丑腻 pamuccati

Aggidatta, these mountains, forests, gardens or trees are not safe, harmless refuges, they do not constitute the best, the highest refuge. By taking refuge in these mountains, forests, gardens or trees one cannot gain release from the continuous cycle of dukkha.

3) Yoca Buddha帽ca Dhamma帽ca
Sangha帽ca 蝉补谤补苍补峁僩ato
cattari Ariyasacc膩ni
蝉补尘尘补辫辫补帽帽腻诲测补 passati

4) 顿耻办办丑补峁� 诲耻办办丑补蝉补尘耻辫辫腻诲补峁�
dukkhassa ca 补迟颈办办补尘补峁�
Ariyam ca峁�峁環a帽gikam 尘补驳驳补峁�
诲耻办办奴辫补蝉补尘补驳腻尘颈苍补尘

Aggidatta, any person, whether laity or recluse, who takes refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha as a safe haven, as a secure shelter (with sincere, pure faith in the three Gems; with transcendental consciousness, lokuttara saranagamana cittuppada); any person, whether laity or recluse, who realizes truly and rightly through Insight wisdom, magga-帽腻峁嘺, the Four Noble Truths, namely, the Noble Truth of Dukkha, the Noble Truth of origin of Dukkha, the Noble Truth of cessation of Dukkha and the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of Dukkha, that is, the Eightfold Noble Truth of Right View, Right Thought, etc.

5) Etam saranam 办丑别尘补峁�
etam sarana 尘耻迟迟补尘补峁�
etam saranam膩gamma
蝉补产产补诲耻办办丑腻 pamuccati

Aggidatta, only the refuge taken by such a person of noble disposition, with abounding faith in the Three Gems is a safe and harmless refuge. Only the refuge taken by such a person of noble disposition, with abounding faith in the Three Gems, constitutes the best, highest refuge. Only the refuge taken by such a person of noble disposition, with abounding faith in the Three Gems, can bring about release from the continuous cycle of dukkha.

At that very moment, all the hermits, the leader and the followers instantly turned into full-fledged monks like senior theras of sixty years鈥� standing readily robed and equipped with the eight requisites, paying homage to the Buddha with great respect.

That day, when all the hermits became ehi-bhikkhus, happened to be the occasion when people from Anga, Magadha and Kuru congregated at the hermits' place with offerings for their hermit teachers. When they saw the hermits assuming the form of bhikkhus, they began to wonder: 鈥淗ow is that, is our teacher Aggidatta superior to the great recluse Gotama or is the great recluse Gotama superior to our teacher?鈥� Then they wrongly surmised that since the great recluse had come to the presence of their teacher, their teacher, Aggidatta, must be superior to the great recluse.

The Buddha knew what was in the minds of the people, and He told Aggidatta: 鈥淒ear son Aggidatta you might yourself remove doubt from the minds of your audience.鈥� Aggidatta replied: 鈥淢ost Exalted Buddha, it has also been my intention to do so,鈥� and so saying, he went up high into the air and descended therefrom seven times. And after that he stood making obeisance to the Buddha, declaring: 鈥�Satta me bhante Bhagava, savakohamasmi鈥斺�� Glorious Buddha, You, the Exalted Buddha, are my teacher; I am but a disciple of yours.鈥� thus removing doubt being entertained by his followers.

End of the story of hermit Aggidatta.