The Life Stories of the Monks – 1843
To me occurred the thoughts of the noble one in the sevenfold manner.
The exalted Buddha taught me, out of compassion, the eighth thought
which is higher than the seven reflections of mine. The Buddha, who is
named the omniscient one, the best of the world, who delights in the
unconditioned Nibbāna that is truly free from the three Saṁsāra
expanding factors (
papañca
), taught me, out of compassion, the
unconditioned Nibbāna that is truly free from the three Saṁsāra
expanding factors (
papañca
).
Tassāhaṁ Dhammam-aññāya vihāsiṁ Sāsane rato,
tisso vijjā anuppattā kataṁ Buddhassa Sāsanaṁ.
I, Anuruddha, having comprehended the Dhamma taught by that Buddha,
named the omniscient one, the best of the world, lived in bliss in this very
existence always being delighted in the attainment of fruition in the
Dispensation of the three trainings. The threefold knowledge starting with
knowledge of past lives (
pubbe-nivāsa-ñāṇa
) is known by me, I have
laboured and put it into practice, reaching the goal of becoming an Arahat,
the teaching of the threefold training of the omniscient Buddha, the head
of the world.
Foremost Title Achieved
Thereafter, when the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery, he
convened a meeting, in which he declared a large number of monks as foremost
(
etad-agga
) in their respective attainments, and he admired Ven. Anuruddha,
saying:
Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
dibba-cakkhukānaṁ yad-idaṁ Anuruddho.
Monks among my disciples who are endowed with the divine eye (
dibba-
cakkhu
), Anuruddha is the foremost.
Saying thus, the Buddha declared Ven. Anuruddha as the foremost (
etad-agga
)
in acquiring the divine eye.
Herein it may be asked: Why did the Buddha appoint Anuruddha only,
despite the presence of other Arahats with the three understandings and
Arahats with the six deep knowledges who had attained the divine-eye too?
The answer is: It was true that other Arahats with the three understandings