The Life Stories of the Monks – 1866
sight of him. After waiting for a chance, Ven. Sāriputta, in the evening,
approached the tree where Ven. Mantāṇiputta Puṇṇa was. Having exchanged
greetings with him, Ven. Sāriputta asked him about the seven purities (
visuddhi
).
Ven. Mantāṇiputta Puṇṇa answered each and every question. Then one
expressed to the other his appreciation of their Dhamma talks, see the Discourse
on the Relay-Chariots (
Ratha-vinīta-sutta
, MN 24) for more details.
Foremost Title Achieved
At a later time, in an assembly of monks, the Buddha spoke in praise of Ven.
Mantiṇiputta Puñña:
Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ
Dhamma-kathikānaṁ yad-idaṁ Puṇṇo Mantāniputto.
Monks, among my monastic disciples who teach the Dhamma,
Mantāniputta Puñña is the foremost.
Speaking thus, the Buddha placed the great elder foremost (
etad-agga
) among
all excellent Dhamma teachers.
10. Ven. Kaccāyana
Aspiration in the Past
The good man, the future Kaccāyana, was brought up in a family of
[1242]
householders during the lifetime of the Buddha Padumuttara. One day, he went
to the monastery and stood at the edge of the audience listening to a discourse.
Seeing the Buddha declare someone as foremost (
etad-agga
) among those who
were good at elaborately and analytically teaching the Dhamma which had been
spoken of in brief, it occurred to him thus: “This monk is supreme indeed! He
was praised by the Fortunate One as the best among those who can elaborate and
teach in detail what is briefly taught by the Buddha, I too should become a monk
with such a title in the Dispensation of a Future Buddha.”
So thinking, he invited the Buddha and performed a grand alms giving (
mahā-
dāna
) for seven days in the way mentioned above. “Fortunate One,” said the
man, “as a result of this seven days great alms giving, I do not wish for any other
bliss but to be the foremost (
etad-agga
) like the monk, who, seven days ago, was
declared as the best among those who can elaborately and analytically explain