22a: The Discourse on the Treasures – 738 

 

anything that is necessary so long as it helps me learn the last portion of Veda 
knowledge.” 

He was ordained as a monastic as requested and was taught how 

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 to wear 

the robes properly such as keeping the borders of both the upper and lower robes 
in a tidy circular fashion. They could teach him only the precepts of good 
conduct (

abhisamācārika-sīla

), and not any meditation, because unlike 

omniscient Buddhas, they had not the ability to give instructions on how to 
practise insight meditation (

vipassanā

). 

The newly ordained monastic Susīma devoted himself earnestly to the 
observance of the precepts of good conduct as instructed by the Paccekabuddhas, 
Having performed deeds of merit in the past which formed sufficing conditions 
(

upanissaya

) for the attainment of Paccekabuddha knowledge (

Pacceka-

buddha-ñāṇa

), after a brief period of practice, he became a Paccekabuddha. He 

was soon held in high repute and reached the height of his glory acquiring great 
fame and gains and a large number of followers and disciples. But because of his 
past misdeeds, which prohibited longevity, he did not live long and passed away 
while still young. His remains were cremated by the Paccekabuddhas and the 
citizens of Bārāṇasī. The relics of his body were placed in a relic shrine (

stūpa

) 

built near the gate of the city. 

The old Brahmin father, Saṅkha, thought of his son one day: “My son had been 
gone for a long time now and no news had been received from him.” So he left 
Takkasilā with a longing to see his son and eventually reached the gate of the 
city of Bārāṇasī. He saw quite a number of people gathered together near the 
shrine there; and thinking someone from amongst the crowd would perhaps 
know something about his son, he approached them and enquired: “Friends, 
there is a young man by the name of Susīma who came to Bārāṇasī to study; 
perhaps some of you might know something about him.” 

“Yes we do, old Brahmin. That young man Susīma, after acquiring the complete 
knowledge of the Vedas under the care of the Brahmin of Bārāṇasī, received 
ordination at the place of the Paccekabuddhas, and eventually became a 
Paccekabuddha through realization of Paccekabuddha knowledge (

Pacceka-

buddha-ñāṇa

). He has passed away now, attaining Nibbāna with no residue 

remaining (

anupādisesa-nibbāna

). This is the shrine where his relics are 

enshrined.”