Chapter 43
Sutta
:
‚EtadaggaÑ bhikkhave mama sÈvakÈnaÑ bhikkhunaÑ saÑkhittena
bhÈsitassa vitthÈrena atthaÑ vibhajantÈnam yadidaÑ MahÈkaccÈno.‛
‚Monks, among my disciples who are able to analyse in elaboration what has
been taught briefly, the monk MahÈkaccÈna is the foremost (
etadagga
).‛
The sermons given by the Venerable may he taken from the ApÈdÈna Text and its
Commentary, the TherÈ-gÈthÈ Text and its Commentary, etc.
(11 & 12) TWO PANTHAKA MAHŒTHERAS
(a) Aspirations expressed in The Past
A hundred thousand aeons ago, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara, the householder
brothers, who were native of HaÑsÈvatÊ City, having profound faith in the three Gems,
constantly went to the Buddha to listen to His Dhamma. One day, the younger of the two
saw a monk being declared foremost (
etadagga
) in two qualities: (1) among those who
created mind-made images and (2) those who were clever in engaging in
r|pÈvacara-jhÈna
.
It then occurred to him thus: ‚Great, indeed is this monk. Despite his such being, he
roamed about practising two things. It would be nice if I too should roam about practising
these two things in the dispensation of a future Buddha.‛
The younger brother invited the Buddha and performed a grand alms-giving to Him for
seven days. Then he expressed his wish to the Buddha, saying: ‚Venerable Sir, seven days
ago, you declared a certain monk: ‘This monk is foremost (
etadagga
) in my dispensation
by virtue of his two qualities, namely, ability of creating mind-made images of oneself and
skill in engaging in
r|pavacara-jhÈna
. As a result of this specially performed act of merit,
may I be foremost with those two qualities also.‛
When the Buddha surveyed the future, He saw that this householder's wish would be
fulfilled and said: ‚In future, a hundred thousand aeons from now, there will arise Buddha
Gotama. That Buddha will declare you as the foremost concerning these two qualities.‛
After giving an appreciative sermon, the Buddha departed. (This was the wish expressed by
the younger brother.)
As for the older householder brother, one day he saw a certain monk being declared by
the Buddha the foremost (
etadagga
) in the field of
saÒÒÈ-vivaÔÔa-kusala
or having skill in
ar|pÈvacara-jhÈna
, and like his younger brother, he too performed special act of merit and,
thereafter, expressed his wish: ‚May I be the foremost (
etadagga
) in the field of
ar|pÈvacara
-
jhÈna
!‛ ‚Your wish would be fulfilled,‛ predicted the Buddha.
Both householder brothers did good works during the lifetime of the Buddha and when
the Buddha attained ParinibbÈna, they did homage by offering gold at the shrine which was
built for the Buddha's bodily relics. Upon their death, they were reborn in the abode of
devas. While they were being reborn either in the divine or human worlds only, a hundred
thousand aeons had elapsed.
(Of the two brothers, an account of the meritorious deed done by the elder brother,
MahÈpanthaka, in that interval existence, was not given particularly in the MahÈ
AÔÔhakathÈ). As for the younger brother, C|Äapanthaka, he became a monk in the
dispensation of Buddha Kassapa, and for twenty thousand years he practised
odÈta-kasiÓa
meditation (meditation on a white device) and was reborn again in a deva-world. Later, our
Buddha attained Enlightenment, after teaching the Dhammacakka sermon, He went to stay
in the Bamboo Grove of RÈjagaha.
(An account of the emergence of the two Panthaka brothers will be inserted herewith).
The daughter of DhanaseÔÔhi, a wealthy merchant in the city of RÈjagaha, fell in love with
her male servant, and fearing that others would come to know about their affair, she
discussed with her lover: ‚We shall no longer live here. If my parents were to know of this
affair of ours, they would kill me, and cut me into pieces. Let us go and live elsewhere!‛