THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
904
MahÈmuÓÉika, and (5) Prince NÈgadÈsa killed his father, King Anuruddha. Then
the people of the country unanimously resolved to have nothing to do with the king
who disgraced their lineage and made away with King NÈgadÈsa.)
Before the King made his exclamation, the Buddha had divined the thought of King
AjÈtasattu as he stood in silence before Him. The Buddha knew that the King dared not
speak to Him, that he remembered his son as he looked again and again at the monks and
that unless He broke the ice, he would not have the courage to say anything. So deciding to
speak first, the Buddha said just after the King's exclamation.
‚O King! Your mind is now with your beloved one.‛
Then King AjÈtasattu thought: ‚Oh! Marvellous indeed is the greatness of the Exalted
One! There is no one equal to me in having wronged the Exalted One. I killed (my father)
the greatest supporter who was an
ariya
; donor of the Buddha. Not only that, misguided by
Devadatta, I sent assassins to kill the Buddha. Perhaps, Devadatta thought he had my
support when he rolled the rock from the Gijjhakuta hill to kill the Buddha. I have done so
much evil and yet now the Buddha has started the conversation with me. The Buddha
indeed firmly possesses the
tÈdi
attribute in terms of five characteristics. Therefore, we will
never ignore such kind of Exalted One and never seek refuge (or a teacher) elsewhere.‛
(The five
tÈdi
characteristics are (1) equanimity without any love or hatred in the
vicissitudes (
lokÈdhamma
) whether desirable (
iÔÔha
) or undesirable (
aniÔÔha
) of life,
(2) repudiation of defilements; (3) having crossed over the current of
saÑsÈra
; (4)
freedom from lust, etc.; (5) possession of morality, faith, etc. that makes him
worthy of being pointed out as a man of moral integrity, faith, etc. (The
MahÈniddesa contains its elaboration).
(Alternatively, (1) the ability to have desirable perception (
iÔÔha-saÒÒÈ
) at will, in
regard to undesirable (
aniÔÔha
) beings or phenomena; (2) the ability to have
undesirable perception (
aniÔÔha-saÒÒÈ
) at will, with regard to desirable (
iÔÔha
)
beings and phenomena; (3) the ability to have desirable perception at will, in regard
to both desirable and undesirable beings and phenomena: (4) the ability to have
undesirable perception at will, in regard to both desirable and undesirable beings
and phenomena and (5) the ability to have equanimity at will, in respect of both the
pleasant and undesirable beings and phenomena. These five Noble Powers
(
ariyiddha
) are the five
tÈdi
-characteristics.
—— SÊlakkhandha Abhinava TÊkÈ, Vol. II. ——
So thinking, he was much delighted and in response to the Buddha's remark, he said:
‚Glorious Buddha, I love my son, Prince Udayabhadda, dearly. May my son, Prince
Udayabhadda, have the same serenity that the monks now have.‛
King AjÈtasattu reflected: ‚If after paying respect to the Exalted One, I go to the monks,
here and there, and pay respect to them, I will have turned my back to the Exalted One and
that will mean irreverence to Him on my part. Certainly, a man, who, after paying respect
to the king, goes to the crown prince and pays respect, show lack of respect for the king.‛
So after paying respect the Buddha, the King bowed to the monks with both hands raised
from the place where he was standing and sat down at a proper place.
Then King AjÈtasattu said:
‚Glorious Buddha, if You permit me to ask, I would like to ask You a few
questions about a certain thing.‛
The Buddha said:
‚Great King, You may ask Me about anything you like,‛ thereby extending to the
King the invitation of the Omniscient Buddhas.
(Note: Two kinds of invitation.)
Invitation of questions is of two kinds: (1) the invitation by Omniscient Buddhas
and (2) the invitation by their disciples.
When someone wants to ask an Omniscient Buddha about something, the Buddha