THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
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Chapter 38
BUDDHA’S BRAHMIN PARENTS IN HIS PREVIOUS EXISTENCE
n one occasion, after residing in SÈvatthi for the rains retreat, the Buddha set out on a
journey, taking into consideration the opportunities that would be provided by it, such
as promoting His health, prescribing fresh rules of conduct for the Order of Bhikkhus,
taming (through dialogues and discourses) those who deserved to be tamed, discoursing on
the Birth Stories of Himself wherever the situation was appropriate. Travelling in stages,
the Buddha arrived at SÈketa at evening and entered the AÒjana forest (for the night's stay).
On hearing the news of the arrival of the Buddha, the townsfolk of SÈketa thought that it
was not proper to go and visit Him at night. They waited till the next morning, then, taking
flowers, perfumes and other offerings with them, they approached the Buddha, and making
their obeisance, and exchanging courteous words of greeting with Him, and remained there
till it was time for Him to go on the daily alms-round.
When it was time for going on the alms-round, the Buddha, in the company of
bhikkhus
,
entered SÈketa. At that time, a wealthy brahmin of SÈketa was leaving the town when he
saw the Buddha near the town's gate. On seeing Him, the brahmin felt an intense filial love
for Him and weeping with joy and uttering: ‚O my son, I have not seen You for such a
long time!‛ he drew near to Him.
Even while the brahmin was drawing near Him, the Buddha said to the
bhikkhus
:
‚
Bhikkhus
, let Brahmin SÈketa alone: let him do as he pleases.‛ And as a mother cow
would treat her own calf, the Brahmin viewed the Buddha at close range from the front,
from the back, and from the left side and from the right side, Then embracing Him, he
said: ‚Oh, my son! my son! so long have I not seen You! so long have You been away!‛
(It may be noted here that if the Brahmin were to be restrained from these
outpourings of affection, he would not be able to contain the intense feeling and
probably die of heart-break.)
Brahmin SÈketa said to the Buddha: ‚Venerable Sir, I am able to offer food to the
BhagavÈ and the company of
bhikkhus
. May the BhagavÈ, out of compassion, do me the
favour of accepting the offering.‛ The Buddha indicated His consent by remaining silent.
The Brahmin led the way to his place holding the Buddha's alms-bowl in his hands. He sent
word to his wife at home to say: ‚My son is coming! spread out a suitable place for His
stay.‛ The wife did as she was told by her husband and stood all agog to receive the
Buddha. As she saw the Buddha nearing her house, she went to Him, and saying: ‚My son,
it is a long time that I have not seen You‛, she fondled the Buddha's feet and wept with joy.
She requested the Buddha to proceed to her home where they (brahmin couple) respectfully
offered the Buddha and His company of
bhikkhus
with food. After He had finished His
meal, the Brahmin took the alms-bowl and washed it himself.
The Buddha then discoursed to the brahmin couple in a way fitting to them and at the end
of the discourse they became Stream-Enterers, having become
ariyas
. They requested the
Buddha: ‚May the BhagavÈ and his company of
bhikkhus
, during their sojourn at SÈketa,
receive offering of alms-food only at our home.‛ The Buddha replied: ‚brahmin couple, it
is not the custom for Buddhas to have a permanent place to receive alms-food as you
request.‛ Thereupon, the brahmin couple requested the Buddha: ‚In that case, Venerable
Sir, may the BhagavÈ and his company of
bhikkhus
go for alms (elsewhere) but take the
meals at our home only, and go back to the monastery after giving us some talk on the
Dhamma.‛ To this request the Buddha consented as a special favour.
From that time, the Brahmin came to be called by the people as ‘the Buddha's father’ and
the wife of the Brahmin as ‘the Buddha's mother’. The clan of Brahmin SÈketa also earned
the name of ‘the Buddha's clan’.
Thereupon, the Venerable Œnanda asked the Buddha: ‚Venerable Sir, I know your
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