§ 239. Before my Awakening, when I was just an unawakened Bodhisatta,
the realization came to me: 'How this world has fallen on difficulty! It is
born, it ages, it dies, it falls away & rearises, but it does not discern
the escape from this stress, from this aging & death. O when will it discern
the escape from this stress, from this aging & death?'
Then the thought occurred to me, 'Aging & death exist when what exists?
From what as a requisite condition is there aging & death?' From my appropriate
attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: 'Aging & death exist
when birth exists. From birth as a requisite condition comes aging & death.'
Then the thought occurred to me, 'Birth exists when what exists? From what as
a requisite condition comes birth?' From my appropriate attention there came
the breakthrough of discernment: 'Birth exists when becoming exists. From becoming
as a requisite condition comes birth...'Name-&-form exists when what exists?
From what as a requisite condition is there name-&-form?' From my appropriate
attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: 'Name-&-form exists
when consciousness exists. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes
name-&-form.' Then the thought occurred to me, 'Consciousness exists when
what exists? From what as a requisite condition comes consciousness?' From my
appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: 'Consciousness
exists when name-&-form exists. From name-&-form as a requisite condition
comes consciousness.'
Then the thought occurred to me, 'This consciousness turns back at name-&-form,
and goes no farther. It is to this extent that there is birth, aging, death,
falling away, & re-arising, i.e., from name-&-form as a requisite condition
comes consciousness, from consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form.
From name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media... Thus
is the origination of this entire mass of stress. Origination, origination.'
Vision arose, clear knowing arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before.
Then the thought occurred to me, 'Aging & death don't exist when what doesn't
exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of aging & death?'
From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: 'Aging
& death don't exist when birth doesn't exist. From the cessation of birth
comes the cessation of aging & death.'... 'Name-&-form doesn't exist
when what doesn't exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of name-&-form?'
From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: 'Name-&-form
doesn't exist when consciousness doesn't exist. From the cessation of consciousness
comes the cessation of name-&-form.' Then the thought occurred to me, 'Consciousness
doesn't exist when what doesn't exist? From the cessation of what comes the
cessation of consciousness?' From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough
of discernment: 'Consciousness doesn't exist when name-&-form doesn't exist.
From the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of consciousness.'
The thought occurred to me, 'I have attained this path to awakening, i.e., from
the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of consciousness, from
the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&-form. From
the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of the six sense media...
Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of stress. Cessation, cessation.'
Vision arose, clear knowing arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before.
It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient
path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow it.
Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital inhabited by
people of former times, complete with parks, groves, & ponds, walled, delightful.
He would go to address the king or the king's minister, saying, 'Sire, you should
know that while traveling along a wilderness track I saw an ancient path...
I followed it... I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital... complete with
parks, groves, & ponds, walled, delightful. Sire, rebuild that city!' The
king or king's minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later date the
city would become powerful, rich, & well-populated, fully grown & prosperous.
In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly
Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path...? Just this
noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action,
right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration... I
followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging &
death, direct knowledge of the origination of aging & death, direct knowledge
of the cessation of aging & death, direct knowledge of the path leading
to the cessation of aging & death. I followed that path. Following it, I
came to direct knowledge of birth... becoming... clinging... craving... feeling...
contact... the six sense media... name-&-form... consciousness, direct knowledge
of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness,
direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed
that path.
Following it, I came to direct knowledge of fabrications, direct knowledge of
the origination of fabrications, direct knowledge of the cessation of fabrications,
direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of fabrications. Knowing
that directly, I have revealed it to monks, nuns, male lay followers & female
lay followers, so that this holy life has become powerful, rich, detailed, well-populated,
wide-spread, proclaimed among celestial & human beings.
-- S.XII.65
§ 240. Now at that time Subhadda the Wanderer was staying in Kusinara.
He heard, 'Tonight, in the last watch of the night, the total Unbinding of Gotama
the contemplative will take place.' Then this thought occurred to him: 'I have
heard the elder wanderers, teachers of teachers, saying that only once in a
long, long time do Tathagatas -- worthy ones, rightly self-awakened -- appear
in the world. Tonight, in the last watch of the night, the total Unbinding of
Gotama the contemplative will take place. Now there is a doubt that has arisen
in me, but I have faith that he could teach me the Dhamma in such a way that
I might abandon that doubt.'
So he went to the Mallan Sal Tree grove and, on arrival, said to Ven. Ananda,
'I have heard the elder wanderers, teachers of teachers, saying that only once
in a long, long time do Tathagatas -- worthy ones, rightly self-awakened --
appear in the world. Tonight, in the last watch of the night, the total Unbinding
of Gotama the contemplative will take place. Now there is a doubt that has arisen
in me, but I have faith that he could teach me the Dhamma in such a way that
I might abandon that doubt. It would be good, Ven. Ananda, if you would let
me see him.'
When this was said, Ven. Ananda said to him, 'Enough, friend Subhadda. Do not
bother the Blessed One. The Blessed One is tired.'
For a second time... For a third time, Subhadda the Wanderer said to Ven. Ananda,
'...It would be good, Ven. Ananda, if you would let me see him.'
For a third time, Ven. Ananda said to him, 'Enough, friend Subhadda. Do not
bother the Blessed One. The Blessed One is tired.'
Now, the Blessed One heard the exchange between Ven. Ananda & Subhadda the
Wanderer, and so he said to Ven. Ananda, 'Enough, Ananda. Do not stand in his
way. Let him see the Tathagata. Whatever he asks me will all be for the sake
of knowledge, and not to be bothersome. And whatever I answer when asked, he
will quickly understand.'
So Ven. Ananda said to Subhadda the Wanderer, 'Go ahead, friend Subhadda. The
Blessed One gives you his leave.'
Then Subhadda went to the Blessed One and exchanged courtesies, and after the
exchange of courtesies sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, he said
to the Blessed One, 'Venerable sir, these priests & contemplatives, each
with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his group, an honored
leader, well-regarded by people at large -- i.e., Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala,
Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha Kaccayana, Sañjaya Belatthitaputta, &
the Nigantha Nataputta: Do they all have direct knowledge as they themselves
claim, or do they all not have direct knowledge, or do some of them have direct
knowledge and some of them not?'
'Enough, Subhadda. Put this question aside. I will teach you the Dhamma. Listen,
and pay close attention. I will speak.'
'Yes, lord,' Subhadda answered, and the Blessed One said, 'In any doctrine &
discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no contemplative of
the first... second... third... fourth order [stream-winner, once-returner,
non-returner, or Arahant] is found. But in any doctrine & discipline where
the noble eightfold path is found, contemplatives of the first... second...
third... fourth order are found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine
& discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first... second...
third... fourth order. Other teachings are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives.
And if the monks dwell rightly, this world will not be empty of Arahants.
At age twenty-nine I went forth,
seeking what might be skillful,
and since my going forth
more than fifty years have past.
Outside of the realm
of methodical Dhamma,
there is no contemplative.
And no contemplative of the second... third... fourth order. Other teachings
are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this
world will not be empty of Arahants.'
Then Subhadda the Wanderer said, 'Magnificent, lord, magnificent! Just as if
he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to
point out the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that
those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One -- through
many lines of reasoning -- made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for
refuge, and to the Dhamma and to the community of monks. Let me obtain the going
forth in the Blessed One's presence, let me obtain admission.'
'Anyone, Subhadda, who has previously belonged to another sect and who desires
the going forth & admission in this doctrine & discipline, must first
undergo probation for four months. If, at the end of four months, the monks
feel so moved, they give him the going forth & admit him to the monk's state.
But I know distinctions among individuals in this matter.'
'Lord, if that is so, I am willing to undergo probation for four years. If,
at the end of four years, the monks feel so moved, let them give me the going
forth & admit me to the monk's state.'
Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Ananda, 'Very well then, Ananda, give Subhadda
the going forth.'
'Yes, lord,' Ananda answered.
Then Subhadda said to Ven. Ananda, 'It is a gain for you, Ananda, a great gain,
that you have been anointed here in the Teacher's presence with the pupil's
anointing.'
Then Subhadda the Wanderer received the going forth & the admission in the
Blessed One's presence. And not long after his admission -- dwelling alone,
secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute -- he in no long time reached &
remained in the supreme goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go
forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in
the here & now. He knew: 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task
done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.' And thus Ven. Subhadda
became another one of the Arahants, the last of the Blessed One's face-to-face
disciples.
-- D.16