The Life or Legend of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese (Volume I)Bigandet, Paul Ambroise
Religion
The Life or Legend of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese (Volume I)
Bigandet, Paul Ambroise
Buddhism -- Burma; Burma -- Religion; Gautama Buddha
Thoodaudana obtained the state of Anagam. He said to himself: It is
enough that I should have had so much to suffer and endure on the
occasion of my two sons and my grandson becoming Rahans; I will spare to
other parents a similar affliction. He went to Buddha's place, and
having paid him his respects in a becoming manner, asked him to
establish a regulation forbidding any son to become Rahan, unless he had
the consent of his parents. Buddha assented to his father's wish and
preached to him the law. When the instruction was finished, the king
bowed to him, rose up, turned on the right, and departed. Buddha,
calling immediately the Rahans, said to them: "Beloved Bickus, no one is
to be admitted to the profession of Rahan, ere he has obtained the
consent of his parents: any one that shall trespass this regulation
shall be guilty of a sin."
On a certain day, Phra having eaten his meal at his father's palace, the
king related to him the circumstance of a Nat, who, whilst he was
undergoing great austerities in the solitude, had come and conveyed the
report of his son having succumbed under the hardships of
mortification; but he would never give credit to such a rumour, as he
was certain that his son could not die ere he had become a Buddha. "My
illustrious father," replied Buddha, "you are much advanced in merits;
there is no wonder at your not believing a false report; but even in
former ages, when your merits were as yet very imperfect, you refused to
believe your son was dead, though in proof of this assertion bones were
exhibited before you in confirmation of the report." And he went on
relating many particulars that are to be found in the history of Maha
Damma Pala. It was at the conclusion of this discourse that the king
became Anagam. Having thus firmly established his father in the three
degrees of perfection, Buddha returned to the country of Radzagio.
During this voyage, the most excellent Phra arrived at the village of
Anupya, in the country of the Malla Princes. In the neighbourhood of the
village there is a grove of mango-trees. To that place he withdrew with
his twenty thousand disciples, and enjoyed himself in that secluded and
delightful retreat.
While he dwelt on that spot, the seed of the law that he had planted in
his native city was silently taking deep root in the hearts of many. His
uncle Thekkaudana had two sons, named Mahanan and Anooroudha. On a
certain day Mahanan said to his younger brother: "From among the several
families of the royal race, many persons have left the world and
embraced the religious profession under the guidance of Buddha. Our
family is the only one that has not as yet given any member to the
assembly. I will make you a proposal: either you will become an ascetic,
and leave me your inheritance; or I will myself take that step, and make
over to you all that I possess." Anooroudha at once accepted the
proposal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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