Sariputra, "Foremost in Wisdom"

The Buddha preaches to Moggalana and Sariputta (British Library)

The Conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Sanjaya

One of the six famous ascetics at the time of the Buddha, known for his skepticism.

Sariputta

One of the most important of Buddha's disciples. He was originally a disciple of Sanaya and may have been influential in the development of early Buddhist skepticism. Several of his discourses are philosophically important.

Moggallana

One of the most important of Buddha's disciples. With Sariputta, he was originally a fellow disciple of the skeptic Sanjaya.

Rajagriha

The capital city of the powerful kingdom of

Magadha

Located in Bihar State, India.

Arhat

[Enlightened] Noble Being, a Buddhist Sage. Called "Lohan" in Chinese.

Assaji

One of the original five companions and disciples of the Buddha.

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The Buddha and his foremost male disciples.

Now at that time, Sanjaya, the wandering ascetic, was dwelling at Rajagriha in company with a large following of wandering ascetics, two hundred and fifty in number; and at that time Sariputta and Moggallana were leading the religious life under Sanjaya, the wandering ascetic. And they had made this compact: "That one of us who shall first attain to the deathless is to tell it to the other."

Then the venerable Assaji, having put on his tunic in the morning and taken his bowl and his robes, entered Rajagriha for alms, winning the minds of men with his advancing and his retiring, with his looking and his gazing, with his drawing in his arms and his stretching out his arms, and having his eyes cast down, and perfect in his deportment. And Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, saw the venerable Assaji going the rounds of Rajagriha for alms, winning the minds of men with his advancing and his retiring, with his looking and his gazing, with his drawing in arms and his stretching out his arms, and having his eyes cast down, and perfect in his deportment. And when he had seen him, it occurred to him as follows:—

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"This must be a monk who is either an arhat already, or has entered the path which conducts to becoming an arhat. What if now I draw near to this monk, and ask him, ‘To follow whom, brother, did you retire from the world? Who is your teacher? and whose doctrine do you approve?’" Then it occurred to Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, as follows:—

"It is not a fit time to ask this monk questions while he is inside the city, and going the rounds for alms. What if now I follow in the wake of this monk in the manner approved of for those who have requests to prefer?"

Then the venerable Assaji, after he had gone the rounds of Rajagriha and obtained alms, issued from the city; and Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, drew near to where the venerable Assaji was; and having drawn near, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Assaji; and having passed with him the greetings of friendship and civility, he stood respectfully at one side. And standing respectfully at one side, Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, spoke to the venerable Assaji as follows:—

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"Placid, brother, are all your organs of sense; clear and bright is the color of your skin. To follow whom, brother, did you retire from the world? Who is your teacher? and whose doctrine do you approve?"

"Brother, there is a great Shakyaputta monk, one who has retired from the world out of the Shakya clan. To follow this Blessed One have I retired from the world, and this Blessed One is my teacher, and the Doctrine of this Blessed One do I approve."

"But what, venerable sir, is your teacher’s doctrine? and what does he proclaim?"

"Brother, I am a novice and a new-comer, and the time is but short since I retired from the world under this Doctrine and Discipline. I am not able to expound to you the Doctrine at any great length, but I can tell you the substance of it in brief."

Then Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, spoke to the venerable Assaji as follows:—

"So be it, brother. Whether little or much, tell it me. Tell me only the substance; it is the substance I want. Why should you make a long matter of it?"

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Then the venerable Assaji recited to Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, the following exposition of the Doctrine:—

The Tathagata has explained the causes Of all things springing from a cause, And also how things cease to be— This the great Adept has proclaimed.

On hearing this exposition of the Doctrine, there arose in the mind of Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, a clear and distinct perception of the Doctrine that whatever is subject to origination is subject also to cessation. "If this is the Doctrine," said he, "then, indeed, have you reached the sorrowless state lost sight of and neglected for many myriads of world-cycles."

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Then Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, drew near to where Moggallana, the wandering ascetic, was. And Moggallana, the wandering ascetic, saw Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, approaching from afar; and when he had seen him, he spoke to Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, as follows:—
"Placid, brother, are all your organs of sense; clear and bright is the color of your skin. Brother, have you attained to the deathless?"

"Yes, brother, I have attained to the deathless."

"But how, brother, did you attain to the deathless?"

"Brother, just now I saw Assaji the monk going the rounds of Rajagriha for alms, winning the minds of men with his advancing and his retiring, with his looking and his gazing, with his drawing in his arms and his stretching out his arms, and having his eyes cast down, and perfect in his deportment; and when I had seen him, it occurred to me as follows:—

"This must be a monk who is either an arhat already, or has entered the path which conducts to becoming an arhat. What if now I were to draw near to this monk, and ask him, ‘To follow whom, brother, did you retire from the world? Who is your teacher? and whose doctrine do you approve?’ Then, brother, it occurred to me as follows: ‘It is not a fit time to ask this monk questions while he is inside the city and going the round for alms. What if now I follow in the wake of this monk in the manner approved of for those who have requests to prefer?’ Then, brother, Assaji the monk, after he had gone the rounds of Rajagriha and obtained alms, left the city; and I, brother, drew near to where Assaji the monk was; and having drawn near, I exchanged greetings with the venerable Assaji; and having passed with him the greetings of friendship and civility, I stood respectfully at one side. And standing respectfully at one side, I spoke, brother, to the venerable Assaji as follows: ‘Placid, brother, are all your organs of sense; clear and bright is the color of your skin. To follow whom, brother, did you retire from the world? Who is your teacher? and whose doctrine do you approve?’ ‘Brother, there is a great Shakyaputta monk, one who has retired from the world out of the Shakya clan. To follow this Blessed One have I retired from the world, and this Blessed One is my teacher, and the Doctrine of this Blessed One do I approve.’ ‘But what, venerable sir, is your teacher’s doctrine? and what does he proclaim?’ ‘Brother, I am a novice and a newcomer, and the time is but short since I retired from the world under the Doctrine and Discipline. I am not able to expound to you the Doctrine at any great length, but I can tell you the substance of it in brief.’ ‘So be it, brother. Whether little or much, tell it me. Tell me only the substance; it is the substance I want. Why should you make a long matter of it? ‘ Then, brother, Assail the monk recited to me the following exposition of the Doctrine:—

The Tathagata has explained the causes Of all things springing from a cause, And also how things cease to be— This the great Adept has proclaimed."

On hearing this exposition of the Doctrine, there arose in the mind of Moggallana, the wandering ascetic, a clear and distinct perception of the Doctrine that whatever is subject to origination is subject also to cessation. "If this is the Doctrine," said he, "then, indeed, have you reached the sorrowless state, lost sight of and neglected for many myriads of world-cycles."

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