The wanderer Sariputra sees Ven. Assaji's remarkable deportment (palungjit.com).
At that time Sariputra and Moggallana, two brahmins and chiefs of the followers of the guru Sanjaya, led a religious life. They had promised each other: “Whoever find the Path shall tell the other one.”
Sariputra seeing the monk Assaji on almsround -- modestly keeping his eyes cast down, exhibiting a highly dignified in deportment -- exclaimed: “Truly this ascetic has entered the right path! I will ask him in the name of which guru he has withdrawn from from the world and what doctrine he practices.” Being addressed by Sariputta, Assaji replied: “I am a follower of the Buddha, the Blessed One, but being a novice I can only tell you the essence only of the doctrine.”
At that time Sariputra and Moggallana, two brahmins and chiefs of the followers of the guru Sanjaya, led a religious life. They had promised each other: “Whoever find the Path shall tell the other one.”
Sariputra seeing the monk Assaji on almsround -- modestly keeping his eyes cast down, exhibiting a highly dignified in deportment -- exclaimed: “Truly this ascetic has entered the right path! I will ask him in the name of which guru he has withdrawn from from the world and what doctrine he practices.” Being addressed by Sariputta, Assaji replied: “I am a follower of the Buddha, the Blessed One, but being a novice I can only tell you the essence only of the doctrine.”
“Tell me, venerable monk,” said Sariputra, “it is just the essence I want.” So Assaji recited this stanza:
“Nothing we seek to touch or see
Can represent Eternity.
They spoil and die: then let us find
Eternal Truth within the mind.”
Can represent Eternity.
They spoil and die: then let us find
Eternal Truth within the mind.”
Having heard this stanza, Sariputra obtained the pure and spotless eye of the Dharma and said: “Now I see clearly, whatsoever is subject to origination is also subject to cessation. If this be the doctrine, I have reached the state to enter Nirvana which heretofore has remained hidden from me.” Sariputra went to Moggallana and told him, and both said: “We will go to the Blessed One, that he, the Blessed One, may be our teacher.”
When the Buddha saw Sariputta and Moggallana coming from afar, he said to his disciples, “These two monks are very auspicious.” And when the two friends had taken guidance in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, the Blessed One said to his other disciples: “Sariputra, like the first-born son of a world-ruling monarch, is able to assist the king as his chief minister to set the Wheel of the Dharma rolling.”
Now the people were annoyed. Seeing that many distinguished youngsters of the kingdom of Magadha led a religious life under the Blessed One, they became angry and murmured: “Gautama Sakyamuni induces fathers to leave their wives and causes families to become extinct.” When they saw the bhikkhus, they reviled them, saying: “The great Sakyamuni has come to Rajagaha subduing the minds. Who will be the next to be led astray by him?”
The bhikkhus reported this to the Blessed One, and the Buddha explained: “This murmuring, O bhikkhus, will not last long, only seven days. If they revile you, answer them with these words: ‘It is by preaching the truth that Tathagatas lead people. Who will murmur at the wise? Who will blame the virtuous? Who will condemn self-control, purity, and kindness?” And the Blessed One proclaimed:
Now the people were annoyed. Seeing that many distinguished youngsters of the kingdom of Magadha led a religious life under the Blessed One, they became angry and murmured: “Gautama Sakyamuni induces fathers to leave their wives and causes families to become extinct.” When they saw the bhikkhus, they reviled them, saying: “The great Sakyamuni has come to Rajagaha subduing the minds. Who will be the next to be led astray by him?”
The bhikkhus reported this to the Blessed One, and the Buddha explained: “This murmuring, O bhikkhus, will not last long, only seven days. If they revile you, answer them with these words: ‘It is by preaching the truth that Tathagatas lead people. Who will murmur at the wise? Who will blame the virtuous? Who will condemn self-control, purity, and kindness?” And the Blessed One proclaimed:
“Commit no wrong, do only good,
And let your heart be pure.
This is the Dharma Buddhas teach,
And this doctrine will endure.”
And let your heart be pure.
This is the Dharma Buddhas teach,
And this doctrine will endure.”
CHIEF FEMALE DISCIPLESFortunately, the Pali Canon also preserves the sutras ("discourses") recounting how the Buddha met his two chief female disciples, Khema and Uppalavanna -- foremost in wisdom and foremost in supernatural powers, which correspond to the titles eventually conferred on Sariputra and Moggallana.
"Of all those things that from a cause arise,
ReplyDeleteTathagata the cause thereof has told;
And how they cease to be, that too he tells,
This is the doctrine of the Great Recluse."
This is what led Ven. Sariputra and Ven. Moggallana to be the disciples of Lord Buddha.