The Fast Way to Enlightenment: Bahiya Sutra

John D. Ireland translation, Bahiya Sutra: "About Bahiya" (Verses of Uplift, Udana 1.10, PTS: Ud 6); G.P. Malalasekera; Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Samsara is long and wearisome. Wake up.

Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One (the Buddha) was staying near Savatthi in the Jeta Wood at Anathapindika's monastery.

At that time Bahiya of the Barkcloth (Bahiya Daruciriya) was living by the seashore at Supparaka. He was respected, revered, honored, venerated, given homage, and provided with the requisites of a wandering ascetic.

Now while he was in seclusion, this reflection arose in the mind of Bahiya of the Barkcloth: "Am I one of those in the world who are arhats (full enlightenment) or who have entered the path to arhatship?"

Then a deva who was a former blood relative of Bahiya of the Barkcloth understood that reflection in Bahiya's mind. Being compassionate and wishing to benefit him, he approached and said:

"Bahiya, you are neither an arhat nor have you entered the path to arhatship. You do not follow that practice whereby you could be an arhat or enter the path to arhatship."

"Then who in the world, including the devas, are arhats or have entered the path to arhatship?"

"There is, Bahiya, in a far country a town called Savatthi. There the Blessed One now lives who is the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One. That venerable, Bahiya, is indeed an arhat and teaches Dharma for the realization of arhatship."

Bahiya of the Barkcloth, profoundly stirred by the words of that deva, then and there departed from Supparaka. Stopping only for one night everywhere (along the way), he made it to Savatthi where the Blessed One was staying in the Jeta Wood.

At that time a number of wandering ascetics were walking up and down in the open air. Bahiya of the Barkcloth approached them and said: "Where, reverend sirs, is the Blessed One now living, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One? We wish to see that venerable who is the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One."

"The Blessed One, Bahiya, has gone for almsfood among the houses."

The Buddha had golden skin and a bright aura

Then Bahiya hurriedly left Jeta Wood. Entering Savatthi, he saw the Blessed One on alms round [with a company of monks] in Savatthi — pleasing, lovely to see, with serene senses and tranquil mind, attained to perfect poise and calm, controlled, a perfected one, watchful with restrained senses.

On seeing the Blessed One, Bahiya approached, fell down with his head at the Blessed One's feet, and said:

"Teach me Dharma, venerable sir! Teach me Dharma, Sugata, for my good and happiness for a long time."

Upon being spoken to in this way, the Buddha responded: "It is an unsuitable time, Bahiya. We have entered among the houses for almsfood."

But a second time Bahiya said: "It is difficult to know for certain, revered sir, how long the Blessed One will live or how long I will live. Teach me Dharma, venerable sir! Teach me Dharma, Sugata, so that it will be for my good and happiness for a long time!"

A second time the Buddha responded: "It is an unsuitable time, Bahiya. We have entered among the houses for almsfood."

But a third time Bahiya insisted: "It is difficult to know for certain... Teach me Dharma, Sugata, so that it will be for my good and happiness for a long time!"

[The Buddha relented and for the only time in his 45 year teaching career deviated from his schedule to instruct someone on alms round:] "Herein [here within this Teaching], Bahiya, train yourself thus:

• 'In the seen will be merely what is seen;
• in the heard will be merely what is heard;
• in the sensed will be merely what is sensed;
• in the cognized will be merely what is cognized.'

In the seen, Bahiya, let there be only the seen.

"In this way train yourself. When, Bahiya, for you in the seen is merely what is seen, in the heard merely what is heard, in the sensed merely what is sensed, in the cognized is merely what is cognized then, Bahiya, you will not be 'with that.'

"When, Bahiya, you are not 'with that' then you will not be 'in that.' When, Bahiya, you are not 'in that' then you will be neither here nor there (beyond) nor in between the two. Just this is the end of all suffering."

Now through this brief teaching of the Dharma of the Blessed One, the mind of Bahiya of the Barkcloth was immediately freed from the taints without grasping. Then the Buddha, having taught Bahiya with this brief instruction, went on his way.

Not long after the Blessed One's departure, a mother cow with a young calf mauled Bahiya of the Barkcloth and killed him. When the Blessed One, having walked in Savatthi, was departing the town and returning from alms round with a number of monastics, he saw Bahiya of the Barkcloth dead on the road.

A stupa for the Buddha, Topdara, Afghanistan

Seeing this he said to them: "Monastics, take Bahiya's body, put it on a litter, carry it away, cremate it, and make a sacred mound (stupa) for it. Your companion in the supreme life has passed away."

"Very well, revered sir," they replied to the Blessed One. And taking Bahiya's body, they put it on a litter, carried it away, cremated it, and made a sacred mound for it.

Then they returned to the Blessed One, bowed, sat respectfully to one side, and said: "Bahiya's body has been cremated, revered sir, and a sacred mound has been made for it. What is his destiny, what is his future birth?"

"Monastics, Bahiya of the Barkcloth was wise. He practiced according to Dharma and did not trouble me by disputing about Dharma. Monastics, Bahiya of the Barkcloth has attained final nirvana [final liberation following full enlightenment]."

Then, on realizing its significance, the Buddha pronounced this inspired utterance:

Where neither water nor earth

Nor fire nor air can gain a foothold,

There gleam no stars, no sun sheds light,

There shines no moon, yet there no darkness reigns.

When one, a sage, has come to know this

With certainty through one's own wisdom, one is

Freed from [worlds of] form and formlessness and is

Freed from pleasure and from pain.

This inspired utterance was spoken by the Blessed One, so I did hear.