Bark Cloth Bahiya's sudden enlightenment

Ven. Ānandajoti (trans.), Bāhiya Suttaṃ (Ud. 1.10) Dhr. Seven, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The Sutra about Bāhiya—

Thus have I heard. At one time the Awakened One [the Buddha] was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

At that time Bark Cloth Bāhiya was living near Suppāraka, on the edge of the ocean, being venerated, respected, revered, honored, esteemed, and receiving requisites of cloth, alms-food, dwellings, and medicinals.

When Bark Cloth Bāhiya had gone into seclusion, a reflection arose in his mind: “Among those in the world who are arhats [enlightened ones, awakened ones, lit. "worthy ones," who are worthy of support, gifts, and offerings] or have entered the path to enlightenment, I am one of them.”

Then a devatā (a "shining one," a light being), who was formerly a close relation of Bark Cloth Bāhiya, out of compassion and wishing for his welfare, knowing with his mind the reflection in the mind of Bark Cloth Bāhiya, went to him and said:

“You are certainly not enlightened, Bāhiya, nor have you even entered upon the path to enlightenment. This practice of yours is not one whereby you could already be enlightened or one that will ever lead to enlightenment.”

“Then who now, in this world with its devas and arhats, is enlightened or has entered upon the path to enlightenment?”

“There is, Bāhiya, in the northern territories a city by the name of Sāvatthī. There the Awakened One dwells at this time. He is a worthy one, a perfectly awakened teacher. Bāhiya, the Awakened One is certainly a worthy one, who teaches the Dharma (the path of practice) that leads those who practice it to enlightenment.”

Then Bark Cloth Bāhiya, being greatly stirred by that devatā, immediately left Suppāraka, and staying for only one night in every place along the way, walked to Sāvatthī, into Jeta’s Wood, up to Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

At that time many wandering ascetics (Buddhist monastics) were meditating while walking in the open air. Bark Cloth Bāhiya went yo to them and asked:

“Where, venerable sirs, is the Awakened One staying at present, that worthy one, that perfectly enlightened teacher? We wish to see him.”

“The Awakened One, Bāhiya, has entered among the houses for alms.”

Early image (Gandhara)

Bark Cloth Bāhiya hurried and left Jeta’s Wood into Sāvatthī, where he saw the Awakened One on alms-round, confident and inspiring confidence, with his sense faculties at peace, his mind at peace, having attained supreme self-control and calm, tamed, well guarded, with restrained faculties, a true nāga [mighty one, like a noble elephant].

Seeing him, Bark Cloth Bahiya went right up to him and prostrated with his head at the Buddha’s feet and said, “Let the Awakened One teach me the Dharma, venerable sir. Let the Fortunate One teach Dharma that will be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”

The Buddha responded, “It is the wrong time, Bāhiya, for we have entered among the houses for alms.”

For a second time Bark Cloth Bāhiya pleaded, “But it is hard to know, venerable sir, the dangers to the Awakened One’s life, or the dangers to my life! Let the Awakened One teach the Dharma to me, venerable sir. Let the Fortunate One teach the Dharma that will be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”

For a second time the Buddha responed, “It is the wrong time, Bāhiya, for we have entered among the houses for alms.”

For a third time Bark Cloth Bāhiya said, “But it is hard to know, venerable sir, the dangers to the Awakened One’s life, or the dangers to my life! Let the Awakened One teach the Dharma to me, venerable sir. Let the Fortunate One teach the Dharma that will be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”

“In that case, Bāhiya, train yourself thus: In what is seen there must be only the seen. In what is heard there must be only the heard. In what is [otherwise] sensed there must be only the sensed. In what is cognized there must be only the cognized. This is the way, Bāhiya, to train yourself.

“And since for you, Bāhiya, in what is seen there will be only the seen, in what is heard there will be only the heard, in what is [otherwise] sensed there will be only the sensed, in what is cognized there will be only the cognized, Bāhiya, you will not be with that.

And since, Bāhiya, you will not be with that, therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be in that. And since, Bāhiya, you will not be in that, therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be here nor hereafter nor in between the two. —Just this is the end of suffering here and now.”

Through the Awakened One’s brief teaching of this Dharma, Bark Cloth Bāhiya’s mind was immediately freed from the defilements and was free of clinging. Then the Awakened One, having advised Bark Cloth Bāhiya with this brief advice, went away.

Then not long after the Awakened One had gone, a cow with a young calf, attacked Bark Cloth Bāhiya and deprived him of life.

Then the Buddha after walking for alms in Sāvatthī, while returning from the alms-round after the meal, after going out from the city with many monastics, saw that Bark Cloth Bāhiya had died. Seeing him, he addressed the monastics, saying:

“Meditators, take up the body of Bark Cloth Bāhiya on a bier, carry it away, cremate it, and make a memorial mound (sacred stupa) for him, our fellow in the spiritual life, who has died.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” said those monastics and put Bark Cloth Bāhiya’s body on a bier, carried it away, burned it, and made a mound for him. Then they went to the Buddha, paid their respects, and sat down to one side.

While they were sitting to one side, they said: “Cremated, venerable sir, is the body of Bark Cloth Bāhiya, and a mound for him has been made. What is his destination? What is his future rebirth?”

“A wise man, meditators, was Bark Cloth Bāhiya, who practiced Dharma in accordance with the Dharma, and did not trouble me on account of the Dharma. Completely liberated, meditators, is Bark Cloth Bāhiya.” Then the Buddha, having understood the significance of the occasion, made this exalted utterance:

“In the place where the water, earth, fire, and wind find no footing,

There the stars do not shine, nor does the sun give light,

There the moon does not glow, there darkness is not found.

And when the sage, the Brahmin, has experienced nirvana through wisdom,

Then from both form and formlessness, happiness and suffering, one is free.”

This exalted utterance was also spoken by the Awakened One. Thus have I heard.