The king comes to see the Buddha

Seated Buddha of the Future depicted as Central Asian king: Bodhisattva Maitreya (wiki)

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SUTRA: Kosala (2)

The forest-dwelling Buddha

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, in The multi-millionaire’s Park. On that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala [the capital of which is Savatthi] was returning from the war front, victorious in battle, his purpose achieved. The king set out for the park.

He traveled by carriage as far as the ground allowed then dismounted and entered the park by foot. On that occasion a number of monks were engaged in walking meditation in the open air.

King Pasenadi approached them and asked: “Venerable sirs, where is the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Supremely Enlightened One dwelling? For I wish to see him.”

“Great king, that is his dwelling, the one with the closed door. Approach it quietly. Without hurrying, enter the porch, clear your throat, and tap lightly on the bolt. The Blessed One will open the door for you.”

King Pasenadi did so, and the Blessed One opened the door. Then he entered, bowed at the Blessed One’s feet, and covered them with kisses and caresses, pronouncing his name:

The happy king meets the Buddha.

“I am King Pasenadi of Kosala, venerable sir, I am King Pasenadi of Kosala!”

“Great king, what reason do you have for showing such honor to this body, displaying such an offering of love and kindness?”

“Venerable, it is out of gratitude and thankfulness that I show supreme honor toward the Blessed One and display such an offering of love and kindness to him.

(1) “For, venerable, the Blessed One is practicing for the benefit of many, for the happiness of many; he has established many in the ennobling (enlightening) method, that is, in the way of the good Dhamma (Doctrine), in the way of the wholesome Dhamma. This is one reason I show supreme honor toward the Blessed One and display such an offering of love and kindness to him.

Buddha as Central Asian king

(2) “Venerable, the Blessed One is virtuous, of mature conduct (behavior), of noble (enlightened and royal) conduct, of wholesome conduct, possessing wholesome conduct. This is another reason….

(3) “Venerable, for a long time the Blessed One has been a forest-dweller who resorts to remote lodgings in forests and jungle groves. Since that is so, this is another reason….

(4) “Venerable, the Blessed One is content with any kind of robe, alms food, lodging, and medicines and provisions for the sick. This is another reason….

(5) “Venerable, the Blessed One is [enlightened and therefore] worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. This is another reason….

(6) “Venerable, the Blessed One gets to hear at will, without trouble or difficulty, talk concerned with the austere life that leads to the elimination of defilements, that is conducive to opening up the heart, that is, talk on fewness of desires, on contentment, on solitude (withdrawal), on not getting bound up with others, on arousing energy, on virtuous conduct, on concentration (stillness), on wisdom, on liberation, on direct knowledge and vision of liberation. This is another reason….

(7) “Venerable, the Blessed One gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four meditative absorptions (jhānas) that constitute the 'higher mind' and are pleasant abodes in this very life. This is another reason….

Death behind rebirth, even in heaven

(8) “Venerable, the Blessed One recollects manifold rebirths (past lives, abodes), that is, one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, 20 births, 30 births, 40 births, 50 births, 100 births, 1,000 births, 100,000 births, many aeons of world-dissolution, many aeons of world-evolution, many aeons of world-dissolution and world-evolution thus: ‘There I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my lifespan; passing away from there, I was reborn (reappeared) elsewhere, and there too I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my lifespan; passing away from there, I was reborn here.’ Thus he recollects his manifold rebirths with their aspects and details. Since that is so, this is another reason….

When the 31 Planes of Existence are condensed into just six categories, we get this depiction

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Countless worlds in 31 general categories

(9) “Venerable, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Blessed One sees beings passing away and being reborn, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings fare in accordance with their karma (deeds) thus: ‘These beings who engaged in misconduct by body, speech, and mind, who reviled the noble ones, held wrong views, and undertook karma based on wrong views, with the breakup of the body, after death, have been reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hells, whereas these beings who engaged in skillful conduct by body, speech, and mind, who did not revile the noble ones, who held right views, and undertook karma based on right views, with the breakup of the body, after death, have been reborn in a fortunate destination, even in a heavenly world.’ Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and being reborn, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings fare in accordance with their karma. Since that is so, this is another reason….

(10) “Venerable, with the destruction of the taints, the Blessed One has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. Since that is so, this is another reason I show supreme honor toward the Blessed One and display such an offering of love and kindness to him.

“Now, venerable, we must be on our way. We are busy and have much to do.”

“As you see fit, great king, and at your own convenience.”

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, keeping his right side toward him in a mark of respect, and departed.

• Source: suttacentral.net
• Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans), Dutiyakosala Sutta (AN 10.30); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly