Once the Blessed One was staying at Rajagaha [the "Royal Ringed City," capital of Magadha] in the Bamboo Grove near
the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
The Brahmin Akkosa-Bharadvaja [Akkosaka* of the clan of Bharadvaja Brahmins, whose nickname literally means "The Reviler" according to M. Walshe] heard
this about his brother:
"The Brahmin Bharadvaja, it seems, has become a monk under the
great ascetic Gotama (the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama)."
Angry and peeved, he went to see the Blessed One. He approached, abused, and reviled him in foul and harsh words.
But reviled, the Blessed One spoke
gently to the Brahmin Akkosa Bharadvaja: "Well, Brahmin, do friends, acquaintances, relatives, kinfolk, and guests visit you?"
"Yes, Gotama, sometimes they do."
"Well, Brahmin, do you not offer them, snacks, food, and drink?"
"Yes, Gotama, sometimes I do offer them snacks, food, and drink."
"But, Brahmin, what if they do not accept it? Whose is it?"
"If, Gotama, they do not accept it, I keep it. It is mine."
"Even so, Brahmin, you are abusing those who do not abuse, are angry
with those who do not get angry, are quarreling with those who do not
quarrel. As we do not accept it, Brahmin, all of this is yours. When, Brahmin, one abuses in return when abused, repays anger with anger,
and quarrels back when quarreled with, this is called
'associating with each other in mutual exchange.' This kind of association
and exchange we do not engage in. Therefore, Brahmin, you keep it. It is yours."
"The king and his people believe that the ascetic Gotama is an arhat [a fully enlightened person], and yet the good Gotama can get angry!"
The Buddha replied in verse:
"Where is anger for one freed from anger,
Who is subdued and lives perfectly equanimous,
Who truly knowing is wholly freed,
Supremely tranquil and equipoised?
"One who repays an angry person in kind
Is worse than the angry person;
Who does not repay anger in kind,
That person alone wins the battle hard to win:
"One promotes the welfare of both,
One's own as well as that of the other.
Knowing that the other person is angry,
One mindfully maintains one's peace
"And endures the anger of both,
One's own as well as that of the other,
Even if the people ignorant of true wisdom
Consider one a fool thereby."
When the Blessed One proclaimed this, the Brahmin Akkosa Bharadvaja responded:
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| Going forth (Nyanamoli Bhikkhu/Google Plus) |
"Wonderful, O venerable Gotama!
Herewith I go to the venerable Gotama (Buddha) for
guidance, to the Teaching (Dharma) for guidance, and to
the
Noble Order (
Arya Sangha) for guidance!
"Most venerable sir, may I have the privilege of receiving from the revered Gotama the initial and higher monastic
ordinations?"
The Brahmin Akkosa Bharadvaja received from the
Blessed One the initial and higher monastic ordinations. Then in no long time, Venerable Akkosa Bharadvaja -- living apart, secluded,
diligent, zealous, and unrelenting -- reached that incomparable
consummation of enlightenment for which those of noble families, having abandoned the household life, take to the life of wandering (the left-home life).
With direct knowledge he realized the ultimate, here and now, and
lived having access to it. He saw with supernormal knowledge-and-vision: "Ceased
is rebirth, lived is the higher life, completed is the spiritual task, and
henceforth there is nothing higher to be achieved." Venerable Akkosa Bharadvaja, indeed, became one of the noble ones.
HOW TO abandon anger
*Why was Akkosa angry?
PaliKanon.com
Akkosaka-Bhāradvāja was a Brahmin from
Rājagaha (Rajgir). He was incensed that his eldest
brother -- a member of the
Bhāradvāja Brahmin clan and probably its head (KS.i.201, n. 4,
see also
Dhānañjānī -- had become a Buddhist monk after visiting the Buddha. He paid the Buddha a visit to abuse and insult
him. But like his brother, he asked for ordination and later became an arhat (S.i.161f.; MA.i.808). "Akkosaka" was a nickname given to him by the
Sangītikārā to distinguish
him as the author of a lampoon of a large number of verses against the Buddha (SA.i.177).
Asurindaka-Bhāradvāja was his younger
brother (SA.i.178); he had two others,
Sundarī-Bhāradvāja and
Bilangika-Bhāradvāja, who also became disciples (lit. "hearers") who later also became arhats (DhA.iv.163).
