A Secret Relic Depository

[The following account is based on Thūpavaṁsa, chapter 5.]

After the various kings and Brahmins had erected their respective shrines at their own places where the Buddha-relics were enshrined, Ven. Mahā Kassapa by his special power of seeing into the future, saw:

1. That these shrines were liable to be pilfered by holders of wrong views.

2. That if a secret depository were to be built these relics would be discovered by King Asoka who should cause the spread of the relics over the whole of Jambudīpa to the benefit of Devas and humans.

So he went to King Ajātasattu and said solemnly: “Great King, it would be highly advisable that a secret depository be built to safeguard the relics.”

“Very well, venerable sir,” said King Ajātasattu, “leave the matter of building a secret depository to me, but how should the relics in other places be collected?”

“Great King, the collection of the relics that are with the other kings and Brahmins will be our responsibility, not yours.”

“Very well, venerable sir, let the venerable ones collect the relics. I shall build the depository.”

Having reached this understanding, Ven. Mahā Kassapa went around to the recipients of the relics, and explained to them his vision; and was able to collect the relics, leaving only an appropriate quantity of them for private homage at the various homes of the recipients. All the relics collected were brought to Rājagaha.

The relics at Rāma village were an exception. There, the Nāgas were guarding the relics and they were therefore secure against pilferers. Ven. Mahā Kassapa foresaw that, at a later time the relics of Rāma village would be enshrined when the Mahā Cetiya was erected at the Mahā Vihāra monastery in the island of Śrī Laṅkā, so relics from that place were not among the relics collected and brought to Rājagaha. There, at a site to the north east of the city, Ven. Mahā Kassapa made a solemn wish: “May the ground at this site be flawless and clean. If there be any rocks let them disappear now. Let no water arise here.”

King Ajātasattu then ordered earth digging work at that site. The earth dug up there was made into bricks. Then he built 80 shrines in honour of the 80 senior disciples. When asked what the project was. The king replied that it was the building project of shrines in honour of the 80 senior disciples. Nobody was allowed to know that the Buddha-relics were underneath. [1099]

The Enshrining of the Relics in Caskets

At the depth of 80 cubits, a copper platform was laid out, over which a copper chamber the size of a standard shrine was built. Then a series of eight sets of containers of various sizes beginning from golden sandalwood caskets and eight sets of shrines of golden sandalwood were made ready, each to be encased in another by turn in the following order: The relics of the Buddha were first put into a casket made of golden sandalwood. Then this was encased in a second casket of the same material. Then this was encased in a third casket of the same material. In this manner, eight caskets of golden sandalwood encased in one another in turn formed one casket of eight layers of golden sandalwood.

This eight-layered casket of golden sandalwood was enshrined in the series of eight shrines made of golden sandalwood, each shrine being encased in another in turn so that a shrine of eight layers of golden sandalwood was formed.

Likewise, this shrine of golden sandalwood was encased in a series of eight ivory caskets which formed one casket of eight layers of ivory caskets. This eight-layered ivory casket was enshrined in a series of eight ivory shrines, each being encased in another in turn, so that a shrine of eight layers of ivory shrines was formed.

Likewise, this ivory shrine was encased in a series of eight caskets wrought with the seven gems, which formed one casket of eight layers of the caskets of seven gems. This eight-layered casket of the seven gems was enshrined in a series of eight shrines wrought with the seven gems, each being encased in another in turn so that a shrine of eight layers of shrines of the seven gems was formed.

Likewise, this shrine of the seven gems was encased in a series of eight silver caskets which formed one casket of eight layers of silver caskets. This eight-layered silver casket was enshrined in a series of eight silver shrines, each being encased in another in turn so that a shrine of eight layers of silver shrines was formed.

Likewise, this silver shrine was encased in a series of eight emerald caskets which formed one casket of eight layers of emerald caskets. This eight-layered emerald casket was enshrined in a series of eight emerald shrines, each being encased in another in turn so that a shrine of eight layers of emerald shrines was formed.

Likewise, this emerald shrine was encased in a series of ruby caskets which formed one casket of eight layers of ruby caskets. This eight layered ruby casket was enshrined in a series of eight ruby shrines, each being encased in another in turn so that a shrine of eight layers of ruby shrines was formed.

Likewise, this ruby shrine was encased in a series of cat’s-eye caskets which formed one casket of eight layers of cat’s-eye caskets. This eight layered cat’s-eye casket was enshrined in a series of eight cat’s-eye shrines, each being encased in another in turn so that a shrine of eight layers of cat’s-eye shrines was formed.

Likewise, this cat’s-eye shrine was encased in a series of glass caskets which formed one casket of eight layers of glass caskets. This eight layered glass casket was enshrined in a series of eight glass shrines, each being encased in another in turn so that a shrine of eight layers of glass shrines was formed.

Thus systematically encased in turn, the outermost glass shrine had the size of the Thūpārāma in Sri Laṅkā. The glass shrine was placed in a shrine set with the seven gems. This again was sheltered inside in a golden shrine, which was again sheltered inside a silver shrine, and finally sheltered inside a copper shrine. Inside the copper shrine, seven jewels were strewn about as sand flooring above which thousand of flowers grown on land were scattered. Golden statuettes depicting the 550 Birth Stories (Jātaka), the 80 senior disciples, King Suddhodana, father of Buddha Gotama, Queen Māyā Devī, mother of Buddha Gotama, the seven remarkable conatals that were born or appeared at the birth of Bodhisatta, etc. were placed there. Five hundred golden pots and 500 silvers pots filled with water, 500 golden streamers, 500 golden lamps, 500 silver lamps fitted with wicks of white cloth filled with scented [1100] oil, were also set up inside.

Then Ven. Mahā Kassapa made a solemn wish: “May the flowers remain fresh, may the scents retain their fragrance, may the lighted lamps remain aglow.” On a golden sheet, he had the following inscription etched out and scaled: “At some future date a prince named Piyadassi will be enthroned as a righteous king by the name of Asoka. That King Asoka will spread these relics through the southern island continent of Jambudīpa.”

After having carried out all forms of doing honour to the relics, King Ajātasattu closed all entrances to the inner shrine wrought with the seven jewels; the same was done to the golden shrine and the silver shrine that successively housed the inner shrine. He locked up the outermost shrine made of copper.

Against the steel padlock he placed a big piece of ruby accompanied by an inscription that read: “Let some needy king of some future date utilise this ruby to meet the expenses of doing honour to the relics.”

Then Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, said to Vissakamma: “My good Vissakamma, King Ajātasattu had done his best for the security and preservation of the relics. You now see to the security of the depository.”

Vissakamma went to the relic depository and set up a complex mechanism which emitted searing heat and which presented an awful sight with interconnected moving parts. The moving parts were made of steel blades shining like glass, which turned at the speed of whirlwinds, and which were held by wooden statues of demons which guarded it on all sides. All these complex rotating blades had only a single key-switch. Having thus made the relic depository secure, Vissakamma returned to his celestial abode.

King Ajātasattu further put up stone walls around the depository as was usually erected in the construction of a masonry monastery. Atop the walls, he covered the whole area with a rock platform which was covered up with earth. The earth was made into an even surface upon which a stone shrine was erected.

The First Council

[This section has been moved here from the story about Ven. Ānanda. It is based on the Council of the Five Hundred (Pañca-satikakkhandhaka, Vin Kandh 21), and its commentary.]

Ven. Mahā Kassapa remembered the special recognition shown by the Buddha to him. “The Fortunate One exchanged his double robe with me. He declared to the monastics: ‘Monastics, in abiding in the first absorption (jhāna), Kassapa is my equal; and so on,’ thus extolling my power of absorption (jhāna) attainments with reference to the successively higher absorptions, which embraced the nine absorption attainments that require abiding at each of the progressive levels, as well as the five supernormal powers.

Again, the Fortunate One remained in mid-air, and waving his hand, declared, that: ‘In the matter of detachment to the four types of followers, Kassapa is unequalled,’ and that: ‘In the attitude of equanimity, Kassapa conducts himself like the moon.’ These words of praise are truly unparalleled. I must live up to these attributes in no other way but by undertaking to convene a Saṅgha Council for reciting the Dhamma and the Discipline for their preservation.

Inasmuch as a king appoints his eldest son heir-apparent, conferring all his own regal paraphernalia and authority on the son with a view to perpetuating his sovereignty, so also the Fortunate One had indeed praised me so lavishly, in such extraordinary ways, seeing that I, Kassapa, would be able to perpetuate his teaching.”

After pondering deeply thus, Ven. Mahā Kassapa related to the monastic congregation the sacrilegious words of Subhadda, the old monastic and made this proposal: “Now, friends, before immorality has gained ground and becomes an obstruction to the Dhamma, before infamy has gained ground and becomes an obstruction to the Discipline, before upholders of immorality have gained strength, before upholders of the good doctrine have become weak, before upholders of infamy have gained strength, and before upholders of the Discipline have become weak, let us recite in unison the Doctrine and the Discipline and preserve them.”

On hearing his animated appeal, the congregation said to him: “Ven. Kassapa, may the venerable one select the monastics to carry out the reciting of the Doctrine and the Discipline.” Ven. Mahā Kassapa then selected 499 Arahats [1318] who had memorized the Dhamma-Vinaya, and most of whom were also endowed with the fourfold analytical knowledge, the three knowledges (vijjā), and the six supernormal powers, and were designated as the foremost monastic disciples by the Buddha.

In this connection, the selection of 499 monastics indicates that one seat was reserved by Ven. Mahā Kassapa for Ven. Ānanda. The reason is that, at that moment, Ven. Ānanda had not become an Arahat, and was still training himself to become an Arahat. Without Ven. Ānanda, it would not be possible to hold the Council because he had heard all the discourses of the Buddha which comprise the five sections (nikāya), the nine parts (aṅga) or, the doctrines numbering a total of 84,000.

Why, then, should Ven. Ānanda be put on the list of the reciters by Ven. Mahā Kassapa? The reason was that Ven. Mahā Kassapa wanted to avoid criticism that he was partial to Ven. Ānanda because there were other Arahats endowed with the fourfold analytical knowledge like Ven. Ānanda while Ven. Ānanda was still in training (sekkha) to become an Arahat.

This criticism was probable, considering the fact that Ven. Mahā Kassapa and Ven. Ānanda were very intimate. The former would address the latter in such intimate terms as: “This young lad,” even when the latter was about 80 years old with gray hair. ² Further, Ven. Ānanda was a Sakyan Prince and a first cousin of the Buddha. For that reason, Ven. Mahā Kassapa, although knowing full well that Ven. Ānanda was indispensable to the project of the recitations, awaited the general consent of the congregation in selecting him.

² See the Discourse about Robes (Cīvara-sutta, SN16.11).

When Ven. Mahā Kassapa informed the congregation about his having chosen 499 Arahats for the purpose, the congregation unanimously proposed Ven. Ānanda to be selected for the Council in spite of his still being a trainee (sekkha).

They said: “Ven. Mahā Kassapa, although Ven. Ānanda is still a trainee, he is not one who is likely to be misled into wrong judgment on any of the four unjust ways. Moreover, he is the monastic with the greatest learning imparted by the Buddha both on the Doctrine and the Discipline.” Then Ven. Mahā Kassapa put Ven. Ānanda on the list of the reciters. Thus there were 500 reciters selected with the approval of the congregation.

Then the venue for the holding of the recitals was considered by the congregation. They chose Rājagaha because it was a big city, big enough to provide daily alms food to the big gathering of monastics, and because it had many big monasteries where the monastics could stay. They also thought about the need to disallow other monastics outside of the Council to spend the Rains Retreat (Vassa) in Rājagaha, where the Council members would reside during that period.

The reason for disallowing non-participating monastics was because as the proceedings of the Council was to be conducted every day for a number of days, unless non-participating monastics were officially disallowed from residence during the Rains Retreat (Vassa), dissenters might interfere in the proceedings.

Then Ven. Mahā Kassapa by making his formal proposal as an act-in-congregation, and getting the formal approval of the congregation, passed the Saṅgha resolution in the following terms:

Suṇātu me, āvuso Saṅgho, yadi Saṅghassa patta-kallaṁ, Saṅgho imāni pañca bhikkhu-satāni sammanneyya Rājagahe vassaṁ vasantāni, Dhammañ-ca Vinayañ-ca saṅgāyituṁ, na aññehi bhikkhūhi Rājagahe vassaṁ vasitabban-ti.

Esā ñatti.

The gist of this is: 1) Only 500 monastics, who were to recite the Doctrine and the Discipline, were to stay in Rājagaha during the Rains Retreat; and 2) that no other monastics were to stay in Rājagaha during the same period.

The above legal act of the Saṅgha-in-council took place 21 days after [1319] the passing away of the Buddha. After the act was performed, Ven. Mahā Kassapa made a proclamation to all the members of the congregation: “Friends, I allow you 40 days to enable you to attend to any of your personal obligations. After these 40 days, on no account will any excuses be accepted for failure to attend to the task of the recitation, whether for sickness, business concerning the preceptor, or parents or monastic requisites, such as alms bowls or robes. Every one of you is expected to be ready to begin the proceedings at the end of 40 days.”

After giving these strict instructions to the Saṅgha, Ven. Mahā Kassapa, accompanied by 500 monastic pupils, went to Rājagaha. The other members of the Council also went to various places, accompanied by their monastic disciples, to assuage the sorrow of the people by means of discourses on the good doctrine. Ven. Puṇṇa and his 700 monastic pupils remained at Kusinagara giving solace with their discourses to the devotees who mourned the demise of the Buddha.

Ven. Ānanda carried, as usual, the alms bowl and robes of the Buddha, and went to Sāvatthī accompanied by 500 monastic disciples. His following of monastics increased day by day. Wherever he went, devotees lamented and wailed.

When, going by stages, Ven. Ānanda reached Sāvatthī, and news of his arrival spread through the city and people came out with flowers and perfumes to welcome him. They wailed, saying: “Ven. Ānanda, you used to come in the Buddha’s company, but where have you left the Buddha now and come alone?” The people’s lamentation in seeing Ven. Ānanda alone was as pitiable as the day of the Buddha’s passing away.

Ven. Ānanda solaced them with discourses on the impermanence, suffering and non-self of conditioned existence. Then he entered the Jetavana monastery, paid homage before the Buddha’s Perfumed Chamber, opened the door, took out the cot and the seat, cleaned them, swept the precincts of the Chamber, and removed the withered flowers. Then he replaced the cot and the seat and performed the routine acts at the Buddha’s residence, as in the days when the Buddha was living.

Whenever he carried out these routine tasks, he would say, weeping: “Fortunate One, is this not the time for your taking a bath?” “Is this not the time for your delivering a discourse?” “Is this not the time to give admonition to monastics?” “Is this not the time to lie on the right side in all the Buddha’s grace like a lion?” “Is this not the time to wash your face?” He could not help weeping in the hourly routine activities in the usual service of the Buddha because, knowing well the benefits of the pacifying quality of the Fortunate One, he had a deep love for the Buddha, out of devotion as well as out of affection. He had not purged all the pollutants; he had a soft heart towards the Buddha owing to the mutual deeds of kindness that had taken place between him and the Buddha over millions of former existences.

Advice Given by a Forest-Deity

While he himself was suffering intense grief and lamentation over the loss of the Buddha, Ven. Ānanda was also giving much time to offering solace to the devotees who went to see him in sorrow on account of the Buddha’s passing away. As he was then staying at a forest in the kingdom of Kosala, the guardian spirit of the forest felt sorry for him; and to remind him of the need to check his sorrow, the spirit sang the following verse to him (SN 9.5):

Rukkha-mūla-gahanaṁ pasakkiya, Nibbānaṁ hadayasmiṁ opiya. Jhāya Gotama mā pamādo, kiṁ te biḷi-biḷikā karissati. [1320]

Venerable one of the Gotama clan, resort to seclusion at the foot of a tree, immerse your mind in Nibbāna ³ and abide in the absorption (jhāna) characterized by concentration on the object of meditation, and on its characteristics of impermanence, suffering, non-self. What good is there in your tittle-tattling with your visitors in your effort to solace them?

³ Immerse your mind in Nibbāna means direct your mind to Nibbāna; see the commentary.

That admonition caused urgency (saṁvega) in Ven. Ānanda. Since the passing away of the Buddha, he had been standing and sitting too much so that he was feeling out of sorts, and to get relief, he took a laxative prepared from milk on the next day, and did not go out of the monastery.

On that day, Subha, son of the deceased Todeyya the Brahmin, went to invite Ven. Ānanda to an offering of a meal. Ven. Ānanda said to the youth that he could not accept the invitation that day because he had taken a laxative made from milk, but that he might be able to do so the next day. On the next day, Ven. Ānanda went to Subha’s residence where he was asked a question about the doctrine. Ven. Ānanda’s discourse, in reply to that question, can be found in the Discourse to Subha (Subha-sutta, DN 10).

Then Ven. Ānanda supervised the repairs to the Jetavana monastery. When the Rains Retreat (Vassa) was approaching, he left his monastic pupils at the monastery and went to Rājagaha. Other members who were selected for the Council to recite the Doctrine and Discipline also went to Rājagaha, at about the same time. All these members performed the Observance Day (Uposatha) on the full moon of July (Āsāḷha) and on the first waning day of the month they vowed to remain in Rājagaha for the three-month Rains Retreat (Vassa).

Rājagaha had eighteen monasteries around the city at that time. As they had been unoccupied for some period, the buildings and the precincts were in a state of despair and neglect. On the occasion of the Buddha’s passing away, all the monastics had left Rājagaha for Kusinārā and the monasteries remained unused and untended so that the buildings became mouldy and dusty, while there were broken panes and gaping walls.

The monastics held a meeting and decided that, as according to the Vinaya laid down by the Buddha on living places, the monastic buildings and compound should be repaired and maintained to proper condition. So they assigned the first month of the Rains Retreat (Vassa) period to the repairing and maintenance of the monasteries, and the middle month to the recitals. They attended to the repair work to honour the Buddha’s instructions found in the Discipline and also to avoid criticism by the religious sects outside the Buddha’s teaching, who would say: “The disciples of ascetic Gotama took care of the monasteries only when their teacher was living, but when he is dead and gone, they neglect them and let the valuable assets donated by their followers go to waste.”

After coming to the decision, the monastics went to King Ajātasattu’s palace. They were paid homage to by the king who asked them the purpose of their visit. They told him that they needed men to carry out repair work to the eighteen monasteries. The king provided men to repair the monasteries under the supervision of the monastics. In the first month the job was completed. The monastics then went to King Ajātasattu and said: “Great King, the repair work at the monasteries is completed. Now we shall convene the Council by reciting the Doctrine and the Discipline in unison.” The king said: “Venerable sirs, carry out your task freely. Let there be the joint operation of our regal authority with your doctrinal authority. Mention your needs and I will see to them.” The monastics said: “We need an Assembly Hall for the Saṅgha to carry out the task.” The king asked them the place of their choice, and they mentioned the mountain-side on Mount Vebhāra where the great Sattapaṇṇi tree stood.

A Grand Pavilion Donated by King Ajātasattu

“Very well, venerable sirs,” said King Ajātasattu and he built a grand pavilion for the Council, as splendid as one that might have been created by Vissakamma, the Deva architect. It had compartments for the efficient working of the Council, each with stairways and [1321] approaches, all the walls, pillars and balustrades beautifully painted with artistic designs. The whole pavilion would seem to outshine the royal palace and its gorgeousness, would seem to put a Deva mansion to ridicule. It presented itself as a magnificent mansion which attracted the eyes of its beholders, Devas and humans alike, as a pleasant river bank attracts all sorts of birds. In fact, it gave the impression of an object of delight which was the sum total of all delightful things put up together.

The Council Hall had a canopy laid with gems. Clusters of flowers of various sizes, shapes and hues hung from it. The flooring was inlaid with jewels which looked like a huge platform of solid ruby. On it were floral festoons of variegated hues forming a wondrous carpet as would decorate a Brahma’s mansion. The 500 seats for the 500 monastic-reciters were made of priceless material, yet suitable for monastic use. The throne, or the raised dais, for the elder in charge of posing questions, had its back leaning on the southern wall, facing north. In the middle, stood the throne or raised dais of the elder in charge of answering the question, facing east, which was suitable for use by the Buddha. On it was placed a ceremonial circular fan, made of ivory. Having made all these detailed arrangements, the king informed the Saṅgha that all was ready.

It was the fourth waning day in the month of August (Sāvaṇa). On that day, some of the monastics went about saying amongst themselves: “In this gathering of monastics, one can still stand with defilements,” which was plainly an allusion to Ven. Ānanda. When these words of ridicule reached Ven. Ānanda’s ear, he knew that no one else but himself was going about spreading the stink of defilements. He felt spiritual urgency (saṁvega) from those words. There were other monastics who said to him: “Friend Ānanda, the Council will begin tomorrow. You still have to gain the higher stages of the path. It would not be proper for you to participate in the proceedings as a noble one who is still training (sekkha) himself for becoming an Arahat. We would like you to be mindful in striving for becoming an Arahat in this time.”

Becoming an Arahat Outside of the Four Postures

Then Ven. Ānanda thought to himself: “Tomorrow, the Council begins. It would not be proper for me to participate in the proceedings as a mere Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna).” He meditated on the body the whole night. Early in the morning, he thought of getting some sleep. Going into the monastery, he mindfully reclined on the cot. As his two feet lifted off the ground and his head was not yet touching the pillow, he became an Arahat in a split second, outside of any of the four bodily postures.

To explain this further: Ven. Ānanda had been meditating while walking up and down along the walk outside the monastery. Despite this, the paths and fruitions at the three higher levels was still not attained. Then he remembered the Buddha’s words when the latter was about to pass away: “Ānanda, you have done many meritorious actions. Meditate diligently. You will soon become an Arahat.” He knew that the Buddha’s word never went amiss.

He reviewed his meditation effort: “I have been overzealous; this makes my mind distracted. I must strike a balance between energy and concentration.” Reflecting thus, he washed his feet and entering his meditation cell, he thought of taking a short rest. With mindfulness, he reclined on the cot. As his two feet lifted off the ground and his head had not touched the pillow, during that fleeting moment he became an Arahat, purified of all the pollutants.

Therefore, if someone were to pose a question: “Which monastic in this teaching gained Awakening while outside of the four bodily postures?” the answer is “Ven. Ānanda.”

It was on the fifth waning day, in the month of August (Sāvaṇa), the day after Ven. Ānanda had become an Arahat, after finishing their meal, the reciters selected for the Council kept their alms bowls and other requisites and congregated at the great pavilion to begin the recitation.

By the custom of the Indian subcontinent, the period from the full moon day of the month in July (Āsāḷha) to the full moon day of the month in August (Sāvaṇa) is reckoned as one month. During that period of one month, the Saṅgha had [1322] attended to the repairing and maintenance of the monasteries. On the first day of the waning moon in August, they requested King Ajātasattu to build a pavilion. The construction took three days. On the fourth day, Ven. Ānanda became an Arahat. On the fifth day, the proceedings of the Council commenced.

Ven. Ānanda Becomes an Arahat

He entered the pavilion when everybody was present. Donning his upper robe in the manner prescribed for monastics when appearing before a meeting or for going into the village, he stepped into the hall with a beaming face which looked as fresh as a toddy palm fruit just plucked, or a ruby placed on a white piece of velvet, or a full moon in a clear sky, or a lotus blooming forth on being radiated with dawn’s sunshine. It seemed to radiate with the inner purity of the Arahat. Its splendour proclaimed the Arahat fruition of the possessor.

In this connection, it might be asked: “Why did Ānanda enter the hall as if proclaiming his being an Arahat?” Ven. Ānanda reflected: “An Arahat does not declare his attainment of the Arahat fruition in words but he may let the fact known to others, and this is extolled by the Buddha.” He knew that the Council was prepared to let him participate in the proceedings because of his vast knowledge, even though he was still a trainee (sekkha). And now that he had become an Arahat, those other monastics would be very happy to know about it. Further, he wanted to demonstrate to everyone that the Buddha’s last words: “Work with diligence, towards the attainment of your set task,” had proved most beneficial.

On seeing Ven. Ānanda, Ven. Mahā Kassapa thought: “Ven. Ānanda looks glorious as an Arahat. If the Fortunate One were living, he would surely laud Ven. Ānanda today. Now I must say words of praise on behalf of the Fortunate One.” And he said: “Friend Ānanda, glorious it is indeed that you have become an Arahat.” He said these congratulatory words thrice aloud.

Proceedings of the Council

With the arrival of Ven. Ānanda, the Council was complete with the 500 selected reciters. Ven. Mahā Kassapa asked the Council where to begin their recitals, whether the doctrine including the Discourses and the Abhidhamma should be recited first, or whether the Discipline (Vinaya), should be recited first. The Saṅgha unanimously proposed: “Ven. Mahā Kassapa, the Vinaya is the lifeblood of the Buddha’s teaching. For, if the Vinaya lasts long, the Buddha’s teaching will lasts long. Therefore let us begin our recitals with the recital of the Vinaya.” Ven. Mahā Kassapa then asked: “Whom shall we make the leading monastic in reciting the Vinaya?” – “We will make Ven. Upāli the leading monastic.” – “Would Ven. Ānanda be incapable of it?” – “Ven. Ānanda would be quite capable of it. However, when the Fortunate One was living he had declared Ven. Upāli as the foremost among the male monastic disciples who have mastered the Vinaya. Therefore, we should make Ven. Upāli, after getting his consent, the leading monastic in reciting the Vinaya.”

Ven. Mahā Kassapa was the presiding monastic at the First Council. He also took the responsibility for the questioning. Ven. Upāli took the responsibility of answering the questions on the Vinaya. Both took the special seats made for them and conducted the proceedings. Each section of the Discipline was put as a question consisting of the subject, the background story, the person that was the cause of the Buddha’s prescribing the rule, the original rule, the amendment thereto if any, whether a breach of that rule amounts to an offence or not; and each question was answered fully under those headings. The Council then put them on record by reciting in unison, clothing the subject-matter with such formal expressions as: “At that time,” “It was then that,” “Then,” “When it was said,” etc. to give cohesion to the matter. The recitals were made in unison: “At that time the Fortunate One was staying at Verañjā, etc.”

This reciting of the words of the Buddha by the Saṅgha in a special assembly is called the holding of a Council, or literally, Chanting Together (Saṅgāyaṇa).

When the reciting of the First Expulsion (Pārājika) rule was completed, the great earth trembled [1323] vehemently down to the sheet of water that supports it as if applauding the noble historic event.

The three remaining Expulsion rules were recited in the same manner, as also were the rest of the 227 rules, each framed as a question and followed by its answer. The whole of the text, which contains the Rules on Expulsion (Pārājika), Requiring a Meeting of the Saṅgha (Saṅghādisesa), the Undecided Rules (Aniyata), and the Confession Rules involving Forfeiture (Nissagiya-pācittiya), all of these together was entitled the Section on Expulsion (Pārājika-kaṇḍa); and together with the Simple Confession Rules (Suddha-pācittiyā), the Acknowledgment Rules (Pāṭidesanīyā), the Training Rules (Sekhiya) and the Settling of Legal Issues (Adhikaraṇa-samathā) became known as the Analysis of the Monks’ Rules (Bhikkhu-vibhaṅga), and is popularly referred to as the Great Analysis (Mahā-vibhaṅga). It was prescribed as the official text and has since been taught at the monasteries from generation to generation. At the conclusion of reciting the Great Analysis, the great earth also shook violently as before.

Then followed the 304 rules of the Analysis of the Nuns’ Rules (Bhikkhunī-vibhaṅga), containing the same sections, but more Rules, recited in the form of questions and answers as before. This Analysis of the Monks’ Rules and the Analysis of the Nuns’ Rules together are known as “the Twofold Analysis (Ubhato Vibhaṅga) of 64 recitals (bhāṇavāra), or over half a million syllables in length.” This was prescribed as the official text that has since been taught from generation to generation. At the conclusion of reciting the Twofold Analysis the great earth also shook violently as before.

The Council of 500 reciters entrusted the approved version of the Collection of Discipline (Vinaya-piṭaka) to Ven. Upāli with the mandate: “Friend, teach this Collection of Discipline to the disciples who come to you for instruction.” When the reciting of the Collection of Discipline was completed, Ven. Upāli, having done his task, laid down the ceremonial circular ivory fan on the throne of the monastic in charge of answering the questions, descended from it, paid his respect to the elders, and sat in the place marked out for him.

After the reciting of the Vinaya, the Dhamma, which includes the discourses and the Abhidhamma, was to be recited. So Ven. Mahā Kassapa asked the Council of reciters: “Which monastic shall we make the leader in reciting the Dhamma?” The Council unanimously named Ven. Ānanda for the post.

Then Ven. Mahā Kassapa named himself as the Questioner (Pucchaka) and Ven. Ānanda as the Answerer (Vissajjaka). Rising from his seat, rearranging his upper robe, and making his obeisance to the elders, Ven. Ānanda held the ceremonial circular ivory fan and sat on the throne prepared for the purpose. Then the plan of reciting the Dhamma was discussed by Ven. Mahā Kassapa and the participating elders:

Ven. Kassapa: Friends, as there are two divisions of the Dhamma, the Collection of Discourses (Sutta-piṭaka) and the Collection of the Abstract Teaching (Abhidhamma-piṭaka), which shall we take up first?

Elders: Venerable sir, let us start with the Collection of Discourses.

The Vinaya is mainly concerned with higher morality (adhi-sīla); the Dhamma is mainly concerned with higher consciousness, i.e., concentration (adhi-citta); and the Abhidhamma is mainly concerned with higher wisdom (adhi-paññā). Therefore, the Council recited the threefold training of morality, concentration and wisdom in that order, it should be noted.

Ven. Kassapa: Friends, there are four Collections (Nikāya) of the discourses in the Collection of Discourses; which of them shall we take up first?

Elders: Venerable sir, let us start with the Collection of the Long Discourses (Dīgha-nikāya).

Ven. Kassapa: Friends, the Collection of Discourses contains 34 discourses (sutta) in three Divisions (Vagga), which Division shall we take up first?

Elders: Venerable sir, we shall start with the Division on the Category of Virtue (Sīlakkhandha-vagga).

Ven. Kassapa: Friends, the Division on the Category of Virtue contains 13 discourses, which discourse shall we take up first?

Elders: Venerable sir, the Discourse on the Supreme Net (Brahma-jāla-sutta, DN 1) portrays the three grades of morality. It is useful for the abandoning of deceitful talk or hypocrisy on the part of monastics which is detrimental to the teaching. It also explains the 62 kinds of wrong views. It had caused 62 times the shaking of the great earth when it was delivered by the Fortunate One. Therefore, let us start with the [1324] Discourse on the Supreme Net.

Having thus agreed upon the plan of verification, Ven. Mahā Kassapa posed appropriate questions on the Discourse on the Supreme Net to Ven. Ānanda regarding the background story, the persons connected with the discourse, the subject matter, etc. Ven. Ānanda answered every question completely, at the end of which the 500 reciters recited in unison the Discourse on the Supreme Net (Brahma-jāla-sutta). When the reciting of the discourse was completed, the great earth quaked violently as before.

Then followed the questioning and answering about the recital of the twelve other discourses in the Division on the Category of Virtue, which was recognized as the title of the Division and prescribed as part of the course of studies of the collections in respect of the discourses.

Then the Great Division (Mahā-vagga), which consisted of ten discourses, was next and followed by the Division beginning with the discourse about Pāthika, a naked ascetic (Pāthika-vagga), which consisted of eleven discourses, each with the questioning and answering. Hence the 34 discourses in three Divisions (Vagga), whose recitals (bhāṇavāra) numbered 24, were recorded as the Buddha’s words under the title of the Collection of the Long Discourses (Dīgha-nikāya). This approved version of the text was then entrusted to Ven. Ānanda with the following instruction from the elders: “Friend Ānanda, teach this Collection of the Long Discourses to the pupils who come to you for instruction.”

After that the Council approved the Collection of Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima-nikāya), after the usual questioning and answering, which took 80 recitals (bhāṇavāra, or 640,000 syllables) in all. Then they entrusted the approved version of the text to the pupils of Ven. Sāriputta, saying: “Friends, preserve this Collection of Middle Length Discourses well.”

Then the Council approved the Collection of Thematic Discourses (Saṁyutta-nikāya), after the usual questioning and answering, which took 100 recitals (800,000 syllables). They then entrusted the approved version of the text to Ven. Mahā Kassapa, saying: “Venerable sir, teach this Collection of Thematic Discourses, the sayings of the Fortunate One, to the pupils who come to you for instruction.”

Then the Council approved the Collection of Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttara-nikāya), after the usual questioning and answering, which took 120 recitals (960,000 syllables). Then they entrusted the approved version of the text to Ven. Anuruddha, saying: “Venerable sir, teach this Collection of Numerical Discourses to the pupils who come to you for instruction.”

Then the Council approved the seven books of the Abhidhamma: the Enumeration of Phenonema (Dhamma-saṅgaṇī), the Analyses (Vibhaṅga), the Discussion about Elements (Dhātu-kathā), the Designation of Persons (Puggala-paññatti), the Debates (Kathā-vatthu), the Pairs (Yamaka) and the Causal Relations (Paṭṭhāna), with the usual questionings, answerings and recitals. At the end of the recital of these Abhidhamma texts the great earth quaked violently as before.

Then the Council recited: the Birth Stories (Jātaka), the Expositions (Niddesa), The Path of the Analytic Knowledges (Paṭisambhidā-magga), the Traditions (Apadāna), the Discourse Anthology (Sutta-nipāta), the Supplementary Readings (Khuddaka-pāṭha), the Dhamma Verses (Dhammapada), the Exalted Utterances (Udāna), the This-Saids (Iti-vuttaka), the Stories about Heavenly Mansions (Vimāna-vatthu), the Stories about Petas (Peta-vatthu), the Verses of the Elder Monks (Thera-gāthā), and the Verses of the Elder Nuns (Therī-gāthā), after the usual questioning and answering. These thirteen books collectively were called the Collection of the Supplementary Texts (Khuddaka-nikāya).

According to the elders who had memorized the Collection of the Long Discourses (Dīgha-nikāya), it was said: “The Collection of the Supplementary Texts (Khuddaka-nikāya) was recited and approved along with the Abhidhamma.” But according to the elders who had memorized the Collection of Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima-nikāya), these 13 books, together with the Chronicles of the Buddhas (Buddha-vaṁsa) and the Basket of Conduct (Cariyā-piṭaka), making 15 books altogether, were named as the Collection of the Supplementary Texts (Khuddaka-nikāya) and are classified in the Collection of Discourses.

These statements are based on the introduction to the commentary on the Collection of the Long Discourses (Dīgha-nikāya). A bhāṇavāra or a “recital” is the length of time it took to recite a piece of the text, which by our modern clock time, would be about half an hour. [A bhāṇavāra is calculated as being the same as 250 Siloka verses in length. As a Siloka is normally considered to have 4 lines of 8 syllables each that would give 32 syllables to the verse. A bhāṇavāra therefore is 250 x 32 syllables long, which is equal to 8,000 syllables in length.] The naming of the principal elders: Ven. Mahā Kassapa, Ven. Upāli and Ven. Ānanda, in their respective offices, are on record in the Discipline (Vin Cv 11).

Thus Ven. Ānanda was a principal monastic in the First Council, in answering most competently all the questions concerning the Dhamma which comprised the Basket of Discourses (Dhamma-piṭaka) and the Basket of the Abstract Teaching (Abhidhamma-piṭaka). [1325]

King Asoka’s Shrines

After making the elaborate arrangements for the relic depository and the Council, Ven. Mahā Kassapa, living to the end of the span of life destined for him, passed away. King Ajātasattu also was dead and gone to his next existence according to his deeds, good and bad. People of those times also are dead and gone. Alas! All conditioned phenomena of mind and matter are of such an impermanent nature, such an unstable nature, such a suffering nature.

[The following account is based on Thūpavaṁsa, chapter 6.]

After more than 200 years from the year of the passing away of the Buddha, a Prince named Piyadassi was enthroned as King Asoka. He excavated the relics of the Buddha which was kept in the depository by Ven. Mahā Kassapa and erected many relic shrines (stūpa) all over Jambudīpa.

This story is related here: King Asoka became a great devotee of the Buddha through the help and assistance of the novice Nigrodha. His remarkable devotion to the Buddha and his teaching found expression in 84,000 monasteries.

After building them he said to the Saṅgha: “Venerable sir, I have built 84,000 monasteries, but where can I find the relics?”

The venerable ones said: “Great King, we have heard about a relic depository built by Ven. Mahā Kassapa and King Ajātasattu. But we do not know its exact location.”

King Asoka first searched for the relics in Rājagaha. In the hope of finding the relics, he pulled down the original shrine built by King Ajātasattu but failed to find anything there. He restored the shrine to its original condition. Then be organized a company of four types of assembly, namely male and female monastics, male and female lay disciples, and went to Vesālī.

In Vesālī, he searched for the relics inside the original shrine built by the Licchavī princes after pulling it down but found none. He restored the shrine to its original condition and searched for the relics inside the shrine built in Kapilavatthu. He failed again there and proceeded to Rāma village. [1101]

The Nāgas who had taken custody of the relics in Rāma village did not allow the shrine to be pulled down. All the implements that were used in the operation were broken up into pieces.

After the unsuccessful attempt at Rāma village, King Asoka went to other places where the relics were known to have been enshrined. He went to the Allakappa province, Veṭṭhadīpa province, Pāvā, Kusinārā, one by one, he pulled down the shrines at each place but finding no relics in any of them, he restored all those shrines into their original condition and so went back to Rājagaha again.

Back in Rājagaha, King Asoka held a meeting with the four assemblies and asked: “Is there anyone who has heard where King Ajātasattu had deposited the relics?”

An elderly monastic said: “Great King, the exact location of the depository is not known. But I remember how my father, an elderly monastic, said to me: ‘Come novice, in such and such an overgrowth of thickets there lies a stone shrine. Let us go and pay our homage there! We made offerings of flowers there.’ ” My father then said: ‘Novice, remember this place well,’ this all I know about it.”

In this matter, some teachers say that as there were no monastics present at the assembly who are possessed of psychic powers through absorption (jhāna) they had to take note of what the elderly monastic said. According to other teachers, however, there were monastics possessed of psychic powers at that meeting but these monastics were unwilling to win fame and acclaim by revealing what they knew by their special apperception, and they thought that just by taking the slim clue from what the elderly monastic said, the king would be able to trace the treasure (this is based on the sub-commentary).

King Asoka Discovered the Sacred Relic Chamber

King Asoka was able to locate the spot. “This must be the place where King Ajātasattu deposited the relics,” he decided and ordered the excavations. Clearing the overgrowth of vegetation, they found the stone shrine, and when the shrine and the earth underneath were removed the rock platform was revealed. Then tearing away the bricks and mortar, the depository came to view. They saw in wonderment the seven jewels spread on the flooring, and the wheeling blades held in the hands of a formidable ring of demon statues.

King Asoka engaged necromancers to try to halt the protective mechanism but they could not solve the mystery of the whirling blades. Then King Asoka invoked the Devas: “I intend to enshrine and honour these relics in the various monasteries numbering 84,000. May the Devas not cause any hindrance to my sincere efforts!”

At that moment Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, was on his round of travels and saw the event. He said to Vissakamma: “My good Vissakamma, King Asoka is now inside the precinct of the relic depository, wishing to get the relics. You now go and remove the protective mechanism.” Then Vissakamma took on the appearance of a young boy with five knots of hair. He went up to King Asoka with a bow in hand and said: “Great King, I shall remove those mechanical demons.” The king gladly said: “Go on, please, son!” Then Vissakamma in the guise of a young boy sent a shaft aimed at the key spot in the mechanical device and all the demon statues fell into pieces.

Then King Asoka inspected the padlock at the entrance and saw the inscription on the gold plate which reads: “Let some needy king of some future date utilise the ruby to meet the expenses of doing honour to the relics.”

King Asoka was displeased with the inscription. “How dare anyone say of me that I am a ‘needy’ king!” he remarked. Then after repeated efforts, he removed the many obstacles placed at the entrance and got inside the relic depository.

He found the lamps lit some 218 years ago still alight. The brown lotuses were as fresh as ever, and so were the bed of flowers strewn about the floor. The perfumes were as fragrant as though freshly prepared.

King Asoka took hold of the gold plate on which Ven. Mahā Kassapa had inscribed the words: [1102] “At some future date, a prince named Piyadassi will be enthroned as a righteous king by the name of Asoka. That King Asoka will spread these relics throughout Jambudīpa.”

He was exhilarated and cried out: “Friends! Ven. Mahā Kassapa had rightly foreseen me!” And bending his left arm, he slapped it with his right hand thereby producing loud clapping sounds.

King Asoka then removed much of the relics, leaving only an appropriate amount in the depository for local worshippers. He closed all entrances to the depository carefully as previously done, and restored the whole edifice to its original condition. He rebuilt a new stone relic shrine (stūpa) about it. Then he enshrined the relics inside the 84,000 monasteries that he built and donated.

Conclusion of the Chapters on the Buddha

We have come to the end of the chapter on the Buddha. You may have noticed, in going through this chapter, the seven auspicious days connected with the Buddha, namely:

1. The day of his conception.

2. The day of his birth.

3. The day he renounced the world.

4. The day he attained Perfect Awakening.

5. The day he delivered the first discourse.

6. The day he passed away.

7. The day his body was consumed by the element of heat.

These seven dates may be noted thus:

1. The Bodhisatta was conceived on Thursday, the full moon of July (Āsāḷha) in 564 BCE.

2. He was born on Friday, the full moon of May (Vesākha) in 563 BCE.

3. He renounced the world on Monday, on the full moon of July (Āsāḷha) in 534 BCE.

4. He attained Perfect Awakening on Wednesday, the full moon of May (Vesākha) in 528 BCE.

5. He delivered his first discourse on Saturday, the full moon of July (Āsāḷha) in 528 BCE.

6. He passed away on Tuesday, the full moon of May (Vesākha) in 483 BCE.

7. His body was consumed by the element of heat on Sunday, the twelfth waning day of May (Vesākha) in 483 BCE.

Ledi Sayādaw’s Verses on the Seven Memorable Days

The late Ledi Sayādaw composed the following rhymes on the above seven days for remembering and honouring the Buddha by the devotees:

1. Being implored in union by the Devas and Brahmas of the 10,000 world-element, the Lord of the Three Worlds, the object of my adoration, descended from the Tusita Realm into his royal mother’s womb on Thursday, the full moon of July (Āsāḷha) in 564 BCE, an occasion promising peace for Devas and humans.

2. Ten months after conception, on Friday, the full moon of May (Vesākha), in 563 BCE, the lord was born in the cool shade of the Lumbinī Park when the great earth quaked to honour the ominous event [1103] that laid out the road to the city of Nibbāna for Devas and humans.

3. At the young age of sixteen, being provided with the three princely palaces as seasonable residences he lived in regal splendour for thirteen years. Then at the youthful age of 29, being overcome by spiritual urgency on seeing the four omens conjured up by the Devas, he went forth into the homeless life in the quiet seclusion of the forest. That was on Monday, the full moon of July (Āsāḷha) in 534 BCE.

4. After six years of seclusion in the forest, came the time for the Perfect Awakening. On Wednesday, the full moon of May (Vesākha) in 528 BCE, sitting on the throne of victory, with the Tree of Awakening as a majestic canopy, he vanquished the vexatious hordes of Māra. The 10,000 world-element cheered the arising of the Fortunate One, the great event heralded spiritual security for the denizens of the three worlds.

5. Making his way to the Deer Park at Isipatana, the Buddha expounded the doctrine, the Discourse setting the Dhamma Wheel Turning (Dhamma-cakkappavattana-sutta, SN 56.11), to the Group-of-Five ascetics and to an assemblage of Devas and Brahmas coming from the 10,000 world-element. That was Saturday, the full moon of July (Āsāḷha) in 528 BCE, when the great drum of the Dhamma was first sounded.

6. Then for 45 years the Buddha, with the help of the Dhamma, ferried across to the yonder shore of safety the multitudes of the three worlds belonging to 10,000 world-element. At the ripe old age of 80, in 483 BCE, on Tuesday, the full moon of May (Vesākha), under the twin Sāla trees at Kusinārā in the province of the Mallas, the Buddha realized the ultimate cessation that cast gloom on the 10,000 world-element.

7. The remains of the Buddha, a wondrous golden corpse, burned by itself, thanks to the prior resolution of the Fortunate One, leaving for posterity eight portions of relics. That was a Sunday, on the waxing moon of May (Vesākha) in 483 BCE.

8. Reflecting on the seven memorable days [1104] connected with the Buddha, the Most Fortunate One amongst the exalted, Lord of the Three Worlds, I pay my deepest devotion by deed, word and thought to the great master. For this good deed, may every blessing come showering on me! [1105]