Introduction
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Introduction to 3.4.15 Buddha-apadānaṃ
Buddha‘s Instruction
Datvā dātabbakaṃ dānaṃ, sīlaṃ pūretvā asesato;
Nekkhammapāramiṃ gantvā, patto sambodhimuttamaṃ.1
Having donated gifts that were to be given, having fulfilled sīla without any omission,
Having accomplished the pārami of renunciation, thus I achieved enlightenment supreme.
These inspiring verses selected for this closing lesson of this chapter were all uttered by the Buddha at the end of his ‘life-story’ (apadāna). He had undergone and endured immense hardship over many ages to perfect all thirty pāramitā—the qualities a Bodhisatta must accomplish before reaching the stage of full enlightenment of a Dhammarājā (tiṃsapāramisampuṇṇā dhammarājā asaṅkhiyā). With these words, he offers a final reminder that should reverberate2 in the minds of all who walk the path: esā buddhānusāsanī!3
It may be a suitable opportunity to also remember the following situation where the Venerable Ānanda approached the Buddha and enquired:4
…But, Bhante, there are people who live in deference towards the teaching of the Bhagavā and who would, after his passing away, open up a dispute within the Saṅgha about the daily life and about the Pātimokkha. Out of such dispute, harm for many, unhappiness for many would derive; it would be for the loss, the disadvantage, impairment for many beings, and unhappiness of gods and mankind!
Ye ca kho, bhante, puggalā bhagavantaṃ patissayamānarūpā5 viharanti6 tepi bhagavato accayena7 saṅghe vivādaṃ janeyyuṃ ajjhājīve8 vā adhipātimokkhe vā. Svāssa9 vivādo bahujanāhitāya bahujanāsukhāya bahuno janassa anatthāya ahitāya dukkhāya devamanussāna’nti.
And the Buddha replied thus:
Appamattako so, ānanda, vivādo yadidaṃ – ajjhājīve vā adhipātimokkhe vā.
Magge vā hi, ānanda, paṭipadāya vā saṅghe vivādo uppajjamāno uppajjeyya; svāssa vivādo bahujanāhitāya bahujanāsukhāya bahuno janassa anatthāya ahitāya dukkhāya devamanussānaṃ.
Any dispute about matters regarding daily life and or the Pātimokkha would, Ānanda, be indeed insignificant.
But if, Ānanda, a dispute should arise within the Saṅgha about the practice (paṭipadāya) or the path (magge), such a dispute would result in harm for many, unhappiness for many, it would be for the disadvantage, impairment for many beings, and unhappiness of gods and mankind!
May the teaching, the practice and the path be maintained in its pure form!
May the Dhamma as taught by the Buddha prevail unblemished, and may harmony and empathy—based on upright sīla, pure and wholesome volition amongst those, walking the path in wisdom—be fostered and maintained. May the summary of these concluding verses echo in the minds of all!
1. Buddhavaggo, Therāpadānapāḷi, Khuddakanikāye.
2. They also close an ‘imagined circle’ by terminating in the similar way as the gātha chosen from the Dhammapada for the title of this book and likewise the next: Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṃ, kusalassa upasampadā, Sacittapariyodapanaṃ, etaṃ buddhāna sāsanaṃ.
3. anusāsanī: (f) teaching, advise, instruction.
4. Sāmagāmasuttaṃ, Devadahavaggo, Uparipaṇṇāsapāḷi, Majjhimanikāyo, selected.
5. patissayamānarūpā: pati/paṭi +s + saya + māna + rūpā: back to + be supported, leaning on + such.
6.commentary: patissayamānarūpā viharantīti upanissāya viharanti: ‘they live in deference’: they live depending on, by means of.
7. accayena: passing away, lapse of time.
8. ajjhājīve:adhi + ājīve: as regards the way of life.
9. svāssa: sa + assa: he + of/with (gen./dat.).