3.13.2011
Buddha was born into this world to show the ignorance and errors and mistakes and wrong views and incorrect opinions and bad deeds of humans. Was Lord Buddha a savior? Is he a human? Who is he?
One afternoon Buddha was walking between Ukkattta and Setawya towns. A Brahmin called him self Dona, who was walking between same towns, noticed the extra ordinary foot prints of the Buddha and eagerly looked at them. He thought that those foot prints were definitely not the foot prints of a human. Then he followed them. The Buddha proceeded to a tree beside the road and seated there. Dona Brahmin approached the Buddha who had the excess quiet, calm and composed posture and questioned, “Are you a god?” The Buddha answered “No, I am not a god.” Then Dona asked whether Buddha was a Gandharwa (an unknown god living in the heaven of Caturmaharajika). The Buddha replied “No, I am not a Gandharwa.” “Are you a Demon?” the Brahmin asked. “No, I am not a demon too.” Then the Brahmin said “Are you a human?” “No I am not a human also.” Buddha answered.
Then Dona was puzzled and told “you are telling that you are not a god and not a Gandharwa and not a demon and human too.” Then tell me who are you?” The Buddha said that “If I am a god I should have Asava (ideas that intoxicate the mind) that exist in the mind s of god’s. But I have eradicated those Asava completely. Therefore I am not a god.
If I am a Gandharwa ...
If I am a Demon ...
If I am a human being I should have Asava that exist in the minds of humans. But I have eradicated those Asavas completely. So, I am not a human being.
The Buddha further said “A lotus flower born in the mud and grows in the mud and comes out of the mud without smearing the mud on the fetal of the lotus. I have the same lotus style life. I was born among the people and grow among them. Without collide or without attachment to them. I live among them. Therefore I am the superior human being who has destroyed all humane weaknesses. Dona, I am a Buddha, the best way you can call me.”
(Anguttara Nikaya / catukka nipataya/ Donaloka Sutta)
There were two chapters in Buddha’s life. The first, as a prince Siddhatta, a human. But after attaining the Buddhahood he was a supernatural human. The greatest person among the human. He can be equalized to no man but to another Buddha. Therefore he is called unequal or unique. Buddha was a wonderful person or wonderful human being too. There will be no two equal persons at the same time living in this universe. Buddha had a human body, because he had human parents. He lived as a Buddha and had human life span and passed away completely without transmigration.
The defilements like lust, ill will, ignorance, pride, envy, anger etc. those exist in the minds of human, were not visible within him. Amity, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, virtue, concentration and wisdom those exist in the great human minds were visible within him.
Once a Brahmin called Panchavaggiya Dayaka sitting against the meadow of the home, was taking his lunch. His wife was serving at him. By seeing the prospects of these two, the Buddha approached to them and stay near the gate of their home with the begging bawl. The wife of the Brahmin who could see the Buddha’s arrival, gesticulated, without noticing the Brahminat the Buddha to move out to another house. By moving his head Buddha too expressed that he would never leave. The wife of the Brahmin started laughing loudly by seeing gesticulation of, that much, greatest hermit in the country. The Brahmin understanding what happened and ran towards the Buddha and offered his mixed food into the begging bow.
Is the Buddha refused the left over food? No. But said “Brahmin, It is not important whether the food is the first part or the middle part or the end. We are like Paradattupajivi Peta (living on what is given by others). Brahmin pleased about accepting the impure food by this great hermit, who born in a royal family and inspired his confidence on the Buddha steadily. This shows the Buddha’s need of doing service to others even by eating left over food.
When the
Buddha was on the Mahaparinibbanamancaka, he address his disciples and told “monk if you have a doubt on me or my doctrine or my disciples or the path I found lead to the emancipation or the policy, ask me now. ”Do not grieve later that I couldn’t asked those question or I couldn’t clear those confusion, when Buddha was alive. He requested his disciples thrice.
Have you ever heard about a leader like this? Have you ever heard about a teacher like this? Even before leave the world he questioned his disciples about his character, about his nature, about his ideas, not only once but thrice again and again. Have you ever remember about any leader or any teacher or any religious master or any father or mother or about an elderly person asking questions like this in his last breath?
These historical incidents prove the need of the Buddha had, to perform his duty toward others. Anyway, one thing is clear, that, the Buddha had a one distinct goal that was nothing but helping the needy.
SUGATA nanda HIMI
Purana Raja Maha Vihara
Kolonnawa
SRI LANKA
