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Biography of Ananda, the first to learn
Biography of the Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha
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Ananda- the first to learn
1. Reasons for becoming a monk
When I write down the deeds of the Venerable Ananda’s life, I will naturally remember the words of Manjushri Bodhisattva who praised him: “The appearance is like the full moon in autumn, the eyes are like pure lotus flowers, and the Dharma is like the sea, flowing into Ananda’s heart.” All of the Buddha’s words Among the disciples, the one with the most dignified appearance and the strongest memory is Venerable Ananda.
Regarding Venerable Ananda, he had an extraordinary life. He had a profound influence on the religious groups at that time and on today’s Buddhism.
Ananda is the same as Rahula. The so-called childhood enlightenment, he joined the religious order when he was a child. It is difficult to verify at what age he became a monk. For those who became monks together, Ananda participated in it at the youngest age when the seventh prince of the Shizhong became a monk.
Ananda’s father was the king of rice, and Devadatta was Ananda’s elder brother. It can be said that he was able to join the Sangha in his childhood, which can be said to be the hope of the Buddha. The reason is that when the Buddha returned to his hometown to teach the Dharma, King Baifan was afraid that Ananda would be influenced by the thoughts of the Buddha’s birth.
Not long after seeing the Buddha, he sent Ananda to the country of Vaishali to prevent him from having the opportunity to contact the Buddha. Later, the Buddha also went to the country of Vaisali, and King Baifan had to take Ananda back to the city of Kapila.
It is an incredible karma. Among the princes, the Buddha most hoped that Ananda would become a monk with him. In the heart of the foresighted Buddha, he thought: “If Ananda becomes a monk, he will be able to Shaolong the Buddha’s seed in the future and pass on the Dharma to future generations forever.” The most important thing in a great person’s career in his life is to find a successor, cultivate him, and cultivate him. Promoted, shortly after the Buddha became enlightened, he chose Ananda.
When the Buddha learned that Ananda had returned to Kapilavatthu, he immediately arrived at the palace of King Baifan and lived in the room next to Ananda. The fan fanned the wind for the Buddha. We can see from this that in Ananda’s little heart, he had long had the confidence to respect the Buddha!
Therefore, as soon as the opportunity arises, Ananda joins the Sangha together with Prince Bati and others, and becomes a monk.
2. Help women become monks
Ananda, who gradually grew up in the religious order, has a gentle and compassionate nature and a touching handsome appearance. He is the most respected person by women inside and outside the religious order. Believers, he comforts.
Without Ananda, it would be hard to say whether women are allowed to become monks or nuns in today’s Sangha.
Speaking of women in the Sangha being allowed to become monks according to the Dharma, it is entirely the power of Venerable Ananda.
The reason is that Madame Maya’s sister, Kotami, is the adoptive mother of the Buddha. She saw that within five years of the Buddha’s enlightenment, there were princes Bati, Analuddha, Ananda, and Nanda among the Sakya tribe who took refuge in the Buddha. She was ordained to become a monk, her grandson Luohouluo also became a novice, and her husband, King Jingfan, also passed away. After thinking about it, she was full of emotions, probably because her good roots sprouted, and she asked the Buddha to allow her to become a monk in the Sangha.
The first time Kao Tanmi asked, the Buddha rejected her without consideration, and her two or three requests were all rejected by the Buddha. Later, the Buddha was afraid of his aunt’s entanglement, so he led his disciples to the Namatini Abode not far from Vaisa to teach.
Mrs. Kotami was not discouraged by the Buddha’s refusal. She gathered five hundred Sakyamuni women who had the same idea as her, cut off their hair, and left Kapilavatthu with bare feet to pursue the Buddha in Vesali. It is said that Kapila is more than two thousand miles away from Vaisali. They lived in the deep palace and felt tired even going up and down the stairs.
Now they have become bhikkhunis with three robes and one bowl, and they have to go barefoot for more than 20 days. Many people on the side of the road were alarmed. They came to see these beautiful bhikkhunis with curiosity. Some even prepared a lot of food for them. Finally, they rushed to the Abode of Namotini.
It was dusk when they arrived at the monastery. They were not used to walking, and they were out of breath at this moment, and they lingered outside the door of the Vihara tired and haggard, not daring to go in. Coincidentally, just after Ananda came out, he saw Kotanmi and other five hundred females, all dressed in bhikkhuni’s clothes, covered in dust and tear-stained. Ananda, who had rich feelings for the human world, was startled. He asked They said, “What are you doing for?”
Mrs. Kao Tan Mi replied: “We are seeking the Tao. We parted with our loved ones and left our relatives. We abandoned our homes and came here to ask for ordination. If the Buddha doesn’t allow it, we will die here and never go back!”
Ananda was deeply moved by Kotanmi’s words, and he couldn’t help shedding tears, comforting them: “Don’t worry! I only see you like this, and I feel very sad. You wait here for a while.” , I ask the Buddha for permission for you.”
Ananda, who was young and full of emotion, told the wish of the five hundred women including Kotanmi to the Buddha, and asked the Buddha to have mercy on them and allow them to become monks.
The Buddha refused: “I pity them, but for the sake of Dharma transmission, you go and reject them for me.”
Ananda refused to refuse, he still told the Buddha: “Buddha! If it is someone else, I can refuse, but the other party is the Buddha’s aunt. If I have to refuse her, there will be unfortunate consequences. They said, If you die, you won’t go back.”
“Ananda! Women are not allowed to become monks in the Sangha!”
“Buddha! Is there a difference between men and women in Buddhism?” In order to speak for women, Ananda really mustered up his courage in front of the Buddha.
“Ananda! My Dharma is the same in heaven and on earth. I don’t choose men and women. I treat all sentient beings equally. Women can believe in, practice, and attain fruit according to my Dharma just like men do, but they don’t have to. To become a monk is a matter of law, not an issue of equality between men and women. Women who become monks are like barnyard grass growing in a fertile field, which will harm the harvest.”
The visionary Buddha, his words have profound meaning. Of course, according to human feelings, women should be allowed to become monks. However, according to the law, it is very difficult for both sexes to cultivate together. Wisdom and love go against the road. Maybe some people abandon the path for love. The reason why the Buddha forbids women to become monks is because of this. Or, the Buddha thought that the vanity and arrogance of women are more important than men, so he gave them a warning by not allowing them to become monks.
Seeing the resolute refusal of the Buddha, Ananda, who was so gentle that he never violated a word of the Buddha, prostrated with tears and said, “Buddha! Don’t you have the heart to see them die in vain, and can’t you extend a helping hand compassionately?”
The Buddha felt that the dharma and emotion in the world are sometimes irreconcilable, and the Buddha also knew that due to the harmony of all conditions, there is no pure, permanent and indestructible dharma in the world. The Buddha was silent for a while, and finally withdrew his idea, and said to Ananda as if he had no choice but to say, “There is really no way, you go and call them!”
As soon as the Buddha’s benevolent order came out, Ananda hurriedly went out to announce the good news joyfully. Kotami and other five hundred women were so happy that they shed tears when they heard it.
Seeing the five hundred women, the Buddha seemed to have a concern as if they were different from usual. The Buddha allowed them to become monks and nuns, but he asked them to practice the eight respects for the monks.
Thanks to Ananda’s help, the bhikkhuni’s sect was finally established. Kotami was very grateful to Ananda, and she sincerely expressed her joy: “Ananda! We can practice these eight respects, just like a beautiful woman who gets beauty. Pack.”
Ananda is such a person who is willing to help women. Today, the Sangha allows women to become monks, which is all thanks to Ananda.
Ladies, you should be grateful to Ananda.
Ananda has contributed to the women, so the women also have a special predestined relationship with him. He is the most popular figure among the women!
3. Temptation of Madanga women
Ananda was young and beautiful, so he caused a lot of trouble. Once Ananda went to the street of Savatthi City to beg for food with a bowl, and on his way back he passed a well, where a girl of the Sudra caste was drawing water. He felt that Thirsty, he stepped forward and said, “Girl! Please give me a ladle of water!”
The girl raised her head and saw that it was a solemn young monk, and she recognized him as Ananda. She looked at her attire and said in embarrassment, “My lord! How can a lowly caste be qualified to support you?”
As soon as Ananda heard this, he comforted her and said, “Girl! I am a monk, and I don’t have any distinction between high and low!”
The girl was very happy to offer Ananda the freshly drawn water. After Ananda drank it, he said thank you and walked away quietly.
The young girl, who was just beginning to fall in love, couldn’t help watching Ananda’s back. The noble appearance of the royal family, and the gentle language, seemed to have been painted on her white paper-like soul, which could never be erased. She even imagined how happy she would be if she could marry him!
When the girl returned home, she felt as if she had lost her soul. She didn’t think about food and drink, was too lazy to work, and slept on the bed all day thinking and thinking. When her mother asked her, she refused to tell at first, but after repeated questions, she asked her mother to ask Ananda to come to her house, and she hoped that he could be her husband. My mother couldn’t help but think about it. A monk who has become a monk and belongs to the caste of the royal family, how can he recruit him as his son-in-law? But her beloved daughter couldn’t ignore it. She hired a heretic who could read magic spells, and wanted to confuse Ananda with magic spells when he passed by her door when he was out begging for alms.
I don’t know if the magic spell is inspired or not, but Ananda can’t forget that this girl is also real! When he passed by the door of her house, the girl smiled at him and waved to him, and he entered the girl’s house unconsciously. The girl was both happy and ashamed. He remembered the Buddha, and the power of the Buddha was applied to him, and wisdom suddenly arose, as if being protected by the Buddha like the wind, he returned to the Gion Abode.
The next day Ananda calmed down and went for alms in the city. The strange thing was that the girl was wearing a new dress and a garland, standing on the road waiting for Ananda. When she saw Ananda, she was like a moth following a lamp, and kept going. Followed behind him and refused to leave. Ananda was so anxious that he had no choice but to return to the monastery and tell the Buddha that the Buddha told him to call the girl, and that the Buddha wanted to speak to her in person. Ananda had no choice but to go back to the door. When he saw the girl, Ananda asked her, “Why do you always follow me?”
“You’re so stupid, why are you asking this question?”
“The Buddha said he wanted to see you and told you to come with me!”
When she heard that the Buddha wanted to see her, she was shocked, but in order to get Ananda, she had to muster up the courage to go to see the Buddha. The Buddha said when he saw her: “Ananda is a person who has practiced, and I want to be his My wife must first become a monk and practice for a year, are you willing?”
“I am willing, Buddha!” The girl was surprised that the Buddha was so merciful, that he could fulfill her so easily, and she quickly agreed!
“If you become a monk according to my law, you need your parents’ permission. Can you ask your parents to prove it for you?”
The Buddha did not make things difficult for anyone, and the conditions of the Buddha were easy to fulfill. The girl immediately went back to find her mother, and the mother happily agreed in front of the Buddha’s seat that the girl should first become a monk and practice before marrying Ananda.
In order to become Ananda’s wife, the girl was very happy to shave her hair and dye her clothes, and became a bhikkhuni. She listened enthusiastically to the Buddha’s teachings, and practiced diligently in accordance with the instructions of the Buddha. In the bhikkhuni order, she managed a Buddhist life together with the bhikkhunis.
The girl’s infatuated heart is calming down day by day, and she has been a monk for less than half a year, making her know that it was a shameful act to be obsessed with love in the past.
The Buddha often preached that the five desires are the impurity and the source of suffering. Ignorant moths throw themselves into the fire and burn to death; ignorant spring silkworms bind themselves in their cocoons and get rid of the five desires, so that the heart can be pure and the life can be peaceful.
Now she has realized that her obsession with Ananda is completely unvirtuous and impure. She regretted it very much. One day, she knelt in front of the Buddha’s seat and said in tears: “Buddha! I have woken up from my dream. I will not be as foolish as I used to be. The holy fruit I have realized at this moment may surpass that of Ananda. To bhikkhu, I am very grateful to the Buddha. The Buddha has exhausted all kinds of painstaking efforts and conveniences in order to save us ignorant beings! From now on, I wish to be a bhikkhuni forever, follow in the footsteps of the Buddha, and be an envoy of truth!”
The Buddha’s earnest enlightenment finally touched her sensitive girl’s heart, and she came back to the cool world and became a model nun!
The name of this girl is the famous Matanga girl. The Buddha asked a girl of the humble Sudra caste to become a monk. In the Indian society with strict hierarchy, after the news spread, many people criticized and opposed it, but the great sage Buddha, On the contrary, he advocated the equality of the four surnames. Hundreds of rivers flowed into the ocean, and the four surnames became monks of the same Shi family. The story of the Matanga woman turning disaster into a blessing in love with Ananda’s handsomeness has left a beautiful story in the Sangha through the ages!
4. Bhikkhuni’s statement
Because Ananda was handsome and affectionate, not only secular women courted him, but even monks and nuns fell in love with him.
Ananda helped the female monks wholeheartedly, and because of his popularity, all the females, especially the bibini, respected him very much. Sometimes he was on the way of transformation with Venerable Kassapa, passing by Lanruo of the bhikkhunis. The nuns always asked Ananda for instructions first, and then invited Kasyapa. It is stronger than Ananda, but the bhikkhunis don’t care about it.
The life of a monk seems to have a battlefield in my heart, that is, the battlefield where reason and emotion fight. If reason is defeated, one can become a Buddha and become a ancestor; if emotion is defeated, one is still an ordinary person. It is impossible to ask everyone who has become a monk to look like dead wood and ashes without any human emotions.
A young bhikkhuni who lived in the Gion Abode saw Ananda’s unrestrained and elegant demeanor, and he could not forget it day and night. However, an ancient Chinese saying says that men and women are not intimate, let alone a strict monk order? Although this bhikkhuni fell in love with Ananda silently, she could not highlight the scope of the prohibition. She had no choice but to peek at Ananda.
One day, the young bhikkhuni was ill. She asked someone to bring a message to Ananda and said, “My lord! I am seriously ill now. I am afraid there is no hope for a better life. I beg your lord to be merciful and come to see me. Me once!”
Such a pitiful request moved Ananda’s heart the most. The next morning, before he went out to beg for food in his robe and bowl, he stopped by to see her. She was lying on the bed in disheveled clothes. When he saw Ananda approaching , she stared at him with passionate eyes without blinking. Ananda saw her affectionate gesture and understood everything. He immediately turned and left. He was embarrassed to look at her again.
She saw Ananda who had come. , turned around without saying a word, must be dissatisfied with her behavior, she immediately felt ashamed, got up quickly, dressed and covered the seat, caught up with Ananda, asked him to sit down, and Ananda gave a lecture after sitting down: ” You can’t use unclean things to nourish your body, you can’t cultivate your mind with arrogance, and you can’t have thoughts of touching or lust. If you are sick, put your body and mind in a state of seeking nothing, and you will be cured .”
The young bhikkhuni seemed to have forgotten her status as a monk, still lowered her head, and said affectionately: “It’s not that I don’t understand your reasoning. I can bear nothing to eat, nothing to wear. Only No matter how hard I try, I can’t restrain my love for you. People, in order to protect yourself, you have to ask for something!”
“You must not think this way. People ask for food, clothing and housing to protect themselves, and to protect themselves is to cultivate the Tao. Only by practicing the Tao can they feel at ease. The thought is only to make the car turn; those who have sores apply ghee to their bodies, not for decoration, nor for pleasure, but just to cure the sores! To cultivate our body and mind, we must cut off desires, stay away from thoughts of pleasure, and stay away from leaks Heart, the way to seek the truth, don’t be fooled by illusory and impermanent dharmas!”
After hearing this, the bhikkhuni was deeply moved, put an end to the thoughts of love and desire, and obtained the Dharma eyes.
5. Rumors about pie-sharing
Ananda often caused trouble for himself because of women’s affairs, was jealous and criticized by others, and Buddha was often troubled because of him.
However, he is different from Kaludayi, he does not go to women, but women often come to him, he has pure feelings for women, and has no desire for love, we can learn from his teachings of bhikkhunis Know.
However, no matter how pure your thoughts about women are, in the church, it seems that anything involving women is not an honorable thing, because love between a man and a woman is not a big sin, but it is always unclean Behavior.
Once, when the Buddha was living in Sravasti, a Tanyue made a lot of glutinous rice cakes to offer. The Buddha asked Ananda to distribute the rice cakes to the bhikkhus. He then distributed to the poor in Savatthi!
Ananda followed the instructions of the Buddha and called poor people to come to receive cakes. In this gathering, there were thousands of poor people. Ananda looked at the number of people, and then looked at the rice cakes. It would be no problem for each person to share one.
When Ananda was distributing the cakes, there was a beautiful girl who was nude and heretical. Just when Ananda was about to share them with him, unfortunately, two cakes were stuck together and could not be separated. It was an unintentional thing to give it to him as a person, but seeing this situation for people who are accustomed to gossip, aroused great resentment among them, jealousy and curiosity at the same time, and many people talked about it He said: “Handsome Ananda, distributed double portions of rice cakes to beautiful girls. Could it be that they had a special friendship very early?”
Ananda was very upset when he heard people say that. Thinking of the fear of people’s words, he really didn’t know how to behave. Especially as a practitioner, there are many disadvantages. People in the society think that practitioners should endure humiliation, and they always like to hurt practitioners’ hearts with cynicism!
The Buddha often taught his disciples to avoid social ridicule, especially the issue of men and women. No matter how good your practice is, if someone criticizes you for having an affair with a woman, you should not be elated. In fact, there are no ascetics who have not yet attained the holy fruit. It is impossible to say that you will not be tempted by women at all.
However, ascetics have a stronger line of defense against love and desire, and their vigilance is stronger. Ananda often feels distressed by women. Once when he was thinking in a quiet place, he thought: “Everyone in the world is born of love and desire. Every day The life is also in the rolling love and desire without getting tired. People like to pursue love on the one hand, but on the other hand they like to laugh at the relationship between others and love. reason.”
Ananda had never thought about this problem so seriously. This time, because he wanted to give an extra piece of rice cake to a beautiful girl, which aroused ridicule, he thought about this problem so painfully. When the sun was setting, he sat up and slowly He dressed himself up, came before the Buddha, and told the Buddha how he felt. After the Buddha heard this, he also said something about his past cause: “Ananda!
You are right. People are immersed in the sea of desire and never tire. The people can subdue the wicked without a sword and stick, but he can’t satisfy the limited land, so he tries to conquer other countries, and people everywhere praise the virtue of the top-born king, and the desires of the people in the land are satisfied.
He was also imprisoned by beauty, many beauties served him day and night, he was not satisfied, he wanted to stab the king of other countries to death, and seize the queen, because of his insatiable greed, indulging in the sea of sex, the slackness of the king’s government, and finally the people’s dissatisfaction boiled over. The regime collapsed, and he spent his old age miserably!
“Ananda! Desires are endless, and their harm is so great. The so-called supreme king is my previous life.”
After listening to the teachings of the Buddha, Ananda also knew that a gentle person like him needs to work hard to stay away from the problem of lust!
6. Be Buddha’s attendant
Because Ananda in the Buddha’s mind was a person of Shaolong Buddha’s species, but he had a lot of women. In order to allow Ananda to control himself and concentrate on cultivating the Tao, the Buddha wanted Ananda to be his attendant.
This is the twenty-second year of the Buddha’s enlightenment, and the Buddha is already fifty-three years old. At that time, the Buddha was living in the Bamboo Grove Abode, and Ananda was chosen as the Buddha’s attendant.
Before that, not long after the Buddha first became enlightened, Shariputra and Moggallana served the Buddha, and later Nagabharabhi also served the Buddha. It can be said that in the past twenty years, the Buddha did not have a constant attendant. The monks take turns.
Probably because the Buddha was getting old and needed a constant attendant, the disciples of the bhikkhu gathered together and recommended someone who could serve the Buddha to be the attendant. There were many disciples gathered this time. Among these people, Kochen Ru First of all, he stood up and recommended the Buddha’s attendant. He is one of the five monks and an old minister who followed the Buddha when he practiced asceticism.
It can be said that he is the first person to have a monk. Although he is older than the Buddha, he has the desire to serve the Buddha all his life. Sincerely, but the Buddha did not allow him, the Buddha said he was old, as long as he can take care of himself, and later there were many people who asked to be allowed to be servants, the Buddha asked them to go everywhere to preach the Dharma and thanked them, at this time Maggallana Knowing what the Buddha meant, he and Shariputra came to persuade Ananda and said, “Bhikkhu Ananda! The Buddha meant you to be his attendant. For example, if you open a window on the east side of a pavilion, the sun will shine on the west wall first. You are young and promising. , smart and gentle, we hope you can bear it!”
After Ananda heard this, he declined because of the heavy responsibility. After the persuasion of Moggallana and Shariputra, Ananda put forward three conditions: 1. The
Buddha’s clothes, whether new or old, he should not wear.
2. If a believer asks the Buddha to make an offering, he will not serve him.
3. He does not go to see the Buddha when he is not there, and is willing to serve the Buddha otherwise.
Moggallana and Shariputra conveyed Ananda’s intentions to the Buddha, and conveyed Ananda’s conditions to the Buddha. The Buddha was not only not angry, but also praised with great joy: “Ananda is really a monk of character. His request , is to avoid ridicule, it is a necessary precaution. Because Ananda Bhikkhu is afraid of being criticized by others, saying that Ananda serves the Buddha for the sake of clothing, and Ananda serves the Buddha for the sake of food. He knows how to take precautions. request.”
From then on, Ananda became the Buddha’s servant. At this time, he was only in his twenties. During his twenty-seven years of serving the Buddha, he acted in accordance with the Buddha’s will, followed the teachings, and followed the Buddha. With such karma, the Buddhadharma like the sea flowed into Ananda’s heart completely.
The young Ananda, who followed the Buddha every day, was rare. He seemed to be the mediator between the Buddha and the monks.
In the Sangha, he always maintained a humble, reverent, and ashamed heart. Many believers converted to Buddhism because of Ananda’s relationship. , but when he takes responsibility, he becomes more mature.
7. Friendship Act Love
Ananda, who has become the Buddha’s attendant but has not yet enlightened, is respected as the head of the Sangha, especially his gentle character, so that everyone who comes into contact with him feels as if he is bathed in spring breeze. When he gets along with others, he never highlights his own strengths and shows others’ weaknesses. He always conceals evil and promotes good, tries his best to help others, and tries his best to facilitate others. Breaking evil, he never wants to cut off human flesh to mend his own skin, he is like a warm spring sun, slowly melting ice.
When Ananda lived in the Bamboo Grove Abode, he made Jugana heretics dare not ask questions to the Sangha. When he was in Qushiluo Garden, he moved Chanda heretics to practice Buddhism happily. Although Ananda did not He is eloquent and eloquent, but from his popularity among heretics, we can know his absorbing power.
Because of Ananda’s popularity, he has many friends among laymen and monks. His demeanor can predict his temperament, he loves lay people like a loving mother, and respects the elders above him like a father.
Ananda had an old secular friend, Lu Yi, who lived in Popa City. One day, when the Buddha led his disciples to visit, the Mora people in the city were very happy to welcome them. He was fined a hundred taels of gold. Lu Yi had no faith in Buddhism, and he did not respect any monks except Ananda, not even Buddha.
However, on this day, Lu Yi was in the procession to welcome the Buddha. When Ananda saw him, he asked him in surprise. He still greeted him warmly. However, during the break shortly after arriving, Ananda told the Buddha about Lu Yi’s personality. The Buddha gave him a lot of teachings, and he finally understood it happily, and he decided to take refuge in the Three Jewels and abide by the Five Precepts.
Later, Lu Yi often made offerings to the Buddha with clothes, medicine, bedding and so on. Originally they were old friends, but now they share the same belief, which made Ananda regard his home as his own.
One day, Ananda was short of a piece of clothing, so he went to Lu Yi’s house to ask for it. Unfortunately, Lu Yi was not at home that day. Ananda thought that since he came, he would not return empty-handed, so he called Lu Yi impolitely. His wife took out the suitcase and took a random one back. When Lu Yi came back and heard what his wife said, he immediately went to visit Ananda. Coats?”
Ananda replied, “Good clothes, I don’t need them now. I made that clothes into bath towels for you and gave them to the monk in the seat.”
The relationship between the two of them was so close, of course some people in the religious order objected to this unfettered attitude, but the Buddha never stopped Ananda’s behavior.
Ananda, who became a waiter, was not as active and enterprising as Shariputra and Moggallana, but he was not as conservative as Kassapa, because a gentle person always had a moderate disposition.
Ananda once assisted the Buddha in persuading Kudo Bhikkhu, who was going to return to the vulgarity for love, to come back, and encouraged him to practice, so that he could achieve fruition; She and Shariputra discussed the Tao, discussed issues such as “destruction” and “six touches”; talked about various issues in the city of Balian Phra and Baduluo; explained the main points of Taoism for the monks in the country of Kusuimi; The Buddha went to preach at the invitation of the bhikkhu; he admired Maggallana’s filial piety and preached Fuluna’s teaching. His love for the Fa, both inside and outside of the teaching, has fully demonstrated that he has fulfilled the duty of a great disciple.
8. Biggest Regret
The regret of Ananda’s life is that he has an older brother, Devadatta.
Devadatta was also one of the seven princes who became a monk at the time. Perhaps he became a monk just to join in the fun, not to really become a monk. Therefore, after he became a monk, he was not at ease in practicing Taoism.
Devadatta, who is the older brother, and Ananda, who is the younger brother, have completely different temperaments. Devadatta was born with an ambition and a restless nature. The Buddha once advised him to return to lay life as a lay disciple to protect and uphold the Dharma, and he must not cause trouble in the Sangha, but he refused to accept the Buddha’s advice.
He wanted the Buddha to teach him the method of learning supernatural powers, but the Buddha told him to purify his body and mind first, and not to be greedy for supernatural powers, because supernatural powers cannot represent virtue. When the Buddha rejected him, he was very unconvinced, so he asked Shariputra, Moggallana and other big arhat monks to teach him to learn supernatural powers. Shariputra and others knew his habits and rejected them, and just taught him to observe the principles of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and selflessness that the Buddha said.
Devadatta’s rebellious heart gradually expanded. He felt that if he did not kill the Buddha, he would not be able to vent his resentment, and he would not have his world in the future.
Once Ananda followed the Buddha at the foot of Mount Qijaburi, and happened to be seen by Devadatta who was playing on the top of the mountain. He felt that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he pushed a huge stone down from the mountain to hurt the Buddha. The younger brother Ananda followed behind, and without any sympathy for his fellow countrymen, he pushed the boulder down. The Buddha did not dodge, but Ananda fled far away.
The boulder rolled beside the Buddha. After a while, Ananda panicked. He came to ask the Buddha, “Buddha! Is there anything wrong? This may be my brother Devadatta trying to kill the Buddha again. I am so embarrassed. The Buddha’s situation is too dangerous.”
The Buddha replied peacefully: “Ananda! It is impossible to use violence or conspiracy to harm the Buddha. In the past, Devadatta sent evil men to assassinate him. Later, he released drunken elephants to kick him. Now he is throwing huge stones. Don’t be sad. Everyone should do their own karma, the Buddha’s situation is not dangerous, I think it is you who are in danger, look at your appearance just now.”
After all, Ananda’s self-cultivation was not as good as that of the Buddha. He smiled shyly, “The Buddha saw how I panicked and frightened just now.”
The Buddha also smiled, patted Ananda with his hands, and then moved forward again.
Not long after the stone-throwing incident, one day Ananda accompanied the Buddha to go out to travel. On the road, he met Devadatta and many people who came to meet him. The Buddha quickly avoided the road and took another path. Although he was always gentle Ananda, who was also agitated at this moment, said unhappily, “Buddha! Why do you avoid Devadatta? He is a disciple of the Buddha. Does the Buddha still fear him?”
Knowing that Ananda was upset, the Buddha comforted him and said, “Ananda! I’m not afraid of him, but I don’t want to meet him. Why should I meet a fool? It’s like hitting a vicious dog, and the vicious dog barks even more. He is full of evil thoughts now. Just ignore him, okay?”
The master gave way to the disciples. Even today, there are still many disciples like Devadatta.
Ananda heard the Buddha’s words, although he still felt dissatisfied, he didn’t say anything more.
Once, Devadatta came to disturb the Buddha’s ashram. The Buddha was sitting in the meditation room, and he said loudly in the assembly hall: “You who believe in me, stand up!”
None of the Buddha’s disciples paid any attention to him, and he rebuked Ananda, “Ananda! You are my younger brother, how dare you disbelieve me!”
Ananda, who had always been gentle and refined, had reached the point where he couldn’t bear it at this moment, and replied unceremoniously: “You are lucky today. If the Venerable Sariputta and Moggallana were present, you would not allow you to be presumptuous. The Buddha is already at this moment. I’m sitting in meditation, please don’t shout, you are so vicious, thinking of your unfortunate retribution in the future, I’m really sad for you!”
Devadatta was so angry that he almost wanted to beat Ananda, but when he saw Ananda who had never been so angry, he didn’t dare to stretch out his hand and had to leave without making a sound.
Soon, Devadatta’s evil karma appeared, and he died a miserable death, but in Ananda’s heart, he always felt that it was a lifelong regret to have such a brother!
9. The Prophecy of Dreams
Ananda has been the Buddha’s attendant for twenty-seven years. He is very observant. When monks, nuns and lay believers come to visit the Buddha, he can always arrange the appropriate time. Especially the monks who came from far away to see the Buddha, they always like to talk to Ananda first before meeting the Buddha, because Ananda has kind comfort to them. The bhikkhunis love to listen to Ananda’s teachings the most.
When Ananda says: “Everyone! Keep the holy precepts carefully!” They always accept it happily. Lay believers, male and female, also like to listen to Ananda’s teachings. Ananda always teaches them to respect the Three Jewels, observe the Five Precepts, serve their parents, and make offerings to the Sangha. Lay men and women love to listen to him and don’t want him to be silent. He is still an unenlightened person, but he already possesses these virtues. He followed the Buddha to spread the Dharma in various places, and the time passed quickly, and he was already in his fifties in a blink of an eye.
One day, when the Buddha was speaking to King Pasenadi in the Puhui Lecture Hall in Savatthi City, Ananda’s face showed a sad look. The Buddha asked him why he was like this. Ananda said that he dreamed of seven strange things in one night. Only then will I feel a little panicked. The Buddha asked again, “Which seven things did you dream about?”
“Buddha! My first dream was that great rivers, rivers, and seas were all set ablaze, and the flames shot straight into the sky!”
After the Buddha heard this, his complexion changed, and he explained as if he was touched: “Ananda! The saint does not need to talk about dreams, but your dream is indeed strange. The sea and rivers are burned by fire. This is a symbol of the monks in the future monks. , Evil is rebellious, kindness is few, get offerings, and fight again, this is like clear water turning into flames. What about your second dream?”
“Buddha! I dreamed that the sun will disappear, the world of Saha will be dark, and there will be no stars in the sky!
The Buddha, who was nearly eighty years old, explained with great emotion: “Ananda! The Buddha will soon pass into Nirvana, and all his great disciples will also pass into Nirvana. This means that the eyes of humans and gods will disappear soon. What about your third dream?”
“Buddha! I dreamed that monks don’t wear cassocks according to the Buddha’s rules, and monks and sanghas fall into a pit, and lay people step on their heads!”
The Buddha sighed and said: “Ananda! This is a hint that the future monks will hold lectures on the scriptures. They will preach orally, but they will not practice them. They will be jealous of each other, not afraid of cause and effect, and finally fall. They entered the monastery, slandered the monks, destroyed the pagodas and temples, what about your fourth dream?”
“Buddha! I dreamed that the bhikkhu’s robes were not complete, and he was wandering among the thorns!”
The Buddha looked a little excited and said, “Ananda! This is to say that the future bhikkhu will abandon his dharma robes, abandon precepts and enjoy customs, and have a wife. This is really a misfortune for Dafa! Where is your fifth dream?”
“Buddha! I dreamed that in the dense forest, there were many boars crawling and digging up the roots of the big sandalwood tree!”
The Buddha said with a sad look: “Oh! This means that the future monks only plan to make a living. They sell the Tathagata and sell scriptures for a living. What about your sixth dream?”
“Buddha! I dreamed that elephants disliked small elephants. The lion king of all beasts died, and the famous flowers were sprinkled on his head. The beasts were still fearful and shunned, but soon there were worms in their bodies, and they ate lion meat!”
The Buddha shook his head helplessly and said: “Elephants abandon small elephants. This means that the elder monks of the Sangha in the future are selfish and unwilling to promote young juniors! Lion worms eat lion meat. This means that no heretics can destroy Buddha. Fa-rectification, or my monks and lay disciples, self-defeating my Dharma! Where is your seventh dream?”
“I dreamed that Mount Sumeru was on top of my head, and I didn’t feel the weight!”
The Buddha’s gloomy expression eased a little, and he said, “Ananda! This means that the Buddha will enter Nirvana three months later. All the great monks and the people of the heavens will rely on you to teach and enlighten the scriptures and compile the Dharma Code!”
Ananda’s seven dreams, as explained by the Buddha, predicted the future decline of Buddhism and the changes of the times. In particular, worms on lions eat lion meat. This is a satire on the disciples of monks and laymen today. Such teachings are a cruel and painful thing for us!
We can guess that in the later years of the Buddha, for Ananda’s dream, he explained so emotionally, and the heavy heart can be imagined. How can we, who are ashamed in the end of the Dharma era, please the Buddha? Let these prophecies not become a reality !
10. Nirvana’s Bedtime Questions
Forty-nine years after the Buddha became enlightened, he returned from movement to tranquility. The Buddha announced that he had entered Nirvana among the double sala trees in Kushinagara City, more than 30 miles away from Kapilavatthu.
Just as the setting sun casts a wonderful radiance, the Buddha specially emitted a different light before Nirvana. Ananda, who was serving the Buddha, was inspired by the Buddha, and his virtue and wisdom gradually matured.
The Buddha lay auspiciously on the bed laid by Ananda for him, with his head facing north and west. At this time, the sun had set and darkness gradually enveloped the world. The Sala tree bloomed when it was not blooming. There was no night breeze and beautiful petals Pieces were scattered around the Eucharist. Ananda knelt beside the Buddha’s pillow and asked softly, “Buddha! What attitude should we adopt towards women in the future? Please tell me the Buddha again!”
The Buddha looked at the great disciples kneeling around the bed, and then said to Ananda: “Ananda! Those who want to be free from afflictions and realize enlightenment cannot put women in their hearts. You have to look at old women. Be your own mother, older women are your elder sisters, and younger women are your younger sisters, Ananda! You must remember my words well!”
After the Buddha answered the above questions, he explained the details of the pilgrimage, the building of the pagoda, and so on. Ananda, who was emotionally fragile, thought that this was the last commandment of the Buddha, and felt sad for a while, and he couldn’t help but shed tears. He dared not kneel again In front of the Buddha’s bed, I hurried to the garden and cried!
Ananda thought that the Buddha was going to Nirvana, and all the other great disciples were enlightened, but he was the only one who will be enlightened in the future? Thinking that from now on, there will be no mentor to serve him again, he feels heartbroken!
Seeing that Ananda was not around, the Buddha asked someone to call him. The Buddha said to him again: “Ananda, don’t be sad! Where there is meeting, there will be parting. Where there is prosperity, there will be decline. I am not always with you. Say? The world is impermanent, life is bound to die, and a broken car needs to be repaired, which is not a long-term solution. The active body will be destroyed, and the Buddha will take care of you in the dharma nature. You serve me For so long, hardworking and patient, you have no flaws for me, I will repay you with this merit. If you cultivate the Tao diligently, you will soon be free from the bondage of afflictions, and you will be able to achieve enlightenment and fruition!”
When the Buddha said this, Ananda was so grateful that he couldn’t make a sound. The Buddha looked at everyone again and said to everyone: “Bhikkhus! Ananda has served me very faithfully for many years. He is very gentle and kind. He never forgets what he heard. Can shine brightly in the world!”
Ananda covered his face with his hands and wept away from the Buddha. At this time, there was a full moon in the middle of February, and the silent light shone on the Sala Forest like flowing water, and the Buddha’s quiet but noble heart also illuminated all the people in the forest. This is a touching and solemn scene that cannot be experienced. Everyone present is weeping sadly at this time, even the enlightened saints are the same.
Everyone is crying, but what is the use of crying like this? The most important thing is to ask the Buddha about how to make the Dharma last for a long time. After everyone discussed it, they brought Ananda back and recommended him to ask the Buddha:
“First, after the Buddha’s Nirvana, who did he take as his teacher?
Second, after the Buddha’s Nirvana, what did he live in?
Third, after the Buddha’s Nirvana, how did the wicked subdue them?
Fourth, after the Buddha’s Nirvana, how can the collection of classics be called people? A letter?”
The Buddha still replied with kindness and kindness as usual: “Ananda! You and everyone should remember well that you should follow the precepts as teachers and abide by the four foundations of mindfulness. If I hear it, it will make people believe. If you follow the law, it will be where my Dharmakaya is always!”
Everyone was even more moved after listening to the words of the Buddha! more sad!
What an authoritative voice this is!
The Buddha just entered Nirvana in Anyang!
Disciples from all directions gathered when they heard about the Buddha’s Nirvana. Ananda thought that few women could come to pay homage to the Buddha before he was alive, so he first let the bhikkhunis and lay believers come to worship the Buddha’s body. From this we can see that he will always be Sympathizers of women!
11. Participate in the Assembly Ceremony
After the Buddha’s Nirvana, Ananda, who was like a baby who had left his loving mother, returned to the Abode alone after the completion of the ceremony of the Buddha’s Davi, thinking of his teacher Buddha. I locked myself in my room to meditate, only drank a little milk every day, didn’t eat anything, didn’t talk about anything, just lived and meditated like this, a total of three days passed!
Three days later, he rushed to the southern city of Rajagha, because there was a gathering of the Buddha’s scriptures on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month. Although Ananda had not yet become enlightened, he played an extremely important role in the Buddha’s teachings. I can’t help but forget myself for the Dharma and go to serve the Buddha’s dharma body, wisdom and life.
On the way, he made a detour to Vaisali country once, and some monks who followed him separated from him and went on their own. Suddenly, he endured silently, not daring to reason with Venerable Kassapa.
Now we still say that Ananda made a detour to Vajra Village in Vaishali country. It was more than a month after the Buddha passed away. Ananda was the frequent disciple of the Buddha. Gather in the monastery every day and ask Ananda to speak for them day and night. Ananda has no way to refuse, he can only obey everyone’s wishes, and explain to everyone here conveniently.
At this time, Bhikkhu Bhajava was also in this monastery. Because of the gathering of believers, the noise of walking and talking was very loud, and those noisy voices reached Bhajava’s ears, preventing him from meditating quietly. He is a big bhikkhu who entered the Tao and proved the fruit, so he hated Ananda very much for not seeking enlightenment, but only preaching for everyone. He even uttered gatha to mock Ananda.
Ananda was hit by this, and dared not argue. After all, he was a person who had not yet been enlightened. The residence of Rajagha was imminent. He could guess the task of reciting the scriptures. What’s the benefit of playing rap? With a gentle nature, he is ready to go south. It’s not that he doesn’t know the extent of his practice, but he was born with a character that is easy to be dominated by the wishes of the masses. He has always been agitated by the vulgar, has been taught by others, and has been ridiculed by some people who claim to be Taoists. Blame, like a sharp arrow, hurt his heart greatly. From then on, he vowed to turn his outward heart inward, praying for early enlightenment.
When Ananda arrived at Rajagha, it was already the day before the collection of scriptures. At this time, Venerable Kasyapa, who was promoted as the first seat, selected 500 monks to participate. Tota has not yet attained enlightenment, so his name is not included.
Of course, Mahakasyapa also recognized Ananda’s strengths, especially the Buddha’s words, which he could never forget, but he was afraid that if such an important event was also attended by Ananda, who had not stopped his troubles and practiced, for the Buddha who had passed Nirvana, And for the sentient beings in future generations, I don’t know what mistakes will be caused. Although Ananda was not enlightened, his rich emotions and his harmonious relationship with everyone gave him the power to control everyone. Therefore, when everyone recommended Ananda, Kassapa said:
“Ananda is not yet enlightened, and I know he is a lion, but now he is like a lion among wild bulls!”
Venerable Anaru also held the same view as Kasyapa, which gave Ananda another unexpected blow. However, the flexible Ananda, if you press him hard, the higher he jumps, the blow is his boost. Shangyuan, he is not discouraged, just like plum blossoms in winter, they have to pass through a severe cold and snowstorm to bloom extraordinarily fragrant, so that night, he practiced hard, meditated, let go of everything, and enlightened in the middle of the night Evidence. The next day, he discovered his supernatural powers and entered the cave without waiting for the door to open.
At this moment, Ananda’s Taoist appearance and demeanor were as radiant as the bright moon that just came out of the clouds, and as beautiful as a lotus blooming under the sunshine. All the great monks welcomed him with amazed eyes. Under the leadership of Mahakassapa, he was pushed to the lion seat by all the monks, and he began to recite: “So I heard, for a while, the Buddha was in a certain place…”, he recited all the memories, and all the monks present Once again, the monks received the teachings of the Buddha. Everyone was very grateful, like the Venerable Chen Ru’s aging body, who couldn’t bear the gratitude and finally fainted.
The original classics, the so-called “Long Ahan”, “Middle Ahan”, “Miscellaneous Ahan”, “Zengyi Ahan”, as well as “The Paraphrase Sutra” and “Dharma Sentence Sutra” are all the famous first scriptures. It was recited by Venerable Ananda in the second assembly of the holy scriptures conference.
12. Nirvana over the Ganges
After the Buddha’s Nirvana, the person who inherited the Buddha’s mantle was the elder Kasyapa, who was revered as the head. Twenty years later, Kassapa was over a hundred years old, and he went to Jizu Mountain to Nirvana. Before he left, he passed on the Buddha’s family property to Ananda. At the age of nearly eighty years, Ananda inherited the legal system, as naturally as spring blossoms and autumn fruits. This was the Buddha’s hope for him at the beginning.
In this way, the Dharma spread peacefully under the support of King Ajashi. Since the death of Kassapa, Ananda is probably the only disciple who has been close to the Buddha. He was getting taller every year. When he was one hundred and twenty years old, one day he was passing by and heard a young monk reciting the verses spoken by the Buddha. What the monk was reciting was: “If life A hundred years old and not seeing the water crane is worse than being born for one day and being able to see it.”
As soon as Ananda heard that this verse was recited so wrongly that it could be said that the bull’s head was wrong, he sincerely stepped forward to correct the verse and should recite it as follows: “If you live a hundred years and don’t understand the law of arising and ceasing, why not One day after birth, you will be able to solve it.”
After the young bhikkhu heard Ananda’s teaching, he went back and told his master, but the master was unhappy and said to the young bhikkhu, “Don’t listen to Ananda’s nonsense. Ananda is old and has lost his life. Memory and wisdom, what I teach you will not be wrong.”
After hearing what the master said, the young monk went to tell Ananda again. After hearing this, Ananda wanted to go to his master and ask him why he said such stupid words? Later, he thought about it, talking to this kind of person, he would not listen to you, so he stopped. Ananda, who has always been gentle and sympathetic, ruled the sect at that time and had supreme religious authority, but he still took patience as the foundation of his life.
However, the 120-year-old man, who is also an enlightened sage, has long since lost the slightest nostalgia for the world. After this incident, he became more and more disgusted with the world. He thought: “There is really no way out in this world. Not long after the Buddha Nirvana, there are only so many people who misunderstand the Dharma, not to mention those who have wrong knowledge and views in the future sects.
I recite the Dafa for the Buddha, but people are self-seeking and self-attached, and they do not follow the law. I am in the world. What’s the use?” When Ananda thought this way, he naturally missed the Buddha, and even thought of Sariputra, Moggallana, Mahakassapa and other great disciples, and he continued to think: “Ah! These people follow like birds. Entering Nirvana like a hurricane, among the many saints, I am the only one left now, like a forest that has been cut down, even a single tree can’t keep out the wind and rain, the world is very lonely, let me enter Nirvana too!”
With such an idea in mind, Ananda made up his mind to entrust the responsibility of spreading Dafa to his disciples Shangna and Xiu who had been cultivated for a long time, and took up his bowl and walked to the Ganges River in the north. Because at this time King Ajatha of Magadha was about to start a war with Vaishali, Ananda thought that if he died in Magadha, the remains would not be distributed to Vaishali. They will not distribute the remains to Magadha, so he intends to enter Nirvana over the middle of the Ganges River at the junction of the two countries.
When King Ajashi heard the news that Ananda was going to Nirvana, he almost fainted. He quickly led his men and horses to chase after him. When he reached the bank of the Ganges, Ananda was already in the middle of the Ganges by boat. Immediately, he threw himself on the ground and shouted loudly: “The most supreme and comfortable Buddha! Please be merciful and give us the silent venerable! The venerable lord who is the lamp of the three worlds! Please come back!”
On the other side of the bank, the people from Vaisali also shouted in the same way, and Ananda said loudly in the boat: “I have considered the enmity between your two countries, so I came to the middle of the Ganges River to perish, so that each of your two countries can have their own benefits. Bust!”
After Ananda finished speaking, he sat in the void, entered the fire-light samadhi, entered Nirvana, divided the holy body into two halves, and built a pagoda for the two countries to make offerings to. One is in the Dalin Chongge Lecture Hall in the north of Vaisali City, and the other is next to the Bamboo Forest Abode outside Rajagha City. Because of the karma of Ananda’s demise, Magadha and Vaisali countries resolved their suspicions and repaired them. They stopped fighting and saved the lives and property of tens of millions of people. Venerable Ananda’s sacrifice is really great and noble!
Venerable Ananda passed away, his contributions to the Buddha, his contribution to the Dharma, and his gentle, kind, humble and tolerant personality, every time the spring winds and autumn rains, people’s nostalgia will increase even more!
