The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 22: Sariputta and Moggallana
At that time Sariputta and Maggallana,
two Brahmans and chiefs of the followers of Sanyjaya,
led a religious life.
They had promised each other:
"He who first attains Nirvana shall tell the other one." [1]
Sariputta seeing the venerable Assaji begging for alms,
modestly keeping his eyes to the ground degnified to deportment, exclaimed:
"Truly this samana has entered the right path;
I will ask him in whose name he has retired from the world
and what doctrine he professes."
Being addressed by Sariputta, Assaji replied:
"I am a follower of the Buddha, the Blessed One,
but being a novice I can tell you the substance only of the doctrine." [2]
Said Sariputta:
"Tell me, venerable monk, it is the substance I want."
And Assaji recited the stanza: [3]
- "The Buddha did cause unfold
- Of all the things that spring from causes.
- And further the great sage had told
- How finally all passion pauses." [4]
Having heard this stanza, Sariputta obtained the pure and spotless eye of truth and said:
"Now I see clearly, whatsoever is subject to origination is also subject to cessation.
If this be the doctrine I have reached the state to enter Nirvana
which heretofore has remained hidden from me." [5]
Sariputta went to Moggallana and told him, and both said:
"We will go to the Blessed One, that he, the Blessed One, may by our teacher." [6]
When the Buddha saw Sariputta and Moggallana coming from afar, he said to his disciples,
"These two monks are highly auspicious." [7]
When the two friends had taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha,
the Holy One said to his other disciples:
"Sariputta, life the first-born son of a world-ruling monarch,
is well able to assist the king as his chief follower
to set the wheel of the law rolling." [8]
And the people were annoyed.
Seeing that many distinguished young men of the kingdom of Magadha
led a religious life under the direction of the Blessed One,
they became angry and murmured:
"Gotama Sakyamuni induces fathers to leave their wives
and causes families to become extinct." [9]
When they saw the bhikkhus, they reviled them, saying:
"The great Sakyamuni has come to Rajagaha subduing the minds of men.
Who will be the next to be led astray by him?" [10]
The bhikkhus told it to the Blessed One, and the Blessed One said:
"This murmuring, O bhikkhus, will not last long.
It will last seven days.
If they revile you, O bhikkhus,
answer them with these words: [11]
"'It is by preaching the truth that Tathagatas lead men.
Who will murmur at the wise? Who will blame the virtuous?
Who will condemn self-control, righteousness, and kindness?'" [12]
And the Blessed One proclaimed this verse:
- "Commit no wrong but good deeds do
- And let thy heart be pure.
- All Buddhas teach this doctrine true
- Which will for aye endure." [13]
Continue Reading
- The Gospel of Buddha: Preface
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 01: Rejoice
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 02: Samsara and Nirvana
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 03: Truth the Saviour
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 04: The Bodhisatta's Birth
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 05: The Ties of Life
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 06: The Three Woes
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 07: The Bodhisatta's Renunciation
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 08: King Bimbisara
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 09: The Bodhisatta's Search
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 10: Uruvela, the Place of Mortification
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 11: Mara, the Evil One
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 12: Enlightenment
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 13: The First Converts
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 14: Brahma's Request
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 15: Upaka
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 16: The Sermon at Benares
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 17: The Sangha
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 18: Yasa, the Youth of Benares
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 19: Kassapa
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 20: The Sermon at Rajagaha
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 21: The King's Gift
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 22: Sariputta and Moggallana
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 23: Anathapindika
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 24: The Sermon on Charity
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 25: Jetavana
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 26: The Three Characteristics and the Uncreate
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 27: The Buddha's Father
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 28: Yasodhara
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 29: Rahula
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 30: Jivaka, the Physician
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 31: The Buddha's Parents Attain Nirvana
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 32: Women Admitted to the Sangha
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 33: The Bhikkhus' Conduct Toward Women
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 34: Visakha
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 35: The Uposatha and Patimokkha
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 36: The Schism
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 37: The Re-establishment of Concord
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 38: The Bhikkhus Rebuked
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 39: Devadatta
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 40: Name and Form
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 41: The Goal
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 42: Miracles Forbidden
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 43: The Vanity of Worldliness
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 44: Secrecy and Publicity
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 45: The Annihilation of Suffering
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 46: Avoiding the Ten Evils
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 47: The Preacher's Mission
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 48: The Dhammapada
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 49: The Two Brahmans
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 50: Guard the Six Quarters
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 51: Simha's Question Concerning Annihilation
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 52: All Existence is Spiritual
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 53: Identity and Non-Identity
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 54: The Buddha Omnipresent
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 55: One Essence, One Law, One Aim
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 56: The Lesson Given to Rahula
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 57: The Sermon on Abuse
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 58: The Buddha Replies to the Deva
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 59: Words of Instruction
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 60: Amitabha
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 61: The Teacher Unknown
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 62: Parables
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 63: The Widow's Two Mites and the Parable of the Three Merchants
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 64: The Man Born Blind
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 65: The Lost Son
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 66: The Giddy Fish
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 67: The Cruel Crane Outwitted
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 68: Four Kinds of Merit
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 69: The Light of the World
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 70: Luxurious Living
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 71: The Communication of Bliss
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 72: The Listless Fool
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 73: Rescue in the Desert
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 74: The Sower
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 75: The Outcast
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 76: The Woman at the Well
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 77: The Peacemaker
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 78: The Hungry Dog
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 79: The Despot
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 80: Vasavadatta
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 81: The Marriage-Feast in Jambunada
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 82: A Party in Search of a Thief
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 83: In the Realm of Yamaraja
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 84: The Mustard Seed
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 85: Following the Master Over the Stream
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 86: The Sick Bhikkhu
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 87: The Patient Elephant
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 88: The Conditions of Welfare
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 89: Sariputta's Faith
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 90: Pataliputta
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 91: The Mirror of Truth
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 92: Ambapali
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 93: The Buddha's Farewell Address
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 94: The Buddha Announces His Death
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 95: Chunda, the Smith
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 96: Metteyya
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 97: The Buddha's Final Entering into Nirvana
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 98: The Three Personalities of the Buddha
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 99: The Purpose of Being
- The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 100: The Praise of All the Buddhas