THE TEACHING OF THE DHAMMA
Happy is the birth of Buddhas.
Happy is the teaching of the sublime Dhamma.
Happy is the unity of the Sangha.
Happy is the discipline of the united ones.
Dhp v. 194
The Conversion of Yasa and his Friends
n Benares there was a millionaire’s son, named Yasa,
who led luxurious life. Yasa’s mother was the first to notice the absence of
her son and she reported the matter to her husband. The millionaire
immediately dispatched
horsemen in four directions and he himself went
towards
Isipatana, following the imprint of the golden
slippers. The Buddha saw
him coming from afar and, by his psychic powers,
willed that he should
not be able to see his son.
The millionaire approached the Buddha and respectfully
inquired
whether he had seen his son Yasa.
“Well, then, sit down here please. You will be able to
see your son,”
said the Buddha. Pleased with the happy news, he sat
down. The Buddha
delivered a discourse to him, and he was so delighted
that he
exclaimed:
“Excellent, O Lord, excellent! It is as if, Lord, a
man were to set
upright that which was overturned, or were to reveal
that which was
hidden, or were to point out the way to one who had
gone astray, or
were to hold a lamp amidst the darkness, so that those
who have eyes
may see! Even so has the doctrine been expounded in
various ways by
the Exalted One.
“I, Lord, take refuge in the Buddha, the doctrine and
the order. May
the Lord receive me as a follower, who has taken
refuge from this very
day to life’s end!”
He was the first lay follower to seek refuge with the
threefold
formula.
On hearing the discourse delivered to his father, Yasa
attained arahantship.
Thereupon the Buddha withdrew his will-power so that
Yasa’s
father could see his son. The millionaire beheld his
son and invited the
Buddha and his disciples for alms on the following
day. The Buddha
expressed his acceptance of the invitation by his
silence.
After the departure of the millionaire Yasa begged the
Buddha to
grant him the lesser
103
and the higher ordination.
“Come, O bhikkhu! Well taught is the doctrine. Lead
the holy life to
on him the higher ordination.
104
With the Venerable Yasa the number of arahants
increased to six.
As invited, the Buddha visited the millionaire’s house
with his six
disciples.
Venerable Yasa’s mother and his former wife heard the
doctrine
expounded by the Buddha and, having attained the first
stage of sainthood,
became his first two lay female followers.
105
Venerable Yasa had four distinguished friends named
Vimala, Subáhu,
Puóóaji and Gavampati. When they heard that their
noble friend
had shaved his hair and beard, and, donning the yellow
robe, entered the
homeless life, they approached Venerable Yasa and
expressed their
desire to follow his example. Venerable Yasa
introduced them to the
Buddha, and, on hearing the Dhamma, they also attained
arahantship.
Fifty more worthy friends of Venerable Yasa, who
belonged to leading
families of various districts, also received
instructions from the
Buddha, attained arahantship and entered the holy
order.
Hardly two months had elapsed since his enlightenment
when the
number of arahants gradually rose to sixty. All of
them came from distinguished
families and were worthy sons of worthy fathers.
One morning he rose early and, to his utter disgust,
saw his female attendants and musicians asleep in
repulsive attitudes. The whole spectacle was so
disgusting that the palace
presented the gloomy appearance of a charnel house.
Realising the
vanities of worldly life, he stole away from home,
saying, “Distressed
am I, oppressed am I,” and went in the direction of
Isipatana where the
Buddha was temporarily residing after having made the
five bhikkhus
attain arahantship.
102
At that particular time the Buddha, as usual, was
pacing up and down
in an open space. Seeing him coming from afar, the
Buddha came out of
his ambulatory and sat on a prepared seat. Not far
from him stood Yasa,
crying, “Oh, distressed am I! Oppressed am I!”
Thereupon the Buddha said, “Here there is no distress,
O Yasa! Here
there is no oppression, O Yasa! Come hither, Yasa!
Take a seat. I shall
expound the Dhamma to you.”
The distressed Yasa was pleased to hear the
encouraging words of the
Buddha. Removing his golden sandals, he approached the
Buddha,
respectfully saluted him and sat on one side.
The Buddha expounded the doctrine to him, and he
attained the first
stage of sainthood (sotápatti).
At first the Buddha spoke to him on generosity (dána), morality
(sìla), celestial states
(sagga),
the
evils of sensual pleasures
(kámadìnáva), and the blessings
of renunciation (nekkhammánisaísa).
When he found that his mind was pliable and was ready
to appreciate
the deeper teaching he taught the four noble truths.
Rev. Tantitrimale Maitri Thero
HU/PL10/004
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