In the days of the Buddha padumuttara, Sivali was born as an ordinary man. One day when he was listening to the Dhamma he saw the Buddha appointing a monk as foremost among those who had gained requisites.
Having seen this occurrence, Sivali made up his mind and wanted to achieve the same post. In view of this he started to offer Dana to the Buddha and his disciples and vowed for the achievement of the same merit.
The Buddha having seen his success for the fulfilment, declared that in the distant future, during the time of Buddha Gotama, he would become a chief among those Bhikkhus who gained the requisites. He performed many meritorious deeds during his life time and was born in the Devã world.
After some time he was reborn in the days of Buddha Vipassi as a layman in the city of Bandhumati. At that time all the citizens of the country used to offer Maha Dana to the Buddha and his disciples. Once as they were preparing the Dana, they found out, that they were short of curd and honey, so a man was sent to get the same.
CURD AND HONEY
Meanwhile this particular person was going around the same city to sell curd and honey, and came across the one who was searching for the curd and honey. The searcher offered the vendor from $1.00 to $1,000.00 gradually in a bargain for the curd and honey. But the vendor asked why the searcher wanted to say so much money. The searcher replied that it was the only missing item in the preparation for the Maha Dana, to the Buddha.
The vendor then asked whether he could share in the merits and was told he could also partake. Having heard the reply the vendor refused to recieve money and went straight away to offer the curd and honey himself. He wished to renew his vow to become a chief among those who would recieve requisites. The Buddha having seen his future blessed him saying "May your desire be fulfilled."
He was born during the time of the Buddha Gotama in the Koliya Dynasty. After the conception in the womb of Queen Suppavasa, she became very happy and fortunate to recieve many from many relatives and friends. Besides this, the whole Kingdom became prosperous with fine and heavy crops. Though the natural time of her delivery had arrived, yet she did not deliver the baby, but it prolonged for an unusual time. The Queen, feeling very uneasy called upon the King to invite the Buddha and give alms in the palace for seven days. The King immediately ordered his ministers to carry out the Queen's request. After the Dana ceremony the Buddha blessed her for healthy and speedy delivery pronouncing the following words: "SUKHINI HOTU SUPPAVASA KOLIYA DHITA SUKHINI AROGAM PUTTAM VIJAYATU" which means:- "May suppavasa daughter of Koliya clan be happy and healthy and give birth to a healthy son.
BIRTH OF SIVALI
After the departure of the Buddha the Queen gave birth to a handsome baby prince because of the blessing of the Buddha. The Queen became very happy in the safe and sound delivery of the baby prince. As a mark of great respect and gratitude, the Buddha was invited to the palace along with his disciples. A great alms ceremony was held extinguished the fire of sorrow of the people due to his unusual birth.
During the early age of Prince Sivali, one day the Venerable Sariputta, the chief disciple of the Buddha, visited him. The Venerable explained how the Prince had suffered in the womb of his mother Queen Suppavasa for a long period. After which he asked the Prince if he liked to join the 'Holy Order' to end suffering. To this the Prince replied "Venerable Sir, if I am allowed to join, I will be happy."
The Queen mother Suppavasa who had seen her son talking to the Venerable, inquired what was the conversation between the Prince and the Venerable. The Venerable replied that her son had realised how he had suffered when he was in her womb for a long period and expressed his willingness to become a monk if he is permitted by the Queen's Mother.
The Queen having heard this, became very happy and at once granted permission for the ordination. The Prince was then taken away by Venerable Sariputta to the monastery to ordain him.
On the day of the ordination in which the first crop of hair was being cut off, the Venerable Sariputta advised him to adopt the meditation on the impurities of ve body vigilantly. Before the completion of shaving off his hair growth, and having realised the nature of worldly life he attained sainthood.
Since Sivali became a monk, the others monks also received plenty of the four requistites, such as robes, food, shelter and medicine. The Venerable Sivali was very fortunate to get the leadership of 500monks. One day when the Arahant Sivali was travelling in the forest along with his 500monks a deity of a banian tree offered Dana to them for 7days Even in the desert he used to get the food and other requisites.
One day when the Buddha was appointing the monks in different grades the Venerable Sivali was also appointed as the chief among his disciples.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
THE ARAHANT KHEMA
THE FIRST CHIEF FEMALE DISCIPLE OF BUDDHA
During the time of Buddha called Padumuttara, Khema was born in a servant's family in the city of Hansavati.
One day she came across the Lord Buddha, Padumuttara, with his disciples for alms. Having seen him she wanted to offer alms to him, but could not do so because she had no money. So she cut off her beautiful hair, role it and with the money she prepared food and offered to the Lord Buddha. Then finally she made a vow saying:-
"Venerable Sir, in future birth, by the power of this merit, may I become a chief among Bhikkhunis who possess great wisdom."
During her life time, having performed, various meritorious deeds, she was born in the "Devã loka" and thus enjoyed divine bliss.
KHEMA AS A LECTURER
In the time of the Buddha Vipassi she was born again in the human world in a rich family. Having listened to the Dhamma of Buddha Vipassi, she renounced the worldly pleasures and became a Bhikkhuni. As time went on she learned the Dhamma and began to preach it to the people.
During the time of Konagamana she accumulated much merits and performed various meritorious deeds including the erection of a monastery for the Buddha.
In the time of Buddha Kassapa she was born in a royal family and become the Elder Sister of King Kasi. Having listened to the Dhamma preached by the Buddha Kassapa she had no desire for worldly life and observed celibacy throughout her life.
Later on she also built a monastery and offered it to the Buddha Kassapa and his disciples.
THE CONSORT OF THE KING BIMBISARA
During the time of Buddha Gotama she was reborn in a royal family in the city of Sagala in Magadha province. Her parents named her "KHEMA" because she was so beautiful and her body had the complexion of gold. When she attained her maidenhood, she was married and became the consort of king Bimbisara, who was an ardent follower of the Buddha. The kind tried to take his consort Khema to the presence of the Buddha, but she did not like to see the Buddha. The season was that she heard that the Buddha always disapproved of, and discredited the beauty of women-folk.
One day the kind asked the other inmates, to explain the serenity and the scenery of the temple and specialy bodily characteristic of the Buddha in order to induce Khema to go to the Temple. Finally, she agreed to go to the temple with the kind, and on arriving there she walked here and there, admiring the scenery and the beauty of the temple and the she tried to return home without paying a visit to the Buddha.
Anyhow the servants of Khema told her that it was not proper to return home without seeing the Buddha.
THE DIVINE DAMSEL
The Buddha already knew that Khema would be coming to see him, so he created a divine damsel fanning him.
Khema having seen the beautiful girl fanning the Buddha, thought to herself that she heard that the Buddha discredited the beauty of the women; "but now I see for myself that a beautiful girl is fanning the Buddha... "and again thought to herself; "what is the beauty of the girl who is fanning compared to me? I am not even a fraction of a dot and I am not even fit to be a servant of this girl. "She was thinking so again and again without caring to listen to the Dhamma.
The Buddha having seen Khema admiring the divine figure, made a resolution to change the beautiful figure gradually in to old age, finally appearing in the form of a skeleton as that of a female ghost. Khema, after seeing the change of the beautiful figure into that of a she-ghost, thought to herself, and realized what beauty was after all and thus the pride of beauty in herself vanished when she realized the impermanence of life and recognised the process of decay. At the conclusion of the sermon delivered by the Buddha, Khema attained the higher stage of Sainthood with the analytical knowledge of the Dhamma.
She went straight a way to the palace and stood before King Bimbisara, without paying due respect to him, to ask permission to renounce the world.
The King having understood that she had attained sainthood, straightaway granted permission for her to join the Holy order. The King was very pleased. He put her in a golden palanquin and took her to the Nunnery and caused her to be ordained. She attained Arahantship before the Order. She was well known for the Great Wisdom.
When the Buddha appointed Bhikkhunis to different posts, Khema was appointed as the first Bhikkhuni among those who had great wisdom, (Maha paññã), pronouncing the following words:-
"ETADAGGAM BHIKKHAVE MAMA SAVIKANAM BHIKKHUNINAM MAHA PAÑÑÃM YADIDAM KHEMA".
One day when she meditating under a tree, "Mara" the Evil one, appeared in disguise as a handsome youth. The youth told her that she was a very beautiful young girl and that he was also handsome, and youthful and why should they waste their youthhood instead of enjoying pleasure. On hearing this, Khema told him that she had uprooted all the desire for sensual pleasure and now following path.
During the time of Buddha called Padumuttara, Khema was born in a servant's family in the city of Hansavati.
One day she came across the Lord Buddha, Padumuttara, with his disciples for alms. Having seen him she wanted to offer alms to him, but could not do so because she had no money. So she cut off her beautiful hair, role it and with the money she prepared food and offered to the Lord Buddha. Then finally she made a vow saying:-
"Venerable Sir, in future birth, by the power of this merit, may I become a chief among Bhikkhunis who possess great wisdom."
During her life time, having performed, various meritorious deeds, she was born in the "Devã loka" and thus enjoyed divine bliss.
KHEMA AS A LECTURER
In the time of the Buddha Vipassi she was born again in the human world in a rich family. Having listened to the Dhamma of Buddha Vipassi, she renounced the worldly pleasures and became a Bhikkhuni. As time went on she learned the Dhamma and began to preach it to the people.
During the time of Konagamana she accumulated much merits and performed various meritorious deeds including the erection of a monastery for the Buddha.
In the time of Buddha Kassapa she was born in a royal family and become the Elder Sister of King Kasi. Having listened to the Dhamma preached by the Buddha Kassapa she had no desire for worldly life and observed celibacy throughout her life.
Later on she also built a monastery and offered it to the Buddha Kassapa and his disciples.
THE CONSORT OF THE KING BIMBISARA
During the time of Buddha Gotama she was reborn in a royal family in the city of Sagala in Magadha province. Her parents named her "KHEMA" because she was so beautiful and her body had the complexion of gold. When she attained her maidenhood, she was married and became the consort of king Bimbisara, who was an ardent follower of the Buddha. The kind tried to take his consort Khema to the presence of the Buddha, but she did not like to see the Buddha. The season was that she heard that the Buddha always disapproved of, and discredited the beauty of women-folk.
One day the kind asked the other inmates, to explain the serenity and the scenery of the temple and specialy bodily characteristic of the Buddha in order to induce Khema to go to the Temple. Finally, she agreed to go to the temple with the kind, and on arriving there she walked here and there, admiring the scenery and the beauty of the temple and the she tried to return home without paying a visit to the Buddha.
Anyhow the servants of Khema told her that it was not proper to return home without seeing the Buddha.
THE DIVINE DAMSEL
The Buddha already knew that Khema would be coming to see him, so he created a divine damsel fanning him.
Khema having seen the beautiful girl fanning the Buddha, thought to herself that she heard that the Buddha discredited the beauty of the women; "but now I see for myself that a beautiful girl is fanning the Buddha... "and again thought to herself; "what is the beauty of the girl who is fanning compared to me? I am not even a fraction of a dot and I am not even fit to be a servant of this girl. "She was thinking so again and again without caring to listen to the Dhamma.
The Buddha having seen Khema admiring the divine figure, made a resolution to change the beautiful figure gradually in to old age, finally appearing in the form of a skeleton as that of a female ghost. Khema, after seeing the change of the beautiful figure into that of a she-ghost, thought to herself, and realized what beauty was after all and thus the pride of beauty in herself vanished when she realized the impermanence of life and recognised the process of decay. At the conclusion of the sermon delivered by the Buddha, Khema attained the higher stage of Sainthood with the analytical knowledge of the Dhamma.
She went straight a way to the palace and stood before King Bimbisara, without paying due respect to him, to ask permission to renounce the world.
The King having understood that she had attained sainthood, straightaway granted permission for her to join the Holy order. The King was very pleased. He put her in a golden palanquin and took her to the Nunnery and caused her to be ordained. She attained Arahantship before the Order. She was well known for the Great Wisdom.
When the Buddha appointed Bhikkhunis to different posts, Khema was appointed as the first Bhikkhuni among those who had great wisdom, (Maha paññã), pronouncing the following words:-
"ETADAGGAM BHIKKHAVE MAMA SAVIKANAM BHIKKHUNINAM MAHA PAÑÑÃM YADIDAM KHEMA".
One day when she meditating under a tree, "Mara" the Evil one, appeared in disguise as a handsome youth. The youth told her that she was a very beautiful young girl and that he was also handsome, and youthful and why should they waste their youthhood instead of enjoying pleasure. On hearing this, Khema told him that she had uprooted all the desire for sensual pleasure and now following path.
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