by Andy Rotman
“Yes, Bhadanta,” the venerable Ānanda replied, consenting to the Blessed One’s request, and then he announced to the monks, “Venerable ones, the Tathāgata wants to travel to a cremation ground. Whoever among you is eager to travel to a cremation ground with the Tathāgata should take up his robes.”
“Yes, venerable one,” all the monks replied in consent, and then they approached the Blessed One.
Now the Blessed One was self-controlled and his followers were self-controlled,
he was calm and his followers were calm,
he was liberated and his followers were liberated,
he was confident and his followers were confident,
he was disciplined and his followers were disciplined,
he was an arhat and his followers were arhats,
he was without attachment and his followers were without attachment,
and he instilled faith and his followers instilled faith.
He was like a bull surrounded by a herd of cows,
like a royal elephant surrounded by a herd of elephant cubs,
like a lion surrounded by a pack of wild animals,
like a royal goose surrounded by a gaggle of geese,
like an eagle surrounded by a flock of birds,
like a learned brahman surrounded by an assembly of students,
like an eminent doctor surrounded by a group of patients,
like a warrior surrounded by a troop of soldiers,
like a guide surrounded by a group of travelers,133
like a caravan leader surrounded by a company of merchants,
like a guildmaster surrounded by townspeople,
like a vassal king surrounded by a cabinet of ministers,
like a wheel-turning king surrounded by a thousand sons,
like the moon surrounded by a constellation of stars,
like the sun surrounded by thousands of rays,
like the great king Dhṛtarāṣṭra surrounded by a group of celestial musicians,
like the great king Virūḍhaka surrounded by a group of kumbhāṇḍas,134
like the great king Dhanada surrounded by a group of yakṣas,
like Vemacitri surrounded by a group of antigods,
like Śakra surrounded by a group of gods,
and like Brahmā surrounded by the gods of Brahmakāyika.
He was like an ocean but calm,
like a cloud but full of water,
and like a mighty elephant but without pride or passion.
His senses were well restrained, [268]
his deportment and demeanor were unflappable,
he was adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great man,
and his body was radiant with the eighty minor marks.
His form was adorned with a halo extending an arm’s length,
his brilliance was greater than a thousand suns,
and like a mountain of jewels that moved, he was beautiful from every side.
He was endowed with the ten powers,
the four confidences,
the three special applications of mindfulness,
and great compassion.
Showdown at the Śītavana Cremation Ground
The Blessed One, surrounded by great disciples such as Ājñāta Kauṇḍinya, Aśvajit, Bāṣpa, Mahānāma, Bhadrika, Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, Kāśyapa, and Yaśaḥpūrṇa, and together with a large community of monks and many hundreds of thousands of beings, set out for the great cremation ground known as Śītavana. Knowing that there are eighteen benefits in traveling with a buddha,135 many hundreds of thousands of deities followed close behind the Blessed One. And then, in the direction of the Śītavana, winds began to blow.
In the meantime, two young boys, a brahman and a kṣatriya, left Rājagṛha and began to play. The kṣatriya boy was immersed in faith, but not so the brahman boy.
“Friend,” the brahman boy said to the kṣatriya boy,136 “the Blessed One predicted that the householder Subhadra’s wife would give birth to a boy; that he would make the family shine; that he would experience divine-like glory as a result of his actions; and that he would go forth as a monk in his order, where by ridding himself of all defilements, he would directly experience arhatship. But now the householder Subhadra’s wife has died. She has met her end and been taken to the Śītavana cremation ground. I hope the Blessed One hasn’t spoken falsely.”137
Then the kṣatriya boy uttered this verse:
The sky with the moon and stars may fall down,
the earth with its mountains and forests may fly away,
the water of vast oceans may dry up,
but great seers never speak falsely.
“Friend, if that’s the case,” the brahman boy said, “let’s go138 to the great Śītavana cremation ground and see.”
“Yes, my friend. Let’s go.”
Then the two set out.
At that time the Blessed One was also leaving Rājagṛha. The kṣatriya boy saw the Blessed One from a distance, and upon seeing him, he uttered these verses:139 [269]
Though surrounded by crowds of people,
this humble sage proceeds without anxiety.
Surely he will crush the rival teachers
and roar140 the highest roar of the lion.
These winds, cool like snow dust,141
eagerly blow toward Śītavana.
Many gods must be going
to see the miracle of Śākyamuni.
King Bimbisāra (Precious as Gold) heard that the Blessed One had predicted that the householder Subhadra’s wife would give birth to a boy; that he would make the family shine; that he would experience divine-like glory as a result of his actions; and that he would go forth as a monk in his order, where by ridding himself of all defilements, he would directly experience arhatship. And he heard that now the householder Subhadra’s wife had died; that she had met her end and been taken to the Śītavana cremation ground; and that the Blessed One, along with the community of his disciples, had also set off for Śītavana. Hearing this, it occurred to him, “The Blessed One wouldn’t go to Śītavana without a reason. No doubt the Blessed One will want to perform a great feat in connection with the householder Subhadra’s wife to gain new disciples. I’ll see for myself.” So, surrounded by the women of the palace, and by princes, ministers,142 townspeople, and villagers, he set out from Rājagṛha.
The kṣatriya boy saw the king of Magadha, Śreṇya Bimbisāra, from a distance, and upon seeing him, he uttered this verse:
Since Śreṇya himself, the king of Magadha,
has left Rājagṛha with his entourage,
in my heart I am sure of this—
many people will soon be uplifted.
When the crowd of people saw the Blessed One, they made way for him. The Blessed One, with a smile on his face, entered the large crowd. When the Nirgranthas saw the Blessed One with a smile on his face, they reflected, “Since the ascetic Gautama has entered this large crowd with a smile on his face, that being143 must not have died.” They spoke to the householder Subhadra.
“Householder,” they said, “perhaps that ill-fated being didn’t pass away.” [270]
“Noble one, if that’s the case,” he said, “what should I do next?”
“Householder,” they said, “we’re constrained by religious vows,144 but you’ll know what to do.”
The householder then placed his wife on the funeral pyre and set it ablaze. Her entire body burned except for the area around her stomach. Then her stomach split open and a lotus appeared. Sitting on top of the pericarp of the lotus145 was a young boy who was handsome, good-looking, and attractive. Seeing him, many hundreds of thousands of beings were filled with awe. The Nirgranthas, in turn, had their pride and arrogance destroyed, as well as their influence.146
Then the Blessed One said to the householder Subhadra, “Householder, take the boy.” The householder began to scan the faces of the Nirgranthas.
“Householder,” they said, “if you enter th
is burning pyre, you’ll be completely consumed.”147
The householder Subhadra wouldn’t accept148 the boy.
Then the Blessed One addressed [the doctor,] Jīvaka Kumārabhūta (Forever Young). “Jīvaka, take the little boy.”
Jīvaka reflected, “It is impossible and inconceivable that the Blessed One would order me to do something that isn’t right. I’ll take him.” Without doubt or hesitation, he plunged into the funeral pyre and took the boy.
As he plunged into the pyre at the Victor’s command
and accepted149 the young boy, enveloped in flames,
the fire, through the Victor’s great power,
at once became cool like snow dust.
Then [the Blessed One]150 said this to Jīvaka Kumārabhūta: “Jīvaka, you aren’t hurt or injured, are you?”
“Bhadanta,” he said, “I was born in a palace, and I’ve grown up in a palace, but I’ve never known such coolness, not even from gośīrṣa sandalwood [paste], like I felt in this funeral pyre that the Blessed One transformed with his power.”
Then the Blessed One addressed the householder Subhadra. “Householder, take the boy now.”
The householder, however, was under the influence of false views, so he didn’t comply. Again he scanned the faces of the Nirgranthas.
“Householder,” they said, “this being is extremely ill-fated. He wasn’t even burned by this all-consuming fire. What more is there to say? If you take him into your home now, you’ll surely bring it to ruin,151 and you’ll die.”
There is no love equal to that which one has for oneself. [271] The householder didn’t accept the boy.
Then the Blessed One addressed King Bimbisāra: “Your majesty, take the boy.”
With excitement, King Bimbisāra stretched out his hands and took him.152 He then looked all around and asked, “Blessed One, what should this boy’s name be?”153
“Your majesty, since this boy was delivered from the middle of a fire, let the boy’s name be Jyotiṣka (Fiery One).”
And so he was given the name Jyotiṣka.154
Then the Blessed One, knowing the inclinations, propensities, makeup, and nature of that crowd of people, gave them a discourse on the dharma such that when they heard it, many hundreds of beings attained great distinction. Some directly experienced the reward of the stream-enterer; some the reward of the once-returner; some the reward of the nonreturner; and some, by ridding themselves of all defilements, directly experienced arhatship. Some produced roots of virtue for the weak and medium levels of the heat stage, the summit stage, and the tolerance stage. Some set their minds on attaining awakening as a disciple, some awakening as a solitary buddha, and some unsurpassed perfect awakening. Some accepted the taking of the refuges, and others the precepts. Almost the entire assembly became favorably inclined toward the Buddha, drawn toward the dharma, and well disposed toward the community.
Jyotiṣka and His Paternity
King Bimbisāra gave the boy Jyotiṣka over to eight nurses—two shoulder nurses, two wet nurses, two nursemaids, and two playtime nurses. Raised by these eight nurses, who nourished him with milk, yogurt, fresh butter, clarified butter, buttercream, and other special provisions that were very pure, he grew quickly like a lotus in a lake.
During this time, Jyotiṣka’s maternal uncle had taken his goods and gone abroad. There he heard that his sister had become pregnant; that the Blessed One had predicted that she would give birth to a boy; that he would make the family shine; that he would experience divine-like glory as a result of his actions; and that he would go forth as a monk in his order, where by ridding himself of all defilements, he would directly experience arhatship. He disposed of his goods, took the goods that he received in exchange, and came to Rājagṛha. Then he heard that his sister had died, and upon hearing this, he reflected, “The Blessed One [272] predicted that she would give birth to a boy; that he would make the family shine; that he would experience divine-like glory as a result of his actions; and that he would go forth as a monk in his order, where by ridding himself of all defilements, he would directly experience arhatship. I hope the Blessed One hasn’t spoken falsely.” So he went and questioned his neighbors: “I heard that my sister was pregnant; that the Blessed One predicted that she would give birth to a boy; that he would make the family shine; that he would experience divine-like glory as a result of his actions, and that he would go forth as a monk in his order, where by ridding himself of all defilements, he would directly experience arhatship. I was very pleased when I heard this, but now I hear that she has died, that she has met her end. I hope the Blessed One hasn’t spoken falsely.”
Then the neighbors uttered this verse:
The sky with the moon and stars may fall down,
the earth with its mountains and forests may fly away,
the water of vast oceans may dry up,
but great seers will never speak falsely.
“The Blessed One hasn’t spoken falsely,” they said. “How could the Blessed One speak falsely? It’s because your sister’s husband attacked her as he did that she died.155 The boy, however, possesses great magic and great power. He wasn’t burned by the fire. Even now he grows up in the palace.”156
Jyotiṣka’s maternal uncle went to the householder Subhadra and said, “Householder, what you’ve done isn’t right.”
“What did I do?”
“Taken in by those Nirgranthas, you attacked my pregnant sister and she died.157 The boy, however, possesses great magic and great power. He wasn’t burned by the fire. Even now he grows up in the palace. But what’s done is done. Now it would be best if you take the boy in. If you don’t, we’ll throw you out of the community and make you an outcast.158 We’ll have your infamy proclaimed on the streets, roads, squares, and crossroads. We’ll say, ‘Our sister was killed by the householder Subhadra! He’s a killer of women! No one should speak to him!’ And then in the royal court we’ll bring about your ruin.”
When the householder Subhadra heard this, he was distraught. He’d been rebuked, and he realized that he’d have to do as he’d been told. So he fell prostrate at the king’s feet and said, “My lord, my relatives have rebuked me. They say that it would be best if [273] I take the boy in, and that if I don’t take him in, they’ll throw me out of the community and make me an outcast. They’ll have my infamy proclaimed on the streets, roads, squares, and crossroads. They’ll say, ‘Our sister was killed by the householder Subhadra! He’s a killer of women! No one should speak to him!’ And in the royal court they’ll bring about my ruin. So please give the boy Jyotiṣka to me.”159
“Householder,” the king said, “I didn’t take the boy Jyotiṣka from you; he was entrusted to me by the Blessed One. If you want the boy, go to the Blessed One.”
The householder Subhadra then went to the Blessed One. He fell prostrate at his feet and said, “Blessed One, my relatives reprimand me. They say that it would be best if I take the boy in, and that if I don’t take him in, they’ll throw me out of the community and make me an outcast. They’ll have my infamy proclaimed on the streets, roads, squares, and crossroads. They’ll say, ‘Our sister was killed by the householder Subhadra! He’s a killer of women! No one should speak to him!’ And in the royal court they’ll bring about my ruin. So please have the boy Jyotiṣka given to me.”
The Blessed One reflected, “If Subhadra doesn’t get the boy Jyotiṣka, given the situation, he’ll cough up hot blood and die.” With this in mind, he addressed the venerable Ānanda. “Ānanda, go and offer my greetings to King Bimbisāra. Then say this to him: ‘Your majesty, give the boy Jyotiṣka to the householder Subhadra. If the householder Subhadra doesn’t get the boy Jyotiṣka, given the situation, he’ll cough up hot blood and die.’”
“Yes, Bhadanta,” the venerable Ānanda replied, consenting to the Blessed One’s request. Then he approached King Bimbisāra and, having approached, said this to him: “Your majesty, the Blessed One offers you his greetings and says that your majesty
should give the boy Jyotiṣka to the householder Subhadra. He says that if the householder Subhadra doesn’t get the boy Jyotiṣka, given the situation, he’ll cough up hot blood and die.”
“Bhadanta Ānanda,” the king said, “I pay homage to the Lord Buddha. I will do as the Blessed One instructs.” [274]
Pleasantries were then exchanged, and the venerable Ānanda departed.
King Bimbisāra then addressed the householder Subhadra. “Householder, I’ve raised this boy. He’s dear and beloved to me. I’ll give him up only on the condition that he comes to see me three times each and every day.”
“Yes, my lord,” he said, “he’ll come to you. Who else would he come to see?”
The king then adorned Jyotiṣka with all kinds of ornaments, placed him on the back of an elephant, and sent him off.
Jyotiṣka and the Sandalwood Bowl
Now it is common knowledge that a son doesn’t make a name for himself as long as his father is still alive.160
Time passed, and one day the householder Subhadra died. The boy Jyotiṣka was put in charge of the house. He developed faith in the Buddha and faith in the dharma and the community. He took refuge in the Buddha and took refuge in the dharma and the community. In that place where Subhadra killed his wife, he had a monastery built, filled it with all the necessary provisions, and offered it to the noble community of monks who arrived from all four directions.
The place is also referred to by the elders in a sūtra: “The Blessed One was staying in the city of Rājagṛha in the Mṛditakukṣika Forest (Where a Woman’s Womb Was Squeezed) . . .”161
Those servants of the householder Subhadra who had taken their goods and gone abroad heard that the householder Subhadra had died, that the boy Jyotiṣka was put in charge of the home, that he developed faith in the Buddha and faith in the dharma and the community, and that he had also taken refuge in the Buddha and taken refuge in the dharma and the community. They procured a bowl made of gośīrṣa sandalwood, filled it with jewels, and offered it as a gift to the [new] householder Jyotiṣka. He, in turn, mounted it on top of a tall pillar. Then he had bells rung for the following proclamation: “No one is to retrieve this bowl of jewels using a rope, ladder, or hook.162 But whoever retrieves it using magical powers, whether he be an ascetic, a brahman, or one possessed of great magic or great power, may do with it as he likes.”
