by Andy Rotman
As a boy, Mahāpanthaka was raised and nourished, and in time he grew up. When he grew up, he was entrusted to teachers to learn writing and then arithmetic, accounting, and matters relating to trademarks; correct behavior, laws of purity, and proper speech; the right ways to receive sacred ashes,583 accumulate possessions,584 and address others; the Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, and Atharvaveda; and lastly, how to sacrifice for himself and for others, teach and recite [the Vedas], and give and receive gifts.585 The brahman Mahāpanthaka became devoted to these six duties,586 and following his brahmanical duty,587 he began to instruct a group of five hundred [young brahmans] in the recitation of the sacred syllable oṃ.
Now since the [elder] brahman was fooling around, enjoying himself, and making love with his wife, she became pregnant once again. When the time arrived for her to give birth, the brahman informed the midwife, and she delivered the child. A son was born. She bathed the boy, dressed him in white clothes, filled his mouth with fresh butter, and placed him in the young woman’s hands.
“Hold this boy at the main crossroads,” she said to the young woman. “Tell whatever brahman or ascetic you see that this boy venerates the feet of noble ones.588 If he’s still alive when the sun has set, take him and come back here. If he’s dead, leave him there and come home.”
The young woman, who was lazy by nature, took the boy and [instead of going to the main crossroads] stood on a small road.
Now it is the practice of non-Buddhist renunciants to get up at dawn and take ritual baths in sacred waters. The young woman, with respect and courtesy, venerated their feet and said, “Noble one, this boy venerates the feet of noble ones.”
“May he live long, keep safe into old age, and fulfill the desires of his mother and father,” they said.
In the evening twilight, she saw that he was still alive. She took him and went back home.
“Is the boy alive?” they asked her.
“He’s alive,” she said.
“Where did you hold him?” they asked.
“On such-and-such small road.”
“What should the boy’s name be?” they asked each other.
“The boy was held on a small road, so let the boy be given the name Panthaka (Bywayman).” [486]
As a boy, Panthaka was also raised and nourished, and in time he grew up. When he grew up, he was sent to a teacher to learn writing. [Trying to say the auspicious invocation siddham,] when he’d say si, he’d then forget ddham.589
So his teacher said to Panthaka’s father, “Brahman, I have many boys to teach. I can’t teach Panthaka. If a little is said to Mahāpanthaka, he grasps a lot. But by the time Panthaka has said si, he’s already forgotten ddham!”590
“[Not]591 all brahmans become skilled in scripts and letters,” Panthaka’s father reflected. “Let him be a Vedic brahman in the oral tradition.”
The [elder] brahman handed Panthaka over to a tutor for instruction in Vedic recitation. By the time oṃ was said to him, he would forget bhuḥ, and when bhuḥ was said, he would forget oṃ.592
“I have many young brahmans to instruct,” the tutor said to the [elder] brahman. “I can’t instruct Panthaka. By the time oṃ is said to him, he forgets bhuḥ! And when bhuḥ is said, he forgets oṃ!”
“Not all brahmans become masters of the Vedas,” the [elder] brahman reflected. “He will be a brahman only by birth.”
Wherever the [elder] brahman was invited as a guest, he would take his son Panthaka with him. Then one day the [elder] brahman fell sick. Though treated with medicines made from roots, stalks, leaves, and fruits, he continued to get worse.
“Son,” he said to Mahāpanthaka, “after my death, no one will have to worry about you. But you must provide for Panthaka.”
And with the words,
All that is accumulated is lost in the end,
what goes up comes down in the end,
what comes together comes apart in the end,
and what lives must die in the end.
. . . he died. They adorned his funeral bier with pieces of blue, yellow, red, and white cloth, and with great reverence593 committed him to flames at the cremation grounds and cast off their grief.
After traveling through Kosala countryside, the venerable Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, each with five hundred followers, arrived in Śrāvastī. People in Śrāvastī heard that the venerable Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, after traveling through the Kosala countryside, each with five hundred followers, had now arrived in Śrāvastī. Hearing this, a crowd of people went out to see them. [487]
Now Mahāpanthaka was outside of Śrāvastī, at the base of a tree, instructing five hundred young brahmans in the recitation of brahmanical mantras. He saw that crowd of people leaving Śrāvastī.
“Friends, what is this?” he asked those young brahmans. “So many people are leaving the city.”
“Instructor,” they said to him, “Bhadantas Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, after traveling through the Kosala countryside, each with five hundred followers, have now arrived here in Śrāvastī. These people are going to see them.”
“Are these two really worth seeing? They’ve left the highest caste to go forth as monks under the ascetic Gautama, who is of the second caste.”
One young brahman there was a believer. “Instructor,” he said, “don’t speak like that. Those two are very powerful. If the instructor would listen to the dharma from these two,594 he would certainly be pleased.”
It was the practice of those young brahmans that when they had time off from their studies, they’d sometimes go to look around the city, sometimes take ritual baths in sacred waters, and sometimes collect firewood. One day all of them had time off from their studies, so they set out to collect firewood.
Meanwhile Mahāpanthaka went out for a walk. At the base of a tree,595 he saw a lone monk. He approached him and said, “Monk, please take a moment and recite some words of the Buddha.” The monk gave a detailed explanation of the tenfold path of virtuous actions. Filled with faith, Mahāpanthaka said, “Tell it to me once again in detail.” Having done so, the monk departed.
One day the young brahmans once again had time off from their studies, so they set out to collect firewood. Mahāpanthaka again approached the monk. The monk gave a detailed explanation of the twelve links of interdependent arising, both forward and backward.
Filled with faith again, he said, “Monk, may I renounce, take ordination, and become a monk according to the dharma and monastic discipline that have been so well expressed. May I follow the religious life under the ascetic Gautama.”
The monk reflected, “I will initiate him in the teachings. He will lift up the yoke of dharma.” Then he said to him, “Brahman, do as I say.”
“Monk, I am a renowned brahman,” Mahāpanthaka said. “I can’t take initiation right here. [488] Let’s go into the countryside, and I’ll take initiation there.”
The monk brought him into the countryside, initiated and ordained him, and then said, “There are two activities of a monk—meditation and study. Which will you do?”
“I’ll do both.”
By day he deeply and diligently contemplated [the threefold collection of scripture known as] the Tripiṭaka, and by night he considered, evaluated, and contemplated it. Consequently, he rid himself of all defilements and directly experienced arhatship. Becoming an arhat,
he was free from attachment in the three realms;
he regarded clods of earth and gold as equal in value;
he possessed equanimity toward the sky and the palm of his hand;
he didn’t distinguish between being cut by a blade and being anointed with sandalwood paste;
the eggshell of his ignorance was broken by knowledge;
he obtained the special knowledges, superhuman faculties, and analytic insights;
and he was averse to worldly attainments, temptations, and honors.
He became worthy of respect, honor, and obeisance from the gods, including Indra and Upe
ndra.
When596 Panthaka’s wealth diminished, gave out, and was finally completely exhausted, it began to be difficult for him to make ends meet.
Meanwhile it occurred to [Mahā]panthaka,597 “I have [obtained]598 all that I can obtain through listening. I really should go to Śrāvastī and pay my respects to the Blessed One.” So the venerable Mahāpanthaka, along with five hundred followers, set out toward Śrāvastī. Traveling along, they eventually arrived in Śrāvastī. People in Śrāvastī heard that the noble Mahāpanthaka, along with five hundred followers, after traveling through the Kosala countryside, had now arrived in Śrāvastī. Hearing this, a crowd of people went [to see him].
Panthaka saw them and asked, “Friends, where are all these people going?”
“The Noble Mahāpanthaka, along with five hundred followers, after traveling through the Kosala countryside, has now arrived in Śrāvastī,” they said. “All these people are going to see him.”
Panthaka reflected, “He’s not their brother or a relative. He’s my brother! Why don’t I go to see him?” So he went to see him as well.
When the noble Mahāpanthaka saw him, he asked, “Panthaka, how are you getting by?”
“It’s difficult, but I’m getting by.”
“Why don’t you go forth as a monk?”
“I’m a fool, an absolute fool,” he said. “I’m an idiot, a complete idiot.599 Who will initiate me as a monk?”
Then the venerable Mahāpanthaka reflected, “Does he have any roots of virtue? Yes, he does. Then why isn’t he fit to be a monk?”600 So he said, “Come, I will initiate you as a monk.” [489] He initiated and ordained him and then gave him instructions:
One should not commit even the smallest sin
in all the world in thought, word, or deed.
One free from desires, mindful, and thoughtful
does not experience the suffering that evil brings.
Even after the three months of the rainy season, Panthaka still couldn’t learn the verse.601 Others, even cowherds and cattle herders, heard it and memorized it.602 With respect and courtesy, he would approach them and ask for help, and they would recite it for him.603
As a rule, the disciples of lord buddhas have two assemblies each year—one at the time of the full moon in the month of Āṣāḍha [in late June, early July], when the rainy season begins, and the other at the time of the full moon in the month of Kārtika [in late October, early November]. The senior disciples do likewise.
Those who assemble at the time of the full moon in the month of Āṣāḍha, when the rainy season begins, practice particular kinds of meditation and then pass the rainy season in various villages, towns, districts, and capitals. Those who assemble at the time of the full moon in the month of Kārtika ask about texts for study, ask questions about various topics,604 and recite what they have learned.
The monks who were the students and pupils of the venerable Mahāpanthaka had passed the rainy season in the countryside, and on the full moon in the month of Kārtika, they approached the venerable Mahāpanthaka. Once there, some asked about texts for study, some asked questions about various topics, and some recited what they had learned. Those there who were fools, absolute fools, idiots, complete idiots, they served, waited upon, and paid their respects to the group of six monks. And so the venerable Panthaka served, waited upon, and paid his respects to the group of six monks.
“Venerable Panthaka, your fellow students ask the instructor about texts for study and subjects for inquiry,” the group of six monks said to him. “You should go as well and ask your instructor about texts for study and ask questions about various topics.”
“I haven’t studied anything during the three months of the rainy season,” Panthaka said. “I couldn’t even learn a single verse. How can I ask for a text to study?”
“The Blessed One has surely said that those who aren’t studying lack good sense,” they said. “How can you master605 a verse if you aren’t studying? [490] Go and ask!”
He went and said, “Instructor, please give me a text to study.”
The venerable Mahāpanthaka reflected, “Is this his own idea or did someone put him up to it?” He saw that someone had put him up to it. The venerable Mahāpanthaka reflected, “Will he learn from being inspired or learn from being chastised?” He saw that he would learn from being chastised. So he grabbed him by the neck and threw him out of the monastery. “You really are a fool, an absolute fool, an idiot, a complete idiot. What good will you ever do in this order?”
The venerable Panthaka began to cry. “Now I’m not a householder or a renunciant.”
The Blessed One saw the venerable Panthaka outside the monastery wandering about.606 Seeing him approach, the Blessed One said this: “Panthaka, why are you outside of the monastery crying? Why do you shed tears?”
“Bhadanta, my instructor threw me out. Now I’m not a householder or a renunciant.”
“My child,” the Blessed One said, “your instructor hasn’t fulfilled the six perfections, performing many hundreds and thousands of difficult deeds over the course of three incalculable ages, so he doesn’t comprehend the words coming from the best of sages. But I have fulfilled the six perfections, performing many hundreds and thousands of difficult deeds over the course of three incalculable ages, so I do comprehend them. Aren’t you able to learn from the Tathāgatha?”
“Bhadanta, I am a fool, an absolute fool, an idiot, a complete idiot.”
Then at that moment the Blessed One uttered a verse:
One ignorant because of his innocence607
is actually wise in this case.
But one ignorant and thinking himself wise
is rightly recognized as a fool.
It is impossible and inconceivable that lord buddhas would teach the dharma word by word. This is not possible.608 Therefore the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, teach Panthaka.” So the venerable Ānanda began to teach him, but he wasn’t able to do so.
The venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: “Bhadanta, at this time I have to serve you, my teacher. I have to retain in my memory what I hear [491] and instruct groups of students. And I have to teach the dharma to those brahmans and householders who come to visit. I’m not able to teach Panthaka.”
Then the Blessed One recited these two lines of verse to Panthaka:
I remove filth.
I remove impurity.609
Panthaka couldn’t grasp these two lines of verse.
The Blessed One reflected, “His bad karma must be destroyed.” And so the Blessed One addressed the venerable [Panthaka]:610 “Panthaka, can you wipe clean the monks’ sandals and shoes?”611
“Yes, of course, Bhadanta. I can do that.”
“Go, wipe them clean.”
He went to wipe clean the monks’ sandals and shoes,612 but the monks wouldn’t give them to him.
“Give [him your sandals and shoes],” the Blessed One said. “His bad karma must be destroyed. I will give him two lines of verse to study. Please do that as well.”613
One by one Panthaka wiped clean the monks’ sandals and shoes,614 and the monks repeated those two lines of verse for him to study. From studying on his own, he eventually memorized those two lines of verse.
Then one day, as night turned into dawn, the venerable Panthaka had this thought: “The Blessed One has said, ‘I remove filth. I remove impurity.’ But did the Blessed One say this with regard to filth on the inside or on the outside?” While thinking in this way, at that moment, three verses that he had never heard before presented themselves to him:
Filth here is attachment, definitely not dirt.
Filth in this case refers to attachment, not dirt.
The wise remove this filth, but not
those careless with the Sugata’s teachings.
Filth here is hate, definitely not dirt.
Filth in this case refers to hate, not dirt.
The wise remove this filth, but not
those careless with the Sugata’s teachings.
Filth here is delusion, definitely not dirt.
Filth in this case refers to delusion, not dirt. [492]
The wise remove this filth, but not
those careless with the Sugata’s teachings.
After striving, struggling, and straining, Panthaka rid himself of all defilements and thereby directly experienced arhatship. Becoming an arhat,
he was free from attachment in the three realms;
he regarded clods of earth and gold as equal in value;
he possessed equanimity toward the sky and the palm of his hand;
he didn’t distinguish between being cut by a blade and being anointed with sandalwood paste;
the eggshell [of his ignorance] was broken by knowledge;
he obtained the special knowledges, superhuman faculties, and analytic insights;
and he was averse to worldly attainments, temptations, and honors.
He became worthy of respect, honor, and obeisance from the gods, including Indra and Upendra.
While Panthaka was sitting in meditation, Mahāpanthaka saw him. Now the knowledge and insight of arhats does not operate unless they focus their attention. Mahāpanthaka took Panthaka by the arm and said, “Come, first do your studies. You can meditate later.”
Then the venerable Panthaka, who had rid himself of all defilements and thereby directly experienced arhatship, stretched out his arm like the trunk of an elephant. The venerable Mahāpanthaka looked and stared intently at Panthaka, who had turned away.615
“Venerable Panthaka, have you really amassed so many virtues?” he asked.
“Yes, I have.”
The Venerable Panthaka Teaches Twelve Nuns
Even after the venerable Panthaka had rid himself of all defilements and thereby directly perceived arhatship, followers of other traditions were still rude, abusive, and disrespectful to him. [They would say], “The ascetic Gautama has said that ‘My dharma is profound and is profound in implication, it is difficult to perceive and difficult to understand, it is beyond reason and beyond the scope of reason, it is subtle and only comprehensible to the wise and clever scholar.’616 How deep can the dharma of someone be if his monastic community is now filled with fools, absolute fools, idiots, complete idiots, with Panthaka first and foremost!”617
