The Conversion of Yasa

In Benares there was a young man named Yasa, son of a millionaire, who led a luxurious life at home. Realising the vanities of worldly life, he stole away from home at night and went in the direction of Isipatana where the Buddha was staying. The Buddha, seeing him, invited him to His presence and expounded the Dhamma, hearing it, he at first attained Sotapatti and later became an Arahant.

The sorrowing father, who was looking for his missing son, also came across the Buddha, and hearing the Dhamma from Him, became the first lay disciple (Upasaka) who sought refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.  He then invited the Buddha and the Venerable Yasa to his house for alms. When the Buddha visited his house and expounded the Dhamma, the Venerable Yasa’s mother and his former wife also sought refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. They were his first two lay women disciples (Upasika).

The Venerable Yasa had fifty-four friends. Hearing of the Venerable Yasa’s conversion, they also entered the Order and attained Arahantship.
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Exhortation to the First Missioners

When there were sixty Arahants excluding the Buddha in this world, the Blessed One uttered the following memorable words and despatched them in various directions to propagate the Sublime Dhamma:-

“Free am I, O' Bhikkhus, from all bonds, whether divine or human. You, too, O Bhikkhus, are freed from all bonds, whether divine or human.”

“Go forth, O Bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, benefit, and happiness of gods and men... Let not two go by one way. Preach, O Bhikkhus, the Dhamma, excellent in the beginning, excellent in the middle, excellent in the end, both in spirit and in the letter. Proclaim the Holy Life, altogether perfect and pure.”

“There are beings with a little dust in their eyes, who, not hearing the Dhamma, will fall away. There will be those who understand the Dhamma.”

I, too, O Bhikkhus, will go to Uruvela in Senanigama, in order to preach the Dhamma.” With this exhortation the Buddha despatched His first sixty disciples in various directions.
 

Conversion of Thirty Young Men

As it was the rainy season the Buddha spent His first Retreat at Isipatana in Benares. Immediately after He went towards Uruvela. On the way He rested at the foot of a tree.

At that time thirty happy young men went with their wives to a grove to amuse themselves. As one had no wife he took with him a courtesan. While they were enjoying themselves this woman absconded with who went in search of valuables. The young men enquired of Him whether he saw the Buddha and inquired whether He saw a woman passing that way.

“Which do think young men is better - seeking a woman or seeking oneself? questioned the Buddha.

“Seeking oneself is better young men Lord!” replied the young men.

“Well, then, sit down: I shall preach the doctrine to you", said the Buddha.

They attentively listened to Him and the 'Eye of Truth' arose in them.

Later they all entered the Order and received the Higher Order.
 

Conversion of the three Kassapa Brothers

At Uruvela, there lived three matted-hair (Jatila) ascetics known as Uruvela Kassapa, Nadi Kassapa and Gaya Kassapa. They were all brothers living separately with Five hundred, Three hundred and Two hundred disciples respectively. With much effort, at times using His psychic powers too, the Buddha at first converted the eldest Kassapa who was greatly infatuated by his own spiritual attainments. Therefore he with his disciples entered the Order and obtained the higher Ordination. The other two brothers and their disciples followed suit.

Accompanied by them all, the Buddha repaired to Gaya Sisa  where  He  preached  the Adittapariyaya Sutta - ‘All  in Flames’, hearing which all attained Arahantship.
 

The Buddha meets King Bimbisara

With His large retinue of Arahant disciples, the Buddha, in accordance with the promise He made to King Bimbisara before  His Enlightenment, proceeded to Rajagaha.

The king, hearing of His arrival in his kingdom, went with a large following to pay his respects to the Buddha. As the ascetic Kassapa was held in high esteem by his people, he was at a loss to understand whether the Buddha was a disciple of Kassapa or the latter was a disciple of the former. The Buddha, reading his thought, questioned Kassapa as to why he abandoned fire-worship.

Then the venerable Kassapa acknowledged the Buddha’s superiority, saying:-

“My teacher, Lord, is the Lord: I am the disciple. My teacher, Lord, is the Lord: I am the disciple.”

The devout people were pleased to hear of the conversion. The Buddha thereupon preached the Maha Narada Kassapa Jataka to show that they were similarly converted in a previous birth. The ‘Eye of Truth’ arose in them all.  King Bimbisara attained Sotapatti. Thereupon the king invited the Buddha and His followers to his palace for the meal. At the close of the meal on the following day the king offered his Bamboo Grove (Veluvanarama) for the use of the Buddha and His disciples.
 

Conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana

Not far from Rajagaha in the village Upatissa, also known as Nalaka, there lived a very intelligent youth, named Sariputta (Son of Sari). Since he belonged to the leading family of the village, he was also called Upatissa. He had three sisters - Cala, Upacala and Sisupacala - and three brothers Upasena, Cunda and Revata.

Though nurtured in Brahmanism, his broad outlook on life and mature wisdom compelled him to renounce his ancestral religion for the more tolerant and scientific teachings of the Buddha Gotama.  His brothers and sisters followed his noble example. His father, Vanganta, apparently adhered to the Brahmin faith. His mother, on the contrary, was converted to Buddhism by herself at the moment of her death.

Upatissa was brought up in the lap of luxury.  He found a very intimate friend in Kolita, also known as Moggallana, with whom he was closely associated from an infinite past. One day as both of them were enjoying a hill-top festival called the Giragga Samajja, they realised how vain, how transient, were all sensual pleasures. Instantly they decided to leave the world and seek the Path of Release.

Dismissing their attendants and without even informing their parents, they wandered from place to place in quest of Peace.

The two young seekers went at first to Sanjaya, who had a following of five hundred disciples, and sought ordination under him.  Before long they acquired the meagre knowledge which their master could impart to them:  but unsatisfied with his teaching they left him, and meeting disappointment everywhere, returned to their own village. Ultimately they agreed between them that whosoever first discovers the Path should teach the other.

It was at this time that Venerable Assaji, one of the first five disciples, went in the direction of Rajagaha.

With body well composed, robes neatly arranged, this venerable figure passed with mea-sured steps from door to door, accepting the morsels of food which the charitable placed in his bowl. The saintly deportment of this dignified person at once arrested the attention of Upatissa, who was wandering in the city of Rajagaha.

“Never before have I seen,” thought Upatissa to himself, an ascetic like this. Surely he must be one of those who have attained Arahantship or one who is treading the path leading to Arahantship.  What if I were to approach him and ask:- “For whose sake Sir, have you retired from the world? Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine do you profess?”

Upatissa, however, refrained from questioning him, as he thought he would thereby interfere with his silent begging tour. The Arahant Assaji, having begged what little he needed, was seeking a suitable place to take his meal. Upatissa, seeing this, gladly availed himself of the opportunity to offer him his own stool and water from his own pot. Fulfilling thus the preliminary duties of a pupil, he exchanged pleasant greetings with him and reverently inquired:-

“Calm and serene, Reverend Sir, are your organs of sense; clean and clear is the hue of your skin. For whose sake did you retire from the world? Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine do you profess?”

The unassuming Arahant Assaji modestly replied:-“I am still a novice in the Order, brother; I am not able to expound the Dhamma to you at length.”

I am Upatissa, Reverend Sir. Say much or little according to your ability, and it is left to me to understand it in a hundred or a thousand ways.” “Say little or much,” Upatissa continued.

“Tell me just the substance. The substance only do I require. A mere jumble of words is of no avail.”

The Venerable Assaji uttered a four-line stanza, skilfully summing up the profound philosophy of the Master, in the scientific truth of the law of cause and effect.

Ye dhamma hetuppabhava - tesam hetum tathagato Aha
tesan ca yo nirodho - evam vadi Maha-Samano

“Of things that proceed from a cause
Their cause the Tathagata has told,
And also their cessation:
Thus teaches the Great Ascetic.”

So well did the Venerable Assaji guide him on his upward path that, immediately on hearing the first two lines, he attained the first stage of Sainthood.

Now, in accordance with the agreement, he returned to his companion Kolita to inform him of the joyful tidings. Kolita, who was as enlightened as his friend, also attained to the same state on hearing the whole stanza. Overwhelmed with joy at the successful conclusion of their search after Peace, they went, as in duty bound, to meet their teacher Sanjaya with the object of converting him to their new faith.  Frustrated in their attempt, Upatissa and Kolita, accompanied by 250 of the followers of Sanjaya who readily joined them, repaired to the Veluvana monastery to see their illustrious Teacher, the Buddha.

In compliance with their request, the Buddha admitted both of them into the Order by the mere utterance of the words:-“Etha Bhikkhave! Come, O Bhikkhus!”

A fortnight  later,  the  Venerable  Sariputta attained  Arahantship  on  hearing  the  Buddha expound  the  Vedana  Pariggaha  Sutta  to  the wandering ascetic Dighanakha. On the very same day in the evening the Buddha summoned all His disciples to His presence and conferred the exalted positions of the first and second disciples in the Sangsa respectively on the Venerable Sariputta and Monggallana, who also had attained Arahanship a week ealier.