Bodhisatva Siddhartha's renunciation and the end of search

S.W. Lewke Bandara

Renunciation: The universally accepted tradition in the Buddhist World about the great renunciation of Prince Siddhartha and His search for the capability for the realisation of truth (Kim Kusala Gawesi) leading up to the Enlightenment are the most celebrated aspects of the life of the Bodhisatwa.

It is traditionally accepted that the appearance of the Four Portends (Sathara Pera Nimithi) is the catalyst of this momentous event in human history.

However, the Suttas and other sources compel the discerning student to look into these events in an objective and critical point of view, in the spirit of the Kalama Sutta, that would throw penetrative light to understand the true perspective regarding these events.

Tradition has it that King Suddhodana had imposed an injunction that the young Prince should be totally kept in the dark about the phenomenon of Jara (decay) Vyadhi (disease), Marana (death) and the abandonment of lay life - Sramana, lest the early prediction about Siddhartha renouncing the lay life would bear fruit.

Despite this precaution it appears that when the Bodhisatta was being driven in His chariot to the pleasure garden He encountered an old man, a sick man, a corpse and a hermit. He ascertained from His charioteer about these phenomena and learnt that the first three encounters were inexorable conditions of life and also about the abandonment of lay life.

The Bodhisattva with His deep sensitivity, extra ordinary intellect and profound learning would not have not known about the phenomena of Jara, Vyadhi, Marana and the abandonment of lay life even if these encounters were physically kept away from him.

Therefore these four portends should be perceived by us to whom this account is offered in the light of the Buddha's teaching: "Friends I do proclaim that in this very fathom long body with its perceptions and consciousness is the world, the world's arising, the world's cessation and the path leading to the world's cessation. (Anguttara Nikaya 11.48)

Thus the chariot may be symbolically perceived as the human body, the journey to the pleasure garden as human beings' eternal quest for happiness, the charioteer as the human intellect and the Bodhisatta as the flowering of wisdom.

Thus the story of the four portends represents the fact that these phenomena of decay, decease and death were seen with penetrative wisdom resulting in the purity of mind-sra-mana, the fourth portend.

The Ariya Pariyeshana Sutta of the Majjima Nikaya appears to be an autobiographical account of Siddhartha and here He ponders thus: "Subject as I am to the phenomena of birth this is decay and death, is behoves Me that I embark in the search for that bliss free from birth, disease, decay and death".

The actual event of renunciation is popularly and dramatically portrayed as the Bodhisattva receiving the tidings about the birth of His son and thereafter leaving the household in the middle of the night unknown the father and His wife and taking a glimpse of His new born child sleeping with its mother in her bed chamber.

However, the first person account in the Ariya Pariyeshana Sutta of the renouncing of the household life by Siddhartha himself lends support to a view regarding this event that is more in accord with reality and with His sensitive and perceptive temperament.

Here He explains the difference between the pursuit of the outward journey in search of worldly goods and pleasure which is called Anariya Pariyeshana as against the noble pursuit the Ariya Pariyeshana or the inward journey, The Bodhisatta states."

Monks, having shed my childhood I reached the joyous days of the first flush of youth radiant with raven tresses of hair. While my sorrowing parents totally grief stricken and with tear laden faces wept I sheared my head of hair and shaved by beard, donned the saffron robes and relinquished my household life. Having embarked on life of a monk my search for truth in pursuit of the immeasurable bliss commenced". (Ariya Pariyeshana Sutta 1.3.6)

That the above version of the great renunciation accords more with reality is borne out by the fact that none in the Royal Palace of Suddhodana thereafter attempted to find Siddhartha's whereabouts. Further, the fact that his wife Yasodhara followed a life of austerity and solitude shorn of all finery and comforts supports the view that she was well aware of this momentous step taken by her husband and was in total approval thereof.

The manner in which the renunciation took place as set out in the Ariya Pariyeshana Sutta lends support to the immediate cause of the young Sakyan Prince abandoning His lay life as posited by certain Indian Scholars like Ambadeckkar.

It is suggested that the young Prince Siddhartha who had assumed leadership of the Sakyan clan had to intervene with the neighbouring Koliya Kingdom regarding the waters of the Rohini River which was pivotal to both kingdoms as a source of water vital for irrigation and agriculture.

The obstruction by the Koliyas, the upper riparian owners of the waters of the Rohini River was a constant irritant to the Sakyans. Eventually the deliberations of the council of Sakyans led to a decision to wage war against the Koliyas as a solution to this perennial problem.

Prince Siddhartha however, was vehemently opposed to this course of action which He pointed out would lead to never ending strife and worthless blood shed. Despite Siddhartha's dissent the Sakyans council's decision to go to war against the Koliyas gained dominance.

In the result Siddhartha had to opt out of the participation in the impending war to be waged against the Koliyas. According to the rules and conventions of the Sakyans, a Sakyan leader going against the decision of the council had to face drastic consequences, one of which was to abandon the Sakyan Kingdom by renouncing the lay life and embarking on the life of a mendicant.

Being of a highly sensitive nature from His childhood and averse to any form of killing and violence Siddhartha with the full knowledge of His wife and father accepted this offer readily. Thus is would appear the socio political scenario prevailing at the time and the uncompromising attitude of Siddhartha in not contributing to war and violence seem to be the "Casus Belli" for His renunciation of the household life.

After the Enlightenment several years later the Buddha Himself directly intervened at this theatre of war when He spoke to the Sakyans and Koliyas as the hostilities were about to begin over the waters of the river Rohini.

The Buddha suggested the building of a dam at the point where the rivers Rohini and Kethaki converged there by distributing the waters equitably to both kingdoms.

Unprecedented in human history of effort and search in the pursuit of truth is that embarked upon by Bodhisatta Siddhartha which is again given in autobiographical detail in Ariya Pariyeshana Sutta and path of self mortification "Dushkarak Kriya" in the Maha Sachchaka Sutta in the Majjima Nikaya.

His first step in this path was His tutelage under Alarakalama. Siddhartha followed His theory and practice in spirit and to the letter and that is no time He mastered them that He was offered to co-manage Alarakalama's monastery.

The Bodhisatta not only rejected this in toto but soon realised that His teachings and practices was only conducive to dwell in the realm of Nothingness (Akinchayathana) and in no way leads to detachment in the Sansra and not conducive to enlightenment.

Siddhartha therefore totally disassociated Himself with Alarakalama's teaching and practice and abandoned it absolutely.

Siddhartha's next station in His search was Uddakarama Putta whose teaching and practice Siddhartha mastered to perfection.

However Siddhartha was totally disillusioned with his teaching which ultimately would lead one towards the (realm of neither - perception know - known perception) Nevasanna - Nasanna.

Therefore He totally rejected and abandoned this teaching and practice as offering no solution to the ills of the world. However His search continued and He practiced every form of self mortification ranging from infliction of every possible form of torture pain and deprivation to the body and starvation as a practice to tame and purify the body and the mind with the assistance of the five groups of ascetics.

The upshot of all this was that Siddhartha was reduced to literally skin and bone and was hovering between life and death. Here too, the Bodhisatta on His own perception realised the futility of this self mortification" Attakilamathanu Yoga" and abandoned this practice much to the disillusionment of His five colleagues who were dogmatically attached to this practice as a method of self emancipation that they deserted Siddhartha to fend for Himself.

Thus Siddhartha became totally isolated and walked alone abandoning all knowledge theories and practices He had acquired in this search and reached the Uruwella region and came upon the beautiful Senani Village which He described thus "In my wandering I came upon the Senani Village in the Uruwela Region.

Its tranquil woods the lovely flowing river with milky sandy banks and bays, with the surrounding hamlet which could sustain me, attracted me as ideal for pursuing of my inward journey" (Ariya Pariyeshana Sutta). At the foot of the spreading shade of the Asatu Tree on the bank of this river Siddhartha put an end to His search.

He abandoned without a trace all knowledge and all the authority teachings and practices hitherto gained and started the journey against the tide. (Patisotha Gami) and looked at the origin and the working of the mind, body and thought (Yonisomanasikaraya). In the profound solitude He was the Timeless Now (The Kshanaya) totally emancipated from the dead past and the present and the unborn future all of which He realised as a mere illusion.

In the timeless now has realised the Dhamma which is Akalika (Transcending time) hitherto unheard by God or Man (Pubbesu Ananusuthesu Dhammesu Dhevenawa Marenwa Brakmunawa Kenachiwa Lokasminthi). It is therefore the only and the true revolution that ever occurred on human history.

The Bodhisatta saw in His penetrative wisdom the cessation of consciousness (Vinnana) which is the summation of human experience inclusive of all defilements, all virtues, all Dhammas, all Adammas the mind thought and every conceivable concept including the ego simultaneously.

He saw the arising of perception (Sanna Samudaya) and in that very arising its cessation (Sanna Nirodha).

Thus the very concept of a separate individual which is Sanna (including the very concept of Siddhartha) was seen as a total delusion created as a mental aberration brought about by craving in the operation of the law of cause and effect.

He saw the Bhava (becoming) arising in the timeless now and in the very arising in undergoes cessation, Vayadhamma Sankara.

This is seen as Bhava Nirodha. Thus Vinnanorodha and Loka Nirodha namely the cessation of consciousness and the cessation of the world as we see it is seen within this fathom long body.

All these arisings and cessations do not occur in a graduated time frame but in the timeless now and in a flash of penetrative wisdom.

Therefore Enlightenment is seen in the Nirodha in the timeless now. It is the lack of awareness that leads to the continuity of the Bhawa resulting in Jathi, Jara, Vyadhi, Marana etc, etc.

The opening verses of Dhammapada set out the consequences of non awareness "Appamado Amatha Padan, Pamado Machchuno Padan".

Total attention by the keeping of the eye of wisdom totally wake as symbolised in the Animisalochana Pooja in the "Sath Sathiya" which is attention in its purest will lead to ending of becoming and the ending of the world.

Thus Enlightenment is the seen as Bhava, Vinnana and Loka Nirodha in the timeless now. Which is the Buddhaothpada Kshanaya - the timeless now where the Buddha or Enlightenment is born.

The Buddha is truly this Dhamma and cannot be seen by any creation of the mind or by hand but arises in the timeless now to be seen by the totally awakened. "So Dhamman Passathi So Man Passathi", said the Buddha.

In this timeless now therefore Enlightenment is born and the inseparable nexus of attachment between consciousness (Vinnana) and name and form (Nama Rupa) is torn as under and totally severed.

Thalpitiya Raja Maha Vihara, Wadduwa

The temple which protected the Sacred Tooth Relic:

K. A. Perera, Wadduwa special correspondent

WADDUWA: The 75th Annual "Dalada Perahara" of Thalpitiya Raja Maha Vihara, Wadduwa, the only night pageant in Kalutara district will be held on September 8. The historic Perahera will be held to commemorate the event of the Sacred Tooth Relic which was kept for safety in the temple.

During the Kotte period of Sri Lanka's history, when the Portuguese came to this island and conquered the maritime regions (16th century), the Portuguese plundered and razed most of the historic temples.

When the Tooth Relic was taken away secretly, it was given full protection at Thalpitiya Raja Maha Vihara, Wadduwa.

According to ancient chronicles, Ven. Aluwe Rewata Thera, the Present Daladawatta Raja Maha Vihara was established and he passed away in 1879. He had constructed a shrine room, residential quarters for bhikkhus. A preaching hall for dhammadesana and rendered a valuable service to propagate dhamma.

Ven. Pagoda Dhammaratana, who became the chief incumbent of the temple commenced the famous "Dalada Perahera" in 1933. The Ven. Madapatha Sumanajothi Thera added majestic glamour to the historical perahera. To see large number of elephants parading the main roads in Wadduwa is indeed a rare sight. It is also notable sight that hundreds of Buddhist monks clad in saffron robes carrying the vatapatha march in procession providing a bright an inspiring sight.

Troupes of traditional dancers accompanied by drummers take part in the pageant. The perahera is scheduled to leave the temple of Thalpitiya at 8.00 p.m. and will proceed along Goonetillake Road, Moronthuduwa Road, Galle Road and turn off at Thalpitiya and return to the temple.

The peoplised bus service and private coach will provide special night bus services from Panadura, Moronthuduwa and Kalutara to Wadduwa. The perahera has been organised by the Youth Buddhist Society under the guidance of Ven. Talwatte Indrajothi, the Chief incumbent of temple.