Dialogues between King Kosala and the Buddha

Prof. Sunanda Mahendra

Some encounters between King Pasenadi Kosala and the Buddha are recorded in the Kosala Samyutta of Samyutta Nikaya. These dialogues retell the nature of the inner bliss one can achieve.

The Buddha welcomed by King Kosala Picture by Saman Sri Wedage

Underestimating the infant

In the very first Dahara Sutta King Kosala tells the Buddha that some of the contemporary teachers such as Nigantha Nathaputta, Pakuda Kachchayana, Makkhali Gosala, Sannjaya Bellaththiputta and Ajitha Kesakambla have uttered that the Buddha is infant in age as well as doctrine. They have declared the term dahara or 'infant' to denote external factors like one's age and teacherhood.

The Buddha was listening to King Kosala when he raised the term dahara which is ladaru in Sinhala. He exemplified the inner meanings of the term as applied in the worldly sense hinting at a deeper layer of inner meanings. The Buddha says that there are four types about which the term dahara cannot be used. What are they?

In the first instance an infant like Kshatriya Prince cannot be humiliated or denounced from the very physical appearance as an infant. Why? The prince will grow up to become matured in both age and experience to the point that he will no longer be infant-like.

Secondly take the case of fire, said the Buddha, as the King Kosala was listening eagerly. The fire in the sprinkle or seminal form cannot be humiliated or denounced as 'infant-like' for it will gradually extend the power of being a greater and intensified fire which one could not fathom if a disaster is caused. As such the infant though physically infantine, will spread in a gradual process. So insult not the fire by its primary stage.

Thirdly comes the case of a serpent which looks like an infant. The infant like serpent gradually grows into a giant creative who could even bring disaster with its venom. As such insult no the serpent in an infantile process. Humiliate not the serpent in its infantile process. Then comes the case of a Samana or a novice monk who should not be looked at from any negative outlook. A novice will gradually grow up to be an elderly monk who would have achieved some power both in physical plane as well as spiritual plane in his search as an inner development. In this process of growing up the mere physical appearance should not be counted as derogatory signs to insult or humiliate.

Heavy meals

Once again at an odd time of the day a sultry midday, King Kosala appeared before the Buddha. The Buddha saw that the King showed a lazy yawning face.

"I feel overeaten. My belly is full. I feel lazy. I am unfit both physically and mentally." The Buddha knew the plight of the king who had partaken of a heavy meal greedily. Then the Buddha explained to the King the miseries caused by overeating in the following manner.

"Be moderate in your foot habits. The moderate quality of a person gives way to the elimination of various physical and mental ailments. The moderate eating habit allows the proper digestion and enables the longevity."

King Kosala then had his servant Sudasana besides him.

"Sudassana I will pay you a salary. Whenever I sit at the royal table partake of meal, you should remind me those words of the Buddha. By and by King Kosala was relieved of a long lasting habit. He gave up overeating and took up moderate eating. This incident is related in Donapadaka Sutta of Kosala Samyutta.

Who do you love most?

One resourceful dialogue that ensued between King Kosala and the Buddha appears in Mallika Sutta on love.

"Who do you love most in your life?" King asked his queen once.

"Myself." Queen was relaxed in her response. But it was not what the king expected. The queen shot the question back, and the king responded swiftly: "I love myself too."

King brought up this situation later with the Buddha. The Buddha clarified the situation in the shortest possible manner.

"Even if you traverse all four directions of the earth, you may not find a single person who does not love another person other than himself or herself. All beings love themselves."

Once King Kosala paid a visit to the Buddha together with his deputy kings. They were known as Pancha Raja. They had a debate on favourite sense. One said the highest sensory perception comes from rupa (image). Another said it is shabda (sound). Another said it is gandha (smell). Another said it is rasa (taste). Another said it is passa (contact). That is when they decided they should ask the Buddha.

"King, the preference is individualistic and depends on the person concerned. Some prefer rupa over shabda, and some others prefer gandha over others. It is certainly the reference that matters. It is the manapapariyantam in you that drives your desire."

At this juncture there was an upasaka named Chandanamgulika, who stood in a corner of the congregation hall, who nodded his head, and said: "Oh great Master I verily understood what you said. The five kings looked at the upasaka. The Buddha declared in approval. "I knew it Upasaka. You verily understood what I said."

The five kings removed their shawls round their necks and garlanded Upasaka Chandanangalika. This event is stated in Pancharaja Sutta.

In this manner the dialogues in the events that took place between King Kosala at the Buddha are penetrative insights to day to day life.