Then the Buddha turned to Mara, saying, “I shall not pass into the final stage of liberation, O Evil One, until the knowledge of truth shall have become successful, prosperous, widespread, and popular among men!”
Brahma Sahampati understood that the Blessed One had granted his request and would preach the doctrine.
11. FIRST CONVERTS
The Blessed One stayed in solitude for seven days, enjoying the bliss of liberation.
At that time Tapussa and Bhallika, two merchants, came traveling on the road near by. When they saw the great monk, majestic and full of peace, they approached him respectfully and offered him rice cakes and honey.
This was the first food that the Blessed One ate after he became Buddha.
And the Buddha addressed them and pointed out to them the path of liberation. The two merchants, conceiving in their minds the holiness of the conqueror of Mara, bowed down in reverence and said, “We take our refuge, O Master, in the Blessed One and in the Dharma.”
Tapussa and Bhallika were the first followers of the Buddha and they were lay disciples.
Then Buddha had decided to go and pay homage to the hermits, his former teachers, for sharing their knowledge. But these ascetics were jealous of the Buddha’s enlightenment and had conspired to ignore his presence when he arrived.
And even though they decided not to welcome him, when the Buddha approached, they all stood up and fell to his feet. His persona was such that it just brought it out in them.
12. THE KING’S GIFT
King Bimbisara, having taken his refuge in the Buddha, invited the Blessed One with his monks to his palace for a meal.
The Blessed One having donned his robes, took his alms-bowl and, together with a great number of disciples, entered the city of Rajagraha. Sakka, the king of the Devas, assuming the appearance of a young brahmin, walked in front and said, “He who teaches self-control with those who have learned self-control; the redeemer with those whom he has redeemed; the Blessed One with those to whom he has given peace, is entering Rajagraha! Hail to the Buddha! Honor to his name and blessings to all who take refuge in him.” Sakka intoned this verse:
Blessed is the place in which the Buddha walks,
And blessed the ears which hear his talks;
Blessed his disciples, for they are
The tellers of his truth both near and far.
If all could hear this truth so good
Then all men’s minds would eat rich food,
And strong would grow men’s brotherhood.
When the Blessed One had finished his meal, the king sat down near him and thought, “Where may I find a place for the Blessed One to live in, not too far from the town and not too near, suitable for going and coming, easily accessible to all people who want to see him, a place that is by day not too crowded and by night not exposed to noise, wholesome and well fitted for a retired life? There is my garden, the bamboo grove Veluvana, fulfilling all these conditions. I shall offer it to the order of monks, to the Sangha, led by the Buddha.”
Thus the king dedicated his garden to the order of monks.
13. THE RETURN
After nearly seven years of having heard nothing of his son, Suddhodana came to know that Siddhartha was staying at Rajagraha, and that he was claiming to be enlightened. Overjoyed to know that his son was still alive, Suddhodana sent a messenger to ask him to return home.
The messenger met the Buddha at the Bamboo Grove in Rajagraha. He was so enthralled on hearing the words of Dharma that there and then the messenger decided to become a monk, completely forgetting to pass Suddhodana’s message. More messengers were sent and the same thing happened.
Finally, in exasperation, Suddhodana commissioned his close adviser to take the message, but only permitted him to become a monk on condition that he passed the message to the Buddha.
And so the Buddha came to know of his father’s desire to see him. The Blessed One consented to the request of his father and set out on his journey to Kapilavatthu. Soon the news spread in the native country of the Buddha that Prince Siddhartha, the one who wandered forth from home into homelessness to obtain enlightenment, is coming back.
Shortly after, the Buddha set out for Kapilavatthu, accompanied by a large number of monks. Upon arrival, they stayed outside the town in a park and in the morning entered the town to beg for alms. Only then Suddhodana learned that the Buddha had arrived and was shocked that his son would sleep under a tree rather than in the palace, and beg in the streets rather than feast at the banquet table.
Suddhodana went out with his relatives and ministers to meet the prince. When the king saw Siddhartha, he was struck with his son’s beauty and dignity but unable to contain his anger he uttered, “You are degrading your family’s dignity.”
The Buddha replied, “You are speaking to your son, the prince, the person who no longer exists. Suddhodana, on becoming enlightened one becomes a member of the family of the Noble Ones and their dignity depends only on wisdom and compassion.”
The king realized that the noble monk, his son, was no longer Siddhattha – he was the Buddha, the Blessed One, the Enlightened One, and the Teacher of mankind.
Then the Buddha took a seat opposite his father, and the king gazed eagerly at his son. He longed to call him by his name, but he dared not. “Siddhartha,” he exclaimed silently in his heart, “Siddhartha, come back to your aged father and be his son again!” But seeing the determination of his son, he suppressed his sentiments. Sadness overcame him.
“I would offer you my kingdom,” the king said, “but if I did, you would treat it as mere ashes.”
And the Buddha replied, “I know that the king’s heart is full of love and that for his son’s sake he feels deep grief. But let the ties of love that bind him to the son whom he lost embrace with equal kindness all his fellow-beings, and he will receive in his place a greater one than Siddhartha; he will receive the Buddha, and the truth will enter into his heart.”
Suddhodana trembled with joy when he heard the words of his son, the Buddha, and exclaimed with tears in his eyes, “Alas! The overwhelming sorrow has passed away. At first my heart was heavy, but now I reap the fruit of your great renunciation.”
When Suddhodana had grown old, he fell sick and sent for his son to come and see him once more before he died. The Blessed One came and stayed at the sick-bed, and Suddhodana, having attained perfect enlightenment, died in the arms of the Blessed One.
14. YASODHARA
The king conducted the Buddha into the palace, and the ministers and all the members of the royal family greeted him with great reverence. Yet, Yasodhara, the prince’s wife, did not make her appearance. The king sent for Yasodhara, but she replied, “Surely, if I am deserving of any regard, Siddhattha will come and see me.”
The Blessed One, having greeted all his relatives and friends, asked, “Where is Yasodhara?” And on being informed that she had refused to come, he rose straightway and went to her apartments.
“I am free,” the Blessed One said to his