Arhath Sariputta

The Yaksha was anxiously waiting for that moment. The monk was serene and deep in his contemplation, his shaven head invitingly glistening. But the Yaksha's mates pleaded with him not to strike the monk's head fearing the bad consequences. The monk's companion's warning fell on a deaf ear. The monk still firm in meditation. The Yaksha could fulfill his desire by striking the monk's head, which could have killed an average person on the spot. For Arhath Sariputta, however, this came like a little poke on his head.

Arhath Sariputta is a famous name in Buddhist literature among a few others: Moggallana, his colleague and Ananda, the Buddha's chief assistant. Sariputta's story starts in a village of Brahmins, being born to Sari in Upatissa village. The Brahmin priests named him after his hometown, Upatissa.

Upatissa had a lifelong companion called Kolitha. Their friendship - it is recorded in both Mahayana and Theravada - had been throughout Sansara until they achieved deathlessness in their last birth. Kolitha, who later became Mugalan, has a different story, though we apparently mention him oftentimes with Sariputta.

Every Buddhist knows that these two young chaps went to see a pageant, which ultimately caused them a depression. Like any other their next quest was for a teacher. Their teacher Sanjaya interestingly turned out to be one of the six so-called contemporaries of the Buddha including Nigantha Nataputta of Jainism.

Sanjaya Belatthiputta - Sanjaya of the Bellattha clan - is famously known for his 'eel wriggler's theory' (Amaravikkhepavadi). Although many Jain philosophers do not like to accept, some opine that Sanjaya studied and was largely influenced by Jainism. However his teachings mostly do not specify any ideals, like Jainism. The following extract from Nyanaponika Thera's 'Great Disciples of the Buddha' (don't get the misconception that the learned priest considered Sanjaya as a great disciple of the Buddha) offers insights to Sanjaya's philosophy.

"If you ask me if there exists another world (after death), if I thought that there exists another world, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not. If you asked me if there isn't another world... both is and isn't... neither is nor isn't... if there are beings who transmigrate... if there aren't both are and aren't... neither are nor aren't... if the Tathagatha exists after death... doesn't both... neither exists nor exists after death, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise."

However Sanjaya had a great personality to release his students Upatissa and Kolitha in their quest for another teacher when they became disappointed at him. When they returned having discovered the Buddha's teachings, nevertheless Sanjaya did not like to join them on grounds he thought justifiable. Being a teacher of a large retinue, Sanjaya told his ex-students, he cannot just abandon them for the sake of another philosophy, however rich it may seem. Sanjaya was wise to say "Majority are fools, I belong to and cannot get rid of. You may join the clan of few wise men." When Upatissa and Kolitha became Sariputta and Moggallana, most of Sanjaya's students abandoned him. It was too late when Sanjaya realized his mistake.

Of the pair, it was Sariputta who was first fortunate to find the way of purification. He spotted Arhath Assaji, a monk quite collected in his composure. Nothing could have ruffle him; no, not in the least. His calm composure beckoned inquiring Upatissa to wait up. At length, only after making sure the monk's mood is not disturbed, Upatissa approached the Arhath. And then started a new tradition.

I reproduce an extract from Nyanaponika Thera's 'Life of Sariputta' here:

"...the Elder Assaji uttered this stanza:
"Of all those things that from a cause arise,
Tathagata the cause thereof has told;
And how they cease to be, that too he tells,
This is the doctrine of the Great Recluse."

Upon hearing the first two lines, Upatissa became established in the Path of stream-entry, and to the ending of the last two lines he already listened as a stream-winner."

When both Sariputta and Moggallana were appointed chief disciples of the Buddha, apparently the question of seniority arose. There were many who were ordained long before. The Buddha was on the verge of being accused of favouration! Despite his superior status of spirituality as well as knowledge, Sariputta was still humble and modest. He had, above all, excellent qualities of preaching. He was commissioned to preach the monk order in absence of the Buddha.

One well known instance is when the Buddha visited Thusitha Heavens to preach his mother-god. Sariputta was hence not only one of the chief disciple, but he was also the General of Dhamma, Dhamma Senapathi. With all this weighed against his credentials, Sariputta still had respect to his elder Arhath Assaji. No matter where he rests, Arhath Sariputta always paid homage in the direction where his elder was resting. Many misunderstood this mission as following Brahmin rituals too.

The Buddha then said 'as gods their homage pay to Indra, so should a man give reverence to him from whom he learned the Dhamma' in Nava Sutta. One may naturally compare this theory with the simile of raft. That a man should not continue carrying Dhamma like someone who still carries a raft even when he is done with crossing the river. The Buddha encouraged gratitude on top of everything. He proved it himself by enlightening his family.

Sariputta's modesty earned him much popularity in the monk order. He had the props of both modesty and everlasting friendship with Moggallana in reuniting the monk order on two occasions: splits caused by Devadatta's and two other misbehaving monks.

Sariputta was beyond reproach. Yet he was modest in his own way to ask the Buddha for forgiveness when the moment for passing away arrived. The Mother Earth burst out with tears when this moment occurred.

Sariputta came back to his hometown to spend the last days. He had a mission to fulfill. This was a return to layman's life for his Brahmin mother, yet she arranged everything. The Arhath fell ill with dysentery, and a number of heavenly creatures attempted to attend him. His mother saw the arrival of divine creatures and inquired about them from the son. She was stunned to hear that her son is greater to be attended by divine creatures her clan had been upholding. She was quite convinced about her son's position. And then the General of the Dhamma could preach the nine great qualities of the Buddha, hence convince his mother; Sariputta repaid the nursing debt of his mother Rupa Sari in that way.

Arhath Sariputta's life is full with events of inspiration. The Buddha summed up his chief disciple's life as a whole of purity, noble friendship, noble companionship and noble association.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/05/28/fea11.asp