The wisest disciple of the Gautama Buddha | Sariputta The Great Arahanth |Part 2 | Dhamma Talk

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa Dear friends in Dhamma, Today in this video I will delve into the remarkable events that unfolded in the life of Arhatsariputta after his enlightenment. In my previous video, I covered the period from Arhatsariputta's birth to his attainment of enlightenment. In this installment, we will explore Arhatsariputta's appointment as a chief disciple, his profound wisdom, the cherished friendship between Arhatsariputta and Venerable Ananda, Arhatsariputta's exemplary quality of gratitude, humility and forgiveness, and ultimately his parinibbana, in English it is called his passing away. So I would like to cover all these topics in this particular video. Appointment of Arhatsariputta as a Chief Disciple On the same day that Arhatsariputta achieved arhatship, while addressing a gathering of 1,250 monks, the Buddha appointed Arhatsariputta and Arhatsmahamoggalana, who had attained arhatship a week earlier, as the two chief disciples of the Buddha Akasavaka. It's worth noting that this decision caused some discontent among other senior monks, who wondered why these two relatively junior monks, who had just recently become arahants, were chosen for such esteemed positions by passing more senior members of the Sangha. In response to the monks' displeasure, the Buddha explained his choice by revealing that Arhatsariputta and Arhatsmahamoggalana had made the profound aspiration long ago to become the chief disciples of future Sammasambuddha. They had diligently cultivated the necessary perfections over countless lifetimes to fulfill this aspiration. In the previous era, during the time of another Sammasambuddha named Manomadasi, Arhatsariputta was born as a wealthy Brahmin named Sarada. Filled with a deep longing to discover the truth of life, he renounced his wealth and worldly attachments to become an ascetic. During his journey, he had the opportunity to listen to the sermon delivered by the chief disciple of the Manomadasi Buddha. His name was Venerable Nisabha. This discourse profoundly inspired him, and in the presence of the Buddha, he made a resolute vow to become the chief disciple of future Sammasambuddha. The Buddha, foreseeing the fulfillment of this aspiration in the future, declared his certainty. Arhatsariputta and His Wisdom Arhatsariputta was indeed renowned for his exceptional wisdom and profound understanding of the Buddha's teachings, making him perhaps the wisest among the Buddha's disciples, second only to the Buddha himself in his knowledge of the Dharma and its practical application. Due to his outstanding wisdom, the Buddha had designated him as the foremost male disciple in terms of wisdom among all his followers. His counterpart was Arhat Bhikkhuni Khema. Arhatsariputta possessed the ability to eloquently convey the Buddha's doctrine to others. There were occasions when the Buddha, recognizing Arhatsariputta's expertise, would announce his need for rest and ask Arhatsariputta to continue teaching the congregation of monks. For instance, in the Sankhyati Sutta of the Digha Nikaya, one of the Buddha's long discourses, after initially delivering a discourse to gatherings of monks and lay devotees, the Buddha, due to a backache, requested Arhatsariputta to address the monks. Arhatsariputta delivered the discourse on the Sankhyati Sutta, which the Buddha also listened to. Upon the completion of Arhatsariputta's teaching, the Buddha, upon standing up, not only confirmed the accuracy of what Arhatsariputta had taught, but also expressed his approval. Reinforcing the significance of Arhatsariputta's role in disseminating the Buddha's teachings, good, good Sariputta will indeed have you proclaim the way of teaching together for the monks. Sankhyati Sutta, Digha Nikaya Similarly, in the Satchavibhanga Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, having praised the ability of Arhatsariputta in teaching the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha left and Arhatsariputta went on to give a detailed description of the Four Noble Truths to the assembled audience of monks. Sariputta, monks, is able to proclaim, teach, lay down, establish, open up, analyze and elucidate the Four Noble Truths. Satchavibhanga Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya Because of his unrivalled skill in teaching of the Buddha both to the lay and monastic disciples, Arhatsariputta carried the title of the Dhammasenadipati, the Commander-in-Chief of Dhammas, the meaning. Friendship between Arhatsariputta and Venerable Ananda Another notable friendship that Arhatsariputta had was with Venerable Ananda, who had the greatest respect and admiration for him. Venerable Ananda was the Buddha's chief attendant and the Dhamma treasurer, which no doubt was immensely appreciated and admired by Arhatsariputta. Following Arhatsariputta's passing away, when Arhatsunda gave the news to Venerable Ananda with Arhatsariputta's alms bowl and the robes, Venerable Ananda, who was only a stream-enterer, Sotapanna, Bhai then informed the Buddha how upset he felt. Then, O Lord, my body became weak as a creeper, everything around became dim and things were no longer clear to me, when I heard about the final passing away of the Venerable Sariputta. Then Venerable Ananda went on to describe his admiration for Arhatsariputta. But, O Lord, the Venerable Sariputta has been to me a mentor, teacher and instructor, one who rouses, inspires and gladdens, uttering in preaching Dhamma a help of his fellow monks, and we remember how vitalizing, enjoyable and helpful his Dhamma instruction was. Arhatsariputta's quality of gratitude Let's me share some intricate insight about Arhatsariputta's profound sense of gratitude. Arhatsariputta never failed to remember his very first Buddhist teacher, Arhatsasaji, from whom he first heard the Buddha's teaching in brief and became a stream-enterer, Sotapanna. If they both happen to be residing in the same monastery, Arhatsariputta will visit the Buddha first and then visit Arhatsasaji to pay homage to him. If Arhatsasaji was residing elsewhere before going to sleep each evening, he will find out where Arhatsasaji was and pay homage to that direction and would sleep with his head in the same direction. When he discovered Buddha's teaching as ascetic Upathis, he immediately went with his friend, friend Kolitha. After listening to the same stanza that they learned from Arhatsasaji, he too became a stream-enterer, Sotapanna, listening to the four lines and entered the path of liberation. Then both went in search of his former teacher Sanjaya to try and persuade him to come with them to see the Buddha and learn the true path of liberation. They could not persuade him to do so for his own reasons because he didn't want to be a disciple. Why? Because he was a teacher. Then he has to again be a student or disciple. He didn't like for that. There was a 120-year-old poor man staying at Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi, doing some manual work in return for food from the monks. Arhatsariputra remembered that on one occasion this man had offered him the little food that he had collected from begging for himself. And on that advice of the Buddha, ordained him as a monk and helped him to attain the enlightenment. When Arhatsariputra knew that he was going to pass away in one week, he wanted to visit his mother who still remained a Brahmin and practiced Brahmin faith and was hostile to the Buddha's teaching. As all her six children had become Buddha's disciples, having received permission from the Buddha, he visited his mother and taught her the Buddha's teaching from his deathbed. And as a result, she did attain Sotapanna, the first spiritual state of Shri Maitreya. Once a fellow monk who had a certain grudge against Arhatsariputra made a false accusation to the Buddha claiming that Arhatsariputra physically hit him and left on a walking tour without apologizing to him. When the Buddha called Arhatsariputra and inquired him about the accusation, he explained that he would have hurt another monk and left without apologizing if he had not developed mindfulness of his body and went on to express certain virtues he had developed, i.e. abide with the mind with no anger or ill-will. Just as the earth accepts pure and impure such as excreta, urine, saliva, pus and blood without loathing, just as the water washes pure and impure without loathing, just as the fire burns pure and impure without loathing, just as the air blows away pure and impure without loathing, just as dust wipes away the pure and impure without loathing, just as a begging outcast boy or girl has a humble mind, just as a tame bull with its horn cut wanders around without harming anybody, I abide disgusted and loathing this putrid body just as a clean person feels disgusted and loathing when a carcass of a snake, dog or human is wrapped around the neck. I abide with this body which is perforated and leaking just as a man using a perforated frying pan with oil leaking. If I had not established mindfulness of the body, I may have offended someone and left without apologizing. The accusing monk then felt guilty and distressed, admitting to the Buddha and it was a false accusation and begged for pardon. Arhatsariputra pardoned him as otherwise the particular monk would have faced grave consequences for making the false accusation. And Arhatsariputra was humble enough to beg for an apology for if he had done any wrong to the accusing monk. On another occasion, accidentally a corner of Arhatsariputra's under robe was hanging down. A seven-year-old novice monk noticed it and pointed it out to Arhatsariputra who immediately corrected it. It is said that with folded hands he told the novice monk, Now it is correct, teacher. While on alms round in the village, a brahmin kicked Arhatsariputra on the back to test whether Arhatsariputra will get angry. Arhatsariputra did not even look back. When the brahmin who was full of remorse pleaded for forgiveness, Arhatsariputra forgave him and even visited his house for food. While the people who witnessed the incident were outrageous and wanted to attack the brahmin. While bidding farewell to the Buddha and asking for the Buddha's permission to travel to his native village for his final passing away, Arhatsariputra pleaded for forgiveness from the Buddha if he has done or said anything that was not pleasing to the Buddha. If any deed or word of mine did not please you, O Lord, may the blessed one forgive me. It is now time for me to go. Again, just before passing away, having got the community of 500 Buddhist monks who were with him to assemble around, Arhatsariputra sought their forgiveness from his deathbed if any wrong has been done to them by him. For 44 years I have lived and travelled with you, my brethren. If any deed or word of mine was unpleasant to you, forgive me, brethren. Through meditation, Arhatsariputra knew that following the pattern of previous sammasambuddhas, the two chief disciples were due to pass away before the Buddha and that he had seven days remaining in this life before attaining the final parinibbana. His mother has still not accepted the Buddha's doctrine, although all her seven children had entered the Buddha's order and had become Arhats. Arhatsariputra intended to visit his mother to teach her the doctrine and for the final passing away to take place in the same room in his family home where he was born. Having bid farewell to the Buddha and received permission to leave, Arhatsariputra accompanied by his attendant Arhatsunda and 500 monks left the Buddha and arrived at his mother's house on the seventh day. It is said that as soon as he settled down on his bed in the same room where he was born, Arhatsariputra developed severe dysentery. He was visited by celestial leaders such as the four great divine kings Sakka, the king of gods, and the Mahabrahma. Prompted by their visits, Arhatsariputra's mother developed faith in her son and, after listening to a discourse from him, attained the first stage of stream-enterer, Sotapan. It is believed that Arhatsariputra passed away on the full moon day of the month of November. A few months before the Buddha's passing away, his body was cremated in the city of Rajagaha and his relics were taken to the Buddha by his brother, his eldest brother Arhatsunda. As recorded in the Anupadasutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the following is the Buddha's appreciation and admiration of his chief disciple in the Buddha's own words. He is the blessed one's son, his offspring born of his mouth, born of the Dhamma, created by the Dhamma, his hair in the Dhamma, not his hair in material things. Sariputra, monks, takes the unexcelled will of Dhamma set rolling by the Tathagata and keeps it rolling rightly. Anupadasutta, Majjhima Nikaya. Okay dear friends, these are the sources which you can read and know more about Arhatsariputra's life story, his service and his noble qualities. Dear friends, I hope you have found both enjoyment and inspiration in the brief video recounting the life story of Arhatsariputra, renowned as the wisest disciple of Gautama Buddha. With this, I conclude my sermon. May all sentient beings experience well-being and happiness, and may the Noble Triple Gem always bless you. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu