So far, in this series of narratives about the lives and psalms of the early Buddhists, there has been no account of people having given up matrimonial bonds for the Buddhist order except for the Buddha himself. Maha Pajapati was a widow and the venerable Rahula was only seven when he entered the order, and the venerable Ambapali was never married. This time we bring you a story about a well matched couple who willingly parted company, to each leave the world. They must have been reasonably happy together, at least to the public view, for they feared, even after they had left the world, that people would say that they could not bear to be apart, and so went separate ways after they left their city. (1) Also, even in their recorded private conversations, affection, gentleness and compassion for each other was evident. With all this understanding and companionship in their relationship, it was truly a very rare union.

        Kassapa the Great was born Pippali-manava, the son of the chief wife of Kapila the brahmin of the brahmin village Maha-tittha in Magadha. When of age, the young man refused to marry, saying that he would take care of his parents while they lived, after which he would leave the world. Presumably his parents were very upset that he should not provide an heir to their immense wealth, because even to this day, it is considered proper to have large numbers of children to carry on the lineage. Whatever amount of entreaty, pressure or persuasion he might have received, he finally appeased his mother by, according to records, having a statue of an extremely beautiful woman made, and declaring that he would lead a domestic life if he could ever find a person like her. (2)

        His mother then sent brahmins, with the statue, in search of an eligible young lady. The brahmins, in their quest, came to Sagala, in the kingdom of the Maddas, where they placed the statue by a river and sat down, probably taking a rest. They must have been quite surprised when a woman came up and slapped the golden statue on the cheek. Questioning her, they found that she thought the sculpture was her charge, Bhadda Kapilani, daughter of the chief wife of Kosiyagotta brahmin. So similar was the statue to her mistress that the nurse, who had already bathed and dressed the young lady and was returning to the edge of the river for her own bath, thought Bhadda had also gone back to stand by the river on her own. (3)

        One may imagine how beautiful Bhadda Kapilani must have been, for surely Pippali-manava never expected any living thing to meet the standards of his statue. Receiving word that the brahmins had found such a lady, he must have been trying to find an excuse not to marry her, for he secretly wrote to her, saying, ‘Bhadda! May you obtain a menage suitable to your birth and fortune. I shall leave the world. Do not act so as to regret hereafter. (4) If she then refused the match, he would have perhaps been able to edge out of the arrangement but he could hardly have found any other excuse since they were what we might call today a perfect match. They were of the same caste, both families were very wealthy and both of the young people were said to be very good looking.

        No doubt Bhadda's parents thought as much. However, unknown to Pippali-manava, Bhadda was probably seeking the same excuse as he was, writing to him in exactly the same manner in secret. But their marriage must have been excessively desired by everyone else concerned, for even the letter bearers took the matter to heart. Meeting each other on the way to deliver the individual letters, they got together and read the contents. Dismayed, they exclaimed, ‘Look at the work of these children!’ Throwing away the originals, they wrote up new letters that resulted in the much celebrated marriage. (5)

        Both the bride and the groom must have accumulated conditions for the perfect virginity, for even on the wedding night, each brought chained flowers and laid them on the bed between them. Thus, they spent their days and nights in each other's company and must have developed a great understanding and friendship, each knowing the other's excellence. Then, when Pippali-manava's parents died, after some discussion, they decided to leave the world. They prepared the bare essentials, cut each other's hair, gave the weeping servants their freedom and left the house, together.

        Walking in front, Pippali-manava thought, ‘Here is Bhadda Kapilani, a woman worth the whole of the country, walking at my heels. Someone seeing us will think: “These have renounced the world, but cannot do without each other---”’ So he told Bhadda this and she agreed, and at the cross-roads, they decided that he should go right and she left. Thus they parted, after a unique marriage. (6)

        Some people might say that it was because they did not love one another, but taking a closer look at their attitude and behavior towards each other, we detect, if not a purer form of love, without carnal desire, then a wonderful friendship filled with understanding, considerateness and kindness. For example, when they each thought that the other party wanted the marriage, because of the altered letters, they did not refuse abruptly, which might have been considered and insult. Then, the flower chain wall was the frailest barrier and the most subtly clear message that could be so gently given, so as to hurt no one. After they had come to know one another well, they must have consulted each other even as they did when they decided to leave the world, thus they shared everything and understood each other quite beautifully. For some people, their relationship is undoubtedly to be preferred to carnal love, and this excellent couple appeared to have been very happy together. Indeed if everyone could have such an attitude towards every other person, the world would be a wonderfully peaceful and happy place for all. However, such a harmonious relationship could occur only among people with similar disposition and habitual tendencies. Had either party in this relationship been of a different character or nature, the result might not have been this pleasant. As it was, they were truly two of a kind, and as it is said, birds of a feather flock together. In reference to this, we will look one day at the wonderfully peaceful relationship of wisdom and considerateness as well as infinite generosity among the early Buddhists, which is quite marvelous to study.

        We will hear of Bhadda Kapilani's life further at the next presenting occasion, but now we will see what became of her husband. The Buddha himself, knowing of Pippali-manava's leaving the world, walked three leagues on the road between Rajagaha and Nalanda to meet him. Seated under the Bahuputtaga Banyan tree, he was perceived by the unique gentleman, who thought, ‘This will be our Master, through whom I have left the world.’ He approached, and, bending low, said, ‘The Lord, the Exalted One, is my Master! I am his disciple.’ The Exalted One replied, ‘Sit, Kassapa, and I will show thee thine inheritance,’ and gave him ordination. Although we do not have records of the exact moment he actually changed his name, from here on he was called Kassapa. Later the Master exchanged his old robe with Kassapa the Great, which was apparently the only occasion he had ever honoured anyone so (7).

        There are assertions that in one of his former lives Maha Kassapa was born under Vipassi-Buddha, when he and his wife, who was also Bhadda in her former life, were a brahmin couple. They then gave the Buddha the only outdoor cloak they had between them for his use. (8) Whether this account had any bearing on his receiving the old robe of our Buddha or not, to be kind and selfless are still excellent qualities without doubt. Consequently to be generous to people worthy of the greatest honor and respect, that is, to give willingly and with joy, must be much better than giving to people whose worthiness of the gift is doubtable, to give unwillingly, or to give expecting something in return. Although it is true that each action causes a reaction, the result may not be immediate, and to explicitly desire a result of a good deed is also a form of greed.

        In the great Kassapa’s case, the given result followed only after a very long time. Whatever caused the exchange of robes, it remains true that he was unique in many respects. After he was ordained he zealously took up his studies as well as practised with perfection the thirteen dhutanga, or optional means of mental purification. Eight days after he left domestic life, he attained Arahantship, and came to be proclaimed by the Buddha as the greatest among those who exercised the dhutanga. (9) He must have accumulated an enormous amount of ascetic tendencies, contentedness in all environments and essential elements, no matter how fine or poor.

        Maha Kassapa was greatly admired by his contemporaries, and was considered a model Bhikkhu on many occasions. He would have been, we might suppose, exactly what most people expect a Bhikkhu to be like. The dhutanga, or the Buddhist form of austerities, consist of determinations such as not to wear or accept fine robes, to take meals only as received on the alms gathering, and not to live in, for example, buildings, but to take shelter under trees, in caves and such. There are thirteen such dhutanga; a Bhikkhu may choose as few or as many as he wishes to practise, or none at all, according to the degree of their accumulated contentedness.

        Buddhism, we see, is a very easy religion to practise. There is nothing one is forced to do against one's nature or desire. Everything is voluntary, from the most rigid determination that will not cause damage to oneself or to others, to the basic rules as to how to live peacefully in the world, such as not to kill or steal. Each Buddhist practises his teacher's teachings within his scope of understanding, ability and aspirations. As for those aspiring to the complete comprehension and the end of all sorrows, there are teachings as to how to accumulate the right conditions for that as was never taught elsewhere.

        Kassapa the Great not only practised to perfection all thirteen of the dhutanga, he also kept most piously the over two hundred sila of the Bhikkhu. So unmistakable and thorough was his knowledge of the order's behavior system, and so indisputable was his stability in keeping all the sila as well as the dhutanga without the slightest flaw, that he was extolled on one occasion by the venerable Upali, another great Thera, to be the Chief Justice of the order. (10) His judgment in all matters was highly respected and sought after and all of his actions can always be pointed out as examples of proper behavior for a Bhikkhu. He was entirely selfless and chaste and humble, living in the simplest way with the utmost contentedness. And yet, it was he who organized the great Council (11) at Satapanna Cave, Vepala mountain in the kingdom of Rajagaha after the Buddha's Nibbana, to establish the great teacher's doctrine so that, as the Master himself had said, his Dhamma would be his successor at the head of the order.

        Kassapa the Great arranged and conducted the council so that the eminent Arahanta should gather and recount their experiences and knowledge received from the great teacher for all to record. In this matter, one can see the immense ability of the organiser to arrange the facilities for a gathering of this size, including all the essentials for the 7 month long meeting. Then, as head of the council, it was his function to question the 500 Arahanta informants and arrange the obtained information, which must have been a gigantic duty. One can imagine what might have happened if these records had not been kept, even if it was at that time committed to memory, with written records being made much later. When the Buddha passed away his teachings might have never even reached our time. As it was, there had to be more councils of qualified Bhikkhu, at certain periods of time to review the records and eliminate as much as possible any alterations of the teachings that time makes inevitable.

        It is interesting to see that the most modest and zealous person performed the tremendous and essential tasks with excellence. One might even say that he was the administrator of the order for the period after the Buddha's passing, preparing the permanent successor that the Buddha had indicated, even as a regent preparing a king. Here one wonders whether when the Buddha gave his robe to Maha Kassapa soon after they met, he was not anticipating Maha Kassapa’s role as organizer of the order even then? Was he perhaps entrusting the task to the Thera, realizing his excellent qualities? It is true that the Exalted One had never appointed the Arahanta to any administrative position in the order, but so humble and chaste was the Bhikkhu that he probably did not want any such position either. However, the Buddha did honor him as the foremost in the field of the dhutanga as well as pointed him out on many occasions as the virtuous example to other Bhikkhu, in his exhortations. And come the time when duty called, he performed his task with perfection. After the great Council, at which all the prominent Arahanta surviving contributed their share to establish the precepts of the order, the teachings on Dhamma and the records of the lives and sayings of the Master as well as eminent members of the order, etc., they all dispersed to do their individual tasks or to return to their former pattern of living.

        Kassapa the Great returned, presumably, to the cave high up on the mountain outside Magadha. Although he often traveled to visit the Buddha wherever he was teaching the norm, as well as went about to teach himself, Magadha was his home base. He assiduously climbed the lofty crags, descending to enlighten the people and gather alms each day and returning to his humble lodgings. He was truly contented by nature, with accumulations to live simply in solitude and peacefulness most of the time. In the city of Magadha itself there was the beautiful and serene Bamboo Grove, given to the Buddha and his followers for their use. Kassapa the Great, with accumulations to be the foremost in the field of dhutanga, was once asked why he should dwell in the mountains when there are such lovely places at his disposal. He then replied in this psalm. (12)
 

    Those upland glades delightful to the soul,
Where the kareri spreads its wildering wreaths,
Where sound the trumpet-calls of elephants:
Those are the braes wherein my soul delights.
Those rocky heights with hue of dark blue clouds,
Where lies embosomed many a shining tarn
Of crystal-clear, cool waters, and whose slopes
The “herds of Indra’ cover and bedeck:
Those are the braes wherein my soul delights.
Like serried battlements of blue-black cloud,
Like pinnacles on stately castle built,
Re-echoing to the cries of jungle folk:
Those are the braes wherein my soul delights.
Fair uplands rain-refreshed, and resonant
With crested creatures’ cries antiphonal,
Lone heights where silent Rishis oft resort:
Those are the braes wherein my soul delights.

    Here is enough for me who fain would dwell
In meditation rapt, mindful and tense.
Here is enough for me, who fain would seek
The highest good, a brother filled with zeal.
Here is enough for me, who fain would dwell
In happy ease, a brother filled with zeal.
Here is enough for me who give myself
To studious toil, so am I filled with zeal.
Clad with the azure bloom of flax, blue-flecked
As sky in autumn; quick with crowds
Of all their varied winged populace:
Such are the braes wherein my soul delights.
Free from the crowds of citizens below,
But thronged with flocks of many winged things,
The home of herding creatures of the wild:
Such are the braes wherein my soul delights.
Crags where clear waters lie, a rocky world,
Haunted by black-faced apes and timid deer,
Where, neath bright blossoms run the silver streams:
Such are the braes wherein my soul delights.
For that which brings me exquisite delight
Is not the strains of string and pipe and drum,
But when, with intellect will poised, intent,
I gain the perfect vision of the norm.

        For people with accumulations such as his, solitude would perhaps be the state in which he was most content. However, there are others for whom the same state would be mental torture, those who do not have the right accumulations or the right understanding. For the great Kassapa, whose accumulations were those of a recluse, it was his nature as well as his position and his circumstances to be able to live the simplest life most of the time, yet it does not mean that when he was not alone on a mountain he was unable to be “with intellect well poised.” Arahanta are the only people who are totally mindful, functioning at the head of a council or meditating in his wilderness, he was equally at peace.

        People may ask, then, why will he not live in a more comfortable and easily accessible place, since he is without any attachment whatsoever? If he were really indifferent and content with whatever was his due, then why would he not live in a beautiful Vihara? Here we can see the vastness of his generosity. When he was so questioned, he answered that the dhutanga are excellent means of purification for those with the right accumulations and aspirations. Even if he himself is beyond the need of such methods, he could be the example for later students as to the right way to practice the austerities. If we remember that Buddhism was a very young religion at the time, and that the most well known methods of austerities were the near torture ways that the older religions preached, we might understand why he would wish to set the example and keep his practice even to his Nibbana.

        Presumably when he became every aged and probably frail, he was asked, “How is your reverence able at your time of life day after day to climb the hills?” The question is even more understandable as there are records that he lived to be very old. And in reply to this inquiry he said: (13)

    Where some do perish as they climb the rocks,
Heir of the Buddha, mindful, self-possessed,
By forces of the spirit fortified,
Doth Kassapa ascend the mountain brow.
Returning from the daily round or alms,
Kassapa mounts some craggy coign and sits
In meditation rapt, nor clutching aught,
For far from him hath he put fear and dread.
So mounting to some craggy coign he sits,
In meditation rapt, nor clutching aught,
For he ‘mong those that burn is cool and still.
So mounting to some craggy coign he sits,
In meditation rapt, nor clutching aught,
His task is done, and he is sane, immune.

    Down from my mountain-lodge I came one day
And made my round for alms about the streets.
A leper there I saw eating his meal,
(And as was meet, that he might have a chance.)
In (silent) courtesy I halted at his side.
He with his hand all leprous and diseased
Put in my bowl a morsel; as he threw,
A finger, mortifying, broke and fell.
Leaning against a wall I ate my share,
Nor at the time nor after felt disgust.
For only he who taketh as they come
The scraps of food, medicine from excrement,
The couch beneath the tree, the patchwork robe,
Stands as a man in north, south, east, or west.

    In the whole field of the Buddha's following,
Saving alone the mighty Master's self,
I stand the foremost in ascetic ways;
No man doth practice them so far as I.

    The Master hath my fealty and love,
And all the Buddha's ordinance is done.
Low have I laid the heavy load I bore,
Cause for rebirth is found in me no more.
For never thought for raiment, nor for food,
Nor where to rest doth the great mind affect,
Immeasurable, of our GOTAMA,
No more than spotless lotus-blossom takes
A mark from water; to self-sacrifice
Continually prone, he from the sphere
Threefold of new becoming is detached.
The neck of him is like the fourfold tower
Of mindfulness set up; yea, the great Seer
Hath faith and confidence for hands; above,
The brow of him is insight; nobly wise,
He ever walketh in cool blessedness.

(1) Davids, op. cit., pp. 359-361.

(2) Ibid., loc. cit.

(3) Ibid., loc. cit.

(4) Ibid., loc. cit.

(5) Ibid., loc. cit.

(6) Ibid., loc. cit.

(7) Ibid., loc. cit.

(8) Davids, op. cit., p.359.

(9) Ibid., op. cit., p.361.

(10) The Tipitaka in Thai, op. cit., vol. 52, pp. 79-80.

(11) Encyclopedia of Buddhism, op. cit., vol. II. p.53.

(12) Davids, op. cit., p.363.

(13) Ibid., op. cit., p.362

(14) Ibid., loc. cit.

(15) Ibid., op. cit., p.367.
 
 

P.T.S., Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, II, pp. 476-483: Comprehensive biography and sutta references.

P.T.S., Psalms of the Early Buddhists, the Brethren, pp. 359-368: Biography and some excellent gatha (verses).

S.B.B., Dialogues of the Buddha, II, pp. 183-186: News comes to Maha-Kassapa on his way to Kusinara that the Samana Gotama has been dead a week! The reaction of the monks accompanying him elicits from Maha-Kassapa a timely admonition. Further narrative deals with the importance of Maha-Kassapa's being present for the Buddha's cremation.

S.B.B., Book of the Discipline, V, p. 393ff: A repetition of the above incident on the way to Kusinara serves as a fitting introduction to a detailed account of how Maha-Kassapa organizes and presides over the First Council with exactly 500 arahanta spending the rains together at Rajagaha for a complete and thorough recital of the Dhamma and the Vinaya, thus preserving the true teachings for future generations.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II, p.136: The Buddha applauds Maha- Kassapa for his pointing out how the simplicity of his life- style appeals to him even in his old age for the freedom and happiness it brings him as well as the knowledge he has of the benefits that will accrue to those who follow his continuing example.

P.T.S., Ibid., p.131: The Buddha commends Maha-Kassapa on his contentment with no matter what robes, food, lodging or medicine.

P.T.S., Psalms of the Early Buddhists, the Brethren, p. 259ff: A nephew of Sariputta, in showing disrespect towards Maha- Kassapa, receives strong words of admonition form Maha- Moggallana who amply praises the Great Kassapa in some inspiring stanzas.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II, p.133 ff: Maha-Kassapa is praised by the Buddha for his mild manner of ‘going among the families’ and for his compassionate way of teaching such that his listeners might acknowledge the truth of the Buddha-Dhamma and thereby practise and attain.

P.T.S., Psalms of the Early Buddhists, the Brethren, p.119: Jotidasa, son of a wealthy brahmin, being inspired by the teaching of Maha-Kassapa, whom he was supporting with the four requisites, takes ordination and wins arahatship.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II, p.139: Maha-Kassapa expresses his concern for those who do not have confidence in kusala, who lack fear and shame of akusala, who are not making the right effort and are without understanding. P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, V, p.66: Maha-Kassapa, on hearing the Buddha discourse to him on the seven factors of enlightenment, throws off a serious illness.

S.B.B., Book of the Discipline, I, p.247 ff: Maha-Kassapa finds great difficulty in getting almsfood in Alavi, with laypeople deliberately avoiding him on his rounds. Upon investigation it turns out that the monks of Alavi have been making themselves extremely unpopular with the laypeople by making excessive demands on their time and materials to assist in never-ending building projects. When the situation is brought to the attention of the Buddha, it results in the laying down of Formal Meeting Rule no. VI which brings all monks’ private building endeavours within reasonable limits.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II, p. 137ff: An exhortation follows from the Buddha when Maha-Kassapa informs him of how he has seen two monks trying to out-talk each other.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II, p. 141ff: The Buddha lists his own attainment of the four rupa-jhana, the four arupa-jhana, cessation and the six super-knowledges and points out how Maha-Kassapa has attained these same heights.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II. p. 146ff: Maha-Kasapa relates to Ananda the extraordinary circumstances of his first meeting with the Buddha, thus backing up his claims to superior achievements (in response to some thoughtless running down by Sister Fat Tissa).

P.T.S., Gradual Sayings, V, p.108 ff: Maha-Kassapa, by reading the mind of one who has falsely declared arahatship, sees the cause as being an over-conceit conditioned by covetousness, malice and other qualities conducive to deterioration.

S.B.B., Verses of Uplift, p.34 ff: Sakka, disguising himself as a poor weaver, thereby tricks Maha-Kassapa into giving him the opportunity to make great merit by offering him almsfood.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, I, p.183: Maha-Kassapa and other great disciples follow the Buddha to the Brahma world to free one of its magnificent deities from his self-delusion by helping him to realize his true status in the light of the superior achievements of his arahat visitors.

P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II, p.150 f: Maha-Kassapa, in a dialogue with Sariputta, points out how the Buddha did not answer questions dealing with matters that were not useful, not conducive to knowledge and freedom.

Also, S.B.B., Book of the discipline, IV, p. 118f., p.142, p.423, p.570; P.T.S., Middle Length Sayings, I, p. 263ff: P.T.S., Middle Length Sayings, III, p. 121ff: P.T.S., Kindred Sayings, II, p.109, p.132f., p. 140f., p. 145f., p. 151f.; P.T.S., Gradual Sayings, III. p. 214ff; P.T.S., Psalms of the Early Buddhists, the Brethren, p.122; S.B.B., Verses of Uplift, p. 4f., p.5; P.T.S., Jataka Stories, II, pp. 64, 97; Jataka Stories, III, pp. 60, 279, Jataka Stories, V, pp. 37, 79, 91, 99, 218, 279; Jataka Stories, VI, pp. 52, 80.