The Life of the Buddha: Conversion of the Sakya Princes.

The next day the master entered Kapilavatthu to beg his food, attended by the twenty thousand Arahats. When it was rumoured that the young prince Siddhattha was begging from door to door, the windows of the many storied houses were opened wide, and a multitude gazed forth in amazement. And amongst these was the mother of Rahula, and she said to herself: "Is it right that my lord, who was wont to go to and from in this town in a gilded palanquin, with every sign of pomp, should now be begging his food from door to door, with shaven hair and beard, and clad in russet robes?" And she reported the matter to the king. He, instantly rising, went forth to remonstrate with is son, that thus he put the Sakya clan to shame. "Do you think it impossible," said he, "that we should provide meals for all your followers?" "It is our custom, O king!" was the reply. "Not so, Master," said the king; "not one of all our ancestors has ever begged his food." "O king," replied the Buddha, "thy descent is in the succession of kings, but mine is the succession of the Buddhas; and every one of these has begged his daily food, and lived upon alms."

And standing in the middle of the street he uttered the verse:

Arise and delay not, follow after the pure life!
Who follows virtue rests in bliss, alike in this world and the next.

And when the verse was finished the king attained to the Fruit of the First Path. Then the Buddha continued:

Follow after the pure life, follow not after sin!
Who follows virtue rests in bliss alike in this world and the next.

And the king attained to the Fruit of the Second Pat. Then the Buddha recited the Dhammapala Jataka, and the king attained to the Fruit of the Third Path. It was when he was dying that the king attained to Arahatta: he never practised the Great Effort in solitude.

Now as soon as the king had experienced the Fruit of Conversion, he took the Buddha's bowl and led the Blessed One and all his followers to the palace, and served them with savoury food.

And when the meal was over, the women of the house came and paid homage to the Blessed One, except only the Mother of Rahula; but she stayed alone, for she thought, "If I have the least value in the eyes of my lord he will come himself to me, and then I will do him homage." And the Buddha went accordingly to the chamber of the Mother of Rahula, and he was accompanied by the two chief Disciples, and he sat down on the seat prepared for him. Then the Mother of Rahula came quickly and put her hands upon his ankles and laid her head upon his feet, and so did homage as she had purposed. Then the king said to the Blessed One, "When my daughter heard that thou hadst put on the russet robes, from that day forth she also dressed only in russet garb; and when she heard of thy one meal a day, she also took but a single meal; and when she heard that thou hadst forsaken the use of a high couch, she also slept upon a mat on the floor; and when her relatives would have received her and surrounded her with luxury, she did not hear them. Such is her goodness, Blessed One." "'Tis no wonder," said the Blessed One, "that she exercises self-control now, when her wisdom is matured; for she did no less when her wisdom was not yet matured." And he related the Canda-kinnara Jataka.

On the second day the son of Suddhodana and the Lady Gautami was to celebrate at the same time his inauguration as crown prince and his marriage with Janapada Kalyani, the Beauty of the Land. But the Buddha went to his house, and there gave him his bowl to carry; and with a view to his abandoning the world, he wished him true happiness; and then rising from his seat he went his way. And the young man, not venturing to say to the Master, "Take back thy bowl," perforce followed him to the place of his retreat; and the Buddha received him all unwilling as he was, into the Order, and he was ordained.

Upon the morrow the Mother of Rahula arrayed the child in all its best and sent him to the Blessed One, saying to him: "Look, my dear, at yonder Monk, attended by so many Brethren; he is your father, who was the possessor of a great treasure, which we have not seen since he left us. Go now and say, 'O Father, I am thy son, and I have need of the treaure ­ give me the treaure, for a son is heir to his father's property.'" And even so the child went up to the Blessed One and stood before him glady and cheerfully. And when the Blessed One had finished his meal, he arose and went away, and the boy followed him, saying, as his mother had taught him, "O Monk! give to my inheritance," Then the Blessed One said to Sariputta, "Well, then, Sariputta, receive Rahula into our Order."

But when the king learnt that his grandson had been ordained he was deeply grieved; and he made known his grief to the Master, and won form him the promise that henceforth no son should be received into the Order without the leave of his father and mother.

Now, after the King Suddhodana had attained the Fruit of the Third Path, the Blessed One, together with the company of Brethren, returned to Rajagaha, and took up his residence in the Sita Grove.

But between Kailavatthu and Rajagaha the Master halted for a short time at the Mango Grove of Anupiya. And while he was in that place a number of the Sakya princes determined to join his congregation, and to this end they followed him thither. The chief of these princes were Anuruddha, Bhaddiva, Kimbila, Ananda, the Buddha's cousin, who was afterward appointed personal attendant, and Devadatta, the Buddha's cousin, who was ever his enemy.

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India - Ancient - Religion/philosophy - Indians/Buddhists - English