ONLINE GOOD NEWS LETTER

LESSON 237

Bahiya
Sutta: About Bahiya

I have heard that on one occasion
the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s
monastery. Now at that time Bahiya of
the Bark-cloth was living inSupparaka by the seashore. He was worshipped,
revered, honored, venerated, given homage — a recipient of robes, almsfood,
lodgings, and medical requisites for the sick. Then, when he was alone in
seclusion, this line of thinking arose to his awareness: “Now, of those
who in this world are arahants or have entered the path of arahantship, am I
one?”

Then
a devata who had once been a blood relative of Bahiya of the Bark-cloth —
compassionate, desiring his welfare, knowing with her own awareness the line of
thinking that had arisen in his awareness — went to where he was staying and on
arrival said to him: “You, Bahiya, are neither an arahant nor have you
entered the path of arahantship. You don’t even have the practice whereby you
would become an arahant or enter the path of arahantship.”

“But
who, living in this world with its devas, is an arahant or has entered the path
to arahantship?”

“Bahiya,
there is a city in the northern country named Savatthi. The Blessed One — an
arahant, rightly self-awakened — is living there now. He is truly an arahant
and he teaches the Dhamma that leads to arahantship. “

Then
Bahiya, deeply chastened by the devata, left Supparaka right then and, in the
space of one day and night, went all the way to where the Blessed One was
staying near Savatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery. At that
time, a large number of monks were doing walking meditation in the open air. He
went to them and, on arrival, said, “Where, venerable sirs, is the Blessed
One staying — the arahant, right self-awakened? We want to see him.”

“He
has gone into the town for alms.”

Then Bahiya, hurriedly leaving
Jeta’s Grove and entering Savatthi, saw the Blessed One going for alms in
Savatthi — calm, calming, his senses at peace, his mind at peace, tranquil and
poised in the ultimate sense, accomplished, trained, guarded, his senses
restrained, a Great One (naga).
Seeing him, he approached the Blessed One and, on reaching him, threw himself
down, with his head at the Blessed One’s feet, and said, “Teach me the
Dhamma, O Blessed One! Teach me the Dhamma, O One-Well-Gone, that will be for
my long-term welfare and bliss.”

When
this was said, the Blessed One said to him: “This is not the time, Bahiya.
We have entered the town for alms.”

A
second time, Bahiya said to the Blessed One: “But it is hard to know for
sure what dangers there may be for the Blessed One’s life, or what dangers
there may be for mine. Teach me the Dhamma, O Blessed One! Teach me the Dhamma,
O One-Well-Gone, that will be for my long-term welfare and bliss.”

A
second time, the Blessed One said to him: “This is not the time, Bahiya.
We have entered the town for alms.”

A
third time, Bahiya said to the Blessed One: “But it is hard to know for
sure what dangers there may be for the Blessed One’s life, or what dangers
there may be for mine. Teach me the Dhamma, O Blessed One! Teach me the Dhamma,
O One-Well-Gone, that will be for my long-term welfare and bliss.”

“Then,
Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be
only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the
sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That
is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in
reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the
sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the
cognized, then, Bahiya, there is no you in terms of that. When there is no you
in terms of that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are
neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of
stress.”

Through hearing this
brief explanation of the Dhamma from the Blessed One, the mind of Bahiya of the
Bark-cloth right then and there was released from the effluents through lack of
clinging/sustenance. Having exhorted Bahiya of the Bark-cloth with this brief
explanation of the Dhamma, the Blessed One left.

Now, not long
after the Blessed One’s departure, Bahiya — attacked by a cow with a calf —
lost his life. Then the Blessed One, having gone for alms in Savatthi, after
the meal, returning from his alms round with a large number of monks, saw that
Bahiya had died. On seeing him, he said to the monks, “Take Bahiya’s body
and, placing it on a litter and carrying it away, cremate it and build him a
memorial. Your companion in the holy life has died.”

“As
you say, lord,” the monks replied. After placing Bahiya’s body on a
litter, carrying it off, cremating it, and building him a memorial, they went
to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.
As they were sitting there, they said to him, “Bahiya’s body has been
cremated, lord, and his memorial has been built. What is his destination? What
is his future state?”

“Monks,
Bahiya of the Bark-cloth was wise. He practiced the Dhamma in accordance with
the Dhamma and did not pester me with issues related to the Dhamma. Bahiya of
the Bark-cloth, monks, is totally unbound.”

Then,
on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion
exclaimed:

Where water, earth, fire,
& wind have no footing:

There
the stars do not shine,

the
sun is not visible,

the
moon does not appear,

darkness
is not found.

And
when a sage,

a
brahman through sagacity,

has
known [this] for himself,

then
from form & formless,

from
bliss & pain,

he is
freed.

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