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06 12 2011 458 LESSON Dhammika Sutta Dhammika And then Sakka, chief among the gods, created a magical creation of such a form that a mighty wind and rain came down and raised up the royal fig tree Steadfast, and its roots were entirely healed.FREE ONLINE eNālandā Research and Practice UNIVERSITY & BUDDHIST GOOD NEWS LETTER Through http://sarvajan.ambedkar.org

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Posted by: site admin @ 9:35 pm

06 12 2011 458 LESSON Dhammika Sutta Dhammika And then Sakka, chief among the gods,
created a magical creation of such a form that a mighty wind and rain came down
and raised up the royal fig tree Steadfast, and its roots were entirely healed.^{FREE

ONLINE eN}^ā^land^ā^{Research

and Practice UNIVERSITY & BUDDHIST GOOD NEWS LETTER Through}^{http://sarvajan.ambedkar.org}

^{FREE ONLINE CONCENTRATION

PRACTICE INSTITUTE FOR STUDENTS(FOCPIS)-}

^{The

Narratives for the Levels of Departmental Curricula- Course Descriptions-}

THE
BUDDHIST ON LINE GOOD NEWS LETTER
COURSE PROGRAM
LESSON 458

Babasaheb
Dr.BR Ambedkar Maha Parinibbana day function on 06-12-2011 at 11:00AM at BSP HQ
& from 10:00 AM Timapuri Chowk to Jagat Jyoti march by Gulbargah BSP.
Please attend in large numbers

Important events/dates in the
life of Dr B R Ambedkar

1891	Apr 14	Born at Mahu (Madhya Pradesh), the fourteenth child of Subhedar Ramji Sapkal and Mrs Bhimabai Ambedkar.
1896		Death of the mother, Mrs Bhimabai Ambedkar
1900	Nov	Entered the Government High School at Satara.
1904		Entered the Elphinstone High School at Bombay.
1906		Married Ramabai daughter of Mr. Bhiku Walangkar, one of the relations of Gopal Baba Walangkar
1907		Passed Matriculation Examination, scored 382 marks out of 750.
1908	Jan	Honoured in a meeting presided over by Shri S K Bole, Shri K A (Dada) Keluskar Guruji presented a book on the life of Gautam Buddha written by him. Entered the Elphinstone College, Bombay.
1912	Dec	Birth of the son Yeshwant.
1913		Passed B.A Examination with Persian and English from University of Bombay, scored 449 marks out of 1000.
1913	Feb	Death of father Subhedar Ramji Maloji Ambedkar at Bombay.
1913	July	Gaikwar’s Scholar in the Columbia University, New York, reading in the Faculty of Political Science.
1915	June 5	Passed M.A. Examination majoring in Economics and with Sociology, History Philosophy, Anthropology and Politics as the other subjects of study.
1916	May	Read a paper on The Castes in India’ before Prof. Goldernweiser’s Anthropology Seminar. The paper was later published in The Indian Antiquary in May 1917. It was also republished in the form of a brochure, the first published work of Dr Ambedkar. Wrote a Thesis entitled ‘The National Divident of India – A Historical and Analytical Study’ for the Ph.D Degree.
1916	June	Left Colombia University after completing work for the Ph.D, to join the London School of Economics and Political Science, London as a graduate student.
1917		Columbia University conferred a Degree of Ph.D.
1917	June	Return to India after spending a year in London working on the thesis for the M.Sc. (Econ) Degree. The return before completion of the work was necessitated by the termination the scholarship granted by the Baroda State.
1917	July	Appointed as Military Secretary to H.H. the Maharaja Gaikwar of Baroda with a view Finance Minister. But left shortly due to ill. Treatment meted out to him because of his lowly caste.Published “Small Holdings in India and Their Remedies”.
1918		Gave evidence before the Southborough Commission on Franchise. Attended the Conference of the depressed Classes held at Nagpur.
1918	Nov	Professor of Political Economy in the Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics, Bombay.
1920	Jan 31	Started a Marathi Weekly paper Mooknayak to champion the cause of the depressed classes. Shri Nandram Bhatkar was the editor, later Shri Dyander Gholap was the editor.
1920	Mar 21	Attended depressed classes Conference held under the presidency of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj at Kolhapur.
1920	Mar	Resigned professorship at Sydenham College to resume his studies in London.
1920	May	Memorable speech in Nagpur, criticised Karmaveer Shinde and Depressed Classes Mission.
1920	Sept	Rejoined the London School of Economics. Also entered Gray’s Inn to read for the Bar.
1921	June	The thesis ‘Provincial Decentralisation of Imperial Finance in British India’ was accepted for M.Sc. (Econ) Degree by the London University.
1922-23		Spent some time in reading economics in the University of Bonn in Germany.
1923	Mar	The Thesis ‘The Problem of the Rupee – Its origin and its solution’ was accepted for the degree of D.Sc. (Econ.). The thesis was published in December 1923 by P S King & Company, London. Reissued by Thacker & Company, Bombay in May 1947 under the title History of Indian Currency and Banking Vol. 1.
1923		Called to the Bar.
1923	Apr	Returned to India.
1924	June	Started practice in the Bombay High Court.
1924	July 20	Founded the ‘Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha’ for the uplift of the depressed classes. The aims of the Sabha were educate, agitate, organise.
1925		Published ‘The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India’ – dissertation on the provincial decentralisation of Imperial Finance in India’. Opened a hostel for Untouchable students at Barshi.
1926		Gave evidence before the Royal Commission on Indian Currency (Hilton Young Commisssion). Nominated Member of the Bombay Legislative Council.
1927	Mar 20	Started Satyagraha at Mahad (Dist Kolaba) to secure to the untouchables the Right of access to the Chavdar Tank.
1927	Apr 3	Started a fortnightly Marathi paper Bahiskrit Bharat Dr Ambedkar himself was the editor.
1927	Sept	Established ‘Samaj Samata Sangh’.
1927	Dec	Second Conference in Mahad.
1928	Mar	Introduced the “Vatan Bill” in the Bombay Legislative Council.
1928	May	Gave evidence before the Indian Statutory Committee (Simon Commission).
1928	June	Professor. Government Law College Bombay. Principal. Government Law College Bombay.
1928-29		Member. Bombay Presidency Committee of the Simon Committee.
1930	Mar	Satyagraha at Kalram Temple. Nasik to secure for the Untouchables the right of entry into the temple.
1930-32		Delegate. Round Table Conference representing Untouchables of India.
1932	Sept	Signed with Mr. M.K. Gandhi the Poona Pact giving up, to save Gandhi’s life. separate electorates granted to the Depressed Classes by Ramsay MacDonald’s Communal Award, and accepting, instead representation through joint electorates.
1932-34		Member joint Parliamentary Committee on the Indian Constitutional Reform.
1934		Left Parel, Damodar Hall and came to stay in ‘Rajagriha’ Dadar (Bombay). This was done in order to get more accommodation for his library which was increasing day by day.
1935	May 26	Death of wife. Mrs. Ramabai Ambedkar.
1935	June	Dr. Ambedkar was appointed as Principal of Government Law College, Bombay. He was also appointed Perry Professor of Jurisprudence.
	Oct 13	Historical Yeola Conversion Conference held under the Presidentship of Dr. Ambedkar at Yeola Dist., Nasik. He exhorted the Depressed Classes to leave Hinduism and embrace another religion. He declared: ‘I was born as a Hindu but I will not die as a Hindu’. He also advisedhisfollowers to abandon the Kalaram Mandi entry Satyagriha, Nasik.
	Dec	Dr. Ambedkar was invited by the Jat Pat Todak Mandal of Lahore to preside over the Conference. Dr.Ambedkar prepared his historical speech. The Annihilation of Caste’. The conference was cancelled by the Mandal on the ground that Dr.Ambedkar’s thoughts were revolutionary. Finally, Dr. Ambedkar refused to preside and published his speech in book form in1937.
1936	Jan 12-13	The Depressed Classes Conference was held at Pune. Dr. Ambedkar reiterated his resolve of the Yeola Conference to leave Hinduism. The conference was presided over by Rav Bahadur N. Shina Raj.
	Feb 29	Dr. Ambedkar’s Conversion Resolution was supported by the Chambars (Cobblers) of East Khandesh.
	May 30	Bombay Presidency Conversion Conference (Mumbai Elaka Mahar Panshad) of Mahars was held at Naigaum (Dadar) to sound their opinion on the issue of Conversion. Mr. Subha Rao, popularly known as Hydrabadi Ambedkar, presided over the Conference. In the morning the Ascetics shaved their beards, moustaches and destroyed their symbols of Hinduism in an Ascetic’s Conference.
	June 15	Conference of Devadasis was held m Bombay to support Dr. Ambedkar’s Resolution of Conversion.
	June 18	Dr. Ambedkar-Dr. Moonje talks on conversion. Pro Sikkhism.
	June 23	Matang Parishad in support of Conversion.
	Aug	Dr. Ambedkar founded the Independent Labour Party, a strong opposition party in Bombay’s Legislative Council.
	Sept 18	Dr.Ambedkar sent a delegation of 13 members to the Golden Temple Amritsar to study Sikkhism.
	Nov 11	Dr.Ambedkar left for Geneva and London.
1937		Dr.Ambedkar organised the ‘Municipal Workers’ Union’ Bombay in 1937.
	Jan 14	Dr. Ambedkar returned to Bombay.
	Feb 17	The First General Elections were held under the Govt. of India Act of 1935. Dr. Ambedkar was elected Member of Bombay Legislative Assembly (Total Seats 175. Reserved Seats 15. Dr. Ambedkar’s Independent Labour Party won 17 seats.)
	Mar 17	The Mahad Chowdar Tank case was decided in favour of D.C. by which they got a legal right to use the public wells and tanks.
	July31	Dr. Ambedkar received a grand reception at Chalisgaon Railway station.
	Sept 17	Dr. Ambedkar introduced his Bill to abolish the Mahar Watan in the Assembly
	Dec31	Reception at Pandhapur on the way to Solapur, where he was going to preside over the Solapur District D.C’. Conference.
1938	Jan 4	Reception given by the Solapur Municipal Council.
1938	Jan	The Congress Party introduced a Bill making a change in the name of Untouchables. i.e. they would be called Harijans meaning sons of God. Dr. Ambedkar criticised the Bill. as in his opinion the change of name would make no real change in their conditions. Dr. Ambedkar and Bhaurav Gaikwad protested against the use of the term Harijans in legal matters. When the ruling party by sheer force of numbers defeated the I.L.P., the Labour-Party group walked out of the Assembly in protest under the leadership of Dr. Ambedkar. He organised peasants march on Bombay Assembly. The peasants demanded the passing of Dr. Ambedkar’s Bill for abolition of the Khoti system.
1938	Jan 23	Dr. Ambedkar addressed a Peasants’ Conference at Ahmedabad.
1938	Feb 12-13	Dr. Ambedkar addressed a historical Conference of Railway workers at Manmad (Dist. Nasik).
1938	Apr	Dr. Ambedkar opposed creation of a separate Karnataka State in the national interest.
1938	May	Dr. Ambedkar resigned from the Principal-ship of the Government Law College, Bombay.
1938	May 13-21	Dr. Ambedkar went on tour of Konkan Region. He also went to Nagpur in connection with a court case.
1938	Aug	A meeting was held at R.M. Bhat High School, Bombay for exposing Gandhiji’s attitude in disallowing a D.C. man being taken into the Central Ministry.
1938	Sept	Dr. Ambedkar spoke on the Industrial Disputes Bill in the Bombay Assembly. He bitterly opposed it for its attempt to outlaw the right of workers to strike. He said: If Congressmen believe that Swaraj is their birth-right, then the right to strike is the birth-right of workers.
1938	Oct 1	Dr. Ambedkar addressed a large gathering at Bawala, near Ahmedabad. On return he addressed another meeting at Premabhai Hall, Ahmedabad.
1938	Nov 6	The Industrial Workers strike. The procession (under the leadership of Dr. Ambedkar, Nirnkar, Dange, Pasulkar etc) was organised from Kamgar Maidan to Jambori Maidan, Worli. Dr.Ambedkar toured the workers areas with Jamvadas Mehta.
1938	Nov 10	Dr. Ambedkar moved a Resolution for adoption of the methods for birth-control in the Bombay Assembly.
1938	Dec	Dr. Ambedkar addressed the first D.C. Conference in Nizam’s dominion at Mahad.
1939	Jan 18	Dr. Ambedkar addressed a large gathering at Rajkot
	Jan 19	Ambedkar-Gandhi talks.
	Jan 29	Kale Memorial Lecture of Gorkhale School of Politics and Economics, Poona reviewing critically the All India Federation Scheme set out in the Govt. of India Act of 1935. The speech was issued in March 1939 as a tract for the times under the title ‘Federation v/s Freedom’.
	July	Dr. Ambedkar addressed a meeting organised for Rohidas Vidya Committee.
	Oct	Dr.Ambedkar-Nehru first meeting.
	Dec	The Conference at Haregaon was held under the Presidentship of Dr.Ambedkar to voice the grievances of Mahar and Mahar Watandass
1940	May	Dr. Ambedkar founded the ‘Mahar Panchayat’.
1940	July 22	Netaji Subash Chandra Bose met Dr. Ambedkar in Bombay.
1940	Dec	Dr. Ambedkar published his Thoughts on Pakistan. The second edition with the title Pakistan or Partition of India was issued in February 1945. A third impression of the book was published in 1946 under the title India’s Political What’s What: Pakistan or Partition of India.
1941	Jan	Dr.Ambedkar pursued the issue of recruitment of Mahars in the Army. In result the Mahars Battallion was formed
1941	May 25	Mahar Dynast Panchayat Samiti was Formed by Dr. Ambedkar.
1941	July	Dr.Ambedkar was appointed to sit on the Defence Advisory Committee.
1941	Aug	The Conference was held at Sinnar in protest of tax on Mahar Watams. Dr.Ambedkar launched a no-tax campaign. He saw the Governor. Finally, the tax was abolished. The Mumbai Elaka Conference of Mahars, Mangs and Derdasis were organised under the Chairmanship of Dr.Ambedkar
1942	Apr	Dr. Ambedkar founded the All India Scheduled Castes Federation in Nagpur.
1942	July 18	Dr. Ambedkar addressed All India D.C. Conference at Nagpur.
1942	July 20	Dr.Ambedkar joined the Viceroy’s Executive Council as a Labour Member
1942	Dec	Dr. Ambedkar submitted a paper on “The problems of the Untouchables in India” to the Institute of Pacific Relations at its Conference held in Canada. The paper is printed in the proceedings of the Conference. The paper was subsequently published in December 1943 in the book form under the title Mr Gandhi and Emancipation of the Untouchables.
1943	Jan 19	Dr. Ambedkar delivered a Presidential address on the occasion of the 101st Birth Anniversary of Justice Mahader Govind Ranade. It is published in book form in April 1943 under the titleRanade. Gandhi and Jinnah.
1944		Dr. Ambedkar founded “The Building Trust and the Scheduled Caste Improvement Trust”.
1944	May 6	Dr.Ambedkar addressed the Annual Conference of the All India S.C. Federation at Parel (Bombay) The speech was later published under the title “The Communal Deadlock and a way to solve it.’
1944	June	Dr.Ambedkar published his book What Congress and Gandhi have done to the Untouchables - a complete compendium of information regarding the movement of the Untouchables for political safeguards. Dr.Ambedkar attended the Simla Conference.
1944	July	Dr Ambedkar founded ‘People’s Education Society’ in Bombay.
1946		Dr Ambedkar gave evidence before the British delegation.
1946	Apr	Opening of Siddharth College of Arts and Science in Bombay
1946	May	The Bharat Bhushan Printing Press (founded by Dr Ambedkar) was burnt down in the clashes between D.C. and the Caste-Hindus
1946	June 20	Siddharth College started
	Sept	Dr Ambedkar went to London to urge before the British Government and the Opposition Party the need to provide safeguards for the D.C., on grant of Independence to India and thus to rectify the wrongs done to the D.C. by the Cabinet Mission.
	Oct 13	Dr Ambedkar published his book. Who were Shudras? An enquiry into how the Shudras came to be the fourth Varna in the Indo-Aryan Society. Dr Ambedkar was elected Member of the Constitution Assembly of India.
	Nov	Dr Ambedkar’s First speech in the Constituent Assembly. He called for a ‘strong and United India’.
1947	Mar	Published ‘States and Minorities’. A memorandum of Fundamental Rights, Minority Rights, safeguards for the D.C. and on the problems of Indian states.
1947	Apr 29	Article 17 of the Constitution of India for the abolition of Untouchability was moved by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the Constituent Assembly and it was passed.
1947	Aug 15	India obtained her Independence. Dr Ambedkar was elected to the Constituent Assembly by the Bombay Legislature Congress Party. Dr Ambedkar joined Nehru’s Cabinet. He became the First Law Minister of Independent India. The Constituent Assembly appointed him to the drafting Committee, which elected him as a Chairman on 29th August 1947.
1948	Feb	Dr Ambedkar completed the Draft Constitution of Indian Republic.
1948	Apr 15	Second marriage – Dr Ambedkar married Dr Sharda Kabir in Delhi.
1948	Oct	Published his book The Untouchables. A thesis on the origin of Untouchability. Dr Ambedkar submitted his Memorandum, “Maharashtra as a linguistic Province” to the Dhar Commission. The Linguistic Provinces Commission).
1948	Oct 4	Dr.Ambedkar presented the Draft Constitution to Constituent Assembly.
1948	Nov 20	The Constituent Assembly adopted Article 17 of the Constitution for the abolition of Untouchability.
1949	Jan	Dr Ambedkar, Law Minister of India visited Hydrabad (Deccan)
1949	Jan 15	Dr Ambedkar was presented with a Purse at Manmad by his admirers. He addressed a large gathering.
1949	Jan 21	He stayed at Aurangabad in connection with his opening proposed College. During the stay he visited Ajanta – Ellora Caves.
1949	Mar/ may	Dr Ambedkar visited Bombay in connection with College work and for a medical check-up.
1949	Sept	Meeting between Dr Ambedkar and Madhavrao Golvalker, Chief of RRs and the residence of Dr Ambedkar at Delhi.
1949	Nov	Dr Ambedkar came to Bombay for college work meeting and medical check-up.
1949	Nov	Dr Ambedkar addressed the Constituent Assembly.
1949	Nov 26	Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution. Dr Ambedkar came to Bombay for check-up.
1950	Jan 11	Dr Ambedkar addressed the Siddharth College Parliament on the Hindu Code Bill. In the evening he was presented with a silver casket containing a copy of the Indian Constitution at Nare Park Maidan, Bombay.
	May	Dr Ambedkar’s article The Buddha and the Future His Religion’ was published in the journal of Mahabodhi Society, Calcutta. Dr.Ambedkar addressed the Young Men’s Buddhist Association on “The Rise and Fall of Hindu Women”. Dr Ambedkar spoke on the “Merits of Buddhism” at the meeting arranged on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti in Delhi.
1950	Sept 1	Dr Rajendra Prasad, the First President of the Indian Republic laid the foundation stone of Milind Maharidyalaya, Aurangabad. Dr.Ambedkar delivered a speech on the occasion (The printed speech is available with Mr Surwade)
1950	Dec	Dr Ambedkar went to Colombo as a Delegate to the World Buddhist Conference.
1951	Feb 5	Dr.Ambedkar, Law Minister introduced his “Hindu Code Bill” in the Parliament.
1951	Apr 15	Dr Ambedkar laid the foundation stone of “Dr Ambedkar Bhavan”. Delhi.
1951	July	Dr Ambedkar founded “The Bhartiya Buddha Jansangh”.
1951	Sept	Dr Ambedkar compiled a Buddhist prayer book Buddha Upasana Palha
1951	Sept 9	Dr Ambedkar resigned from the Nehru Cabinet because, among other reasons, the withdrawal of Cabinet support to the Hindu Code Bill in spite of the earlier declaration in the Parliament by the Prime Minister Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, that his Government would stand or fall with the Hindu Code Bill. Apart from this Nehru announced that he will sink or swim with the Hindu Code Bill. Dr Ambedkar published his speech in book form under the title The Rise and Fall of Hindu Women.
1951	Sept 19	The marriage and divorce Bill was discussed in the Parliament.
1951	Oct 11	Dr Ambedkar left the Cabinet.
1952	Jan	Dr Ambedkar was defeated in the First Lok Sabha elections held under the Constitution of Indian Republic. Congress candidate N. S. Kajrolkar defeated Dr Ambedkar.
1952	Mar	Dr Ambedkar was introduced into Parliament as a member of the Council (Rajya Sabha) of States, representing Bombay.
1952	June 1	Dr Ambedkar left for New York from Bombay.
1952	June 15	Columbia University (USA) conferred the honorary Degree of LL.D., in its Bi-Centennial Celebrations Special Convocation held in New York.
1952	June 16	Dr Ambedkar returned to Bombay.
1952	Dec 16	Dr Ambedkar addressed Annual Social Gathering of Elphinstone College, Bombay.
1952	Dec 22	Dr Ambedkar delivered a talk on “Conditions Precedent to the Successful working of Democracy” at the Bar Council, Pune.
1953	Jan 12	The Osmania University conferred the honorary Degree of LL.D on Dr Ambedkar.
1953	Mar	The Untouchability (offences) Bill was introduced in the Parliament by the Nehru Government.
1953	Apr	Dr Ambedkar contested the By-Election for Lok Sabha from Bhandara Constituency of Vidarbha Region but was defeated Congress Candidate Mr Borkar.
1953	May	Opening of Siddharth College of Commerce and Economics in Bombay.
1953	Dec	Dr Ambedkar inaugurated the All India Conference of Sai devotees at the St. X’avier’s Maidan Parel Bombay (His inaugural speech is available with Mr Surwade)
1954	May	Dr Ambedkar visited Rangoon to attend the function arranged on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti.
1954	June	The Maharaja of Mysore donated 5 acres of land for Dr Ambedkar’s proposed Buddhist Seminary to be started at Bangalore
1954	Sept 16	Dr Ambedkar spoke on the Untouchability (Offences) Bill in the Rajya Sabha
1954	Oct 3	dj- ambedkar broadcast his talk “My Personal Philosophy”
1954	Oct 29	Shri R. D. Bhandare, President of Bombay Pradesh S.C. Federation presented a purse of Rs 118,000 on behalf of S.C.F. to Dr Ambedkar at Purandare Stadium, Naigaum (Bombay)
1954	Dec	Dr Ambedkar participated as delegate to the 3rd World Buddhist Conference at Rangoon.
1955	April 3	Delivered a speech “Why Religion is necessary”.
1955	May	Dr Ambedkar established Bhartiya Bauddha Mahasabha (The Buddhist Society of India
1955	Aug	Founded ‘Murnbai Rajya Kanishtha Garkamgart Association’
1955	Dec	Published his opinions on linguistic states in book form under the title Thoughts on linguistic States.
1955	Dec	Dr Ambedkar installed an image of Buddha at Dehu Road (near Pune)
1955	Dec 27	Dr Ambedkar spoke against reservation of seats in the State and Central Legislatures.
1956	Feb	Dr Ambedkar completed his The Buddha and His Dhamma, Revolution & Counter-revolution in Ancient India.
1956	Mar 15	Dr Ambedkar wrote and dictated the Preface of The Buddha and His Dhamma.
1956	May 1	Dr Ambedkar spoke on Linguistic states in the Council of States. Dr Ambedkar spoke on BBC London on “Why I like Buddhism”, Also, he spoke for Voice Voice of America on “The Future of Indian Democracy”.
1956	May 24	Dr Ambedkar attended a meeting at Nare Park organised on the eve of Buddha Jayanti, Shri B.G.Kher, Prime Minister of Bombay was Chief Guest. This meeting was the last meeting of Dr Ambedkar in Bombay.
1956	June	Opening of Siddharth College of Law in Bombay.
1956	Oct 14	Dr Ambedkar embraced Buddhism at an historic ceremony at Diksha Bhoomi, Nagpur with his millions of followers. Announced to desolve S.C.F and establish Republican Party.
1956	Nov 20	Delegate, 4th World Buddhist Conference, Khalinandu, where he delivered his famous speech famous speech ‘Buddha or Karl Marx’.
1956	Dec 6	Maha Nirvana at his residence, 26 Alipore Road,New Delhi.
1956	Dec 7	Cremation at Dadar Chawpatti – Now known as Chaitya Bhoomi Dadar (Bombay).

AN 6.54

PTS: A iii 366

Dhammika Sutta: Dhammika

(excerpt)

translated from the Pali
by

Andrew Olendzki

…

In [1]
ancient times when seafaring merchants put to sea in ships, they took with them
a bird to sight land. When the ship was out of sight of land, they released the
bird; and it flew eastward and westward, northward and southward, upward and
all around. And if the bird saw no land, it returned to the ship; but if the
bird sighted land nearby, it was truly gone.[2]

…

Once
upon a time [3]
there was a royal fig tree called Steadfast, belonging to king Koravya, whose
five outstretched branches provided a cool and pleasing shade. Its girth
extended a hundred miles, and its roots spread out for forty miles. And the
fruits of that tree were indeed great: As large as harvest baskets — such were
its succulent fruits — and as clear as the honey of bees.

One
portion was enjoyed by the king, along with his household of women; one portion
was enjoyed by the army; one portion was enjoyed by the people of the town and
village; one portion was enjoyed by brahmans and ascetics; and one portion was
enjoyed by the beasts and birds. Nobody guarded the fruits of that royal tree,
and neither did anyone harm one another for the sake of its fruits.

But
then a certain man came along who fed upon as much of Steadfast’s fruits as he
wanted, broke off a branch, and wandered on his way. And the deva who dwelled
in Steadfast thought to herself: “It is astonishing, it is truly amazing,
that such an evil man would dare to feed upon as much of Steadfast’s fruits as
he wants, break off a branch, and then wander on his way! Now, what if
Steadfast were in the future to bear no more fruit?” And so the royal fig
tree Steadfast bore no more fruit.

So then
king Koravya went up to where Sakka, chief among the gods, was dwelling, and
having approached said this: “Surely you must know, sire, that Steadfast,
the royal fig tree, no longer bears fruit?” And then Sakka created a
magical creation of such a form that a mighty wind and rain came down and
toppled the royal fig tree Steadfast, uprooting it entirely. And then the deva
who dwelled in Steadfast grieved, lamented, and stood weeping on one side with
a face full of tears.

And
then Sakka, chief among the gods, went up to where the deva was standing, and
having approached said this: “Why is it, deva, that you grieve and lament
and stand on one side with a face full of tears?” “It is because,
sire, a mighty wind and rain has come and toppled my abode, uprooting it
entirely.”

“And
were you, deva, upholding the dhamma of trees when this happened?”
“But how is it, sire, that a tree upholds the dhamma of trees?”

“Like
this, deva: Root-cutters take the root of the tree; bark-strippers take the
bark; leaf-pickers take the leaves; flower-pickers take the flowers;
fruit-pickers take the fruits — and none of this is reason enough for a deva to
think only of herself or become morose. Thus it is, deva, that a tree upholds
the dhamma of trees.”

“Then
indeed, sire, I was not upholding the dhamma of trees when the mighty wind and
rain came and toppled my abode, uprooting it entirely.” “If it were
the case, deva, that you were to uphold the dhamma of trees, it may be that
your abode might be as it was before.” “I will indeed, sire, uphold
the dhamma of trees! May my abode be as it was before!”

And
then Sakka, chief among the gods, created a magical creation of such a form
that a mighty wind and rain came down and raised up the royal fig tree
Steadfast, and its roots were entirely healed.

…

Notes

This passage also appears at DN 11. — Ed.

The word used here for “truly gone” is tathagatako
(translated by E.M. Hare in the PTS edition as “gone for good”), and
this story helps us considerably in understanding how the Buddha used the
epithet “Tathagata” to describe himself.

His
given name was Siddhattha; as a wandering ascetic he went by his mother’s clan
name, Gotama; he was known throughout his world as the sage of his father’s
family, or Sakyamuni; and when enlightened he became known as Buddha, the
Awakened One. His followers most often referred to him as Bhagavant, or
“Blessed One,” but the name he almost always used for himself was
Tathagata.

Tathagata
has always been an awkward word to translate. Tatha on its own means
something like “so,” “thus,” or “in this way”;
and gata is the past participle of the verb to go, and simply means
“gone.” We therefore often find the phrase translated in the texts as
“Thus-gone” or “the Thus-Gone one.” The commentator
Buddhaghosa lists eight different ways the word can be construed (Digha
Atthakatha 1.59), and in the process engages in some characteristically
creative etymology.

I admit
to having never really understood the import of the term Tathagata —
until I came across this story. With the image of the bird released by the
sailors, searching for land upon which to alight, a number of things began to
fall into place.

To
begin with we should recognize two ways the expression is used: one referring
to the Buddha as a being who will no longer be reborn, and the other describing
how the consciousness of an awakened person still in this world relates to the
object of experience.

Sometimes
when one of the arahants passes away, Mara like a dark cloud can be seen
searching for where their consciousness has become re-established (i.e.,
reborn). In such cases, the Buddha says of the arahant that their consciousness
is “not stationed anew anywhere” (e.g., SN 22.87). In this sense the Buddha
is clearly using the epithet “Tathagata” to mean that he will not be
reborn again — like the bird leaving the ship without returning, his
consciousness does not alight again in any of the worlds to become re-bound
with another body.

But
there is also a sense in which the phrase aptly describes the nature of the
awakened mind here in this life. When his questioners try to pin the Buddha
down about whether his consciousness survives after death, he rebukes them by
saying that even here and now the consciousness of a Tathagata is untraceable,
since there is no means of measuring or knowing it (e.g., Sn 1074). The awakened mind is said to be
unattached to anything in the world — like a bird that does not alight upon and
thus get bound to any object of experience.

In fact
learning to un-attach the mind from its fetters is a good deal of what insight
meditation training is all about. The Satipatthana Sutta, for example,
(the main text that gives instructions for insight meditation) states that when
practicing mindfulness properly a person “abides independent, not clinging
to anything in the world” (MN 10). The householder Anathapindika, just
before his death, received instructions from Sariputta urging him to train
himself thus: “I will not cling to what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
encountered, sought after, and examined by the mind; my consciousness will not
be dependent on any of that” (MN 143).

All
this combines to suggest that a crucial aspect of the Buddha’s teaching is the
notion of consciousness being unattached to mental or physical objects. In
moment-to-moment practice this means letting go of attachments and letting
experience be simply what it is. Perhaps with proper practice we can live as a
bird freely circling the ship of our body and our world, rather than as one
imprisoned in a cage on its deck.

Perhaps this is a true story — perhaps Steadfast is a name for
the entire planet, not just a mythological tree. How else might we explain the
earth’s great forbearance and continued beneficence in the face of the rapacity
and destruction we have wrought upon her? I think Gaia, the deity inhabiting
the abode of our lovely Earth, was taught this lesson by Sakka in ancient times,
and has with great patience and dignity put up with the worst we can render. If
this is true, then she will not give us a sign when we have gone too far —
perceiving this is our own responsibility.

Like
every Buddhist story, this one works on many levels simultaneously. It is no
accident that the great tree has five branches, or that the word used for each
portion is khandha — the term designating the five aggregates of form,
feeling, perception, formations and consciousness. The man eating his fill of
fruit is manifesting greed, craving or desire, and his breaking of the branch
represents hatred, anger or aversion. These are two of the three poisonous
roots out of which all unwholesome action arises (the third — ignorance — is
always present when others occur). Thus the entire image is representative of a
person being wronged by another or facing the eruption of their own latent
tendencies for harmful action.

Notice
that the story does not teach the “evil man” the folly of his ways,
since there is often nothing one can do to avoid such people or such
inclinations in oneself. The teaching is more about our response to
transgression. Sakka’s point is that it is self-centered to react petulantly to
such an affront, and that the only suitable response is with kindness and
generosity — to oneself as well as to others. As the Dhammapada so aptly says,
“Never at any time in this world are hostilities resolved by hostility;
but by kindness they are resolved — this is an eternal truth” [Dhp 5].

This
teaching is given to Dhammika, a monk who complains of his treatment by certain
laypeople. The Buddha reflects the situation back upon Dhammika, who as it
turns out does not treat his fellow monks very well. It is an occasion to teach
Dhammika, with the help of this story, the “dhamma of a recluse,”
which boils down to “not returning the insult of the insulter, the anger
of the angry or the abuse of the abuser.”

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