Phubes Chuayrod

Assaji
By Phubes Chuayrod

Content

Preface

Background
Aratanaship
Conversion of Sariputta and Mahamoggallana
References

Preface

This report is part of Moral subject. The purpose of this report is to study about Kisa Gotami
such as her Introductory Story, her profess to buddhism, her work on buddhism, and virtues as
good model foe leading a life. I hope this report will have benefits for everyone.

Assaji

This report is part of Moral subject. The purpose of this report is to study about Kisa Gotami such as her
Introductory Story, her profess to buddhism, her work on buddhism, and virtues as good model foe
leading a life. I hope this report will have benefits for everyone

Background

Assaji was born into a brahmin family. His father was one of the eight brahmin scholars who were
invited by Suddhodana, the monarch of the Sakyan kingdom to Kapilavastu to read the fortune of his
son Siddhartha. Assaji's father and six of the other brahmins had predicted that Siddhartha would
either become a great religious leader or a great military monarch. Kaundinya, the youngest was the
only one to confidently state that Siddhartha would become a Buddha. As a result, when Siddhartha
renounced the world, Kaundinya and Assaji, as well as Bhaddiya, Vappa and Mahanama, three sons
of three of the brahmin scholars joined Siddhartha in the ascetic life. The five joined Siddhartha in
self-mortification practices at Uruvela. When Siddhartha abandoned this practice to follow the Middle
Way, they left him in disappointment, believing he had become indulgent.

Aratanaship

But after the Enlightenment, the Buddha visited them at Sarnath, where they had journeyed after the
split. The Buddha preached the Four Noble Truths and the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutra, and they
became the first five bhikkhus of the sangha. Assaji was the last to understand the teachings, and the
Buddha had to give further explanations to him and Mahanama while the other three bhikkhus went
out on alms round. He was the last to reach sotapanna, the first stage of arahanthood. He became
an arahant, together with the others, at the preaching of the Anattalakkhana Sutra

Conversion of Sariputta and Mahamoggallana

Assaji was on alms round in Rajagaha, when Sariputta in his search for enlightenment, spotted him.
Being impressed by Assaji's demeanour, Sariputta followed him until he had finished his alms round.
After Assaji sat down, Sariputta asked him about his teacher and the teaching he followed. Initially,
Assaji was reluctant to preach, explaining that he was inexperienced, but relented at the urging of
Sariputta. Assaji spoke a short verse:
Of all those things that from a cause arise,
Tathagata the cause thereof has told; And
how they cease to be, that too he tells,
This is the teaching of the Great Recluse.
Sariputta comprehended, gaining sotapanna, the first stage of arahanthood after hearing the
teachings, which implied the Four Noble Truths. He went off to tell Mahamoggallana, his friend since
childhood that he had been successful in his search for enlightenment. Both then became bhikkhus
in the sangha and went on to become the two chief disciples of the Buddha.[4]
Assaji was highly venerated by Sariputta, and in whichever quarter Assaji was residing, Sariputta
would extend his clasped hands in an attitude of reverent supplication in the direction, as well as
turning his head when he lay down to sleep in the direction.[1]
One day when Assaji was going through Vesali for alms, the Nigantha Saccaka, who was looking for
ascetics to debate, questioned him regarding the Buddha's Dharma because Assaji was a prominent
disciple (ñātaññatara-sāvaka). Assaji delivered a summary of the doctrine contained in the
Anattalakkhana Sutta. Confident of his ability to refute these views, Saccaka went with a large
concourse of Licchavis to the Buddha and questioned him. This was the occasion for the preaching
of the Cula-Saccaka Sutta

References

1. "Assaji". Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names. Archived from the original on 13 March
2007. Retrieved 2007-04-03.

2. ^ "Pancavaggiya". Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names. Archived from the original on 29
April 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-03.

3. ^ "Anna Kondanna". Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names. Retrieved 2007-04-03.
4. ^ "The Life of Sariputta". Buddhist Publication Society. 2006-09-23. Archived from the original

on 4 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-30.