11). The Descent from the Trayatrimsa Heaven:
Having gained enlightenment, Gautama came to be called
Shakyamuni, or the silent lion, indicating the explosive
potential he carried within himself. He first went up to Sarnath
near Varanasi where he met the five disciples with whom he had
previously traversed the path of asceticism. Though they had
deserted him after their failed experiment, the unearthly glow
from his body now attracted them. Hearing his discourse, they
became his first followers.
Amongst these five was a disciple named Assaji. Once when Assaji
was begging for alms, he encountered an inquisitive gentleman
named Shariputra, who was then a follower of Sanjaya
Belatthiputta, a renowned skeptic sage of the times. Shariputra,
along with his fast friend Maudgalyayana were Sanjaya's fervent
and most important disciples. Of late however, they had both
started experiencing disillusionment and felt dissatisfied by
their master's nihilistic philosophy. Now in this state of mind,
Assaji's noble mien and air of self possession so impressed
Shariputra that he asked him who his teacher was and what
doctrine he taught. Assaji answered him only briefly but it was
enough to convince Shariputra. He immediately bounded over to
Maudgalyayana and related to him what had happened. Maudgalyayana
was able to perceive the greatness of Buddha's teachings and he
and Shariputra thereupon resolved to become followers of
Shakyamuni. They also brought over Sanjaya's complete entourage
of two-hundred-and-fifty disciples to Buddha's monastic order.
This story is symbolic of the transformation Buddha's teachings
bought about in the prevailing milieu of the times, wherein an
entire school of thought came under the influence of his
teachings. Later on Buddha was to predict that these two would
become the foremost of his disciples.
Thus, characteristically, in the narrative paintings outlining
the significant episodes of Buddha's life, there is nearly always
at the center, a dominating image of Shakyamuni, flanked by his
two devoted disciples Shariputra and Maudgalyayana.
Illustration:
Shakyamuni, or the silent lion, indicating the explosive
potential he carried within himself. He first went up to Sarnath
near Varanasi where he met the five disciples with whom he had
previously traversed the path of asceticism. Though they had
deserted him after their failed experiment, the unearthly glow
from his body now attracted them. Hearing his discourse, they
became his first followers.
Amongst these five was a disciple named Assaji. Once when Assaji
was begging for alms, he encountered an inquisitive gentleman
named Shariputra, who was then a follower of Sanjaya
Belatthiputta, a renowned skeptic sage of the times. Shariputra,
along with his fast friend Maudgalyayana were Sanjaya's fervent
and most important disciples. Of late however, they had both
started experiencing disillusionment and felt dissatisfied by
their master's nihilistic philosophy. Now in this state of mind,
Assaji's noble mien and air of self possession so impressed
Shariputra that he asked him who his teacher was and what
doctrine he taught. Assaji answered him only briefly but it was
enough to convince Shariputra. He immediately bounded over to
Maudgalyayana and related to him what had happened. Maudgalyayana
was able to perceive the greatness of Buddha's teachings and he
and Shariputra thereupon resolved to become followers of
Shakyamuni. They also brought over Sanjaya's complete entourage
of two-hundred-and-fifty disciples to Buddha's monastic order.
This story is symbolic of the transformation Buddha's teachings
bought about in the prevailing milieu of the times, wherein an
entire school of thought came under the influence of his
teachings. Later on Buddha was to predict that these two would
become the foremost of his disciples.
Thus, characteristically, in the narrative paintings outlining
the significant episodes of Buddha's life, there is nearly always
at the center, a dominating image of Shakyamuni, flanked by his
two devoted disciples Shariputra and Maudgalyayana.
Illustration:
