When giving the Abhidhamma
discourse, because it was very lengthy, the Buddha spoke incessantly day &
night like a stream running down a mountain rapidly without stopping. When it
was time for alms round, while giving the discourse, the Buddha created a Replica
of Himself and made a resolution that the Replica of Buddha would give the
discourse on a specific part of Abhidhamma desana; then he went to Anotatta
Lake on earth.
The Replica of Buddha
(nimmita) had exactly the same experience and behavior as the Sabbannu
(Omniscient) Buddha with the 6 rays of the Buddha and some devas and Brahmas
who did not possess much power did not know that He was the Replica of Buddha.
But powerful devas and Brahmas knew that the Replica of Buddha was giving the
discourse and the Sabbannu Buddha had gone to the human abode for alms-food.
After taking a bath at the
Anotatta Lake, the Buddha went to the northern-island continent for alms-food,
came back to Anotatta Lake, ate His meal and rested in the sandal-wood grove.
At that time, Ashin Sariputta came to the Buddha to do the necessary chores.
The Buddha would tell
Ashin Sariputta which portion of the Abhidhamma desana was being delivered at
the Tavatimsa as though giving instructions. Ashin Sariputta, being pre-eminent
(etadagga) in wisdom understood everything that was being given in the
discourse at Tavatimsa.
The Buddha rested in the
sandal-wood grove every day, giving Ashin Sariputta the discourse on Abhidhamma
briefly that was being delivered at Tavatimsa. But Ashin Sariputta learnt it
elaborately. After learning, he taught his 500 disciples who had already had
the foundation in Abhidhamma in their past lives as bats.
The 500 disciples had been
500 bats living on the walls of a cave during the time of Kassapa Buddha. Two
of Kassapa Buddha’s disciples went into the cave where the 500 bats were
staying and recited the Abhidhamma desana. While listening to their recitation,
the 500 hundred bats passed away.
The bats did not
understand whether it was dhamma, kusala (wholesome) or akusala (unwholesome)
at that time. All they knew was that the sounds were pleasant as they passed
away listening. Because of the power of Abhidhamma desana, they were reborn in
the realm of the devas. Between the time of Kassapa Buddha and Gotama Buddha,
they were reborn repeatedly only in the abode of the celestials and never in
the woeful states.
When Gotama was
enlightened as Buddha, they were reborn in the human world. They revered the
Buddha’s glory and supernormal powers and were ordained as monks with Ashin
Sariputta as their instructor in Gotama Buddha’s sasana. Ashin Sariputta taught
his 500 disciples the Abhidhamma discourse which he had learnt from the Buddha every
day. The 500 disciples learnt Abhidhamma very quickly as they had the necessary
foundation during the time of Kassapa Buddha.
By the time when the
Buddha finished delivering the Abhidhamma desana, the 500 monks had learnt the
Abhidhamma (contained in 7 books) almost spontaneously. When the discourse of
Abhidhamma desana came to an end, on the Fullmoon Day of Thadingyut, 80
thousands koti (1 koti = 10 millions) devas and Brahmas were liberated. The
Buddha’s former mother Santusita Deva also became a stream-winner (Sotapanna).
When the Buddha had
finished delivering Abhidhamma desana, He told the king of the celestial that
He would return to earth. Thus, the King of the celestials created the 3
stairways beginning from the top of the great Mount Meru to the city gate of
Sankassa on earth – a stairway of gold on the right side, a stairway of silver
on the left and a stairway of rubies in the middle.
The Buddha let the 6
colorful rays emanate from the body and from the top of the great Mount Meru.
He then descended by the middle stairway of rubies to the city gate of Sankassa
on earth. The deva audience accompanied the Buddha from the right side by the
golden stairway, paying homage by playing celestial musical instruments and
fanning the Buddha. From the left stairway of silver, the Brahmas shading the
Buddha with white umbrellas accompanied the Buddha.
Because of the glory and
supernormal powers of the Buddha, from the highest Brahma realm – Akanittha to
the lowest – Aviji apaya, and from the 4 cardinal points to the 10 directions
and all the thousands of worlds were visible vividly to everyone without having
any barrier.
People could see the most
beautiful and majestic abodes of the devas and Brahmas and all the celestial
beings in turn viewed more than hundreds of millions of people who were
welcoming the Buddha. Thus witnessing the most unsurpassed splendor, there was
none within the 36 yojana (1 yojana = 8 miles), who did not pray to become a
Buddha. The entire populace prayed to become future Buddhas, the noblest wish.
