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| Buddha performing a miracle before ascetics, converting them. Kushan period, 2ndC-3rdC, British Museum On the Buddha's left, Vajrapāṇi/Heracles, the "Gandhara Zeus"[1] |
In the Āryasatyaka-parivarta (see previous blog A Buddhist view on warfare?), Satyavādin (“truth-speaking”[2]), a non-Buddhist nirgranthaputra, comes with many other nirgranthas to the kingdom of King Caṇḍrapradyota. Satyavādin teaches Dharma the king and his retinue. The Āryasatyaka-parivarta/Ārya-Bodhisattva-gocara-upāyaviṣaya-vikurvaṇa-nirdeśa Sūtra is a Mahāyāna sūtra and a development (“sutrafication”) from a small part of earlier Pāli suttas[3]. Technically, in the Mahāyāna sūtra it’s Satyavādin who gives the advice to the king (rājavṛta/rgyal po'i tshul, a minor topic in Pāli sutta MN 35). Some extracts from The Range of the Bodhisattva: A Mahāyāna Sūtra. Trans. Lozang Jamspal. New York: American Institute of Buddhist Studies, 2011, ISBN 978-1935011071
“ Satyavādin considers how a ruler who becomes wicked should correct himself. A righteous ruler should protect beings by not burning or ruining their surroundings; a righteous ruler should protect local deities; how these deities may cause crop failures, etc., if there are wicked people such as householders who are disrespectful to elders, or who do not share with their families and workers, or who disrespect monks, priests, and others due homage. He states again that a ruler should not kill, cut off limbs, or destroy the sense organs of wicked people, but rather should tie them up or imprison them so that they may become good. Satyavādin also comments upon how a ruler should oversee stockpiles of food; the nature of taxes and who should pay them; and the ten perfect aspects of royal virtue and their characteristics.Satyavādin lists all the faults he finds with kings and princes, whose names he mentions. The king asks him if he knows Gautama, and Satyavādin answers by describing all the virtues of the Buddha. The king then asked to come and visit the Buddha with him, and Satyavādin accepted and turned out to be a high rank bodhisattva who was actually already a Buddha, and the Buddha prophesied his future Buddhaship in the Mahāyāna sūtra.
Satyavādin then describes the ways in which a righteous ruler should deal with war: the ways of preventing it by settling disputes skillfully; the ruler's aims if war is unavoidable; the ways to conduct a war; and the ways that heedfulness and compassion can mitigate the retribution one would suffer from inflicting suffering and death upon others. He enumerates the righteous ruler's eight correct conceptions of his people and the results of righteous rule-proper rainfall, good harvests, lack of famine, etc. Finally, six verses summarize the most important attitudes and the most important aspects of conduct of a righteous ruler.”
But in the Pāli Cūḷasaccaka sutta (The Shorter Discourse With Saccaka), Saccaka is a proud debater who wants to take on the Buddha[4]. He provokes, insults (he insuates the Budhha is "fat", "the revered Gotama is both developed as to body and developed as to mind”) and taunts the Buddha by claiming that the five aggregates (kandhas[5]) are the self, whereas the Buddha claims they are not the self. The Buddha answers by comparing the power of a king over his territory and Saccaka's alledged power over his aggregates:
“Well then, Aggivessana, I will question you in return about this matter. You may answer me as you please. What do you think about this, Aggivessana? Would a noble anointed king, such as King Pasenadi of Kosala or such as King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of the lady of Videhā, have power in his own territory to put to death one deserving to be put to death, to plunder one deserving to be plundered, to banish one deserving to be banished?”Just like the kings have power (life and death) over their subjects in their territory, does Saccaka have power over his aggregates? The Buddha asks a second time and Saccaka remains silent. Then he asks a third time (making him an offer he couldn't refuse...)
“Good Gotama, a noble anointed king, such as King Pasenadi of Kosala or such as King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of the lady of Videhā, would have power in his own territory to put to death one deserving to be put to death, to plunder one deserving to be plundered, to banish one deserving to be banished. Why, good Gotama, even among these companies and groups, namely of the Vajjis and Mallas, there exists the power in their own territories to put to death one deserving to be put to death, to plunder one deserving to be plundered, to banish one deserving to be banished. How much more then, a noble anointed king, such as King Pasenadi of Kosala or such as King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of the lady of Videhā? He would have the power, good Gotama, and he deserves to have the power.”
“What do you think about this, Aggivessana? When you speak thus: ‘Material shape is my self,’ have you power over this material shape of yours (and can say), ‘Let my material shape be thus”, ‘Let my material shape be not thus’?” When this had been said, Saccaka, the son of Jains, became silent.”
“Then the Lord spoke thus to Saccaka, the son of Jains: “Answer now, Aggivessana, now is not the time for you to become silent. Whoever, Aggivessana, on being asked a legitimate question up to the third time by the Tathāgata does not answer, verily his skull splits into seven pieces.”And Saccaka concedes, “This is not so, good Gotama.” But was it under the threat by the Buddha, repeated by a “Thunderbolt-bearer yakkha” (Vajrapāṇi) that suddenly appeared on the scene, only to be seen by the Buddha and Saccaka[6]?
Another question is whether this was just a “Thunderbolt-bearer yakkha”, or the seed of what was to become yakkha/yakṣa Vajrapāṇi, who later became the general of the yakṣa armies, the guardian of the Tantric scriptures and even Vajradhara (“the Gāndhāra Zeus”) …
This discussion actually already took place (in 2010) on Buddha-L, among Dan Lusthaus, Lance Cousins and others, and I am standing on the shoulders of giants.
[1] Comment below the photo explaining the scene.
"Panel showing the Buddha performing a miracle before ascetics. Kushan period, 2ndC-3rdC. Schist, H. 29,5 cm. (complete, here: partial view). « On the Buddha's left, Vajrapāṇi, with long, bearded face, modelled planes of musculature, genitals, a long draped overgarment from his left shoulder passing across the legs, holds a faceted vajra with rounded ends in his left hand and raises a fly-whisk like a torch in the right. » (Museum Collection on line) : This is a detail of a frieze regarding the conversion of three brothers to Buddhism. It is cropped to focus on the Buddha flanked by a figure of his guardian, Vajrapāṇi. [1] In this image, Vajrapani is depicted in a more classically Grecian style than the surrounding figures, indicative of his cross-cultural status. Vajrapani is usually syncretized with Hercules,[2] but is also sometimes syncretized with Zeus. [3] (This particular piece could be understood either way) In one hand Vajrapani carries a vajra (usually syncretized with Zeus' lightening and/or Hercules' sacred club) and in the other he brandishes a chamara, which is a fly-wisk symbolic of the sovereignty of the Buddha. [4] References "On the Buddha's left, Vajrapāṇi, with long, bearded face, modelled planes of musculature, genitals, a long draped overgarment from his left shoulder passing across the legs, holds a faceted vajra with rounded ends in his left hand and raises a fly-whisk like a torch in the right." Panel #1961,0218.1. British Museum.[1] "Heracles became Vajrapani, guardian of Sakyamuni. There is a wealth of material and studies on the subject... to explain how Heracles went from being a purely classical Greek figure to being a guardian god in the Buddhist pantheon." HSING, I-TIEN, and WILLIAM G. CROWELL. “Heracles in the East: The Diffusion and Transformation of His Image in the Arts of Central Asia, India, and Medieval China.” Asia Major, vol. 18, no. 2, 2005, pp. 103–154. JSTOR, [www.jstor.org/stable/41649907] "In the art of Gandhara Zeus became the inseparable companion of the Buddha as Vajrapani." in Freedom, Progress, and Society, by K. Satchidananda Murty p.97 The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols p.177"
[2] “The name has been deliberately altered. The usual Sanskrit form of Saccaka's name (e.g. in the Dīrghāgama) is Sātyaki. And, incidentally, -putra in this kind of context doesn't mean 'son'; it means something like 'community member'. So a nigaṇṭhaputta is a 'member of the Jain monastic community' “ Lance Cousins in a message posted on Buddha-L
[3] Majjhima Nikaya suttas 35 and 36, the The Shorter Discourse With Saccaka (Cūḷasaccaka sutta 35) and The Greater Discourse to Saccaka (Mahāsaccakasutta 36).
[4] “Now at that time at least five hundred Licchavis were gathered together in the conference hall on some business or other. Then Saccaka, the son of Jains, approached those Licchavis; having approached, he spoke thus to those Licchavis: “Let the good Licchavis come forward, let the good Licchavis come forward. Today there will be conversation between me and the recluse Gotama. If the recluse Gotama takes up his stand against me, as one of his well-known disciples, the monk Assaji, has taken up his stand against me, even as a powerful man, having taken hold of the fleece of a long-fleeced ram, might tug it towards him, might tug it backwards, might tug it forwards and backwards, even so will I, speech by speech, tug the recluse Gotama forwards, tug him backwards, tug him forwards and backwards. And even as a powerful distiller of spirituous liquor, having sunk his crate for spirituous liquor in a deep pool of water, taking it by a corner would tug it forwards, would tug it backwards, would tug it forwards and backwards, even so will I, speech by speech, tug the recluse Gotama forwards, tug him backwards, tug him forwards and backwards. And even as a powerful drunkard of abandoned life, having taken hold of a hair-sieve at the corner, would shake it upwards, would shake it downwards, would toss it about, even so will I, speech by speech, shake the recluse Gotama upwards, shake him downwards, toss him about. And even as a full-grown elephant, sixty years old, having plunged into a deep tank, plays at the game called the ‘merry washing,’ even so, methinks, will I play the game of ‘merry washing’ with the recluse Gotama. Let the good Licchavis come forward, let the good Licchavis come forward; today there will be conversation between me and the recluse Gotama.” Translation by I.B. Horner
[5] i.e. material shape, feeling, perception, habitual tendencies, and consciousness.
[6] “Now at that time the yakkha Thunderbolt-bearer, taking his iron thunderbolt which was aglow, ablaze, on fire, came to stand above the ground over Saccaka, the son of Jains, and said: “If this Saccaka, the son of Jains, does not answer when he is asked a legitimate question up to the third time by the Lord, verily I will make his skull split into seven pieces.” And only the Lord saw this yakkha Thunderbolt-bearer, and (Ed: ‘above’ rather than ‘and’) Saccaka, the son of Jains.
Then Saccaka, the son of Jains, afraid, agitated, his hair standing on end, seeking protection with the Lord, seeking shelter with the Lord, seeking refuge with the Lord, spoke thus to the Lord: “Let the revered Gotama ask me, I will answer.”
“What do you think about this, Aggivessana? When you speak thus: ‘Material shape is my self,’ have you power over this material shape of yours (and can say), ‘Let my material shape be thus”, ‘Let my material shape be not thus’?”
“This is not so, good Gotama.”
***
[1] Comment below the photo explaining the scene.
"Panel showing the Buddha performing a miracle before ascetics. Kushan period, 2ndC-3rdC. Schist, H. 29,5 cm. (complete, here: partial view). « On the Buddha's left, Vajrapāṇi, with long, bearded face, modelled planes of musculature, genitals, a long draped overgarment from his left shoulder passing across the legs, holds a faceted vajra with rounded ends in his left hand and raises a fly-whisk like a torch in the right. » (Museum Collection on line) : This is a detail of a frieze regarding the conversion of three brothers to Buddhism. It is cropped to focus on the Buddha flanked by a figure of his guardian, Vajrapāṇi. [1] In this image, Vajrapani is depicted in a more classically Grecian style than the surrounding figures, indicative of his cross-cultural status. Vajrapani is usually syncretized with Hercules,[2] but is also sometimes syncretized with Zeus. [3] (This particular piece could be understood either way) In one hand Vajrapani carries a vajra (usually syncretized with Zeus' lightening and/or Hercules' sacred club) and in the other he brandishes a chamara, which is a fly-wisk symbolic of the sovereignty of the Buddha. [4] References "On the Buddha's left, Vajrapāṇi, with long, bearded face, modelled planes of musculature, genitals, a long draped overgarment from his left shoulder passing across the legs, holds a faceted vajra with rounded ends in his left hand and raises a fly-whisk like a torch in the right." Panel #1961,0218.1. British Museum.[1] "Heracles became Vajrapani, guardian of Sakyamuni. There is a wealth of material and studies on the subject... to explain how Heracles went from being a purely classical Greek figure to being a guardian god in the Buddhist pantheon." HSING, I-TIEN, and WILLIAM G. CROWELL. “Heracles in the East: The Diffusion and Transformation of His Image in the Arts of Central Asia, India, and Medieval China.” Asia Major, vol. 18, no. 2, 2005, pp. 103–154. JSTOR, [www.jstor.org/stable/41649907] "In the art of Gandhara Zeus became the inseparable companion of the Buddha as Vajrapani." in Freedom, Progress, and Society, by K. Satchidananda Murty p.97 The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols p.177"
[2] “The name has been deliberately altered. The usual Sanskrit form of Saccaka's name (e.g. in the Dīrghāgama) is Sātyaki. And, incidentally, -putra in this kind of context doesn't mean 'son'; it means something like 'community member'. So a nigaṇṭhaputta is a 'member of the Jain monastic community' “ Lance Cousins in a message posted on Buddha-L
[3] Majjhima Nikaya suttas 35 and 36, the The Shorter Discourse With Saccaka (Cūḷasaccaka sutta 35) and The Greater Discourse to Saccaka (Mahāsaccakasutta 36).
[4] “Now at that time at least five hundred Licchavis were gathered together in the conference hall on some business or other. Then Saccaka, the son of Jains, approached those Licchavis; having approached, he spoke thus to those Licchavis: “Let the good Licchavis come forward, let the good Licchavis come forward. Today there will be conversation between me and the recluse Gotama. If the recluse Gotama takes up his stand against me, as one of his well-known disciples, the monk Assaji, has taken up his stand against me, even as a powerful man, having taken hold of the fleece of a long-fleeced ram, might tug it towards him, might tug it backwards, might tug it forwards and backwards, even so will I, speech by speech, tug the recluse Gotama forwards, tug him backwards, tug him forwards and backwards. And even as a powerful distiller of spirituous liquor, having sunk his crate for spirituous liquor in a deep pool of water, taking it by a corner would tug it forwards, would tug it backwards, would tug it forwards and backwards, even so will I, speech by speech, tug the recluse Gotama forwards, tug him backwards, tug him forwards and backwards. And even as a powerful drunkard of abandoned life, having taken hold of a hair-sieve at the corner, would shake it upwards, would shake it downwards, would toss it about, even so will I, speech by speech, shake the recluse Gotama upwards, shake him downwards, toss him about. And even as a full-grown elephant, sixty years old, having plunged into a deep tank, plays at the game called the ‘merry washing,’ even so, methinks, will I play the game of ‘merry washing’ with the recluse Gotama. Let the good Licchavis come forward, let the good Licchavis come forward; today there will be conversation between me and the recluse Gotama.” Translation by I.B. Horner
[5] i.e. material shape, feeling, perception, habitual tendencies, and consciousness.
[6] “Now at that time the yakkha Thunderbolt-bearer, taking his iron thunderbolt which was aglow, ablaze, on fire, came to stand above the ground over Saccaka, the son of Jains, and said: “If this Saccaka, the son of Jains, does not answer when he is asked a legitimate question up to the third time by the Lord, verily I will make his skull split into seven pieces.” And only the Lord saw this yakkha Thunderbolt-bearer, and (Ed: ‘above’ rather than ‘and’) Saccaka, the son of Jains.
Then Saccaka, the son of Jains, afraid, agitated, his hair standing on end, seeking protection with the Lord, seeking shelter with the Lord, seeking refuge with the Lord, spoke thus to the Lord: “Let the revered Gotama ask me, I will answer.”
“What do you think about this, Aggivessana? When you speak thus: ‘Material shape is my self,’ have you power over this material shape of yours (and can say), ‘Let my material shape be thus”, ‘Let my material shape be not thus’?”
“This is not so, good Gotama.”
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