Sex, Marriage and Family in World Religions (73 page)

“There are five ways in which pupils should minister to their teachers as the southern direction: by rising to greet them, by waiting on them, by being attentive, by serving them, by mastering the skills they teach. And there are five ways in which their teachers, thus ministered to by their pupils as the southern direction, will reciprocate: they will give thorough instruction, make sure they have grasped what they should have duly grasped, give them a thorough ground-ing in all skills, recommend them to their friends and colleagues, and provide them with security in all directions. In this way the southern direction is covered, making it at peace and free from fear.

“There are five ways in which a husband should minister to his wife as the western direction: by honoring her, by not disparaging her, by not being unfaithful to her, by giving authority to her, by providing her with adornments.

And there are five ways in which a wife, thus ministered to by her husband as the western direction, will reciprocate: by properly organizing her work, by being kind to the servants, by not being unfaithful, by protecting stores, and by being skilful and diligent in all she has to do. In this way the western direction is covered, making it at peace and free from fear.

“There are five ways in which a man should minister to his friends and companions as the northern direction: by gifts, by kindly words, by looking after their welfare, by treating them like himself, and by keeping his word. And there
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are five ways in which friends and companions, thus ministered to by a man as the northern direction, will reciprocate: by looking after him when he is inattentive, by looking after his property when he is inattentive, by being a refuge when he is afraid, by not deserting him when he is in trouble, and by showing concern for his children. In this way the northern direction is covered, making it at peace and free from fear.

“There are five ways in which a master should minister to his servants and workpeople as the nadir: by arranging their work according to their strength, by supplying them with food and wages, by looking after them when they are ill, by sharing special delicacies with them, and by letting them off work at the right time. And there are five ways in which servants and workpeople, thus ministered to by their master as the nadir, will reciprocate: they will get up before him, go to bed after him, take only what they are given, do their work properly, and be bearers of his praise and good repute. In this way the nadir is covered, making it at peace and free from fear.

“There are five ways in which a man should minister to ascetics and Brahmins as the zenith: by kindness in bodily deed, speech and thought, by keeping open house for them, by supplying their bodily needs. And the ascetics and Brahmins, thus ministered to by him as the zenith, will reciprocate in six ways: they will restrain him from evil, encourage him to do good, be benevolently compassionate towards him, teach him what he has not heard, and point out to him the way to heaven. In this way the zenith is covered, making it at peace and free from fear.” Thus the Lord spoke.

And the Well-Farer having spoken, the Teacher added: “Mother, father are the east,

Teachers are the southward point,

Wife and children are the west,

Friends and colleagues are the north.

Servants and workers are below,

Ascetics, Brahmins are above.

These directions all should be

Honoured by a clansman true.

He who’s wise and disciplined,

Kindly and intelligent,

Humble, free from pride,

Such a one may honour gain.

Early rising, scorning sloth,

Unshaken by adversity,

Of faultless conduct, ready wit,

Such a one may honour gain.

Making friends, and keeping them,

Welcoming, no stingy host,

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A guide, philosopher and friend,

Such a one may honour gain.

Giving gifts and kindly speech,

A life well-spent for others’ good,

Even-handed in all things,

Impartial as each case demands:

These things make the world go round

Like the chariot’s axle-pin.

If such things did not exist,

No mother from her son would get

Any honour and respect,

Nor father either, as their due.

But since these qualities are held

By the wise in high esteem,

They are given prominence

And are rightly praised by all.”

At these words Siga¯laka said to the Lord: “Excellent, Reverend Gotama, excellent! It is as if someone were to set up what had been knocked down, or to point out the way to one who had got lost, or to bring an oil-lamp into a dark place, so that those with eyes could see what was there. Just so the Reverend Gotama has expounded the Dhamma in various ways, May the Reverend Gotama accept me as a lay-follower from this day forth as long as life shall last!”

[Translated in
The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the
Dı¯ghanika¯ya,
trans. Maurice Walshe (Boston: Wisdom, 1987), pp. 461–469]

AN EARLY BUDDHA LINEAGE

This is a fascinating narrative explaining the identity of Buddha Sákyamuni, the Buddha of our era. To explain and legitimize the Buddha, this narrative creates a chain of parallel figures who stretch back in time, and, rather remark-ably, all have the identical biographic details as the Buddha Sákyamuni, save for a couple name changes. Here we see the articulation of a fundamental problem in Buddhist cosomology—the single knower of the final mode of reality in the universe must in turn be verified by other equally exalted figures.

In short, the rule seems to be that it takes a Buddha to know a Buddha, and thus there were presumably several structural reasons for creating multiple buddhas and hooking them together in mutually confirming ways. Moreover, as the title of this work suggests, “The Great Lineage,” to make this chain of buddhas appear logical and coherent it is fashioned as kind of patriline that, though producing in some unseen manner without women or sex, still shares with the reproductive family the image of legitimacy, continuity, and what we might call a “conservation of identity.” Hence, though the Buddha, in line with
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all his predecessors, is shown breaking with his natal family, this rupture is only explainable by creating a kind of “over-family” to which the Buddha belongs as a rightful successor. More exactly, to create the image of the Buddha as an universal subject, completely free of the particulars of his birth in a certain age, to certain parents. etc., he is ironically given another family, albeit a universal family. Interest in building these sorts of “buddha-families” was not unique to this text and both pre-Maha¯ya¯na and Maha¯ya¯na authors would give considerable attention to constructing and purveying this sort of “over-family” often with the implication that, as in the Gospels, one could gain entrance to this family simply by recognizing the legitimacy of its principle participants.

Equally worth noting is the emphasis on the family particulars given for each buddha. Thus, their father’s and mother’s names and status are listed, their places of residence and so on. Again there seems to be an interesting tension between these mundane details and the grandiosity of the figure who is to be associated with these details. Perhaps it is best simply to say that the image of universality must, ironically, be built with the most familiar of items.

Document 5–11

¯ p a n a d a

¯ n a i n d ı

¯ g h a n i k a

¯ y a

Soon after the Lord had gone, another discussion arose among the monks: “It is marvellous, friends, it is wonderful, the Tatha¯gata’s great power and ability— the way he recalls past Buddhas who have gained Parinibba¯na, having cut away the hindrances, cut off the road [of craving], put an end to the round of becoming, overcome all suffering. He recalls their birth, their name, their clan, their life-span, the disciples and assemblies connected with him: ‘Being born thus, these Blessed Lords were such-and-such, such were their names, their clans, their discipline, their Dhamma, their wisdom, their liberation.’ Well now, friends, how did the Tatha¯gata come by the penetrative knowledge through which he remembers all this . . . ? Did some deva reveal this knowledge to him?” This was the conversation of those monks which came to be interrupted.

Then the Lord, rising from the seclusion of the rest-period, went to the Kareri pavilion and sat down on the prepared seat. He said: “Monks, what was your conversation as you sat together? What discussion did I interrupt?” And the monks told him.

“The Tatha¯gata understands these things . . . by his own penetration of the principles of Dhamma; and devas, too, have told him. Well, monks, do you wish to hear still more about past lives?” “Lord, it is time for that! Well-Farer, it is time for that! If the Lord were to give a proper discourse on past lives, the monks would listen and remember it” “Well then, monks, listen, pay close attention, and I will speak.” “Yes, Lord,” the monks replied, and the Lord said: “Monks, ninety-one aeons ago the Lord, the Arahant, the fully-enlightened Buddha Vipassı¯ arose in the world. He was born of Khattiya race, and arose in 348

a Khattiya family. He was of the Kon.d.an˜n˜a clan. The span of his life was eighty thousand years. He gained his full enlightenment at the foot of a trumpet-flower tree. He had the pair of noble disciples Khan.d.a and Tissa as his chief followers.

He had three assemblies of disciples: one of six million eight hundred thousand, one of a hundred thousand, and one of eighty thousand monks, all Arahants.

His chief personal attendant was the monk Asoka. His father was King Bandhuma¯, his mother was Queen Bandhumatı¯. The king’s capital was Bandhumatı¯.

And so, monks, the Bodhisatta Vipassı¯ descended from the Tusita heaven, mindful and clearly aware, into his mother’s womb. This, monks, is the rule. It is the rule, monks, that when a Bodhisatta descends from the Tusita heaven into his mother’s womb, there appears in this world with its devas, ma¯ras and Brahma¯s, its ascetics and Brahmins, princes and people an immeasurable, splendid light surpassing the glory of the most powerful devas. And whatever dark spaces lie beyond the world’s end, chaotic, blind and black, such that they are not even reached by the mighty rays of sun and moon, are yet illumined by this immeasurable splendid light surpassing the glory of the most powerful devas. And those beings that have been reborn there recognise each other by this light and know: ‘Other beings, too, have been born here!’ And this ten-thousandfold world-system trembles and quakes and is convulsed. And this immeasurable light shines forth. That is the rule.

It is the rule that when a Bodhisatta has entered his mother’s womb, four devas come to protect him from the four quarters, saying: ‘Let no man, no nonhuman being, no thing whatever harm this Bodhisatta or this Bodhisatta’s mother!’ That is the rule.

It is the rule that when a Bodhisatta has entered his mother’s womb, his mother becomes by nature virtuous, refraining from taking life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from lying speech, or from strong drink and sloth-producing drugs. That is the rule.

It is the rule that when a Bodhisatta has entered his mother’s womb, she has no sensual thoughts connected with a man, and she cannot be overcome by any man with lustful thoughts. That is the rule.

It is the rule that when a Bodhisatta has entered his mother’s womb, she enjoys the fivefold pleasures of the senses and takes delight, being endowed and possessed of them. That is the rule.

It is the rule that when a Bodhisatta has entered his mother’s womb, she has no sickness of any kind, she is at ease and without fatigue of body, and she can see the Bodhisatta inside her womb, complete with all his members and faculties. Monks, it is as if a gem, a beryl, pure, excellent, well cut into eight facets, clear, bright, flawless and perfect in every respect, were strung on a blue, yellow, red, white or orange cord. And a man with good eyesight, taking it in his hand, would describe it as such. Thus does the Bodhisatta’s mother, with no sickness, see him, complete with all his members and faculties. That is the rule.

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It is the rule that the Bodhisatta’s mother dies seven days after his birth and is reborn in the Tusita heaven. That is the rule.

It is the rule that whereas other women carry the child in their womb for nine or ten months before giving birth, it is not so with the Bodhisatta’s mother, who carries him for exactly ten months before giving birth. That is the rule.

It is the rule that whereas other women’ give birth sitting or lying down, it is not so with the Bodhisatta’s mother, who gives birth standing up. That is the rule.

It is the rule that when the Bodhisatta issues from his mother’s womb, devas welcome him first, and then humans. That is the rule.

It is the rule that when the Bodhisatta issues from his mother’s womb, he does not touch the earth. Four devas receive him and place him before his mother, saying: ‘Rejoice, Your Majesty, a mighty son has been born to you!’

That is the rule.

It is the rule that when the Bodhisatta issues from his mother’s womb he issues forth stainless, not defiled by water, mucus, blood or any impurity, pure and spotless. Just as when a jewel is laid on muslin from Ka¯sı¯, the jewel does not stain the muslin, or the muslin the jewel. Why not? Because of the purity of both. In the same way the Bodhisatta issues forth stainless. . . . That is the rule.

It is the rule that when the Bodhisatta issues forth from his mother’s womb, two streams of water appear from the sky, one cold, the other warm, with which they ritually wash the Bodhisatta and his mother. That is the rule.

It is the rule that as soon as he is born the Bodhisatta takes a firm stance on both feet facing north, then takes seven strides and, under a white sunshade, he scans the four quarters and then declares with a bull-like voice: ‘I am chief in the world, supreme in the world, eldest in the world. This is my last birth, there will be no more re-becoming.’ That is the rule.