Why A Peace NGO Might Not Employ The Buddha
By Darshanie Ratnawalli -September 7, 2014
Darshanie Ratnawalli
In western as well as oriental cultures, Superheroes conquer rebellious mythical creatures and win their territory for humans. The heroes of more muscular ancient traditions get to kill their creatures, while those of the early Buddhist tradition, the Buddha and his arahat disciples triumph through a different methodology, as killing of any being is simply not done. Even so, some memorable mythical creature overcoming episodes of early Buddhist lore owe their existence to a very muscular and masterful strand in the tradition.
The earliest such episode is contained in the Mahavagga of the Pali Vinaya Pitaka (Vin. I, 24, 25 @ p32-35, Horner IV[i] – full text). Here the Buddha, in order to assert His spiritual superiority before a large group of Brahmin ascetics with signature matted hair, gives an extended display of super-human powers (three thousand five hundred miracles). The first of these is the overpowering of the magical Naga in the leading ascetic’s fire hut. This involves leaving intact the skin, hide, flesh, ligaments, bones, and marrow of this Naga while fighting his fire with like fire. “When both were in flames, the fire-room became as though burning, ablaze, in flames. Then the matted hair ascetics, having surrounded the fire-room, spoke thus: “Beautiful indeed is the great recluse, (but) he will be harmed by the serpent.”” He isn’t. Towards the end of that night, the flames of the Naga are extinguished while the multi-colored flames of the Buddha’s psychic power remain on His body. The Naga, though intact in body end up in such a state that the Blessed One is able to throw him into the alms bowl and show him as testimony of His triumph. In the non-Theravadin Mahavastu, which presents the same episode in a later and more developed form, the matted hair ascetics, on seeing the blazing fire room, try to quench the conflagration and save the Buddha while the Naga after having been released, assumes human form, falls at His feet and craves forgiveness. (P108-109, J. Ph. Vogel: 1926[ii]- full text) Read More
