How Ashoka Acquired Merit

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The Unknown Ashoka – 2

 

How Ashoka Acquired Merit

 

After Ashoka had accepted the teachings of the Buddha through

Samudra's miracles, he decided to distribute the holy relics

throughout the country. The problem was that all the relics of the

Buddha had been enshrined by Ajaatashatru (Bimbisara's son who killed

his father to become king) and seven other kings of that time in

drona stupas. These were so called because each contained one drona

(pitcher) of the relics. It is said in the Mahaaparinibbana Sutta

that a ninth stupa was built by the Brahmin Drona (who had divided

the relics into eight parts) over the drona used to measure out the

relics and a tenth by the Moriyas of Pipphalivana over the embers of

the cremation fire.

 

Ashoka, in his characteristic fashion, tackled the problem through

direct action. Going first to the drona stupa built by Ajaatashatru,

he broke it open, removed the contents, put back a portion and built

there a new stupa. He proceeded to this with the others until he had

finished setting up seven stupas in place of the ones he had broken

open. He could not, however, locate the eighth stupa:

 

Eight measures of relics there were of the far-seeing one, of the

best of men.

In Jambudveepa seven are worshipped,

and one portion in Raamagraama by the Naga kings.

 

Raamagraama had been washed into the Ganga. Ashoka managed to reach

it and was respectfully received by the Nagas who showed him the

drona stupa, but refused to part with the relics as they worshipped

it. Ashoka, it seems, realized that he would never be able to match

the Nagas in their devotion, and this is shown on the bas-reliefs at

the Sanchi and Amaravati stupas. Fa-hsien and Hsuan-tsang relate the

same story.

 

According to the Mahaavamsa tradition, the Nagas told Ashoka that

these relics had been set aside by the Buddha himself for

Dutthagaamani, King of Sri Lanka (circa 101-77 B.C). However, the

Sanskrit traditions tell another story. Ashoka, they say, found his

way to the eighth stupa barred by a great wheel armed with razor

sharp blades spinning in the river.3 He turned to a monk for advice,

who told him to throw large quantities of plum into the current,

which would jam the machinery. Ashoka did so and got past this

obstacle only to be stopped by a huge Naga monarch guarding the

relics. Once again, he turned to the monk who stated that only when

his merit exceeded that of the Naga would he be able to pass safely.

On the monk's advice, Ashoka had two golden statues made of himself

and the Naga King and got them weighed. To his consternation, the

Naga's statue turned out heavier! Yet again, the monk provided the

solution: Ashoka must acquire greater merit.

 

And so, Ashoka went back, performed good work (we are not told what

he did) and returned to the weighing only to find that the statues

now were of equal weight. He had, therefore, to acquire more merit

until his statue sank down, and the Naga king let him pass. Then, we

are told, Ashoka entered the holy chamber and took out the relics. At

that exact instant the oil lamp lit there by Ajaatashatru went out.

Ashoka was amazed and asked the monk how the monarch had known

exactly how much oil to put in the lamp. The reply was that in the

days of the Buddha such marvelous calculators existed who could

determine with exactitude such matters. The Thupavamsa tells us that

Ashoka found in this relic chamber a golden inscription that

said, "In the future, a Prince named Piyadaasa will raise the

umbrella of state and become a righteous monarch named Ashoka who

will take these relics and have them widely distributed."

 

Ashoka had eighty four thousand boxes made of gold, silver, cat's eye

and crystal to house the relics, along with an equal number of urns

and inscriptions. These he gave to the Yashas for placing in the

stupas he built throughout the country wherever there were a lakh of

people. Now, the people of Takshashila numbered 36 lakh and they

petitioned Ashoka for 36 boxes. Ashoka realized that if he agreed to

this the relics would not be dispersed as widely as he planned.

Typically, he cut this Gordian knot by informing them that since he

could afford only to give one share, he would have to execute 35 lakh

Takshashilans! We hear no further of their insistence.

 

Now Ashoka approached the elder Yashas, head of the Kukkutaaraama

monastery, and expressed his desire to consecrate all the 84000

stupas on the same day, at the same time. Yashas agreed to signal the

moment by concealing the sun with his hand. And thus, a solar eclipse

signaled the momentous achievement, and the change of the king from

Ashoka the Fierce (Chandaashoka) to Ashoka the Righteous

(Dharmaashoka).

 

One day the soothsayers in the court declared that Ashoka's body bore

certain inauspicious marks. To remove these he was advised to perform

meritorious deeds. Ashoka approached Yashas and wanted to know why

these marks persisted despite his having built eighty four thousand

stupas as foretold by the Buddha. Yashas told him that thereby he had

acquired merit only for himself, which was "lighter" than urging

others to do good deeds.

 

Hence, Ashoka disguised himself as a wandering mendicant and went

from door to door for alms, because the giving of alms brought merit

to the giver. One day he came to the ramshackle hut of a very poor

widow who had nothing at all to give. Yet, seeing the opportunity to

perform a good deed, she did not forego it. All she had was a single

cloth she was wearing. Hiding behind the bamboo-matting wall of her

hut, she held out her only covering. Profoundly moved, Ashoka

presented her with a precious necklace and several villages.

 

At another house, he met an aged and poverty-ridden couple who had

nothing to give. But they exhorted him to wait, and went to a rich

neighbor to borrow seven gold pieces, undertaking to become his

slaves if they could not repay him within a week. This gold they gave

as alms to Ashoka who gifted them clothes, jewels and villages. In

this manner, Ashoka went round exhorting others to acquire merit. The

inauspicious marks on his body disappeared.

 

Now, in Ashoka's palace lived a servant girl who was sorrowful for

she thought that Ashoka had become so great because of the

meritorious acts he had done in the past life, while her being

destitute was undoubtedly the result of bad deeds in her earlier

lives. She wondered how she would ever acquire merit, as she had

nothing to give as alms to monks. One day, while sweeping, she came

upon a coin in the garbage. Despite being so poor, she took it to the

monastery and happily donated it. Soon thereafter, she died and was

reborn as the daughter of one of Ashoka's queens, with her fist

tightly clenched. Ashoka opened it to find a gold coin. Every time he

removed it, another appeared in its place! Ashoka reported this

miracle to Yashas, who explained that this was the result of her

having offered her only coin to the Sangha in her previous birth.

This tale and that of the poor widow who gifts her sole garment

remind us of Christ's parable of the widow's mite.

 

Once, while going through his treasury, Ashoka came across a chipped

gem. On making enquiries, he was told that it used to be part of King

Ajaatashatru's armour. It carried an inscription that incensed

Ashoka: "Bequeathed to the poor King Ashoka who will reign in the

future." Furious, Ashoka asked his Prime Minister

Radhagupta, "Ajaatashatru was a minor prince, while I rule over all

of Jambudveepa. How could he call me poor?" Radhagupta suggested that

the king test out the gem. It was found that anyone wearing it could

digest poison. Ashoka then reflected that this chipped gem, which was

a part of Ajaatashatru's armour, was immeasurably superior to all

that he had in his treasury. Indeed, he was poor compared to those

who lived at the time of the Buddha and acquired unrivalled merit

then.

 

Ashoka once met a seven-year old novice and waited until they were in

a place where none could see them. Then he prostrated himself before

the monk-in-training and urged him, "Please, do not tell anyone that

I bowed down before you." Nearby was a jar. Suddenly, the novice

entered it, emerged through the spigot by means of his powers, and

told the king: "O king, do not tell anyone that I entered this jar

and came out again through the spigot." Ashoka protested that such a

marvel could not be hid and that he would have to tell everyone about

it. That is why, it is said,

 

Three things should never be maligned –

a young king, a young naga and a young monk.

The first, though young, can slay men;

the second, though tiny, can make it rain;

and the third, though small, can save mankind.

 

Thereafter, Ashoka used to throw himself at the feet of Buddhist

monks regardless of the place and the people watching. His minister,

Yashas, found this inappropriate and told him," Your majesty, you

ought not to prostrate yourself before wandering monks, for Buddhist

monks come from all castes." Ashoka did not respond immediately.

 

A few days later, Ashoka called his ministers and told them that he

required the heads of different types of animals. Knowing his violent

temper (he had executed many ministers in the past) they did not ask

him why he wanted these but each of them quickly went about procuring

the type of head specified by Ashoka. Yashas was asked to bring a

human head.

 

When all the ministers had obtained the heads, Ashoka asked them to

sell these in the market. Soon they had all succeeded except Yashas,

who found that none would buy it. He was told, thereupon, to give it

away. Yet, none would accept it even free. Yashas came back,

crestfallen, to report:

 

O King, the heads of cattle, asses, deer, birds –

all were sold for a price to buyers;

but none would take this worthless human head,

even free of charge.

 

Ashoka asked Yashas, "Why is it that no one will accept this human

head?Because," answered Yashas, "it disgusted them." Ashoka asked

him whether people found this particular head disgusting or all human

heads. Yashas replied, "All human heads they find

disgusting.What!" exclaimed the king "is my head disgusting too?"

After much hesitation and at the insistence of Ashoka, Yashas finally

answered, " Yes." Now Ashoka explained to him the intention behind

this baffling exercise:

 

If I acquire some merit

by bowing down a head so disgusting

that none on earth would take it.

what harm is there?

 

After this, Ashoka built chaityas to mark for pilgrims the holy spots

of the Buddha's birth, the Bodhi tree, the place where he preached

first and where he departed from the world. At each of these, he

donated a lakh of gold pieces. He did the same at the stupas of the

foremost disciples, Sariputra foremost of the wise; Mahamaudgalyayana

foremost of those with supernatural powers; Mahakashyapa, greatest of

those who were contented and had conquered desire; Ananda, who

preserved the teachings for posterity. But at the stupa of Batkula,

he offered but a pice. The bewildered ministers begged him to

enlighten them on this distinction. Ashoka explained:

 

Even though he dispelled with the lamp of perfect knowledge the

darkness of his mind, he never preached two words to anyone as others

did for the benefit of mankind.

 

Thus, though Batkula lacked desires, he also lacked the purpose to

serve humanity.

 

It is while honoring the Bodhi tree that Ashoka went through a

traumatic experience. His chief queen Tishyarakshitaa was very

possessive by nature. She overheard Ashoka ordering that his most

precious jewels should be sent to Bodhi. The queen thought that there

was little point in being the chief queen when the king was sending

the best jewels to another woman, for that is what she mistook Bodhi

to be. Hence, she summoned a sorceress and commanded her to destroy

her rival, Bodhi. The witch tied a mantric thread around the tree,

which soon began to wither. Hearing of this the king was distraught

and sobbed aloud:

 

When I looked at the king of trees, I knew

I was seeing the Buddha himself. If the

Lord's tree dies, I too shall surely expire!

 

Tishyarakshitaa, seeing the king sorrowing for Bodhi, told him, "My

Lord, what if Bodhi should die? I am still here to bring you

pleasure.Foolish woman," retorted Ashoka, "Bodhi is not a woman,

but the tree under which the Blessed One attained complete

enlightenment." Realizing her mistake, the queen asked the witch to

restore the tree, and this was done after the thread was untied and

the tree watered with a hundred jars of milk a day.

 

The Legend of Kunaala

 

On the day Ashoka consecrated the eight four thousand stupas, his

queen Padmaavati gave birth to a son whose eyes were so beautiful

that he was named Kunaala after the Himalayan bird of that name which

alone had such eyes. In course of time, the prince wedded

Kaanchanamala. During a visit to the monastery, Kunaala met the

venerable Yashas, who realized what would happen, and advised the

prince:

 

Constantly examine the eye. For it is fickle

And attaches you to many sufferings.

 

The prince made it a habit to sit in solitude and meditate on the

failings of the eye. One day, finding him alone, queen

Tishyarakshitaa approached him amorously:

 

Your handsome, glorious body

and your lovely eyes consume me,

as a forest fire burns kindling.

 

Kunaala was horrified, and begged her to shun the evil path.

Tishyarakshitaa, enraged at being spurned, schemed to destroy the

prince.

 

It so happened that the city of Takshashila rebelled and Ashoka sent

Kunaala there, recalling how his father had sent him there in the

past. The Takshashilans welcomed the prince and said they had been

forced to rebel against evil ministers. Back at the capital, Ashoka

had fallen very ill and wanted his son back, to be crowned as he was

despairing of recovery. Tishyarakshitaa hearing this was worried,

fearing death at Kunaala's hands if he became king.

 

Hence, she persuaded Ashoka that she could cure him provided he

forbade all the doctors from treating him. Then she ordered the

physicians to bring her anyone they found to be suffering from the

same symptoms as the king. A few days later, a doctor brought such a

person to the queen. In secret she had him slain, and examined his

stomach where she found a large worm. She then experimented with

various medicines and found that onions killed it. Tishyarakshitaa

then told Ashoka that he must eat an onion to recover, overruling his

objections by pointing out that this was a medicine to save his life.

Ashoka recovered and in joy granted her a boon. The queen requested

the grant of sovereignty for seven days. Ashoka was worried. What

would happen to him, he wondered. Tishyarakshitaa reassured him that

she would return the throne to him thereafter.

 

Once installed as ruler, Tishyarakshitaa's first thought was to take

revenge on Kunaala. In Ashoka's name, she composed a letter to the

people of Takshashila ordering them to gouge out the eyes of the

prince, for she hated those wonderful eyes that had infatuated her.

Now, whenever Ashoka wanted his orders to be carried out speedily, he

used to seal them with his teeth. Finding him asleep, the queen tried

to get him to bite the letter. At the critical juncture Ashoka

started up exclaiming:

 

" O Queen, I just saw two vultures

trying to pluck out Kunaala's eyes!"

" May the prince be well," said the queen,

and Ashoka slept again.

 

A second time he awoke in cold sweat, exclaiming, "I saw Kunaala

entering the city with a beard, long hair and long nails.May the

prince be well," said the queen, and again he slept. This time she

managed to get the impression of his teeth on the letter and sent it

off to Takshashila.

 

The people of the city, however, were unwilling to comply with the

command, though frightened that if they did not Ashoka would not

spare them, for he was so ruthless as to want to blind his favorite

son. They lamented, "Whom will he not hate if he hates the prince who

is calm and an accomplished sage desiring the welfare of all?"

 

Kunaala, however, calmly asked them to comply with the orders. Hence,

the chandaals were summoned and asked to pluck out his eyes. They,

however, refused to darken the moon-like beauty of his face. When

offered the prince's diadem, they turned away protesting against the

evil deed. Ultimately, one person agreed, and then Kunaala recalled

the words of Yashas about the transience of sight. He told the man:

 

"Do as the King orders, for whether my eyes are gouged out or not I

have already grasped the essence of sight, which is impermanent,

suffering-full and empty."

 

Kunaala then bade the man to pluck out first one eye and place it in

his hand. This was done amid loud lamentation of the citizens, but

Kunaala grasped it and spoke thus:

 

"Why do you not see as before, O lump of fashioned flesh? Only fools

depend on you thinking, "This is the self!" You are but a bubble and

the wise do not chase after the suffering you cause."

 

Now he asked the other eye to be plucked out. With both gone, his eye

of wisdom shone forth within and he said, "Though rejected by the

king whose son I am said to be, I have become, the son of the King of

Dharma. Fallen from sovereignty, bound to suffering, I have obtained

the kingship of Dharma which ends all sorrow."

 

When he had found out that this was the work of Tishyarakshitaa, he

blessed her and wished her long life, for she had brought about his

enlightenment. When his wife lamented that the eyes which brought her

joy were gone, he told her not to weep, for separation from dear ones

and suffering was the way of the world and mankind was made up of

sorrow.

 

Husband and wife set out afoot for Pataliputra, Kunaala was very

delicate and unfit for hard work. He earned alms by playing the

veenaa and singing. They returned to the capital, but the guards

turned away the tattered, blind beggar from the gates of the royal

palace. They took shelter in the coach-house and at night Kunaala

played the veena, singing of how his eyes had been ripped out and so

he attained a vision of truth. Recognizing the voice, Ashoka bade the

guards seek out Prince Kunaala. They returned without him, stating

that it was not the prince but a blind beggar who was singing.

Recalling his dreams, Ashoka was sure this was his son and ordered

him to be brought before him. Seeing a virtual skeleton before him,

Ashoka had to be told by Kunaala that it was indeed he, before he

could believe the heart-rending sight. Furious at the torture

inflicted, and weeping with agony, Ashoka demanded of Kunaala who had

wrought this pitiless deed. Kunaala however, exhorted him not to

grieve over what was over for, he said, "The fruit of acts done in

this world is one's own. How then can I speak of this as having been

done by others?"

 

Ashoka, however, persisted and found out that this was the work of

Tishyarakshitaa. Summoning her he raged, "First I'll tear out her

eyes and then I think I'll rip open her body with sharp rakes, impale

her alive, cut off her nose with a saw, her tongue with a razor and

fill her with poison." Such and other ways he spoke of for her

execution. But Kunaala urged him, "If Tishyarakshitaa's deeds were

not honorable, let not yours be like her. Kill her not, for the

reward of loving-kindness is unparalleled, and forgiveness was

extolled by the Buddha. O king, I feel no pain for there is none in

my mind. I have only kind thoughts for her and if this be true, may

my eyes be restored!" As soon as he said this, Kunaala's sight was

restored.

 

But Ashoka did not forgive his queen. He threw her into a lacquer

house and burnt it down over her. He had the citizens of Takshashila

executed too.

 

Some monks asked Upagupta, the sinless Buddha, why Kunaala had to

suffer thus. Upagupta told them that in a past birth Kunaala had been

a hunter of Varanasi who had come upon a herd of five hundred deer in

a mountain cave and had trapped them in a net. Realizing that if he

killed them all the meat would rot, he hit upon the idea of blinding

them, so that they could not run away. Because of this, he was reborn

many times and lost his own eyes each time. Again, many aeons ago a

king had built a stupa for the Buddha Krakucchanda, which was

stripped of its jewels by his successor. Seeing this, the son of a

businessman completely renovated the stupa and set there a life-size

image of that Buddha. He then made a resolute wish to meet a master

like Krakucchanda. Because he rebuilt the stupa, he was born as a

royal prince. For installing the image, he became the good-looking

Kunaala. And because of his vow, he was worthy of Lord Shakyamuni,

the Buddha, through whom he attained enlightenment.

 

Ashoka's Last Gift

 

Ashoka was desperate to be known as the greatest of all donors to the

Faith of the Buddha. He enquired of the monks who had been, so far,

the greatest donor. They informed him that it was the householder

Anaathapindada who had gifted the Sangha one hundred crore gold

pieces. Ashoka wished to do likewise. He had, until then, gifted

ninety-six crore by building the stupas and chaityas, holding the

quinquennial festival, etc. It so happened that Ashoka's health began

to fail, and he grew despondent, fearing he would be unable to

fulfill his resolve. He therefore began sending gold coins regularly

to the monastery at Kukkutaraama.

 

By that time, Kunaala's son Sampadin had become the crown prince. His

advisors told him that the king was exhausting the state treasury and

ought to be restrained. Sampadin, thereupon, ordered the treasurer

not to disburse state funds. Ashoka, then, began to send the golden

plates on which his food was brought to the monastery as offerings.

Sampadin extended the ban to this too. Ashoka began to be served on

silver dishes. He sent these as well to the Sangha. When silver was

replaced by copper and then by clay plates, the king persisted in

despatching those to Kukkutaraama.

 

A day came when all that Ashoka had left was half of a myrobalan

(amlaka) fruit. Taking it in his hand he summoned all his ministers

and, very upset, asked them, "Who is now Lord of the earth?" All of

them bowed to him and declared it was he. But Ashoka, his eyes

clouded with tears, said:

 

"You lie to humor me. The only thing remaining under my rule is this

half of an amlaka. Woe! O woe to sovereignty that is like the flood

waters at the river-mouth! My commands are flouted like a river

turned back by a cliff. Like an ashoka tree with its flowers plucked,

its leaves shriveled and fallen, this king is drying up."

 

Ashoka than called a passer-bye and said, "My friend, though I have

fallen from power, do this last task for me, out of regard for my

past virtues. Take this my half-amlaka, and offer it to the monastery

on my behalf, saying, `I offer you the present greatness of the king

who ruled all of Jambudveepa' and request to have it so distributed

that it is enjoyed by the whole community of monks."

 

The citizen faithfully performed his duty and offered the half of the

fruit to the monastery saying, "He who previously ruled the earth,

warming it like the sun at noon, today he is deceived by his karmic

acts and finds his glory gone like the setting sun at dusk."

 

The head of the monastery then addressed the monks:

 

"The lord of men has gone from being lord of Jambudveepa to being

lord of half an amlaka, which he presents as a reproof to those who

wish to enjoy regal splendor. Today one may show emotion, for the

misfortune of others is an occasion to be upset."

 

He had the half-amlaka mashed, put in a soup and distributed to the

entire Sangha of monks.

 

Then Ashoka asked his prime minister, "Tell me, Radhagupta, who is

now lord of the earth?" Falling at his feet, Radhagupta

replied, "Your majesty is lord of the earth." Then Emperor Ashoka

struggled to his feet, gazed in the four directions and announced:

 

"Except for the state treasury I give to the Sangha this earth with

its Mandara mountain and its dark blue garment, the ocean, and its

face adorned with many jewels. With this gift, I do not seek any

rebirth in heaven or even less on earth as a king. Because I give it

with faith, I would obtain as its fruit something that cannot be

stolen, that which is honored by the Aryas and safe from all flux:

sovereignty over the mind."

 

Having inscribed this and sealed it with his teeth, Ashoka passed

away. When the ministers prepared to install Sampadin as king,

Radhagupta reminded them that Ashoka had gifted the whole kingdom

away. When the ministers were at a loss, Radhagupta told them that it

had been Ashoka's desire to donate one hundred crore gold coins to

the Sangha and that when he died ninety-six crore had been gifted. It

was to complete his intention that he had gifted the kingdom.

Thereupon the ministers gave four crore gold coins to the Sangha and

redeemed the kingdom to consecrate Sampadin.

 

The Legend of Veetashoka

 

The subjects of Ashoka became, by and large, inclined towards

Buddhism. However, his brother, Veetashoka, was prejudiced against

them. Once, when the brothers were hunting in the forest, they came

across an ascetic who was performing the penance of the five fires

(meditating surrounded by five fires). Veetashoka asked him various

questions and got to know that he had been performing this for twelve

years, living on fruits and roots, sleeping on the hard ground,

wearing grass or bark. "Blessed one," asked Veetashoka, "are you

disturbed in any manner?Yes," replied the seeker, "passions still

consume me." Veetashoka now turned to his brother and told him that

when the world-renouncing ascetic had failed to conquer his passions

despite the long-drawn penance there was little doubt that the

Buddhist monks, sleeping on comfortable couches and eating well, were

slaves of passion. Veetashoka pointed out that Ashoka had been

deceived in paying them homage, for Mount Vindhya would sooner float

in the ocean than they be masters of their senses.

 

Ashoka later called his ministers and told them to arrange matters so

that when he was taking his bath, Veetashoka should wear the crown

and sit on the throne. Accordingly the ministers approached

Veetashoka and told him that as he was the king's successor, they

were keen to see how he looked wearing the royal diadem and seated on

the lion's seat. When Veetashoka had agreed and was thus dressed and

seated, Ashoka suddenly appeared and pretended to be furious that in

his lifetime another should dare to assume the throne. The

executioners were summoned, but on cue the ministers pleaded with the

king to forgive him. Ashoka then said, "I will pardon him for seven

days. And since he is my brother, I grant him the kingship for a

week, out of brotherly love."

 

Immediately music was played, thousands of people rejoiced, and

saluted Veetashoka as king and many women came to serve him. But the

long-haired executioners dressed in blue stood at the door and at the

end of day they would come to Veetashoka and tell him, "Gone,

Veetashoka is another day; only so many more are remaining." Finally,

on the last day, he was brought before Ashoka who asked him how he

had enjoyed the week. Veetashoka replied, "I could neither see nor

hear the pleasures. You should get someone who heard the songs, saw

the dances, tasted the flavors, to answer you.But," asked

Ashoka, " I gave you the kingship. I saw you saluted by hundreds,

surrounded by lovely women. How can you say you did not see or hear

anything?" Veetashoka replied plangently:

 

Women, dance, song, palace, beds, seats,

youth, beauty, fortune and the gem-encrusted earth

all were joyless and empty for me.

For I could see the executioners at the door,

hear the ghastly sound of their bells,

and I was dreadfully afraid of death.

I could not sleep and spent all night thinking

" I am going to die,"

 

Ashoka smiled and said, "Tormented everyday by the fear of death in

but a single lifetime, sensual pleasures failed to delight your mind.

How then can there be any delight in sensual pleasures in the minds

of monks who muse constantly on the fear of death in hundreds of

future lives? Viewing the body as a deadly enemy and their lives as

impermanent as a burning house, how can they not be liberated when

they turn away from rebirth, their minds parting from pleasure as

water slips off a lotus leaf?"

 

Thus, Veetashoka came to accept the teachings of the Buddha and

ultimately decided to become a monk. Here, too, Ashoka carefully

prepared the way.

 

Initially, Ashoka sought to dissuade Veetashoka by pointing out, "The

ascetic life results in deterioration of appearance; your garments

will be rags from the dust-heap and your cloak something that was

thrown out by a servant; your food will consist of alms collected

from strangers; your bed and your seat a layer of grass at the foot

of a tree. When you are sick food will be difficult to get and urine

will be your medicine. You are so delicate and unable to bear heat

and cold, hunger and thirst: I beg you to reconsider." When he found

that Veetashoka was persistent in his resolve, Ashoka shed tears at

the thought of losing his only brother. Veetashoka now comforted him:

 

"I have seen this world afflicted by suffering desired by Death and

encompassed by evil; afraid of rebirth, I must follow the auspicious

path. Your majesty, samsara is like a swinging palanquin; those who

get into it must surely fall off. Why are you so disturbed when

surely we must part someday?"

 

Ashoka then begged him to carry out his begging nearby and had a bed

of leaves made within the palace in a grove. Veetashoka used to take

alms from the royal women, who ensured that he received a sumptuous

meal. Seeing this, Ashoka ordered that they should give him only

mashed rotten beans as food fit for the ascetic. Veetashoka ate these

calmly. Realizing that his brother's resolve was unshaken, Ashoka

permitted him to wander forth and to return when he had achieved

enlightenment.

 

Years later, living in Videha, Veetashoka attained arhathood, and

experienced the peace of liberation. He then returned to his brother,

as he had promised. Ashoka, seeing Veetashoka in a robe of cast-off

rags with a clay begging bowl full of coarse and fine food

indiscriminately thrown, and the equanimity on his face despite

coming face-to-face with him after so long, began weeping. Gradually,

he recovered his senses and said:

 

"I have seen an heir to the throne forsake pride, jealousy and

quarrelling, even the dynasty, the city of Magadha with its jewels.

Yet I rejoice for my house has been honored, my city filled with

glory. Expound, my brother, the noble Teaching of the Dashabala (the

Buddha)."

 

Then the venerable Veetashoka preached a sermon, and left the city

followed by the king. At its gates, he flew into the air to manifest

his qualities of liberation and wisdom. Bidding him farewell, Ashoka

cried out, "Free from family ties, you fly off like a bird leaving us

behind, who are bound in shackles of worldly passions. Your power

humbles our pride."

 

Veetashoka passed his life somewhere in the borderlands. Here he fell

ill. By the time he recovered, his hair, nails, beard had all grown.

In the meantime, in Pundravardhana (Gauda in Bengal) a follower of

Nirgrantha Gyatiputra (Mahavira Jina) had drawn a picture showing the

Buddha bowing at the feet of his Master. Hearing of this, Ashoka

ordered that all the followers of Nirgrantha Gyatiputra in

Pundravardhana be executed. 1800 were thus slain. Later, however, a

similar event occurred in Pataliputra itself. Ashoka first burnt the

man who he thought showed disrespect to the Buddha and the man's

family too. Then he proclaimed a reward of a deenaara (gold coin) per

head of a heretic.

 

Some enthusiastic men began beheading mendicants or ascetics who were

not Buddhists.

At this time, Veetashoka came to spend a night in the house of a

cowherd. Seeing his tattered clothes, long nails, hair and beard, the

cowherd's wife thought he was a Nirgrantha heretic. She advised her

husband to earn a gold coin. The cowherd then unsheathed his sword

and approached Veetashoka, who sat unmoved, knowing that the time had

come to reap the fruit of his past misdeeds.

 

When Veetashoka's head was brought to Ashoka, he collapsed in a

faint. Radhagupta then pointed out to him the suffering being

inflicted even on those who had attained freedom from desire. It was

only then that Ashoka resolved to guarantee the security of all

beings. Henceforth, none was ever condemned to death in Ashoka's

kingdom.

 

The gruesome end of arhat Veetashoka, however, intrigued some monks

who asked the venerable Upagupta, the Buddha-without-sins, what he

had done to deserve this. Upagupta answered that in days long gone by

there was a hunter who used to make a living by catching animals in a

snare laid beside the water hole. Once, a Pratyekabuddha (a Buddha

without signs) stopped there to rest. Because of his presence, no

animals came near and the hunter found his snare empty. Angry with

the Pratyekabuddha, he slew him on the spot. Veetashoka was this

hunter in his earlier birth. Because he killed animals, he fell very

ill and, for killing the Pratyekabuddha, he was reborn innumerable

times to die each time by the sword.

 

The monks again asked Upagupta to explain why, then, had Veetashoka

been born a royal prince. Upagupta explained that in the time of

Buddha Kaashyapa, one Pradanaruchi joined the monks and inspired

generous people to donate freely to the community. Because of him,

the stupas were richly decorated, worshipped and well looked after.

This ensured Pradanaruchi's birth as Veetashoka, in the royal

family.

 

– Pradip Bhattacharya

April 23, 2002

 

3. This reminds us of the similar contraption and the Nagas that

Garuda had to overcome in the Mahabharata for wresting amrita from

the gods.