The teachings of the Enlightened One as seen in the Agganna Sutta
Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
The Buddha was the greatest Teacher who lived on Earth; the Buddha taught His followers on any subject that was posed to Him. That is why He was revered as “Sarvangna”.
Buddhist India
‘Jambudhweepa’ was a caste-ridden society dominated by the so-called Brahminic caste. The others were the Kshatriya, in which Prince Siddhartha Gauthama was born, the Vaishyas and the Kshudras (the lowest). The Buddha, although of Royalty taught against this social system, giving prominence and supremacy to any human, irrespective of caste and the acquiring of knowledge in this birth and attainment of spirituality, thereafter, thus attaining Nibbana, the Emancipation. He thus ordained persons of all castes in His Sangha. The Sunitas, the Sopakas and Mattakundalis and the Untouchables along with persons of high castes, became monks or members of the Sangha.
Two Brahmin youths, Bharadvaja and Vaseththa, who left their families to become pupils of the Buddha by entering the Sangha, were made outcasts for being among the lower strata of society in the Buddhist Sangha. The Buddha taught the Agganna Sutta, especially to these Brahmins, with many aims, mainly to teach the vanity of the caste system while explaining the origin of the earth to substantiate the thesis. Thus this Sutta is an all-pervading teaching which all humans respect even followers of other religions.
The need for the Sermon
The Agganna Sutta is the 27th Sutta in the Digha Nikaya (Long Discourses). The Buddha at the time was using the temple-abode donated by Vishakha, the mother of Migara in Savaththi. It was customary for the Blessed One to utilize the evenings after meditation to speak to persons who sought His advice. It was on such an evening when the Enlightened One was walking in the open yard that Bharadvaja and Vaseththa, paid their respects to Him and requested a sermon as they had been made objects of ridicule by the Brahmins of their caste.
Brahmins claim they are born from the mouth of the Brahma and that is why they are of bright complexion and handsome countenance. Vaseththa and Bharadvaja who belonged to this so-called high caste were scorned for embracing equal status with the lower strata of society by becoming monks.
Equality and Dhamma
The Thathagatha repudiated these beliefs. He said that Brahmin women too go through the same process of child-bearing like all other women by being pregnant, giving birth and bringing up children. Brahmin children too grow up like others. Further all humans should follow the Samma Ditthi by conforming to Panca Sila, to gain respect from society. Persons of any caste who acquire merit and decide to leave worldly affairs to seek the “Truth” will ultimately attain spirituality in future births.
He gave the example of King Pasenadi Kosala who was revered by his people and followed the “Dhamma” propounded by the Buddha. This explanation made the two Brahmin-Bhikkhus strong with the conviction that they had taken the Path of Emancipation, according to the Dhamma taught by the Buddha.
Origin of the universe
The Buddha continued with the origin of humans on this Earth, which is in conformity with the modern scientific explanation of the Origin of the Universe.
The Buddha propounded that the earth shrinks with the passing of eons of age. Modern geology too teaches the five-geological eras. As the earth gradually shrinks, the Buddha explains that the inhabitants perish and those with good deeds (good karma) are born in the heavenly realm of Abhassara (lucid and transparent light). The Buddha explained that these life forms existed as bodiless, with their nourishment being the spiritual joy acquired from past births. This reflects that it is the good deeds of the worldly person that subsist.
Gradually when the world expanded these “Abhassaras” were born in the newly created spaces of the earth. The other planetary bodies – moon and sun were not fully formed then, and therefore, there was no day and night. The Abhassaras too did not identify their gender. The physical features and earth were composed of a large body of water and darkness, while after some time the water got filled with a kind of soil on earth. This substance looked like a jelly, termed Badalatha. It contained sweetness, colour and smell. Perhaps, the Buddha introduced the origin of elements like Rupa Shabbdha, Gandha, Rasa, Sparsha – Body forms, Sounds, Odours, Taste, and Touch feeling, “Pancha-upadana” with the development of physical features on earth in this part of the Sutta.
The Sutta describes how Abhassaras, indulged in the five likings ‘Asavas’ – seeing good things, tasting, smelling, hearing, and touching for the first time. Their bodies due to these sensual acts became moulded as human bodies and the sun and moon too appeared. On the jelly on earth, Badalatha, plants appeared in the form of mushrooms, developed into other edible plants and substances and the creatures on earth subsisted on them. The Abhassaras now changed the form of their bodies, denoting the emergence of the genders, male and female.
Gradually, the earth was giving succour to life forms of humans, animals, vegetation and plants from which the higher living beings could subsist. The rice – harvest was equally divided among the beings. However, some who became more greedy consumed more and took more. Although the rice plant took one night to grow and ready for consumption, with some beings taking more, the plant too, as if to teach a lesson to these creatures, biologically took more time to be ready for harvesting.
Life forms
In the meantime these beings developed sensual attraction for the opposite sex. The five senses became sharp. It was thought to be an unconventional and non-meritorious (Paw) act to indulge in sensual pleasures, that those found so were made outcasts. Those who indulged in these pleasures built dwellings and there arose humans of both genders, plants, other creatures and human settlements. When disputes arose among them for either the distribution of the harvest or other petty wrongdoings, they appointed some wise person to mediate and bring settlement. A person was elected with common consent and was named the Khaththiya. They later usurped power and became the rulers. It was the beginning of the caste system.
Caste system
The Kshatriyas became the rulers or kings. The people bestowed on the king the title “Maha Sammata” meaning, people’s endorsement for ruling, the title of “Raja” meant that he enlightens people’s minds with Dhamma, righteousness. Thus the Kshatriyas were the most respected -they stood for democracy and the rule of law.
The Brahmins- meant the “One who has won over evil”. Some in society lived with no ethical rules and engaged in unmeritorious acts like killing, stealing, debauchery, lying, and taking intoxicants. Having seen this, certain right-thinking persons left to the forests to meditate, while some others among them compiled books on meritorious activities and good living. They were called Brahmins and they became a social group like the Kshatriyas. They too became a caste, but they were not considered supreme to other groups.
The other groups were Vaishyas and Kshudras; the Vashyas were agriculturists and traders while the Kshuddras performed economic pursuits relevant to society as they gathered food from forests. They all were segments of one societal structure.
Thus in the beginning, the caste distinctions did not attach high or low status to persons but as time passed, the Brahmins acquired supremacy.
The Buddha, thus taught humanity how the universe originated and humans appeared while advising them that caste distinctions are wrong conceptions which should not be followed.
(The writer is a former Ambassador)