He feared that he gave reproach. And indeed
Other monks him to take it, however, arguing in favor of Ananda:
"The Venerable Ananda knows the word of Buddha better than anyone: select it ! The Venerable Maha Kassap accepted with joy. It brings together the community of monks and declared, according to the procedure in accordance with monastic rules
Venerable! Now, the monks who will attend the council were selected. What other monks do not remain in Rajagaha to spend the rainy season.
As there was still some time before the council Venerable Ananda went to Savatti. When people saw only happen, he usually would never leave the Buddha, they became aware of the actual disappearance of Buddha. Many people who began to cry. The venerable the consoled by issuing them an education, before going to isolate themselves crying in turn. When a god guardian of the monastery saw him cry, he said:
Venerable! If you are a sotapana that has carried out the first of four stages corresponding to the four types of Arathi (entered in the course of education and Dharma having put in practice it has been able to eradicate the obscurations commodities such as the belief in the existence of an entity owned). Therefore it can not be reborn in the lower worlds. After seven rebirths in the senior worlds they may move to parinirvana
If you start to cry, what will there be regular (not involved Dharma and spiritual realization)? Stop So you let go!
Ashamed, the Venerable Ananda eventually pull itself together. Shortly before the council returned to Rajagaha, the full moon of July. The Venerable Maha Kassap meets the five hundred monks selected for the council. Once the king Ajatasatu was warned he asked:
- What can I do to help?
- We need a shelter under which we meet.
The place was chosen and immediately began construction. The king personally ensured the smooth progress of construction. Once the shelter completed shortly after the full moon of August, it opened the first council in the history of Buddhism
On the eve of the inauguration, the Venerable Ananda was the only one that has not yet reached the full Arathi: he had achieved the core level, but incomplete, those who return again 7 in the upper world. To motivate them to achieve faster state Arathi, the monks told him, without writing to him directly but aloud to hear .Some here walk around with their mental obscurations like flower with its perfume. No need to say that!
Hearing this Venerable Ananda decided to strive hard to contemplative meditation in clear and direct vision of reality. Alternating seated postures and steps it trains all day to the careful observation of physical and mental, but wondered why it does not always succeed at Arathi, while Buddha himself had stated that it was about to do so through the completion of the ultimate merits accumullés in its many lives, the fruit of virtuous practices. It will not relax its efforts.
While in the middle of the night fatigue began to be felt strongly he felt the need to rest. Reached his bed before he decided although he was exhausted to observe the standing posture - clearly, slowly - and all movements of the body in the process of lowering and elongation for the last layer. Even before her head and his feet come into contact with the experimental spirit layer successively statements:
sakadami: one who does that once
ANAGAMA: one who does neither in this world or any other.
And finally the state Arathi: holiness fully released from any physical or mental commitment, free from the illusion of possessing a so clean and free from any suffering. It became the same time the only person who has reached the stage Arathi outside the four traditional postures: running, standing, sitting and sleeping.
When he took his meals in the morning, all the monks already met from the site were ready to begin the council and awaits him. Certain noticed instead innoccupèe:
- This place, who is she?
- This is the place of the venerable Ananda.
- Where is he?
At this moment emerged from beneath the earth like a plant that grows, the Venerable Ananda who appeared at the exact place of his place. The complexion clear, majestic appearance and face bright. Everyone understood that it had reached a state of Arathi. Fortunately, all cried:
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
At this Council, the Venerable Maha Kassap asked the questions regarding the three baskets (entire teaching of Buddha.
Venerable Upali answered questions related to the diciplina monastic rules of conduct for monks and ethics General monks and laity. Teaching offers the means to follow the middle lane and stay there (Vinaya).
Venerable Ananda answered questions related to the study of the lessons taught by Buddha, speeches and dialogue with him or his close followers (suttanta), the Venerable Ananda was also responding to questions about the Abhidharma (study of reality , Science reality: theoretical teachings of Buddha, exposing the description of what constitutes reality and all the conscience of the mind, the study of the mind.
Each time a basket was completed, the five hundred monks recited all the choir to make sure they are in perfect agreement with its validity. The council lasted seven months. Thereafter else followed. This is our day to perpetuate the teachings of Buddha: it does not become a dead letter but words are very much alive.
This story of the life of Buddha has no end, even the eternal Buddha never died and will never die! Today is delivered every day by millions of Buddhists the name of Buddha.
His spirit is eternal, his name is eternal, its teaching too!.
Glory to Shakiamuni Shidarta Gautama Buddha and his teachings
