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Chapter Forty-Six
A Handful of Simsapa Leaves
Venuvana monastery in Rajagaha, Kutagarasala monastery in Vesali, and Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, had become thriving centers for
the practice and teaching of the Way. Other monastic centers had been founded throughout Magadha, Kosala, and neighboring kingdoms.
Everywhere, the sight of saffron-robed bhikkhus had become familiar. The Way of Awakening had spread far and wide in the first six years
after the Buddha’s Enlightenment.
The Buddha spent his sixth rainy season retreat on Makula mountain, and the seventh season on Samkasya mountain upstream from the
Ganga. He spent the eighth season at Sumsumaragira in Bhagga, and the ninth near Kosambi. Kosambi was a large town in the kingdom of
Vamsa situated along the Jamuna River. An important monastery had been built there in a large forest called Ghosira, named after the lay
disciple who donated the forest. Senior disciples such as Mahakassapa, Mahamoggallana, Sariputta, and Mahakaccana were not with the
Buddha during the ninth rainy season retreat at Ghosira. Ananda, however, was. Rahula remained with Sariputta.
Ghosira was filled with simsapa trees under which the Buddha liked to meditate during hot afternoons. One day after his meditation, he
returned to the community holding a handful of simsapa leaves. He held them up and asked the bhikkhus, “Bhikkhus, which is greater—the
number of leaves in my hand or the number of leaves in the forest?”
The bhikkhus answered, “The number of leaves in the forest.”
The Buddha answered, “Just so, what I see is much greater than what I teach. Why? Because I teach only those things that are truly
necessary and helpful in attaining the Way.”
The Buddha said this because at Ghosira there were many bhikkhus who tended to lose themselves in philosophical speculation. Bhikkhu
Malunkyaputta had been especially advised by the Buddha not to entangle himself in esoteric questions that were not essential for the
practice. This was because Malunkyaputta had a habit of asking the Buddha such questions as whether the universe was finite or infinite,
temporal or eternal. The Buddha always refused to answer such questions. One day Malunkyaputta felt he could no longer endure the
Buddha’s silence. He resolved that he would ask the Buddha his questions one last time and if the Buddha still refused to answer him, he
would ask to be relieved of his vows as a bhikkhu.
He found the Buddha and said, “Teacher, if you will agree to answer my questions, I will continue to follow you. If you refuse, I will
abandon the sangha. Tell me if you know whether or not the universe is finite or infinite. If you don’t know the answer, just say so.”
The Buddha looked at Malunkyaputta and said, “When you asked to be ordained, did I promise to answer such questions? Did I say,
‘Malunkyaputta, become a bhikkhu, and I will solve your metaphysical problems?’”
“No, Lord, you did not.”
“Then why do you demand me to do so now? Malunkyaputta, you are like a person shot with a poisoned arrow whose family summons
the doctor to have the arrow removed and the man given an antidote. But the man refuses to let the doctor do anything before certain
questions can be answered. The wounded man demands to know who shot the arrow, what his caste and job is, and why he shot him. He
wants to know what kind of bow the man used and how he acquired the ingredients used in preparing the poison. Malunkyaputta, such a
man will die before getting the answers to his questions. It is no different for one who follows the Way. I teach only those things necessary
to realize the Way. Things which are not helpful or necessary, I do not teach.
“Malunkyaputta, whether the universe is finite or infinite, temporal or eternal, there is one truth you must accept, and that is the presence
of suffering. Suffering has causes which can be illuminated in order to be removed. The things I teach will help you attain detachment,
equanimity, peace, and liberation. I refuse to speak about all those things which are not helpful in realizing the Way.”
Feeling ashamed, Malunkyaputta asked the Buddha to forgive him for making such a foolish demand. The Buddha encouraged all the
bhikkhus to focus on their practice and avoid useless philosophical speculation and debate.
Ghosira, the lay disciple who donated the forest, also sponsored the building of two other monasteries—Kukuta and Pavarikambavana.
A fourth monastery was also built in the region and called Badarika.
At Ghosira, as at all the other monasteries, certain bhikkhus were assigned the task of memorizing the teachings of the Buddha. They
were called sutra masters, as the words of the Buddha were called sutras. One was the Sutra on Turning the Wheel of Dharma, the
discourse given to the Buddha’s five first disciples in the Deer Park. A few sutras, such as the Sutra on the Nature of the Non-Self, the
Sutra on Dependent Co-arising, and the Sutra on the Noble Eightfold Path, were memorized and recited twice monthly by the entire
community of bhikkhus.