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future generations. When one makes offerings to such a bhikkhu or studies and practices with him, it is like sowing seeds of virtue and<br />
merit. I will tell the rest of the community to sew future robes in the pattern of rice fields. We can call our robes ‘fields of merit.’”<br />
The Buddha smiled his approval.<br />
The following year the Buddha returned to Jetavana for the retreat season, after Sudatta came to Rajagaha and reminded the Buddha<br />
how long it had been since he had spent a retreat at Jetavana. It was the twentieth retreat season since the Buddha attained Enlightenment.<br />
The Buddha was now fifty-five years <strong>old</strong>. King Pasenadi rejoiced when he heard of the Buddha’s return, and he visited the Buddha with all<br />
the royal family, including his second wife, Vrsabhaksatriya, and their two children, Prince Vidudabha and Princess Vajna. His second wife<br />
was of the Sakya clan. After King Pasenadi had become the Buddha’s disciple years ago, he sent a delegation to Sakya to request the<br />
hand of a Sakya princess. King Mahanama sent his own daughter, the beautiful Vrsabhaksatriya.<br />
King Pasenadi did not miss a single Dharma talk given by the Buddha during the retreat season. More and more people came to hear the<br />
Buddha teach. One of the most supportive new lay disciples was Lady Visakha who offered the bhikkhus her large and verdant forest east<br />
of Savatthi. Though it was somewhat smaller in size, it was no less beautiful than Jetavana. With the help of many of her friends, Lady<br />
Visakha had a meditation hall, Dharma hall, and huts built in the forest. At Venerable Sariputta’s suggestion they named this new monastery<br />
Eastern Park, or Purvarama. The Dharma hall located in the center of the forest was named Visakha Hall.<br />
Lady Visakha was born in the city of Bhaddiya in the kingdom of Anga. She was the daughter of an extremely wealthy man named<br />
Dhananjaya. Her husband, a wealthy man from Savatthi, and her son had been disciples of Nigantha Nataputta and neither had felt drawn<br />
to the Buddha initially. However, inspired by Lady Visakha’s devotion to the Dharma, they slowly began to be interested and finally asked<br />
to became lay disciples. Lady Visakha and her friend Lady Suppiya visited the Buddha’s monasteries frequently, offering medicine, robes,<br />
and towels to any bhikkhus and bhikkhunis who needed them. She also pledged to support Sister Mahapajapati’s efforts in building a<br />
spiritual center for the bhikkhunis along the right bank of the Ganga. Lady Visakha was an ardent supporter of the nuns, both in material<br />
and spiritual matters. Her compassionate wisdom was helpful on more than one occasion in helping to resolve minor conflicts among the<br />
bhikkhunis.<br />
Two important decisions were made during a Dharma meeting that took place in Visakha’s Hall. The first was that Ananda should be the<br />
Buddha’s permanent assistant. The second one was that the Buddha should return every year to Savatthi for the rainy retreat season.<br />
The first suggestion was proposed by Sariputta who said, “Brother Ananda has the finest memory among us. No one else possesses his<br />
uncanny ability to remember every word the Buddha speaks. He can repeat the Buddha’s discourses without leaving out one word. If<br />
Ananda serves as the Buddha’s attendant, he will be present to hear all that the Buddha teaches, whether it is a Dharma talk delivered to a<br />
large crowd or a private conversation with a lay disciple. The Buddha’s teaching is infinitely precious. We should make every effort to<br />
preserve and protect it. Through our negligence in the past twenty years, we have lost many things the Buddha has uttered. Brother<br />
Ananda, on behalf of all of us and on behalf of future generations, please accept the task of being the Buddha’s attendant.”<br />
All the bhikkhus voiced their support for Venerable Sariputta’s proposal. Venerable Ananda, however, expressed reluctance. He said,<br />
“I see a number of problems. To begin with, it is not certain that the Buddha will agree to have me as his attendant. The Buddha has always<br />
been careful not to treat members of the Sakya clan with special favors. He is even strict and reserved with Bhikkhuni Mahapajapati, his<br />
own stepmother. Rahula has never slept in the Buddha’s hut or shared a private meal with him. The Buddha has never afforded me any<br />
special privileges. I am afraid that if I am chosen as his attendant, some brothers will accuse me of using my position to attain special favors.<br />
Other brothers may accuse me of pointing out their faults to the Buddha should the Buddha happen to correct them.”<br />
Ananda looked at Sariputta, and then continued, “The Buddha has especially high regard for our brother Sariputta, the most talented and<br />
intelligent brother among us. Sariputta has been instrumental in teaching and organizing the sangha, and it is only natural that the Buddha<br />
places a great deal of trust in him. Even so, Sariputta has earned the jealousy of many brothers. Although the Buddha always confers with<br />
several people before making a major decision, some brothers complain that Sariputta makes the decisions, as if the Buddha were<br />
incapable of making his own decisions. These accusations are ridiculous, but it is because of this sort of misunderstanding that I wish to<br />
decline becoming the Buddha’s attendant.”<br />
Venerable Sariputta smiled. “I am not afraid of another brother’s jealousy that may arise from his temporary misunderstanding. I believe<br />
that each of us should do what we see to be correct and beneficial, regardless of what others may say. Ananda, we know that you are<br />
careful and attentive in all your actions. Please accept this position. If you don’t, the Dharma will suffer in this generation and for generations<br />
to come.”<br />
Venerable Ananda sat silently. After a long hesitation, he finally said, “I will accept this position if the Buddha will agree to these requests:<br />
First, the Buddha will never give me any of his own robes. Second, the Buddha will not share his food offerings with me. Third, the Buddha<br />
will not allow me to dwell in the same hut with him. Fourth, the Buddha will not ask me to accompany him to a lay disciple’s home for a<br />
meal. Fifth, if I am invited to a lay disciple’s home for a meal, the Buddha can go as well. Sixth, the Buddha will allow me to use my<br />
discretion in admitting or refusing people who come to request an audience with him. Seventh, the Buddha will let me ask him to repeat<br />
things he says that I have not fully grasped. And eighth, the Buddha will repeat the essence of any Dharma talks he gives that I have been