The Buddha Leaves the
Quarrelling Monks and
Retires to the Parileyya Forest for the Rainy Season Retreat
 Kosambi is one of the main and famous holy cities in Shravatthi, India. On one
occasion the Buddha stayed in the city of Kosambi with his disciples to observe
the Vas (the rainy season retreat).
During that time unfortunately arose a little incident among the monks regarding
the Vinaya and Dhamma. As time passed it gradually increased and led to
dissension among the monks of Kosambi and they themselves divided into two
groups and followed the Vinaya and Dhamma separately in two ways according to
their views and opinions. with some principles. Due to holding and following
these fruitless (barren) views and opinions they often created unwholesome
thoughts in their minds against each other and eventually it developed into a
big quarrel among them. The Buddha had been informed about this by some senior
monks and he advised the quarrelling monks to stop the useless quarrelling and
arguing on Vinaya and Dhamma. These two groups of monks did not listen to the
Buddha’s advice and they continuously pursued the wrong thoughts, quarrelling
with each other. But the Buddha knew that one day they would finally understand
and realize the barrenness of quarrelling and arguing on the created
controversy. So the Buddha gave them time to compromise and he decided to leave
the vicinity of the quarrelling monks for a few months until they wisely see and
realize the fruitless dispute. The Buddha took only his bowl and robes and
without telling anyone he moved on to the great forest, Parileyya all alone for
spending the rainy season retreat for three months.
The elephant, Parileyya saw the Buddha entered the forest and it was overjoyed
by seeing the physical body of the fully Enlightened One. For a while, Parileyya
observed the Buddha’s behaviour, calmness and serenity and approached him boldly
paying its great respect and homage as it welcomed the Buddha obediently with
enormous reverence. Noticing this elephant’s behaviour and good qualities, the
Buddha instantly realized that this elephant was not an ordinary one and it was
a Bodhisatta elephant. Forming a mutual understanding, both the Buddha and the
elephant Parilieyya spent their lives together with much affection, in the
forest. Though the elephant was a beast it provided a comfortable forest abode
to the Buddha to spend his time in peace in the middle of the forest. Also,
Parileyya protected the Buddha while he was spending time in meditation in and
out of the Parileyya cave from each and every disaster in the forest. It dearly
and confidently offered alms to the Buddha every day on time with great
devotion. In the meantime, a monkey of the forest seeing Parileyya’s offering of
food and fruits to the Buddha also offered a honeycomb in faith to the
Enlightened One and was over rejoiced by himself.
Eventually, after the death of these beasts, they were instantly reborn in
divine realms with a lot of luxuries due to accumulating merits by providing
comfortable facilities and offering alms to the Buddha during his retirement in
the forest.
Dr. Ven. DodamgodaSumanasaraThero
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
