The Buddha's Daily Routine

From "The Teachings of the Buddha"

Ministry of Religious Affairs, Myanmar

1998

The Buddha's Daily Routine

         'Buddho loke Samuppanno hitaya Sabbapaninam.' For the welfare of all living beings. the Buddha appeared in this world. For his own sake, the Buddha could dwell in the blissful peace of Phalasamapatti. Nevertheless, he could not live thus; he was always striving for the well-being of all living beings without taking a rest. The great compassion of the Buddha can be found clearly in his daily routine.

         The Buddha, incessantly performed his daily duties in five portions:-early morning duty; atternoon duty; first watch of the night duty; middle watch of the night duty and last watch of the night duty.

          (A) Early Morning Duty

          At dawn, the Buddha got up, cleaned his face and limbs. Then he went back to his Fragrant Chamber and enjoyed the blissful peace of Phalasamapatti for a little moment. At the time for alms-round, the Buddha rearranged his robes and went on alms-round, sometimes alone and sometimes followed by his disciples. In his alms-round, he sometimes went with his super natural power but sometimes in the natural way.

         Wherever he went, the spikes, stumps and obstacles supernaturally disappeared out of his route and the rough and stony roads be came automatically smooth and even too. Lay- devotees gathered together holding fragrant flowers to pay homage to the Buddha. They asked the Buddha to send his disciples for their alms food as many as they could afford, i.e. ten bhikkhus or twenty bhikkhus or a hundred bhikkhus, etc.Then they carried the Buddha's alms-bowl, prepared the place well and offered him alms-food. After taking alms-food, the Buddha observed the latent tendencies of the devotees, and preached the dhamma suitable to them. The Buddha returned to his monastery, sat at the prepared seat in the pavilion decorated with flowers and perfumes, and waited for his disciples who would return after their meals. When all the bhikkhus arrived, the Buddha went forth towards his chamber. This was his duty per formed every early morning.

          (B) Afternoon Duty

         After finishing his morning duty, he kept on performing other duties. After sitting at the well-prepared place near his perfumed chamber, the Buddha washes his feet. While standing on the foot-washing slab, he admonished the bhikkhus. expounding the five Rare Occasions.

"Appamadena Bhikkhave Sampadetha"

Oh, Bhikkhus! Strive on with diligence.

1. Buddhuppado dullabho lokasamim
   Rare to appear is the Enlightened One in the world.
2. Manussattabhavo dullabho
   Rare is it to he born as a human being.
3. Dul1abha Saddhasampatti
   Rare is it to be endowed with the conviction
   in the three Gems, Kamma and its result.
4. Pabbajjitabhavo dullabho
   Rare is it to attain the bhikkhuhood
5. Saddhammassavanam dullabam
   Rare is it to hear the Teaching of the Buddha

          After exhorting thus the Buddha gave instructions on the object of meditation suitable to the bhikkhus. Then the bhikkhus went forth towards their respective solitary places and practised meditation.

          The Buddha. then, retired to his chamber and lay down on his right side for a little while if he wished. On rising, he surveyed the whole world whether there was any sentient being to be taught.

         In the evening the lay-devotees from surrounding areas brought some drink, fragrant flowers and other offerings to him and waited to hear his discourse. Sitting at the noble place in the Dhamma pavilion, he expounded the dhamma appropriate to the time and the situation.

         After the discourse the lay-devotees returned home.

         (C) The Duty during the First Watch

          If the Buddha wanted to bathe, he would do so after a day's duty. The attendant-bhikkhu prepared a suitable place for the Buddha in the precinct of his Chamber. After taking a bath, the Buddha donned his inner robe, fastened the girdle and draped his outer robe, putting the corner of it on his left shoulder. He stayed solitarily there for a moment.

          After a while the bhikkhus from here and there assembled to pay homage to the Buddha. The Buddha answered all their questions and expounded the Dhamma for the whole first watch of the night.

         (D) The Duty during the Middle Watch

         The middle watch was exclusively reserved for devas and brahmas from ten thousand worlds. They approached to hear the Dhamma and to put up questions which they had previously pondered. The Buddha spent the whole midnight by solving all their problems and perplexities. Some Suttas, such as Mangala Sutta and Parabhava Sutta are those which were expounded during that watch.

          (E) The Duty during the Last Watch

          The Buddha divided the last watch into three parts and performed his duty accordingly. The Buddha spent the first part by walking up and down in order to relieve his physical tiredness.

          At the second part, the Buddha retired to his Perfumed Chamber and slept mindfully for a while.

          At the last part, he rose from the lying posture and sat cross-legged. He surveyed the whole world to find out persons who had performed meritorious deeds, during the time of former Buddhas. Thus, the Buddha was occupied the whole day with his daily duties, scarcely taking a rest.

          His Selfless Service and Supreme Wisdom

          The Buddha performed his daily duties throughout the 45 years for the benefits of all sentient beings.

          The Buddha surveyed the whole world once in the morning and once in the afternoon. If there was anyone to be taught the dhamma he usually went there however far it might be.

         The Buddha became the Supreme One who could render selfless services ever since he had attained the Arahattamagganana, the highest spiritual power which enabled one to eradicate defilements absolutely.

          The Buddha became the Exalted One, who could perform for the welfare of others since he had attained the Sabbannutanana, the Omniscience which enabled one to know whom, what and how to preach.

The Buddha's Teachings

          Throughout the 45 years of his Buddha-hood, the Buddha was incessantly striving for the well-being of all sentient beings, day by day, either in season or out of season. In the same way, the bhikkhus went to places, far or near, and preached the Dhamma to living beings.

          People from all walks of life.., such as kings, brahmins, wealthy men, traders, farmers, etc... irrespective of social classes, races, religions and castes, took refuge in the Buddha. Kings such as King Suddhodana of Kapilavatthu, King Bimbisara of Rajagaha, Magadha Kingdom, King Kosala of Kosala Kingdom. etc... Jatila, Upali, Citta, Gosaka of Kosambi, Kukkuta and Pavarika, adhered to the Buddha's Teaching and supported the Teachings. Therefore, the Teaching of the Buddha spread and flourished well.

          The Buddha, throughout his Missionary period of forty-five years, except the three months of rains-retreat, went to places of great distance, even two thousand yojanas afar, and dispelled the wrong views of all living beings. During the forty-five years, the Buddha spent his rain-retreat at the following places.

The Places Where The Buddha Spent the Rains-Retreat

          Commencing from the very first day of attaining Buddhahood on the fullmoon day of Kason (about May) in the year 103 Maha Era (589 B.C.), the Buddha spent the rainy seasons (Vassa) at the following places:

The Evil Ones Who attacked the Buddha

          Throughout the forty-five years of his Buddhahood, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths. All his discourses are profound and subtle. Whereas sentient beings have their minds corrupted by greed (lobha). anger (dosa), ignorance (moha), wrong view (ditthi) and conceit (mana), there appeared some opponents who made several attacks against the Buddha. Among them, Mara, the Evil One, who wanted others to enjoy sensual pleasures, stood in the fore front. He prevented the Bodhisatta from re flouncing the world, and attaining the Buddha-hood. Even when he had attained the Buddha- hood. Mara prevented him from preaching any discourse. He also prevented the Buddha from preaching for a long time. Finally, he urged the Buddha to attain Mahaparinibbana very early.

          Apart from this, there were many such rivals as Brahma Baka who firmly believed in immortal egoism; as Saccaka. wandering ascetic, who debated on the beliefs in a dialectical manner and as the cruel ones like the murderer Angulimala, the ogre Alavaka and the Gigantic Dragon, Nandopananda, who were very powerful in their respective spheres, raising the banner of anger (dosa) and conceit (mana). They all fought against the Buddha, but all of them were defeated at last.

          Devadatta was a cousin of the Buddha. So he thought that he was the one who deserved all the favours granted by the Buddha.

          But the Buddha favoured others due to their accumulation of perfections (paramis). Thinking that the Buddha favoured others, he held a grudge against the Buddha. When greed (lobha), anger (dosa), conceit (mana) and jealousy (issa), overwhelm one, even a person who has attained psychic power, cannot see the truth, me natural law of kamma (Kammaniyama).

          Although Devadatta, with the help of King Ajatasatthu, repeatedly tried to kill the Buddha, he did not succeed. As a final assault he made the wild elephant, Nalagiri, drunk so that it might trample the Buddha to death. But due to the incomparable power of the loving-kindness of the Buddha, his attempts were all in vain. But Devadatta did not reflect on the true situation and he himself pushed down a huge rock from the top of the Gijjhakuta Hill to kill the Buddha. Finally he organized five 3 hundred young monks and declared himself the leader of the Sangha. How cruel and foolish he was! After committing many gross offences successively. he felt remorseful. But his remorse could not save him. As he sowed, so he reaped.

          When the Buddha appeared in the world, the leaders of heretics and their followers got less material gains and they reviled and attacked the Buddha. But they were also defeated by the virtue of ten perfections and supernormal power. They did not give up either and made the female wandering ascetics, Sundari and Cincamanavika. accuse the Buddha of adultery in the midst of audience. By means of the accumulated perfections such as loving- kind ness and patience. the Buddha won "eight glorious victories", overcoming all obstacles. In this world, there is no one who can overcome the Buddha. The Buddha is the peerless conqueror treading on the way of Dhamma. The followers of Dhamma have succeeded in everything.

The Four Competent Disciples

          When the Evil Mara insistently asked the Buddha to realize Mahaparinibbana. the Buddha said thus: "Oh Mara! I shall not pass away so long as my disciples, namely, bhikkhus. bhikkhunis, male devotees and female devotees, are not yet well-versed in my Teaching, not yet ... and not yet able to expound the doctrine to others."

The Buddha's Journey Before the Mahaparinibbana

          Throughout the forty-five years of his Buddhahood, from the time of fulfilling the Perfections till the Mahaparinibbana. the Buddha delivered the Dhamma. All the facts with regard to the time, the place, the person to whom and what kind of dhamma the Buddha preached and what kind of people the Buddha came across, were completely recorded in detail. This is the specific characteristic of the Buddha and his Teachings.

          At the 44th rains-retreat period the Buddha resided at the Pubbarama monastery in Savatthi donated by Visakha. Then the Buddha and his disciples went to Rajagaha. the capital of Magadha. The Buddha and his disciples took up residence at the monastery on the Gijjhakuta Hill out of the eighteen monasteries in Rajagaha.

          During that time, King Ajatasattu wanted to conquer the Vijjians without any bloodshed. The Buddha knew all about that and gave the discourse on the ways of prosperity for kings and for bhikkhus as well.

          In his discourse, the Buddha repeatedly exhorted the bhikkhus to establish themselves in the threefold training, morality (sila), concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna), in order to be liberated from the round of suffering or samsara. Indeed, the Buddha said so because the time for Mahaparinibbana was drawing near.

Dhamma-assemblies At Nalanda and Patali Villages

          The Buddha left Gijjhakuta hill for Ambalatthika Grove and then proceeded to Nalanda and stayed at the mango orchard of the rich man Pavarika. There also, the Buddha — again emphatically expounded only the three fold training (sikkha).

          Then the Buddha, accompanied by many bhikkhus, went to the Patali village, which would become the capital of Magadha later. He arrived there in the evening and the villagers warmly welcomed and invited him to their guest-house. The villagers prepared the guest-house by covering the floors with carpets, etc., lighting up oil-lamps.

          The Buddha sat at the well prepared place for him against the middle post of the guest house, facing eastwards. The bhikkhus sat behind the Buddha and the lay-devotees sat before him. Then the Buddha expounded the dhamma to the devotees of Patali village the following five disadvantages of immorality:

1. great loss of wealth;
2. ill reputation:
3. being timid and dejected among the audience;
4. dying in bewilderment, and
5. being reborn in the four miserable existences after death.

          And then the Buddha expounded the advantages of the fulfilment of moral virtue and those of donating dwelling places to bhikkhus nearly the whole night.

From Koti Village To Vesali

          Then the Buddha went to Koti village and expounded to the bhikkhus how the beings wandered about in the whirlpool of samsara due to the lack of penetrative knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. And again he exhorted the bhikkhus to be endowed with three fold training.

          Then the Buddha went to the Natika village and stayed at a brick hall. During that time so many bhikkhus and lay-devotees of that village died consecutively that the Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha about their next. existences.

          The Buddha said to Venerable Ananda. "If the Tathagata were to he asked about the next existence every time a person dies, it would only he tiresome for me. You must find out by yourself." Then the Buddha delivered a discourse on the Mirror of Dhamma thus: "One. having firm belief in the three gems: the Buddha. the Dhamma and the Samgha and having observed five precepts, could be free from the four miserable existences and be assured of a good destination. The Buddha also exhorted the bhikkhus to be endowed with the threefold training (sikkha).

          Then the Buddha and his bhikkhus left Natika village for Vesali. and stayed at Ambapali's mango grove. She invited the Buddha to accept her offering of alms-food on the next day.

          Ambapali was such a beautiful woman that the Buddha. in advance, admonished his followers and discoursed on the four foundations of mindfulness.

          When the Licchavi princes, who came in pomp and ceremony. paid homage to the Buddha, the Buddha said to his disciples, "Let those bhikkhus who have never seen the Tavatimsa devas, have a good look at the assembly of the Licchavis." The Buddha said so because he saw the royal possessions of Licchavi princes would be ruined by King Ajatasattu very soon. The Buddha also instructed the disciples to contemplate on the characteristic of impermanence and said that the royal wealth and luxuries, like the water bubble, lasted just for a little moment. The Buddha again exhorted his bhikkhus to be endowed with the threefold training.

The Last Journey of the Buddha

          While the Buddha was going to Veluva Village from Vesali, the time to enter the rains- retreat period was drawing near. The Buddha permitted his bhikkhus, except Venerable Ananda, to go and spend their rains-retreat period in the vicinity of Vesali.

          Venerable Ananda was the Buddha's close attendant who was so wise and intelligent that he could bear all the Buddha's Teachings in his mind without missing a word by his excellent power of mindfulness, wisdom and effort. At that time, he was only in the first stage of Enlightenment; i.e. he was a Stream-winner (sotapanna).

Mutual Concern Between the Buddha and his Disciples

          While the Buddha was residing at the small village of Veluva at his 45th rains-retreat period, he suffered from deadly serious illness. The Buddha thought that it would not be proper for him to pass away without telling and admonishing the bhikkhus. Therefore, the Buddha maintained his life by the power of experiencing the bliss of Arahatship and he became healthy again. When Venerable Ananda saw the Buddha in his deadly serious illness, he became shocked and was unable to practise meditation.

          When the Buddha recovered from his illness, the Venerable Ananda got somewhat relieved considering that the Buddha would not pass away without giving any special instruction to the Order of Bhikkhus. So he approached the Buddha and said. "Venerable Sir' Now I am relieved to see that the Buddha becomes healthy again." Then the Buddha replied; "Ananda! Why does the Order of Bhikkhus still expect me to live longer. The Tathagata has already taught all the Teaching without a closed fist as a teacher. The Tathagata has no desire that he alone should lead the Order of Bhikkhus, or that the Order of bhikkhus should depend on him alone. You yourselves must be your own refuge. you yourselves should depend on the island of Dhamma. but not on anything else."

          The Buddha did not confer any authority on any person nor take delight in personal worship. The Buddha had repeatedly reminded the bhikkhus to rely only on the Dhamma.

The Demise of the Two Chief Disciples

          The time when the Buddha left Veluva Village for Jetavana monastery in Savatthi was about the 8th waxing day of the month of Tazaungmon (about November). At that time most of the venerable ones such as Venerable Kondanna, the Buddha's son Venerable Rahula, Yasodhara Theri, the Buddha's aunt Gotami, etc. had already attained parinibbana. The Buddha's right-hand disciple, Venerable Sariputta asked permission from the Buddha to attain paninbbana. Then Venerable Sariputta went to Nalaka Village in order to teach Dhamma to his mother, Rupasari. She was not yet a devotee of the Buddha.

          After converting his mother, he attained parinibbana on the fullmoon day of Tazaungmon. Venerable Cunda, the young brother of Venerable Sariputta took the bowl, the robe and the relics of Venerable Sariputta and offered them to the Buddha. When the Buddha praised the virtues of Sariputta reciting five hundred verses, Venerable Ananda could not help weeping severely. The Buddha consoled him by teaching the impermanence of conditioned things. A stupa was built in Savatthi enshrining the Venerable Sariputtas relics.

          Then the Buddha went to Rajagaha. On the waning day of Tazaungmon. his left - hand chief disciple, Venerable Moggallana, attained parinibbana on the brown ruby-coloured stoneslab, Kalasila, on Isigili hill in Rajagaha. A stupa was built at the entrance of the Veluvana monastery and the Buddha himself enshrined the Venerable Moggallana's relics in that stupa.

          The devas and the brahmas paid homage to the relics of the two chief disciples for the last time. As the two great disciples of the Teacher attained Parinibbana in the same year, it had been very tragic and regretful to the worldlings for the two chief disciples of the Buddha had passed away in the same month.

          On the full-moon day of Nattaw (about December), the Buddha, accompanied by the Bhikkhus. went to the city of Ukkacela in Vijji country. There, the Buddha looked at the gathering of bhikkhus who were silent and remorseful, in remembrance of the passing away of the two chief disciples. their two elder brothers and addressed them thus: "Oh Bhikkhus! what so ever has arisen, all that must inevitably per ish. Be ye islands unto yourselves. Be ye a refuge to yourselves. Seek no external refuge. Live with the Dhamma as your island. The Dhamma is your refuge." And then the Buddha expounded the doctrine of four foundations of mindfulness.

Releasing the Power of Sustaining Vitality

          Then the Buddha went to the pleasant city of Vesali, a beautiful land of many shrines and stupas. While residing at the Capala Shrine, the Buddha told the Venerable Ananda. "Ananda, whosoever fully develops the four bases of Psychic Power, Iddhipada, can live the maximum life-span, or even beyond the maximum times. But the Venerable Ananda did not understand. So he did not beseech the Buddha in such words as, "Venerable Sir, may the Buddha live the maximum life-span for the welfare of the sentient beings!' Then the Buddha asked Ananda to stay away.

          At that time the evil Mara who knew all about that situation, approached the Buddha and persuaded him to attain Parinibbana. The Buddha replied thus: "You, evil Mara, don't worry about this matter. Three months from today, the Tathagata will attain Parinibbana." The Buddha was eighty years old at that time. That means that he had lived four-fifths of the life span. It is the traditions of all former Buddhas to attain Parinibbana after they had lived four-fifths of their life-spans.

          After that, the Buddha released the power of sustaining vitality. He did not make any further effort to live longer. No sooner did the Buddha release the power of sustaining vitality than the earth trembled violently and roarings of thunder burst forth continuously.

          Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha about the cause of the great earthquake and the roarings of thunder. On knowing the true cause of such a terrible earthquake, he appealed to the Buddha to live the whole of his life-span. The Buddha answered. "Ananda, your request is too late. I have given you plain hints and intimations for three times; but you did not entreat me. This is your own fault, your own remissness."

          When the Venerable Ananda was at tending the Buddha with a dejected mind, the Buddha consoled him, by admonishing him with the discourse on the separation from the beloved and the nature of arising and passing away of conditioned things.

          Then the Buddha went to the pinnacled hall in the Mahavana forest in Vesali. While residing there, the Buddha made the Venerable Ananda go and summon all the bhikkhus living in Vesali to come and assemble at the pinnacled hall. Then the Buddha exhorted the bhikkhus to learn and practise the doctrines he had given so that the teachings would endure long and re main established for a long time.

          Then the Buddha said to the bhikkhus thus: "O Bhikkhus, three months from this day, the Tathagata will attain Mahaparinibbana. The Tathagata has only a little time to live. I shall have to depart from you. Vigilantly and mindfully strive to be endowed with morality (sila), concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna)!"

          In the early morning of the next day, the Buddha went into Vesali for alms-round. Before leaving Vesali, the Buddha looked back to wards Vesali and said to Venerable Ananda thus: "Ananda, this is the last time for the Tathagata to look at the city of Vesali".

          Then the Buddha went through the Villages of Bhanda, Hatthi, Amba and Jambu one after another and thence to the town of Bhoga. At Ananda Shrine of Bhoga town, the Buddha gave the discourse on the four Great Authorities, Maha-padesa and then he repeatedly re minded them to be endowed with threefold training.

Suffering from a Severe Attack of Dysentery

          Then the Buddha together with a large company of bhikkhus left Bhoga for Pava, and ·stayed at the mango-grove of the goldsmith, Cunda. In the next morning, the Buddha accepted the alms-rice with tender pork offered by Cunda. And then the Budddha told Cunda not to offer it to the bhikkhus and to bury all the remaining in the ground. On that day. the Buddha excruciatingly suffered from a severe attack of dysentery with the discharge of blood.

          The Buddha had to suffer from the severe attack not because of the tender pork but because of the consequence of an evil deed in his past existence. He was able to resist the severe attack by taking this food. Thus, the Buddha said that the food offered by Sujata on the day of his Full-Enlightenment and the food offered by Cunda were of equal benefit.

          Even though he was suffering from severe dysentery with the discharge of blood, the Buddha went on his journey to Kusinara. It was the hot season and the heat of the sun in Kason (May) was terribly intense. The Buddha felt exhausted. When they got to a big tree near a small stream, the Buddha asked Venerable Ananda to fold his double-layered robe and place it on the ground. He felt thirsty and asked Ananda to get drinking water from the stream. Venerable Ananda replied to him that five hundred carts had just crossed the stream and the water was so turbid and muddy that it would not be good to drink; and also asked him to drink and bathe only when they arrived at the Kakudha River.

          But the Buddha said, "Go and fetch the water". When Venerable Ananda went and fetched it, he found the water clean, pure and cool. So he came to know that the supernormal glory of the Buddha was very great and marvellous.

          And then, after taking a bath at the Kakudha River. the Buddha donned the fine golden robe donated by Pakkusa, the Malla Prince. The golden hue of the robe matched well with the Buddha's clean and radiant complexion. That indeed was the last glorious and sublime image of the Buddha!

          Then from the top of the Kakudha river bank the Buddha went to the mango tree. He could not wait for Venerable Ananda who was washing and wringing the robes, and he asked Venerable Cunda to spread his double- layered robe on the ground. He lay down on the robe.

          Although the town of Kusinara was about three leagues (about 6 miles) away from Pava, the Buddha felt so weary that he had to stop and rest for twenty-five times on the way.

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