The Enlightenment Of Ananda

Anecdotes

oi-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, April 23, 2009, 14:07

Ananda served the Buddha devotedly for the last twenty years of the master's life. He was on his toes round the clock attending to Buddha's needs, representing the master on occasions, memorizing Buddha's speeches, being the master's messenger etc.

Ananda's busy schedule left him with no time for his own spiritual practice. However it is said that his love and kindness surpassed all the other disciples of Buddha. He had not attained enlightenment at the time when Buddha shed His mortal coil. He wept when all the other enlightened disciples accepted it with calmness. Ananda, after Buddha shedding the body, had all the time for his practice.

Arahat Maha Kassapa, another main disciple of Buddha was organising the 'First Buddhist Council', an effort to organize and consolidate Buddha's teachings with the gathering of the Buddhist monks. Ananda determined to attain enlightenment by the time of the council and took to meditation. As the time grew close to the council with the passing of each day, Ananda meditated hardly for enlightenment.

The night before the enlightenment, Ananda tried extremely hard to meditate but enlightenment seemed not to dawn. It was getting late and so he thought that he would relax and work for enlightenment after the council as there was absolutely no need to hurry up. Thinking thus he lay down to rest. It was at that particular moment when his head contacted the pillow, enlightenment dawned on him.