(Context: Ānanda and Mahā Kassapa’s stories.) Seven days after the Buddha passed, the news reached Mahā Kassapa. He was at that time with a community of five hundred monks not far from Kusinārā. They quickly headed towards Kusinārā. According to the...
“Excellent!” (Context: The Buddha’s Passing.) The Buddha taught for about forty-five years. He left a body of teachings so voluminous it can take somebody reciting it full-time many months to do it. Just an initial detailed study of the...
I like to close the topic of gods and miracles in Buddhism with the story of Sāriputta’s final days.[1] Sāriputta was the Buddha’s top disciple. He passed into final nirvana a few months before the Buddha. One day, during the final year of the Buddha’s...
(Context: Why Buddhist monastics are not allowed to perform miracles in public.) Devadatta was a first cousin of the Buddha who became his disciple. He was a talented meditator who developed great psychic powers.[1] He used his powers to gain fame, power...
In most religious traditions, miracles occupy a central place. In contrast, in early Buddhism, miracles are at best greeted with “meh”. In fact, Buddhist monks are even explicitly banned from performing miracles in public. The monastic code the Buddha...
