WHO THEY WERE

SRI SARIPUTTAAND MOGGALLANA ARAHANS WERE THE TWO CHIEF DISCI- PLES OF LORD BUDDHA. FOR CENTURIES THEY HAVE STOOD IN THE ANNALS OF BUDDHISM AND BUDDHIST LITERATURE RECORDS, IN SOME DETAIL, THE LIFE AND ACTIVITY OF THEIR CHARACTER AND ACHIEVEMENTS.

They were sons of wealthy Brahmin families in the region now known as Bihar, and they had been close friends since childhood. While still youths they formed an ardent resolve to abandon the world and seek the highest truth of deliverance. First they placed themselves as pupils under the sage Sanjaya, but his instruction failed to satisfy them and they left him to pursue their quest elsewhere. They parted, and wan- dered from teacher to teacher, until one day Sariputta met a disciple of Buddha, one Assaji. Immediately on hearing a stanza of the Dhamma, Sariputta realised that his spiritual quest was about to reach its fulfilment. He took the good news to Moggallana, who also became a convert to the Buddha’s doctrine, and together they went to Buddha and received ordination from him.

From that time forth they were known as the Buddha’s Chief Disciples and sat on either side of him in the assembly of Bhikkhus Sariputta on His right and Moggallana on His left and He facing east.

Buddha himself declared that the wisdom and insight of Sariputta was second only to his own, and Moggallana’s understanding second only to Sariputta’s. Both the Arahants had great power of teaching the Dharma, Sariputta being able to expound the doctrine with the same cloquence and depth of meaning as the Buddha, A while Moggallana excelled in the exercise of Iddhi or supernormal powers. Throughout their long lives they held one another in great affection and esteem, and each praised the qualities of 1 the other.

As they wandered for over forty years with the Buddha, teaching His Doctrine all over India, their renown spread far and wide. When the Buddha’s son Rahula was ordained, Sariputta was appointed his preceptor and Moggallana his teacher, and Buddha further entrusted the affairs of the Sangha to their charge. It was they who = kept order in the congregation of monks and settled the points of dispute that sometimes arose concerning discipline. On the occasion of the Buddha’s cousin, Devadatta, seceding from the Sangha taking with him five hundred Bhikkhus, Sariputta and Moggallana were then entrusted with the mission of bringing back the errant monks, which they accomplished successfully. From this it can be seen that the trust and honour reposed in them by Buddha was of a very special kind, and that He singled them out for unique distinction among His followers. This is confirmed by the warm praise He bestowed on them.

Besides being noted for discrimination and intellectual power, Sariputta was further celebrated for great patience and humility. A strict disciplinarian himself, he accepted with the correction of a newly ordained novice who pointed out to him that he was not wearing his robe correctly, and on another occasion when an enemy dealt him a severe blow from behind he made no complaint. His assailant was overcome with remorse and begged the Saint’s forgiveness, which was then freely granted.

Sariputta and Moggallana, who were both older than Buddha, died within two weeks of each other when the Buddha was in His eightieth year. A few months later the Buddha also passed into Parinirvana.

THE EXCAVATIONS OF SACRED RELICS

The body relics of Sariputta and Moggallana, the two chief disciples of the Lord Buddha, were removed from their proper resting place by General Cunningham, the then Archaeological Commissioner of India, and taken to England where they were kept in the Victoria Albert Museum in London.

It was in the beginning of 1851 that General Cunningham while excavating a number of ancient Buddhist Stupas at Sanchi, came across these sacred treasures. They were found in a dilapidated mound of bricks known to the archaeologists as Stupa No. 3. In this Stupa was a rectangular hole lying north and south, on the floor of which were two massive stone chests, that in the South inscribed, in old Brahmi characters, Sariputasa and that in the North inscribed Mahamogalanasa. Within each chest was an elegant white steatite tuned casket with a delicately modelled saucer-shaped black glazed earthen-ware cover.

On the underside of the lid of the casket on the southern side was the Brahmi letter “Sa,” standing for Sariputta. Similarly on the underside of the lid of the other casket was the letter “Ma,” standing for Moggallana.

The inscriptions on the caskets are definitely of the Asokan period. It is said that Asoka built thousands of Stupas all over India enshrining the relics of either the Master or his disciples. It is possible that in doing so, Asoka might have redistributed the relics from their original resting place. In support of this it might be mentioned that Sanchi is not the only place where the relics of Sariputta and Maha Moggallana have been found.

AN ATTEMPT

In 1935, the British Maha Bodhi Society decided that an effort should be made to get the relics restored to the Buddhist World. A deputation of representatives of the British Maha Bodhi ■Society, led by Venerable Ananda Kausalyayana, who was then in charge of the London Centre, approached the Curator of the Museum, Mr. Campbell, with that object.

The Curator was sympathetic but had no power to act in the matter without the consent of the British Government. The Museum authorities, however, permitted a group of Buddhists to worship the Relics in the Museum, and this was done with traditional Buddhist ceremonies on the Full Moon day of November 1935.

In 1938, Mr. Devapriya Valisingha, the General Secretary of the Maha Bodhi Society of India, made representations to His Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom and the authorities of the Victoria Albert Museum in London to hand over the relics of Sri Sariputta and Maha Moggallana to the Maha Bodhi Society of India for their re-enshrinement in a suitable place in this country.

The request was readily acceded to by H.M. Government and the Muscum authorities and arrangements were about to be made for conveying the relics to India, when the Second World War broke out.

In the meantime, a claim was put forward by the Government of His Highness the Nawab of Bhopal for the restoration of the relics to Bhopal State for their re-enshrinement at Sanchi, the place from which they were removed more than ninety years ago..

The Museum authorities in England, then declared that His Highness’ Government should negotiate with the Maha Bodhi Society of India on the matter. As a consequence, the Society sent two deputations to Bhopal to confer with His. Highness’ Government. The first deputation. consisted of the Ven. Dr. P. Vajiranana Maha Thera, the Hon’ble Mr. Rajah Hewavitarana, Mr. P.P. Siriwardhana and Dr. A. Ratnapala. As a result of the successful discussion, an agreement was drawn up by this deputation between His Highness’ Government and the Maha Bodhi Society.

AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT was made this day on 8th January 1946 between the Government of Bhopal (hereinafter called the Government) of the 1st part, and the Maha Bodhi Society (hereinafter called the Society) of the 2nd part.

Whereas the above named Society is desirous that the Relics of the Buddha’s disciples named Sariputta and Moggallana be enshrined at Sanchi, and whereas the Government is agreeable to provide facilitics for the said purpose, it is hereby agreed as follows:-

(1) The relics above mentioned shall remain with the Government in trust for the Society and the Buddhist Community.

(2) The Society shall have full and unfettered rights of control and management of the Shrine wherein the said Relics will be kept, as also of the Ashram which may be built by the Society at the site and in accordance with the plans approved by the Society and the Archaeological Department of the Government acting together.

(3) The Shrine and Ashram together with necessary structures erected, as heretofore mentioned by the Society, shall vest in and remain the property of the Society. (4) The worship at the Shrine shall be controlled and managed by the Society without any let or hindrance. In witness whereof the above-mentioned parties, have hereunto set their respective hands on the day and year first above mentioned at Qasr-i-Sultani, Bhopal.

Sd/-

M. H. KIRNANI

Political Secretary

Government of Bhopal,

Bhopal, C.I.

1. (Sd/-) P. Vajiragnana, President

2.(Sd/-) P.P. Siriwardana, Hony. Secretary

3. (Sd/-) Rajah Hewavitarana

4. (Sd/-) A. Ratnapala

PREPARATIONS

IN BHOPAL STATE The Bhopal Government was prepared to Vihara an Ashram at Sanchi. Further, His do everything to help the Society to build a Highness the Nawab had very generously donated a sum of Rs.25.000 towards the cost of the enshrinement of the relics at Sanchi.

The members of the first deputation selected a fine site for the new Vihara. The Government of His Highness also donated another piece of land to the north-west of the Sanchi hill for the purpose of establishing a Buddhist colony. It was the intention of the Maha Bodhi Society of India with the cooperation of the Bhopal Government, to establish an International Buddhist Centre at Sanchi and also to erect the necessary buildings for bhikkhus and pilgrims.

The second deputation sent by the Maha Bodhi Society to Bhopal consisted of Mr. Daya Hewavitarana and Dr. A. Ratnapala. This deputation was mainly sent for making the final ar- arrangements for the reception of the relics in India.

At the beginning of 1947, Mr. Daya Hewavitarana was specially sent to England to convey the relics to India via Ceylon. The people of Ceylon made a special request that the relics should be allowed to remain for some time in the Island for public worship.

Handing over

In England, Mr. Daya Hewavitarana was cordially received by the Secretary of State for India and the authorities of the Victoria Albert Museum. Lord Pethick Lawrence, in his capacity as the Secretary of State for India, made the official handing over of the relics to Mr. Hewavitarane at a special ceremony.

Reception

When the relics arrived in Ceylon the reception given to them was a tremendous one. As the ship entered the Colombo harbour a salute of guns was fired and the Ven. Dr. P. Vajiranana, the Hon. Mr. Rajah Hewavitarane, Trustee of the Maha Bodhi Society and Minister for Commerce and Industries, Mr. J.R. Jayawardene, Member of the State Council and Managing Trustee of the Anagarika Dharmapala Trust, Mr. P.P. Siriwardhana, Secretary of the Ceylon Maha Bodhi Society and Dr. A. Ratnapala, went in a special launch to receive the sacred objects. They were taken ashore by the Hon. Mr. Rajah Hewavitarane and handed over to the Hon. Mr. D.S. Senanayake, Chief Minister and leader of the State Council.

After an impressive ceremony, where over a hundred Bhikkhus chanted Mangalacaran, the Hon. Mr. Senanayake conveyed the relics in a casket of gold to the back of a gorgeously caparisoned elephant. Then from the jetty to the music of a hundred drums and clarionets, a vast procession started. It was one and a half miles long and consisted of a vast sea of human heads moving among flags, banners and decorated elephants. Armed guards and police lined the streets. The whole scene was one never to be witnessed again. Its impressive grandeur defies description. The procession then arrived at the Colombo Museum and the relics were solemnly placed there for public worship. From day-to-day tens of thousands of eager worshippers flocked to the museum to pay their obeisance to the sacred relics.

The Sacred Relics of Sariputta and Maha Moggallana, kept at the Colombo Museum for one year, nine months and twenty-two days for the veneration of the Buddhist public of Ceylon, were officially handed over by Mr. D. S. Senanay- ake, the Prime Minister, to Mr. V.V. Giri, the High Commissioner for India in Ceylon, in the afternoon of January 6th, 1949 at the Colombo Museum.

Back to India

The relics were taken in a colourful procession to the Colombo harbour and after the ceremony on the upper jetty, Mr. Daya Hewavi- tame carried the casket containing the Relics, and Dr. N.P. Chakravarti the silver bowl contain- ing the two saplings of the Sacred Maha Bodhi Tree at Anuradhapura and accompanied by the other officials boarded the launch which took them to the ship which was anchored close to the jetty. As they stepped into the launch the shore battery fired a salute of 21 guns announcing the departure of the Relics from Ceylon.

Those who came with the Relics to India were Dr. N.P. Charavarti, representing the Government of India, Mr. Daya Hewavitarana, representing the Maha Bodhi Society of India, Dr. Parawahere Vajiranana Thera and Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara, representing the Maha Bodhi Society of Ceylon and Mr. Raja Hewavitarane, O.B.E. representing the Government of Ceylon.

The running commentary of the handing over ceremony and the gress of the perahera was given to Mr. Lilananda Caldera of the Colombo Museum. At the jetty, Dr. G.P. Malalasekera broadcast a running commentary.

SACRED RELICS LAND ON INDIAN SOIL

In a simple but impressive and colourful ceremony on the 13th January, the relics of Lord Buddha’s chief disciples, Sariputta and Moggal- lana Arahans, were removed from H.M.I.S. Tir, which arrived in Calcutta from Colombo on the 13th January, and temporarily installed in the throne room of Government House.

The exposition of the caskets containing the relics took place in the evening in the Throne Room of Government House in the presence of the Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. After the exposition, the relics in glass containers were handed to Pandit Nehru, who showed them to the assembled guests. They were then put back in the caskets and placed on the Throne.

To the chanting of Buddhist sacred verses by yellow-robed Bhikkhus from many Buddhist countries, the Prime Minister offered flowers before the relics. He was followed by Dr. Katju, Dr. S.P. Mookherjee, President of Maha Bodhi Society of India, Bhikkhus, and foreign diplomats and delegates. Silks were offered by Bud- dhists from different countries. Buddhist musicians from Tibet played music before and after the ceremony.

Pandit Nehru

From Early morning, people from all parts of the city had made their way to the meeting ground, which was near the Victoria Memorial. Special enclosures had been provided for foreign visitors, guests, ministers and officials of the Government, monks and others. At one end of the ground, facing the enclosure about 200 Buddhist Monks from India and abroad, dressed in robes of various shades ranging from red to light yellow, sat on a raised platform. Conspicu- ous among them were the Lamas from Tibet and Bhutan, in high headdresses and elaborate robes, many of whom carried the musical instruments which are a feature of their worship. The brilliant colour was added to the scene by prayer poles and banners of many hues, carried by the Lamas and Buddhists from Nepal.

At 10 a.m. the Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru accompanied by the Governor, Dr. Katju, Dr. Mookherjee, Dr. Roy and leading Buddhists from Ceylon and other countries arrived in procession from the Government House bearing the Relics and Bo saplings. The Reliquary was placed on a flower-decked stand in the comer of the high rostrum in full view of the gathering, after which Pandit Nehru, the Governor and Dr. Mookherjee were garlanded by the four-year old daughter of Mr. Niharendu Dutt-Mazumdar, Vice-Chairman of the Relics Reception Committee of the Gov- of West Bengal.

His Excellency Dr. Kailas Nath Katju who presided over the ceremony was seated in the middle, to his left sat Pandit Nehru and to his right Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookherjee. To Pandit Nehru’s left was Dr. B.C. Roy. Next to him sat the Ven. Dr. P. Vajiranana Thera, President of the Maha Bodhi Society of Ceylon and Rev. N. Jinaratana Thera, Jt. Secretary, Maha Bodhi Society of India.

As it is usual in Buddhist countries, the historic ceremony commenced with the administration of the Panca Sila. Rev. N. Kinaratana Thera repeated the Silas followed by the audience. Dr. Roy then welcomed the guests and delegations who came to attend the ceremony from various countries of the world.

Source: The Mah Bodhi, 2550th Buddha Jayanti