THE BUDDHA AS TEACHER 45In addition to the Kasyapa story, the texts record many other miraculous
events that occurred during the Buddha's teaching career. Once, at Sravasti,
he triumphed in public debate before Prasenajit, the king ofKosala, over the
leaders of six opposing sramaJ.la sects. To emphasize his victory, he performed
the Twin Miracle (or the Miracle of the Pairs, which he also performed on
two other occasions). He levitated into the air, producing alternating streams
of water and fire (or light) from different parts of his body. He created multi-
ple images of his body and had them preach the Dharma, and performed lesser
miracles as well, including causing a mango tree to spring instantaneously full..,
grown from a seed and creating a jeweled staircase in the sky. He then as-
cended to the heaven of the 33 devas to preach there for three months for his
mother's benefit, converting all the inhabitants of the heaven. These episodes
were portrayed on the earliest stiipas, which gives an indication of their popu-
larity. However we may interpret these events, they are part of the wonder-
worker character common to the founders of all the world's major religious
traditions (Strong EB, sec. 2.1.6).
After converting Kasyapa, the Buddha then went on to Rajagrha, capital
of Magadha, where he was greeted by King Bimbisara and a large crowd.
Kasyapa made a public announcement ofhis conversion to the Buddha's teach-
ings, after which the Buddha gave a graduated discourse similar to the one he
had given Yasa. This enabled the king, together with the majority of the
crowd, to attain the Dharma-eye. On the following day, the king provided a
meal for the Buddha and his followers, after which he donated the Bamboo
Grove Park just outside the northern gates of the city for the Sangha's use.
Soon Sariputra ofNalanda, a town 10 miles north ofRajagrha, and his friend
Maudgalyayana were converted (Strong EB, sec. 2.1.3). They became the
Buddha's two chief disciples, Sariputra being foremost in discernment,
Maudgalyayana foremost in psychic powers. Both died before the Buddha did,
and relics said to be theirs are now enshrined in a new temple on the ancient
site at Sanchi.
Another famous disciple was Katyayana, a brahmin and court priest from
Avanti in western India. Sent by his king on a mission to the Buddha, he re-
turned as a bhik~u and arhant to spread the Dharma. As the father of Buddhist
exegesis, he was known as "foremost of those who analyze at length what the
Buddha has stated in brief:' Subhiiti, foremost in dwelling free from contention
and being worthy of offerings, attained arhantship by meditating on maitri
(goodwill). Upali, the barber ofKapilavastu, became "foremost among those
who remember the Vinaya;' which he recited at the First Council (see Section
3.1). Tradition asserts that Gautama's own son, Rahula, received ordination
and became an arhant, unrivaled in his desire for training. Mahakasyapa, fore-
most of those who keep the ascetic rules (Strong EB, sec. 2.3.3) and known
for his mastery of dhyana, convened the Council of Rajagrha shortly after the
Buddha's decease and superintended the standardization of the Siitras and
Vinaya. (For a comparable list of illustrious nuns, see Section 3.4.3.)
Gautama's cousin Ananda became a monk, attained the Dharma-eye, and
served as the Buddha's constant attendant for the last 20 years ofthe latter's