Seven Co-natals (Sahajata) of Siddhattha Gotama (3)

Kanthaka horse 

Kanthaka, the most efficient horse in the court of King Suddhodana was the favourite of prince Siddhattha Gotama. It was 18 cubits in length and purely white colour. Its neighing was said to be heard from a distance of one yojana.

Kanthaka took part in some of the prominent events of Siddhattha Gotama. To marry princess Yasodhara, Siddhattha Gotama had to prove his capabilities. In other words, he had to compete in the contest where expertises in archery, sword play and horse riding were shown among princes. Siddhattha Gotama won all these sports while mounting on Kanthaka horse.

Siddhattha Gotama was in the chariot drawn by Kanthaka when he saw the Four Sights (an old man, a sick person, a corpse and an holy man). It made him realized the unwholesomeness of sensual pleasures.

The last event was a tragic one. After seeing the Four Sights, Siddhattha Gotama decided to renounce the world. He left the palace, riding on Kanthaka horse accompanied by Channa. Kanthaka carried the prince thirty yojanas away from the city to the bank of Anoma river.

Siddhattha Gotama then compelled Channa and Kanthaka to return to Kapilavatthu. On departing its beloved master, Kanthaka with great grief fell dead. It immediately became a deva in the Tavatimsa for its virtue.

The Bodhi Tree
 
The Bodhi tree was said to have sprung up at the moment when Siddhattha Gotama was born. Botanically, the bodhi tree is Ficus religiosa, commonly called fig tree. It is a large tree with heart- shaped leaves. Gotama Buddha attained Supreme Enlightenment or Bodhi seated under this tree. So it was named the Bodhi tree.

Buddha stood still and gazed without a blink at the Bodhi tree throughout the second seven-days after his achievement. It was to show gratitude for the shelter that Bodhi tree had given to him.

People believed that the ground in which the Bodhi tree grown and where the Buddha attained full enlightenment was very firm. Even a violent earthquake could not shake it. Also, the powerful Sakka Devaraja could not travel in the air above it. And so, this place was recognized as the 'Navel of the Earth.'

The descendants of the original Bodhi tree took the same name of 'Bodhi tree'. In the history of Buddhism, two Bodhi trees were planted. One was the Ananda Bodhi tree located in front of the gate way of Jetavana monastery near Sravasti. The other was in Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka).

Buddhists pay homage to these Bodhi trees with great respect. Many people misinterpret that Buddhists are 'tree worshippers'. The truth is, Buddhists intentionally pay homage to the Bodhi trees as the symbols of the Buddha.

Four Golden Treasure Pots

1. Sankha golden treasure pot: size....... one fourth yojana
2. Jala golden treasure pot: size............. half yojana
3. Uppala golden treasure pot: size......... three fourth yojana
4. Punnarika golden treasure pot: size.... one yojana

Neither Siddhattha Gotama used these treasures nor inherited to his son, Rahula. It was known that they disappeared when Siddhattha Gotama gained supreme enlightenment.

These co-natals (sahajata) were also the supporters of Siddhattha Gotama. They supported him in one or the other way. Hence, all of them had good endings.
 

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Seven Co-natals (Sahajata) of Siddhattha Gotama (2)

Kaludayi

Kaludayi was the son of King Suddhodana's minister. He was an Advisor of the king.

While the Buddha was staying at the Veluvana monastery, his father Suddhodana wanted to see him. So he sent nine groups of courtiers one by one to invite the Buddha to Kapilavatthu. It was in vain as all of them became arahats and did not return. Finally, the king sent Kaludayi with promise to let him enter the Order.

When Kaludayi arrived there, he became a monk and soon attained arahatship. He then invited the Buddha to visit Kapilavatthu. Buddha accepted it.
 

The Buddha and his twenty thousands of arahats started the journey of sixty yojanas on foot. As they covered one yojana a day it took two full months to reach the city.
 

During this time, Kaludayi Thera informed day to day progress of the trip to the king. To do so, he travelled in the air by his supernatural power.
 

Eventually, the king and Thera Kaludayi had fulfilled their wishes vice versa.
 

Channa
 

Channa was a royal servant of King Suddhodana. He served as a charioteer of Siddhattha. Channa also took care of him and they were friendly.
 

King Suddhodana kept Siddhattha in restriction as he was worried that his son might leave the palace. However, Siddhattha went out the palace, accompanied by Channa in chariot pulled by Kanthaka horse. 

Then Siddhattha unexpectedly saw the Four Sights: an old man, a sick person, a dead body and an ascetic for the first time. Channa explained about each item to his master.

Again, when Siddhattha left the palace to seek true happiness, Channa accompanied him. Though Channa did not want to leave the prince alone, he was told to go back and made known of Siddhattha's renouncement. He did so respectfully.

After Buddha's enlightenment, Channa entered the Order. But he was rudely proud of being the only companion when Buddha left the palace. He especially spoke ill of two chief disciples: Venerable Sariputta and Moggallana. Channa continued taunting them though Buddha advised and warned him repeatedly.

According to Dhammapada, Buddha uttered: "One should not associate with bad friends, nor with the vile. One should associate with good friends, and with those who are noble."

Before his Parinibbana, Buddha instructed Venerable Ananda to impose Brahma-punishment (Brahmadanda) on Channa which was for the monks to simply disregard him. Venerable Ananda told Channa about the punishment after the Buddha's Parinibbana.

With deep remorse, Channa asked pardon to the monks for his guilt. He was totally changed then. Concentrating only in his meditation practice, he soon became arahat.

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Seven Co-natals (Sahajata) of Siddhattha Gotama (1)

Siddhattha Gotama was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Mahamaya. When he was born, seven other co-natals including human, animal and things appeared at the same time. The seven co-natals (sahajata) of Siddhattha Gotama were: (1) Yasodhara (2) Ananda (3) Kaludayi (4) Channa (5) Kanthaka horse (6) the Bodhi tree and (7) Four golden treasure pots.
 

Yasodhara
 

Yasodhara was the daughter of King Suppabuddha, the ruler of Devadaha. Her brother was Devadatta. She was the most beautiful princess in her time. Siddhattha Gotama was her cousin. They got married when they were sixteen. They fully enjoyed a luxurious life together for thirteen years. At their age of twenty nine, Siddhattha Gotama left Yasodhara and a newly born son Rahula to attain enlightenment.
 

When she heard that Siddhattha Gotama was living in the forest as an ascetic, she discarded all the luxuries and stayed simple. Simultaneously, she ate only one meal a day and used a low bed to sleep on.

After enlightenment, Buddha went to see her on his first visit to Kapilavatthu. Though she was deeply sad, she finally controlled herself.

Later, Yasodhara became a nun. She then attained arahatship. Yasodhara Theri possessed supernormal powers and could recall infinite eras of the past. She expired at the age of seventy eight before the Buddha.

Ananda

Ananda was the son of Amitodana, the uncle of Siddhattha Gotama. He was named 'Ananda', which means 'bliss', for his birth brought much happiness to his family.

When he was thirty seven, he became a monk. He attained Sotapanna after hearing the Dhamma preached by Venerable Punna Mantaniputta.

Ananda was born as Sumana at the time of Padumuttara Buddha. He offered the necessities to the Buddha and his monks during the three months of the rainy season. He then aspired to be a personal attendant of future Buddha. For 100,000 world cycles, he performed meritorious deeds to achieve his aspiration.

Later at Gotama Buddha's period, Venerable Ananda was chosen as a personal attendant of the Buddha. He was fifty five then. He was also an executive assistant to the Buddha. He assisted the Buddha in managing monks, nuns and devotees.

Being close to the Buddha, Ananda was the one who got the most chances to hear the Buddha's discourses. For his retentive memory, Buddha declared Venerable Ananda as the Guardian of Dhamma. Also, he was said to be supreme in good conduct, learning, steadfastness and in service to others.

Venerable Ananda initiated two important events. First was the formation of the order of nuns and the other was the planting of Bodhi tree for devotees to pay homage in place of the Buddha while he was away. 

Though he stayed near the Buddha and heard most of the preachings, Venerable Ananda did not attain the rest of the fruitions rather than Sotapanna. Only after Buddha's Parinibbana, he reached arahathood with great effort. And thus, he was able to attend the First Samgha Council in which only arahats were allowed to present. Venerable Ananda lived long till the age of one twenty.

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