Читать книгу 108 Buddhist Parables and Stories - Olga Gutsol - Страница 13

The Blessed One stayed in solitude for seven days, enjoying the bliss of liberation.

At that time Tapussa and Bhallika, two merchants, came traveling on the road near by. When they saw the great monk, majestic and full of peace, they approached him respectfully and offered him rice cakes and honey.

This was the first food that the Blessed One ate after he became Buddha.

And the Buddha addressed them and pointed out to them the path of liberation. The two merchants, conceiving in their minds the holiness of the conqueror of Mara, bowed down in reverence and said, “We take our refuge, O Master, in the Blessed One and in the Dharma.”

Tapussa and Bhallika were the first followers of the Buddha and they were lay disciples.

Then Buddha had decided to go and pay homage to the hermits, his former teachers, for sharing their knowledge. But these ascetics were jealous of the Buddha’s enlightenment and had conspired to ignore his presence when he arrived.

And even though they decided not to welcome him, when the Buddha approached, they all stood up and fell to his feet. His persona was such that it just brought it out in them.