PARINlRVANA
The Great Enlightenment
After the lengthy starvation and fasting and the unsuccessful attack of the Mara, the future
Buddha realized that the lengthy and difficult exercises paid nothing substantial to him for
enlightenment he wished to acquire. He, therefore, decided to take up the supreme, immovable
cross-legged posture with his limbs massed together like the coils of the sleeping serpent, saying,
„I will not rise from this position on the ground till I achieve the completion of my task. „At the
moment of the fourth watch when the dawn came up and all that moves or moves not was stilled,
the great Seer reached the stage which is known of alteration, the state of omniscience. When he
knew this truth, the earth swayed like a woman drunken with wine, the quarters shone bright
with crowd and mighty drums resounded in the sky. Then for seven days, free from discomfort
of body, he sat looking into his own mind, his eyes never winking.
Instigation of the Buddha
Seeing that the world was lost in false views and vain efforts and that its passions were gross,
seeing too that the law of salvation was exceedingly subtle, he set his mind on remaining
immovable. Then the two chiefs of the heavenly dwellings learning that the Buddha's mind had
taken the decision to preach tranquility, they were filled with the desired for the world's benefit,
and shining brightly, approached him. The chiefs requested the Buddha stating “ O Sage, having
yourself crossed beyond the ocean of existence, rescue the world which is drowning in suffering,
bestow your excellence on others also”. Thus addressing the great Seer, they returned to the
celestial sphere by the way they had come. The sage also pondered on the speech, the decision
grew strong in him for the liberation of the world.
In this panel two persons stated to be the chiefs of the heavenly dwellings are seen requesting the
pensive Buddha to teach dharma. This panel of 2nd century CE in grey schist was found at
Butkara in Swat and presently housed in Swat Museum, Sawat.
After obtaining the enlightenment and considering the request made by the two heavenly chiefs
to rescue the world which is drowning in suffering and bestow his excellence on others also, the
Buddha decided to address the five disciples who had left him when he had abandoned his
austerities. They had taken shelter in the Deer Park at Saranath. The Buddha proceeded to
Benaras and from there to the Deer Park where he preached his first sermon to turn the wheel of
the law for the first time, known in Buddhist literature as the turning of the wheel of the law.
Lahore Museum.
The Miracle of Saravasti
The Buddha after his enlightenment for the first time decided to display his miraculous powers.
He performed at Saravasti in the presence of King Prasanjit and vast concourse of people, a
double miracle of levitating while emitting, alternately, flames and waves or water according to
some interpretation from the upper and lower parts of his body, and in multiplying images of
himself upto the heavens and in all directions while heipreached the law. He was flanked by
Brahma on his right and lndra on his left, while the two naga rajas, Nanda and Upananda, created
a wonderful lotus on the corolla on which the blessed one seated himself. Then by the magic
power above his lotus he created another and on this one also a Buddha was seated with his legs
crossed, and thus in front, behind and at the sides were all Buddhas.