Aśvajit

Aśvajit (Sanskrit: Aśvajit; Pāli: Assaji), one of the Buddha's first five disciples, was a prominent early bhikkhu known for his mastery in expounding the Dharma and his pivotal role in converting Śāriputra and Mahāmoggallāna, the Buddha's two chief male disciples, through a concise teaching on dependent origination.^[1]^[2] Originally part of the group of five ascetics who accompanied the Buddha during his pre-enlightenment period of extreme austerity, Aśvajit and his companions initially rejected the Buddha upon his abandonment of ascetic practices, but they later became his initial converts after the enlightenment at Bodh Gaya.^[3] He was the last of the five to attain stream-entry and, along with the others, attained arahantship upon hearing the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (Discourse on the Characteristic of No-Self).^[3] Aśvajit's most notable contribution occurred in Rājagṛha, where, while begging for alms, he encountered Śāriputra (then Upatissa), who inquired about the Buddha's teachings; in humility due to recent ordination, Aśvajit recited the foundational verse on causation: ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgataḥ | hy avadat teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃ vādī mahāśramaṇaḥ ("Of those phenomena which arise from a cause, the Tathāgata has stated the cause, and also their cessation: thus has the Great Renunciant declared").^[4]^[2] This succinct exposition, drawn from the core doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (dependent arising), instantly led Śāriputra to attain the stage of stream-entry, prompting him to share it with Mahāmoggallāna and ultimately drawing both into the Saṅgha as leading figures.^[4] The verse, preserved in the Vinaya Piṭaka and other early texts, symbolizes the empirical essence of Buddhist philosophy and is often inscribed on Buddha images.^[4] His life underscores the early Sangha's dynamics, from ascetic skepticism to devoted propagation, and his legacy endures in canonical accounts like the Mahāvagga of the Vinaya, emphasizing humility and doctrinal clarity in Buddhist transmission.^[2]

Early Life and Association with the Buddha

Family Background

Aśvajit was born into a brahmin scholar family in the vicinity of Kapilavastu, in the Shakya territory (modern-day Nepal/India border region), during the 6th century BCE. According to tradition, his father was one of the eight brahmin seers invited by King Suddhodana to interpret omens at Siddhartha Gautama's birth and name-giving ceremony. Aśvajit and his companions, including Kaundinya, were reportedly sons or relatives of these seers.^[5] Upon coming of age, Aśvajit studied the three Vedas and achieved proficiency in Brahmanical sciences and lore, immersing himself in the intellectual and ritualistic traditions of his community.^[6] This early exposure to scholarly pursuits cultivated a deep inclination toward philosophical inquiry, which ultimately drew him toward asceticism alongside Siddhartha Gautama.

Ascetic Practices with Siddhartha

Aśvajit, born into a scholarly brahmin family whose traditions inclined him toward spiritual inquiry, joined Siddhartha Gautama along with Kaundinya, Bhaddiya, Vappa, and Mahanama as one of his initial companions in the pursuit of enlightenment.^[7] These five ascetics accompanied Siddhartha to Uruvela, a forested area near the Neranjara River, where they established a base for rigorous training after Siddhartha had renounced his princely life and sought guidance from earlier teachers. Their group dynamic emphasized mutual support, with the companions attending to Siddhartha's needs while sharing in the demanding regimen, all driven by the belief that extreme self-denial would yield ultimate insight.^[8] The ascetic practices they undertook were intensely severe, encompassing prolonged fasting, breath control meditations, and deliberate bodily mortification to subdue physical desires and sharpen mental clarity. Siddhartha, under their watchful attendance, progressively reduced his food intake to mere handfuls of bean broth or greens, leading to extreme emaciation where his body resembled that of a withered tree—ribs protruding like rafters, spine visible through sagging skin, and limbs as frail as an elderly man's.^[9] Breath control exercises involved suppressing inhalation and exhalation through the mouth, nose, and even ears, inducing excruciating pain described as a blacksmith's fire raging within, while other methods included holding the breath until the head throbbed violently and wind roared in the body.^[9] These techniques, rooted in prevalent Indian ascetic traditions, aimed to transcend sensory attachments and attain liberation, with the five ascetics viewing Siddhartha's endurance as a model for their collective striving.^[9] Disillusionment arose when Siddhartha, recognizing the futility of such extremes in weakening rather than enlightening the mind, accepted nourishing food from a village girl named Sujata, thereby restoring his physical strength to pursue a balanced path. The five ascetics, interpreting this as a relapse into indulgence, felt betrayed by what they saw as abandonment of their shared vow of mortification; they departed from Uruvela in disapproval, leaving Siddhartha alone to continue his quest.^[9] This separation marked a pivotal rift, as the companions relocated to the Deer Park at Isipatana near Benares, continuing their austerities without him, convinced that true enlightenment demanded unrelenting hardship.

Attainment and Ordination

Reunion and First Sermon

After attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha resolved to teach the Dhamma and sought out his former ascetic companions, the group of five known as the Pañcavaggiya, which included Aśvajit (Pāli: Assaji), who had previously departed from him upon his rejection of extreme austerities. Using his newly acquired divine vision, the Buddha located them residing at the Deer Park (Mṛgadāva) in Isipatana, near the city of Benares (modern Sarnath, India). He then journeyed there to reunite with them and share his realization.^[10] As the Buddha approached the Deer Park, the five ascetics, including Aśvajit, observed him from afar and initially conspired not to show him respect, viewing his abandonment of ascetic practices as a relapse into indulgence. However, upon his arrival, they were overcome by the radiance and composure of his presence, leading them to assist him despite their reservations: they took his outer robe and bowl, prepared a seat, and offered water for his feet. Aśvajit, as a member of this group, took part in this reluctant yet compelled welcome, marking the reconciliation after their earlier separation during the ascetic phase.^[11] Seated among them, the Buddha then delivered his inaugural discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, expounding the Middle Way that avoids the extremes of indulgence and self-mortification, and elucidating the Four Noble Truths concerning suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path to its cessation. Aśvajit listened intently to this foundational teaching, which set in motion the Wheel of the Dhamma and laid the groundwork for the Buddhist tradition. In the wake of the sermon, the Buddha extended ordination to the five ascetics, including Aśvajit, through the simple pronouncement "Ehi bhikkhu" ("Come, monk"), thereby initiating them into the monastic order and establishing the core of the early Saṅgha. Aśvajit thus formally committed to the holy life under the Buddha's guidance, becoming one of the first ordained monks.^[10]

Achievement of Arahantship

Following the Buddha's first discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, delivered at the Deer Park in Sarnath near Varanasi, Aśvajit (also known as Assaji) attained the stage of stream-entry (sotāpatti), the initial level of awakening, as the last among the group of five ascetic companions to do so.^[12] This marked the beginning of his progression toward full enlightenment, with the group collectively entering the Buddhist monastic order shortly thereafter.^[13] Aśvajit's attainment of arahantship, the highest state of enlightenment free from all defilements, occurred during the Buddha's subsequent discourse, the Anattalakkhana Sutta (Discourse on the Characteristic of No-Self), also at the Deer Park. In this teaching, the Buddha expounded on the impermanence and non-self nature of the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness), leading the minds of Aśvajit and his four companions—Koṇḍañña, Vappa, Bhaddiya, and Mahānāma—to liberation without remainder.^[14] This event established the first five arahants in the Buddha's dispensation, completing their spiritual progression from stream-entry to full awakening through insight into no-self (anattā).^[15] As one of these pioneering arahants, Aśvajit was recognized by the Buddha as an elder monk (thera) in the early saṅgha, honored for his seniority and doctrinal acumen. The Buddha later declared him foremost among disciples in the exposition of doctrine (dhammakathika), highlighting his role in elucidating teachings with clarity and precision.^[15] This acknowledgment underscored Aśvajit's foundational contributions to the nascent Buddhist community, where he stood as a senior figure among the initial sixty arahants commissioned to propagate the Dhamma.

Roles in the Early Sangha

Conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana

In Rajagaha, Aśvajit, one of the Buddha's first five disciples and an arahant, encountered the wanderer Upatissa (later known as Śāriputra or Sāriputta) while on his alms round. Impressed by Aśvajit's serene demeanor and balanced gait, Upatissa followed him and inquired about the doctrine of his teacher, the Buddha. Aśvajit, humbly noting his recent ordination, offered a concise summary of the Dhamma to avoid overwhelming the seeker.^[16]^[10] Aśvajit recited a verse encapsulating dependent origination and the Four Noble Truths: Ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgataḥ hy avadat, teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃ vādī mahāśramaṇaḥ ("Of those phenomena which arise from a cause, the Tathāgata has told the cause, and also their cessation; thus teaches the Great Ascetic"). This succinct teaching, drawn from the Buddha's core insights, revealed the conditioned nature of all phenomena and the path to their ending.^[16]^[10]^[4] Upon hearing the verse, Upatissa immediately attained stream-entry (sotāpatti), gaining the "Dhamma eye" of insight: "Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation." Overjoyed, he sought ordination from the Buddha shortly thereafter, becoming a bhikkhu and rapidly progressing toward arahantship. Aśvajit's brief exposition thus served as the catalyst for Upatissa's entry into the Buddhist path.^[16]^[10]^[17] Upatissa then shared the same verse with his close companion Kolita (later Moggallāna or Maudgalyāyana), who also attained stream-entry upon reflection. Both friends, having previously agreed to inform each other of any discovery of the Deathless, proceeded together to the Buddha for ordination, where they were formally admitted into the Saṅgha. Through this chain of transmission initiated by Aśvajit, Śāriputra and Moggallāna emerged as the Buddha's two chief disciples, renowned for wisdom and psychic powers, respectively, significantly strengthening the early Saṅgha.^[16]^[10]^[17]

Debate with Nigantha Saccaka

In Vesali, while Aśvajit was proceeding on his alms round, he encountered Nigantha Saccaka, a prominent Jain ascetic known for seeking out opponents in doctrinal debates.^[18] Saccaka, recognizing Aśvajit as one of the Buddha's esteemed disciples, approached him and inquired about the core of the Buddha's teachings on disciplining his followers.^[18] Aśvajit responded concisely, reciting the Buddha's doctrine of impermanence and non-self as applied to the five aggregates: "Form is inconstant. Feeling is inconstant. Perception is inconstant. Fabrications are inconstant. Consciousness is inconstant. Form is not-self. Feeling is not-self. Perception is not-self. Fabrications are not-self. Consciousness is not-self. All fabrications are inconstant. All phenomena are not-self."^[18] This summary, drawn from the Buddha's earlier discourse on non-self (Anattalakkhana Sutta), served as Aśvajit's defense of Buddhist teachings without engaging in extended argumentation, thereby avoiding potential pitfalls in debate.^[19] Saccaka, deeming the teaching objectionable, declared his intention to challenge the Buddha directly on these points, assembling a group of five hundred Licchavis to witness the confrontation at the Gabled Hall in Mahavana.^[18] This encounter prompted the Buddha to engage Saccaka in a formal debate, as detailed in the Cula-Saccaka Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 35), where the Buddha refuted Saccaka's assertions on the self and causality, ultimately leading to Saccaka's acknowledgment of defeat.^[18] The episode underscored Aśvajit's role in upholding Buddhist doctrine against rival sects, contributing to the early sangha's strengthened position by facilitating this pivotal intellectual victory over Jain opposition.^[6]