Do you think I should ask my friends and siblings if they want to go forth with me and ordain together in the future.
My friends are not even Buddhist but maybe I can teach them the Dhamma and inspire them to go forth. It would be great if I could inspire others to go forth alongside me and practice the Dhamma together. It would be so great to become a Paccekabuddha in the future.
From Commentary to Khaggavisāṇasutta:
In the past, during Kassapa Buddha’s dispensation, five Paccekabodhisattas practiced together and were reborn in the deva world.
Later the eldest became king of Bārāṇasī; the others were ordinary kings.
The four went forth, became Paccekabuddhas, and, recalling their former companion, sought to give him a spiritual sign.
…
A group of 8 Paccekabodhisattas also went forth in the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa
The background is the same as the “Anavajjabhojin” story: in Kassapa Buddha’s dispensation, eight future Paccekabuddhas went forth, fulfilled duties for twenty thousand years, and were reborn in the deva-world.
The special point here is this:
After seating the Paccekabuddhas, the king asked, “Who are you?”
They answered, “We are called bahussutā (very learned), Great King.”
The king thought: “I am named Suta-Brahmadatta. I am not satisfied merely with ‘hearing.’ Come, I will listen to an exquisite, many-sided True Dhamma teaching from them.”
Delighted, he offered the water of donation, served them, and when the meal ended, he took the elder’s bowl, paid homage, sat in front, and said, “Please give a Dhamma talk, venerable sir.”
The elder said only: “May you be happy, Great King; may lust be destroyed,” and stood up.
The king thought, “This one is not learned; the second will be learned. Tomorrow I will hear an exquisite teaching.” He invited them for the next day.
In this way he invited them in order. Each one said only one phrase—each making a different “destruction” phrase—then stood up:
“May hatred be destroyed; may delusion be destroyed; may destiny be destroyed; may the round be destroyed; may acquisitions be destroyed; may craving be destroyed,” and so on.Then the king thought: “They say ‘we are learned,’ but there is no elaborate talk—what is the meaning of what they said?”
Investigating “may lust be destroyed,” he understood:
“When lust is destroyed, hatred and delusion, and the other defilements too, are destroyed.”
Then he was delighted:
“These recluses are ‘learned’ in the ultimate sense!
Just as when a man points with his finger to the great earth or the sky, it is not merely the finger-tip that is indicated—rather earth and sky are indicated—so too, when they point to one meaning with one phrase, immeasurable meanings are indicated.”
Then he thought: “Oh, may I too become learned like that!” Aspiring to that kind of learning, he abandoned the kingdom, went forth, practiced insight, realized Paccekabodhi, and spoke this inspired verse:
“Associate with the very learned, the bearer of Dhamma—
a noble friend, possessing ready-wit.
Understanding meanings, removing doubt,
one should wander alone like a rhinoceros horn.”Brief meaning notes:
“Very learned” is twofold:
- pariyatti-bahussuta — learned in the three Piṭakas in text and meaning,
- paṭivedha-bahussuta — learned through realization, having penetrated paths, fruits, knowledges, and higher knowledges.
“Dhamma-bearer” = one who knows the tradition and can preserve/teach it.
“Ready-witted” can be understood as: (i) fitting wit, (ii) fluent wit, (iii) both; or as threefold: wit in learning, in questioning, and in realization.
By the power of such association one knows many kinds of meanings (for one’s own welfare, others’ welfare, both; or worldly, future, ultimate), and one removes doubts such as “Was I in the past…?” etc. With all duties done, one wanders alone.
End of the “Very learned” verse commentary.