बुद्ध के
सौतेले भाई तथा उनकी माता की छोटी बहन के पुत्र नंद जिस दिन जनपद कल्याणी के
साथ परिणय-सूत्र में बँधने वाले थे उसी दिन
बुद्ध उनके महल में पहुँचे। फिर उनसे अपने भिक्षाटन के कटोरे को उठा अपने
साथ अपने विहार ले आये। विहार लाकर
बुद्ध ने उन्हें भी भिक्षु बना दिया। नंद ने
भी भिक्षुत्व स्वीकार किया किन्तु उनका
मन बार-बार जनपद-कल्याणी की ओर खींच-खींच जाता था।
एक दिन बुद्ध नंद को हिमालय की सैर कराने
ले गये। वहाँ उन्होंने एक जली हुई
बंदरिया का मृत शरीर देखा। नंद
से पूछा, "क्या जनपद कल्याणी इससे
भी अधिक सुंदर है?" नंद ने कहा, "हाँ"। तब
बुद्ध उन्हें आकाश-मार्ग से उड़ाते हुए तावतिंस
लोक ले गये, जहाँ सबक (शक्र; इन्द्र) और उसकी अपूर्व
सुंदरियों ने उनकी आवभगत की। बुद्ध ने तब नंद
से पूछा, "क्या जनपद कल्याणी इन सुंदरियों
से भी सुंदर है?" तब नंद ने कहा, "नहीं"।
बुद्ध ने नंद के सामने तब यह प्रस्ताव
रखा कि यदि वे भिक्षु की चर्या अपनाएंगे तो
उनकी शादी शक्क की किसी भी सुन्दरी
से करा देंगे। नंद ने बुद्ध का प्रस्ताव
मान लिया।
नंद के साथ जब बुद्ध अपने विहार पहुँचे तो वहाँ उपस्थित अस्सी भिक्षुओं ने नंद
से उनके भिक्षुत्व की प्रतिज्ञा के संदर्भ
में प्रश्न किया। तब नन्द का मुख लज्जावनत हो गया।
वे अपनी पूरी शक्ति के साथ अर्हत्व की
साधना में जुट गये और अंतत: अर्हत्
बनने का लक्ष्य प्राप्त कर ही लिया।
N anda was the step-brother of the Buddha; and his mother was the younger sister of Maha Maya.
Once visiting
Kapilavatthu he visited his half brothers palace, who was getting
married to the most gracious woman of the time, whose name was
Janapadakalyani Nanda. (She was called so because her graceful appearance
was to grace the whole of the janapada ).
Upon visiting Nanda Buddha asked him to carry his alms bowl to his vihara .
So, Nanda left the palace and kept his prospective bride waiting.
In the vihara
Buddha inspired Nanda to renounce the worldly life for the sake of eternal
bliss. Though he was inspired by the words of the Buddha and accepted the
renunciation, yet his resolve was infirm and half-hearted. Besides, he
pined for his pretty bride with strong sensual desires, which gradually
broke his health. The Buddha read his mind and knew the remedy.
One day, the Buddha asked him to accompany him to the Himalayas. On the way he showed him the charred body of a female monkey. To examine the intensity of his brothers sensual passions he then asked him whether his bride was prettier than the charred body of the animal. Nanda answered in affirmative.
Nanda, though embraced monkhood still pines for Janapada Kalyani , Ajanta
Buddha then took him
to the Tavatimsa, where Sakka and his nymphets extended every hospitality
to them. There, the Buddha again asked Nanda whether Janapadakalyani Nanda
was prettier than those nymphets. Nanda then answered in negative. The
Buddha then promised him to get him any of those nymphets as his espouse
if he would lead a monastic life. Nanda in his eagerness agreed. But when
he reached the monastery where the eighty monks questioned his pledge for
monk-hood, he felt ashamed. Soon he mustered up his courage and strove for
attainment of the arahatahood. And by and by he achieved his target.
He then came to the
Buddha and absolved him of his Tavatimsa promise.
See Theragatha 157 f.; Theragatha Atthakatha i.276 ff.; Dhammapada Atthakatha i. 96-105, 1.103;