The text from which the following selections is drawn is Nagarjuna's Exegesis on The Great Perfection of Wisdom (Mahaapraj~naapaaramitaa Upadesha) which is an immense exegesis to the Mahaapraj~naapaaramitaa Sutra in 25,000 lines. Classically, it is preserved only in a 100-fascicle Chinese edition translated from Sanskrit in 405 CE by Kumarajiva, the brilliant and prolific translator-monk who was the premier transmitter to the Chinese of the Maadhyamika teachings of Nagarjuna. Although presented in the form of an exegesis, it is actually a compendium of Dharma jewels as interpreted by one of the most illustrious Indian masters of the Middle Way and is rendered directly from the Chinese.

In the past, there was a king of the Solar clan named "Lion Jaws". The king had four sons. The first was named "Pure Rice". The second was named "White Rice" . The third was named "Bushel-of-Rice". The fourth was named "Sweet-Dew-Rice". There was a daughter named "Sweet-Dew-Flavor". The Pure Rice King had two sons, the Buddha and Nanda. The White Rice King had two sons, Badhrika and Ti.sya. The "Bushel-of-Rice King" had two sons, Devadatta and Ananda. The Sweet-Dew-Rice King had two sons, , Mahaanaaman and Aniruddha. The daughter, "Sweet Dew" had a son named Daanapaala.

Siddharta Bodhisattva gradually grew up among these people and rejected the station of the sagely wheel-turning king. In the middle of the night he left behind the homelife and went to the banks of the Nairañjanaa River in the state of Uruvilvaa. For six hears he cultivated ascetic practices.

At this time , because the Pure Rice King lovingly remembered his son he constantly sent messengers to ask after him. He desired to know the news: "Has my son gained the way or not? Has he become ill or has he died?"

The messengers came and addressed the king, "The Bodhisattva only has skin and bones and ligaments holding them together. That's all. His life force has become very fragile and weak. Whether it's today or whether it's tomorrow is uncertain, but he will not have much longer."

When the king heard their words, he was greatly distressed and his thoughts were sunken in the sea of worry and affliction: "My son not only failed to become the wheel-turning king, he was also unable to gain Buddhahood. What utterly tragic suffering that he should gain nothing whatsoever and then die!" Thus he was afflicted with anguish, lost in desolation and paralyzed with bewilderment.

At this time the bodhisattva abandoned the site of his ascetic practices and partook of the many-flavored Rice Gruel with Milk whereupon his body was sustained. After bathing in the waters of the Nairañjanaa he proceeded to the bodhi tree and sat beneath it on the adamantine seat , vowing to himself, "Without breaking away from this full-lotus posture I must succeed in realizing omniscience. If I do not realize omniscience, I shall never get up."

At this time the King of the Maras led a multitude followers, eighteen ko.tis in number, to the site where the Bodhisattva sat, daring to test his attainment. On account of the power of the Bodhisattva's wisdom he utterly vanquished the demon armies. Mara was no match for him and in making his retreat, thought to himself, "As I cannot overcome the Bodhisattva, I'll go afflict his father."

He then went to the place of the Pure Rice King and intending to deceive him, announced, "This very night, in the very last watch, your son was finally finished." When the king heard these words, he collapsed onto his bed, agonizing like a fish stranded on hot sand. The king wept pitifully and then uttered a verse:

Those spurious words pronounced by Ajita,-- A propitious omen with no validation. An auspicious entitlement assuring achievements,-- But nothing whatsoever was finally gained.

At this time the tree-spirit of the Bodhi Tree was in a state of great joy and, taking heavenly mandaara flowers, went to the place of the Pure Rice King and spoke forth a verse:

Your son has already gained the Way. The hordes of demons have been broken and scattered. His brilliant light is like the rising sun Everywhere illumining the ten direction lands.

The King said, "Earlier, there was a diety who came and said, 'Your son is already finished.' Now you come and say that he has destroyed the demons and gained the Way. These two pronouncements are contradictory. Whose can be believed?"

The tree-spirit continued, "These are true, not false words. That diety who came earlier and who attempted to deceive you by saying, 'He's finished.' was a demon who, because he was overcome with jealousy, came to afflict you. Today, the gods, dragons and spirits make offerings with flowers and incense and suspend celebratory banners in the sky. Your son's body is issuing light which illumines heaven and earth."

When the king heard these words his mind gained liberation from all anguish and affliction. The King declared, "Although my son forsook the wheel-turning kingship, as he has now attained the Dharma-wheel-turning kingship, he has certainly gained great benefit and nothing has been lost." The King was greatly delighted.

At this time a messenger arrived from the abode of the Bushel-of-Rice King and addressed the Pure Rice King [the Buddha's father], saying, "Your Highness your younger brother has fathered a son."

The King was greatly delighted and said, "Today is greatly auspicious. It is a day of rejoicing." He said to the messenger who had come, "This boy should be named Ananda ("Rejoicing")." This is how the name was given by the parents.

If the above is such, then Ananda is the Buddha's cousin, not his brother.

SEE ALSO:
Ananda's Search For Mind In Seven Locations

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