The Buddha's Early Followers - GENERAL SIHA: The Challenger of the Buddha

Exploring the Lives of Shakyamuni Buddha’s Disciples and Their Struggles:

 Who were Shakyamuni Buddha’s followers? Let us look at well-known ordained and lay disciples who also struggled with ignorance, greed, and anger.

General SiHa: The Challenger of the Buddha

Vesali, the capital of the Vajji confederation, was one of the greatest cities in India in Shakyamuni’s time, a commercial center on a par with Rajagaha and Sarathi. Shakyamuni began visiting Vesali to preach soon after attaining enlightenment. Many townspeople were converted to Buddhism, and they built a monastery called the Gabled Hall in a forest outside the city. At the time of this story, Shakyamuni was staying there.

The nobles of the Vajji confederation were holding a meeting in the public hall of Vesali. The hall was crowded with representatives from across the country. During a discussion of public affairs, someone mentioned the holy man Shakyamuni, after which many in the assembly praised him and his teachings.

"The Buddha, the Dharma he teaches, and his Sangha are truly wonderful. He must be an enlightened sage."

“Even the king of neighboring Magadha has become a follower of Shakyamuni."

One man sat silently, listening attentively to all that was said. This impressive figure was General Siha, renowned throughout the Vajji confederation and a pious follower of Jainism for many years. There were many supporters of Jainism in the area; in fact, the founder of the religion, Nigantha-Nataputta, was a scion of the royal house of Vajji.

General Siha, hearing Shakyamuni so highly praised by so many, was eager to meet him, for he was curious about just what Shakyamuni taught. That very day, on his way home, General Siha visited Nigantha-Nataputta, his religious master. "Reverend sir," he said, "the fame of the holy man Shakyamuni is very great. I should like to visit him and hear his teaching." General Siha said this, hoping to refute Shakyamuni. But the Jain master coldly forbade a visit to Shakyamuni, saying, "General Siha, Shakyamuni is nothing but an advocate of inaction who denies the possibility of free will or self-determined action of any kind. What need is there for you, a follower of the orthodox Jain teachings, to listen to such false doctrines?" General Siha, having been rebuked by his teacher, had no choice but to abandon his plan to meet Shakyamuni.

At the next assembly, again the holy man Shakyamuni's praises were on everyone's lips, and when the same thing happened at the following assembly, as well, General Siha was no longer able to suppress his curiosity. He hurried home and set out, accompanied by many attendants, to visit the Buddha, who was preaching at the Gabled Hall.

As General Siha listened to the Buddha, he was overcome with such emotion that his body trembled. The Buddha's countenance was gentle and noble, and his body appeared to be surrounded by a spiritual radiance. He noticed General Siha standing at a distance, gazing at him steadily. The Buddha smiled and beckoned General Siha to a seat near him. The general bowed reverently.

"General Siha, do you have something you wish to say to me, or some question you wish to ask?" General Siha looked intently at the Buddha and said, "I have been told by teachers of other religions that the holy man Shakyamuni is one who preaches inaction, saying that people are pawns of fate and are incapable of free, self-determined action. Or that you are an annihilationist, who teaches that nothing remains after death; or that you are one who teaches hatred of this world. Are these statements true, or are they just slander?"

The Buddha replied gently, "General Siha, I do not know in what sense these statements by other teachers should be understood. If they are to be taken in the following sense, then I agree with them. I teach the avoidance of evil in thought, word, and deed. In that sense I am indeed an advocate of inaction. Furthermore, I teach that evil actions can be annihilated by destroying the roots of greed, anger, and ignorance within people's hearts. To that extent I may be said to be an annihilationist. And finally, I do indeed abhor all evil actions, and in that sense, I may be said to hate the world."

General Siha was deeply impressed by the skill of the Buddha's reply. Without so much as a word of direct criticism of other religious teachers, he managed to use their ill-intentioned remarks to expound his own teaching.

"This is an extraordinary man," thought General Siha as he put another question: "Some religious teachers say that you are an extreme ascetic who reaches the mortification of the body; others say you are a quietist, approving of the quest for consolation. Are either of these evaluations correct?"

"General Siha, I am one who ceaselessly practices discipline in order to cut the roots of evil in thought, word, and deed. In that sense, I am an ascetic. And I advocate such ceaseless practice in order that people may be led to the realm of perfect peace. In that sens,e I preach the quest for consolation."

As he listened to the Buddha reply so calmly and reasonably, a feeling of absolute trust arose in General Siha. He thought, "The holy man Shakyamuni is indeed one who has perceived the truth. He is surely a Buddha, who through the power of wisdom and compassion changes all that is defiled into purity and all evil karma into good." Full of joy, he bowed reverently and earnestly addressed the Buddha again: "World-honored One, you have shown the true Dharma to me, a follower of another path, like raising a fallen tree or showing the way to a man who is lost. You are the supreme sage, the Buddha. Please allow me to become your follower, to take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha."

To his surprise, however, the Buddha refused his request, "General Siha, you are an eminent leader in this land. You are a well-known, high-ranking supporter of the Jain faith. It would be best for you to consider well before you become my follower."

General Siha could hardly believe his ears. When he had become a Jain, the monks of that order had gone through the streets with raised banners announcing the conversion of so influential and noble a man. Yet the Buddha urged him to reflect carefully before he became a Buddhist. Deeply moved, he thought, "The Buddha does not consider the possible profit to his own order; he thinks only of the salvation of his hearer. He seeks only the spread of the true Dharma."

Again, General Siha bowed low before the Buddha and repeated his request: "Your words have only served to confirm my faith, World-honored One. I wish to take refuge in the Three Treasures. I shall not deviate from this resolve as long as I live. Please accept me as a lay disciple."

But still the Buddha would not agree. "General Siha, for many years you have generously supported the Jain monks; you must not now cease giving them offerings. You have great influence, so before you think of entering a new path, you must consider carefully the effect your acts will have on those who depend on you."

General Siha was abashed at these words. The Jain monks had been slandering the Buddha, saying that he taught that only those who made offerings to the Buddhist Sangha would gain merit and that there was no merit in supporting the monks of other paths. In fact, though, far from working only for the benefit of his own order, the Buddha had told General Siha that he should continue to support the Jain monks even if he became a Buddhist. What could better exemplify the spirit of charity, of true religion and virtue?

Firm in his resolve, for the third time, he paid reverence to the Buddha and spoke: "Hearing the Buddha's words, my faith is as firm as a rock. Now, for the third time, I take refuge in the Three Treasures and vow to continue the good work of making offerings to the Jain monks as long as I live. Please accept me as a lay disciple."

Having been accepted, General Siha immediately asked to make offerings of food, and the Buddha agreed. Early the following morning, General Siha and his servants welcomed Shakyamuni and his disciples and led them to a hall where places had been set, and the finest foods laid out. When the meal was over, and the Buddha was about to preach, General Siha called together all the members of his household and asked the Buddha about the merits of making offerings.

The Buddha responded, "Those who give generously to people in need obtain the following four practical benefits. First, they will be loved and respected by many because of their generosity. Second, they will be loved by people of excellence because of their generosity. Third, they will be praised by others for their generosity. Fourth, they will feel neither fear nor shame toward others on account of their generosity. In addition to these four practical benefits, General Siha, there is also the future benefit of being reborn in the heavenly realms after death as a reward for generosity in this life."

General Siha listened attentively to the Buddha's words and then said, "I knew of the four practical benefits attached to the practice of making offerings, but I had never learned of a future benefit. You have told us that one who gives generously will be reborn in the heavenly realms. Starting this very day, I shall, with complete faith in what the Buddha preaches, practice as you instruct me."

The Buddha then taught General Siha and his household the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The general and his household, encountering the Buddhist teaching for the first time, were filled with joy. General Siha's daughter-in-law, Yasomati, made a request of the general: “Father, I too would like to perform a meritorious deed. Is there not some way for me to do so?" The general knew that Yasomati was a talented and virtuous young woman, so he invited the Buddha and his disciples to breakfast again the next morning, this time in her name. After hearing the Buddha preach again, she developed a strong desire for enlightenment and resolved to give generously to the Sangha thereafter.

General Siha's niece, also named Siha, was deeply moved and asked her uncle for permission to enter the Sangha as a nun. The general agreed, and the Buddha admitted her. According to the Therigatha, Siha devoted herself to the rigorous practice of meditation for a full seven years but was unable to attain enlightenment due to the strength of her remaining worldly attachments. Despairing, she went alone deep into the forest, tied a rope to a tree branch, and prepared to hang herself. At that very moment, her delusions fell away, and she attained enlightenment. She lived a long life and was revered by all as an accomplished nun.

So it happened that General Siha and his household, once fervent Jains, became devout Buddhists. After his conversion, General Siha continued to perform charitable works and was held in the highest regard by the Vajji people.

This article is based on Disciples of the Buddha, edited by Zenno Ishigami (Kosei Publishing Co., 1989).