History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c13.s2.3

c13.s2.3

The description of Pūraṇa’s suicide is contained in the commentary to the *Dhammapada*,¹ and in the *Divyâvadāna*.² A Tibetan version of the story also exists.³ The first version differs from the two latter in several particulars, and is considerably briefer. In the Pāli version an unnamed *seṭṭhi* of Rājagaha is said to have suspended a bowl by a cord sixty feet in the air, and to have invited holy-men of all sects to fly up and bring it down, offering to become the disciple of the successful competitor. On six successive days the six heretics tried to persuade the *seṭṭhi* to give them the bowl, but refused to put their magic powers to the test. On the seventh day the bowl was retrieved by the *bhikkhu* Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, who gave a remarkable display of levitation. On hearing the news of his disciple’s feat the Buddha reproached him, and forbade the repetition of such miraculous displays.