Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c14.s2.t6.2

v1.c14.s2.t6.2

On the occasion of Buddha's first visit to Rājagaha in the second year after enlightenment, he stayed at Laṭṭhivana, five miles from the town. It was here that Bimbisāra with his ministers, courtiers, and village-headmen came to meet him. Buddha's youthful appearance led them to think that he was a disciple of the hoary-headed Uruvelakassapa who had been the leader of the Jaṭilas, and accompanied Buddha to Laṭṭhivana. But Uruvelakassapa's homage to Buddha in their presence belied their impression. The youthful Buddha with his sonorous voice explained the first principles of Buddhism, the *anicca* (transitoriness) and *anattā* (essencelessness) of the five *khandhas* (constituents of being), and brought home to the mind of the king and his attendants that the religion preached by Buddha had excellences, by virtue of which it could lay claim of superiority to other religions of the time.¹