An arahant. He was born in the family of a householder of Báhiya (Ap.ii.476 says he was born in Bhárukaccha) - hence his name - and engaged himself in trade, voyaging in a ship. Seven times he sailed down the Indus and across the sea and returned safely home. On the eighth occasion, while on his way to Suvannabhúmi, his ship was wrecked, and he floated ashore on a plank, reaching land near Suppáraka. Having lost all his clothes, he made himself a bark garment, and went about, bowl in hand, for alms in Suppáraka. Men, seeing his garment and struck with his demeanour, paid him great honour. Though they offered him costly robes and many other luxuries, he refused them all and his fame increased. Because of his bark garment he was known as Dárucíriya. In due course he came himself to believe that he had attained arahantship, but a devatá (a Suddhávása-brahmá, who had been his fellow celibate in the time of Kassapa Buddha, says the Commentary, see below and also MA.i.340), reading his thoughts and wishing him well, pointed out to him his error and advised him to seek the Buddha at Sávatthi. By the power of the devatá, Báhiya reached Sávatthi in one night, a distance of one hundred and twenty leagues, and was told that the Buddha was in the city begging alms. Báhiya followed him thither and begged to be taught something for his salvation. Twice he asked and twice the Buddha refused, saying that it was not the hour for teaching. But Báhiya insisted, saying that life was uncertain and that the Buddha or he might die.
The Commentaries say that Báhiya was excited by his meeting with the Buddha and that the Buddha wished to give him time to regain his calm, hence his refusal. The Buddha knew of his impending death and of his upanissaya for arahantship. He was a pacchimabhavika.
The Buddha then taught him the proper method of regarding all sense experiences - namely, as experiences and no more. Even as he listened, Báhiya became an arahant and the Buddha left him. Shortly after, Báhiya was gored to death by a cow with calf (cp. the story of Pukkusáti). The Buddha, seeing his body lying on the dung heap, asked the monks to remove it and to have it burnt, erecting a thúpa over the remains. In the assembly he declared Báhiya to be foremost among those who instantly comprehended the Truth (khippábhiññánam) (A.i.24; Ud.i.10).
Báhiya's resolve to attain to this eminence was made in the time of Padumuttara Buddha when he heard the Buddha declare a monk foremost in instantaneous comprehension. In the time of Kassapa Buddha, when the Buddha's teachings were fading from the minds of men, Báhiya was one of seven monks who climbed a rock, determined not to leave it until they had attained their goal. Their leader became an arahant and the second an anágámí - passing into the Suddhávása world; the rest were reborn in this age as Pukkusáti, Kumára Kassapa, Dabba-Mallaputta, Sabhiya and Báhiya. Although Báhiya had kept the precepts in previous births, he had never given a bowl or a robe to a monk. For this reason the Buddha did not, at the end of his sermon, ordain him by the "ehi bhikkhu pabbajá." The Buddha knew that Báhiya had not sufficient merit to obtain divine robes. Some say that he was once a brigand and had shot a Pacceka Buddha with an arrow and had taken possession of the Pacceka Buddha's begging bowl and robe.
Báhiya met his death while searching for a robe in which to be ordained (UdA.77ff.; AA.i.156ff.; DhA.ii.209ff.; Ap.ii.475ff). The cow, which killed Báhiya was identical with the one which killed Pukkusáti, Tambadáthika and Suppabuddha (for her story see DhA.ii.35f).
The Commentaries say that Báhiya was excited by his meeting with the Buddha and that the Buddha wished to give him time to regain his calm, hence his refusal. The Buddha knew of his impending death and of his upanissaya for arahantship. He was a pacchimabhavika.
The Buddha then taught him the proper method of regarding all sense experiences - namely, as experiences and no more. Even as he listened, Báhiya became an arahant and the Buddha left him. Shortly after, Báhiya was gored to death by a cow with calf (cp. the story of Pukkusáti). The Buddha, seeing his body lying on the dung heap, asked the monks to remove it and to have it burnt, erecting a thúpa over the remains. In the assembly he declared Báhiya to be foremost among those who instantly comprehended the Truth (khippábhiññánam) (A.i.24; Ud.i.10).
Báhiya's resolve to attain to this eminence was made in the time of Padumuttara Buddha when he heard the Buddha declare a monk foremost in instantaneous comprehension. In the time of Kassapa Buddha, when the Buddha's teachings were fading from the minds of men, Báhiya was one of seven monks who climbed a rock, determined not to leave it until they had attained their goal. Their leader became an arahant and the second an anágámí - passing into the Suddhávása world; the rest were reborn in this age as Pukkusáti, Kumára Kassapa, Dabba-Mallaputta, Sabhiya and Báhiya. Although Báhiya had kept the precepts in previous births, he had never given a bowl or a robe to a monk. For this reason the Buddha did not, at the end of his sermon, ordain him by the "ehi bhikkhu pabbajá." The Buddha knew that Báhiya had not sufficient merit to obtain divine robes. Some say that he was once a brigand and had shot a Pacceka Buddha with an arrow and had taken possession of the Pacceka Buddha's begging bowl and robe.
Báhiya met his death while searching for a robe in which to be ordained (UdA.77ff.; AA.i.156ff.; DhA.ii.209ff.; Ap.ii.475ff). The cow, which killed Báhiya was identical with the one which killed Pukkusáti, Tambadáthika and Suppabuddha (for her story see DhA.ii.35f).
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