The story of Culasubhadda

 The story of Culasubhadda

Anathapindika and Ugga, rich people from Ugga, studied under the guidance of the same teacher when they were both young. Ugga has a son and Anathapindika has a daughter. When their children are grown enough, Ugga asks Anathapindika's approval to marry their two children. Thus the wedding was held, and Culasubhadda, Anathapindika's daughter, had to stay at her father in law's house.

Ugga and his family are followers of the ascetic not disciples of the Buddha. Someday they invited the ascetic to his home. On that occasion, Ugga asked Culasubhadda, to pay tribute to the bare ascetic not the disciple of the Buddha, but he always refused to fulfill it. Instead, he told his mother-in-law about the Buddha and his noble traits.

Culasubhadda's mother-in-law, was eager to meet the Buddha, after she was told about the Buddha by her daughter-in-law. He even approved the request of Culasubhadda inviting the Buddha to receive food fund at his home.

Culasubhadda prepared food and collected other offerings for the Buddha and his disciples. 

Then he climbed to the most high place in his home and looked towards Vihara Jetavana. He made offering flowers and incense and contemplated the noble properties and virtues of the Buddha. He then uttered his wish, ′′ Bhante! May this make Bhante willing to come, together with the students of Bhante, to our home tomorrow. I, a devoted layman, respectfully invited Bhante. May my wish be known by Bhante through this symbol and attitude."

Then he took eight grasp of jasmine and spread it to the sky. The flowers are floating in the air towards Vihara Jetavana and are located hanging on the ceiling of the meeting room where the Buddha is spreading the Dhamma. At the end of his preaching, Anathapindika, Culasubhadda's father, approached the Buddha to invite receiving food funds at his home tomorrow.

The Buddha replied that he has accepted the Culasubhadda invitation for tomorrow. 

Anathapindika confused with the Buddha's answer and said, ′′ But, Bhante! Culasubhadda doesn't live in Savatthi here, he lives in Ugga which is one hundred and twenty yojana from here." To him the Buddha said, ′′ True, the household, but his kindness clearly looks real as if it was present even though it may be at a long distance ."

Then the Buddha reported the poem 304 following:

Though from afar,

good people will look shining

Like the top of the Himalayan mountain.

But, despite being close,

bad people will not be seen,

like an arrow

which is released at night.

The next day, the Buddha came to Ugga's house, Culasubhadda's father in law. The Buddha accompanied by five hundred monks on this journey, they all came through the air in a decorated boat created at the order of Sakka, King of the gods. Seeing the Buddha in his splendor and grandeur, Culasubhadda's father-in-law was impressed and they paid tribute to the Buddha. For the next seven days, Ugga and his family gave food and made offerings to the Buddha and his disciples.

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Notes:

Anathapindika has 1 sons named Kala, and 3 daughters named Mahasubhadda, Culasubhadda, and Sumana (Sumanadevi). While Culasubhadda was still living in her parent s' house, with her elder sister she was working on the food distribution to monks at Anathapindika's house. Culasubhadda reached the level of sanctity of Sotapatti while still living in her parent s' house.