The emperor Prasenjita has come to offer Gautam Buddha some flowers out of season. And at the same time a great philosopher, whom Prasenjita has up to now believed to be his teacher, has come with Prasenjita.
Prasenjita introduced his teacher, Maulingaputta, and said to Gautam Buddha, ”I offer my gratitude that you are staying in my kingdom; just let me know if anything is needed by the great assembly of monks. One thing more I ask you: I have brought my teacher, Maulingaputta, and he has come with his five hundred followers. He is a great philosopher, a man of tremendous knowledge, very articulate in discussing things. I pray to you to give him a chance to discuss ultimate problems with
you.”
Gautam Buddha turned to Maulingaputta and said, ”I am ready. But are you ready?”
Maulingaputta could not understand what readiness was needed.
Gautam Buddha said, ”Readiness means, are you capable of being silent, utterly silent, not a single thought passing through your mind?”
He said, ”Thought is my life, I am a thinker; philosophy is my profession. All that I know about mind is that it is a thinking process. Beyond that I don’t know any silence you are talking about.”
Then Buddha said, ”You are not ready. And it will be a very strange conversation. From the hilltop I will be shouting to you, and from the dark valleys you will be answering me – without understanding me. So first, let us come to a point where our consciousnesses are at the same level.”
Prasenjita said, ”Gautam Buddha is right. But what is to be done?”
Gautam Buddha said, ”Nothing has to be done. Just sit silently by my side for two years. Many people will come and go, and ask – you don’t bother about anything. Your work is simply to watch and be silent. Not a single word for two years.”
At this moment Mahakashyapa, sitting under a tree, started laughing hysterically, could not manage… The whole assembly was shocked – they had never heard him even speak, he did not speak to anybody.
Maulingaputta said, ”Why is your disciple laughing?”
Buddha said, ”You can ask him yourself.”
Mahakashyapa said, ”I am laughing because this fellow is tricky. He tricked me also, in the same way he is trying it on you. But now he has become old, so he is saying only two years; I had to remain silent for twenty years. If you really want to ask the questions, ask now. After two years it will be too late.”
