#(Buddha) 15 Visit To Varanasi Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

About Samadhi Buddha said,

“My mind is released from:
The defilement of earthly existence,
The defilement of sensual pleasures,
The defilement of heresy,
The defilement of ignorance.”

Two merchants, Tapussa and Bhallika,
Under the Bodhi-tree, met Buddha,
And in his supreme presence,
They became his first disciples.

To Varanasi, he then moved.
On the way, it so happened
He met an ascetic wanderer,
Who asked about his teacher.

Buddha replied, “I’m the Victor
Also the world’s conqueror,
Superior to gods and men,
An All-Enlightened one.
Beholden to no teacher.”

The wandering ascetic got
Puzzled at his quick retort.
“Is it so, ” saying only this,
He silently left the place.

At Deer Park, Varanasi,
He met the five monks,
Mahanaman, Kaundinya,
Asvajit, Bhadrajit and Vaspa.

Earlier they were averse
To his liberal austerities,
But now they recognized
The same and followed.

Buddha told his disciples,
“Don’t go into the details
About the origin of the world
Or the existence of God.”

“Such investigations
Will be of no use
As they’ll distract
Easily the mind-set.”

His magnetic personality
And also his simplicity,
Attracted many followers,
Who came in thousands.