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Sacred portrait of Arahant Mukongso

THE ARAHANT · LINEAGE

Arahant Mukongso

A great accomplished master from the Majapahit era

Tradition holds that he was born in Java around 1500 as Asta Paka, the One Perfect in the Noble Eightfold Path. He travelled from Java to Bali, where he propagated the esoteric Dharma of Mahayana Buddhism and guided sentient beings. In his later years, his body dissolved into rainbow light as he attained the fruition of an Arahant and received the revered name Mukongso.

The outflows are exhausted · The holy life is established · The task is accomplished · There is no further becoming

SEVEN CHAPTERS

From Asta Paka to Arahant Mukongso

Across seven chapters, follow the master’s complete life story: his departure from Java, his teaching in Bali and his eventual attainment of Arahantship.

Arahant Mukongso Biography 1Click to enlarge

CHAPTER 01 · ARAHANT MUKONGSO BIOGRAPHY 1

A Disciple Complete in the Noble Eightfold Path

Around the year 1500, as the Majapahit Empire entered a period of decline, there lived within the empire a Buddhist high priest known as Venerable Angsoka (Dang Hyang Angsoka). He had a son named Asta Paka, whose name signifies perfection in the Noble Eightfold Path. In body, speech and mind, he embodied Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. Gifted with exceptional intelligence and literary ability, he was well versed in the Brahmanical scriptures and had also mastered the Mahayana Buddhist Tripitaka without obstruction. People respectfully called him Venerable Asta Paka.

Arahant Mukongso Biography 2Click to enlarge

CHAPTER 02 · ARAHANT MUKONGSO BIOGRAPHY 2

An Invitation from King Waturenggong

During the same period, Bali’s great King Waturenggong wished to hold a kingdom-wide ceremony of blessing. According to the tradition handed down through generations, the ceremony had to be presided over by the two most authoritative Brahmanical and Buddhist high priests. At that time, the foremost Brahmanical priest was Venerable Nirartha (Dang Hyang Nirartha), the younger brother of Venerable Angsoka. Many Brahmanical temples in Bali had been established by Venerable Nirartha, and the king placed complete trust in him. King Waturenggong had also long heard of Venerable Angsoka’s authority in Buddhism, so he dispatched an envoy to the Majapahit Empire to invite him to represent the Buddhist tradition as high priest of the ceremony.

Arahant Mukongso Biography 3Click to enlarge

CHAPTER 03 · ARAHANT MUKONGSO BIOGRAPHY 3

The Son Sets Forth in His Father’s Place

The empire, however, was then in decline. Venerable Angsoka was overwhelmed by affairs at home and, being advanced in age, could no longer endure the difficult journey to Bali. He replied to the envoy: ‘I have a son named Asta Paka whose accomplishment in the Dharma has already surpassed my own. If it is acceptable, I would like him to preside over the ceremony in my place.’ The envoy pleaded with him repeatedly, but Venerable Angsoka’s decision was firm. Bound by the royal command yet left with no alternative, the envoy finally accepted his proposal and agreed to bring Venerable Asta Paka back to answer the king’s summons. Thus, after receiving his father’s blessing and permission, Venerable Asta Paka departed with the Balinese envoy and began his journey to Bali.

Arahant Mukongso Biography 4Click to enlarge

CHAPTER 04 · ARAHANT MUKONGSO BIOGRAPHY 4

The Test Devised by the King and His Ministers

As Venerable Asta Paka approached Bali, King Waturenggong received word that Venerable Angsoka could not come. The king, royal family and ministers knew little about the young master who would arrive in his place, and many began to question his ability. One minister proposed: ‘Why do we not test this venerable master and see whether he is qualified to preside over the great ceremony?’ The king asked how such a test might be carried out. The minister replied: ‘There is an ancient well. Let us place two grey geese inside, cover the well with a great stone, and ask the venerable master what lies within. Would this not serve?’ The king and ministers agreed. Everything was prepared as they waited for the master’s arrival.

Arahant Mukongso Biography 5Click to enlarge

CHAPTER 05 · ARAHANT MUKONGSO BIOGRAPHY 5

The Geese Become a Golden Dragon

When the venerable master arrived in Bali, the king and ministers were already waiting. Asta Paka paid his respects to King Waturenggong and explained why his father, Venerable Angsoka, could not make the journey. The king replied: ‘Venerable sir, everyone throughout the empire knows the depth of your father’s attainment in the Dharma, and he was personally recommended by Venerable Nirartha. Yet what of your own accomplishment?’ On hearing the question, the ministers immediately proposed the test they had arranged. Asta Paka answered, ‘I shall do my utmost.’ He then sat cross-legged upon the ground facing the ancient well and gradually entered profound meditative absorption. The king and ministers fixed their attention upon him, waiting to hear his answer. After some time, he opened his eyes, emerged from meditation and said, ‘There is a golden dragon in this well.’ The king and ministers burst into laughter and said, ‘It appears you do not equal your father. We placed two geese inside; how could there be a dragon?’ Unperturbed, the master calmly told the king, ‘Have the stone removed, and you will know whether there are geese or a dragon.’ Wishing to prove the master wrong, the king ordered his men to move the great stone. As the soldiers lifted it away, golden light flared from the well and a thunderous dragon’s roar rang out. A great golden dragon rose from the well, circled in the sky and then flew to the master, coiling around him. The king and every minister were astonished. All who witnessed the event developed profound faith in the master and no longer dared to doubt him.

Arahant Mukongso Biography 6Click to enlarge

CHAPTER 06 · ARAHANT MUKONGSO BIOGRAPHY 6

The Dragon King Who Guides Beings to the Far Shore

The master then explained that this dragon king was called Naga Banda, also known as the Dragon King of the Far Shore. In time to come, the dragon king would protect Bali. At the end of life, members of the royal family and their ministers would be guided by him across the sea of death to the farther shore. It is said that this event gave rise to the Balinese Ngaben rite for the deceased: the departed is placed within a vessel carved with the form of a dragon king and cremated, symbolising the dragon king guiding the spirit across the sea of death toward rebirth. After this event, Venerable Asta Paka became renowned throughout Bali and the local people developed immeasurable faith in him. He frequently taught the esoteric Dharma of Mahayana Buddhism, gradually establishing its lineage on the island. During this time, he also subdued many local spirits and deities. One by one, they came to follow his path of practice and became his Dharma protectors and retinue.

Arahant Mukongso Biography 7Click to enlarge

CHAPTER 07 · ARAHANT MUKONGSO BIOGRAPHY 7

Attaining Arahantship as the Body Dissolves into Rainbow Light

After many years of teaching, the master’s disciples could be found throughout Bali. One day, while resting upon a rock high in the mountains, he saw a red ray shine from the sky and converge upon a place below. He walked towards it and found the ground covered in red lotuses of extraordinary fragrance. At once he understood that this would become the place of his future practice. Before long, he established a Buddhist temple there and lived within it for many years. In his later life, while in meditation, a light appeared and spoke to him: ‘You have attained the deathless state. Now relinquish this body and enter the purity of Nirvana.’ Emerging from meditation, the master bathed, changed his robes and called his family and disciples to him, telling them that he would soon enter Nirvana. After giving his final instructions, he sat cross-legged with his hands in the meditation mudra. His body gradually began to shine until it became completely luminous. All the light then gathered into a rainbow beam that surged from the crown of his head into the sky, while his physical body dissolved into empty space. Venerable Asta Paka was the former incarnation of Arahant Mukongso. Upon attaining the fruition of an Arahant, he received the name Mukongso—just as Amitabha Buddha was known as the monk Dharmakara before attaining Buddhahood.

WHAT IS AN ARAHANT

The Four Fulfilments of an Arahant

01

The Outflows Are Exhausted

All defiling outflows—including craving and ignorance—have been completely dried up.

02

The Holy Life Is Established

The sacred life of pure practice has been established and brought to fulfilment.

03

The Task Is Accomplished

Everything that had to be done—the work of practice—has been completed.

04

There Is No Further Becoming

The seeds that give rise to continued existence in samsara have been cut off completely.

An Arahant is not defined solely by the outward form of monastic life. Anyone who has brought practice to fulfilment, exhausted the afflictions and become free from the suffering of samsara may be called an Arahant. The Buddha did not state that only monastics could attain Arahantship; his father, King Suddhodana, attained the fruition of an Arahant at the end of his life while remaining a layperson.