Buddha used his wisdom to enlighten the ascetic Uruvela Kassapa to understand the path to escape suffering

Before meeting the Buddha, Uruvela Kassapa and his two brothers were great Brahmins. Uruvela believed only in scriptures, doctrines, and Vedas, worshiped the fire god, gathered thousands of followers, and specialized in providing shelter for hermits during the rainy season.

But when they met the Buddha who enlightened them with wisdom through very ordinary situations, Uruvela and his two brothers and thousands of monks escaped from the path of delusion, realizing that the path they had been on for so long was wrong, without even realizing it. Uruvela boldly abandoned his own illusions, abandoned his own prejudices, and sought the path to liberation from suffering through the wisdom that the Buddha had attained.

Here is the story of Uruvela and the Buddha exchanging enlightened knowledge

Uruvela: Why are you sitting here? Today I told my disciples that I don't know where you are anymore.

Buddha: I don't want to stay there anymore.

Uruvela: Why?

Buddha: You are teaching your disciples. If I put the question before your disciples like that, wouldn't it be difficult for you?

Uruvela: Now that there are only two of us, you can frankly say what you want to say. You have mentioned a few things related to suffering.

Buddha: Do you think suffering is real? Do you also believe that there is a cause behind suffering?

Uruvela: Yes.

Buddha: If there is a cause that gives rise to suffering, then when that cause is gone, suffering will also be gone. Just like the sun can dispel darkness.

Uruvela: I believe that what you say is true, it is just that your experience comes from your own. Those theories are not recorded in the Dharma system. He said that there is a path that leads us to liberation. Observe your own wisdom and go deep into meditation. Thanks to that, people can understand themselves and understand all living beings. But I have a question, are religious rituals such as miracles and sacrifices of little benefit?

Buddha: Suppose someone wants to go to the other side of the river, then what should they do?

Uruvela: I think like this, if the river is shallow, they can wade across, but if the water is too deep, they have to row a boat or swim across the river.

Buddha: What if he doesn't want to wade across the river, doesn't want to swim across the river, doesn't want to row a boat across the river? Then he can only pray to the gods. When he prays like that, will the other side of the river appear under his feet?

Uruvela: This kind of person we call a fool, a great fool.

Buddha: Likewise, if a person uses wisdom to overcome desire and ignorance, how can he not find the truth and the path to liberation? If he only cares about praying or making sacrifices, he will forever be stuck in the same place. He cannot step out of the starting line.

Uruvela: I have read many scriptures, and have learned from many teachers, but no one has ever used simple words and forms to explain the mysterious truth of life. Never before has there been one. You have always led mankind toward the supreme truth. You are so compassionate. O Buda, the Enlightened One, please accept me as your disciple.

Uruvela: O Mighty One, O man of the age. Today we take refuge in Buda. Today we take refuge in the Dharma. Today we take refuge in the entire Sangha. Time is like flowing water. You are the boat that takes us across the sea of ​​suffering.