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that time, he was staying at Veņu-vana (in the outskirts of Rajagṛha). He said to his minister,
"You go to Rajagṛha with a thousand men with you and tell the Buddha, Your father King Suddhodana desires to meet you'. You bring him here with you
11.
The minister obeyed the king's order. With one thousand men in his company, he covered a distance of 60 yojnas and arrived at Veņu-vana in Rajagṛha. At that time, the Buddha was delivering a sermon in a four-fold assembly comprising of the monks, nuns and male and female followers. The minister and his 1000 men entered into the vihara. Without communicating the message they stood in one corner and became engrossed in listening. Standing there, the minister and his 1000 attained arhat - hood. They prayed to the Buddha for their own initiation into his order. The Buddha extended his hand and said,
'Oh bhiksus! You are welcome".
In a moment, as if by magic, all of them became equipped with the begging bowl and cloth and looked like a-hundred-year-old sthaviras. In becoming an arhat, one attains the middle state. This happened to the minister and his 1000, and they forgot to deliver the invitation sent by the king to the Buddha.
The minister did neither deliver the king's message to the Buddha, nor did he go back to his city. After waiting for some time, the king sent another minister with a thousand men with him as before. They too became arhats and did not come back to report. Thereafter, in succession, the king sent out more ministers, in all nine, with a thousand men with each; but all of them became involved in their own spiritual growth, and no one came back to report to the king. The king became very anxious, Thought he,
'All these men had so much affection for me, but none returned to give me any tiding. In this situation, who will obey my orders'? In deep anxiety, he looked at his council. His eyes fell on Kalaudai. Kālaudai was very dear to the king, very faithful, on whom the king depended in all matters. He was born on the same day with the Bodhisattva. Both were great friends in their childhood. Addressing Kalaudai, the king said,
