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He is a highly respected Venerable who attained the arahant stage at the age of seven. He possessed remarkable iddhi powers and was renowned for his mastery of the fire element (Tejo Dathu). He achieved Parinibbāna through the flames. See Dabba-Mallaputta Thera
Duṭṭhadosasikkhāpada (Vinaya Pitaka)
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove,
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Venerable Dabba the Mallian realized perfection at the age of seven.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmatā dabbena mallaputtena jātiyā sattavassena arahattaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti.
He had achieved all there is to achieve by a disciple
Yaṁ kiñci sāvakena pattabbaṁ sabbaṁ tena anuppattaṁ hoti.
and had nothing further to do.
Natthi cassa kiñci uttari karaṇīyaṁ, katassa vā paticayo.
Then, while reflecting in private,
Atha kho āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi—
“mayā kho jātiyā sattavassena arahattaṁ sacchikataṁ.
Yaṁ kiñci sāvakena pattabbaṁ sabbaṁ mayā anuppattaṁ.
Natthi ca me kiñci uttari karaṇīyaṁ, katassa vā paticayo.
he thought, “How can I be of service to the Sangha?
Kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ saṅghassa veyyāvaccaṁ kareyyan”ti?
Atha kho āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa etadahosi—
Why don’t I assign the dwellings and designate the meals?”
“yannūnāhaṁ saṅghassa senāsanañca paññapeyyaṁ bhattāni ca uddiseyyan”ti.
- In the evening Dabba came out of seclusion and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down,
Atha kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
and said,
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—
“Sir, while I was reflecting in private, it occurred to me that I’ve achieved all there is to achieve by a disciple, and I was wondering how I could be of service to the Sangha.
“idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi mayā kho jātiyā sattavassena arahattaṁ sacchikataṁ, yaṁ kiñci sāvakena pattabbaṁ, sabbaṁ mayā anupattaṁ, natthi ca me kiñci uttari karaṇīyaṁ, katassa vā paticayo, kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ saṅghassa veyyāvaccaṁ kareyyanti.
I thought,
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi—
‘Why don’t I assign the dwellings and designate the meals?’”
‘yannūnāhaṁ saṅghassa senāsanañca paññapeyyaṁ bhattāni ca uddiseyyan’ti.
Icchāmahaṁ, bhante, saṅghassa senāsanañca paññapetuṁ bhattāni ca uddisitun”ti.
“Good, good, Dabba,
“Sādhu sādhu, dabba.
please do so.”
Tena hi tvaṁ, dabba, saṅghassa senāsanañca paññapehi bhattāni ca uddisā”ti.
“Yes.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto bhagavato paccassosi.
Soon afterwards, the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:
Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—
“Monks, the Sangha should appoint Dabba the Mallian as the assigner of dwellings and the designator of meals.
“tena hi, bhikkhave, saṅgho dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ senāsanapaññāpakañca bhattuddesakañca sammannatu.
And he should be appointed like this.
Evañca pana, bhikkhave, sammannitabbo.
First Dabba should be asked.
Paṭhamaṁ dabbo mallaputto yācitabbo.
A competent and capable monk should then inform the Sangha:
Yācitvā byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṅgho ñāpetabbo—
‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.
‘Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho.
If the Sangha is ready, it should appoint Venerable Dabba the Mallian as assigner of dwellings and designator of meals.
Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ saṅgho āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ senāsanapaññāpakañca bhattuddesakañca sammanneyya.
This is the motion.
Esā ñatti.
Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.
Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho.
The Sangha appoints Venerable Dabba the Mallian as assigner of dwellings and designator of meals.
Saṅgho āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ senāsanapaññāpakañca bhattuddesakañca sammannati.
Any monk who approves of appointing Venerable Dabba as assigner of dwellings and designator of meals should remain silent.
Yassāyasmato khamati āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa senāsanapaññāpakassa ca bhattuddesakassa ca sammuti, so tuṇhassa;
Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.
yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya.
The Sangha has appointed Venerable Dabba the Mallian as the assigner of dwellings and designator of meals.
Sammato saṅghena āyasmā dabbo mallaputto senāsanapaññāpako ca bhattuddesako ca.
The Sangha approves and is therefore silent.
Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī,
I’ll remember it thus.’”
evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti.
Dabba assigned dwellings to the monks according to their character.
Sammato ca panāyasmā dabbo mallaputto sabhāgānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ ekajjhaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapeti.
He assigned dwellings in the same place to those monks who were experts on the discourses, thinking,
Ye te bhikkhū suttantikā tesaṁ ekajjhaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapeti—
“They’ll recite the discourses to one another.”
“te aññamaññaṁ suttantaṁ saṅgāyissantī”ti.
And he did likewise for the experts on the Monastic Law, thinking,
Ye te bhikkhū vinayadharā tesaṁ ekajjhaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapeti—
“They’ll discuss the Monastic Law;”
“te aññamaññaṁ vinayaṁ vinicchinissantī”ti.
for the expounders of the Teaching, thinking,
Ye te bhikkhū dhammakathikā tesaṁ ekajjhaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapeti—
“They’ll discuss the Teaching;”
“te aññamaññaṁ dhammaṁ sākacchissantī”ti.
for the meditators, thinking,
Ye te bhikkhū jhāyino tesaṁ ekajjhaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapeti—
“They won’t disturb each other;”
“te aññamaññaṁ na byābādhissantī”ti.
and for the gossips and the body-builders, thinking,
Ye te bhikkhū tiracchānakathikā kāyadaḷhibahulā viharanti tesampi ekajjhaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapeti—
“In this way even these venerables will be happy.”
“imāyapime āyasmanto ratiyā acchissantī”ti.
When monks arrived at night, he entered the fire element and assigned dwellings with the help of that light.
Yepi te bhikkhū vikāle āgacchanti tesampi tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā teneva ālokena senāsanaṁ paññapeti.
Monks even arrived late on purpose,
Apisu bhikkhū sañcicca vikāle āgacchanti—
hoping to see the marvel of Dabba’s supernormal powers.
“mayaṁ āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa iddhipāṭihāriyaṁ passissāmā”ti.
They would approach Dabba and say,
Te āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadanti—
“Venerable Dabba, please assign us a dwelling.”
“amhākaṁ, āvuso dabba, senāsanaṁ paññapehī”ti.
Te āyasmā dabbo mallaputto evaṁ vadeti—
“Where would you like to stay?”
“katthāyasmantā icchanti, kattha paññapemī”ti?
They would intentionally suggest somewhere far away:
Te sañcicca dūre apadisanti—
“On the Vulture Peak,”
“amhākaṁ, āvuso dabba, gijjhakūṭe pabbate senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“At Robbers’ Cliff,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, corapapāte senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“On Black Rock on the slope of Mount Isigili,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“In the Sattapaṇṇi Cave on the slope of Mount Vebhāra,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, vebhārapasse sattapaṇṇiguhāyaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“In Cool Grove on the hill at the Snake’s Pool,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, sītavane sappasoṇḍikapabbhāre senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“At Gotamaka Gorge,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, gotamakakandarāyaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“At Tinduka Gorge,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, tindukakandarāyaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“At Tapoda Gorge,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, tapodakandarāyaṁ senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“In Tapoda Park,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, tapodārāme senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“In Jīvaka’s Mango Grove,”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, jīvakambavane senāsanaṁ paññapehi.
“In the deer park at Maddakucchi.”
Amhākaṁ, āvuso, maddakucchismiṁ migadāye senāsanaṁ paññapehī”ti.
Dabba then entered the fire element, and with his finger glowing, he walked in front of those monks.
Tesaṁ āyasmā dabbo mallaputto tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā aṅguliyā jalamānāya purato purato gacchati.
They followed behind him with the help of that light.
Tepi teneva ālokena āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa piṭṭhito piṭṭhito gacchanti.
His Parinibbāna
Then Venerable Dabba the Mallian went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
Atha kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“Holy One, it is the time for my full extinguishment.”
“parinibbānakālo me dāni, sugatā”ti.
“Please, Dabba, do as you see fit.”
“Yassadāni tvaṁ, dabba, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.
Then Dabba rose from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in midair, entered and withdrew from the fire element before becoming fully extinguished.
Atha kho āyasmā dabbo mallaputto uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe pallaṅkena nisīditvā tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā parinibbāyi.
Then when he was fully quenched while sitting cross-legged in midair, his body burning and combusting left neither ashes nor soot to be found.
Atha kho āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe pallaṅkena nisīditvā tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā parinibbutassa sarīrassa jhāyamānassa ḍayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyittha na masi.
It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found.
Seyyathāpi nāma sappissa vā telassa vā jhāyamānassa ḍayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyati na masi;
evamevaṁ āyasmato dabbassa mallaputtassa vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe pallaṅkena nisīditvā tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā parinibbutassa sarīrassa jhāyamānassa ḍayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyittha na masīti.
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
“The body is broken up, perception has ceased,
“Abhedi kāyo nirodhi saññā,
all feelings have become cool;
Vedanā sītibhaviṁsu sabbā;
choices are stilled,
Vūpasamiṁsu saṅkhārā,
and consciousness come to an end.”
Viññāṇaṁ atthamāgamā”ti.
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
“Just as the glow of iron struck
“Ayoghanahatasseva,
by a hammer in the fire of Jātaveda
jalato jātavedaso;
gradually dissipates,
Anupubbūpasantassa,
its destiny unknown;
yathā na ñāyate gati.
in the same way, for the rightly released,
Evaṁ sammāvimuttānaṁ,
who have crossed the flood of sensual bonds,
kāmabandhoghatārinaṁ;
and attained unshakable happiness,
Paññāpetuṁ gati natthi,
their destiny cannot be found.”
pattānaṁ acalaṁ sukhan”ti.
Venerable Waharaka Thero talks about Parinibbāna by fire in this video.
Start listening at 16 minutes.
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Arahants live mainly to help others attain Nibbana.
- Until the death of their physical bodies, they would have to bear any discomforts, pains, and sicknesses that come naturally to any human body. As long as those are not overbearing, they are willing to live to help out others.
- However, sometimes, they may come down with an illness that brings them so much suffering they are unable to help others. In such cases, it serves no purpose for them to live any longer.
- There are accounts of a few Arahants who decided to end their lives because they had come down with unrecoverable illnesses, and the Buddha approved such decisions.
- In the case of Venerable Dabba, he came to the Buddha and asked for permission to end his life. But a specific reason is not given. See “Paṭhamadabba Sutta (Ud 8.9).” Jittananto quoted the “Dutiyadabba Sutta (Ud 8.10), ” the next sutta in that series.
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