Some interesting info from the agama parallels by Ven Analayo
"The flying monk"
According to the Chinese versions and the Tibetan Bhaiajyavastu account,
Ratthapāla departed by flying up in the air. One of the individual translations explains that he did so because
his parents had locked the door to prevent him from leaving after the meal.
https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg ... dyvol1.pdf
other excerpts,
Issues for the parents:if Ratthapāla as the only son of the household would go forth, this would not only deprive his parents of the company of their beloved son, but would also threaten to bring the family lineage to an end and cause the loss of the family’s inheritance. Moreover, there would be no son to make offerings on behalf of the parents once they had passed away, an important requirement for their well-being after death according to ancient Indian beliefs. These repercussions of Ratthapāla’s going forth would have been at the background of his parents’ wish to prevent him from ordaining.
Also: According to the Chinese Avadāna account,
Ratthapāla had already become a stream enterer during his first meeting with the Buddha. Although the Pāli and Chinese discourse versions do not explicitly mention any attainment, their account also suggests that the Buddha’s sermon had left a strong impression on Ratthapāla, as he was so determined to go forth that he went on a prolonged hunger strike in order to get his parents’ approval. Ratthapāla ordained, and after practising earnestly in due time became an arahant.
According to the commentary on the Ekottarika-āgama, Ratthapāla had become an arahant after being taught the four noble truths, while according to the Sanskrit and Tibetan Avadānaśataka tales he accomplished the same by developing insight into the impermanent nature of all formations.
Perhaps the first is truer.
Interesting. According to the Pali commentary it took him 12 years to become an Arahant. This is unlikely since the sutta itself says that it did not take him long, besides 12 years is pretty long for someone who had already formed aspirations during Buddha Kassapa's time.
I find the following verses most endearing, Ratthapala escaped, but we are trapped by the artifice of the Deer hunter AKA Samsara.
The hunter’s snare is broken,
but the deer didn’t spring the trap.
I’ve eaten the bait and now I go,
leaving the deer-hunter to grieve.”
“I see rich people in the world who,
because of delusion, give not the wealth they’ve earned.
Greedily, they hoard their riches,
yearning for ever more sensual pleasures.
The second verse? Is it directed at his Dad? who chased him away the first time?
without so much as a morsel of food? and then offered him wealth? due to the fetter of father
son bond? We give our children willingly, but not the children of others.
Thanks SDC for a job well done, and the trouble you have taken in
presenting the Sutta. Theragatha verses, inspiring!
With love
PS Following words have an everyday application.
conception in a womb as suffering,
and the hells as very fearful.
Conception in a womb is our everyday conceiving due to ignorance, that brings us endless suffering, here and now, worrying about stuff, the ultimate Papanca. Buddha's primary teaching is about avoiding Papanca, and thereby Asavas, or vice versa. When papanca/asava is avoided the links of DO are broken. This is the goal of Samma Sati and Samma samadhi.