佛本行集經

Chapter 1: AROUSING THE MIND TO MAKE OFFERINGS (Part 2)

“Ananda, this Samantabhadra Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Moon Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Moon Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Pundarika Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Pundarika Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Stainless Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Stainless Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Realization of Self Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Realization of Self Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Great Rain Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Great Rain Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Fearless Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Fearless Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Self-Luminous Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Self-Luminous Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Great Strength Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Great Strength Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Sun Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Sun Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Autumn Light Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Autumn Light Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Radiant Heat Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Radiant Heat Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Marks Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Marks Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Incomparable Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Incomparable Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Supreme Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Supreme Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Supreme Marks Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Supreme Marks Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name King of Sala Trees Tathagata.

“Ananda, this King of Sala Trees Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Supreme Body Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Supreme Body Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Fearless in Every Place Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Fearless in Every Place Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Transformation Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Transformation Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Tranquil Concentration Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Tranquil Concentration Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Victorious King Tathagata.

“Ananda, when the Buddha Victorious King attained the fruit of bodhi during the Auspicious Kalpa, there were three hundred Buddhas who all bore the name Victorious King. Ananda, the last of these Buddhas named Victorious King in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Seer of All Things Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Buddha Seer of All Things had three hundred million disciples among the shravakas, all of whom were arhats. Ananda, this Buddha Seer of All Things in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Sorrowless Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Sorrowless Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Supreme Naga Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Supreme Naga Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Supreme Jambudvipa Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Supreme Jambudvipa Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Nyagrodha Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Nyagrodha Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Vast Faith Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Vast Faith Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Deliverance Tathagata.

“Ananda, this Deliverance Tathagata in turn bestowed a prediction upon another bodhisattva, who would next attain Buddhahood with the name Supreme Tathagata.

“Ananda, each of these Blessed Ones, Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, successively bestowed predictions in due order, down to the final Buddha, Supreme Tathagata. I myself attended upon and made offerings to every one of them.”

The Blessed One spoke these verses:

“These Tathagatas,

The Great Lion and Sage of the Shakyas,

With the pure Buddha-eye

See all things everywhere.

Such is the wisdom of the Tathagatas;

The conduct of Buddhas is inconceivable.

None among all devas and humans

Can ever comprehend it.

Cause and effect and the wisdom of Buddhas

Clearly reveal the characteristics of all dharmas.

The realm of the Buddhas alone

Cannot be known by ordinary beings.

The many names of the Buddhas

Manifest the conduct of the Buddhas.

Possessing marks of great majestic virtue,

They see all with the Buddha-eye.

If a person of wisdom

Wishes to seek the path of bodhi,

That person should recollect the names of the Buddhas

And before long will attain Buddhahood.”

The Venerable Ananda addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, whatever I have heard spoken from the Buddha’s golden mouth, I have diligently kept in mind without forgetting: that the wisdom of the Buddhas penetrates all things, is unobstructed, and is beyond compare.... Blessed One, does the wisdom of the Tathagata truly know in this way?”

The Blessed One told Ananda:

“The wisdom of the Tathagata clearly knows all things. Therefore, the Tathagata’s knowledge is unobstructed. When the Tathagata wishes to make a realm vast or narrow and directs his mind to the wisdom of the Buddhas, its degree of vastness or narrowness may be determined entirely at will.”

Then the Venerable Ananda again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, just as the Venerable Aniruddha, with his purified divine eye, can see one thousand worlds, what is the meaning of the Blessed One’s statement, ‘I see boundless worlds’?”

At that time, the Buddha remained silent. The Venerable Ananda asked the same question again, and then a third time. Only then did the Buddha reply.

The Buddha said:

“Ananda, do not compare the wisdom of the sravakas with the wisdom of the Tathagata! Why is this? I now employ the pure divine eye, which surpasses the human eye, and see, throughout Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the eastern direction, bodhisattvas who have newly given rise to the aspiration for bodhi and planted roots of goodness.

Or I see, throughout Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the eastern direction, immeasurable bodhisattvas receiving predictions of future Buddhahood. Or I see, throughout Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the eastern direction, bodhisattvas cultivating the bodhisattva practice. Or I see immeasurable bodhisattvas drawing near to the Buddhas and cultivating pure practices, thereafter being born in the Tusita Heaven, descending in spirit, and entering their mothers’ wombs.

Or I see bodhisattvas being born from the right side of their holy mothers. Or I see bodhisattvas living the life of a prince. Or I see bodhisattvas dwelling in palaces and manifesting enjoyment of the pleasures of the five desires.

Or I see bodhisattvas renouncing the throne of a wheel-turning sage king and leaving home to cultivate the path of liberation. Or I see bodhisattvas subduing the four kinds of Mara. Or I see bodhisattvas sitting beneath the bodhi tree and attaining unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

Or I see bodhisattvas, after realizing the path of bodhi, enjoying the bliss of liberation. Or I see bodhisattvas sitting in meditation and contemplating the two kinds of discrimination. Or I see bodhisattvas turning the Dharma wheel.

Or I see bodhisattvas relinquishing their bodies and lives for the sake of sentient beings and preparing to enter nirvana without remainder. Or I see, after bodhisattvas have entered nirvana, how near or distant, abundant or scarce, long or brief are the periods during which the True Dharma and the Semblance Dharma of each remain in the world.

“Ananda, in this way I see Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges attaining the path in the Buddha lands of the eastern direction; after those Buddhas have passed into extinction, the periods of both their True Dharma and Semblance Dharma come entirely to an end. Just as it is in the Buddha lands of the eastern direction, so too is it in the southern, western, and northern directions, the four intermediate directions, and the directions above and below.”

At that time, the Blessed One said to Ananda:

“Ananda, I recall that in the distant past, immeasurable, boundless asamkhya kalpas ago—beyond calculation by numbers and beyond expression in words—there was a wheel-turning sage king named Good Vision. He ruled over the four quarters, governed the world according to the true Dharma, and all the people under his rule were prosperous, peaceful, and happy. The king employed neither punishment nor beating, nor did he put anyone to death.

He brought warfare to an end and instructed the people according to the true Dharma. Ananda, the royal city in which King Good Vision dwelt was named Jambudana. From east to west, this city measured twelve yojanas across, and from south to north, seven yojanas.

Ananda, that city of Jambudana was pure, magnificent, extraordinarily beautiful, and adorned throughout with four kinds of precious substances: pure gold, white silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal. Outside the city were another seven concentric city walls. Each wall was seven fathoms high and three fathoms thick, and was encircled by seven tiers of balustrades, all exquisitely carved and supremely beautiful.

Few cities could equal it. These too were constructed from four precious substances: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal. Some balustrades were of pure gold, with pillars of pure gold and window ledges of white silver.

Some balustrades were of white silver, with pillars of white silver and window ledges of pure gold. Some balustrades were of crystal, with pillars of crystal and window ledges of lapis lazuli. Some balustrades were of lapis lazuli, with pillars of lapis lazuli and window ledges of crystal.

Within each of these seven concentric city walls were seven rows of precious tala trees encircling the interior. These trees displayed abundant flowers and fruits; their branches and foliage were luxuriant, fresh, and flourishing, delighting all who beheld them. Their trunks and roots were made of the four precious substances: pure gold, white silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal.

The golden tala trees had roots and trunks of gold, branches and leaves of silver, and flowers and fruits of gold. The silver tala trees had roots and trunks of silver, branches and leaves of gold, and flowers and fruits of gold. Some crystal tala trees had roots and trunks of crystal, with branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits of lapis lazuli.

Some lapis lazuli tala trees had roots and trunks of lapis lazuli, with branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits of crystal.

“All these tala trees were draped with nets, and precious bells hung in the spaces within those nets. The hanging nets and bells were all made from seven precious substances: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, agate, coral, and crystal.

“Outside those city walls were seven concentric moats. The moats were exceedingly deep and filled with water possessing the eight excellent qualities. Their surfaces were calm and level, and within them grew a profusion of precious flowers: blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, and great white lotuses, spreading across the entire surface of the water. The bottoms of these moats were covered with golden sand. All around their banks, nets made of the seven precious substances were spread everywhere.

“Ananda, on each of the four sides of that city of Jambudana were sixteen gates. All the city gates were made from four precious substances: pure gold, white silver, crystal, and lapis lazuli. Gates of gold had doors of silver, and gates of silver had doors of gold. Gates of crystal had doors of lapis lazuli, and gates of lapis lazuli had doors of crystal.

“Each of these city gates had a watchtower. Before the terraces of every soaring story hung nets of precious jewels. These towers too were exquisitely and beautifully adorned with the seven precious substances, bringing immense delight to all who beheld them.

“Those city gates each had seven tiers of screens made from four precious substances: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal. They stood still and unmoving. Before the gates opened or closed, the screens emitted a brilliant radiance that was gentle and pleasing. These city gates could be seen clearly from far outside. When they were to be opened, a wind blew and the gates opened by themselves; when they were to be closed, a wind blew and the gates closed by themselves. When the wind opened these seven tiers of screens, the corresponding gates could all be seen clearly through one another. When the gates were to be closed, the wind blew and they closed by themselves, and the seven screens likewise folded shut once more.”

Ānanda, within this city of Jambudāna there was a great pond named Joy. From east to west, this pond measured one yojana across, and from north to south, half a yojana. Along its four banks ran four straight brick walls adorned with four kinds of precious substances: gold, silver, crystal, and beautiful lapis lazuli, most pleasing to behold.

On all four sides of the pond were walkways paved with four kinds of precious substances: pure gold, white silver, crystal, and lapis lazuli. The surfaces of the paths were straight, level, and most pleasing to behold. Where the paths were paved with pure gold, the steps and platforms were made of white silver.

Where the paths were paved with white silver, the steps and platforms were made of pure gold. Where the paths were paved with lapis lazuli, the steps and platforms were made of crystal. Where the paths were paved with crystal, the steps and platforms were made of lapis lazuli.

Along the roadsides stood watchtowers adorned with seven kinds of precious substances: pure gold, white silver, mother-of-pearl, agate, coral, amber, and lapis lazuli, exceedingly beautiful to behold. Railings surrounded all four banks of the pond, fashioned in harmonious combination from four kinds of precious substances: pure gold, white silver, crystal, and lapis lazuli, all orderly and perfectly aligned. On the eastern side of the pond, the railing was made of pure gold; on the southern side, it was made of white silver; on the western side, it was made of lapis lazuli; and on the northern side, it was made of crystal.

Where a railing was made of pure gold, its posts were of pure gold and its window ledges of white silver. Where a railing was made of white silver, its posts were of white silver and its window ledges of pure gold. Where a railing was made of crystal, its posts were of crystal and its window ledges of lapis lazuli.

Where a railing was made of lapis lazuli, its posts were of lapis lazuli and its window ledges of crystal.

Ānanda, that Pond of Joy was encircled by seven rows of tāla trees. Between the trees were magnificent nets woven of the seven precious substances. Precious sounding bells hung in every opening of the nets.

Beyond the rows of tāla trees, seven tiers of moats encircled the pond, regular and perfectly aligned. Within the Pond of Joy grew blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, and great white lotuses. Along its banks also grew flowers that flourished on dry land, such as campaka flowers, atimuktaka flowers, vārṣika flowers, and gandha-vārṣika flowers.

The pond was filled with water possessing the eight excellent qualities; when thirsty birds drank from it, they all found ease and well-being. The bottom of the pond was entirely strewn with golden sand. Nets woven of the seven precious substances covered the whole surface of the pond, and from every delicate, beautiful mesh hung precious sounding bells.

Ānanda, all the roads in the city of Jambudāna were level and straight, with tāla trees lining both sides. Nets were interwoven among the canopies of the tāla trees, and bells made of the seven precious substances hung in every opening of those nets. When a gentle breeze stirred them, these bells produced wondrous sounds that everyone wished to hear, causing joy to arise in their hearts, just like the music of the five tones played by people in the world.

Ānanda, all the inhabitants of this city of Jambudāna were virtuous and upright. They delighted in amusements together and never quarreled. On hearing the bells ring, they would suddenly become joyful, singing, dancing, and making merry, without yearning for any other music.

Ānanda, the city of Jambudāna was always filled with many kinds of wondrous music, including the sounds of bells, drums, small bells, conches, zithers, se zithers, konghou harps, horns, flutes, pipa lutes, zheng zithers, and transverse flutes—in general, all such sounds. There were also the clear songs of countless birds, such as mynas, parrots, peacocks, kokilas, and jīvajīvaka birds. Immeasurable and boundless varieties of birds such as these produced extraordinary sounds without ever ceasing.

Beautiful flowers were scattered everywhere upon the ground, including blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, great white lotuses, and flowers cultivated on dry land.

Ānanda, within that city there were no disagreeable or oppressive circumstances that caused suffering and affliction. Every convenience was fully provided, and nothing was lacking. Goods were abundant, and food and drink were likewise plentiful and possessed every flavor. Houses filled every place, leaving no land desolate. The people lived in prosperity, and their majestic virtue was clearly manifest. Life in this city was in every respect just like that of Alakā, the city of King Vaiśravaṇa in the north—neither surpassing it nor falling short of it.

Ānanda, at that time a Buddha named Precious Body appeared in the world, complete with the ten epithets: Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, and so forth. Ānanda, before the Buddha Precious Body attained awakening, while he was still a bodhisattva, he always delighted in cultivating pure conduct. The people of this city also delighted in cultivating pure conduct. At that time, the Buddha Precious Body was staying outside the city of Jambudāna.

Early one morning, as he was about to enter the villages and settlements within the city to seek alms, countless tens of millions of devas immediately descended to the place where the Tathāgata Precious Body was staying, surrounding and attending upon him and making offerings. When the Buddha Precious Body was about to enter the city, the moment his foot reached the city gate, all the inhabitants of the city, through the majestic spiritual power and protection of the devas, resolved to make offerings to him.

They swept away filth, sprinkled fragrant water, and coated the ground with scented paste. They covered the roads with precious flowers, placed censers of sublime incense everywhere, burned priceless varieties of incense, and filled the roads with flags, canopies, and banners. With immeasurable offerings such as these, they made offerings to the Buddha Precious Body.

At that time, a young man from a village outside the city was betrothed to someone within the city. When he entered the city, he saw that it had been adorned that day with an extraordinary beauty and magnificence rarely seen in the world, such as his eyes had never beheld since childhood. Utterly astonished, he asked a resident of the city, “What festival is this city holding today?”

The city resident replied to the villager:

“A Tathāgata named Precious Body—the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly and Completely Awakened One—has appeared here in the world. In a little while, he will enter the city to seek alms. For this reason, all the roads within the city have been swept, sprinkled with fragrant water, and beautifully adorned.” They then clearly explained to this young villager the immeasurable and boundless virtues of the Tathāgata. They also praised the virtues of the Buddha, who possessed the ten epithets: Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, and so forth. They further extolled the virtues of the precious Dharma and proclaimed the virtues of the precious Sangha.

When the young man heard of the virtues of the Three Jewels, he rejoiced beyond measure and thought, “The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Precious Body, the Worthy One, the Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, is one who is rarely encountered in the world. I should now go to where that Buddha is.” Having thought this, the young man joined the people from the villages, settlements, and city as they thronged toward the place where the Buddha Precious Body was staying. Upon arriving, he again thought, “If the Tathāgata is the Omniscient One, he will surely know my mind and should first address me with words of comfort and instruction.”

At that moment, the Buddha Precious Body knew the thought in the villager’s mind and therefore spoke first, offering him words of comfort that filled him with immense joy. His wish having been fulfilled, the man invited the Tathāgata to accept his offerings on the following day, and the Buddha silently accepted the invitation.

The villager was overjoyed when the Tathagata accepted his invitation, and he hurried home to prepare food and drink. At that time, the gods of the Four Heavenly Kings, Brahma, Shakra, and the great assembly of devas brought various celestial offerings to the Tathagata and presented them to him in reverent offering.

When the villager returned home, he spent that night preparing exquisite delicacies and beverages. Once everything was ready, early the following morning he had the house thoroughly swept and cleaned, coated the ground with fragrant paste, sprinkled scented water everywhere, scattered beautiful fresh flowers, and arranged seats. When all preparations had been completed, he sent someone to invite the Blessed One. The member of his household went to the Buddha and said:

“Venerable Tathagata, the appointed hour has arrived. We humbly beseech you to honor our humble dwelling with your presence.”

Early that morning, Buddha Ratnakaya donned his robe, took up his alms bowl, and, surrounded before and behind by a hundred billion shravaka bhikshus, proceeded with them to the donor’s home. Upon arriving, the bhikshus took their seats in due order.

When the donor saw that the Blessed One and the great assembly were seated, he personally carried forth the finest foods and beverages, offered them to the Tathagata, and said:

“Blessed One, I humbly beseech the Buddha and the Sangha of bhikshus to partake freely as you please.”

After the Buddha and the great assembly had finished their meal, the offerings remained inexhaustible. The householder thought to himself, “The Buddha and the great assembly have been unable to consume all these foods of a hundred flavors. Surely it is through the majestic virtue and spiritual power of the Tathagata that the food remains so abundant. So much food is left that I can now invite all those presently coming to behold the Tathagata and feast them upon it. Only then will my heart be entirely joyful.”

He then thought further, “The Buddha-Dharma is inconceivable—rare indeed, rare indeed! Through the great power of Buddha Ratnakaya’s awe-inspiring spiritual might, my relatives came of their own accord to assist me without being invited. I did not have to rely upon anyone, nor expend much effort, yet everything was completed all at once.”

After Buddha Ratnakaya had finished his meal, he taught the Dharma in accordance with the donor’s faculties, causing his listeners to rejoice and to experience what they had never experienced before. The Tathagata also led that man to enter the True Dharma. The entire assembly rejoiced upon hearing the Dharma, and some attained the fruits of the path. The Buddha then departed from the donor’s home and returned to the monastery.

Having comprehended the teaching, the villager was filled with joy and made this great vow: “In a future life, may I, like the Tathagata Ratnakaya, attain the virtues complete in all dharmas! I further vow that I shall teach the Dharma in an assembly in this same manner, causing my listeners to hear it with joy, just as the Blessed One Ratnakaya today guides the assembly of bhikshus to practice in peace and happiness.”

After sincerely honoring, revering, and making offerings to the Tathagata, the villager followed the Buddha to the monastery, shaved off his beard and hair, renounced household life, and received the bhikshu precepts.

The Tathagata Ratnakaya remained in the world teaching the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings, and only after his practices and vows had been fulfilled did he enter nirvana. After the Buddha entered nirvana, immeasurable and boundless assemblies of devas and humans performed the cremation of his body and brought immeasurable precious articles to the cremation ground to conduct a ceremony of offering.

When the villager bhikshu heard that the Tathagata had entered nirvana, he was overcome with grief and thought to himself, “I must now go to the cremation ground. Perhaps some wondrous sign will occur when I arrive there.” The bhikshu hurried to the place of cremation. As soon as he arrived, he found a wondrous precious jewel, though it was not clean because it was covered with a little dust.

The bhikshu wiped the jewel lightly to examine it and immediately recognized it as a pure, genuine vaidurya jewel worth several hundred thousand taels of gold. Wherever that mani jewel was placed, the night there became as bright as day, and every chamber, dwelling, shrine, and pavilion was illuminated.

At that time, the devas and humans gathered the Buddha’s relics and built a stupa in which to enshrine and venerate them. The villager bhikshu thought to himself, “I should use this mani jewel in place of a jeweled vessel and set it upon the summit of the precious stupa.” Having thought this, when he reached the precious stupa, he reflected further, “My precious mani jewel is worth hundreds of thousands of taels of gold. I shall now place it upon the precious stupa, for the Tathagata is my honored Teacher.”

Although the light of the mani jewel shone from the summit of the precious stupa for immeasurable thousands of years, that bhikshu also lit immeasurable lamps in reverent offering to the precious stupa for a full thousand years. Throughout that entire period, his mind never became heedless, and he constantly maintained right concentration and mindfulness of the Buddha. Because the bhikshu observed the precepts purely and also made offerings to the Tathagata’s precious stupa, after the end of his life, throughout immeasurable and boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas in samsara, he enjoyed the blessings and happiness of devas and humans and never once fell into an evil realm.

Ananda, after that bhikshu had passed through hundreds of thousands of immeasurable, innumerable asamkhya kalpas, he encountered another Buddha who appeared in the world, named Tathagata Maker of Light. After making offerings to that Buddha, the bhikshu renounced household life, upheld the precepts, and maintained the pure conduct as before. He again formed this aspiration: “Through this merit, may I, in all my future lives and kalpas, never be born in an evil realm.”

At that time, Buddha Maker of Light knew the aspiration of that bhikshu and bestowed upon him this prediction:

“Good man, in a future age, after hundreds of thousands of immeasurable, innumerable asamkhya kalpas, you shall become a Buddha, a Tathagata, an Arhat, a Perfectly Enlightened One, named Dipankara.”

When Buddha Dipankara was still a bodhisattva, in his final existence he was born in the Tushita Heaven. He descended into the human world, entered through his mother’s right side, and took up residence in her womb. He remained in the womb for ten months, single-minded and established in right mindfulness. When he was about to be born, he emitted radiant light that illuminated the entirety of the Buddha-land.

One day, as the time for the bodhisattva’s birth approached, the Holy Mother said to the Great King:

“May the Great King be informed that I wish to go to the pleasure grove to stroll and enjoy its sights.”

When the king heard his consort speak thus, he immediately issued orders to the high officials guarding the inner city, the wealthy elders, the merchants, and the householders:

—Today my queen wishes to go forth and stroll through the pleasure grove. All of you must properly adorn your residences, and the roads throughout the city must be clean. Wherever there is filth or uneven gravel and broken tiles, it must be cleared away.

Sprinkle the roads everywhere with various fragrant waters and scented pastes, and scatter fresh, beautiful, fragrant flowers throughout those places. Everywhere set out jeweled vessels and burn various renowned incenses. Also arrange jeweled vases filled with fragrant water, placing within them various precious flowers, such as blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, and great white lotuses.

There must be no place where plantain trees are not displayed; according to their different sizes and heights, hang upon them banners and streamers of every color. Every banner and streamer must be adorned with countless nets and curtains made of the seven treasures and strings of pearls and necklaces. From each opening in the nets must hang bells fashioned from precious materials, like stars appearing at night in the Heaven of the Pure Abodes.

Everywhere also hang jeweled mirrors as radiant as the sun and moon; suspend curtains of brilliant colors and spread countless golden and silver festoons throughout. Thus must all the roads in this city be adorned with every exceedingly beautiful and magnificent ornament, like the city of the Gandharvas.

The royal consort sat in a jeweled palanquin, preceded by musicians whose resounding music filled the air. A thousand attendants surrounded and served her before and behind, crowding the entire roadway. From the palace, the Holy Mother emerged calmly and slowly, gazing in every direction.

Her majestic virtue and dignified bearing were beyond compare among the entire assembly. The procession proceeded toward the pleasure grove, and upon arriving there, slowly continued toward the river. When they reached the bank, she boarded a boat.

The boat glided gently into midstream, where suddenly there appeared a great radiant light, twelve yojanas in height, breadth, and length. Within that light could clearly be seen a patch of sedge grass about four finger-widths high. Its stalks were soft and pure white, resembling the feathers of the Kājaliṇḍa bird, and they gave forth a rich fragrance like that of the Campā-pārijāta flower.

Within the pleasure grove were many precious trees of the heavenly and human realms, and wondrous flowers and delicious fruits vied with one another in blooming and ripening everywhere.

At that time, the bodhisattva’s holy mother raised her face and looked into empty space, then slowly extended her right hand toward the branch of a tree. The branch naturally bent down, and the royal consort grasped it with her hand. At that very moment, from her right side was born a young prince of lovely countenance, whose honored name was Dīpaṃkara.

When the young Prince Dīpaṃkara was born, he naturally joined his palms, and brilliant rays of light illuminated the entirety of this Buddha-land. In the heavens, the devas scattered immeasurable varieties of flowers as offerings, including māndārava flowers, mahā-māndārava flowers, mañjūṣaka flowers, mahā-mañjūṣaka flowers, blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, and great white lotuses. They also scattered immeasurable quantities of sandalwood powder, filling an area twelve yojanas in circumference, and released countless celestial musical instruments, which, though played by no one, spontaneously produced immeasurable sounds of music, song, and praise.

Amid these sounds, voices proclaimed: “Be an immeasurable radiant lamp! Be an immeasurable radiant lamp!” Because this auspicious name befitted the bodhisattva, he was called Dīpaṃkara.

The great being Dīpaṃkara possessed perfect faculties and was fully endowed with the excellent marks, without the slightest defect or ugliness. As the days and months passed and he reached adulthood, the prince dwelt in lofty vermilion halls, enjoying all the pleasures of the five desires. Suddenly, the thought arose in him: “The objects of worldly desire are illusory and temporary, changing in an instant; before long, they will decay and perish.” Having reflected in this way, he immediately left the palace, shaved off his hair and beard, donned Dharma robes, and entered the homeless life.

After renouncing the household life to seek bodhi, he sat beneath a tree and gradually cultivated the path to perfect awakening. Having attained perfect awakening, he surveyed the entire world with the Buddha-eye and thought: “Who will be the first to come and hear the true Dharma?” He saw that there was no one in the world whom he could teach and transform. He observed again, and then a third time, yet still saw no one in the world who would hear the Dharma or could be brought to liberation.

Buddha Dīpaṃkara remained in the world for three thousand years, entirely alone and without a companion in the Dharma. After spending three thousand years in meditation, Dīpaṃkara Buddha, the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, silently thought: “These sentient beings remain ever attached to the five desires, constantly heedless and indulging in them without ever growing weary. I must now exert myself to teach and transform them, causing them to awaken.”

Having reflected in this way, he flew up from the city of Dīpa and remained in empty space, where he conjured a city named Jambūnada. Within the city, he manifested houses made of lapis lazuli, and outside the city he manifested seven rows of tāla trees made of the seven treasures. The conjured city was also adorned with the seven treasures in the manner described above. From east to west and from north to south, the city measured five thousand yojanas, and its furnishings and ornaments resembled those of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. The inhabitants there had lifespans of three thousand years.

From afar, all sentient beings in Jambudvīpa saw the inhabitants of that conjured city enjoying happiness and freely abandoning themselves to the pleasures of the five desires. Whatever the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa saw, heard, or understood concerning that city, they all found desirable.

After three thousand years had passed in this way, Buddha Dīpaṃkara again thought: “I can now employ supernatural transformations to cause the people of Jambudvīpa to become disenchanted with the objects of the five desires.”

At that very moment, all the inhabitants of the conjured city suddenly saw raging flames rise on all four sides of the city. Terrified and fearful, they sought a place of refuge, but there was no one to help them. They wished to find a way of escape, yet there was no one to protect them.

At the same time, the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa also saw raging flames engulfing the four walls of the conjured city where Buddha Dīpaṃkara dwelt. Becoming even more alarmed, they said to one another: “Alas! That city has suddenly burst into flames everywhere and will soon be destroyed.” Having said this, they made a vow: “May that conjured city descend to this place, or may this city be transported to that conjured city, so that we may extinguish those flames.”

At that time, the capacities of all the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa had matured, and the proper time had come for the Buddha to teach and transform them. Then devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, humans, nonhumans, and others appeared in the conjured city and asked the people of Jambudvīpa: “Why has this conjured city suddenly caught fire?” At the same moment, three stairways suddenly appeared before the conjured city. The first stairway was made of gold, the second of silver, and the third of crystal.

Between the stairways stood rows of tāla trees made of precious jewels. These tāla trees emitted resounding voices, saying: “All of you, quickly gather together in one place. If you desire in your hearts to behold Dīpaṃkara Buddha, the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, he will soon descend into Jambudvīpa.”

At that time, all the people of Jambudvipa assembled at the stairway and saw Dīpaṅkara Buddha emerge from the conjured city and descend the stairs. The Four Heavenly Kings, Brahmā, Śakra, and others surrounded him, guarding him before and behind. When the beings of Jambudvipa beheld Dīpaṅkara Buddha, they were all filled with immense joy. Each thought inwardly, “Formerly, we longed to behold the Tathagata, and today we have been able to gaze upon him.” They further thought, “If we approach the Buddha and ask him, ‘For what reason was that conjured city engulfed in flames?’ the Tathagata will surely explain it to us.”

When the Buddha had set foot upon the ground, every person in Jambudvipa thought, “I alone shall bow my head and face at the Buddha’s feet,” and each said to himself, “I am the first to bow at the Buddha’s feet.”

After Dīpaṅkara Buddha had taken his seat upon the lion throne, he immediately taught the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings. He praised generosity, observance of the precepts, and freedom from sensual desire, whereby one may realize the Dharma that utterly exhausts all outflows. He spoke of the benefits and merits of going forth and explained the thirty-seven pure factors conducive to awakening.

The Tathagata saw that, upon hearing the Buddha teach the Dharma, the people of Jambudvipa believed and rejoiced, accepted the teaching, became joyful at heart, and possessed harmonious minds free from obstruction. The Tathagata then taught them further doctrines, such as accounts of the Buddha’s former lives. He taught the Dharma in accordance with the capacities of sentient beings, causing them to rejoice.

Those teachings were suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Today, the Blessed One likewise fully expounds these Four Truths for the sentient beings of Jambudvipa.

At that time, when Dīpaṅkara Buddha taught the Dharma, on the first day he taught and liberated sixty billion people. They all completely eliminated the outflows, utterly extinguished their afflictions, attained the fruit of arhatship, and gained mastery of mind. On the second day he taught fifty billion people; on the third day, forty billion; on the fourth day, thirty billion; on the fifth day, twenty billion; on the sixth day, ten billion; and on the seventh day, five billion.

All attained the fruit of arhatship. During the second week, he taught and liberated ten billion people. Finally, during the third week, he liberated another seven billion five hundred million sentient beings.

They all obtained benefit, their minds became lucid, they utterly extinguished their afflictions, and they became arhats.

Dīpaṅkara Buddha remained in the world for one kalpa together with his śrāvaka disciples, performing deeds of benefit for sentient beings in the world.

Ānanda, the Buddhas, in due succession, bestow predictions of buddhahood upon one another. Dīpaṅkara Buddha first planted roots of goodness and sought unsurpassed perfect awakening, and thereafter turned the Dharma wheel. In order to teach sentient beings, he remained in the world for one kalpa.

Ānanda, when Dīpaṅkara Buddha was still a bodhisattva, although he enjoyed the pleasures of the five desires aboard a boat, he constantly felt disenchantment with the world. As he reflected in this way, he also formed this resolve: “I can sit aboard this boat, cross the river, and reach the farther shore.” At that very moment, an enormous blue lotus appeared. The youth Dīpaṅkara entered the lotus and sat cross-legged. The lotus naturally closed around him, becoming a lotus bud. The palace maidens searched for him but did not know where the youth was, so they returned and reported the matter to the great king.

The king sent people to search throughout the four directions—east, west, south, and north—but they did not know where the youth was. They even searched the four intermediate directions, yet still could not discover his whereabouts.

Through the power of his supernatural abilities, the bodhisattva Dīpaṅkara possessed great majestic virtue. He sat cross-legged within the lotus upon the boat, yet no one could see him. At that time, he attained the five supernatural powers and traveled through the sky. Later, seated beneath the Bodhi tree, he attained omniscience and then turned the Dharma wheel, liberating sixty-eight hundred-million hundreds of thousands of people, all of whom taught and transformed sentient beings in the world.