Bv 16The History of the Buddha Atthadassī

– BUDDHA CHRONICLE

16. The History of the Buddha Atthadassī:

Inda-bh 1Also in that very Maṇḍa aeon, the Bull of Men Atthadassī, having destroyed the thick darkness of night, attained the supreme state of Complete Enlightenment.

Inda-bh 2Requested by Brahmā, he set in motion the Wheel of the True Dhamma and satisfied the world of ten thousand world-systems together with the devas with the Deathless.

Inda-bh 3For that Leader of the World there were also three occasions of realization. The first occasion of realization was of one hundred thousand koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 4When the Buddha Atthadassī went on a tour to the heavenly realm, there was the second occasion of realization, also of one hundred thousand koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 5On yet another occasion, when the Buddha taught the Dhamma in the presence of his father, there was the third occasion of realization, also of one hundred thousand koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 6And that Great Sage had three assemblies consisting of those who had destroyed the taints, who were without impurity, whose minds were thus purified.

Inda-bh 7The first assembly was of ninety-eight thousand koṭi persons. The second assembly was of eighty-eight thousand koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 8The third assembly was of seventy-eight thousand koṭi (seven hundred and eighty billion) great sages who were completely liberated from clinging, without impurity.

Inda-bh 9At that time I was a matted-hair ascetic of the highest austerity named Susima, regarded as foremost upon the earth.

Inda-bh 10Having brought from the world of the devas mandāra flowers, lotuses, and coral blossoms of the heavenly realm, I offered them to the Fully Enlightened One.

Inda-bh 11That Buddha, the great sage Atthadassī, also pronounced his aspiration for me thus: "In eighteen hundred (one thousand eight hundred) aeons, this person will become a Buddha.

Inda-bh 12Having departed from the beautiful city named Kapila, the Tathāgata will strive with effort and perform the deed difficult to perform (austerities).

Inda-bh 13Having sat down at the root of the goatherds' tree, the Tathāgata will receive the milk-rice offering there and then proceed to the Nerañjarā.

Inda-bh 14On the bank of the Nerañjarā river, that Conqueror will eat the milk-rice and then proceed to the Bodhi tree by the noble path that has been prepared.

Inda-bh 15Then, having circumambulated the precinct of the Bodhi tree, the Supreme One, he of great renown, will attain enlightenment at the root of the Assattha tree.

Inda-bh 16The mother who gives birth to him will be named Māyā. The father will be named Suddhodana. He will be Gotama.

Inda-bh 17Kolita and Upatissa will be the foremost (two) Disciples. The attendant named Ānanda will serve that Conqueror.

Inda-bh 18Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā will be the foremost (two) female Disciples. The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One is called 'Assattha.'

Inda-bh 19Citta and Haṭṭhāḷavaka will be the foremost (two) male lay devotees. Uttarā and Nandamātā will be the foremost (two) female lay devotees. The lifespan in the time of that renowned Gotama will be one hundred years."

Inda-bh 20Having heard these words of the incomparable Great Sage, devas and humans rejoiced, thinking: "This one is the seed and germ of the Buddhas."

Inda-bh 21They gave forth shouts of jubilation, clapped their hands, and broke into smiles. The ten thousand world-systems together with the devas joined their palms in reverence and bowed down, saying:

Inda-bh 22"If we should fail with the teaching of this Leader of the World, we shall come face to face with that one in the distant future.

Inda-bh 23Just as people crossing a river who do not reach the far shore cross over the great river after reaching the lower bank,

Inda-bh 24In exactly the same way, if all of us should miss the opportunity with this Conqueror, we shall come face to face with that one in the distant future."

Inda-bh 25Having heard those words, I became filled with joy, my mind uplifted, and resolved upon the supreme practice in order to fulfil the perfection of the ten qualities.

Inda-bh 26The city was named Sobhaṇa; the Kṣatriya king was named Sāgara; the mother of the Teacher Atthadassī was named Sudassanā.

Inda-bh 27He lived among his household for ten thousand years. There were three magnificent palaces: Amaragiri, Suragiri, and Girivāhana.

Inda-bh 28There were thirty-three thousand women adorned with ornaments. That woman (his wife) was named Visākhā. His son was named Sela.

Inda-bh 29Having beheld the four signs, the Conqueror departed by means of a horse and strove with effort for eight full months.

Inda-bh 30Requested by Brahmā, he of great renown, the Great Hero, the Bull of Men Atthadassī set the Wheel (of the Dhamma) in motion in the Anoma park.

Inda-bh 31Santa and Upasanta were the foremost (two) Disciples. The attendant of the Teacher Atthadassī was named Abhaya.

Inda-bh 32Dhammā and likewise Sudhammā were the foremost (two) female Disciples. The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One is called "Campaka."

Inda-bh 33Nakula and likewise Nisabha were the foremost (two) male lay devotees. Makilā and Sunandā were the foremost (two) female lay devotees.

Inda-bh 34Eighty ratana (twenty meters) in height, perfect as the moon (the lord of the stars), that Buddha, the equal of those who are without equal, shone brilliantly as the Sālā king of trees.

Inda-bh 35His natural radiance of hundreds of koṭi rays perpetually spread one league in all ten directions, above and below.

Inda-bh 36That Buddha, the Bull of Men, the supreme Sage of all beings, the One Possessed of Vision, also lived in the world for one hundred thousand years.

Inda-bh 37Having displayed an incomparable radiance and illuminated the world together with the devas, he too reached the state of impermanence, like a flame that has exhausted its fuel.

Inda-bh 38The noble Conqueror Atthadassī attained Nirvana at the Anoma monastery. There was a dispersal of relics from that place to all directions.

The history of the Buddha Atthadassī is the fourteenth part.