Bv 21The History of the Buddha Vipassī

– BUDDHAVAṀSA

21. The History of the Buddha Vipassī:

Inda-bh 1After (the Buddha) Phussa, the Fully Enlightened One, the Supreme Person, the One with Vision named Vipassī arose in the world.

Inda-bh 2Having shattered all ignorance and attained the supreme fruit of Full Enlightenment, he went to the city of Bandhumatī to set in motion the Wheel of the True Dhamma.

Inda-bh 3The Leader set in motion the Wheel of the True Dhamma and enlightened both persons. There was a first penetration that cannot be expressed by counting.

Inda-bh 4On yet another occasion, the one of boundless renown expounded the Truth in that very place. There was a second penetration of eighty-four thousand.

Inda-bh 5Eighty-four thousand persons went forth under the Fully Enlightened One. When those persons came to the monastery, the One with Vision taught the Dhamma to them.

Inda-bh 6Having listened and settled upon the (Buddha) who was teaching by many methods, they too attained the noble Dhamma; this was the third penetration.

Inda-bh 7The Great Sage Vipassī had three assemblies of those free from the āsavas, without defilements, with minds thus purified.

Inda-bh 8The first assembly was of sixty-eight hundred thousand (six million eight hundred thousand). The second assembly was of one hundred thousand bhikkhus.

Inda-bh 9The third assembly was of eighty thousand bhikkhus. There, in the midst of the assembly of bhikkhus, the Fully Enlightened One shone radiantly.

Inda-bh 10At that time, I was the Nāga King named Atula, possessed of great supernatural power, merit, and a stream of radiance.

Inda-bh 11Then, while surrounding (the Buddha) with countless koṭis of nāgas and making music with celestial instruments, I went to meet the Supreme One of the world.

Inda-bh 12Having gone to meet the Fully Enlightened One, the World-Leader Vipassī, I made my request and offered to the Dhamma King a golden throne inlaid with maṇi gems, pearls, jewels, and adorned with all manner of ornaments.

Inda-bh 13That Buddha, seated in the midst of the assembly, also made this assurance concerning me: "In ninety-one aeons from this moment, this one will become a Buddha.

Inda-bh 14Having departed from the beautiful city named Kapila, the Tathāgata will strive with effort and perform the deed that is difficult to perform (the austerity).

Inda-bh 15Having sat down at the foot of the goatherds' tree, the Tathāgata will accept the milk-rice there and then go to Nerañjarā.

Inda-bh 16On the bank of the Nerañjarā river, that Victor will partake of the milk-rice and then go to the Bodhi tree by the noble path that has been made ready.

Inda-bh 17Then, after circumambulating the precinct of the Bodhi tree, the Unsurpassed One, the one of great renown, will attain enlightenment at the Assattha tree.

Inda-bh 18The mother who gives birth to him will be named Māyā. The father will be named Suddhodana. He will be Gotama.

Inda-bh 19Kolita and Upatissa, free from the āsavas, with craving abandoned, with minds calm and composed, will be the foremost pair of disciples. The attendant named Ānanda will serve this Victor.

Inda-bh 20Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā will be the foremost pair of female disciples. The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One is called 'Assattha.'

Inda-bh 21Citta and Haṭṭhāḷavaka will be the foremost male lay supporters. Uttarā and Nandamātā will be the foremost female lay supporters. The lifespan in the time of that renowned Gotama will be one hundred years."

Inda-bh 22Having heard these words of the incomparable Great Sage, the devas and humans rejoiced, thinking: "This one is the seed and germ of the Buddhas."

Inda-bh 23They broke forth with shouts of rejoicing, clapping, and smiles. The ten-thousand world-systems together with the devas raised their joined hands in homage, saying:

Inda-bh 24"If we fail with the teaching of this World-Leader, we shall face that other one in the distant future.

Inda-bh 25Just as people crossing a river who do not reach the far shore cross the great river after reaching the ford downstream,

Inda-bh 26In just the same way, if all of us miss the opportunity with this Victor, we shall face that other one in the distant future."

Inda-bh 27Having heard those words, I increased my faith further. I resolved upon the supreme practice in order to fulfil the perfections in the ten qualities.

Inda-bh 28The city was named Bandhumatī; the Kṣatriya king was named Bandhumā; the mother of the Great Sage Vipassī was named Bandhumatī.

Inda-bh 29He lived among his household for eight thousand years. There were three magnificent palaces: Nanda, Sunanda, and Sirimā.

Inda-bh 30There were forty-three thousand adorned women. That woman (his wife) was named Sutanā. His son was Samavattakkhandha.

Inda-bh 31Having seen the four signs, the Victor departed by means of a carriage. The Supreme Person strove with unfailing effort for eight months.

Inda-bh 32Requested by Brahmā, the World-Leader, the Great Hero, the Supreme Person Vipassī set in motion the Wheel (of the Dhamma) at Migadāya (the Deer Park).

Inda-bh 33Khaṇḍa and the one named Tissa were the foremost pair of disciples. The attendant of the Great Sage Vipassī was named Asoka.

Inda-bh 34Candā and Candamittā were the foremost pair of female disciples. The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One is called Pāṭalī.

Inda-bh 35Punabbasumitta and Nāga were the foremost male lay supporters. Sirimā and likewise Uttarā were the foremost female lay supporters.

Inda-bh 36The World-Leader Vipassī was eighty arm-lengths (forty metres) in height. His radiance shone seven yojanas all around.

Inda-bh 37His lifespan is known to have extended to eighty thousand years. Throughout that duration, he helped many beings to cross over.

Inda-bh 38He freed many devas and humans from bondage. He pointed out the path and the non-path to the remaining worldlings.

Inda-bh 39Having manifested light and expounded the state of the Deathless, he blazed like a mass of fire and then attained Nibbāna together with his disciples.

Inda-bh 40The noble supernatural powers, the noble merit, and the characteristics that had blossomed forth—all vanished completely; are not all conditioned things empty?

Inda-bh 41The noble Victor Buddha Vipassī attained Nibbāna at the monastery of Sumitta. The noble stūpa for him was erected seven yojanas high at that very place.

The history of the Buddha Vipassī is the nineteenth part.