Bv 22The History of the Buddha Sikhī

– BUDDHAVAṀSA

22. The History of the Buddha Sikhī:

Inda-bh 1After (the Buddha) Vipassī, there was the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Supreme Person, the Conqueror named Sikhī, who was incomparable and without rival.

Inda-bh 2Having vanquished the army of Māra and attained the supreme fruit of Perfect Enlightenment, he set in motion the Wheel of the True Dhamma out of compassion for living beings.

Inda-bh 3While the foremost sage Sikhī was setting in motion the Wheel of the True Dhamma, there was the first penetration by one hundred thousand koṭi beings.

Inda-bh 4Also on another occasion, while the Supreme Person, the foremost of assemblies, was expounding the Dhamma, there was the second penetration by ninety thousand koṭi beings.

Inda-bh 5While performing the twin miracle for humans together with the devas, there was the third penetration by eighty thousand koṭi beings.

Inda-bh 6The Great Sage Sikhī had three assemblies of such canker-free monks, free from defilements, with pure minds.

Inda-bh 7The first assembly was of one hundred thousand monks. The second assembly was of eighty thousand monks.

Inda-bh 8The third assembly of seventy thousand monks was undefiled, like a lotus flower unstained by mud though born in water.

Inda-bh 9At that time, I was a Khattiya named Arindama. I satisfied the assembly of monks with the Perfectly Enlightened One at their head with food to eat and water to drink.

Inda-bh 10Having offered many precious cloths, no fewer than ten million garments, I presented to the Perfectly Enlightened One a decorated elephant as a means of conveyance.

Inda-bh 11I established the elephant as a means of conveyance, and it was known to be permitted. I fulfilled the aspiration that had long been made firm and enduring in my mind.

Inda-bh 12That Buddha, the noble Leader of the world, also uttered this assurance over me: "In thirty-one aeons from this time, this one will become a Buddha.

Inda-bh 13Having departed from the beautiful city named Kapila, the Tathāgata will strive with effort and perform the difficult-to-perform practice (of austerities).

Inda-bh 14Having sat down at the foot of the goatherds' tree, the Tathāgata will receive the milk-rice there and then proceed to the Nerañjarā (river).

Inda-bh 15At the bank of the Nerañjarā river, that Conqueror will partake of the milk-rice and then proceed to the Bodhi tree by the noble path that has been prepared.

Inda-bh 16Thereafter, having circumambulated the precinct of the Bodhi tree, the Unsurpassed One, of great renown, will be enlightened at the foot of the Assattha tree.

Inda-bh 17The mother who gives birth to him will be named Māyā. The father will be named Suddhodana. He will be Gotama.

Inda-bh 18Kolita and Upatissa, free from cankers, with passion abandoned, with minds calm and composed, will be the chief disciples. The attendant named Ānanda will serve this Conqueror.

Inda-bh 19Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā will be the chief female disciples. The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One is called 'Assattha.'

Inda-bh 20Citta and Haṭṭhāḷavaka will be the chief male lay patrons. Uttarā and Nandamātā will be the chief female lay patrons. The lifespan (in the age) of that renowned Gotama will be one hundred years."

Inda-bh 21Having 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 22They burst forth with cheers, clapping their hands, and smiling. Ten thousand worlds together with the devas joined their palms in reverence and bowed down, saying:

Inda-bh 23"If we fail with the teaching of this Leader of the World, we shall come face to face with that one in the far distant future.

Inda-bh 24Just as people who are crossing a river fail to reach the opposite bank, they cross the great river after reaching the bank further downstream.

Inda-bh 25In exactly the same way, if all of us miss our opportunity with this Conqueror, we shall come face to face with that one in the far distant future."

Inda-bh 26Having heard those words, I increased my faith. I resolved upon the supreme practice to fulfil the perfection of the ten qualities.

Inda-bh 27The city was named Aruṇavatī; the Khattiya king was named Aruṇavā; the mother of the Great Sage Sikhī was named Pabhāvatī.

Inda-bh 28He lived amidst his household for seven thousand years. There were three magnificent palaces: Sucanda, Giri, and Vasabha.

Inda-bh 29There were twenty-four thousand adorned women. That woman (his wife) was named Sabbakāmā. His son was named Atula.

Inda-bh 30Having seen the four signs, the Supreme Person set forth on an elephant and practised the effort of striving for eight months.

Inda-bh 31Requested by Brahmā, the noble Leader of the World, the Great Hero, the Supreme Person Sikhī set in motion the Wheel (of the Dhamma) at Migācire (the Deer Park).

Inda-bh 32Abhibhū and Sambhava were the chief disciples. The attendant of the Great Sage Sikhī was named Khemaṅkara.

Inda-bh 33Makhilā and Padumā were the chief female disciples. The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One is called "Puṇḍarīka."

Inda-bh 34Sirivaḍḍha and Nanda were the chief male lay patrons. Cittā and also Suguttā were the chief female lay patrons.

Inda-bh 35That Buddha was seventy arm-lengths in height (35 metres), with thirty-two noble physical marks, like a pillar of gold adorned with garlands.

Inda-bh 36The radiance of the aura emanating from his body spread in all directions by day and by night without interruption. That aura (extended) three yojanas in length.

Inda-bh 37The lifespan of that Great Sage was seventy thousand years. While living for that long, he enabled many living beings to cross over.

Inda-bh 38Having poured down the rain of the cloud of the Dhamma and causing living beings together with the devas to be thoroughly drenched, he, having attained the peaceful state, attained nirvana together with the disciples.

Inda-bh 39The thirty-two noble marks attained along with the minor marks — all have completely disappeared; are not all conditioned phenomena empty?

Inda-bh 40The Buddha Sikhī, the noble Sage, attained nirvana at the monastery of Dussa. A noble cetiya for him was erected three yojanas high at that very place.

The history of the Buddha Sikhī is the twenty-second portion.