Bv 3The History of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara

– BUDDHAVAṀSA

3. The History of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara:

Inda-bh 1At that time, after having offered food to the Leader of the World together with the assembly (of bhikkhus), they went to take refuge in that Teacher Dīpaṅkara.

Inda-bh 2The Tathāgata established this one in going for refuge, that one in the five precepts, and another in the ten precepts.

Inda-bh 3He conferred upon this one the status of a recluse in the four supreme fruits. He conferred upon that one the analytical knowledge pertaining to the incomparable Dhammas.

Inda-bh 4The Bull among Men bestowed upon this one the eight precious jhānas, and gave to that one the three knowledges and the six higher knowledges (abhiññā).

Inda-bh 5That Great Sage instructed the multitude in such a manner. Thereby, the Dhamma of the Leader of the World spread far and wide.

Inda-bh 6The one named Dīpaṅkara, with a broad jaw and wide shoulders, helped many beings to cross over and enabled them to be completely freed from states of suffering.

Inda-bh 7Having seen a being capable of enlightenment even a hundred thousand leagues away, the Great Sage came in an instant and enlightened that one.

Inda-bh 8At the first assembly of comprehension, the Buddha enlightened one hundred koṭis (one billion). At the second assembly of comprehension, the Leader enlightened ninety koṭis (nine hundred million).

Inda-bh 9And when the Buddha taught the Dhamma in the divine realm, there was a third assembly of comprehension of ninety thousand koṭis (nine hundred billion).

Inda-bh 10The Teacher Dīpaṅkara had three assemblies. The first assembly consisted of one hundred thousand koṭis (one thousand billion, one million million).

Inda-bh 11Moreover, when the Victorious One was living in seclusion at the peak of Mount Nārada, one hundred koṭis of arahants free from all taints assembled together.

Inda-bh 12At the time when the Great Hero dwelt upon Mount Sudassana, the Great Sage performed the Pavāraṇā ceremony with ninety thousand koṭis of monastics.

Inda-bh 13At that time, I was a matted-hair ascetic of supreme austerity, moving through the air, perfect in the five higher knowledges.

Inda-bh 14There was a comprehension of the Dhamma by ten thousand and twenty thousand. The comprehension of one or two individuals is not counted in the manner of reckoning.

Inda-bh 15At that time, the supremely pure Dhamma of the Blessed One Dīpaṅkara grew, succeeded, and spread far and wide among the great multitude.

Inda-bh 16Four hundred thousand beings possessed of the six higher knowledges and great spiritual power always assembled around the World-Knower Dīpaṅkara.

Inda-bh 17At that time, those who abandoned the human state while still being trainees whose minds had not yet attained fulfilment were censured.

Inda-bh 18Through such arahants whose taints were utterly exhausted and free from all defilements, the proclamation, well adorned with flowers, shone forth always.

Inda-bh 19The city was named Rammavatī; the king of the khattiyas was named Sudeva; the mother of the Teacher Dīpaṅkara was named Sumedhā.

Inda-bh 20The Victorious One lived among his family for ten thousand years. There were three magnificent palaces named Haṁsā, Koñcā, and Mayūrā.

Inda-bh 21There were three hundred thousand women adorned with ornaments. His consort was named Padumā. His son was named Usabhakkhandha.

Inda-bh 22Having seen the four signs, the Victorious One departed by means of an elephant and strove with effort for ten complete months without fail.

Inda-bh 23Having practised the exertion of effort, the Sage attained enlightenment in mind. The Great Sage Dīpaṅkara was implored by Brahmā.

Inda-bh 24The Great Hero, the powerful Victorious One, set the wheel (of the Dhamma) in motion at the Nandā monastery. Seated at the root of the Sirisa tree, he subdued the followers of other doctrines.

Inda-bh 25Sumaṅgala and Tissa were the chief pair of disciples. The attendant of the Teacher Dīpaṅkara was named Sāgata.

Inda-bh 26Nandā and likewise Sunandā were the chief pair of female disciples. The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One was called "Pipphalī."

Inda-bh 27Tapussa and Bhallika were the chief pair of male lay supporters. Sirimā and Soṇā were the chief pair of female lay supporters of the Teacher Dīpaṅkara.

Inda-bh 28Eighty arm-lengths tall, the Great Sage Dīpaṅkara shone brilliantly like a lamp-post, like a Sālā tree in full bloom.

Inda-bh 29The lifespan of that Great Hermit was one hundred thousand years. Throughout that duration, he helped many beings to cross over.

Inda-bh 30He illuminated the Dhamma and helped the people to cross over. Having blazed like a mass of fire, he attained Nirvāṇa together with his disciples.

Inda-bh 31That spiritual power, that renown, and those precious wheel-marks on both feet — all have utterly vanished; are not all conditioned things empty?

Inda-bh 32The Victorious One, the Teacher Dīpaṅkara, attained Nirvāṇa at the Nandā monastery. The stupa of the Victorious One, erected for him, thirty-six leagues in height, stands at that very place."

The history of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara is the first portion.