Bv 4The History of the Buddha Koṇḍañña

– BUDDHAVAMSA

4. The History of the Buddha Koṇḍañña:

Inda-bh 1After (the Buddha) Dīpaṅkara, the Leader named Koṇḍañña had endless glory, immeasurable and immense renown, difficult to attain.

Inda-bh 2He is compared to the earth in forbearance, to the ocean in virtue, to Mount Meru in meditation, to the sky in wisdom.

Inda-bh 3For the benefit of all beings, the Buddha always expounded the teaching on the Faculties, on the Powers, on the Factors of Enlightenment, on the Path, and on the Truths.

Inda-bh 4While the World-Leader Koṇḍañña was turning the Wheel of the Dhamma, there was a first penetration by one hundred thousand koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 5At a later time, while teaching at an assembly of humans and devas, there was a second penetration by ninety thousand koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 6While subduing the adherents of other teachings, at that time the Buddha expounded the Dhamma; there was a penetration of the Dhamma by eighty thousand koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 7The Great Sage Koṇḍañña had three assemblies of those with taints destroyed, free from defilements, with purified minds, in such a manner.

Inda-bh 8The first assembly consisted of one hundred thousand koṭi persons, the second consisted of one thousand koṭi persons, the third consisted of ninety koṭi persons.

Inda-bh 9At that time, I was a khattiyas named Vijitāvī. I exercised sovereignty from one end to the other end of the ocean.

Inda-bh 10I satisfied one hundred thousand koṭi great sages free from defilements together with the Supreme Leader of the world with excellent food.

Inda-bh 11That Buddha, the World-Leader Koṇḍañña, also pronounced a wish for me thus: "In immeasurable aeons counting from this moment, this one will become a Buddha in the world.

Inda-bh 12Having departed from the beautiful (city) named Kapila, the Tathāgata will exert great effort and perform the deed difficult to perform (the austere practices).

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

Inda-bh 14At 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 made ready.

Inda-bh 15Then, after circumambulating the precinct of the Bodhi tree, the Unsurpassed One, the one of great renown, will be enlightened at the root of the Assattha tree.

Inda-bh 16The mother who gives birth to this one will be named Māyā. The father will be named Suddhodana. This one will be Gotama.

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

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

Inda-bh 19Citta 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 is one hundred years."

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

Inda-bh 21They broke into cheers, clapped their hands, and smiled. The ten-thousand world-systems together with the devas raised their joined hands in reverence, saying:

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

Inda-bh 23Just as people who are crossing a river and do not reach the opposite bank cross the great river after reaching the bank further downstream —

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

Inda-bh 25Having heard the words of that one, I increased my faith further. While perfecting that very aim, I offered the Conqueror a great kingdom. Having relinquished the great kingdom, I went forth in his presence.

Inda-bh 26Having studied all of the Suttas and also the Vinaya — that is, the ninefold Dhamma of the Teacher — I made the Dhamma of the Conqueror shine forth.

Inda-bh 27While living without heedlessness in that Dhamma, whether sitting, standing, or walking in meditation, having perfected the higher knowledges, I went to the Brahmā world.

Inda-bh 28The city was named Rammavatī; the khattiyas king was named Sunanda; the mother of the Great Sage Koṇḍañña was named Sujātā.

Inda-bh 29He dwelt among his family for ten thousand years. There were three magnificent palaces: Suci, Suruci, and Subha.

Inda-bh 30Three hundred thousand women were adorned. That woman (his wife) was named Rucidevī. His son was named Vijitasena.

Inda-bh 31Having beheld the four signs, the Conqueror departed by means of a vehicle and strove with effort for ten months without fail.

Inda-bh 32Requested by Brahmā, the Supreme Person, the Great Hero Koṇḍañña turned the Wheel (of the Dhamma) in the great forest of the devas.

Inda-bh 33Bhadda and also Subhadda were the foremost (pair of) disciples. The attendant of the Great Sage Koṇḍañña was named Anuruddha.

Inda-bh 34Tissā and Upatissā were the foremost (pair of) female disciples. The Bodhi tree of the Great Sage Koṇḍañña was of the auspicious sāla species (sāla-kalyāṇika).

Inda-bh 35Soṇa and Upasoṇa were the foremost (pair of) male lay supporters. Nandā and also Sirimā were the foremost (pair of) female lay supporters.

Inda-bh 36Eighty-eight cubits (40 meters) in height, that Great Sage shone brilliantly like the moon, like the sun at midday.

Inda-bh 37The lifespan is known to have extended to one hundred thousand years. While enduring for that long, he helped many beings to cross over.

Inda-bh 38The earth was adorned with those whose taints were destroyed and who were free from defilements, just as the sky is adorned by the stars, and he shone forth in such a manner.

Inda-bh 39Those great elephants among men were immeasurable, unshaken, difficult to attain. Having manifested like lightning, those ones of great renown attained Nibbāna.

Inda-bh 40That spiritual power and that (meditative) concentration, having been fully developed by the wisdom of the Conqueror who is peerless — all of it has utterly vanished; are not all formations empty?

Inda-bh 41The Buddha Koṇḍañña, the one of glorious renown, attained Nibbāna at the Canda monastery. A beautiful reliquary shrine (in his honor) was erected seven leagues high at that very place.

The history of the Buddha Koṇḍañña is the second portion.