2. The Chronicle of Buddha Koṇḍañña
Early Life
The aeon in which Buddha Dīpaṅkara appeared came eventually to an end. When one immeasurable (asaṅkhyeyya) number of aeons had passed after that, there appeared Buddha Koṇḍañña in a certain aeon.
Asaṅkhyeyya is a number which is immeasurable, and the period between the previous Buddha Dīpaṅkara and the following Buddha Koṇḍañña is called a Buddhantara-asaṅkhyeyya as it is to be understood as an immeasurable interval between two Buddhas.
This is how Buddha Koṇḍañña appeared: At the end of his fulfilment of the perfections for 16 immeasurables [The original translation said “60 immeasurables,” but no Bodhisatta has to fill the perfections for that long, the quickest is 4 immeasurables and 100,000 aeons, and the slowest is 16 immeasurables and 100,000 aeons, see the Further Explanations. This figure of 16 is confirmed in BvA.] and 100,000 aeons, while enjoying his life in the divine abode of Tusita which is a tradition followed by all Bodhisattas, and having complied with the request made by other Devas for becoming a Buddha, he descended to the human world to be conceived in the womb of Queen Sujātā at King Sunanda’s palace in the city of Rammavatī. At the moment of his conception there occurred the usual 32 portent phenomena.
The Bodhisatta was born after ten months had passed. At the moment of his birth also, the portents became manifest and other miraculous events that were associated with every Bodhisatta took place. All this will be mentioned in detail when we come to the Chronicle of Buddha Gotama.
Since the Bodhisatta belonged to the clan of Koṇḍañña, he was named Prince Koṇḍañña. When he came of age, he enjoyed a kingly life for 10,000 years, living in the three most delightful golden palaces: Suci, Suruci and Subha, with his chief consort Rucī Devī, and being waited upon and entertained by 300,000 female dancers and attendants.
While Koṇḍañña was living thus, Queen Rucī Devī gave birth to a son, named Vijitasena. On seeing the four omens of the aged, the sick, the dead, and the recluse, the Bodhisatta renounced the world, riding a chariot drawn by four thoroughbred horses. Prince Koṇḍañña’s renunciation was admired by 100 million people, who became recluses too.
Bodhisatta Koṇḍañña, with these 100 million recluses, practised austerities (dukkara-cariyā). On the day he was to attain Awakening, the Bodhisatta partook of the milk rice offered by Yasodharā, daughter of a wealthy man of the village of Sunanda. He passed the daytime in the local grove of Sāla trees and in the evening, he went alone to the Bodhi tree, leaving behind all his followers. On the way, he accepted eight handfuls of grass offered by a naked ascetic named Sunandaka and as soon as he spread the grass at the foot of a beautiful Sāla tree, the unconquered seat (aparājita-pallaṅka), which was 57 cubits in height, appeared.
Awakening
Sitting cross-legged on the seat, the Bodhisatta put forth energy at four levels and overcame Māra and his army; then he gained knowledge of previous lives (pubbe-nivāsa-ñāṇa) in the first watch; and the knowledge of the divine eye (dibba-cakkhu-ñāṇa) in the middle watch; and in the last watch he contemplated the doctrine of consditional origination (paṭicca-samuppāda) in forward order and backward order. Thereafter, he entered upon the fourth absorption (jhāna) through breathing meditation, emerged from it and, while reflecting on the five aggregates, he discerned 50 characteristics concerning the rise and fall of the aggregates and developed insight up to the change of lineage (gotrabhū-ñāṇa). Gaining the path-knowledge of an Arahat (Arahatta-magga-ñāṇa) and penetrating all the attributes of a Buddha, he become a Buddha at sunrise.
After becoming a Buddha, the Buddha Koṇḍaññā spent seven days at each of the seven places in the neighbourhood of the Bodhi tree. In the eighth week, he accepted the request made by a Brahma for his teaching and he considered who he should teach first, ahead of all others. Remembering the 800 million recluses who had followed his example of renunciation, he thought of their whereabouts and came to know that they were staying at Devavana, the Divine Grove of Arundhavatī town, eighteen leagues from the Bodhi tree. Taking his bowl and robe, he arrived at their place at once by means of his miraculous power.
Seeing Buddha Koṇḍaññā approaching them from a distance and being moved by their devotional faith in him, the 100 million recluses extended him a warm welcome, took his bowl and robe, prepared the seat and paid respects to him. After which, they sat down at suitable places, surrounding the Buddha. Then the Buddha taught the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka) discourse which was also delivered by all previous Buddhas.
Three Occasions of the Buddha’s Teaching
Buddha Koṇḍañña, who was endowed with unlimited glory, incomparable retinue and fame, countless attributes, formidable appearance to those who are impudent, forbearance like the mass of earth, morality which is extensive like the mass of water in the ocean, concentration, steadfast like Mount Meru, wisdom infinite like the open space, always engaged himself in teaching the faculties (indriya), powers (bala), constituents of Awakening (bojjhaṅga), factors of the path (maggaṅga), truths (sacca) as revealed in the 37 things on the side of the Awakening (Bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma) for the benefit of large numbers of beings.
1. At this teaching of the first discourse, 1,000 billion Devas and humans headed by 100 million monastics realized the four truths.
2. This was followed, at one time, by the delivery of the Discourse on the Blessings (Maṅgala-sutta, Snp 2.4) to a great gathering of Devas and Brahmas, who arrived from the 10,000 world-element, assuming minute and subtle bodies so that there could be enough room for them all in the universe. At this gathering, an unknown Deva raised the question of blessings (maṅgala), asking as to what helped to bring about a perfect life with prosperity. Addressing that Deva, the Buddha taught the Discourse on the Blessings. At this teaching of the Discourse on the Blessings, 900 billion Devas and humans became Arahats. Those who became Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna), etc., were innumerable.
3. When Buddha Koṇḍañña taught the Dhamma, staying in the sky after defeating the heretics by a display of the twin miracle of water and fire, 880 billion humans, Devas and Brahmas attained the Arahat fuition (Arahatta-phala). Those who were established in the three lower fruition stages, were innumerable.
Three Occasions of the Disciples’ Meeting
There were also three occasions of Buddha Koṇḍañña’s disciples’ meetings (sannipāta):
1. The first occasion took place in Canda Park, with Candavatī being his supporting city, when he observed the first Rains Retreat (Vassa), after he had become a Buddha penetrating the four truths. In that city, two young men, Bhadda, son of Sucindhara, and Subhadda, son of Yasodharā, whose fathers belonged to the lineage of immensely rich Brahmin families, listened to Buddha Koṇḍañña’s discourse. As a result, they developed devotional faith, donned the robes together with 10,000 youths in the presence of the Buddha and became Arahats. There, the Buddha, being surrounded by 1,000 billion Arahats led by Ven. Subhadda, recited the Monastic Rules (Pātimokkha) on the full-moon day of June (Jeṭṭha).
2. Some time later, Buddha Koṇḍañña’s son, Prince Vijitasena, after becoming a monastic, became an Arahat. The Buddha then recited the Monastic Rules (Pātimokkha) in the midst of 10 billion Arahats with Ven. Vijitasena at their head.
3. Finally, at one time, while visiting the countryside, Buddha Koṇḍañña ordained King Udena and his host of followers. When they all became Arahats, the Buddha, being surrounded by 900 million Arahats, headed by Ven. Udena, recited the Monastic Rules (Pātimokkha).
Bodhisatta Vijitāvī
At that time our Bodhisatta was a Universal Monarch, Vijitāvī by name, ruling in the city of Candavatī, and he received the prediction from Buddha Koṇḍañña. Having numerous distinguished hosts of attendants, he held under his sway the whole stretch of land in the universe up to the end of the four oceans, by righteousness, not by force, nor by arms.
Then Buddha Koṇḍañña, setting out on a journey followed by 1,000 billion Arahats, arrived at Candavatī. Hearing of the Buddha’s visit, the Bodhisatta King
Having thus performed, the king listened to the Buddha’s discourse, which was given in appreciation of the offering. At the end of the discourse, he made a request: “May the venerable ones spend the three months of the Rains Retreat (Vassa) in the city of Candavatī, to bring blessings to the citizens.” And he performed matchless deeds of generosity to the congregation of monks led by the Buddha during the whole period of the Rains Retreat.
Then Buddha Koṇḍañña declared a prophecy: “Innumerable aeons from the present one, in the aeon that appears after three immeasurable periods and 100,000 aeons, you will definitely become a Buddha.”
The prophecy, like the one made by Buddha Dīpaṅkara, is given in full detail in the Pāḷi, mentioning the practice of austerity and other events, but they are not repeated here as they have already been given in the story of Sumedha. This statement is made after the declaration of prophecy made by each Buddha. We will leave out similar statements from the accounts of later Buddhas.
Having declared the prophecy, Buddha Koṇḍañña carried on teaching. After listening to the Buddha’s discourse, the king’s faith in the Buddha grew to a great extent and being desirous of achieving Buddhahood, he made an offering of his vast kingdom to the Buddha, in whose presence he became a monk. After learning the Three Baskets, he acquired the eightfold attainment and the fivefold super knowledges (abhiññā). Reaching the apex of the super knowledges, he was reborn in the Brahma abode on his death.
Particulars of Buddha Koṇḍañña
Buddha Koṇḍañña’s place of birth was the city of Rammavatī.
His father was King Sunanda, and his mother was Sujātā Devī.
His two male chief disciples were Ven. Bhadda and Ven. Subhadda.
His attendant was Ven. Anuruddha.
His two female chief disciples were Ven. Tissā and Ven. Upatissā.
His Bodhi tree was a Beautiful Sāla (Sāla-kalyaṇī).
His male lay attendants were Soṇa and Upasoṇa.
His female lay attendants were Nandā and Sirimā.
His height was 88 cubits, and he shone like the moon or the sun at noon.
The lifespan then was 100,000 years and throughout that long period he saved beings, such as humans, Devas and Brahmas, taking them out of the flood-waters of Saṁsāra and placing them on the shore of Nibbāna.
While a lay-Prince, Buddha Koṇḍañña had three palaces: Suci, Suruci and Subha.
His female attendants were 300,000.
His chief consort was Rucī Devī, and his son Vijitasena.
He reigned for 10,000 years.
He used for his renunciation the chariot drawn by thoroughbred horses.
When he became Buddha, he stayed at Candārāma.
In Buddha Koṇḍañña’s Dispensation, the earth with Arahats, whose pollutants (āsavas) were destroyed and who were purified of impurities, was in splendour like the open sky with stars and planets. That is to say, the colour of the Arahats’ robes covered the surface of the whole earth.
The Arahats were of incomparable nobility. They were not at all disturbed by the eight vicissitudes of life; it was hard for the fiery tempered unruly people to approach them. When these Arahats, who were endowed with great fame, were desirous of passing into Nibbāna, they rose into the sky, about seven toddy palm trees high, like the lightning rushes into the murky clouds. They entered upon absorption attained with the fire-element as a meditation device (tejo-kasiṇa-jhāna) and
The peerless glory of Buddha Koṇḍañña and his concentrated mind that was permeated with omniscience have all vanished. Unsubstantial and futile indeed are all conditioned things!
Buddha Koṇḍañña, who had fully realized the four noble truths, attained Parinibbāna at Candārāma. In the same park, a shrine, seven leagues high, was built. It was made of powdered red orpiment mixed with oil and butter and was dedicated to him.
The unbreakable relics of the Buddha, true to the nature of long-lived Awakened Ones, remained solid like golden images without falling into pieces. These relics were laid in the shrine and people from all over Jambudīpa completed the construction by decorating it with the seven kinds of precious stones.