11. The Chronicle of Buddha Sumedha
After the lapse of the aeon in which Buddha Padumuttara appeared, there passed 70,000 empty aeons (suñña-kappas), which were devoid of Buddhas. In one aeon, 30,000 aeons before the present one, there appeared two Buddhas (maṇḍa-kappa), namely Sumedha and Sujāta.
Of these two Buddhas, Buddha Sumedha, as a Bodhisatta, on complete fulfilment of the perfections was reborn in Tusita which was a common practice of all the Bodhisattas. Having accepted the request made by Devas and Brahmas to become a Buddha, he descended to the human world to be conceived in the womb of Sudattā, Queen of King Sudatta. When ten months had passed, the Bodhisatta was born in Sudassana royal gardens.
Early Life
When he came of age, Prince Sumedha lived in three palaces, namely, Sucanda, Kañcana and Sirivaḍḍhana. Entertained and served by his chief consort Sumanā and her 48,000 maids of honour, he thus enjoyed a divine-like royal household life for 9,000 years.
While he was thus living a royal household life, Princess Sumanā gave birth to a son, named Punabbasu. Having seen the four omens, he renounced the world riding an elephant and became a recluse. Joining him in renunciation were one billion men who also became recluses.
Awakening
Bodhisatta Sumedha observed the austerities with the one billion recluses for fifteen days, or for eight months according to the Sinhalese version. On the day of his Awakening, the full-moon day of May (Vesākha), he ate the milk rice offered by Nakulā, daughter of a wealthy man of Nakula village, and spent the daytime in the local Sāla grove. In the evening, leaving his companions, he went alone to the Bodhi tree. On the way, he accepted eight handfuls of grass from a naked ascetic named Sirivaḍḍha. As soon as he spread the grass under the Asoka Mahā Bodhi tree, there appeared the unconquered seat of 57 cubits. Sitting cross-legged on the seat, the Bodhisatta mustered his energy at four levels, dispelled Māra’s forces and attained the state of a Buddha, omniscient, and Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Lord of the Three Worlds.
Three Occasions of the Buddha’s Teaching
1. Having become a Buddha, Buddha Sumedha stayed near the Mahā Bodhi for seven weeks. Agreeing to the entreaty made by a Brahma, he saw his younger half-brothers, princes Saraṇa and Sabbakāma, his future chief disciples, and also the one billion recluses who were his companions in renunciation. He then, by his psychic power, immediately appeared at Sudassana royal gardens near the city of Sudassana.
On seeing the Buddha from a distance, the one billion recluses, with faithful heart, welcomed him: taking his bowl and robe, preparing his seat, paying respects and taking their seats around him. Then the Buddha sent the gardener for his brothers, princes Saraṇa and Sabbakāma. He then taught the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka) discourse to all, including Devas and humans, who had gone to listen to him. At that time, 1,000 billion Devas and humans attained the paths and fruitions.
2. At another time, having engaged in the attainment of great
Then Kumbhakaṇṇa became furious, like an extremely poisonous snake struck with a stick. In order to threaten the Buddha, he assumed a horrible shape with his head like a mountain, his eyes opened wide and bright like sunrays; his long and broad fangs like ploughshares; his dark blue belly skin, flabby and pendulous; his nose concave in the middle, convex at its base and tip and terrifyingly ugly; his mouth wide and reddened like a mountain cavity; his hair thick, tawny and rough. With this most terrible appearance, he stood before the Buddha, breathing forth smoke and flames towards him and showered on him rains of rocks, mountains, fire, hot water, hot mud, hot ashes, weapons, burning coal, and hot sand. Despite this rain of the ninefold weapons, the Yakkha was unable to ruffle even a single hair on the Buddha’s body. Thinking to himself: “I will kill him by asking a question,” he put forward a question, like the Yakkha Āḷavaka, to the Buddha. By successfully answering the Yakkha’s question, Buddha Sumedha tamed him.
Yakkha Āḷavaka, was the best known Yakkha of Buddha Gotama’s lifetime, and was King of Āḷavi. Once while he was away, the Buddha went to his palace and taught to his women-folk. Hearing of the Buddha’s intrusion, the furious Āḷavaka hurried home and tried to drive the Buddha out of his residence, but in vain. On the contrary, it was the Buddha who succeeded in softening the Yakkha’s anger. Yet the Yakkha asked some questions just to fatigue the Buddha, who answered them to Āḷavaka’s satisfaction and thereby making him a Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna).
On the second day, which happened to be the day the ruler of a nearby country was supposed to sacrifice his son to the Yakkha, the countrymen brought cart-loads of food and offered it, together with the prince, to the Yakkha. Instead, the Yakkha offered the prince, whom he was to devour, to the Buddha. Having heard the good news, the people, who were waiting at the entrance of the forest, approached the Buddha. In that assembly, Buddha Sumedha taught to the Yakkha a suitable discourse and helped 900 billion beings attain the knowledge of the path.
3. Still on another occasion, Buddha Sumedha taught the four noble truths to Devas and humans in the garden of Sirinanda, near the city of Upakāri. At that time, 800 billion of them attained the path and fruition.
Three Occasions of the Disciples’ Meeting
1. There were three meetings (sannipāta) of Buddha Sumedha’s disciples. In the first meeting, the Buddha was in the city of Sudassana. Then one billion Arahats happened to have congregated.
2. At another time, the Buddha kept the Rains Retreat (Vassa) at Mount Deva. When the kaṭhina ceremony was held after the Rains Retreat, 900 million monks assembled.
3. Still at another time, the Buddha set out on a journey. Then the 800 million monks, who followed the Buddha on his journey, met.
Bodhisatta Uttara
At that time, our Bodhisatta was a young man named Uttara, whose name means one who excels all others in virtues. He gave the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, his wealth of 800
Uttara became a monk and shouldered his religious responsibilities and became accomplished in studying the Buddha’s ninefold teaching of discourses and discipline (sutta-vinaya), thus promoting the splendour of his Dispensation.
Mindfully cultivating and developing his virtues as a monk in the three postures of sitting, standing and walking but entirely without lying down, he reached not only the eight attainments (samāpatti) but the apex of the super knowledges (abhiññā) and on his passing, he was reborn in the Brahma abode.
Particulars of Buddha Sumedha
Buddha Sumedha’s birthplace was Sudassana.
His father was King Sudatta and his mother was Queen Sudattā.
He reigned for 9,000 years.
His three palaces were Sucanda, Kañcana and Sirivaḍḍhana.
His chief consort was Sumanā, who had 48,000 maids of honour. [Text: 84,000, but again this didn’t agree with BvA, or what was stated earlier, so I have changed it.]
His son was Prince Punabbasu.
His two male chief disciples were Ven. Saraṇa and Ven. Sabbakāma.
His attendant was Ven. Sāgara.
His two female chief disciples were Ven. Rāmā and Ven. Surāmā.
His Bodhi tree was an Asoka tree (Mahā-nīpa).
His noble male lay supporters were the wealthy persons, Uruvela and Yasava.
His noble female supporters were Yasodharā and Sirimā.
His height was 88 cubits.
The radiance emanating from his body spread over all directions, like the moon lighting up the sky and its stars. Or, the Buddha’s body radiance spread everywhere in the area of one league, like the Universal Monarch’s ruby shining all around to the extent of a league.
The lifespan during Buddha Sumedha’s time was 90,000 years. He lived throughout, for four-fifths of this lifespan, and rescued beings, such as humans, Devas and Brahmas, from the flood-waters of Saṁsāra and placed them on the shore of Nibbāna.
Buddha Sumedha’s Dispensation witnessed numerous noble Arahats everywhere in his Dispensation, who were endowed with the threefold knowledge and the sixfold super knowledges, who were possessed of energy, who were undisturbed by the vicissitudes of the world, who had the ability to view things, pleasant or unpleasant, in one and the same manner.
These noble Arahats of incomparable fame were all liberated from defilements and free of the four bases of existence (upadhi). The Arahats, who were the Buddha’s disciples, having large retinues, shed the light of their wisdom and attained the peaceful Nibbāna.
In this way Buddha Sumedha, conqueror of the five kinds of death (māra), attained Parinibbāna in the gardens of Medha. His relics dispersed in accordance with his resolve and existed all over Jambudīpa, being honoured by beings such as humans, Devas and Brahmas.