16. The Chronicle of Buddha Siddhattha
After the aeon in which Buddha Dhammadassī appeared had come to an end, there elapsed, one after another, 1,706 aeons. [There is something awry with the calculations here. It appears that this number should be 27,106 aeons, which would indeed add up. BvA though agrees with the translation in stating 1,706.] Then 94 aeons ago from now, there appeared the one and only Buddha of that aeon, Siddhattha by name.
At that time, 94 aeons ago, the lifespan of human beings decreased from immeasurables to 100,000 years. Bodhisatta Siddhattha, on complete fulfilment of the perfections, was reborn in Tusita, a practice common to all Bodhisattas. Having accepted the request made by Devas and Brahmas, he descended to the human world to be conceived in the womb of Queen Suphassā, chief consort of King Udena, in the city of Vebhāra. When ten months had elapsed, the Bodhisatta was born in Viriya Park.
On his naming day, learned readers of omens, and his relatives, named him Siddhattha
Early Life
When Bodhisatta Siddhattha came of age, he lived in three palaces: Kokā, Suppala and Kokanada. Being served and entertained by 48,000 female attendants headed by Princess Somanassā, he thus enjoyed a divine-like royal household life for 10,000 years.
When Bodhisatta Siddhattha had seen the four omens and when Princess Somanassā had given birth to a son, named Anupama, he went forth riding a golden palanquin on the full-moon day of July (Āsāḷha) and became a recluse in Viriya Park. 1,000 billion men joined him and also became recluses.
Awakening
With the 1,000 billion recluses, Bodhisatta Siddhattha practised the austerities for ten months. On the full-moon day of May (Vesākha), the day of his Awakening, he partook of milk rice offered by a Brahmin girl, named Sunettā, of Asādisa village and spent the daytime in the local Jujube grove. In the evening, he went alone to the Kaṇikāra Mahā Bodhi tree and accepted, on the way, eight handfuls of grass from Varuṇa, a watchman of the barley fields. As soon as he spread the grass under the Bodhi tree there appeared the unconquered seat, measuring 40 cubits. Sitting cross-legged on the seat, he became a Buddha, in the same manner as previous Buddhas.
Three Occasions of the Buddha’s Teachings
1. After becoming a Buddha, Buddha Siddhattha stayed in the neighbourhood of the Mahā Bodhi tree for 49 days. Agreeing to the entreaties made by a Brahma, he contemplated who he should teach first. Then he discerned the 1,000 billion recluses who, with him, had renounced the world and who were endowed with the merits of their past deeds, which would lead them to the paths and fruitions. Thinking: “I shall teach them first,” he contemplated as to their whereabouts and saw that they were still living in the Deer Park, which was eighteen leagues from the Mahā Bodhi tree. By his psychic power, he immediately appeared at the Deer Park.
The 1,000 billion recluses, seeing the Buddha approaching them, welcomed him with faithful heart, attending upon him in the way as described in the previous Buddhas, and finally, took their appropriate seats, surrounding the Buddha. Then the Buddha taught the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka) discourse which was also taught by all the previous Buddhas to Devas and humans who had come to listen to him. At that time, 1,000 billion beings attained the paths and fruitions.
2. At another time, at the invitation of King Bhīmaratha of Bhīmaratha city, Buddha Siddhattha visited that city and, staying at the royal pavilion, which was erected on a grand scale in the city-centre, he spoke in a voice that was like that of the king of the Indian Cuckoo birds, or like that of the King of the Brahmas, as it was sweet, pleasing to the ear and appealing to the hearts of the wise. Thus, letting the Dhamma reach the ten quarters, he beat the drum of deathlessness. At that time, 900 million beings attained the paths and fruitions.
3. Still at another time, Buddha Siddhattha visited his home-town of Vebhāra, where, in the assembly of his relatives headed by his father King Udena, he narrated to them the Chronicles of the Buddhas (Buddha-vaṁsa). At that time, 900 million beings attained the paths and fruitions.
Three Occasions of the Disciples’ Meeting
1. There were three meetings of Buddha Siddhattha’s Arahat disciples. The first meeting took place at the city of Amara, which was beautiful and pleasing to the eye, like the divine city of Tāvatiṁsa. There, in the city, two brothers, who were also his two future chief disciples, Prince Sambala and Prince Sumitta, reigned together like Licchavī princes during the lifetime of our Buddha. Seeing that the two princes were endowed with the merits of their past deeds, which would lead to the paths and fruitions, Buddha Siddhattha instantly appeared in the centre of Amara city. There, he descended to the surface of the earth, impressing it with the soles of his feet which were even and adorned with 108 marks. He thus showed his footprints (pada-cetiya), which were worthy of respect, and then he went to Amara Park where he stayed in glory, like a golden statue on a stone slab.
The two royal brothers, seeing the footprints, together with their retinues traced them till they came to the Buddha. They paid respects to him and sat down near him. When the Buddha taught a discourse to them that suited their inclinations and dispositions they developed faith in him and after becoming monks, they became Arahats. In the midst of these 100 billion monks, the Buddha recited the Advisory Rules (Ovāda-Pātimokkha).
2. At another time, in the midst of 900 million monks, who had become monastics at the assembly of his relatives in Vebhāra, the Buddha recited the Advisory Rules.
3. Still at another time, in the midst of 800 million monks who had assembled at Sudassana monastery, the Buddha recited the Advisory Rules.
The Bodhisatta as Recluse Maṅgala
Meanwhile, our Bodhisatta was reborn in the city of Surasena as a Brahmin, named Maṅgala who was accomplished in the Vedas in their original texts as well as in their branches of literature. He gave away all his possessions worth many millions to the poor and the destitute and since he took delight in seclusion, he became an ascetic. Developing the attainments (samāpatti) and super knowledges (abhiññā), he achieved effective powers by virtue of which nobody could torture him.
While he was thus abiding, he heard the news: “Buddha Siddhattha had appeared in the world.” He therefore approached the Buddha and adoringly paid respects to him. Hearing the Buddha’s teaching, the ascetic became so pleased that he brought fruits from the rose-apple tree of Jambudīpa with his psychic power, and at Surasena monastery, where he accommodated the Buddha, he offered the fruits as food to the Buddha who was accompanied by 900 million disciples. Having partaken of the fruits, Buddha Siddhattha declared prophetically: “This Maṅgala, the ascetic, will indeed become a Buddha, Gotama by name, in the 94th aeon from now.”
Having heard the Buddha’s prophecy, the Bodhisatta, Maṅgala the ascetic, was overjoyed and firmly resolved to fulfil the ten perfections even more energetically.
Particulars of Buddha Siddhattha
The birthplace of Buddha Siddhattha was Vebhāra city.
His father was King Udena and his mother was Queen Suphassā.
He reigned for 10,000 years.
His three palaces were Kokā, Suppala and Kokanada.
His chief consort was Somanassā, who had 48,000 maids of honour.
His son was Prince Anupama.
The vehicle he used in renouncing the world was a palanquin.
He practised the austerities for ten months.
His two male chief disciples were Ven. Sambala and Ven. Sumitta.
His
His two female chief disciples were Ven. Sīvalā and Ven. Surāmā.
His Bodhi tree was a Kaṇikāra.
His noble male lay supporters were the wealthy persons Suppiya and Samudda.
His noble female supporters were Rammā and Surammā.
Buddha Siddhattha’s height was 60 cubits.
He shone forth in the 10,000 world-element like a column of jewels erected for worship.
Resembling the unequalled former Buddhas, peerless and unrivalled and endowed with the five eyes, Buddha Siddhattha lived for 100,000 years.
Having displayed extensively his physical radiance as well as his intellectual brilliance, having caused the flowering of the paths and fruitions in his disciples, and having glorified them with attainments, both mundane and supermundane, Buddha Siddhattha attained Parinibbāna with all of them, and came to the end of his final existence.
In this way, Buddha Siddhattha, noble monarch of all monks, attained Parinibbāna in Anoma Park, near Kañcanaveḷu city. In that very park, a four leagues high shrine of jewels was erected, in the way mentioned for previous Buddhas, and was dedicated to him.