19. The Chronicle of Buddha Vipassī

When the aeon in which Buddha Phussa had appeared came to an end, 91 aeons before the present one, there appeared Buddha Vipassī.

The chronicle of Buddha Vipassī is as follows: in that aeon, when the lifespan of human beings decreased from immeasurables to 80,000 years, Bodhisatta Vipassī, on complete fulfilment of the perfections, was reborn in Tusita which was a practice common to all Bodhisattas. Having accepted the request made by Devas and Brahmas, he descended to the human world and was conceived in the womb of Queen Bandhumatī, consort of King Bandhuma, in the city of Bandhumatī. When ten months had elapsed, he was born in the Migadāya garden which is also called the Deer Park, for as a sanctuary, Khemā by name, it was full of deer.

Early Life

When the Bodhisatta Prince was born, wherever he went, by day or by night, a huge white umbrella of divine origin constantly hovered over him to protect him from heat and cold, dust and dew drops. He was ever adored by people. He was brought up being carried now in someone’s lap and then in another’s, having no chance to put his feet on the ground. [179]

Since his birth, he had possessed wonderful eyes which appeared as a result of his meritorious deeds (kamma-vipākajā), and powerful divine-like eyes. With these eyes, the Bodhisatta could see unobstructed as far as one league around, in daytime or at night. As Devas of Tāvatiṁsa always see with their ever-open eyes, so had the Bodhisatta Prince seen things with his never-closed but ever-open eyes since his birth; hence his famous name, Prince Vipassī.

Besides, one day, while a case was being tried in the law-court of his father, King Bandhuma, the duly adorned baby prince was handed to the king who placed him in his lap and while he was fondly amusing him, his ministers judged against a certain owner of property, saying that he was not the owner. Unsatisfied with the unjust decision, the prince suddenly cried bitterly. The king then asked his men to look for the reason, saying: “Why has such a thing happened to my son? Investigate into this matter.” When they investigated they could find no cause, other than that judges at the law court must have made a wrong verdict. So the verdict was reversed. Being satisfied then, the prince stopped crying. In order to find out whether the prince cried because he actually knew the case, they reverted to the original decision. This made him cry again, as bitterly as before. Then only did the father realise: “My son really knows what is right and what is wrong.” Since then the king ruled his country without negligence. From that time onwards, the Bodhisatta’s name, Prince Vipassī, became more famous on account of his ability to distinguish between right and wrong.

When Prince Vipassī came of age, he lived in three palaces: Nanda, Sunanda and Sirimā. Being entertained and served by female attendants headed by Princess Sudassanā, Or Sutanū. he thus enjoyed a Deva-like bliss in a royal household life for 8,000 years.

One day, Prince Vipassī summoned his charioteer and said: “I would like to see the gardens. I shall go there.” On his way to the gardens in a chariot he saw an old man who was a Deva in disguise. Since it was a strange sight as he had never seen any aged person before, he asked: “Charioteer, what is this man doing? His hair and his body are not like the others.”

“My lord, this is an old man,” replied the charioteer. “What is an old man?” asked the prince again, as he did not actually know what the words “old man” meant. “My lord,” answered the charioteer, “an old man is an aged person. He cannot live much longer.” – “Charioteer, will I also become old? Am I subject to old age, too?” – “My lord, you and I, and everyone else is liable to grow old. Nobody can escape old age.”

Then the Bodhisatta Prince said: “No longer do I want to see the gardens, turn back from here and return to the palace.” When he arrived in the palace, he contemplated: “Oh, birth is indeed wearisome. When there is birth, there will definitely be old age.” Contemplating this, the prince became very unhappy.

Having learnt about the matter from the charioteer, the king provided him with the means for enjoying sensual pleasures more than before in order to prevent his son from renouncing the world.

Several thousand years after that, the prince went to the gardens for a second time and he saw a sick person on the way. He did not proceed but turned back to the palace as before. When the father heard of his son’s unhappiness and pensive mood, he enticed him with even more objects of sensual pleasures.

On his third trip to the gardens too, several thousand years after the second visit, having seen a dead body, he returned to the palace as before.

Several thousand years thereafter, when he made a fourth trip to the gardens, he came across a monk on the way and asked the charioteer about the monk. When he came to [180] know what a monk was, he was so pleased that he had the chariot driven towards the monk’s direction.

On reaching the monk, he asked more details of the monk’s life and became all the more delighted. Accordingly, he said to the charioteer: “Charioteer, take back the chariot to the palace and keep it there. I shall become a recluse in this very place.” He thus sent the charioteer back. That was the day in which Princess Sudassanā gave birth to a son named Samavaṭṭakkhandha.

After sending back the charioteer, Prince Vipassī shaved his head, put on the robes and became a recluse. Then 84,000 citizens of Bandhumatī, on hearing of the prince’s renunciation, joined him and also became recluses themselves.

Awakening

Being accompanied by the 84,000 recluses, Bodhisatta Vipassī made a tour of villages, market-towns, and cities. Wherever he went, people erected pavilions and gave him alms food on a grand scale, but the Bodhisatta was tired of such grand offerings. The day before the eighth month of his renunciation, i.e., on the fourteenth waxing moon of May (Vesākha), it occurred to him thus: “It is not proper for me to live in the company of my followers. What if I were to stay alone and away from them?” So he parted from his recluses. On the full-moon day of May (Vesākha), the day of his Awakening, he partook of the milk rice offered by the daughter of Sudassana, the wealthy man, and spent the daytime in the local Sāla grove.

In the evening, he went to the Trumpet Flower (Pāṭali) Mahā Bodhi tree. On the way, he accepted eight handfuls of grass from Sujāta, a watchman of the barley fields. As soon as he spread the grass at the foot of the Trumpet Flower Bodhi tree, there appeared the unconquered seat, measuring 53 cubits high.

The trunk of the Trumpet Flower Bodhi tree was 50 cubits high, its main branches were also 50 cubits in length; so the total height of the tree was 100 cubits on the day the tree was approached by the Bodhisatta. That day, the tree looked as though it was covered, from the bottom to the top, by fragrant flowers which were strung together uniformly. It was pervaded with divine scents. On that day, not only the Trumpet Flower Bodhi tree but also all the trees and bushes in the 10,000 world-element bloomed.

Sitting cross-legged on the seat, the Bodhisatta concentrated his energy at four levels, in the same manner as described with previous Buddhas, and became a Buddha.

Three Occasions of the Buddha’s Teaching

1. Having become a Buddha, the Buddha stayed in the neighbourhood of the Bodhi tree for 49 days. Having accepted a Brahma’s request, he considered who he should teach first and he saw his half-brother, Prince Khaṇḍa, and Tissa, the Brahmin chaplain’s son, who were both his future chief disciples, and were endowed with the merits of their past deeds which could lead to the paths and fruitions, and he, by his psychic power, immediately appeared at the Deer Park, called Khema. Upon arriving, he sent the gardener for Prince Khaṇḍa and his friend Tissa. When they arrived, he advised them to renounce the world and he taught the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka) discourse to all humans, Devas and Brahmas who had gathered to listen to him. Then a large multitude of humans, Devas and Brahmas, who were headed by the prince and the Brahmin chaplain’s son, attained the paths and fruitions. In particular, Prince Khaṇḍa and the Brahmin chaplain’s son Tissa, who were the future chief disciples, became summoned monastics and became Arahats not long after.

2. At a later time, on hearing that: “Buddha Vipassī has arrived at Khema Deer Park near Bandhumatī,” and that: “Prince Khaṇḍa and the Brahmin chaplain’s son, Tissa, have also become monks in the presence of Buddha Vipassī,” 84,000 male citizens of [181] Bandhumatī joined them and became monks themselves. To these 84,000 monks, the Buddha administered the elixir of immortality.

3. The 84,000 men, who were members of the retinue while Buddha Vipassī was a prince, came to attend upon him early in the morning of the day the Bodhisatta went to the royal gardens for the fourth time, which was also the day of his renunciation. When they did not see the prince at the palace, they returned home for the morning meal. After finishing their meal, they enquired about the prince. Hearing that he had gone to the garden, they also went to the garden to see the prince.

On the way, they met the charioteer who was sent back by Prince Vipassī and heard from him of the prince’s renunciation. Instantly they took off all of their layman’s clothing, cut their hair and beards and became recluses wearing the robes which were bought at a market. Then these 84,000 recluses, who had followed his example, approached Bodhisatta Vipassī and sat around him. Surrounded thus by them, the Bodhisatta practised the austerities (dukkara-cariyā) for eight months. On the day before the full moon of May (Vesākha), the fourteenth waxing moon of the month, he became tired of association with them and thought: “I have been with them all along. While I was a prince, I roamed about in the company of these 84,000 men. It is not proper to have them with me now also. What is the use of such a band of people?” He also thought thus: “I shall depart from them immediately today.” Then he changed his thought thus: “There is little time left for doing so today. If I go now they will all know my departure. I had better go tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, residents of a certain village, which was like Uruvelā in the time of our Buddha, were busy preparing milk rice for the Bodhisatta and his 84,000 companions for the next day, after duly inviting them. On that day, which was the full moon of May (Vesākha), Bodhisatta Vipassī partook of the meal with his retinue at the village and returned to his sylvan residence.

On his return, the recluses, after performing their duties towards the Bodhisatta, withdrew to their respective places. Then only the Bodhisatta, who was in his little leaf-hut, decided: “It is the best time for me to leave,” came out from his hut, shut its door and headed for the Mahā Bodhi tree.

In the evening, the recluses went to the Bodhisatta’s retreat to attend upon him and waited around his hut, expecting to see their master. Only after a long time, they said among themselves: “A long time has elapsed. Let us investigate.” So saying, they opened the door of the leaf-hut and looked inside but did not see the Bodhisatta.

Although wondering: “Where has the master gone?” they did not make any effort to search for him. “He must have been tired of our company and seems to like staying alone. We shall see him only when he becomes a Buddha.” With such thoughts, they left the place and went towards the interior of Jambudīpa.

Later on, when they heard that Prince Vipassī has become a Buddha and taught the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka) discourse, they left for the Khema Deer Park near Bandhumatī city and assembled there in due course. The Buddha then gave them a talk on the Dhamma. The 84,000 monks attained the paths and fruitions.

Three Occasions of the Disciples’ Meeting

1. There were three meetings (sannipāta) of Buddha Vipassī’s disciples. The first took place at Khema Deer Park. There, in the midst of the 84,000 monks who had followed Buddha Vipassī and another 84,000 monks who had followed Prince Khaṇḍa and the Brahmin chaplain’s son, Tissa, in renunciation, totalling 168,000 monks, Buddha Vipassī recited the Advisory Rules (Ovāda-Pātimokkha). [182]

2. At a later time, there took place the meeting of 100,000 monks who had put on the robes after witnessing the twin miracle displayed by the Buddha.

3. At a still later time, Buddha Vipassī’s three half-brothers, on their return after crushing an insurgency at the border, were asked to express their boons by their royal father who was so delighted with their success. “We have been permitted to ask what we want,” said the princes among themselves, “we do not need to ask for any other boon than permission to attend upon our elder brother.” When their request was granted, they invited the Buddha to the towns and villages under them and attended upon him and honoured him. Accordingly, the Buddha went and accepted the veneration shown to him. He also gave them a discourse, as a result of which, 80,000 people became summoned monastics and became Arahats. In the company of these 80,000 Arahats, in Khemaka Deer Park, Buddha Vipassī recited the Advisory Rules.

The Bodhisatta as the Nāga King Atula

Meanwhile our Bodhisatta was the Nāga King Atula of great might. In the company of many millions of Nāgas who were playing celestial musical instruments, he approached Buddha Vipassī, Lord of the Three Worlds. In order to honour the Buddha and his monastics, he invited the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha to his place. He built a great pavilion which was adorned with the seven kinds of gems and was pleasing to the eye, like the orb of a full moon. He accommodated the Buddha with his Saṅgha in the pavilion and performed grand alms giving to them for seven days. He also offered a golden bench, which was richly decorated, to the Buddha.

Sitting in the midst of the Saṅgha, the Buddha taught him a discourse in appreciation of his alms giving and, at the conclusion of the discourse, declared prophetically about him, saying: “In the 91st aeon from the present one, this Atula Nāga King will indeed become a Buddha.”

Having heard the Buddha’s prophecy, Bodhisatta Atula, the Nāga King, was overjoyed, and determined to fulfil the perfections even more energetically.

Particulars of Buddha Vipassī

Buddha Vipassī’s birthplace was Bandhumatī city.

His father was King Bandhuma and his mother was Bandhumatī.

He reigned for 8,000 years.

His three palaces were Nanda, Sunanda and Sirimā.

His chief consort was Sudassanā, who had 120,000 maids of honour.

His son was Prince Samavaṭṭakkhandha.

The vehicle he used after seeing the four omens was a chariot drawn by thoroughbred horses.

He practised the austerities for eight months.

His two male chief disciples were Ven. Khaṇḍa and Ven. Tissa.

His attendant was Ven. Asoka.

His two female chief disciples were Ven. Candā and Ven. Candamittā.

His Bodhi tree was a Trumpet Flower tree.

His noble male lay supporters were the wealthy persons, Punabbasumitta and Nāga.

His female supporters were Sirimā and Uttarā.

The height of Buddha Vipassī, Lord of the Three Worlds, was 80 cubits.

His radiance spread as far as seven leagues.

The lifespan during Buddha Vipassī’s time was 80,000. Living for four-fifths of this lifespan, he rescued humans, Devas and Brahmas from the waters of Saṁsāra and placed them on the shores of Nibbāna. [183]

After showing the light of Dhamma and the teaching about the deathless Nibbāna, Buddha Vipassī, with many of his Arahat disciples, finally attained Parinibbāna like a mass of fire which becomes extinct after burning brightly.

Buddha Vipassī’s exalted power, exalted glory, and his body adorned with characteristic marks, vanished. Unsubstantial and futile are all conditioned things!

In this way Buddha Vipassī, conqueror of the five kinds of deaths (māra), attained Parinibbāna in Sumitta Park. A seven leagues high shrine was erected in that very Park and dedicated to him