22. The Chronicle of Buddha Kakusandha

After Buddha Vessabhū’s attainment of Parinibbāna, when the aeon in which he appeared had come to an end, 29 empty aeons (suñña-kappa) which were aeons having no Buddhas elapsed and then there emerged the present Fortunate Aeon (Bhadda-kappa) of five Buddhas. In this aeon appeared four Buddhas, namely, Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, Kassapa and Gotama. The next Buddha, who is yet to come, is Buddha Metteyya.

The chronicle of Buddha Kakusandha, the first of these five Buddhas, is as follows: The Fortunate Aeon comprises 64 inclusive periods (antara-kappa). In the eighth inclusive period according to the Long Chronicle of the Kings (Mahā-rāja-vaṁsa) or in the first inclusive period according to the Glass Palace Chronicle (Hmannan Rāja-vaṁsa), when the human lifespan decreased from immeasurables to 40,000 years, Bodhisatta Kakusandha, on complete fulfilment of the perfections, was reborn in Tusita Heaven.

Early Life

Having complied with the request made by Devas and Brahmas to become a Buddha, he descended to the human world to be conceived in the womb of a Brahmin woman, Visākhā [189] by name, wife of the Brahmin chaplain Aggidatta, who was advisor to King Khemaṅkara of the city of Khemavatī. When ten months had elapsed, the Bodhisatta was born in Khemavatī Park.

As has been mentioned, all past Buddhas, from Dīpaṅkara to Vessabhū, belonged to royal families, but Buddha Kakusandha was born to a Brahmin family. In the society which is composed of four assemblies of people: nobles (khattiya), Brahmins, traders and lowly ones, never is a Buddha conceived, in his final existence, in the womb of a woman of the latter two classes.

As for nobles and Brahmins, sometimes nobles enjoy superiority and at other times, Brahmins do. At a time, when people show the highest honour to nobles, Bodhisattas are born into that class, for they are considered the best. At other times, when people show the greatest honour to the Brahmins, Bodhisattas are born in their families, for they are then supposed to be the foremost.

In this way, Buddhas hail only from noble and Brahmin families. Since recognition of the former as the most superior is more frequent, Buddhas are generally nobles by birth; and because it is only sometimes that Brahmins gain superiority, Buddhas of Brahmin birth are fewer. Thus, the greater number of noble Buddhas and the smaller number of Brahmin Buddhas should be understood.

When the youthful Bodhisatta Kakusandha came of age, he lived in three mansions: Kāma, Kāmavaṇṇa and Kāmasuddhi. Being entertained and served by his Brahmin wife, Rocinī by name, who had 30,000 Brahmin maids, he thus enjoyed a divine-like household life for 4,000 years.

When he had seen the four omens and when Rocinī had given birth to a son named Uttara, Brahmin Kakusandha renounced the world riding a chariot drawn by a thoroughbred horse and became a recluse. Joining him were 40,000 men who also became recluses themselves.

Awakening

With these 40,000 recluses, Bodhisatta Kakusandha practised the austerities for eight months. On the full moon of May (Vesākha), the day he would become a Buddha, he partook of the milk rice offered by the daughter of a Brahmin, Vajirindhā, of the market-town of Vajirindha and spent the daytime in the local acacia grove. In the evening, he went alone to the Mahā Bodhi tree and on the way he accepted eight handfuls of grass from Subhadda, a barley field watchman. As soon as he spread the grass at the foot of the Sirīsa Mahā Bodhi tree, Which was as big, etc., as the aforesaid Trumpet Flower Mahā Bodhi tree of Buddha Vipassī. there appeared the unconquered seat of 26 cubits. Sitting cross-legged on the seat, he concentrated his energy at four levels and became a Buddha in the same way as previous Buddhas.

Three Occasions of the Buddha’s Teaching

1. After becoming a Buddha, Buddha Kakusandha stayed in the neighbourhood of the Sirīsa Mahā Bodhi tree for 49 days. Having accepted the request made by a Brahma for his teaching, he contemplated who he should teach first and he saw his companions in renunciation. Using his psychic power, he immediately appeared at their residence in Isipatana Deer Park, near the town of Makila. When in their midst, he taught the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka) discourse, which was also taught by previous Buddhas, to numerous Devas and Brahmas who went to listen to it respectfully. At that time, 400 billion Devas and humans attained the paths and fruitions. [190]

2. At a later time, Buddha Kakusandha displayed the twin miracle near a Sāla tree, close to the city-gate of Kaṇṇakujja and taught the Dhamma. 300 billion Devas and humans penetrated the four noble truths and gained emancipation.

3. Still at a later time, another Dhamma teaching occasion (Dhammābhisamaya) took place in the following manner. At a Deva shrine, not too far away from the town of Khemavatī, lived a divine Yakkha named Naradeva. At the time of propitiation, he received, in his visible frame, honour done to him by the people. He was, however, in the habit of catching human beings who, through a difficult road approach to a big pond in the middle of a huge forest, fetched various species of lotus. If there were no people there, he went back to his great forest-abode and caught those who happened to be there and devoured them.

In fact, the road through the forest was notorious for its difficult terrain. At one time, at both ends of the forest, people were discussing among themselves as to how to get through the wilderness. At that time, after emerging from his attainment of great compassion (mahā-karuṇā-samāpatti) early in the morning, Buddha Kakusandha surveyed the world and saw the Yakkha, Naradeva, and those people in his vision of wisdom. So, using his psychic power, he went through the sky and, while the people were looking up, he displayed various types of miracles. Then he descended into Naradeva’s mansion and took a seat on the Yakkha’s splendid couch.

Naradeva became delighted the moment he saw the Buddha in the sky emitting a radiance of six colours from his body, and thought to himself: “The Buddha is coming here out of compassion for me.” With his attendant Yakkhas, he went to the Himālayas and brought back aquatic and terrestrial flowers of various hues and scents, with which he honoured the Buddha, singing in praise of him who still remained on the couch. Naradeva stood with his clasped hands touching his forehead in salutation.

On seeing the Buddha’s miracles, the people’s minds became serene and they all went to the Buddha and encircling him and paid respects to him. By explaining to the Yakkha how wholesome deeds are related to wholesome results, Buddha Kakusandha inspired the Yakkha and by giving a talk on the abodes of intense suffering, made him frightened. Thereafter, the Buddha taught the four noble truths. At that time, countless Devas and humans penetrated the truths and gained emancipation.

A Single Meeting of the Disciples

There was only one meeting of Buddha Kakusandha’s disciples. It took place in the Isipatana Deer Park, near the city of Kaṇṇakujja, on the full moon of February (Māgha). Amidst 40,000 Arahats, who had been his companions in renunciation, Buddha Kakusandha recited the Advisory Rules (Ovāda-Pātimokkha).

Bodhisatta as King Khema

At the time of Buddha Kakusandha our Bodhisatta was King Khema. Having made a grand offering of bowls and robes to the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha, and also having offered them such medicinal materials as minerals for preparing eye-ointment, and herbs including liquorice among others, he became so immensely pleased with the Dhamma taught by the Buddha that he renounced the world and became a monk in the Buddha’s presence. With reference to him, the Buddha predicted: “This monk Khema will indeed become a Buddha, named Gotama, in this Fortunate Aeon.”

Having heard the Buddha’s prophecy, the Bodhisatta Khema became overjoyed and determined to fulfil the ten perfections even more energetically.

Particulars of Buddha Kakusandha

Buddha Kakusandha’s birthplace was Khemavatī city.

His father was Brahmin Aggidatta, Brahmin chaplain to King Khemaṅkara, and his mother was Visākhā, a Brahmin [191] lady.

He lived a household life for 4,000 years.

His three mansions were Kāma, Kāmavaṇṇa and Kāmasuddhi.

His wife was Rocinī, a Brahmin lady, who had 30,000 attendants.

His son was Uttara.

The vehicle he used in renunciation, after seeing the four omens, was a chariot drawn by a thoroughbred horse.

He practised the austerities for eight months.

His two male chief disciples were Ven. Vidhura and Ven. Sañjīva.

His attendant was Ven. Buddhija.

His two female chief disciples were Ven. Sāmā and Ven. Campā.

His Bodhi tree was a Sirīsa.

His noble male supporters were the wealthy men, Accuta and Sumana.

His noble female supporters were Nandā and Sunandā.

Buddha Kakusandha’s height was 40 cubits.

The radiance from his body spread around, up to ten leagues.

The human lifespan during his time was 40,000 years. He lived for four-fifths of this lifespan rescuing beings such as humans, Devas and Brahmas from the flood-waters of Saṁsāra and placed them on the shore of Nibbāna.

In the world of Devas and humans, he opened the “shop of Dhamma” for the virtuous, male and female alike, and bravely roared a lion’s roar: “I am an omniscient Buddha indeed. The defilements and mental pollutants with their latent tendencies have all been rooted out from me.” After that, with his Arahat disciples, Buddha Kakusandha attained Parinibbāna.

The Buddha, who was endowed with a voice of eight qualities: Read the Further Explanations for the voice of eight qualities. clearness, sweetness, legibility, pleasantness, firmness, fullness, depth and echo, and his two chief disciples and other Arahat disciples who were possessed of morality that was unbreached, untorn, unmottled, and free at all times, they have all disappeared. Unsubstantial and futile indeed are all conditioned things!

In this manner, Buddha Kakusandha attained Parinibbāna in Khema Park. In that very park, a shrine was erected over the relics of Buddha Kakusandha. It was exactly one league high.