24. The Chronicle of Buddha Kassapa

After Buddha Koṇāgamana’s attainment of Parinibbāna in this Fortunate Aeon, the lifespan of human beings gradually decreased from 30,000 years to ten years and increased to immeasurables. When it reached 20,000 years on its next decline, Bodhisatta Kassapa was reborn in Tusita.

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 Dhanavatī, a Brahmin lady and wife of the Brahmin Brahmadatta in the city of Bārāṇasī, which was ruled by King Kiki. When ten months had elapsed, the Bodhisatta was born in Isipatana Deer Park. On his naming day, learned readers of omens and his relatives named him Kassapa, for he was a descendant of the clan of that name.

When the boy Kassapa came of age, he lived in three mansions: Haṁsa, Yasa and Sirinanda. Being entertained and served by his wife Sunandā, a Brahmin lady, who had 48,000 female attendants, he thus enjoyed a divine-like household life for 2,000 years.

When he had seen the four omens while living a household life and when his wife Sunandā had given birth to a son, named Vijitasena, he was stirred with spiritual urgency and he thought to himself: “I shall renounce the world immediately today.”

No sooner had he thought this than the Bodhisatta’s mansion rotated like a potter’s wheel and flew up into the sky. And, like the moon coming out in the company of the stars in autumn, it produced a very delightful light, and the mansion moved on, with hundreds of people accompanying it as though adorning the vault of heavens, as though exhibiting its glory, as though attracting spectators and captivating their hearts, and as though lending splendour to the treetops. Finally, it came down to the ground with the Banyan (Nigrodha) Bodhi tree in its centre.

Then the Bodhisatta got down from the mansion. Standing on the ground, he accepted the robes offered by a Brahma and put them on. The Bodhisatta’s wife and female attendants also got down from the mansion and went to a distance of half a mile where they erected temporary shelters like the barracks of an army. Joining the Bodhisatta, all the men, who had come along with him, also renounced the world.

Awakening

With the recluses who had joined him, Bodhisatta Kassapa practised the austerities. On the full moon of May (Vesākha), the day on which he would become a Buddha, he partook of the milk rice offered by his wife Sunanda and spent the daytime in the local Acacia grove. In the evening, he proceeded alone to the Mahā Bodhi tree. On the way, he accepted eight handfuls of grass offered by Soma, a barley field watchman. As soon as he spread the grass at the foot of the Mahā Bodhi tree, there appeared the unconquered seat of fifteen cubit feet. Sitting cross-legged on the seat, he concentrated his energy at four levels and, in the same manner as previous Buddhas, he became a Buddha.

Five Occasions of the Buddha’s Teaching

1. After becoming a Buddha, Buddha Kassapa stayed in the vicinity of [195] the Mahā Bodhi tree for 49 days. Having complied with a Brahma’s request for his teaching, he contemplated who he should teach first and he saw ten million recluses, his companions in renunciation, who were endowed with the merits of their past deeds which could lead to the paths and fruitions. By his psychic power, he immediately appeared at their residence, Isipatana Deer Park, near the city of Bārāṇasī. Staying in the middle of these recluses, the Buddha taught the Dhamma Wheel (Dhamma-cakka) discourse by following the practice of previous Buddhas, as well as to Devas and Brahmas, who went to listen respectfully. By the end of the discourse, 20 million Devas and humans attained the paths and fruitions.

2. At a later time, when Buddha Kassapa taught Dhamma while travelling from town to town, from village to village, and from market-town to market-town, 100 billion Devas and humans attained the paths and fruitions.

3. Still at a later time, when Buddha Kassapa displayed the twin miracle of water and fire and taught the Dhamma near the Indian Laurel (Asana) tree, close to the gate of Sundara city, 50 billion Devas and humans penetrated the four noble truths and gained emancipation.

4. Having displayed the twin miracle of water and fire, Buddha Kassapa, in the celestial Assembly Hall named Sudhamma in Tāvatiṁsa, taught Abhidhamma in order to benefit Devas and Brahmas who had assembled there and were listening respectfully. This Dhamma was especially meant for a Deva, who had been his mother. At that time, 30 billion Devas and Brahmas penetrated the four noble truths and gained emancipation.

5. There was once a Yakkha who was as powerful as the one named Naradeva during Buddha Kakusandha’s lifetime. He was well known by the same name of Naradeva. Assuming the appearance of a king ruling in a city outside Jambudīpa and also assuming the king’s voice, behaviour and other characteristics, he killed the king and devoured him. Then he ruled over the whole kingdom slaying many people for food. He also indulged in debauchery with women.

When intelligent queens, maids of honour and members of retinue discovered: “This man is not our master, nor our king; he is indeed a Yakkha,” he felt threatened and then killed and devoured them all and moved on to another city where he made himself king in the similar manner.

Killing and devouring people in this way, Naradeva arrived at Sundara city. Having heard of his reign of terror, the citizens became scared of the danger of death and fled from their city. Seeing the tumultuous situation of the people, Buddha Kassapa went and stood before the Yakkha. When he saw the Buddha standing in front of him, he defied the Buddha by roaring thunderously. Unable to frighten the Buddha, he approached him for refuge. He also put forward some questions which the Buddha answered to his satisfaction. When the Buddha admonished him and taught a discourse, a large multitude of Devas and humans, who had assembled there respectfully to listen to it, penetrated the four noble truths and gained emancipation.

The Single Occasion of the Disciples’ Meeting

The meeting of Buddha Kassapa’s Arahat disciples took place just once, in the city of Bārāṇasī. When Tissa, son of the Brahmin chaplain, saw the 32 marks of a Great Man on the body of Bodhisatta Kassapa, he remembered his father’s word that “only those who would become Buddhas can have such marks.” As he had not one iota of doubt about [196] it, he thought to himself: “This Kassapa will become a Buddha through supreme renunciation. I shall work hard to be free from the suffering of Saṁsāra after becoming a monk in the presence of this Buddha Kassapa.” Accordingly, he went to the Himālayas and became an ascetic even before Bodhisatta Kassapa renounced the world. The ascetics of his company were 20,000 in number.

Later on, when he heard that: “Kassapa, after renouncing the world, has now become a Buddha,” he left the Himālayas with his company of 20,000 ascetics, and requested to be ordained in the presence of the Buddha. Being called upon by the Buddha: “Come, monks,” Tissa the ascetic with his 20,000 companions became summoned monastics and Arahats. In the assembly of these 20,000 monks, on the full moon of February (Māgha) Buddha Kassapa recited the Advisory Rules (Ovāda-Pātimokkha).

The Bodhisatta as Jotipāla the Youth

At the time of Buddha Kassapa our Bodhisatta was famous as Jotipāla the youth. He could recite the Veda texts continuously, learned various hymns by heart, and he reached perfection in the Vedas and was accomplished in treatises on prediction that explain the physical marks of an extraordinary being, etc., treatises on legends that narrate ancient tales and all arts and crafts that had been handed down by generation after generation of teachers. No less accomplished, but fully well-versed and skilful was he in terrestrial science and celestial science.

Jotipāla was an intimate friend of Ghaṭikāra the potter, who, being a noble supporter of Buddha Kassapa, was greatly devoted to the Three Treasures and was famous as a Non-returner (Anāgāmi). Ghaṭikāra the potter took him to Buddha Kassapa.

After listening to the Buddha’s Dhamma, Jotipāla became a monk in the Buddha’s presence. Highly energetic, clever in performing duties, big and small, and not negligent in any matters associated with the three trainings of morality, concentration, and wisdom, he shouldered responsibilities in the Buddha’s Dispensation.

Having learned the teachings (pariyatti) of the Buddha which comprised nine divisions, he glorified the Buddha’s Dispensation. Discerning Jotipāla’s aforesaid marvellous qualities, Buddha Kassapa predicted of him: “This monastic Jotipāla will indeed become a Buddha, named Gotama, even in this Fortunate Aeon.” On hearing the Buddha’s prophecy, the noble monastic Jotipāla became overjoyed and resolved to fulfil the ten perfections even more energetically.

On account of his only wish, which was attainment of omniscience, our Bodhisatta, who would become the inconceivable Lord of the Three Worlds, kept himself far away from all demeritorious deeds that are to be avoided throughout Saṁsāra, and he put efforts unflinchingly to perform meritorious deeds, which ordinary people can hardly do, in absolute fulfilment of the ten perfections.

Particulars of Buddha Kassapa

Buddha Kassapa’s birthplace was Bārāṇasī city where King Kiki reigned.

His father was Brahmin Brahmadatta and his mother was Dhanavatī, a Brahmin lady.

He lived a household life for 2,000 years.

His three mansions were Haṁsa, Yasa and Sirinanda.

His wife was Sunandā, a Brahmin lady who had 48,000 female [197] Brahmin attendants.

His son was Vijitasena.

The vehicle in which he renounced the world was a mansion.

He practised the austerities for seven days.

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

His attendant was Ven. Sabbamitta.

His two female chief disciples were Ven. Anulā and Ven. Uruvelā.

His Bodhi tree was a Banyan (Nigrodha) tree.

His noble male supporters were Sumaṅgala and Ghaṭikāra the potter.

His female supporters were Vijitasenā and Bhaddā.

Buddha Kassapa’s height was 20 cubits.

He was glorious like forceful lightning and the full moon surrounded by planets and stars.

The lifespan during his time was 20,000 years. He lived for four-fifths of this lifespan rescuing numerous beings from the waters of Saṁsāra and placed them on the shores of Nibbāna.

Buddha Kassapa created the big pond of Dhamma for beings, such as humans, Devas and Brahmas, and gave the “unguent of the four kinds of monastic precepts (catu-pārisuddhi-sīla) for them to beautify their minds, made them put on the garments of conscience (hirī) and concern (ottappa), distributed among them the flowers of the 37 things on the side of Awakening (Bodhi-pakkhiyā-dhammā), and placed the spotless mirror of the path-knowledge of Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-magga-ñāṇa) so that they could see clearly for themselves, distinguishing between faulty things and faultless things, between deeds of merit and unwholesome deeds. He placed the mirror as though he were inviting those who were wandering in search of Nibbāna near the aforesaid pond: “Behold yourselves in all kinds of adornment.”

He provided those who listened to his admonishment with the clothing of the five precepts, ten precepts and the four kinds of monastic precepts so that they could fight against their enemy, the defilements. By making them fasten their coats of mail of the four mundane and five supermundane absorptions (jhāna); by making them wear the leather robe of mindfulness (sati) and clear consciousness (sampajañña); by supplying them with the full military equipment of the sublime energy at four levels; by giving them the shield of the four steadfast mindfulnesses (satipaṭṭhāna) so that they could defend themselves from the various enemy defilements.

By making his army of disciples wield the lances of very sharp insight knowledges (vipassanā-ñāṇa) and giving them the sword of path-wisdom (magga-paññā), the swords that had been sharpened on the whet stone of energy (viriya) and by handing to them the supermundane precepts so that they could eradicate their inclinations to associate with defilements. By giving them various dressing articles such as the three understandings (vijjā) and the six super knowledges (abhiññā), having fashioned the crowning flower of supermundane fruitions so that they could adorn and beautify themselves, and by making a big cluster of the flowers of the nine supermundane attainments and together with it, the white umbrella of the Arahat fruition (Arahatta-phala) so that they could protect themselves against the sun of demerits. By so doing, Buddha Kassapa created the great bloom of the eightfold path (magga), leading happily to the haven of Nibbāna. Then Buddha Kassapa and his numerous Arahat disciples attained Parinibbāna and came to the end of his final existence.

That Buddha Kassapa, the embodiment of unmeasurable qualities, whom others could hardly approach; the gem of Dhamma taught by him was in a position to extend its bold invitation saying: “Come, have a look and try it as a practice.”

The gem of the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha of disciples who were most excellent and had practised that gem of Dhamma well, all these have vanished. Unsubstantial and futile indeed are all conditioned things!

In this way, Buddha Kassapa, conqueror of the five kinds of deaths (māra), teacher of Devas and humans, attained Parinibbāna in a great park called Setavya, near Setavya city, in the [198] country of Kāsi. The people of Jambudīpa unanimously held a meeting and, for honouring him, they erected a shrine (cetiya) with bricks; each brick cost ten million of money to lay externally and each brick to lay internally cost five millions. This shrine was one league high.

Our Bodhisatta had thus received the prediction concerning his Buddhahood from the former 24 Buddhas, beginning with Dīpaṅkara and ending with Kassapa, and this has been composed briefly in the Poem on the Dhamma Rays (Dhammarasi Pyo, vv. 7, 8 and 9). The author then gives pertinent extracts from the pyo which we leave untranslated.