The Lineage of The Buddha You may wonder what is the history behind the 24 Buddhas (with specific

and diff erent names) who are venerated at Mahindarama Buddhist Temple. The 24 Buddhas in t his instance is not the same as the thousand upon thousand of Buddhas that some a re trying to portray in edifices and pictures. The chronology of events surround ing the 24 Buddhas is not unknown but have been passed down from The Buddha to H is disciples, the Elders (Maha Theras); and subsequently documented and authenti cated in the Pali Texts. You will soon see that the epochs of the 24 Buddhas are closely woven with the ultimate aspiration of the Bodhisatta Gotama to become t he Supreme One, the Sammasambuddha, The Conqueror of Conquerors1. No other saga in the annals of the universe comes close to the epochs of The Conqueror. This lineage of The Buddhas was told by The Buddha Gotama Himself - a tradition that is not guesswork, writer s flight of fancy, fable, or legend. Read on and be inspired, and be instilled with a deeper wise confidence (saddha) in The Buddha, the Supreme Master. Buddha Gotama, by virtue of his Supreme Omniscience, Sabbata Nuna Nana2, was abl e to relate about the beginnings and the journey of His own ascent to become the Sammasambuddha, the Perfect One. Such events had happened in eras so distant th at it is impossible for us to say this much or that much of years, just as it is impossible for us to say how much grains of sands are there in the oceans. The length of time spanning the life history of a Bodhisatta s unrelenting quest t o become the Perfect One represents only a minute section of the incalculable pa ssage of time in Samsara. Such an endeavour can only be heard of from a Sammasam buddha who can recall with distinct clarity His own struggle to become what He i s, a Perfect One. The first arousing of an altruistic and determined thought in the aspirant Gotam a aspiring to become someone who can save himself and others but not certain as ye t of what someone he could become to save himself and beings from danger happened at the most unexpected place the ocean. [ETC] Once in the distant past, the aspirant Gotama was born as a poor man who made a living by selling wood and leaves as fuel; and supported his mother too. His fat her was no more in the world. He was strong and industrious. One day while takin g a rest from the enervating summer heat after carrying a heavy load of firewood he reflected that his livelihood depended on his physical strength which were s usceptible to decay and ill-health. Thus, he planned to venture to a particular land far away that brimmed with opportunities to earn a better livelihood so tha t that he could wait upon his mother in comfort. Both son and mother then embarked on a sea voyage paid by the wages of the son s w ork on board the merchant ship. On the seventh day at sea the ship was wrecked i n stormy weather, and there were no survivors except the aspirant Gotama and his mother. The brave and determined man managed to keep himself and his mother afl oat at sea. A Brahma of the Suddhavasa3 abode beheld the altruistic feat of such a man and caused a compassionate resolve (aspiration) to arise in the aspirant s mind: I will cross the ocean fraught with many dangers and take others across safely, I will become enlightened and enlighten others; I will be released and release ot hers. After three days both mother and son finally reached the shore safely. The aspir ant continued to attend to his mother. After cessation of his life in the world, the aspirant was reborn in a celestial realm. After the celestial existence, th e aspirant was reborn in the human realm as a king named King Sattutapa. He love

d elephants and one day a new addition to the stables was acquired. The king took a ride on the bull-elephant driven by a mahout and went on an insp ection tour of the city. Coincidentally, at that time some wild elephants from t he forest had created wanton destruction in the park and the king set out to ins pect it too. While in the park, the bull-elephant became inflamed by the scent o f a she-elephant. It hurled the mahout off its back and chased the she-elephant. The king, still riding the elephant, was unable to control it though he prodded the creature with an elephant hook. He saved himself by grasping onto an overha nging tree branch. Later, back in the palace, the king summoned the mahout and accused the man of m urderous intent. The mahout explained that the bull-elephant, though a well-trai ned animal, was overcome by lust; after satiating its desire, it would surely re turn to its stable. True enough, days later the elephant returned to the palace. The mahout said that the power of sense desires impelled the elephant so much s o that the animal disregarded the pain from the prodding; and such strong sensua l desires was also common among humans. The king was moved by this reality and it s accompanying dangers and suffering. He made a mental aspiration to find the way to release from sense desires and its attending dangers, and then lead others to gain release from these things too. L ater, the king gave up his kingdom and renounced worldly life to become an ascet ic and remained so until the end of his life. He was reborn in the heavens after death. Subsequently, after his celestial existence when he was reborn in the human real m, the aspirant was a prodigal son of a brahmin endowed with a complexion of gol den hue and was thus named Brahma Kumara. At age sixteen, he became accomplished in the arts, sciences, and spiritual texts and later had five hundred male yout hs as his pupils. Instead of living comfortably from his parents immense wealth, he gave it away and became an ascetic. He had a following of pupils who practised well and were accomplished in superno rmal powers. The most senior of his pupils was another aspirant to Enlightenment just like him. He was Bodhisatta Metteya4. One day the aspirant Gotama and his disciples were out for alms together. They h appened to catch sight of an emaciated tigress with her cubs at the foot of a st eep clearing. The tigress was moaning for want of food and was very weak. Appare ntly, the tigress was so hungry that it would at any time made a meal of her cub s. The aspirant Gotama told his pupil Bodhisatta Metteya to look for the leftovers of what has been eaten by predators. After Bodhisatta Metteya left, Bodhisatta G otama was reflecting on his body that was a basis of diverse ills and a cause of misery. He then perceived that it was not possible to attain to the highest fru it of training without accomplishing the most difficult task, without making a s acrifice hard to perform and without giving away a gift difficult to give. Thus, he aroused within himself a mental aspiration: As a result of this meritori ous deed, may I become perfectly enlightened in the future, and lead beings from , the misery of existence to the Deathless5. With these last thoughts, the aspir ant leapt into the steep clearing where the tigress and her cubs were and sacrif iced his life. The tigress ate the body of the Bodhisatta and thus the lives of the cubs were spared. After his passing away, the Bodhisatta was reborn in heaven. During a certain wo rld period6, the Bodhisatta Gotama was reborn in a royal family as a step-sister 7 of another Bodhisatta who became a Perfect Enlightened One called Buddha Puran

a Dipankara in that life. Buddha Purana Dipankara also had made a confirmation u pon an ascetic Pacchima-Dipankara that the latter would gain Perfect Enlightenme nt as Buddha Dipankara after having fulfilled the Ten Perfections8 for sixteen a sankheyyas9 and a 100,000 kappas beyond the present time. The princess (Bodhisatta Gotama) was inspired by Buddha Purana Dipankara and off ered a gift of mustard oil and made a mental aspiration to become a Sammasambudd ha in future. Her aspiration was conveyed by the ascetic Pacchima-Dipankara. Bud dha Purana Dipankara, using His Omniscience, said in a future time Bodhisatta Go tama would be confirmed by Dipankara Buddha (the ascetic). The above episodes are only the chronology of events that aroused the making of mental aspiration by the Bodhisatta Gotama. A time will come to pass that the Bo dhisatta, as a man, will have the good fortune to meet a Sammasambuddha face to face and become inspired by the example and personality of The Exalted One -- a role model of what the aspirant would aspire to become! The foregoing paragraphs explain the three epochs of the aspiration of Bodhisatta Gotama beginning from the first time he made his first mental aspiration in the presence of a Sammasam buddha, Brahmadeva Buddha.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Era of mental aspirations (Spanning 7 asankheyyas. Affirmation of aspiration before 125 Buddhas) In the Nanda asankheyya, the Bodhisatta (reborn as a king) made his mental aspir ation before a living Sammasambuddha named Brahmadeva Buddha. He offered choice food and ministered to the needs of the Enlightened One. The aspirant was inspir ed by the majesty and wonders of the Buddha performed marvels and was amazed by the wonderful, marvellous, and inconceivable nature of the powers of such an Acc omplished One. (GCB) The aspirant s mind became inclined towards acquiring such po wers. The aspirant also had the opportunity of performing meritorious deeds in s upport of The Buddha and his disciples. For the first time, he made such mental aspiration (manopradidhana) before a Per fect Enlightened One: In the future, like this Exalted One, I too will become enlightened and enlighten others; I will become released and release others; I will cross over and take o thers across. Life after life the aspirant s inclination towards acquiring the Omniscience of a Sammasambuddha became increasingly strong. How is this so? Although the aspiran t may not himself see the Tathagata s great powers, when he heard from others rela ting about the extraordinary powers of an Exalted One, the aspirant became even resolute in his inclination. During those lives when he neither had the chance t o personally meet a Sammasambuddha nor hear of the Tathagata s great powers, his i nclination towards Omniscience was strengthened by the learning from written dis courses about theTathagata. During those lives when he was not opportune to be inspired by a Tathagata throu gh any of the three ways, i.e. by direct encounter, by hearing from others, or b y reading of written texts, such a thought arose in the aspirant s and: I will prot ect the heritage, lineage, tradition, and Iaw of The Buddhas. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Era of verbally expressed aspiration (Spanning 9 asankheyyas. Affirmation of aspiration before 387 Buddhas)

At the end of the seven asankheyyas, nine asankheyyas followed beginning from Sa bbabhadra asankheyya; during which time the aspirant made even firmer his aspira tion by verbally expressing to a living Sammasambuddha of his aspiration. The le ngth of time during which the aspirant Gotama did this was again an immensely lo ng time. In the Sabbabhadra asankheyya there was a world period in which the aspirant, ha ving passed away from the Brahma realm, was reborn in the royal family in the ci ty of Dhannavati. After fulfilling the prerequisites of becoming a Cakkavatti10 (Wheel-Turning Monarch), the aspirant became endowed with the seven treasures. H aving conquered righteously (without recourse to arms, punishment, or bloodshed) the four continents in the world, the aspirant enjoyed the majestic splendour o f a Cakkavatti. During this time, there arose in the world a Fully Awakened One by the name of P urana Sakyamuni. The aspirant set off with much pomp and glory of a universal mo narch to meet Purana Sakyamuni Buddha. Upon beholding the incomparable splendour of The Exalted One, the aspirant reflected thus: In the future, like the Exalted One, I too will become enlightened and enlighten others; I will become released and release others; I will cross over and take ot hers across. Having reflected to himself thus, the aspirant gave offerings to The Exalted One and The Sangha. Next, he made a verbal aspiration before the Peerless One: Just as The Exalted One is named Gotama at present, even so in future I will beco me an Enlightened One named Gotama. Purana Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha, by his Omniscience, was able to perceive that th e aspirant would one day be able to fulfil his aspiration and become a Fully Awa kened One by the name of Gotama Buddha; and said thus: If that be so, O Great Kin g, fulfil the pre-requisite conditions to become a Fully Enlightened One. Hearing the encouraging words of The Buddha, the aspirant was greatly pleased at heart. He renounced all the majestic splendour of a universal monarch and went forth to lead a life of a hermit (not entering into the Sangha)11. He was born i n the Brahma realm after passing away. As a result of his aspirations, the aspirant was supported by opportunities of p ersonally meeting a Sammasambuddha in some of his previous lives and thus was ab le to perform special acts of merits. (GCB). The other boons were: The aspirant became endowed with compassion and was ever w illing to alleviate the suffering of beings even at the expense of his life. He was also endowed with energetic effort to strive without being discouraged in th e face of vicissitudes. He enjoyed the boon of good friendship (kalyna mitta) wi th people who possessed these attributes : wise confidence in the Triple Gem, mo rality, profound learning, able to renounce or sacrifice, energetic effort, mind fulness, concentration, and wisdom. These kalyna mitta restrained the aspirant from doing unwholesome (kusala) deeds whenever he was unsettled and encouraged him to develop what is wholesome (kusa la). The Bodhisatta gradually established himself in the four great powers, and again affirms his aspiration for Sammasambuddhahood. The four great powers are namel y: a) Internal power (ajjhattikabala): Self-reliant, moral shame, and reverence of The Dhamma thinking: I wil! protect t he heritage, lineage, tradition and law of The Buddhas. b) External power (bahirabala): The power derived from external conditions, i.e. inspired by directly seeing the powers of a Sammasambuddha; inspired by hearing from others describing the powe rs of a Sammasambuddha; and inspired by learning from a written discourse on the powers of a Sammasambuddha and supported by pride and self-confidence: I am a pe rson fully equipped with powers to become a Sammasambuddha one day. c) Power of supporting conditions (upanissaya bala):

Being endowed with sharp faculties, purity, and mindfulness, the Bodhisatta was inspired by seeing directly the powers brought about by the Omniscience of a Bud dha and he set his mind firmly on this ultimate goal. d) Power of exertion (payoga bala): Persistent effort in cultivating supporting conditions for the attainment of Sam masambuddhahood and performing meritorious acts. Thus, we see that the makings of a Sammasambuddha is an awe-inspiring and length y endeavour filled with numerous factors which interweave with the appearances o f Buddhas of the past. The more we come to understand the chronicles of a Sammasambuddha, the more like ly we will banish our mediocre perspective of Gotama Buddha: He is not just an e xtraordinary man; not a mere prophet; not another sage with exceptional wisdom.. ...but a Supreme Being endowed with Great Compassion and Supreme Omniscience tha t has no equal and beyond whatever spirituality ever known in history.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Era of physically expressed aspirations (Spanning 4 asankheyyas and 100,000 world periods. Affirmation of aspiration bef ore 24 Buddhas.)

Having cultivated himself for such a long time and supported by his great boons that he acquired, a time will come for the aspirant to outwardly show his aspira tion in a bold way. In one of the aeons the aspirant made the kaya-pranidhana b efore Dipankara Buddha who was the last of the four Buddhas that arose in that a eon. The kaya-pranidhana is literally translated as the act of aspiration involv ing physical actions. The great meritorious thought (Mahakusala Citta) and its concomitants arose: I wi ll strive with unremitting zeal to attein Ominiscience and become a Sammasambudd ha and help beings to liberate themselves from Samsara. Only a Sammasambuddha has the ability to confirm a kaya-pranidhana because it ca lls for Omniscience and this quality is exclusive to a Sammasambuddha. Possessin g Omniscience (Sabbatanu Nana), a Sammasambuddha has the unique power to know w hatever subject he investigates; and thus a Sammasambuddha confirms a kaya-prani dhana by stating, among other facts, the name that the aspirant will acquire as a Sammasambudda, and names of his father, mother, wife, the mode of transport wh ich he takes to go forth from household life to homeless life, and the tree unde r which the Bodhisatta will sit in bhavana and gain Perfect Enlightenment. To make the kaya-pranidhana, it is necessary for the aspirant to possess the fol lowing supporting factors as well: 1. He is a human being, i.e. a menussa. 2. He is a male.

3. He stays alone and has renounced worldly possessions 4. He has acquired the necessary factors that will gain him the accomplishment o f an Arahant and is prepared to relinquish it for the supreme accomplishment of Perfect Enlightenment (Great Compassion and Omniscience) 5. He has the opportunity to make the kaya-panidhana before a Sammasambuddha (no t a Pacceka Buddha or an Arahant). 6. He is one whose meditative accomplishments include Jhanic attainments with fa ctors such as supemormal hearing and vision. 7. He is ready to devote his life to protect the heritage, lineage, tradition, a nd law of The Buddhas and this commitment is unchanged even after attaining supe rnormal powers. 8. He possesses unremitting eagerness and unflagging energy. Sumedha possessed all these basic requirements. Such a qualified Bodhisatta is a lso referred in some books as Buddha-elect or a Buddha-to-be. For those who are already familiar with Buddhist authenticated texts, the Jataka Stories in the Ti pitaka came from the era after Ascetic Sumedha became a qualified Bodhisatta. At the moment when a living Sammasambuddha immediately confirms the Great Aspira tion (Abhinihara) made by a Bodhisatta, the aspirant becomes a Confirmed or a Qu alified Bodhisatta and his ultimate goal of becoming a Sammasambuddha will not b e obstructed in the passage of time, i.e. the destination of full Enlightenment in the distant future will become irreversible.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Account of Ascetic Sumedha s physical act of aspiration

Four asankheyyas and one hundred thousand kappas ago in the city of Amaravati, t here lived a very rich couple, of noble unimpeached and inherited from their res pective forbears. They had an only son named Sumedha who was pleasing to behold, amiable, and endowed with excellent complexion and physical built. Without engaging in any other work, Sumedha acquired the highest education. Whi le still in his youth his parents died. Sumedha inherited his parents colossal as sets. The family treasurer showed Sumedha the family tree which laid out the nam es of his forbears who were once owners of the legacy. Sumedha asked why did th ey leave such fortune behind. The treasurer answered that the world was such tha t upon death nothing could be taken along. Sumedha was greatly affected by this truth but wisely reflected: My forbears who had amassed this wealth did not take with them even a kahapana when they left this world; but I should so act as to take it along with me. With the permission of the king, Sumedha distributed his wealth to the common pe

ople. He renounced the world and advised his friends to do likewise. Sumedha en tered the jungles and lived as a hermit and after seven days of mental developme nt and attained supernormal powers. Meanwhile, at that time Dipankara Buddha had arose in the world. The Perfectly Enlightened One, the Master of the Ten Powers , Unexcelled Trainer of Gods and Man, had set the Wheel of The Dhamma rolling. At the time of Bodhisatta Dipankara s conception, his physical birth, his Enlighte nment, and his first exposition of the Dhamma, the entire 10 thousand-fold world system12 quaked and trembled, shuddered and created a mighty din. Ascetic Sumedha, who was at most times, in the bliss of his mental concentration was oblivious to such a fortuitous series of events and its portents. One day, Buddha Dipankara, while on his wanderings together with thousands of Arahants, h ad reached the city of Rammaka, a neighbouring city to Amaravati. He was welcom ed with much joy and glorious devotions by the people of Rammaka. The people of Amaravati had also invited Dipankara Buddha and his disciples to t heir land to receive offerings. The people busied themselves building large hall s, levelling roads, putting up decorative arches and adorning roadsides with ban ners, flags and flowers --in preparation for the day to welcome Dipankara Buddha . The road that was to be used by The Buddha and his disciples was strewn with w hite sand. Everybody was eager and joyous. Meanwhile, the hermit Sumedha while travelling across the sky by his own superno rmal power, saw the hive of activity and became curious. He came down to enquire and was told that a Perfectly Enlightened One, Buddha Dipankara had arose in th e world, and was residing in Rammaka together with thousands of Arahants; the pe ople of Amaravati had invited the Blessed One for a meal; and the route which wo uld be taken by the Blessed One was now being decorated. Sumedha thought: The very word appearance of such a one. Buddha is indeed rare in this world, and more so the

He asked to join in the work of decorating the road that would be used by Buddha Dipankara. The people knew Sumedha possessed supernormal powers and thus gave him the task of filling up a crevice filled with muddy water along a road. Sumed ha thought to himself that if he accomplished this task merely by exercising his supernormal powers he would not be satisfied. He exerted physical effort and s oon there remained only a small portion of the crevice that was left to be fille d. Before Sumedha could complete his task, Dipankara Buddha and his disciples, t ogether with a large retinue, were walking down the road to where he was working . Celestial gods rained heavenly flowers and perfumes and celestial music resounde d. Sumedha, with wide-open eyes, beheld the Blessed One, in all His immeasurable glory and majesty -- extraordinarily radiant, emitting Buddha-rays, and all aro und him was filled with exuberant colours. Sumedha knew he could perform a great act of merit for his lasting weal and happi ness. He at once untied his hair and spread out his garments covering his back, and fully prostrated himself face down across the muddy crevice such that The Bu ddha and his disciples could walk on his body like a bridge. Lying like this wit h his hands put together in anjali, Sumedha again opened his eyes beholding the majesty of the Blessed One.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Supreme Sacrifice

At that moment, Sumedha, knew he could accomplish Arahantship by listening to th e teachings from Dipankara Buddha and become released from the cycle of birth an d death. He reflected thus: If I so wish, today I will eradicate my defilements; but what use have I of reali sing the Teaching here and attain Nibbana, as one unknown? I would rather, like Dipankara Buddha, attain Omniscience and become an Enlightened One in the future to show many the way to Nibbana also. This I aspire to do! Ascetic Sumedha thus gave up this goal for a loftier one to become a Sammasambud dha, a living example of which was Dipankara Buddha himself. Thus, Sumedha boldl y expressed his aspiration to become a Sammasambuddha and prostrated himself ful ly (this action constituting the kaya-pranidhana). I will attain Omniscience and become an Enlightened One in the future. I will att ain Omniscience and help others cross the sea. By this firm aspiration made befo re the highest of gods and men I will attain Omniscience and help others cross t o the other shore. And the Blessed One came near; and standing near ascetic Sumedha s head investigat ed the significance of the ascetic s action, and made this proclamation (using his Omniscience): This ascetic lies here making his aspiration to become a Sammasambuddha in future . His aspiration will come true. He will become a Buddha named Gotama, four asankheyyas and a 100,000 kappas from now. In that existence, he will be born in Kapilavatthu; his mother will be Que en Mahamaya; his father will be King Suddhodana; his chief disciple will be Sari putta and the second chief disciple Moggallana; Ananda will be his personal atte ndant; his chief woman disciple in the Order will be Khema and the second chief disciple in the Order will be Uppavalana. With ripened wisdom he will make the Great Renunciation; having accepted milk-ri ce at the foot of the Ajapala Banyan tree and having eaten it on the banks of th e Neranjara River he will ascend the seat at the foot of the Assattha tree (also known as the Pipphali or Pipal Tree); and engaging in great exertion attain Per fect Enlightenment. Thereupon, Buddha Dipankara honoured the aspirant with eight handfuls of flowers , went round him with veneration and moved on. The Buddha s disciples, 400,000 Ar ahants, too honoured the aspirant with flowers and unguents and moved on. The celestial beings of the ten thousand world systems perceiving that Sumedha w as proclaimed by Dipankara Buddha to be a confirmed Bodhisatta, rejoiced and at once appeared around the scene. For once, manussa loka (the human realm of exist ence) became like a celestial realm. Human folks at the scene could see celestia l beings mingling with them; and earthly music blended in harmony with heavenly music (when at ordinary times such a scenario is impossible). This Great Aspiration (Abhinihara) of Bodhisatta Gotama leads to the attainment of Omniscience of a Sammasambuddha in a distant future and is unstoppable by any force in the universe. Bodhisatta Gotama, fragrant amidst the thousands of flow

ers showered on him, reflected on the pre-requisites of achieving the stage of a Sammasambuddha and investigated all the Ten Perfections (Dasa Parami) with his Parami-pavicaya Nana (Perfection-investigating Wisdom) which was achiev ed without the help of a teacher. When Bodhisatta Gotama realised this truth, the Earth tremored (not catastrophic but euphoric) and all beings at the scene rejoiced at this auspicious phenomena by crying out Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! (Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!). After the time of receiving the confirmation from Dipankara Buddha, the Bodhisat ta Gotama reaped special fruits as a result of making his Supreme Sacrifice (Abhinihara). The four asankheyyas and a 100,000 world periods beginning from t he aeon of Dipankara Buddha up to the time of Buddha Kassapa is called the epoch of the verbal and physical aspiration. The various Buddhas whom Gotama Bodhisatta met on separate occasion during his p erfection of the Dasa Parami spanning 4 Asankheyyas and 100,000 kappas will be s ummarised here. After, Dipankara Buddha, there arose twenty-three Buddhas before whom the Bodhis atta Gotama received the same prediction, "In future...he will become a Fully En lightened One called Gotama Buddha." Whenever, he met these Buddhas, the Bodhisa tta Gotama performed great acts of merit (physical actions), like for example ma king offerings to The Buddha and the Sangha; listening to the teachings of The B uddhas; and developing his supramundane knowledges. The Twenty Four Buddhas The names of the twenty-four Sammasambuddhas whom Bodhisatta Gotama met during h is many repeated rebirths in the human realm (beginning with the first receiving of a definite proclaimation from Dipankara Buddha) were: Name of the Budddha whom the Bodhisatta had met Name of Bodhisatta Gotama during that life; and his station in life

Dipankara Buddha was the last of four Buddhas who appeared in a certain Saramand akappa prior to a total of four asankheyyas and a 100,000 kappas before the pres ent kappa. 1. Dipankara Buddha nheritance and became an ascetic. Sumedha, a wealthy brahman who gave up his i

After that kappa elapsed, the Sela Asankheyya arose. After the Sela Asankheyya h ad elapsed in a certain Sarakappa, there appeared Kondanna Buddha. For the sake of information, the three Buddhas who arose prior to Dipankara Buddha were Tanha kara Buddha, Medhankara Buddha, and Saranankara Buddha. 2. Kondanna Buddha Vijitavi, Wheel-Turning Monarch who gave up his entire world empire and went forth as an bhikkhu. After the kappa had elapsed, there arose the Bhasa Asankheyya. Towards the end o f the Bhasa Asankheyya, during a Saramanda- kappa, there arose at different time s, 4 Perfect Ones, namely Mangala Buddha, Sumana Buddha, Revata Buddha, and Sobh ita Buddha. 3. Mangala Buddha Surici, a brahman head who went forth as a b

hikkhu. 4. Sumana Buddha 5. Revata Buddha 6. Sobhita Buddha

Atula, naga king. Atideva, a brahman. Sujata, a brahman.

After that kappa had terminated, Jaya Asankheyya arose but no fortuitous meeting with a Buddha happened. After that asankheyya elapsed, during a certain Varakap pa, there arose at different times, three Buddhas, namely Anomadassi Buddha, Pad uma Buddha, and Narada Buddha. 7. 8. 9. Anomadassi Buddha Paduma Buddha Narada Buddha A Yakkha-general. A lion, king of beasts. A Jatila ascetic.

When this kappa came to an end, there arose the Ruci Asankheyya in which there w as no forfuitious meeting with a Buddha. After than in a particular Sarakappa, t here arose Padumutfara Buddha. 10. Padumuttara Buddha Jatila, a village headman.

Subsequent to this, for 69,000 kappas, no fortuitous meeting with Buddhas happen ed. But 30,000 kappas, prior to our present kappa, there arose in a certain Mand akappa on different occasions two Buddhas, namely Sumedha Buddha and Sujata Budd ha. 11. Sumedha Buddha Uttara, a young brahman who went forth as a bh ikkhu. 12. Sujata Buddha A Wheel-Turning Monarch who gave up his entire world empire and went forth as a bhikkhu. After that time,1800 kappas prior to our present kappa, in a Varakappa, there ar ose Piyadassi Buddha, Atthadassi Buddha, and Dhammadasi Buddha. 13. Piyadassi Buddha 14. Atthadassi Buddha 15. Dhammadassi Buddha Kassapa, a brahman. Susima, an ascetic. Sakka, King of Gods.

After that kappa 94 kappas prior to our present kappa, in a Sarakappa there aros e Siddhattha Buddha. 16. Siddhattha Buddha Mangala, an ascetic.

After that, no fortuitous meeting with Buddhas happened for one kappa. 92 kappas prior to our present kappas, in a Mandakappa, there arose Tissa Buddha and Phus sa Buddha. 17. Tissa Buddlia forth as an ascetic. 18. Phussa Buddha ent forth as a bhikkhu. Sujata, a king who gave up his kingdomand went Vijitavi, a king who gave up his kingdom and w

After that, 91 kappas prior to our present kappa, in a Sarakappa there arose Vip assi Buddha. 19. Vipassi Buddha Atula, a naga king.

After that 59 kappas passed and during the 31st kappa prior to the present kappa s, during a Mandakappa, there arose two Buddhas, namely Sikhi Buddha and Vessabh u Buddha.

20. Sikhi Buddha 21. Vessabhu Buddlia

Arindama, a king Sudassana, a king

From that time onwards, no fortuitous meeting with Buddhas happened for 29 kappa s. Then followed our present kappa. In this present Bhaddhakappa, the Bodhisatta met with Kakusandha Buddha, Konagamana Buddha, and Kassapa Buddha. 22. Kakusandha Buddha 23. Konagainana Buddha 24. Kassapa Buddha Bhikkhu. Khema, a king Pabbata, a king Jotipala, a brahman youth who went forth as a

Right before he was reborn as Prince Siddhattha, about more than 2,600 years ago in our epoch, the Bodhisatta was a celestial being in the Tusita Devaloka. As P rince Siddhattha, the Bodhisatta Gotama made his last struggle to attain to the station of a Sammasambuddha Gotama or in short, Buddha Gotama. The chronicles of events laid out so far is typical of ANY other Bodhisatta s stru ggle to end all struggles. One of the major differences is the length of time be tween being proclaimed by a Sammasambuddha as a Confirmed Bodhisatta until the a ttainment of Perfect Enlightenment the three different span of times taken by vari ous Bodhisattas to do this are 4 asankheyyas + 100,000 kappas, or 8 asankheyyas + 100,000 kappas, or 16 asankheyyas + 100,000 kappas. Bodhisatta Gotama took 4 asankheyyas + 100,000 kappas. Buddha Metteya is the Perfect One who will arise in this world tens of millions of years from now. Between the arising of Buddha Metteya and now, deterioration of the world will continue until the time when the age of humans reaches 5 years only; at this time a horrendous 7-say war wipes out a good portion of the human race. After this, the age of humans will climb from 5 years to the maximum of 1 00,000 years a length of time spanning millions of years. At this time of the wo rld period, a world monarch, named Sankha, will arise, and his son will become B uddha Metteya. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Glossary 1. 'The Conqueror' is a name given to Mara (the internal and external Mara). Mar a conquers everyone just like death conquers everyone. The Conqueror of Conquero r is a special title The Buddha said of Himself for He has conquered Mara and re ached the Deathless. 2. The Supreme Omniscience of The Buddha. This Omniscience is not unproven but c learly proven in one of the many ways -- from the breadth and depth of the Dhamm a, a Teaching unparalleled and unrivalled by any other doctrine in the world. 3. The inhabitants of this heaven are those who have achieved Anagami (fruition or way). After cessation of life in this heaven, these beings will cease rebirth and attain to Nibbana. 4. At different stages of perfection two Bodhisattas may happen to be reborn at the same vicinity at some very rare moments in their life's journey. 5. The 'Deathless' is actualiy a negative way of saying the end of rebirth becau se without rebirth, where is death? Thus, Nibbana is the 'Deathless' -- the end

of rebirth. 6. A world period is the convenient English term for kappa, the time between the formation of a world system and the breaking up of the world system (cakkavala) . From the description of a world system by The Buddha, it is evident that it is referring to an island universe like a galactic system. The Buddha said that th ere are tens of thousands of world systems -- proven correct by the uncountable galactic systems in the universe. 7. In the early stages of a Bodhisatta life, rebirth as a female is possible. Ho wever, as the boons of a Bodhisatta escalates, rebirth as a male becomes predomi nant. At the stage of being a Confirmed Bodhisatta, rebirth as a female becomes impossible. 8. The Dasa Parami, Ten Perfections, are: Dana - Giving, Charity, Generosity Sila - Morality, Precepts Nekkhama - Renunciation Panna - Wisdom, Insight Viriya - Energy Khanti - Patience Sacca - Truthfulness Adhitthana - Determination, Aspiration Metta - Loving-Kindness Upekkha - Equanimity 9. An asankheyya is a mind-boggling span of time so immense that it is called 'a n uncountable number of world periods. 10. A Cakkavatti is a world monarch who is able to rule the human world without bloodshed. All Buddhas of the past, present, and future had, while they were Bod hisattas, been reborn as Cakkavattis before. 11. In the life's journey of a Bodhisatta, he (may at times) but will rarely ent er the Sangha to become a bhikkhu for the reason that his path is to attain to S ammasambuddha and not to attain as an Ariyan only. An Ariyan is a being who rele ases himself or herself of fetters (asavas) with the help of a Sammasambuddha.0n ly a Sammasambuddha and a Paccekabuddha are those who are able to be self-enligh tened without the aid of a Buddha. A Sammasambuddha is supreme because He finds the Way to Nibbana and shows others the Way to Nibbana - the Sugata. 12. The ten-thousandfold world system is a figurative word to mean thousands upo n thousands upon thousands galaxies in the ten directions - north, south, east, west, north-east,.....nadir, zenith. Note: The often untold fact. Not many know that there are Five Different Phases in the Supreme Struggle of a Bodhisatta. Note that a Bodhisatta has to be qualified by a Sammasambuddha at the 4th Stage. 1. Phase 2. Phase 3. Phase 4. Phase 5. Phase s). of of of of of mental resolve mental aspiration verbal aspiration physical aspiration Confirmed Bodhisatta - Perfection of the Dasa Parami (Ten Perfection