The Bodhisatta in Theravada Buddhism by Nico Moonen (ebook reader for pc and android .TXT) 📕

2. As a warrior-noble named Vijitāvin the Bodhisatta refreshed with superb food a large group of stainless great seers together with the Buddha Kondañña. After the prediction he abandoned his kingdom and went forth in the presence of the Buddha. He learned the Suttanta and Vinaya and reached perfection in the super-knowledges.[115] In my conviction the Bodhisatta became a bhikkhu, for he learned both the Dhamma and the Vinaya. He obtained theoretical knowledge of the Dhamma, but did not enter the path of holiness. He cannot have reached perfection in the super-mundane power, but only in the five mundane powers. If he were perfect in the super-mundane power, he would have been an Arahant and there would have been no rebirth anymore for him.

3. As a brahman named Suruci the Bodhisatta went to the Buddha Mangala for refuge. He honoured the Blessed One and his Order with perfumes and garlands and he refreshed them with a delicious meal. After the prediction he gave his worldly wealth to the Buddha and went forth in his presence. He learnt the Suttanta and Vinaya thoroughly and developed the meditation on the four Brahma-viharas.[116] Here he became a bhikkhu.

4. As a nāga-king Atula by name the Bodhisatta went for refuge to the Buddha Sumana and gave him his upper robe.[117] After that he received the prediction. He lived his lifespan as a nāga-king.[118]

5. As a brahman named Atideva the Bodhisatta went for refuge to the Buddha Revata and gave him his upper robe. After that he received the prediction. He continued living as a brahman.[119]

6. As a brahman named Sujāta the Bodhisatta refreshed the Buddha Sobhita and the disciples with food and drink. After that he received the prediction. He continued living as a brahman.[120] Nothing is mentioned about taking refuge to the Buddha or about ‘going forth’.

7. As a yakkha (a type of non-human being) the Bodhisatta refreshed the Buddha Anomadassin with food and drink. After that he received the prediction. He lived his lifespan as a yakkha.[121]

    8. As a lion the Bodhisatta paid reverence at the feet of the Buddha Paduma, circumambulated him, roared loudly three times, and attended on the Conqueror for a week. After that he received the prediction.[122] According to the commentary this means that during one week he did not go away to look for prey for himself, thus sacrificing his life.[123] This seems to exaggerated as there is no reason to think that a lion could not survive for one week without food.

9. As an ascetic the Bodhisatta lived on a flank of the Himavant.[124] At that time he refreshed with food and drink the Buddha Nārada and honoured him with sandal-wood. After that he received the prediction.  He continued living as an ascetic.[125]

10. As a district governor named Jatila the Bodhisatta gave cloth with food to the Buddha Padumuttara and his Order. After that he received the prediction. He remained living as a district governor.[126]

11. As a brahman youth named Uttara the Bodhisatta gave a whole crore (10 million) of riches stored in his house, to the Buddha Sumedha, approached him for refuge and became a bhikkhu. After that he received the prediction.[127]

12. As universal monarch of the four continents (Jambudīpa, Pubbavideha, Aparagoyāna and Uttarakuru) the Bodhisatta went to the Buddha Sujāta and paid reverence to him. Bestowing on the Buddha his great kingdom, he went forth and became a bhikkhu. After the prediction he learnt thoroughly the Suttanta and Vinaya, and he developed the meditation on the four Brahma-viharās.[128]

13. As a brahman youth named Kassapa, expert in mantras, the Bodhisatta heard the Dhamma. He acquired belief in the teaching and at great expense constructed a park for the monks and gave it to the Buddha Piyadassin. He took refuge in the Triple Gem and observed the five precepts. After that he received the prediction. He continued living the life of a brahman.[129]

14. As an ascetic named Susīma the Bodhisatta honoured the Buddha Atthadasin with beautiful flowers. After that he received the prediction. The rest of his life he continued living as an ascetic.[130]

15. As the god Sakka the Bodhisatta honoured the Buddha Dhammadassin with deva-like perfumes, garlands and instrumental music. After that he received the prediction. He lived his life-span as the god Sakka.[131]

16. As an ascetic named Mangala, endowed with supernormal powers, the Bodhisatta brought fruits from the rose-apple tree and gave them to the Buddha Siddhattha. After that he received the prediction. He lived the rest of his life as an ascetic.[132]

17. As a king named Sujāta the Bodhisatta abandoned great possessions and went forth as an ascetic. He brought beautiful flowers in both hands to the Buddha Tissa and held them over his head, thus paying homage to the Buddha. After that he received the prediction. He continued living as an ascetic.[133]

18. As a king named Vijitāvin he abandoned a great kingdom and became a bhikkhu in the presence of the Buddha Phussa. After the prediction he learnt the Suttanta and Vinaya, and developed the meditation on the Brahma-vihāras.[134]

19. As a nāga-king named Atula the Bodhisatta went to the Buddha Vipassin, playing on melodious musical instruments. He had a pavilion built for him, invited him there and gave the Buddha a golden chair with pearls and jewels, embellished with every adornment. After that he received the prediction. He lived his life-span as a nāga-king.[135]

20. As a king named Arindama the Bodhisatta refreshed with food and drink the Buddha Sikhin and his Order. After giving many glorious robes, he gave the Buddha a caparisoned riding-elephant. After that he received the prediction. He continued living as a king.[136]

21. As a warrior-noble called Sudassana the Bodhisatta gave the Buddha Vessabhū a gift of great value and honoured the Buddha and the Order with food, drink and clothing. He entered the Order and after that he received the prediction.[137]

22. As a warrior-noble named Khema the Bodhisatta gave a considerable gift to the Buddha Kakusandha and the Order. He gave bowls and robe-materials, ointment for the eyes, and wild liquorice, both medicines. Then he became a bhikkhu in the presence of the Buddha and after that he received the prediction.[138]

23. As a warrior-noble named Pabbata the Bodhisatta went to see the Buddha Konāgamana and heard the Dhamma. He invited the Buddha and his Order to accept a great gift of silk, woollen cloth and golden sandals. After that he received the prediction. He renounced a great kingdom and in the Buddha's presence he became a bhikkhu.[139]

24. As the brahman youth Jotipāla, master of the three Vedas, the Bodhisatta approached the Buddha Kassapa, heard his Dhamma and became a bhikkhu in his presence. He learnt the Ninefold Dispensation and engaged in austerities. After that he received the prediction.[140]

    In these 24 former lives of the Buddha Gotama during his career as Bodhisatta we see that he became a bhikkhu only nine times. And we also see that the deed performed to honour each Buddha was not always a very heroic one. But it was always a deed of renunciation. (See numbers 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 24).

    The question arises, are all these stories reliable? Are they true or fiction? Are they accounts of past lives of the Buddha Gotama that really happened? What are we to make of the stories in which a nāga-king, lion or yakkha plays a part? Are those stories intended to be symbolic only? Are they better considered as educational stories?

    The Buddhavamsa is a rather late text inserted in the Pāli Canon. Parts of it can be found in other works. Is the Buddhavamsa the source for those other works or is the reverse the case?[141] According to the Commentary on the Buddhavamsa the stories were proclaimed by the Buddha Gotama himself and they were handed down orally until the Third Council and later.[142] From this we may conclude that this work was inserted in the Pāli Canon after the Third Council. The oldest texts of the Pāli Canon mention only six predecessors of the Buddha Gotama. The stories about the Buddhas before the present Buddha Gotama were needed to show that a Buddha is not a unique being. They also show that the self-enlightenment of the Buddhas is attained only after aeons of long efforts to fulfil the perfections. Those perfections are not found in the older nikāyas and the Buddhavamsa is full of Buddha-veneration and Buddha-deification. This could be an indication of the influence of Mahāyāna.[143]

    The division between nāgas (snakes), yakkhas and devas seems in these and other texts to be like that between human being and animal. Conversations by men with those other beings are often mentioned.[144] Should not these stories be compared with the fables of the Indian world and shouldn’t they all be regarded in the same way as the Jātakas? In that case they are educational stories, without any historical factual truth. On the basis of these stories it is therefore impossible to conclude whether the Buddha Gotama in his former lives was always bhikkhu or not. And the deeds he performed to honour Buddhas are given as examples of respect and piety and are not to be taken as factual.

    Austerities are not for all Bodhisattas. They were only practised by the Bodhisatta Gotama. By bodily mortifications he strove during six years to find the way to Awakening. This is in sharp contrast to the period of striving that sufficed for other Bodhisattas. Sometimes a few weeks or some months at most sufficed for the other Bodhisattas, his predecessors, to attain omniscience.[145]

At Buduruwagala, Monaragala District, Sri Lanka, is a big Buddha Statue carved in the rock.

At the left, in white, is a statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara; at the right is the Bodhisatta Metteyya, with Brahma Sahampati and Vajrapanil (= Sakka) at both sides.

(Courtesy of Ven. Dr. T. Sangharatana Thero).