Toh 188 — The Prophecy of Dīpaṅkara

F.191.b Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, together with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks. At that time, the Blessed One, surrounded and attended by a retinue of many hundreds of thousands, was teaching the Dharma.

The Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, you must make your motivation very pure by examining each root of virtue. If you ask why, Ānanda, though I respectfully venerated hundreds of thousands of buddhas, those blessed buddhas did not prophesy that I would achieve unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening, but after I saw the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara and offered him five utpala flowers, I developed confidence in the selflessness of phenomena and gained the acceptance that phenomena are unarisen. That is why, Ānanda, you should not be content with your roots of virtue.

“If you ask why, Ānanda, in the past, long ago—an uncountable, exceedingly uncountable, vast, immeasurable, and inconceivable number of eons ago—at that time, on that occasion, here in Jambudvīpa, there was a king known as Ajātaśatru, who was shapely, handsome, pleasant to behold, and provided with a supremely rich and fine complexion.

“Ānanda, that king, Ajātaśatru, had eighty-four thousand cities, every one of them dazzling and pleasant to behold, with magnificent gardens, magnificent ponds, magnificent flowers, magnificent fruits, delightful good harvests, and a joyful atmosphere. F.192.a They were wealthy, prosperous, and filled with a great multitude of people.

“Ānanda, that king, Ajātaśatru, had a royal palace known as Padmāvatī, and there the king, Ajātaśatru, resided. Now, there was a royal priest of King Ajātaśatru, the brahmin known as Endowed with Islands, who was dear to the king’s heart and never a disagreeable sight. At that time, Ānanda, Ajātaśatru gathered all the people of the four castes and summoned the brahmin Endowed with Islands. Having tied a crown upon his head, he then gave him half his kingdom and proclaimed, ‘Brahmin, you must return to your country and build a royal palace, which you should also name Padmāvatī.’

“Then, Ānanda, King Endowed with Islands built a royal palace in his country, and he also named it Padmāvatī. Thus, Ānanda, at that time, on that occasion, here in Jambudvīpa there ruled two kings. One was Ajātaśatru, and the other was Endowed with Islands.

“Then, Ānanda, when Endowed with Islands’ principal queen was sleeping blissfully at the top of the palace, the bodhisattva Dīpaṅkara passed away and transmigrated from Tuṣita Heaven, transforming into a white elephant calf. He emanated light rays and entered his mother’s right side. At that time, the principal queen related this event to King Endowed with Islands.

“Then, Ānanda, King Endowed with Islands gathered brahmins who were skilled in interpreting omens, those skilled in divination, and those skilled in making offerings, and he related to them the events of this dream. A brahmin who was skilled in interpreting omens said, ‘O great king, you have gained a great boon! A son of yours, a precious being, is to be born.’

“Then, Ānanda, when King Endowed with Islands heard this dream prophecy, he was transported with satisfaction and delight, and in his great joy he was elated and cheered. King Endowed with Islands gave gifts to everyone within the bounds of his kingdom: for those who desired food there was food, for those who desired drinks there were drinks, and for those who desired a vehicle there was a vehicle. F.192.b He gave what was suitable and not unwholesome—incense, garlands, ointments, and bedding—and he gave anything, whatever was desired.

“Then, Ānanda, ten months passed and the son of King Endowed with Islands was born—shapely, handsome, pleasant to behold, and provided with a supremely rich and fine complexion. As soon as he was born, there emerged from his body a light such as this: by that light, the whole of the royal palace of King Endowed with Islands was illuminated. Then, at that time, Śakra, the lord of the gods, vanished from his own abode and went to where the child was. There, he spoke benedictions to that child, and he said, ‘As soon as he was born, there emerged from his body a light such as this: by that light, the whole of the royal palace of King Endowed with Islands was illuminated. Because of that, the child should be named Dīpaṅkara.’ Then the child was named Dīpaṅkara.

“Then, Ānanda, King Endowed with Islands was transported with satisfaction and delight, and in his great joy he was elated and cheered. Again, he gave gifts to everyone within the bounds of his kingdom: for those who desired food there was food, for those who desired drinks there were drinks, and for those who desired a vehicle there was a vehicle. He gave what was suitable and not unwholesome—incense, garlands, ointments, and bedding—and he gave anything, whatever was desired.

“Later, Ānanda, King Endowed with Islands summoned Prince Dīpaṅkara. Having tied a crown upon his head, he gave him half the kingdom and proclaimed, ‘Youth, you must go and stay among the queen’s retinue and play. Be happy and enjoy yourself!’

“Shortly thereafter, Ānanda, Prince Dīpaṅkara went among the queen’s retinue and mounted a great carriage. Surrounded by a host of ladies, he went to the garden. One of the gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realm displayed people like us—one old and feeble, one struck by illness, F.193.a and one who was dead—and he also set a mendicant among them.^[1] Prince Dīpaṅkara, having seen this, asked the charioteer, ‘Hey, charioteer, what are these various sights?’

“The charioteer replied, ‘Youth, these are so-called aging, illness, and death. Youth, as long as there are imputations placed upon the true nature, there will be the phenomena of aging, illness, and death. Youth, it is the same for you and the rest of us, for we are merely the residents of saṃsāra.’

“The youth asked, ‘Charioteer, who is this one whose head is shaven, who has donned maroon robes, and who is pacified and gazes the mere length of a yoke?’

“ ‘Youth, this is a monk,’ said the charioteer. ‘Having relinquished all sin and developed the sense of delight in regard to liberation, he went forth into homelessness.’

“The boy replied, ‘Very good, charioteer! The path of this monk is to be desired,’ and then he turned around and went home.

“Then, Ānanda, right away, Prince Dīpaṅkara went again to the garden. In the garden he saw the seat of awakening, which had supported^[2] many hundreds of thousands of buddhas.

“Then, Ānanda, the bodhisattva Dīpaṅkara, having seen that seat of awakening, left behind the entire assembly of men and women a short distance and proceeded in the direction of the seat of awakening. He saw the seat of awakening and circumambulated it three times, and then at the seat of awakening he sat down with his legs crossed. As soon as the bodhisattva Dīpaṅkara took his seat, at that moment, at the first break of dawn, he reached unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening, the highest perfect buddhahood.

“Ānanda, as soon as the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara reached unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening, the highest perfect buddhahood, F.193.b there emerged from his body a light such as this: by that light the entire trichiliocosm was illuminated. Then, at that time, Śakra, the lord of the gods, vanished from his own abode and went to where the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara was. There he bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One and, having made offerings to the Blessed One, he proclaimed these words: ‘Ah! The Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara has emerged in the world! Thus, by that light are all the world realms illuminated.’

“The Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara remained at the seat of awakening for fifty years, and not a single being approached to see him, pay homage to him, or serve him. If you ask why, because the residents of the royal city of King Endowed with Islands were happy, they did not approach to see him, pay homage to him, or serve him.

“Then, Ānanda, the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara thought, ‘These residents of the royal city of King Endowed with Islands, because they are happy, have become exceedingly careless. Surely I should cause them a little distress.’

“Then, at that time, the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara manifested a display of miraculous power such that through the manifestation of the display of miraculous power, among the residents of the royal city of King Endowed with Islands, he emanated a great city made of beryl that was pleasant to behold and filled with a great multitude of people. Those people, moreover, were more beautiful, more pleasant to behold, and adorned with all types of ornaments. However, the residents of the royal city of King Endowed with Islands, although they were troubled by the people dwelling in the city made of beryl, F.194.a were not in the least bit discouraged.

“The blessed, thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara thought, ‘Since the residents of the royal city of King Endowed with Islands have become exceedingly careless, surely I should also generate in them a little discouragement.’

“Then the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara again manifested a display of miraculous power such that through the manifestation of the display of miraculous power he took control of that great city of beryl so that it would blaze with a great fire. As soon as he took control of it, it caught fire. Then, at that time, those beings and that great city were destroyed, came to an end, and disappeared. Having seen this unpleasant sight, those beings^[3] were distressed.

“Then, Ānanda, the residents of the royal city of King Endowed with Islands, having seen the fall of the beryl city, were frightened and discouraged such that their hair stood on end. They thought, ‘If there is a reason that that city was destroyed, came to an end, and disappeared, it will not be long before we, too, encounter the circumstances of impermanence in this way. Who will protect us?’

“The thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara then thought, ‘Since these residents of the royal city of King Endowed with Islands have been matured, they are able to understand the Dharma taught by me, they have become worthy of it, and they have developed the competence for it.’

“At that moment the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara, knowing the thoughts of those people, rose from the seat of awakening with mindfulness and alertness. F.194.b He then set out for the palace of King Endowed with Islands, together with Śakra, the lord of the gods, as his śramaṇa attendant.^[4]

“Ānanda, as soon as the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara arrived, then, at that time, on the occasion of the first Dharma teaching of the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara, twenty thousand beings went forth, and all their minds were liberated from defilements without further appropriation. At the time of the second Dharma teaching, thirty thousand beings went forth, and all their minds were liberated from defilements without further appropriation. At the time of the third Dharma teaching, forty thousand beings went forth, and for all of them the eye of Dharma was purified so that it became stainless and free of blemishes with regard to phenomena. At the time of the fourth Dharma teaching, fifty thousand beings went forth, and all their minds were liberated from defilements without further appropriation.

“Ānanda, the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara, surrounded and attended by a large saṅgha of monks, taught the Dharma.

“Then, Ānanda, when King Ajātaśatru heard that a son of King Endowed with Islands was born and had reached unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening, the highest perfect buddhahood, he sent a messenger with the words ‘I request that he come into my presence, for I wish to make an offering.’

“When that messenger heard from King Ajātaśatru, he traveled to the royal palace of King Endowed with Islands and then to King Endowed with Islands himself, and there, he relayed the message. King Endowed with Islands then went to the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara, and having gone there he bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet. Having sat to one side, he informed him of the situation.

“The Blessed One replied, ‘Be at ease, great king, and return home. I will travel to the palace Padmāvatī.’

“Then the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara, F.195.a surrounded by the saṅgha of monks and an assembly of bodhisattvas and by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, set out together with King Endowed with Islands, who was surrounded and attended by royal power, a large royal assembly, great royal displays, great royal possessions, great royal wealth, and great royal pageantry.^[5]

“Thus, Ānanda, the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara gradually made his way to the palace Padmāvatī.

“At that time, at the king of mountains, Himālaya, there was a brahmin known as Ratna who was instructing some five hundred young brahmin boys in the treatises, the Vedas, and all the secret mantras. Among those five hundred or so brahmin boys, there was a brahmin boy known as Megha, who was in the prime of youth, shapely, handsome, pleasant to behold, provided with a supremely rich and fine complexion, and skilled in all the varieties of secret mantras, treatises, and rituals.^[6]

“At that time, Ānanda, the brahmin boy Megha bowed his head at the feet of the master and said, ‘O master, I will go to the villages, cities, provinces, countries, and royal cities.’^[7]

“The master replied, ‘O young brahmin, this is the law among us brahmins: anyone who has mastered all the treatises, Vedas, and secret mantras must give the master five hundred coins,^[8] one bolt of fabric, a staff, and a water flask.’

“The brahmin boy Megha said, ‘Master, since I have nothing at all except a skin, a staff, and a water flask, I will go.’

“After he requested a third time, the master said, ‘So be it!’ ” F.195.b

“The brahmin boy Megha gradually descended from the king of mountains, Himālaya, and entered the villages, cities, provinces, countries, and royal cities. At that time, in the great city Gone to Bliss,^[9] there dwelled a brahmin known as Suviśākha.^[10] He had a daughter called Receiver of Goodness, who was shapely, beautiful, pleasant to behold, and provided with a supremely rich and fine complexion. Every day, for her sake, he had food given to forty thousand brahmins, thinking, ‘I will give my daughter to whomever is especially exalted among them.’

“One of the gods from the Śuddhāvāsa realm showed the brahmin boy Megha the path to the great city Gone to Bliss. The brahmin boy Megha arrived at the site of the offering, and as soon as the brahmin boy Megha reached the site of the offering, the girl said to her parents, ‘Father, if the qualities of this one are indeed as they seem, may he become my husband.’

“The brahmin boy Megha then engaged in conversation with all the other brahmins, and among them the brahmin Megha was superior in the treatises and secret mantras. At that time, at the site of the offering, there was a brahmin known as Giver of Pieces, who performed offerings sitting among the elders. The brahmin boy Megha went to where the brahmin Giver of Pieces was. There he engaged in conversation about the Vedas and mantras with the brahmin Giver of Pieces, and it turned out that Megha was superior in the Vedas, secret mantras, and treatises.

“The brahmin boy Megha then said to the brahmin Giver of Pieces, ‘O brahmin, the law among us brahmins is that whoever has understood and mastered the treatises should sit on the best seat.’

“Then the brahmin boy Megha again spoke to the brahmin Giver of Pieces: ‘Great brahmin, I will sit here, F.196.a so get up from this seat.’

“The brahmin Giver of Pieces replied, ‘Young brahmin, do not make me get up from this seat. I will give you five hundred coins that I have obtained.’

“ ‘I do not need them.’^[11]

“He did not stand, so Megha grabbed him by the neck and made him get up. The brahmin Giver of Pieces said to the brahmin boy Megha, ‘Young brahmin, in making me get up from this seat, you have treated me with contempt and startled me, so I swear that wherever you take birth, your giving will always be interrupted.’

“Then the brahmin boy Megha sat on the lion throne.

“The brahmin Suviśākha, holding his daughter Receiver of Goodness with his right hand and carrying a golden staff, a water flask, a bolt of fabric, and five hundred coins, went to where the brahmin boy Megha was. On arriving there, he said to the brahmin boy Megha, ‘Noble son, take these.’

“The brahmin boy Megha took the five hundred coins, the bolt of fabric, the staff, and the water flask, but he did not accept the girl. He said, ‘What is the use of this woman? Women are like monkeys—they give rise to agitation and create obstacles to virtue. Since I dwell in hermitages and solitary places, I have no need for this.’

“ ‘Noble son, please accept out of compassion for me.’^[12]

“He did not accept. The brahmin boy Megha left the place of offering and set out for Himālaya, the king of mountains.

“Then the brahmin Suviśākha said to the girl Receiver of Goodness, ‘Daughter, why do you not follow your husband?’

“Having heard his words, the girl set out in the direction of Himālaya, the king of mountains.

“At that time, one of the gods from the Śuddhāvāsa realm had obscured the path to Himālaya, the king of mountains, and made the path that led to the king’s palace, Padmāvatī, clear. Wherever the brahmin boy Megha stopped for a midday meal, the daughter Receiver of Goodness stayed overnight. F.196.b

“When the brahmin boy Megha spotted the king’s palace, Padmāvatī, which was adorned with silken tassels, scattered with flowers, and set with an arrangement of containers of incense, he asked, ‘Why is this great city so finely decorated?’

“The residents of the royal city of the king’s palace, Padmāvatī, replied to the brahmin boy Megha, ‘Young brahmin, have you not heard? A thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect buddha called Dīpaṅkara has emerged in the world. King Ajātaśatru invited him, and because he has come here, the great city has been finely decorated.’

“The brahmin boy Megha thought, ‘If among us brahmins it is rare to find one who is clear in conduct and learned in all the treatises, why mention having such a precious being emerge in the world? I should without a doubt spend these five hundred coins on flowers and offer them to the Thus-Gone One.’

“He searched everywhere for flowers but was unable to find them anywhere. The residents of the royal city of the king’s palace, Padmāvatī, said, ‘Young brahmin, have you not heard? King Ajātaśatru has declared, “All flowers must be offered to the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara. Thus, no one has permission to purchase flowers, or to sell them. I will punish severely anyone who buys or sells them.” ’

“When he continued to search for flowers, the girl Receiver of Goodness sat before him and asked, ‘Young brahmin, what are you looking for?’

“The brahmin boy Megha replied, ‘I am looking for flowers, girl.’

“The girl Receiver of Goodness then went to the house of a garland maker. When she arrived there, she requested the garland maker, ‘Noble son, give me flowers. My husband needs them.’

“The garland maker said, ‘Girl, have you not heard? King Ajātaśatru declared thus: F.197.a “All flowers must be offered to the Thus-Gone Dīpaṅkara. Thus, no one has permission to sell flowers, or to purchase them. I will punish severely anyone who buys or sells them.” ’

“Three times the girl asked, until he said, ‘So be it!’^[13] The girl Receiver of Goodness then took up a vase and placed in it seven utpala flowers.

“Departing for the city, she saw the brahmin boy Megha. She sat before him and asked, ‘Young brahmin, what are you looking for?’

“He replied, ‘I am looking for flowers, girl.’

“ ‘Young brahmin, what for?’ she asked.

“He replied, ‘Girl, I will plant them.’

“The girl said, ‘I have never heard of or seen an utpala flower that, already plucked, will grow again.’

“ ‘Girl, I will plant them in a field of merit in which they will grow as soon as they are planted.’^[14]

“She replied, ‘If you promise that in all lifetimes, wherever and whenever I take birth, you will always be my husband, I will give you these utpala flowers.’

“The brahmin boy Megha thought, ‘I am someone who dwells in hermitages and solitary places. Since women create agitation, excitement, and obstacles to roots of virtue, what use is this woman?’

“She repeated this seven times, until he said, ‘So be it!’ ”^[15]

Then, at that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

“The girl Receiver of Goodness then held up five utpala flowers and gave them to the brahmin boy Megha. ‘Young brahmin,’ she said, ‘take these utpalas and present them in your name. And, young brahmin, present these two utpala flowers in my name.’

“The brahmin boy Megha, carrying those utpala flowers, went outside the city, where he saw the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara, who was handsome and bright, with his faculties tamed and his mind tamed, supremely tamed, one who had attained the perfection of calm and peace, one who had attained the highest perfection of restraint and peace, a great elephant who guarded and controlled his senses, and like a clear and tranquil lake in which emerges an unsullied golden pillar, elevated, resplendent with glory, and blazing with splendor.

“When he also saw the many trillions of beings, the many hundreds of boys and girls, the many gods, asuras, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, and King Ajātaśatru with his retinue of queens, all arriving together holding flowers, flower garlands, incense, and balms in order to make offerings to the Blessed One, he thought, ‘I have heard that the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara F.198.b is a thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect buddha with the thirty-two marks of a great being, yet only thirty marks appear on this thus-gone one. Since two marks do not appear, he is not endowed with the thirty-two marks.’

“The thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara, understanding the thoughts of the brahmin boy Megha, then manifested a display of miraculous power such that those thirty-two marks of a great being appeared—thus did he manifest a display of miraculous power. On seeing this, the brahmin boy Megha was transported with satisfaction and delight. With the rising of great joy and happiness, he spread out a skin, but the residents of the royal city Padmāvatī lifted up the skin, and together they tossed it away. They said to the brahmin boy Megha, ‘Brahmin child, are you crazy? In the place where the king’s robes^[20] should be placed, you lay out this dirty skin!’

“The brahmin boy Megha picked up the skin and stepped aside from the road. Sitting down on a side path, he spoke these words of truth: ‘By the truth and these words of truth, if the Thus-Gone One, who is all-knowing and all-seeing, has compassion for the world, may he redirect his path and place his feet upon my matted hair.’

“The thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara looked behind him and said to the monks, ‘Monks, where I put my two feet, there you must not stand. If you ask why, it is because that is the matted hair of one who has honored many hundreds of sextillions of buddhas.’

“The thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect F.199.a Buddha Dīpaṅkara then stepped away from the road and went to where the brahmin boy Megha was. Arriving there, he placed his two feet on the matted hair. Then the brahmin boy Megha stood up from the ground and scattered the utpala flowers upon the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara. The moment he scattered them, they came to rest directly above the crown of the Thus-Gone One as a pinnacled temple of utpala flowers built with four corners and four columns, equally proportioned and symmetrical, delightful and attractive. In that pinnacled temple, moreover, appeared the body of the Thus-Gone One.

“Then the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara said to the brahmin boy Megha, ‘Young brahmin, by these roots of virtue, in future times, after countless eons, you will become the thus-gone, worthy, complete and perfect buddha known as Śākyamuni, who will be endowed with knowledge and conduct, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a charioteer who guides beings, an unsurpassed one, a teacher of gods and humans, a blessed buddha.’

“The brahmin boy Megha, having heard his own prophecy, was transported with satisfaction—with the rising of great joy and happiness, at that moment, he attained the acceptance of phenomena as unarisen. Having attained that acceptance, he rose in the space of the sky above to the height of seven tala trees and manifested six thousand samādhis, and there appeared as many tathāgatas as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. Then the brahmin boy Megha descended from the sky. Offering prostrations at the feet of the Blessed One, he requested the Blessed One that he might go forth and become a monk.

“Ānanda, if you are doubtful, uncertain, or suspicious, thinking that the one who was, at that time, on that occasion, known as the brahmin boy Megha was someone else, Ānanda, you must not see it that way. F.199.b If you ask why, it was I myself who was, at that time, on that occasion, the one known as the brahmin boy Megha.

“Ānanda, if you are doubtful, uncertain, or suspicious, thinking that the one who was, at that time, on that occasion, known as the brahmin girl Receiver of Goodness was someone else, Ānanda, you must not see it that way. If you ask why, it was the Śākya girl Gopā who was, at that time, on that occasion, the one known as the girl Receiver of Goodness.

“Ānanda, if you are doubtful, uncertain, or suspicious, thinking that the one who was, at that time, on that occasion, known as the brahmin Giver of Pieces, who was sitting in the row of elders making burnt offerings, was someone else, Ānanda, you must not see it that way. If you ask why, it was the ignorant person Devadatta who was, at that time, on that occasion, the brahmin Giver of Pieces.

“This, Ānanda, is why you must not be content with your roots of virtue.”

When the Blessed One had spoken those words, the venerable Ānanda and the assembly consisting of the entire world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One.