The Twenty-Four Buddhas – 129
disciples, came to the cessation of his existence and attained Parinibbāna just as
a great flame becomes extinguished.
That Buddha Sobhita, equal only to the peerless Buddhas, and his Arahat
disciples who had acquired the super knowledges and other powers, have all
vanished. Unsubstantial and futile indeed are all conditioned things!
Before his Parinibbāna, Buddha Sobhita resolved: “When I am gone, let the
relics of my body not remain in a mass but split into pieces and reach various
places,” and his Parinibbāna took place in Sīha Park. Accordingly his relics did
not remain in a mass but dispersed all over Jambudīpa and were worshipped by
beings, such as humans, Devas and Brahmas.
7. The Chronicle of Buddha Anomadassī
After the lapse of the aeon in which Buddha Sobhita lived, came one
immeasurable period devoid of Buddhas (
suñña-kappa
). Again, after these had
passed, there appeared in a certain aeon three Buddhas, namely, Anomadassī,
Paduma and Nārada. The first of these was the Buddha Anomadassī.
Having fulfilled the perfections for sixteen immeasurables and 100,000 aeons,
like other Bodhisattas, he was reborn in Tusita heaven. At the request of Devas
and Brahmas, he descended to the human world to be conceived in the womb of
Princess Yasodharā of King Yasavā, in the city of Candavatī. A strange event
happened then. As soon as Prince Anomadassī was conceived, because of his
meritorious deeds, light spread out from the princess to the extent of 80 cubits
and was unsurpassed by the light of the sun and the moon.
When ten months had elapsed, Princess Yasodharā gave birth to Prince
Anomadassī in Sudassana
Park. On his naming day, he was given the name of
Anomadassī by wise men because, while
[142]
he was in the womb, there was
incessant falling from the sky of the jewels called Anoma.
Early Life
When the Bodhisatta, Prince Anomadassī, came of age, he lived a divine-like
household in three palaces: Sirī, Upasirī and Sirivaḍḍha, with his consort Sirimā,
and being entertained and waited upon by 23,000 female attendants for 10,000
years.