The Twenty-Four Buddhas – 197
2. At a later time, in the midst of 80,000 monks who had put on the robes at the
meeting of his relatives at Aruṇavatī city, Buddha Sikhī recited the Advisory
Rules.
3. Still at another time, in the midst of 70,000 monks, who had become
monastics after he had tamed the elephant Dhanapālaka of Dhanañjaya city,
Buddha Sikhī recited the Advisory Rules.
The Bodhisatta as King Arindama
Meanwhile, our Bodhisatta was King Arindama, in the city of Paribhutta. When
Buddha Sikhī visited the city with his retinue, the king welcomed him. He paid
homage to the Buddha respectfully and invited him to the palace where he
performed a grand alms giving befitting his status of kingship, high birth, of
wealth and faith in the Buddha.
He opened his warehouse of clothing and offered to the Saṅgha, headed by the
Buddha, several tens (
koti
) of garments, which was worth a great deal of money.
In common parlance, a
koṭi
[185]
means 20 sets of clothing. Here, however,
it should be understood that ten pieces make one
koṭi
according to the
commentary to the Collection of the Numerical Discourses (
Aṅguttara-
nikāya
, PTS. 3.270).
Moreover, he offered the Buddha his state elephant which was possessed of
strength, beauty, auspicious marks and speed and which was adorned with
golden nets and flowers. Having assessed the value of the elephant together with
his adornments, he also offered the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, objects that
were permissible to monks.
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Then, with reference to the Bodhisatta Arindama, Buddha Sikhī declared
prophetically: “In the thirtieth aeon from the present one, this King Arindama
will indeed become a Buddha, Gotama by name.”
Particulars of Buddha Sikhī
Buddha Sikhī’s birthplace was Aruṇavatī city.
His father was King Aruṇa and his mother was Queen Pabhāvatī.
He reigned for 7,000 years.
77
The cost of these objects was equal to the assessed total value of the elephant.