1: The Birth of the Bodhisatta – 243
Devas and Brahmas listening to the Dhamma Wheel (
Dhamma-cakka
)
discourse when delivered.
3. The Devas and Brahmas were the first to receive the Bodhisatta at the
time of his birth. This was the omen presaging his attainment of the
four absorptions of the form worlds (
rūpāvacara-jhāna
)
.
4. The human beings received the new born Bodhisatta after the Devas
and Brahmas. This was the omen presaging his attainment of the four
absorptions of the formless worlds (
arūpāvacara-jhāna
).
5. Stringed instruments such as harps made music without being played.
This was the omen presaging his attainment of the nine successive
attainments (
anupubba-vihāra-samāpatti
) consisting of the attainment
of the four absorptions of the form worlds, the four absorptions of the
formless worlds and the cessation attainment (
nirodha-samāpatti
).
6. Leather instruments, such as big and small drums, made music without
being played. This was the omen presaging his beating the most sacred
drum of Dhamma to be heard by Devas and humans alike.
7. Prisons and fetters, which kept men in bondage, broke into pieces. This
was the omen presaging his complete elimination of the conceited
notion of “I am.”
8. All kinds of diseases afflicting the sick disappeared, like the dirt on
copper when washed away by acid. This was the omen presaging the
attainment by human beings of the four noble truths, the eradication of
the suffering of Saṁsāra.
9. The blind since birth could see all forms and colours just like normal
people do. This was the omen presaging the acquisition by human
beings of the divine eye (
dibba-cakkhu
).
10. The deaf since birth could hear all sounds just like normal people do.
This was the omen presaging the acquisition by human beings of the
divine ear (
dibba-sota
).
11. The crippled gained healthy legs and could walk about. This was the
omen presaging the acquisition of the four bases of psychic power
(
iddhi-pāda
).