7: The Attainment of Buddhahood – 346 

 

during the day time, the first watch, the middle watch and the last watch of the 
night are usually not correct, whereas those dreamed at day break, when the 
food eaten has been digested and the resulting nutrients are absorbed by the 
body, are apt to be correct. A dream conveying good omens usually brings good 
fortune, whereas one with bad omens usually brings ill-luck. 

The aforesaid five great dreams are not dreamed by worldlings, kings, Universal 
Monarchs, chief disciples, Paccekabuddhas or omniscient Buddhas. Only the 
Bodhisattas dream such dreams. Our Bodhisatta dreamed the said five great 
dreams after midnight, just before daybreak on the 14

th

 waxing day of May 

(

Vesākha

) in the year 528 

BCE

. 

The Bodhisatta, rising from sleep and sitting cross-legged, after having dreamed 
the five great dreams, thought to himself: “Had I dreamed the five great dreams 
at the time when I was living in the royal city of Kapilavatthu, I could have 
related them to my father, King Suddhodana. I could have related them also to 
my mother, if she were alive. But now, in Uruvelā forest, there is no one to 
listen to the five great dreams and interpret them for me. I, myself, will read 
these omens. And then he himself read the dreams thus: “This first dream 
presages the attainment of such and such a benefit; this second dream such and 
such a benefit,” and so on as has been said above. 

After dreaming the five great dreams and having himself interpreted their 
meanings, the Bodhisatta concluded: “It is true that I will certainly become a 
Buddha this very day.” 

The Offering of Milk-Rice 

Then, when daybreak came on the morning of the full moon day, he cleansed his 
body and departed from that place and when he reached the banyan tree which 
was visited every year for worship by Sujātā, the daughter of a wealthy man, he 
stopped and sat at the base of the tree, facing east, waiting for the time to go for 
alms round. Thereby the whole banyan tree shone brilliantly with his bodily 
radiance. 

At that time, in the market town of Senāgama, in the locality of Uruvelā, Sujātā, 
the daughter of a rich man by the name of Senānī, on coming of age, had prayed 
at the foot of the banyan tree thus: “Guardian Deva of the banyan tree, if I be 
married into a rich family of the same caste, I will pay homage to you with the 
offering of thick milk rice.” The prayer of Sujātā had been fulfilled. As a result,