17b: The Chronicles of the Buddhas – 615
Chronicles of the Buddhas (
Buddha-vaṁsa
) and relevant commentaries in
chronological order.
For the Chronicle of Gotama Buddha, which we are dealing with presently, also
an attempt has been made to compile it as complete as possible on the basis of
the Chronicles of the Buddhas and its commentary, as well as relevant extracts
from other Pāḷi texts and commentaries.
Concerning this Chronicle of Gotama Buddha, the learned readers may wish to
read the chronology that deals exclusively with the Buddha Gotama as he
originally delivered it. We will therefore render those 24 verses in plain English.
Buddha Gotama on the request made by Ven. Sāriputta, having expounded
exhaustively the part of the Chronicles of the Buddhas concerning the 24
Buddhas from Dīpaṅkara to Kassapa, pouring forth the discourse like the sky
river overflowing, proceeded to expound the facts concerning himself, from the
Jewelled Walk in the sky, in 24 verses as follows:
The First Great Assembly of the Dhamma Teaching
1. Aham-etarahi Sambuddho, Gotamo Sakya-vaḍḍhano,
padhānaṁ padahitvāna, patto Sambodhim-uttamaṁ.
Dear son, Sāriputta, I, a descendent of the Gotama lineage which has
made the Sakya royalty thrive, after six years of energetic effort at
meditation (
padhāna
) attained the exalted state of omniscience.
2. Brahmunā yācito santo, Dhamma-cakkaṁ pavattayiṁ,
aṭṭhārasannaṁ koṭīnaṁ, paṭhamābhisamayo ahu.
Dear son, Sāriputta, at the request of Brahma Sahampati in the eighth
week after my Awakening, I had delivered the Dhamma Wheel (
Dhamma-
cakka
) discourse in the Deer Park at Isipatana, Bārāṇasī. On that occasion,
for the first time 180 million Brahmas, who were headed by Ven.
Koṇḍañña realised the four noble truths and achieved liberation.
The Second Great Assembly of the Dhamma Teaching
3. Tato parañ-ca desente, nara-deva-samāgame,
gaṇanāya na vattabbo, dutiyābhisamayo ahu.
Dear son, Sāriputta, subsequent to my teaching of the Dhamma Wheel
(
Dhamma-cakka
) discourse, when I delivered the discourse on the
Blessings (
Maṅgala-sutta
, Snp 2.4), at the assembly of Devas and humans