THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
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deeds, which could lead to the Path and Fruition. And surveying their whereabouts, He saw
them staying in Anoma Park, near the city of Anoma. He then, by His psychic power,
immediately appeared at Anoma Park, near Anoma City.
At that time, the nine crores of monks saw, from a distance, Buddha AtthadassÊ
approaching them. With faithful heart, they all performed their duties, as has been
described in the previous Chapters. And, taking their seats around the Buddha, who then
taught the Discourse of Dhammacakka-pavattana, which was also taught by other Buddhas.
By the end of the Discourse, one hundred thousand crores of beings attained the Path and
Fruition.
(This was the first
DhammÈbhisamaya
.)
At another time, Buddha AtthadassÊ travelled up to TÈvatiÑsa and taught Abhidhamma to
devas and BrahmÈs. One hundred thousand devas and BrahmÈs attained the Path and
Fruition.
(This was the second
DhammÈbhisamaya
.)
Still at another time, like our Buddha Gotama who visited His father in the city of
Kapilavatthu and narrated the BuddhavaÑsa, so did Buddha AtthadassÊ who visited the city
of Sobhana and taught Dhamma to His relatives, headed by His father. At the time, one
hundred thousand crores of people attained the Path and Fruition.
(This was the third
DhammÈbhisamaya
.)
Three Occasions of The Disciples' Meeting (SannipÈta)
There were three meetings of the Buddha's disciples. The first one took place at
Sucandaka where Prince Santa and the Purohita's son, Upassanta (who were His future
Chief Disciples), who, seeing no essence in the three Vedas as well as in various creeds,
assigned four intelligent men and some brave watch-men at the four gates of the four sides
of the city with an instruction: ‚Come and inform us if you see or hear any enlightened
person, be he a recluse or a brahmin.‛
When Buddha AtthadassÊ, Lord of the three kinds of men, with His disciples, arrived at
Sucandaka city, those on assignment went to the Prince and the Purohita's son and
informed them of the Buddha’s arrival. Being thus informed, with joyous hearts, they both
hurriedly went outside the city with a retinue of one thousand members and greeted,
honoured and invited Him (to the city). Having done so, they performed a great
incomparable alms-giving (
asadisa
mahÈ-dÈna
) for seven days to the Sangha with the
Buddha at its head. On the seventh day, with all the citizens, they both listened to the
Buddha's Teaching. On that day, ninety-eight thousand people, on being pronounced
‚Come, O monks‛ became e
hi-bhikkhus
and attained arahantship. In the midst of that
assembly of monks, the Buddha recited the
OvÈda PÈÔimokkha
.
(This was the first
sannipÈta
.)
At another time, when Buddha AtthadassÊ gave instructions to His own son, the
Venerable Sela, eighty-eight thousand people developed faith and asked the Buddha for
monkhood. The Buddha then pronounced, ‚Come, O monks‛ and they all became e
hi-
bhikkhus
and attained arahantship. In the midst of that assembly of monks, the Buddha
recited the
OvÈda PÈÔimokkha
.
(This was the second
sannipÈta
.)
Still at another time, on the full-moon day of MÈgha, when beings, such as devas, humans
and BrahmÈs, assembled to listen to the sermon on MahÈ Ma~gala, taught by the Buddha,
seventy-eight thousand human attained arahantship. In that assembly of monks, the Buddha
recited the
OvÈda PÈÔimokkha
.
(This was the third
sannipÈta
.)
Future Buddha Gotama, as Hermit SusÊma, received Prophecy from Buddha AtthadassÊ