THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
210
Buddha Tissa's attainment of Buddhahood took place under an
asana
tree.
Buddha Phussa's attainment of Buddhahood took place under an
amalaka
tree.
Buddha VipassÊ's attainment of Buddhahood took place under a
patali
tree.
Buddha SikhÊ's attainment of Buddhahood took place under a
pundarika
tree.
Buddha Vessabh|'s attainment of Buddhahood took place under a
mahÈsala
tree.
Buddha Kakusandha's attainment of Buddhahood took place under a
sirisa
tree.
Buddha KoÓÈgamana's attainment of Buddhahood took place under an
udumbara
tree.
Buddha Kassapa's attainment of Buddhahood took place under a
nigrodha
tree.
Buddha Gotama's attainment of Buddhahood took place under an
assattha
tree.
(The fourfold Path is called
Bodhi
because it leads to the knowledge of the four
Truths. Omniscience is called
Bodhi
because it leads to the knowledge of what
should be known. Its definition should be:
bujjhati'ti
Bodhi
, ‚That which knows the
four Truths and that which knows what is to be known is
Bodhi
.‛ The tree under
which the Bodhisatta knows the four Truths and others to be known thoroughly is
also called
Bodhi
. The definition here is:
bujjhati ettha'ti
Bodhi
, ‚The tree under
which the Bodhisatta knows the four Truths and all that is to be known is
Bodhi
.‛)
Thus the difference in Bodhi trees under which Bodhisattas attained Buddhahood is
termed
Bodhi
vematta
.
(8) Palla~ka Vematta
Palla~ka vematta
is the difference in the size of seat of Buddhas.
The seats, on which Buddhas DÊpa~karÈ, Revata, PiyadassÊ, AtthadassÊ, DhammadassÊ
and VipassÊ attained Buddhahood, measured fifty-three cubits each.
That, on which Buddhas KoÓÉaÒÒa, Ma~gala, NÈrada and Sumedha attained
Buddhahood, measured fifty-seven cubits each.
That, on which Buddha Sumana attained Buddhahood, measured sixty cubits.
That, on which Buddhas Sobhita, AnomadassÊ, Paduma, Padumuttara and Phussa attained
Buddhahood, measured thirty-eight cubits.
That, on which Buddha SujÈta attained Buddhahood, measured thirty-two cubits.
That, on which Buddhas Siddhattha, Tissa and Vessabh| attained Buddhahood, measured
forty cubits.
That, on which Buddha SikhÊ attained Buddhahood, measured thirty-two cubits.
That, on which Buddha Kakusandha attained Buddhahood, measured twenty-six cubits.
That, on which Buddha KoÓÈgamana attained Buddhahood, measured twenty cubits.
That, on which Buddha Kassapa attained Buddhahood, measured fifteen cubits.
That, on which Buddha Gotama attained Buddhahood, measured fourteen cubits.
Two Kinds of Palla~ka
In this connection, it may be noted that there are two kinds of
palla~ka,
namely,
Èbhujana
palla~ka
and
Èsana palla~ka
. Of these two, by
Èbhujana palla~ka
is meant sitting cross-
legged as in
"nisÊdati palla~kam ÈbhujjtvÈ"
of the MahÈ SatipatthÈna Sutta etc.
By Èsana palla~ka is meant a kind of seat. Œsana palla~ka is of different sub-divisions,
such as setthi palla~ka, rÈja palla~ka, nÈga palla~ka, deva palla~ka, dhamma palla~ka,
Bodhi palla~ka, etc.
In the commentary on the Mayhaka JÈtaka, Suci Vagga of the Chakka NipÈta, it is said;
‚Gaccha imaÑ amhakam gharam ÈnetvÈ mama pallanke nisidÈpetvÈ amhÈkam
patiyattabhattassa pattam p|retvÈ dÈpehi —— Go you, take this Paccekabuddha to my house;
let him sit down on my seat and fill His bowl with the food prepared for me.‛ Such a seat
of the wealthy man of BÈrÈnasi represents setthi palla~ka, a seat used by well-to-do
persons.