Chapter 7
resoundingly in the sky and so loud as to reach the whole of the ten thousand
world-systems.
All the devas and BrahmÈs
,
who had their abodes in the other ten thousand world-systems
beside this one, also congregated in the presence of the Bodhisatta, prostrating before him,
paying homage with flowers, perfumes and scented paste, singing auspicious words of
praise and eulogies in many and various ways.
(This is the episode of the victory over Vasavatti Mara)
N.B. (In describing the route taken by the Bodhisatta on his journey and his
activities on the full moon day of VesÈkha, in the year 103 MahÈ Era, the
BuddhavaÑsa AÔÔhakathÈ, JÈtaka Athakatha NidÈna and JinÈla~kÈra Tika generally
agree in the purport of their accounts. They differ slightly only in their
presentation, some briefly and others elaborately. However, in depicting the mid-
day rest taken by the Bodhisatta in the SÈla forest, the BuddhavaÑsa AÔÔhakathÈ
and JÈtaka AÔhakathÈ NidÈna make no mention of the attainment of
jhÈna
(
samÈpatti
) and of psychic powers (
abhiÒÒÈs
). The JinÈla~kÈra Tika, on the other
hand, states that the Bodhisatta attained the eight mundane
jhÈna
and the five
mundane psychic powers while spending the day in the SÈla forest. It also states
that at the time of his arrival at the MahÈbodhi tree, the noble Bodhisatta was
already endowed with the physical strength equal to that of ten thousand crores of
average men (
majjhima-purisas
) and the strength of psychic powers (
abhiÒÒÈs
).
The said statement by the author of the JinÈla~kÈra Tika is in accord with his other
statements, namely, ‚When Mara advanced on him to do battle, the noble
Bodhisatta said: ‘If I wish, I can keep the whole of the world-system covered with
my body frame’ and also with ‘Pointing out as witness the great charities
performed in his existence as Vessantara’, which could be known only through the
knowledge of former existences (
pubbenivÈs’Ènussati-abhiÒÒÈ
). It is therefore
faultless.
According to the author of this JinÈla~kÈra, the Bodhisatta had already acquired the
eight mundane
jhÈna
s and the five mundane psychic powers at the time he met the
sectarian leaders, ŒÄÈra and Udaka. Not having made use of them during the whole
of six years practice of
dukkarcariya
, they became as if defiled (just like gold cups
kept unused become tarnished); the Bodhisatta re-purified them while in the SÈla
forest (just like polishing the stained cups). What is meant apparently is that, only
after vanquishing Mara, the Bodhisatta made full use of the already acquired
knowledge of past existences (
pubbenivÈsa-abhiÒÒÈ
), and the divine power of sight
(
dibbacakkhu-abhiÒÒÈ
), in order to reach the stage of penetrating the truths. These
observations are made here because the view of the author of the JinÈla~kÈra
appears to be unusual and worthy of note.)
Realization of The Three Knowledges: Pu, Di, Œ
Having won his victory over Vasavatti Mara also known as Devaputta MÈra, before sun-
set on the full moon of VesÈkha, in the year 103 MahÈ Era, the Bodhisatta realised the
three knowledges (
vijjÈs
), in succession, as follows: knowledge of past existences
(
pubbenivÈs’Ènussati-ÒÈÓa
) in the first watch of that night; divine power of sight
(
dibbacakkhu-ÒÈÓa
) in the middle watch of the night and knowledge of extinction of moral
intoxicants (
Èsvakkhaya-ÒaÓa
) in the last watch of the night, and attained Buddhahood in
the very last watch of the night of the VesÈkha full moon. To describe the said events in
detail:
How PubbenivÈs’Ènussati AbhiÒÒÈ (Pu) was realized
The physical and mental processes which had taken place in the past: NibbÈna which
becomes known from these physical and mental processes, one's personal names, clan
names etc., which are merely conventional terms —— all this (belonging to the past) is called
‘
PubbenivÈsa’
in PÈli. The psychic power (
abhiÒÒÈ
) accompanying the remembrance of