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1. Pubbenivāsapaṭisaṃyuttakathā (The Account Concerning Former Lives)

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At Sāvatthī the bhikkhū talk of former lives, and the Bhagavā recounts the six Buddhas before him and himself, aeon by aeon, then answers how a Tathāgata knows them. The opening of the Mahāpadānasutta (7D/1), translated from the Dīgha Nikāya.

Original text: 7D/1.1 Pubbenivāsapaṭisaṃyuttakathā 2–33 in the World Tipitaka Edition

The opening of the Mahāpadānasutta (7D/1). At Sāvatthī, in the Kareri pavilion, the bhikkhū fall to talking about former lives, and the Bhagavā, having heard them, recounts the six Buddhas before him and himself: the aeon in which each arose, his birth and clan, his lifespan, his tree of awakening, his pair of chief disciples, his assemblies, his attendant and his parents. When the bhikkhū wonder whether he knows this by his own penetration or because gods told him, he answers that it is both, and begins the account of Vipassī.

flowchart TB
    A["The bhikkhū talk of former lives"] --> B["The Bhagavā hears and joins them"]
    B --> C["The seven Buddhas, Vipassī to Gotama"]
    C --> D["aeon"]
    C --> E["birth and clan"]
    C --> F["lifespan"]
    C --> G["tree of awakening"]
    C --> H["chief disciples and assemblies"]
    C --> I["attendant and parents"]
    I --> J["The bhikkhū wonder: his own penetration, or told by gods"]
    J --> K["Both, says the Bhagavā"]
    K --> L["The account of Vipassī begins"]

(1.)

2. Thus heard by me — At one time the Bhagavā was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, in the Kareri Hut. Then, among many bhikkhū who had returned from their alms round after the meal and were sitting together, gathered in the Kareri pavilion, a Dhamma talk concerning former lives arose: “Such was a former life, such was a former life.”

(2.)

3. The Bhagavā heard this conversation of those bhikkhū with the divine ear component, purified and surpassing that of humans. Then the Bhagavā rose from his seat and approached the Kareri pavilion; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Bhagavā addressed the bhikkhū: “Bhikkhave, what talk were you engaged in just now, as you were sitting together? And what was the topic of conversation that was interrupted?”

4. When this was said, those bhikkhū said this to the Bhagavā: “Here, Bhante, among us who had returned from our alms round after the meal and were sitting together, gathered in the Kareri pavilion, a Dhamma talk concerning former lives arose: ‘Such was a former life, such was a former life.’ This, Bhante, was our topic of conversation that was interrupted. Then the Bhagavā arrived.”

(3.)

5. “Would you wish, Bhikkhave, to hear a Dhamma talk concerning former lives?” “It is the time for this, Bhagavā; it is the time for this, Sugata (Fortunate One); may the Bhagavā give a Dhamma talk concerning former lives; having heard it from the Bhagavā, the bhikkhū will remember it.” “In that case, Bhikkhave, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.” “Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhū replied to the Bhagavā. The Bhagavā said this:

(4.)

6. It was in the ninety-first kappa (aeon) from now, Bhikkhave, that Vipassī the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. It was in the thirty-first aeon from now, Bhikkhave, that Sikhī the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Indeed, in that very thirty-first aeon, Bhikkhave, Vessabhū the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Indeed, Bhikkhave, in this very fortunate aeon, Kakusandha the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Indeed, Bhikkhave, in this very fortunate aeon, Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Indeed, Bhikkhave, in this very fortunate aeon, Kassapa the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Indeed, Bhikkhave, in this very fortunate aeon, I, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, have now arisen in the world.

(5.)

7. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a Khattiya by birth; he arose in a Khattiya family. Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a Khattiya by birth; he arose in a Khattiya family. Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a Khattiya by birth; he arose in a Khattiya family. Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a brahmin by birth; he arose in a brahmin family. Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a brahmin by birth; he arose in a brahmin family. Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a brahmin by birth; he arose in a brahmin family. I, Bhikkhave, now a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a Khattiya by birth, arisen in a Khattiya family.

(6.)

8. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Koṇḍañña by clan. Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Koṇḍañña by clan. Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Koṇḍañña by clan. Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Kassapa by clan. Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Kassapa by clan. Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Kassapa by clan. I, Bhikkhave, now a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Gotama by clan.

(7.)

9. The lifespan of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was eighty thousand years. The lifespan of Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was seventy thousand years. The lifespan of Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was sixty thousand years. The lifespan of Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was forty thousand years. The lifespan of Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was thirty thousand years. The lifespan of Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was twenty thousand years. Now, Bhikkhave, my lifespan is short, limited, brief; one who lives long lives for a hundred years or a little more.

(8.)

10. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Pāṭalī tree. Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Puṇḍarīka tree. Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Sāla tree. Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Sirīsa tree. Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of an Udumbara tree. Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Nigrodha tree. I, Bhikkhave, now a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of an Assattha tree.

(9.)

11. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Khaṇḍa and Tissa, a chief, excellent pair. Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Abhibhū and Sambhava, a chief, excellent pair. Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Soṇa and Uttara, a chief, excellent pair. Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Vidhura and Sañjīva, a chief, excellent pair. Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Bhiyyosa and Uttara, a chief, excellent pair. Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Tissa and Bhāradvāja, a chief, excellent pair. Now, Bhikkhave, I have a pair of disciples named Sāriputta and Moggallāna, a chief, excellent pair.

(10.)

12. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was of six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of one hundred thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of eighty thousand bhikkhū. These three assemblies of disciples of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, were entirely of those whose āsava (defilements) were destroyed.

13. Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was of one hundred thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of eighty thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of seventy thousand bhikkhū. These three assemblies of disciples of Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, were entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed.

14. Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was of eighty thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of seventy thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of sixty thousand bhikkhū. These three assemblies of disciples of Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, were entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed.

15. Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had one assembly of disciples, of forty thousand bhikkhū. This one assembly of disciples of Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed.

16. Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had one assembly of disciples, of thirty thousand bhikkhū. This one assembly of disciples of Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed.

17. Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had one assembly of disciples, of twenty thousand bhikkhū. This one assembly of disciples of Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed.

18. Now, Bhikkhave, I have had one assembly of disciples, of twelve hundred and fifty bhikkhū. This one assembly of my disciples, Bhikkhave, was entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed.

(11.)

19. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Asoka, a chief attendant. Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Khemaṅkara, a chief attendant. Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Upasanta, a chief attendant. Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Buddhija, a chief attendant. Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Sotthija, a chief attendant. Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Sabbamitta, a chief attendant. Now, Bhikkhave, I have a bhikkhu attendant named Ānanda, a chief attendant.

(12.)

20. The father of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was King Bandhumā. Queen Bandhumatī was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Bandhumatī was King Bandhumā’s royal capital.

21. The father of Sikhī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was King Aruṇa. Queen Pabhāvatī was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Aruṇavatī was King Aruṇa’s royal capital.

22. The father of Vessabhū the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was King Suppatita. Queen Vassavatī was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Anoma was King Suppatita’s royal capital.

23. The father of Kakusandha the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a brahmin named Aggidatta. A brahmin woman named Visākhā was his mother, his birth mother. Now at that time, Bhikkhave, there was a king named Khema. The city named Khemavatī was King Khema’s royal capital.

24. The father of Koṇāgamana the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a brahmin named Yaññadatta. A brahmin woman named Uttarā was his mother, his birth mother. Now at that time, Bhikkhave, there was a king named Sobha. The city named Sobhavatī was King Sobha’s royal capital.

25. The father of Kassapa the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a brahmin named Brahmadatta. A brahmin woman named Dhanavatī was his mother, his birth mother. Now at that time, Bhikkhave, there was a king named Kikī. The city named Bārāṇasī was King Kikī’s royal capital.

26. Now, Bhikkhave, my father was King Suddhodana. Queen Māyā was my mother, my birth mother. The city named Kapilavatthu was the royal capital.” This the Bhagavā said. Having said this, the Fortunate One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.

(13.)

27. Then, soon after the Bhagavā had departed, this conversation arose among those bhikkhū: “It is wonderful, Āvuso, it is amazing, Āvuso, the great psychic power and great majesty of the Tathāgata. Inasmuch as the Tathāgata will recollect the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca (mental proliferation), cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, will recollect them also by name, will recollect them also by clan, will recollect them also by lifespan, will recollect them also by pair of disciples, will recollect them also by assembly of disciples: ‘Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too.’”

28. “What now, Āvuso, is it that this dhammadhātu (nature of reality) has been thoroughly penetrated by the Tathāgata alone, through the thorough penetration of which dhammadhātu the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples: ‘Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too’; or did gods report this matter to the Tathāgata, whereby the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples: ‘Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too’?” And this indeed was the topic of conversation of those bhikkhū that was interrupted.

(14.)

29. Then the Bhagavā, having risen from seclusion in the evening, approached the Kareri pavilion; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Bhagavā addressed the bhikkhū: “Bhikkhave, what talk were you engaged in just now, as you were sitting together? And what was the topic of conversation that was interrupted?”

30. When this was said, those bhikkhū said this to the Bhagavā: “Here, Bhante, soon after the Bhagavā had departed, this conversation arose among us: ‘It is wonderful, Āvuso, it is amazing, Āvuso, the great psychic power and great majesty of the Tathāgata. Inasmuch as the Tathāgata will recollect the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, will recollect them also by name, will recollect them also by clan, will recollect them also by lifespan, will recollect them also by pair of disciples, will recollect them also by assembly of disciples: “Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too.” What now, Āvuso, is it that this dhammadhātu has been thoroughly penetrated by the Tathāgata alone, through the thorough penetration of which dhammadhātu the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples: “Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too.” Or did gods report this matter to the Tathāgata, whereby the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples: “Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too”’? This, Bhante, was our topic of conversation that was interrupted; then the Bhagavā arrived.”

(15.)

31. “This dhammadhātu, Bhikkhave, has been thoroughly penetrated by the Tathāgata alone, through the thorough penetration of which dhammadhātu the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples: ‘Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too.’ Gods too reported this matter to the Tathāgata, whereby the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples: ‘Those Bhagavants were of such birth, thus too; those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation, thus too.’

32. Would you wish, Bhikkhave, to hear a Dhamma talk concerning former lives to a still greater degree?” “It is the time for this, Bhagavā; it is the time for this, Sugata (Fortunate One); may the Bhagavā give a Dhamma talk concerning former lives to a still greater degree; having heard it from the Bhagavā, the bhikkhū will remember it.” “In that case, Bhikkhave, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.” “Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhū replied to the Bhagavā. The Bhagavā said this:

(16.)

33. It was in the ninety-first aeon from now, Bhikkhave, that Vipassī the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a Khattiya by birth; he arose in a Khattiya family. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Koṇḍañña by clan. The lifespan of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was eighty thousand years. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Pāṭalī tree. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Khaṇḍa and Tissa, a chief, excellent pair. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was of six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of one hundred thousand bhikkhū, one assembly of disciples was of eighty thousand bhikkhū. These three assemblies of disciples of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, were entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Asoka, a chief attendant. The father of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Bhikkhave, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was King Bandhumā. Queen Bandhumatī was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Bandhumatī was King Bandhumā’s royal capital.

  • The frame of the discourse: the bhikkhū ask whether the Tathāgata recollects the past Buddhas by his own penetration of the dhammadhātu or because gods report them; he answers “both”, and the gods’ report is part 10. General notes: the index page.
  • Renderings: kappa “aeon”; dhammadhātu “nature of reality” (the DPD’s first meaning; the glossary’s dhātu “component” is the eighteen components’ word); parinibbuta “attained final extinguishment”; bhagavanto “Bhagavants” on the model of “āyasmants”.
  • The Gotama sentences (6–26) follow the gods’ report of them in part 10, the author’s own translation on buddhavacana (A very short biography); the seat, seclusion and “Yes, Bhante” formulas are Khandhaka twins.
  • The “divine ear component” (3) and the recollection of past Buddhas are the text’s claims; its own answer (31) makes that knowledge a penetration, not a revelation.
  • The edition’s 2–33 are CST 1–16, in parentheses in the tabs.

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