English
Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. The Long Discourses The Great Section 1. The Great Discourse on the Lineage Discourse Connected with Past Dwellings 1. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery, in the Kareri hut. Then indeed, many bhikkhus, after their meal, having returned from their alms round, having sat down, having gathered together in the Kareri maṇḍala hall, a Dhamma talk connected with past dwellings arose: "This too is a past dwelling, this too is a past dwelling." 2. The Blessed One heard with the divine ear element, purified, surpassing human, that conversation of those bhikkhus. Then indeed the Blessed One, having risen from his seat, went to where the Kareri maṇḍala hall was. Having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, with what talk are you now sitting together? And what was the talk that was interrupted?" When this was said, those bhikkhus said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, for us, after our meal, having returned from our alms round, in the Kareri maṇḍala hall, having sat down, having gathered together, a Dhamma talk connected with past dwellings arose: 'This too is a past dwelling, this too is a past dwelling.' This, venerable sir, was our interrupted talk. Then the Blessed One arrived." 3. "Bhikkhus, would you like to hear a Dhamma talk connected with past dwellings?" "Now is the time, Blessed One; now is the time, Fortunate One, for the Blessed One to give a Dhamma talk connected with past dwellings. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it." "In that case, bhikkhus, listen. Pay close attention. I shall speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: 4. "Bhikkhus, ninety-one eons ago, The Blessed One Vipassī, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, arose in the world. Before this, monks, in the thirty-first eon, the Blessed One Sikhī, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, arose in the world. Indeed, in that same thirty-first eon, monks, the Blessed One Vessabhū, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, arose in the world. Indeed, in this very auspicious eon, monks, the Blessed One Kakusandha, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, arose in the world. Indeed, in this very auspicious eon, monks, the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, arose in the world. Indeed, in this very auspicious eon, monks, the Blessed One Kassapa, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, arose in the world. Indeed, in this very auspicious eon, monks, I myself, now, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, have arisen in the world. The Blessed One Vipassī, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was by birth a khattiya, he arose in a khattiya family. The Blessed One Sikhī, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was by birth a khattiya, he arose in a khattiya family. The Blessed One Vessabhū, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was by birth a khattiya, he arose in a khattiya family. The Blessed One Kakusandha, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was by birth a brahmin, he arose in a brahmin family. The Blessed One Koṇāgamana, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was by birth a brahmin, he arose in a brahmin family. The Blessed One Kassapa, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was by birth a brahmin, he arose in a brahmin family. I myself, monks, now, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was by birth a khattiya, I arose in a khattiya family. The Blessed One Vipassī, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was of the Koṇḍañña clan. The Blessed One Sikhī, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was of the Koṇḍañña clan. The Blessed One Vessabhū, monks, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, was of the Koṇḍañña clan. Kakusandha Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, was of the Kassapa clan. Koṇāgamana, monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, was of the Kassapa clan. Kassapa, monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, was of the Kassapa clan. I, monks, am now the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, of the Gotama clan. 7. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Vipassī, had a lifespan of eighty thousand years. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, had a lifespan of seventy thousand years. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Vessabhū, had a lifespan of sixty thousand years. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Kakusandha, had a lifespan of forty thousand years. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Koṇāgamana, had a lifespan of thirty thousand years. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Kassapa, had a lifespan of twenty thousand years. My lifespan, monks, now, is short, limited, light; whoever lives long, lives a hundred years, or a little more. 8. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Vipassī, became fully awakened at the foot of a Pāṭalī tree. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, became fully awakened at the foot of a Puṇḍarīka tree. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Vessabhū, became fully awakened at the foot of a Sāla tree. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Kakusandha, became fully awakened at the foot of a Sirīsa tree. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Koṇāgamana, became fully awakened at the foot of an Udumbara tree. Monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, Kassapa, became fully awakened at the foot of a Nigrodha tree. I, monks, am now the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, who became fully awakened at the foot of an Assattha tree. 9. Of Vipassī, monks, Monks, of Vipassī, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there was a pair of disciples named Khaṇḍa and Tissa, a foremost, excellent pair. Monks, of Sikhi, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there was a pair of disciples named Abhibhū and Sambhava, a foremost, excellent pair. Monks, of Vessabhū, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there was a pair of disciples named Soṇa and Uttara, a foremost, excellent pair. Monks, of Kakusandha, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there was a pair of disciples named Vidhura and Sañjīva, a foremost, excellent pair. Monks, of Koṇāgamana, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there was a pair of disciples named Bhiyyosa and Uttara, a foremost, excellent pair. Monks, of Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there was a pair of disciples named Tissa and Bhāradvāja, a foremost, excellent pair. Monks, of me, now, there is a pair of disciples named Sāriputta and Moggallāna, a foremost, excellent pair. 10. Monks, of Vipassī, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there were three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was sixty-eight hundred thousand monks, one assembly of disciples was one hundred thousand monks, one assembly of disciples was eighty thousand monks. Monks, these three assemblies of disciples of Vipassī, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, were all those whose taints were destroyed. Monks, of Sikhi, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, there were three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was one hundred thousand monks, one assembly of disciples was eighty thousand monks, one assembly of disciples was seventy thousand monks. Monks, these three assemblies of disciples of Sikhi, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, were all those whose taints were destroyed. Monks, of Vessabhū, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, t There were gatherings of disciples. One gathering of disciples was eighty thousand monks, one gathering of disciples was seventy thousand monks, one gathering of disciples was sixty thousand monks. Of Vessabhu, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, these three gatherings of disciples were, all of them, those whose taints were destroyed. Of Kakusandha, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, one gathering of disciples was forty thousand monks. Of Kakusandha, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, this one gathering of disciples was, all of them, those whose taints were destroyed. Of Koṇāgamana, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, one gathering of disciples was thirty thousand monks. Of Koṇāgamana, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, this one gathering of disciples was, all of them, those whose taints were destroyed. Of Kassapa, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, one gathering of disciples was twenty thousand monks. Of Kassapa, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, this one gathering of disciples was, all of them, those whose taints were destroyed. Of me, bhikkhus, at present, one gathering of disciples was twelve hundred and fifty monks. Of me, bhikkhus, this one gathering of disciples was, all of them, those whose taints were destroyed. 11. Of Vipassī, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, the monk named Asoka was the attendant, the chief attendant. Of Sikhī, bhikkhus, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, the monk named Khemaṅkara was the attendant, the chief attendant.