The Great Chronicle of Buddhas

by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw | 1990 | 1,044,401 words

This page describes Narada Buddhavamsa contained within the book called the Great Chronicle of Buddhas (maha-buddha-vamsa), a large compilation of stories revolving around the Buddhas and Buddhist disciples. This page is part of the series known as the chronicle of twenty-four Buddhas. This great chronicle of Buddhas was compiled by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw who had a thorough understanding of the thousands and thousands of Buddhist teachings (suttas).

Buddha Chronicle 9: Nārada Buddhavaṃsa

After Buddha Paduma had attained Parinibbāna, the life span of a hundred years decreased gradually to ten years and from ten years it again increased to asaṅkhyeyyas.

When it was ninety thousand years on its next decline, Bodhisatta Nārada was reborn in Tusitā which was a common practice of Bodhisattas on complete fulfilment of the Perfections. Having accepted the request by devas and Brahmās to becoming a Buddha, he descended to the abode of human beings to be conceived in the womb of Anomā, Chief Queen of Universal Monarch Sudeva, in the city of Dhannavati. After ten months of conception, the Bodhisatta was born in Dhanañjaya garden.

On his naming day, just when he was about to be named, falling from the sky, from wishfulfilling trees, etc., various kinds of clothing and ornaments, like a heavy rainfall. On account of this, he was named Nārada (nara meaning ornaments befitting people and da, one who gives) by name-giving wise men.

Royal Household Life

When Prince Nārada came of age, he lived in three palaces, namely, Jita, Vijita and Abhirama. Being entertained and waited upon by twelve hundred thousand female attendants headed by his Chief Consort Vijitasena, He thus enjoyed a divine-like royal household life for nine thousand years.

Renunciation

While he was thus enjoying life, Princess Vijitasenā gave birth to a son, Nanduttara by name. Having seen the four omens, he put on various garments, perfume, flowers, etc., and being surrounded by his fourfold army, he went to the garden on foot. Having taken off his ornaments and handed them over to his Treasurer, he cut off his hair with his own sword and threw it into the sky.

Sakka, King of Devas, received it in a golden casket and built a shrine of seven kinds of jewels over it, three yojanas in height, in Tāvatiṃsa (on Mount Meru). Donning the robes offered by the Brahmā, the Bodhisatta became a recluse in that very garden. Joining him in renunciation were a hundred thousand men who also became recluses.

(A noteworthy point here is: Other Bodhisattas saw the omens while they were taking a trip to the royal garden to amuse themselves. On seeing the omens, they were stirred by saṃvega and went forth, not to the usual resort of the royal garden but to a remote region of forests and hills, to renounce the world. The sight of seeing the omens and the locality of their renunciation were two different places. Because of a considerable distance between the two they had to take some forms of conveyance, a vehicle such as an elephant, a horse, a chariot, etc. But, in the case of Buddha Nārada, it is to be noted that it was in the royal garden where he came across the omens and it was also in this very garden where he stayed after renunciation. The Commentary says that Dhanañjaya garden was just outside the city.)

Enlightenment.

Buddha Nārada practised dukkaracariyā in the garden for seven days. On the full-moon of Vesākha, the day He was going to attain Enlightenment, He partook the milk-rice offered by Princess Vijitasenā and spent the day-time in the same garden. In the evening, He left all His followers and went alone to the Bodhi tree. On the way, He accepted eight handfuls of grass from Sudassana the gardener. As soon as He spread the grass at the foot of a great Sona tree, there appeared the Aparājita seat of fifty-seven cubits in extent. Sitting cross-legged on the seat, the Bodhisatta put forth energy of four levels, he dispelled Mara’s forces and attained Omniscience, and became Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, Lord of the three worlds.

(The Buddhavaṃsa Commentary has this to say with regard to Buddha Nārada’s Bodhi Tree, a great Sona tree: “The great Sona tree was ninety cubits high. It has a round smooth trunk. It possessed many forks and branches, dense and abundant foliage in dark green and closely knitted shade. As it was guarded by a spirit, no birds could made it their resort. It was honoured as though it were a monarch among trees on the surface of the earth. It was full of branches adorned with red flowers, very delightful and pleasing to the eye. It thus served as an elixir to those devas and humans who saw it.”)

Three Occasions of The Buddha’s Teaching (Dhammābhisamaya)

After He had attained Buddhahood, Buddha Nārada spent forty-nine days in the neighbourhood of the Bodhi tree. Having accepted a Brahmā’s request for His Teaching, He contemplated as to whom He should teach first. Then He saw His companions in renunciation being endowed with meritorious qualities, which were conducive to the attainment of the Path and Fruition. After reflecting on their whereabouts, He came to know that they were staying in Dhanaṅjaya Park. Accordingly, He took His bowl and robe and, by His psychic power, He immediately appeared in the park.

At that time, the hundred thousand monks saw the Buddha coming from a distance. With faithful hearts, they welcomed Him; taking His bowl and robe, preparing a seat for Him, paying their respects to Him and taking their appropriate seats around Him. Being surrounded thus, Buddha Nārada taught these hundred thousand crores of monks the Dhammacakka-pavattana Sutta amidst the audience of devas, humans and Brahmās, as was done by former Buddhas. In that occasion, one hundred crores of devas, humans and Brahmās realized the supreme Dhamma of the Path and Fruition.

(This is the first Dhammābhisamaya.)

Once, a Nāga King, called Dona, was ruling on the banks of Gaṅgā, near the city of Mahādona. He was powerful and was held in esteem and honour. If the local inhabitants did not appease him with an offering, he would destroy the locality either by total drought or by extremely heavy rainfall or by a rain of pebbles.

Buddha Nārada, who had realized the other shore of Nibbāna, foresaw a large number of people who would definitely attain the Path, Fruition and Nibbāna, as they were endowed with the merits of their past deeds, which qualified them for such attainments, if He would go and tame the Nāga King. Accordingly, accompanied by monks, He travelled to the residence of the Nāga King.

When the people saw the Buddha, they requested Him, saying: “Glorious Buddha, here lives a Nāga King, who is terribly venomous and mighty, reigning terror in this region. Please do not come here least you should get hurt.” The Buddha, nevertheless, went as though He did not hear their entreaties and sat on the flowers which were spread in honour of the Nāga King.

The people then assembled, thinking: “We shall now see a battle between the Buddha, Lord of sages, and Dona, the Nāga King.” On seeing the Buddha sitting on the seat of flowers which was prepared for Him, the Nāga King could not control his anger and made himself visible with emission of smoke. Using His psychic power, the Buddha also emitted forth smoke in return. Again, when the Nāga King sent forth blazing flames, the Buddha sent back blazing flames by His power. The Nāga King was so severely affected by the flames from the Buddha that he was not able to stand the suffering. Thinking: “I will kill this great monk by means of venom,” the Nāga King discharged venom.

Although the Nāga King’s poisonous discharge was so virulent that it could destroy the whole of Jambudīpa but it was powerless to disturb a single hair on the Buddha’s body. “How is the great monk?” wondered the Nāga King, “What is His condition?” When he surveyed thus, he saw the Buddha with a face so serene and bright with the six rays, like the sun and the full round moon in the month of Kattikā of the autumnal season. Then he thought to himself: “This great monk is indeed powerful. Knowing not my own ability, I have wronged Him,” and so he took refuge in the Buddha. After taming the Nāga King, the Buddha displayed the Twin Miracle of water and fire in order to arouse pious faith in the multitude gathered there. At that time, ninety-thousand crores of devas and humans were established in arahantship.

(This was the second Dhammābhisamaya.)

At another time, Buddha Nārada instructed His son, Prince Nanduttara. As a result, eighty-thousand devas and humans attained the supreme Dhamma of the Path and Fruition.

(This was the third Dhammābhisamaya.)

Three Occasions of The Disciples' Meeting (Sannipāta)

There were three occasions of the meetings of Buddha Nārada’s disciples. The first occasion took place in the city of Thullakoṭṭhita, where the two brahmin youths, who were to be His future Chief Disciples, Bhaddasāla and Vijitamitta, encountered Buddha Nārada who was seated boldly in the middle of a gathering. They were looking for the ‘great pool of deathless Dhamma’. When the two youths saw the thirty-two marks of an extra-ordinary being on the body of the Buddha, they concluded: “This man indeed is a Buddha who has removed the veil of ignorance in the world.” Developing faith in the Buddha, they became monks together with their followers. After their establishment in arahantship, the Buddha recited Ovāda Pāṭimokkha in the midst of a hundred thousand crores of monks.

(This was the first sannipāta.)

At another time, at an assembly of His relatives, Buddha Nārada related His life story with an introduction, beginning from the episode of His aspiration for Buddhahood. Ninety-thousand crores of arahats then met.

(This was the second sannipāta.)

At another time, a Nāga King, Verocana by name, who had developed great faith in the Buddha on the occasion of Him taming of the Nāga King, Mahādona, created a huge pavilion of jewels, three gāvutas in size and let the Buddha and His retinue of monks stay inside the pavilion. He also invited his courtiers together with the people of the district to visit his pavilion. Presenting a concert of Nāga dancers in various costumes and ornaments, he held a resounding ceremony of reverence, and performed a great alms-giving to the Buddha and His company of bhikkhus.

After finishing the meal, the Buddha gave a sermon in appreciation of the alms-food. Listening to the sermon, the people developed faith in Him and asked for monkhood. The Buddha then uttered, “Come monks,” and they all became ehi-bhikkhus. In the midst of eight million ehi-bhikkhus, the Buddha recited the Ovāda Pāṭimokkha.

(This was the third sannipāta.)

Future Buddha Gotama, as a Hermit, received Prophecy from Buddha Nārada

At that time our Bodhisatta was a hermit, who found a hermitage in the Himalayas and lived there, and who had mastered the five abhiññās and the eight samāpattis. Out of compassion for Bodhisatta hermit, Buddha Nārada visited the hermitage in the company of eighty crores of lay disciples who were all anāgāmins.

The noble hermit was glad to see the Buddha. He then created another residence for the Buddha and His bhikkhus. In the whole night, the hermit extolled the Buddha, relating all His attributes and listened to His sermon. The next morning, he went to the Northern Continent (by His psychic power) and brought back cooked rice and other kinds of food which he offered to the Buddha and His followers of bhikkhus and lay disciples.

In this way, the Bodhisatta offered food for seven days, after which he paid homage to the Buddha and offered a priceless red sandalwood from the Himalayas. Then Buddha Nārada, after delivering a sermon, prophesied: “A Buddha you will certainly become in future.”

Hearing the Buddha’s prophecy, the Bodhisatta became very happy and resolved to fulfil the Perfections even more energetically.

Particulars of Nārada Buddha

Buddha Nārada’s birthplace was Dhaññavatī city. His father was the Universal Monarch Sudeva and His mother was Queen Anomā.

He reigned for nine thousand years. His three palaces were Jita, Vijita and Abhirama.

His Chief Consort was Vijitasenā who had forty-three thousand maids of honour and His son was Nanduttara.

Seeing the four omens, he went forth on foot without taking a vehicle. He practised dukkaracariyā for seven days.

His two male Chief Disciples were Bhaddasāla Thera and Vijitamitta Thera. His attendant was Vāseṭṭha Thera.

His two female Chief Disciples were Uttarā Therī and Phaggunī Therī.

His Bodhi tree was a great Soṇa tree.

His noble male lay attendants were the wealthy Uggarinda and Vāsabhā. His noble female attendants were Indāvarī Upāsikā and Vaṇḍī (Gaṇḍi) Upāsikā.

Buddha Nārada’s height was eighty-eight cubits. He was dignified in the tenthousand world-system of jāti-khetta, like a column of gold erected as an object of honour. The rays emitted from His body extended for a yojana, day and night without interruption.

While Buddha Nārada was alive, because of the dazzling brilliance of His rays, people living within a yojana did not have to light torches.

The life span during Buddha Nārada’s time was ninety thousand. He lived throughout the period equal to four-fifth of this life span, rescuing beings, such as devas, humans and Brahmās, from saṃsāric waters and placed them on Nibbānic shores.

As the sky is exquisitely beautiful with stars and planets, so was Buddha Nārada’s dispensation with noble arahats.

For those (other than arahats) who remained worldlings and trainees (sekkhas), the Buddha constructed the huge strong bridge of Magga for them to cross over the saṃsāric current easily. Having done all His tasks as a Buddha, He attained Parinibbāna with His arahat-disciples.

Saṃvega

Buddha Nārada, who was equal only to peerless Buddhas and His arahats, who are endowed with matchless glory, had all vanished. Unsubstantial and futile indeed are all conditioned things!

Cetīya

Thus Buddha Nārada, conqueror of the five marās, attained Parinibbāna in the city of Sudassana. In that very city was erected a cetiya of four yojanas in height, and dedicated to Him.

Here ends Nārada Buddhavaṃsa.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: