The Great Chronicle of Buddhas
by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw | 1990 | 1,044,401 words
This page describes Stories connected with the Second, Third and Fourth Vassa 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 Six Princes achieved different Attainments. 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).
Part 7 - Stories connected with the Second, Third and Fourth Vassa
[N.B. Concerning the second, the third and the fourth vassas kept by the Buddha at Rājagaha, the ancient treatise of ‘Wasozin’ (An account of the series of vassas kept by the Buddha), deals only with three stories described below:
(1) Story of a friend of Venerable Sāriputta, who was a brahmin (as mentioned in Dhammapada Commentary, Vol. 1.)
(2) Story of Cunda, a butcher of pigs (as mentioned in Dhammapada Commentary, Vol. 1.)
(3) Story of Venerable Mahā Kassapa (as mentioned in Dhammapada Commentary Vol. 1.)
The Wasozin treatise concludes the account of the second, the third and the fourth vassa with these words: Thus the Buddha, in keeping with the promise given to King Bimbisāra, spent the second, the third and the fourth vassa at Rājagaha, expounding such discourses and showing innumerable devas and humans the path to Nibbāna.]
Sayagyi Saya Lin, the first to be charged with this great work, ‘Mahā Buddhavaṃsa’, however included in the table of contents, the following stories, in connection with the second, the third, and the fourth vassa kept by the Buddha at Rājagaha:
(1) An account of wealthy man Jotika.
(2) An account of wealthy man Jotila.
(3) An account of wealthy man Mendaka.
(4) An account of the wealthy man Kakavaliya.
(5) An account of the wealthy man Punna.
(6) The story of Sumana, the flower seller.
(7) The story of Aggidata and one thousand hermits.
(8) The story of Jambuka.
We discuss about the five wealthy men listed above in the ‘Chapter on the Jewel’ of the Sangha. The stories of Sumana, Aggidatta and Jambuka will be discussed in the next Chapter.