The Great Chronicle of Buddhas
by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw | 1990 | 1,044,401 words
This page describes Satthadevamanussanam 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 Dhamma Ratanā. 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 attributes (7): Satthādevamanūssānaṃ
This means the Buddha who guides devas and humans to gain for themselves the benefits at present, the benefits in the future, and the ultimate benefit of Nibbāna. This is indeed so. The Buddha teaches, exhorts and instructs all beings to gain present benefits for some; to gain benefit in future existences, for others and to attain the ultimate benefit of Nibbāna, for others; each according to his or her sufficiency of past merit. Therefore the knowledge in helping devas and humans to gain present benefits, benefits in the future, and the benefit of Nibbāna is the attribute of satthādeva-manussānaṃ. The five aggregates of the Buddha is the possessor of this attribute.
Another explanation:
The Buddha is like the master of a caravan, hence He is called Satthādeva-manusānaṃ.
To explain it further:
A wise leader of a caravan conducts the caravan safely over a difficult and dangerous journey. There are five kinds of difficult and dangerous journeys, namely, (i) a journey notorious for highway robbers; (ii) a journey through wild country where ferocious beasts, such as lions or tigers, roam; (iii) a barren stretch of land where food resources are not available; (iv) a journey over parched country with no water resources and (v) a journey passing through a country infested with yakkhas (demons). Just as a good leader of a caravan safely conducts the caravan through the above five kinds of hazardous journey, so also the Buddha gives protection to the way-farers of the journey of life against the hazards of journey marked by rebirth, aging, disease and death, grief, lamentation, physical pain, sorrow and anguish, lust (attachment), hatred, bewilderment, conceit, wrong view and demeritorious acts, and conducts them to the safety of Nibbāna. Therefore, the Doctrine of the Buddha which lead beings to Nibbāna is the attribute of satthādeva-manussānaṃ;the five aggregates of the Buddha is the possessor of this attribute.
(The attribute sattādeva-manussānaṃ should not be taken only to mean to cover devas and humans. The term devamanuussānaṃ is used to give prominence to beings of the fortunate existences and who are fit to become liberated. However, the Buddha also gives appropriate guidance and counsel to animals so that they also benefit from it and are thereby equipped with sufficing condition to attain maggaphala in their next existence or in the third existence. The Commentary gives the example of Maṇḍūka Devaputta which is related below.)