Introduction (from the source)
We, the members of the Executive Committee of the Young Men's Buddhist Association have arranged to bring out this publication, "Illustrated History of Buddhism", with the help of learned monks and laymen, in order that the Doctrine of the Buddha may shine with greater glory all over the globe.
This work contains numerous chapters of the life of the Buddha, from His birth as Siddhattha, the Future Buddha (i.e., the Great Being destined for Buddhahood or Enlightenment) to His death (attainment of parinibbana), and also many chapters of the history of Buddhism from the death of the Buddha down to the time of King Mindon, the Convener of the Fifth Buddhist Council. These chapters have been illustrated with paintings, which are works of pure Burmese art, in the traditional fashion, so as to arouse and strengthen an interest in Buddhism and Buddhistic culture among Buddhist children and youth as well as among the grown-ups of various other nationalities of the world.
May the publication of this "Illustrated History of Buddhism" enable the light of Buddha's Doctrine to shed brighter and brighter rays everywhere and help the Independent Union of Burma to retain its independence forever as a peaceful, pleasant and prosperous country.
Our thanks are due to all those learned persons, who have assisted us, either with advice or in person in the publication of this work until completion; and we are specially indebted to the Thera (Aggamahapandita, Venerable Ashin Janakabhivamsa) who wrote the manuscripts for the Burmese edition of this work.
Y.M.B.A.
Rangoon, Union of Burma.
(Full moon day of Tazaungmon 1313 B.E.)
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The Illustrated History of Buddhism
(The Great Cronicles of Lord Buddha)
By Ashin Janaka Bhivamsa (Aggamahapandita)
Part One
(1) Sumedha, A Young Millionaire, Giving Away His Property In Charity
The Future Buddha was once born as the son of a rich man and was known as "Sumedha" in the very existence in which he was to make a solemn wish that he should become the Enlightened Buddha. His parents died while he was still young, leaving him many treasure vaults of gold and silver. When he was sixteen years of age and had finished his education, the Lord of the Treasury made over to him all the property left by his parents.
Sumedha the young millionaire thought to himself thus: "My parents and grand-parents knew only how to amass wealth but did not know to take it away beyond death. I shall now give away my property in alms so that the merit of the deeds may follow me after death." He made a public announcement: "Whoever cares to take away my property may open my treasuries and help himself to his heart's content." He then left for the Himalaya forests and became a hermit.
(2) Sumedha And Sumitta Receiving A Prophetic Declaration
Hermit Sumedha, the Future Buddha, had attained the six High Powers.
While traveling by air he saw the townsfolk of Ramma clearing the pathway and came down to the ground, and asked to be permitted to clear a portion of the track on which the Buddha Dipankara was to travel. He was given a portion of it, and before he had cleared it, the Buddha Dipankara came along that way with a retinue of arahants. Sumedha spread himself out upon the mud with his face downwards, his body serving as a bridge so that the Buddha and the disciples following Him could tread on him.
At that moment a lady by the name of "Sumitta" arrived with eight bunches of lotus flowers. She handed over to the hermit five of those bunches to be offered to the Buddha. The Buddha, with minds eye of Buddha, saw what was in store for these two persons in future, and made this prophetic declaration: "This hermit will become Gotama Buddha, and this lady will become his help-mate to help him fulfill the Perfections (Paramitas)".
(3) The Higher And Lower Gods Beseeching The Future Buddha To Leave Tusita Heaven To Be Reborn As A Man
The Future Buddha fulfilled the Ten Perfections in his many existences over a period of four Incalculables (asankhyeyyas) and one hundred thousand worlds. In one life before the life when he became the Buddha, he was born as one of the chief gods and known as "Setaketu" in the celestial city of the Tusita gods.
When the span of his life there as a god was fast approaching its end, the higher and lower gods of all ten thousand worlds came into one place in Tusita heaven and approached the Future Buddha saying, "Sir, it was not to enjoy the glory and sensual pleasures of a god or of man that you fulfilled the ten Perfections; but it was to become a fully enlightened Buddha in order to save the world, that you fulfilled them. Sir, the time and fit season for your Buddhaship has now arrived. Be so good as to depart from the world of gods and take conception in the womb of a human mother in the world of men". The Great Being assented to their wish.
(4) The Dream Of Maha-Maya When She Conceived The Future Buddha
On the full moon day in the month of Wazo (July) Queen Maha-Maya rose early and dispensed huge sums of money in great charity. She then took the eight precepts and entered her elegantly furnished chamber of state. And lying down on the royal couch, she fell asleep and dreamed the following strange dreamt:—
The four guardian angels came and lifted her up, together with her couch, and took away to the Himalaya Mountains. There, in the Manosila table-land they laid her upon a huge slab of sulfurous rock under a very big sal tree. Then came the wives of these guardian angels, and conducted her to Anotatta Lake, and bathed her to remove every human stain. And after clothing her with divine garments they took her into a golden mansion which was inside a Silver Hill. There they laid her down upon a divine couch. Now the Future Buddha had become a superb white elephant and was wandering about at no great distance on the Golden Hill. Descending thence, he ascended the Silver Hill and went into the golden mansion. And splitting her on her right side, he entered her womb. Thus the conception took place.
(5) Birth Of The Future Buddha In The Lumbini Grove
Queen Maha-Maya carried the Future Buddha in her womb for ten months; and on the full moon day in May (Vesak) she said to King Suddhodana—"I wish, O King, to go to Devadaha, the city of my family". The King approved and caused the road from Kapilavatthu to Devadaha to be made smooth and adorned, and sent her with a great retinue. Between the two cities there was a pleasure grove of sal trees, called Lumbini Grove.
She entered the grove for a rest. And at this particular time, this grove was one mass of flowers presenting a very pretty scene. She went to the foot of a great sal tree and reached out her hand to seize hold of one of its branches. She was at once shaken with the pains of birth. Thereupon the people hung a curtain about her, and her delivery took place while she was standing up. At that moment came four Mahabrahmas (higher gods) with a golden net; and, receiving the Future Buddha with it, they placed him before his mother and said, "Rejoice, O Queen! A mighty son has been born to thee".
(6) Wedding Ceremony Of Prince Siddhattha
When the Future Buddha was sixteen years of age, his father King Suddhodana sent official intimation to his relatives asking them to send their daughters to be married to his son. There arose the following discussion among his relatives, who were Rulers of their own states:—"Siddhattha is of handsome appearance but is not well trained in any manly art". They did not, therefore, comply with the request of King Suddhodana. The King told his son what his relatives had said about him, when the Prince agreed to show his proficiency as the best bowman of the day. Consequently the most distinguished bowmen of the city were assembled in the palace grounds.
The Future Buddha placed them at four different points and directions round him while he stood in the centre. He then said to them. "You must shoot your arrows at me all at the same time". When the signal to shoot was given, the four archers shot their arrows at him all at once. The Prince defended himself by shooting an arrow which flew like lightning and hit all the four arrows coming in his direction. He thus exhibited his skill, such as none other bowmen could equal. His father's relatives then sent their daughters, beautiful maidens, of whom the Prince chose Princess Yasodhara whom he married by celebrating a grand wedding.
(7) Just Before His Great Renunciation, The Future Buddha Went To The Chamber Of Princess Yasodhara To See His Son
When the Future Buddha was 29 years of age he went to the park and saw the Four Signs, namely, an old man, a sick man, a dead man and a monk, whom the higher gods had fashioned. He was afraid to continue to live a worldly life and his mind turned ardently to retiring from the world. He said to himself, "It behooves me to go forth on the Great Renunciation this very day". At that very moment he received a message that a son had been born to him.
He then returned to the palace and lying on his couch, fell into a brief slumber. When he awoke he saw the female musicians sleeping round him in disgusting condition. The spectacle seemed like a cemetery, and filled with loathing for his worldly life, he made up his mind to renounce the world at once. He ordered his courtier Channa to saddle his horse Kanthaka. He then walked to the chamber of Yasodhara to look at his son for the first time.
(8) Mara, The Evil One, Persuading The Future Buddha To Turn Back On The Point Of His Departure From The City
Coming away from Yasodhara's chamber, the Future Buddha descended from the palace and rode on the mighty steed, Kanthaka, already saddled and bridled for the journey, with Channa holding on by the tail. He issued forth on the Great Renunciation and arrived at midnight at the great gate of the city. At this moment came Mara, the Evil One, with the intention of persuading the Future Buddha to turn back; and standing in the air, he said, "Sir, go not forth! On the seventh day from now the Wheel Treasure will appear to you. Sir, turn back!"
The Future Buddha replied as follows: "Mara, I know that the Wheel Treasure was on the point of appearing to me ; but I do not wish for sovereignty. My sole desire is to become a Buddha and save the world of gods and men". He then departed from the city in great splendor surrounded by higher and lower deities on all sides, the divinity that guarded the city-gate having opened it for them.
(9) The Future Buddha Cutting His Hair To Become A Monk
The Future Buddha who left the city at midnight on his Great Renunciation came to the bank of the Anoma (Illustrious) River at day-break. He gave the signal to his horse with his heel, and the horse sprang over the river, which had a breadth of eight usabhas (an usabha is 140 cubits or 210 feet), and landed on the opposite bank. He handed over to Channa his ornaments and the horse, Kanthaka, and asked him to go back home with them. He then cut his hair with the sword on the sandy beach of the Anoma.
Then the Future Buddha seized hold of his top-knot and threw it into the air, saying— "If I am to become a Buddha, let it stay in the sky; but if not, let it fall to the ground". And Sakka, the King of the gods, received it in a golden casket, and established it in the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods as the Culamani Ceti (Shrine of the Diadem). After that, the Future Buddha put on the robes, the symbol of asceticism, brought by the Maha-Brahma god, Ghatikara, and became an ascetic. His garments, made of Benares cloth, were taken away by Ghatikara, and established in the realm of the higher gods as the "Dussa Shrine".
(10) King Bimbisara Offering All His Kingly Glory
Now the Future Buddha, having thus retired from the world and become an ascetic for about 7 days, entered the city of Rajagaha and begged for food from house to house. By the beauty of the Future Buddha the whole city was thrown into a commotion as he was a distinct contrast to the usual type of ascetics of those days, who were old and shabby in appearance. The Future Buddha being then only 29 years of age and bearing all the signs of a Universal Monarch naturally became an object of admiration and wonder.
Now the Great Being having collected some food for his sustenance went to the shade of Pandava rock and ate his meal. Thereupon, Bimbisara, the King, approached the Future Buddha, and being pleased with his princely deportment and appearance offered him all his kingly glory. "Great King", replied the Future Buddha, "I do not seek for the gratification of my senses or my passions, but have retired from the world for the sake of the supreme and absolute enlightenment of a Buddha".
"Verily", said the King ,when his repeated offers had all been refused, "you are sure to become a Buddha; but when that happens your first journey will be to my Kingdom.
(11) The Future Buddha Made The Great Struggle And His Body Became Emaciated
Having become a monk, the Future Buddha sought for teachers and found two renowned Brahmin teachers, Alara Kalarma and Uddaka Ramaputta. He acquired from them the method of meditation leading only to mundane superhuman power. But not satisfied with it, he ceased to practise it. And being desirous of attaining Enlightenment he continued his search and went to Uruvela grove. He entered Senani village and begged for his food from house to house and ate his meal. He thought to himself that having to go on a begging round for food in itself was a hindrance to his ascetic practices and began to practise the Great Struggle.
The Great Struggle is an austere practice which is beyond human endurance of an average person. He tried various plans such as, abstaining from rice meal and living on fruits which dropped from trees, then on fruits which dropped from the tree under which he sat, then living on one fruit, one sesamum seed or one grain of rice a day. By this lack of nourishment his body was reduced to skin and bones and lost its golden colour and became dry and black.
The Great Struggle is an austere practice which is beyond human endurance of an average person. He tried various plans such as, abstaining from rice meal and living on fruits which dropped from trees, then on fruits which dropped from the tree under which he sat, then living on one fruit, one sesamum seed or one grain of rice a day. By this lack of nourishment his body was reduced to skin and bones and lost its golden colour and became dry and black.
(12) The Future Buddha Receiving The Milk-Porridge Offered By Sujata
There lived in the village of Senani, near Uruvela forest, a girl named Sujata. She had uttered a prayer for fulfillment of her wish at a banyan tree, and vowed a yearly offering to it, if she should have a good marriage and a son as her first born child. The wish having been fulfilled, she used to make an offering every year at the banyan tree. Now the Great Being had resumed taking usual food, because he found that the austerities he practised for full six years were not the way to enlightenment.
On the full moon day of the month Vesakha (April-May), the Future Buddha who had attained 35 years of age, was sitting under the banyan tree. Sujata caught sight of the Future Buddha and, supposing him to be the tree-god, her benefactor, who had come down, offered him milk-porridge in a golden bowl that was worth a hundred thousand pieces of money. He proceeded to the banks of the Neranjara and ate the food. He took the bowl to the river bank and set it on the river saying, "If today I shall be able to became a Buddha, let this bowl go up stream". It floated up-stream!
(13) The Future Buddha Being Attacked By Mara, The Evil One, Just Before He Attained Enlightenment
After eating the milk-porridge offered by Sujata, the Future Buddha took his noonday rest on the bank of the Neranjara, in the cool and pleasant shade of a grove of sal trees. And at nightfall he went towards the Bodhi tree. On the way he received from a grass-cutter named Sotthiya eight handfuls of grass and sat down cross-legged on that grass. He made the mighty resolution: "I will not stir from this seat until I have attained the supreme and absolute wisdom". Many higher and lower gods with Sakka came near the Future Buddha.
The god Mara, the Evil One, saw the Future Buddha seated in that unconquerable position and knew that he was sure to become a Buddha. He went back to his celestial realm and brought his army drawn out for battle. He grasped a variety of weapons himself and sounded the war-cry, "Advance! Seize!" to frighten the Great Being. But the Future Buddha won a peaceful victory over Mara with the power of loving kindness, which he had practised in his many past lives, just as a mother would tame a cruel and wicked son with her maternal love.
(14) Attainment Of Enlightenment As Buddha
Having vanquished the army of Mara, the Future Buddha sat cross-legged at the foot of the Bodhi tree with the firm resolution that he would not get up from his seat until he attained the supreme wisdom of a Buddha, and went into deep meditation. He acquired in the first watch of the night the knowledge of previous existences; in the middle watch of the night, the divine eye with which he could see the beings of all thirty-one planes of existence dying and being reborn; and in the last watch of the night, he gained the bliss of complete emancipation. Thus on Wednesday the full moon day of Vesakha (April-May) 103 the Great Era at dawn, the Great Being attained the Supreme Enlightenment of a Buddha.
(15) Cakes Being Offered To The Buddha By The Brothers Tapussa And Bhallika
Not long after his attainment of Supreme Buddhahood, the Blessed One sat cross- legged at the foot of the Rajayatana tree (Buchanania latifolia). At that time two brothers Tapussa and Bhallika, from a village called Ukkala went for trade to (the middle Districts of) India where the Buddha was dwelling. A deity who was related to them in a past existence informed the two brothers that the Blessed One had recently attained the Supreme Buddhahood, and directed to the place where the Blessed One was then dwelling. The deity also instructed them to offer to the Buddha the cakes which they had brought with them.
As directed by the deity, the two brothers approached the Buddha and offered the cakes which they had brought They then addressed the Buddha with the words, "We take our refuge, Lord, in the Blessed One and the Dhamma; may the Blessed One receive us as disciples, who from this day forth, while our life lasts, have taken their refuge in Him". They then asked the Blessed one, "What shall we receive as an object of worship from today, Lord?" The Blessed One rubbed his head with his hand and gave to the two brothers whatever hairs came off and stuck to his hand.
(16) The Buddha Preaching The Sermon "The Wheel Of Law" To The Band Of Five Disciples"
Soon after the birth of the Future Buddha, eight Brahmin fortune-tellers, observed the marks and characteristics of the Future Buddha's person. Five of these Brahmins interpreted that prince Siddhattha would unquestionably become a Buddha and with that belief, had already become ascetics. When Siddhattha retired from the world, they attended to his personal needs. Then seeing that the Future Buddha had given up extreme asceticism and gone back to the usual way of taking ordinary material food, they doubted if he would ever become a Buddha, and deserted him. Then they went and lived in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Benares.
The Blessed One, having attained the Supreme Wisdom, began his life as the Great Teacher. He first thought of the persons whom he should first aid with his teaching, and saw that these five ascetics had developed mature intellect. He therefore went to the Deer Park at Isipatana near Benares, 18 yojanas (1 yojana =about 8 miles) away from the Bodhi tree and preached his First Sermonto this "Band of Five Disciples" before sunset on the full moon day of Wazo (June-July). Kondanna was established in the first noble stage of the Ariyan Path, along with eighteen crores of higher and lower gods.
To be continued in Part 2