Ten Bodhisattas
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Ten Bodhisattas refer to ten future Buddhas during their lives as
bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, '' bodhi'' ('awakening', 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or ''bodhi'' in ...
s. They have also been referred to as successors of
Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...
.


In ''Dasabodhisattuppattikathā''

''Dasabodhisattuppattikathā'' ("Ten Bodhisattva Birth Stories" or "Lives of the Ten Bodhisattvas") is a
Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
text that deals with ten future Buddhas during their lives as
bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, '' bodhi'' ('awakening', 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or ''bodhi'' in ...
s. It is a "strange small work of late Pali literature" and "the only example of a book devoted entirely to extolling the Bodhisattas who will be Buddhas in future ages." There are several recensions to the text, all of which were consulted in the publishing of Saddhātissa's book. Despite frequent differences in vocabulary, they agree in the arrangement and content of the stories. Each story is about a virtuous person near the end of his or her cycle of rebirths. Each character has lived a meritorious life and dies through some self-inflicted act, often gruesome, which serves as an offering to the universal Buddha. Each will be reborn one final time and attain full Buddhahood.


In Sotattakī

In the Sotattakī Scripture, one of the exclusive texts to the
Pali Canon The Pāḷi Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhism, Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant Early Buddhist texts, early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from t ...
,
Ānanda Ānanda (Pali and Sanskrit: आनंद; 5th4th century BCE) was the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory. Most of the texts of ...
asked Gautama Buddha about the people who were practising to achieve the Buddhahood. Gautama Buddha answered that there will be 10 future Buddhas. The Bhodhisattas are introduced as:
"Metteyyo Uttamo Rāmo, Paseno Kosalobibū, Dīghasoṇīca Caṅkīca, Subo, Todeyya Brahmano. Nāḷāgirī Pālileyyo, Bodhisatthā imedasa anukkamena sabhodiṁ, pāpuṇissanti nāgate".
which can be translated as:
"The 10 people who will gain enlightenment in the future are: The noble Maitreya Buddha, King Uttararama, King
Pasenadi Pasenadi or Prasenajit (; ;) was a 6th or 5th century BCE ruler of Kosala, where Shravasti was his capital. He succeeded after . As a king, he was a prominent or lay follower of Gautama Buddha, and built many Buddhist monasteries for the Bu ...
Kosala, Abhibhū, Dīghasoṇī, Caṅkī (Candanī), Subha, a
Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
named Todeyya, an
elephant Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...
named Nāḷāgirī and the king of elephants Pālileyya. They will become the Future Buddhas in such order"


The 10 Bodhisattas


Maitreya

According to the Anāgatavamsa, Maitreya buddha was a monk disciple named ''Ajita''. One day, Gotamī offered a golden robe to Gautama and his disciples. As no disciple accepted it, Ajita accepted the offering. The monk crowd were not satisfied as they felt that the robe was dedicated to the Buddha. In order to prove that Ajita is his successor, Gautama Buddha hid his emerald alms bowl and told his disciples to help retrieve it. Only Ajita was able to retrieve his bowl. After getting his alms bowl back, Gautama Buddha explained to his disciples that Ajita would become the next future Buddha. He also had told the future biography of Maitreya as Sāriputta requested for it. After getting the omen, Ajita donated Gotami's robe as the ceiling of the monastery. Maitreya is currently residing at the
Tushita Tuṣita (Sanskrit and Pāli) or Tushita is one of the six deva-worlds of the Buddhist Desire realm (Kāmadhātu), located between the Yāma heaven and the heaven. Like the other heavens, Tuṣita is said to be reachable through meditation. It ...
realm.


Uttararama

In the time of the
Kassapa Buddha Kassapa Buddha (Pali), is one of the ancient Buddhas that are chronicled in the Pali Canon's '' Buddhavamsa'', ''Chapter 24''. He was born in Deer Park at Sarnath, where he later delivered his first teaching.Ven. Mingun Sayadaw, "Buddhavamsa Chapt ...
, King Uttarāma was a young man named Nārada. When he saw the Buddha, he thought it worthwhile to give his life for the Buddha. And he burnt himself, like a torch. Then the Buddha Kassapa foretold that Nārada would be the future buddha. After Maitreya Buddha died, there will be 100,000 Sunya-Kalpas. After the 100,000 Sunya-Kalpas, there will be a Maṇḍa-Kalpa. In the Maṇḍa-Kalpa, he will become Rāma Buddha (Rāmasambuddha Buddha).


Pasenadi

King Pasenadi of
Kosala Kosala, sometimes referred to as Uttara Kosala () was one of the Mahajanapadas of ancient India. It emerged as a small state during the Late Vedic period and became (along with Magadha) one of the earliest states to transition from a lineage ...
was an
Upāsaka Upāsaka (masculine) or Upāsikā (feminine) are from the Sanskrit and Pāli words for "attendant". This is the title of followers of Buddhism (or, historically, of Gautama Buddha) who are not monks, nuns, or novice monastics in a Buddhist order, ...
of Gautama Buddha who frequently invited him and his disciples to his palace for meals and listened to the Dhamma. According to the ''Anāgatavamsa,'' he will become the fourth future Buddha.


Abhibhū

Abhibhū Buddha will be born in the next Sārā-kalpa, which will be formed a few Sunya-Kalpas later. After Abhibhū Buddha dies, there will be another 100,000 Sunya-Kalpas.


Dīghasoni

In the newly formed Kalpa, Dīghasoni asurin (Rahu Asurin), a
deva Deva may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Deva, List of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters, an ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition monster * Deva, in the 2023 Indian film ''Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefir ...
, will become a Buddha first.


Caṅkī

Caṅkī (Candanī), a Brahmin, will become a successor of Dīghasoni.De Pell Yinn Sayadaw, pp. 26–27


Subha

According to the Majjhima Nikāya of the Pali Canon, Subha was the son of Todeyya. When Gautama Buddha visited Subha's house, his pet dog barked continuously. As soon as he revealed the past of the dog, it ran away in fear. When Subha knew about the matter, he went to the Buddha to disprove his statements. However, he only told him to ask his pet about the possessions he buried in the past life. As they could find the hidden possessions, Subha began to respect him and to do donations for his father. Another time, Subha asked the Buddha seven questions about the difference between humans. Having got satisfactory answers, he decided to become a devoted Buddhist and to practise
Pāramitā ''Pāramitā'' (Sanskrit, Pali: पारमिता) or ''pāramī'' (Pāli: पारमी) is a Buddhist term often translated as "perfection". It is described in Buddhist commentaries as a noble character quality generally associated with ...
. The Buddha did not see an omen, so their practice to gain enlightenment was not complete.


Todeyya

Todeyya was a rich Brahmin during the time of Gautama Buddha. Despite the wealth, he did not manage to donate his possessions and hid them instead. Because of his obsession, he became a pet dog of Subha in the afterlife. Tigyaing Titaw Sayadaw, ''Questions about Buddhism'' Volume 3, pp. 119-121


Nāḷāgiri

Nāḷāgiri was the elephant that was used by
Devadatta Devadatta was by tradition a Buddhist monk, cousin and brother-in-law of Gautama Siddhārtha. The accounts of his life vary greatly, but he is generally seen as an evil and divisive figure in Buddhism, who led a breakaway group in the ear ...
to murder Gautama Buddha. It was fed sixteen pots of alcohol and ordered to fight the Buddha. When it was rushing towards him, he gently soothed the drunk elephant. He then began to preach some
Dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...
. After preaching, the elephant was tamed and paid respect to Buddha, then gradually walked away. Gautama Buddha did not give him the omen but had told him to follow the Five precepts. It also had got another name, "Danapāla".


Palileyya

Gautama Buddha once left alone to the Palileyaka village due to the conflict between his disciples. The villagers built a monastery for him at the Rakkhita forest which was near their village. Meanwhile, an elephant named Palileya (Burmese: ပလလဲ) left his family because he felt cramped. He thought that living alone would be a solution. Then, he met the Buddha at his monastery. The Buddha told him about the benefits of solitude. In the Jinatthapakāsanī (The explicit life of Buddha) written by Kyee Thel Lay Htet Sayadaw, Palileya looked after the Buddha. He usually guarded while he was sleeping. He gave a lot of fresh fruits to him and followed him to the village during
alms Alms (, ) are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in poverty. Providing alms is often considered an act of Charity (practice), charity. The act of providing alms is called almsgiving. Etymology The word ''alms'' come ...
. He had taken care of him for the
Vassa ''Vassa'' (, , both "rain") is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada Buddhists. Taking place during the wet season, Vassa lasts for three lunar months, usually from July (the Burmese month of Waso, ) to October (the Burmese ...
(three months). After three months, Gautama Buddha had to leave him. He told him that he was not ready to practise for enlightenment. Palileyya died of grief. In the afterlife he became a Deva named Palileyya in the Tāvatiṃsa realm. According to the
Hmannan Yazawin ''Hmannan Maha Yazawindawgyi'' (, ; commonly, ''Hmannan Yazawin''; known in English as the ''Glass Palace Chronicle'') is the first Burmese chronicle, official chronicle of Konbaung Dynasty of Burma (Myanmar). It was compiled by the Royal Histori ...
of Myanmar, it is believed that the
Bagan Bagan ( ; ; formerly Pagan) is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that w ...
Kings, Thamoddarit,
Anawrahta Anawrahta Minsaw (, ; 11 May 1014 – 11 April 1077) was the founder of the Pagan Empire. Considered the father of the Burmese nation, Anawrahta turned a small principality in the dry zone of Upper Burma into the first Burmese Empire that ...
and Kyaswa are the future lives of Palileyya. King Myet-Hna Shay of Prome was also believed to be another afterlife as he spent most of his time mediating at a pagoda.San Tun(Mandalay University), King Myet-Hna Shay (1987)


References


Sources

* * * {{Buddhism topics Theravada Buddhist philosophical concepts Bodhisattvas