The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw
Edited and Translated by
U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin
The naming of the Prince as Siddhattha
In this way, having examined the Bodhisatta's major and minor marks carefully, the learned Brahmins predicted saying: "The Prince will attain Buddhahood." After discussing among themselves the matter of naming of the Prince, they gave him the name of Siddhattha as an omen indicating that he would successfully accomplish the task for the benefit of the entire world.The story of the Five Bhikkhus (Pancavaggi)
(Regarding the Five Bhikkhus (Pancavaggi) headed by the Venerable Kondanna, the Sarattha Dipani VinayaSub-Commentary on the one hand and Jataka Commentary and the Buddhavamsa Commentary on the other narrate different stories. The story of the Five Bhikkhus will be inserted here according to the versions of the said Sub-Commentary and Commentaries.)The Sarattha Dipani's version
At the time of the birth of the Bodhisatta, out of the learned Brahmins who were the selected mark-readers, such as Rama, Dhaja, Lakkhana, Manti, Kondanna, Bhoja, Suyama and Sudatta, the five led by Kondana foretold saying: "The Prince would certainly become a Buddha." Thereafter, having handed over to their families the remunerations they received at the prognostication ceremony, they put on the robes, dedicating themselves to the Bodhisatta as they had come to the conclusion: "That great man, the Bodhisatta Prince, will not remain in a household life so he will definitely attain Buddhahood." These Brahmins had been well-versed in the Vedas since their boyhood; they had been also treated as teachers since then. The five agreed among themselves to renounce the world, for they thought to themselves: "We will not be able to cut off the tangles of our families when we get married. It is therefore better for us to go forth early." Hence their dedication to the Bodhisatta immediately after their prognostication when they were still young. Taking up their residence in forest dwellings, they sometimes enquired, asking lay people: "Friends, has the young prince renounced the world?" "How can you see the prince's renunciation? He is enjoying royal luxuries in the midst of female dancers in the three palaces as though he were a divine being," replied the people. Then the Brahmins, thinking that "The wisdom of the Prince is not mature yet," went on waiting unworriedly for the moment of the Bodhisatta's renunciation. (This is the version given in the third volume of the Sarattha Dipani Tika.) The Version of the (Commentaries on the Buddhavamasa and the Jataka
After naming the Bodhisatta Prince Siddhattha, the select eight learned Brahmins went home and summoned their sons and said: "Dear sons, we are now advanced in age. Prince Siddhattha, son of our King Suddhodana, will certainly become an Enlightened One. We do not know for sure, however, whether we will see the young prince attain Buddhahood. When he does, take up an ascetic life in the dispensation of that Buddha" Out of the eight learned Brahmins, seven lived till old age but expired before the Bodhisatta's renunciation and were reborn in good or evil existences in accordance with their respective deeds. Kondana alone survived in good health. When the Bodhisatta attained manhood and renounced the world, he went to Uruvela forest and mused: "Delightful is this region! It is agreeable to one who is inclined to engage in meditation" And while the Bodhisatta was then devoting himself to Dukkaracariya asceticism in that forest, Kondanna, learning the news "The Bodhisatta has become a recluse", went to the sons of the late seven Brahmins and said: "Young men, Prince Siddhattha is said to have become a recluse. The Prince will certainly attain Buddhahood. If your fathers were still alive, they would have gone forth and taken up an ascetic life themselves today. If you are desirous of becoming recluses yourselves, do come along. I am going to follow that noble Bodhisatta and become an ascetic." Of the seven Brahmins' sons, three remained lay men as they did not agree to go forth.
Only the remaining four agreed and became recluses with Kondanna as their leader. These five persons came to be known as Pancavaggi Theras. (This is the narration given in the Buddhavamsa and Jataka Commentaries.)
The measures taken by King Suddhodana to prevent the Bodhisatta from seeing the four omens
After King Suddhodana had his son prognosticated, he was reported by the Brahmins that "the son will renounce and become a recluse". So he asked, "On seeing what will my son go forth?" "On seeing the four omens—an old man, a sick man, a dead man and a recluse—your son will renounce the world and become a recluse," answered the Brahmins unanimously.On hearing the Brahmins' reply, King Suddhodana ordered, saying: "If my son will renounce after coming across those four omens, from now on, do not permit any person who is aged, ailing or a recluse to visit my son; they would create samvega in him and make him bent on renunciation. I do not want my son to become a Buddha. I want to see him only as a Universal Monarch ruling over the four great islands with two thousand surrounding smaller ones and travelling in the sky by means of the Wheel-Treasure in the company of followers thirty-six yojanas in extent." Then guards in sufficient number were placed around the four quarters at every distance of one gavuta to ensure the absence of the aged, the sick, the dead and the recluse within the sight of the Bodhisatta.
That very day an auspicious head-washing ceremony was held at which eighty thousand royal relatives were present and they discussed among themselves thus: "Whether the Prince will become a Buddha or a Universal Monarch, each of us will give a son to wait upon him, If he becomes a Buddha, he will travel magnificently in the company of recluses who are of royal blood. Or, if he becomes a Universal Monarch, he will tour majestically being accompanied by eighty thousand princes." Then each of them promised to present a son (to the Bodhisatta).
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