Monday, August 15, 2011

Maha Buddhavamsa - Realisation of the three knowledges

Maha Buddhavamsa
The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw

Edited and Translated by
U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin




Realisation of the three knowledges; Pu, Di, A
Having won his victory over Vasavatti Mara also called Deva putta Mara before sun-set on the Full-moon of Vesakha in the year 103 Maha Era, the Bodhisatta realised the three knowledges, (Vijjas), in succession as follows: knowledge of past existences (Pubbenivasanussati Nana), in the first watch of that night; divine power of sight, (Dibbacakkhu Nana), in the middle watch of the night and knowledge of extinction of moral intoxicants (Asvakkhaya Nana), in the last watch of the night, and attained Buddhahood in the very last watch of the night of the Vesakha Full-moon. To describe the said events in detail:
How Pubbenivasanussati Abhinna (Pu) was realized
The physical and mental processes which had taken place in the past: Nibbana which becomes known from these physical and mental processes, one's personal names, clan names etc., which are merely conventional terms--all this (belonging to the past) is called 'Pubbenivasa' in Pali. The psychic power (Abhinna) accompanying the remembrance of Pubbenivasa is called Pubbenivasanussati Abhinna knowledge of former existences. The Buddha teaches it as the first Vijja Nana. This first Vijja Nana has been abbreviated as Pu by ancient scholars taking the initial syllabus of the word Pubbenivasanussati Abhinna. The following is an account in detail as to how the first Vijja Nana was realized by the Bodhisatta:
When the noble Bodhisatta was remaining on the Invincible Throne, delighted and happy after being thus victorious over Vasavatti Mara, many Devas and Brahmas dwelling in the ten thousand world-systems including the earth-bound spirits, Bhumma Devas, came to the Bodhisatta simultaneously and assembled, shouting and exclaiming, "Come, Friends, Devas and Bramhas, the victory of the noble Bodhistatta and the defeat of Mara have been made clear. Let us hold together an auspicious celebration in honour of the victory of the noble Bodhisatta and the coming attainment of his Buddhahood.
At that time, the sun-disc, fifty yojanas in size, magnificent with a thousand rays, was about to disappear like a gold wheel of a cart being held by the rim and dipped into the whirlpool of the great ocean. The moon chariot forty yojanas in size, giving out cool, shining beams of light, brightening up the entire universe, was just rising up slowly from the milky ocean in the east as of the silvery wheel of a cart being thrown up into the sky (by some one) holding it by the rim. (Try to visualise universe as a large golden palace.) In the middle of this golden palace, the Bodhisatta looked very graceful, the golden colour of his body making the Maha Bodhi high ground and all the animate and inanimate objects in the surrounding area appear as if immersed in the stream of liquid gold. The Bodhisatta so graceful in this manner, sitting cross-legged on the Invincible Throne at the foot of the Maha Bodhi Tree which may be likened to an umbrella of Indanila precious stones, was reflecting on the Dhamma. (The detail regarding the reflection on the Dhamma by the Bodhisatta will be given afterword.)
The great homage paid by the Devas and Brahmas.
At that time standing in the Tavatimsa Deva world Sakka sounded the Vijayuttara conch which was 120 yojanas long, to summon the Devas and Brahmas. The sound of his conch could be heard from all over the Deva world ten thousand yojanas in width. Even while blowing the conch continuously, Sakka was running fast to reach the Bodhi Tree. (It was not only Sakka of this universe, but all Sakkas of the other ten thousand world-systems also came blowing conches to the presence of the Bodhisatta.)
Maha Brahma came and paid homage by holding the white umbrella which had been left behind on the top of the Cakkavala mountain and covered the Bodhisatta with it from above. (All Maha Brahmas from the other ten thousand world-systems came and stood holding their white umbrellas, touching one another so as to leave no gap between them.)
Suyama, King of Yama abode of Devas also came and stood near the Bodhisatta, paying homage by fanning him with the yak-tail fan which was three gavutas in size. (All the Suyama Devas from the other ten thousand world-systems also came and paid homage, each holding a yak-tail fan, crowding the whole of this world-system.) Santusita, King of Tusita abode of Devas, also came and paid homage by fanning the Bodhisatta with a circular ruby fan three gavutas in size. (All Santusita Devas from the other ten thousand worldsystems also came and paid homage, each holding a circular ruby fan, crowding the whole of this world-system.)
Pancasikha Deva came, carrying the celestial harp, Beluva, accompanied by a group of celestial dancers, and paid homage by dancing, singing and making music. (All the celestial dancers dwelling in the other ten thousand world-systems also came and paid homage by dancing, singing and making music.)
Furthermore, all the male and female deities dwelling in the ten thousand world-systems gathered together in this world-system and paid homage taking their positions in the vicinity, some of them standing and holding a jewelled archway. Others stood around in various groups of their own, some carrying offering made of seven kinds of jewels, some holding golden plantain plants, some holding, mansions of splendour, some holding yak-tails fans, some holding goads (for driving elephants), some holding pairs of carp, some holding primrose flowers, golden circular platforms, bowls filled with water, jars filled with water, conches, fire-stirrers, oil lamp-stands with rubies, golden mirrors, stone-studded mirrors, mirrors with seven jewels, oil lamps finished with rubies, bunting and streamers, and wish-fulfilling trees. All the Devas dwelling in the ten thousand world-systems came, assuming the appearance of celestial dancers, and paid homage dancing celestial dances, singing celestial songs, offering celestial flowers, perfumes and scented powder. At that time, the whole sky was full of cascades of celestial flowers, celestial perfumes as if the whole environment was filled with rain drops and rain water of a heavy downpour.
This tremendous ovation and ceremonious homage was made with such grandeur by all the Devas and Brahmas because they were exulted with the belief' "When this noble Bodhisatta attains Buddhahood, we will certainly get the opportunity to hear the Dhamma from him and thereby receive the immortal Supramundane Dhamma of the Path and Fruition and Nibbana; and we will have delightful satisfaction (piti), by applying our mind to the said nine Supramundane Dhammas (four Paths, four Fruitions and Nibbana). We will also witness all kinds of miracle which will be objects of delight for the eye. The Buddha, by teaching us the Dhamma of Deathlessness will bring about our emancipation and safety from the difficult journey of birth (jati), the difficult journey of ageing (jara), the difficult journey of sickness (vyadhi), the difficult journey of death (marana), and the difficult journey of grief (soka), lamentation (parideva), suffering (dukkha), distress (domanassa) and despair (upayasa)".
Although the Devas and Brahmas paid him homage with great joy and respect, crowding the whole ten thousand world-systems, for the aforesaid reason and although he saw clearly with his own eyes these extraordinary acts of reverence performed in numerous ways, the Bodhisatta had no feeling of attachment and enjoyment at all; and he paid no attention to them all. He dwelt reflecting only on the Dhamma which he relied upon as his support.
The Cakkavala mountain which protected the Bodhisatta who was thus positioned, was like a curtain and the open sky above him with its stars and constellations was like a canopy studded with gold and silver stars. The ten thousand world-systems with its seven planes of happy existences (sugati bhumi), was like a great seven-tiered palace. The high ground of the Bodhi Tree was like a great Audience Hall, the Invincible Throne was like a great Audience Throne and the Maha Bodhi was like a great umbrella finished with precious emeralds -- all inside this seven-tiered palace of the ten thousand world-systems.
While he remained sitting on the Invincible Throne, which resembled a great Audience Throne, on the high ground of the Maha Bodhi Tree, which resembled a great Audience Hall, covered from above by the Maha Bodhi Tree, one hundred cubits high from bottom to top and one hundred cubits in circumference, which resembled a great umbrella decorated with precious emeralds, the Bodhisatta was oblivious of the Devas and Brahmas around him crowding the whole of the ten thousand world-systems and paying homage to him. Since he had been reflecting only on the Dhamma, his diligence (viriya) was undiminished and very keen; his mindfulness (sati) was steadfast and clear, and he was physically and mentally very calm and peaceful. He, therefore, achieved and remained absorbed again in the First Jhana of Rupavacara.
The mind continuum of the Bodhisatta who was thus absorbed in the First Jhana was entirely free from the hindrances (nivaranas) and being detached from sensual objects (vatthu-kana), sensual desires (kilesakama), delightful satisfaction (piti) and happiness (sukha) arose in him profusely.
And again, when the Bodhisatta achieved and remained absorbed in the Second Jhana of Rupavacara, his mind continuum was free of agitation and mental disturbance from thoughts (vitakka and vicara); there was internal purity and clarity and his concentration was uniquely firm. On account of that concentration, his piti and sukha increased.
And again, when the Bodhisatta achieved and remained absorbed in the Third Jhana of Rupavacara, even piti which had manifested itself in his mind continuum disappeared and he dwelt only with the feeling of happiness (sukha vedana). Fully detached even from that feeling of happiness at its height he became imbued with the mental state of equanimity (Tatramajjhattata) or (Jhanupekkha). His mindfulness became pellucid and his insight- wisdom, greatly sharpened.
And again, when the Bodhisatta achieved and remained absorbed in the Fourth Jhana of Rupavacara, since he had already dispelled both physical and mental pain and pleasure from his mind continuum, he dwelt in the state of viewing sensual objects calmly and with equanimity (upekkha, vedana). By virtue of this upekkha vedana and the mental state of Tatramajjhattata, mental concomittants such as mindfulness, etc., which were part and parcel of the Fourth Jhana were pellucid like the light of the moon.
The eight qualities of the Bodhisatta's mind continuum.
If a review is now made of the mind continuum of the Bodhisatta out of devotion, it will be found that, at the time when he was practising dukkaracariya for six years, his mind continuum was exceedingly pure, undefiled by the three wrong thoughts (micchavitakka), namely sensual thought (kamavitakka), malevolent thought (vyapadavitakka), cruel thought, (vihimsa vitakka), so that Mara could not find any opportunity (of censuring him). Again, while he was spending the day in the Sala forest on the Full-moon day of Vesakha, the day he was to attain Buddhahood, his mind continuum was found worthy of veneration, for it was highly purified with the attainment of eight mundane Jhanas. Moreover, when all the Devas and Brahmas from the ten thousand world-systems assembled crowding this universe, and paid him homage while he was sitting on the Invincible Throne after his victory over Deva-putta Mara, he remained oblivious of them, concentrating his attention on the practice of the Dhamma only. And so, as has been said before, the mind continuum of the Bodhisatta, who had once again achieved and remained absorbed in the Fourth Jhana of Rupavacara, (a feat for those of sharp intelligence) had his power of concentration greatly enhanced by the concentration of the Fourth Jhana of Rupavacara as follows:

(1) By virtue of the very pure mental state of the Fourth Jhana (Rupa Jhana cittuppada), the mind continuum was completely pure throughout its entire process.
(2) On account of such purity, it appeared glittering like polished newly refined gold.
(3) Having discarded happiness and joy (sukha somanassa), which is the cause of greed (lobha), and also having discarded sorrow and distress (dukkha domanassa), which is the cause of hatred (dosa), it was free from mental defilements of lobha and dosa.
(4) Freedom from the defilements and taints of the mind leads to freedom from impurities which soil and oppress the mind (upakkilesa).
(5) Being controlled by the fivefold mastery over his mind (vasibhava), and being tamed and trained in fourteen ways, the mind continuum of the Bodhisatta became pliable, gentle so as to be amenable to his wishes like a well-tanned piece of leather or like the well-treated block of lac.
(6) Being soft and tender, like the newly refined, polished pure gold, which was ductile and malleable for easy conversion into desired ornaments, it became amenable to the wishes of the Bodhisatta enabling him to accomplish effectively and easily all kinds of feats such as recollecting, discerning the events of previous existences, or seeing as if with the divine eye distant objects, hidden objects and very fine, microscopic objects.
(7) Having been well developed and trained so as not to become deprived of the aforesaid qualities, the mind continuum remained firmly established in the qualities; or being pliable and malleable for effective accomplishment of anything desired, the mind continuum remained amenable to the wish of the Bodhisatta.
(8) Being thus firmly and securely established, his mind was completely unshaken; or, being established thus, the mind continuum was very strong in respect of faith (saddha), energy (viriya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samadhi), and the light of wisdom, (panna). There was therefore no shaking of the mind at all which occurs owing to faithlessness, laziness, heedlessness, restlessness, ignorance and gloom arising from mental defilements; in other words, faithlessness, etc., could not make even the slightest inroad into the mind continuum of the Bodhisatta.
ALTERNATIVELY:
(1) The mind continuum of the Bodhisatta was well-established in the concentration of the Fourth Jhana. (2) It was entirely pure being free from the hindrances (nivaranas). (3) Having gone beyond the grosser factors of Jhana (Jhananga) such as, vitakka etc., which agitate and disturb the mind, the mind continuum was shinning pure as if about to glitter. (4) It was free from such defilements as, pride (mana), deception (maya), treachery (satheyya), etc., apt to be generated through attainment of Jhana. (5) It was also free from covetousness (abhijjha), etc., which form the cause of mental defilement (upekkilesa). (6) It was malleable, having gained the fivefold mastery (vasibhavas). (7) Having become the basis of all kinds of supernatural powers (iddhi), it was in a position to accomplish whatever is desired by the Bodhisatta. (8) Having been perfected by mental development (bhavana), his mind continuum remained unshaken and firmly established.
The mind of the Bohdisatta which was thus endowed with these eight attributes finds it easy, needing only an inclination, for realization of the Dhamma which should be realized by means of Abhinna. When the mind was bent towards the object of Abhinna, thought moments on it (Abhinna Javana), arise quite easily.

0 comments:

Post a Comment