The Life of the BuddhaIntroductory Praise Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa.(Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One) The Six-Colored Halo of the Buddhist FlagWe who follow the religionShould know clearlyThat the victorious BuddhaHad a six-colored halo.It was the radianceEmanating from his body,Glorious and powerful,Excellently noble.The […]
By Acharya Chhim-Sumn, Saddhammappaññā The venerable elder Buddhaghosa was a monk whose name was greatly renowned among the adherents of the Southern school of Buddhism. His life story has been compiled by many chroniclers in various scriptures, namely the Mahāvaṃsa, the Buddhaghosanidāna, the Visamālinī, the Ñāṇodaya, the Suttajātaknidānānisaṅsa, and the Buddhaghosappavattikathā, among others. The content of […]
Stories of the Buddha’s Disciples By Nhuk Thaem [146] Monks, among the bhikkhus who know the night (are long-time disciples) and are disciples of the Tathāgata, Aññākondañña is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have great wisdom, Sāriputta is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who have supernormal powers (iddhi), Mahāmoggallāna is foremost. Among the bhikkhus who utter words that dispel defilements, Mahākassapa is foremost. Among the bhikkhus […]
Chapter 23: The Parinibbāna Chapter (The Places of the Buddha’s Residence) (1) The Blessed One, of infinite wisdom, from the time he attained enlightenment, wandered and proclaimed the Buddha’s teachings, leading many people in various regions to enter the Buddhist path through this practice. The places where he stayed to […]
Chapter 22: The Parinibbāna of the Buddha’s Father Chapter (1) Tato rājagahaṃ upanissāya. Then the Blessed One departed from the Nigrodhārāma and went to the city of Rājagaha. He stayed in the Veḷuvana Vihāra with the Sangha of monks, observing the fourth rains retreat there. When the fifth rains retreat came, the […]
Chapter 21: The Prophecy of Metteyya Chapter (1) Imasmiṃ buddhuppāde. In this Buddha-era, the era of our Omniscient Lord, the Bodhisatta Metteyya was born in the womb of Queen Kañcanā, the chief queen of King Ajātasattu. When the ten months were complete, he was born from his mother’s womb and was named […]
Chapter 20: The Sakyan Ordination Chapter (1) Catutthe divase. On the fourth day, the Teacher went to the residence of Prince Nanda to receive alms during his wedding ceremony and house-warming celebration. After finishing his meal, the Lord gave his bowl to Prince Nanda, spoke words of blessing, and then departed. He […]
Chapter 19: The Lament of Bimbā Chapter (1) Dutiyadivase bhagavā. On the second day, the Blessed One, the refuge of the world, taught the Dhamma to Princess Pajāpatī Gotamī. When the discourse ended, his aunt was established in the fruit of stream-entry. The Buddha’s father was established in the fruit of a […]
Chapter 18: The Kapilavatthu Chapter (1) Evaṃ bhagavā dvīhi sāvakappamukhehi. Thus the Blessed One was dwelling in the Veḷuvana Monastery together with many monks, with his two chief disciples as their leaders. At that time, King Suddhodana heard the news that the Lord was staying there. He commanded a minister to take […]
Chapter 17: The Ordination of the Chief Disciples (1) Tena kho pana samayena aṭṭhārasakoṭimattā rājagahavāsino. At that time, the inhabitants of Rājagaha, numbering eighteen koṭi[1] (180 million), both those who had seen the Teacher and those who had not yet seen him, men and women alike, all desired to see the glorious, […]
Chapter 16: The Journey to Uruvelā (1) Atha kho bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṃ yathābhiriṃtaṃ viharitvā. Then the Blessed One, having stayed in Bārāṇasī as long as he wished, set out for the region of Uruvelā. At that time, there were thirty young men[1] (a group of noble friends), who were traveling with their wives […]
Chapter 15: The Going Forth of Yasa (1) Atha kho bhagavā vassaṃ upagantvā. Then the Blessed One, having entered the rains retreat in the Deer Park at Isipatana, taught the Dhamma to the remaining monks. He bestowed the eye of Dhamma upon Vappa on the first day of the waning moon, upon […]
Chapter 14: The Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma (1) Evaṃ bhagavā tassa brahmuno paṭiññaṃ datvā. The Blessed One, having given his promise to that great Brahma, thought to himself, “To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly?” The Blessed One considered, “Āḷāra […]
Chapter 13: The Brahma’s Entreaty (1) Atha kho bhagavā tasmā rājāyatanā mūlā uṭṭhahitvā. Then the Blessed One, rising from the foot of the Rajayatana tree, went and sat again under the Ajapala Banyan tree. While sitting there, this thought occurred to him: “This Dhamma that I have realized is profound, hard to […]
Chapter 12: The Bliss of Omniscience (1) At that time, a thought arose in the minds of certain deities. They wondered, “Perhaps the task of Prince Siddhattha is only this much, for he shows no desire to leave the jeweled throne.” The Blessed One, knowing the thoughts of the deities, levitated into […]