寺子屋スジャータ

Episode 2. SUMEDHA’S ASPIRATION TO BECOME AN OMNISCIENT BUDDHA

Having been accomplished in the practice of asceticism, the ascetic Sumedha spent his time enjoying the bliss of jhāna in the forest and was completely unaware of the appearance of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara in the world.

One day, the Buddha Dīpaṅkara—accompanied by four hundred thousand Arahants—came to the City of Rammavatī and stayed at the Sudassana Monastery. At this auspicious opportunity, the citizens of Rammavatī approached the Blessed One and invited Him and His disciples for the morrow’s meal. Then, they made the necessary preparations such as cleaning and decorating the city. They also attended to mending of the road which the Blessed One and His disciples would pass through to the city. They filled holes with earth, mended the breaches caused by floods, levelled the uneven muddy ground, and covered the road with pearl-white sand.

At that time, the ascetic Sumedha levitated from his hermitage, and while travelling through space, he saw the citizens of Rammavatī engaging cheerfully in road-mending and decorating. Wondering what was going on below, he alighted and stood at an appropriate place. Then, he asked: “You are mending the road so happily and enthusiastically. For whose benefit are you mending the road?”

The citizens answered: “O ascetic Sumedha, there has appeared in this world the Omniscient Buddha Dīpaṅkara, who has conquered the five evil forces of Māra, and who is the Supreme Lord of the whole world. We are mending the road for His benefit.”

As soon as ascetic Sumedha heard the word “Buddha”, his heart was filled with joy. He thought: “Rare and difficult, indeed, is the appearance of a Buddha in this world. How fortunate I will be should I be able to render my service to the Blessed One. This is the right moment for me to sow the excellent seeds of merit in the fertile field, namely this Buddha Dīpaṅkara.”

He then asked: “O men, please allot me a stretch of the road! I wish to participate in your road-mending work for the Blessed One’s visit.”

“Very well,” said the people, and they allotted him a big, swampy and uneven part of the road which would be difficult to mend; they considered that it would be easy for the ascetic, who had great supernatural powers.

Then, the ascetic Sumedha thought: “I can use my supernatural powers to mend this road easily, but if I do so the people may not think of it highly. I should perform my duties with my own physical labou  only.”

When the ascetic Sumedha was still mending the road, the Buddha Dīpaṅkara and His four hundred thousand Arahants came along the road. Devas and all the citizens of Rammavatī welcomed them with the beating of drums. At that time, human beings were visible to the devas and the devas were visible to human beings. They expressed their joy by singing songs honouring the Blessed One. Both the devas and the people were playing their respective musical instruments. While the devas strewed celestial flowers such as mandārava,, paduma and kovilāra allover the places, the earth-bound humans also did similarly with the beautiful and fragrant flowers, such as campā, sarala, mucalinda,nāga, punnāga and ketakī, in adoration to the Blessed One.

The ascetic Sumedha was amazed on seeing the Blessed One. He gazed at the Blessed One, who was endowed with the thirty-two marks of a Great Man (Mahāpurisa) and eighty minor marks. He witnessed the Buddha’s personality at the height of glory; His body was as bright as gold,with a brilliant aura and six rays emanating from His body.

Then, he decided: “I have not finished mending this part of muddy road, but the Blessed One is approaching here. I will not let Him tread on the mud and suffer discomfort. I will sacrifice my life in the presence of the Blessed One today. Let the Blessed One with all His four hundred thousand Arahants walk on my back, using my body as abridge to cross over this unpleasant part of the road. By doing so,long-lasting welfare and happiness will definitely accrue to me.”

Then, he laid prostrate on the murky swamp. And while doing so,  in his mind an aspiration to become a Buddha: “If I so desire, I can eliminate all cankers ((āsava) and eradicate all defilements(kilesa) on this very day and become an Arahant. But, what is the advantage of selfishly escaping the cycle of births (saṁsāra) alone?With my prowess in faith, energy and wisdom, I will exert my utmost effort for the attainment of Omniscient Buddhahood and liberate all beings from the cycle of births, the sea of suffering.”

Among the crowds, there was a young brahmin maiden named Sumittā, who came to join the people gathering in the presence of the Blessed One.She brought with her eight stalks of lotus for offering to the Blessed One. At a place not too far from where she was standing, by coincidence, she saw the ascetic Sumedha, who was making his resolution to attain Buddhahood. As soon as her eyes fell on the ascetic, she was seized with a sudden great love for him. Then, she offered him her five stalks of lotus, saying: “Venerable ascetic, may I be your partner throughout the period you are fulfilling the Perfections for Buddhahood.”

The ascetic Sumedha accepted the lotus stalks from Sumittā. And while he offered them to the Buddha Dīpaṅkara, he prayed for the attainment of Omniscient Buddhahood. Sumittā also offered the remaining three stalks to the Blessed One.

At that time, all the people, contemplating the rare appearance of a Buddha, also aspired to Buddhahood, but only the ascetic Sumedha was fully endowed with all the required qualifications for that　attainment. The Buddha Dīpaṅkara came towards the ascetic Sumedha, who was lying on the mud and uttered His prophecy: “O bhikkhus, this Sumedha the ascetic will become an Enlightened One among brahmās, devas and human beings by the name of Gotama after fulfilling his　Perfections (Pāramī) for four incalculable ages and a hundred thousand aeons from now.”

And observing the scene that had taken place between the ascetic Sumedha and Sumittā, the Blessed One declared a prophecy in the midst of the multitude: “O Sumedha, this girl Sumittā will be your partner.She will share life with you, assisting you with equal fervour and　deed for your attainment of Buddhahood.”

After the Buddha Dīpaṅkara declared His prophecy, He and His four　hundred thousand Arahant disciples proceeded to the City of Rammavatī,keeping the ascetic Sumedha on their right. So did the devas and the people depart after paying obeisance to the ascetic Sumedha and honouring him with flowers and scents.

Thereafter, the ascetic Sumedha rose joyfully from his prostrate position and sat down on a huge pile of flowers that were strewn in his honour, his mind suffused with joy and happiness. The devas and brahmās, who had come from the ten thousand worlds, spoke words of praise and encouragement to the ascetic: “Noble Sumedha, strive one arnestly with constant diligence! There should be no retreat. Proceed with endeavour! No doubt in us that you will certainly become a Buddha.”

The Buddha-to-be (Bodhisatta) Sumedha was delighted with both the prophetic words of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara and the encouraging words of the devas and brahmās. He reflected thus: “Buddhas are not speakers of ambiguous words, nor are they given to speaking of futile things.Never have their words been proved wrong. Surely, I will become a Buddha.”

Then, he investigated that there were the Ten Perfections (DasaPāramī) which were essential for Buddhahood, namely: (i) perfection of alms-giving (dāna), (ii) perfection of morality (sīla), (iii)perfection of renunciation (nekkhamma), (iv) perfection of wisdom(paññā), (v) perfection of energy (viriya), (vi) perfection of forbearance (khanti), (vii) perfection of truthfulness (sacca), (viii)perfection of resolution (adhiṭṭhāna), (ix) perfection of loving-kindness (mettā), and (x) perfection of equanimity (upekkhā).

He also came to know that the Ten Perfections had to be performed in all three stages, namely: (i) giving up external things is an exercise of the Ordinary Perfection (Pāramī), (ii) giving up one’s limbs is an exercise of the Higher Perfection (Upapāramī), and (iii) giving up one’s life is an exercise of the Highest Perfection (Paramattha Pāramī).

From then onwards, the Bodhisatta Sumedha exercised the Perfections in his many rounds of existence for the welfare of all beings. And in his penultimate life, he was reborn as a deva in the Tusita Heaven by the name of Deva Setaketu. He was enjoying all the pleasure of celestial life for a long time waiting the right time to become a Buddha.

To be continued

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