The Life of the Buddha - Wanderings of the Enlightened One

Introduction

The term "Buddha" (the Enlightened One) means that one who has attained enlightenment. He is a perfect teacher, superior to all other beings human and divine, by His knowledge of the Truth.

There are two sorts of Buddhas in the Hinayana tradition: Pratyeka-buddhas (Solitary Realizers), who attain enlightenment through realization of Dependent Origination, they gain awakening without a teacher but are unable to formulate teachings to show the Path to others, and Samyaksam-buddhas (Fully Enlightened Ones) who have transcended the world’s suffering and conquered all afflictions both inner and outer; and also have unveiled their true nature completely. Pratyeka-buddhas have only attained Cessation of Rebirth, just like the Arhants (Foe-Destroyers), while Samyaksam-buddhas have gone beyond this stage.

In the Mahayana tradition, the word "Buddha" is generally referring to the Samyaksam-buddhas. The Samyaksam-buddhas have attained beyond the Tenth Bhumi of the Bodhisattva's path, Dharmamegha, as explained in the Sutras or Thirteenth Bhumi of Vajradhara, as explained in the Tantras. Arhants and Pratyeka-buddhas only attained the Sixth Bhumi of the Bodhisattva's path, Abhimukhi.

There are about 1,000 Samyaksam-buddhas in this Fortunate Aeon (Bhadrakalpika). Our historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, is the fourth Buddha of our Fortunate Aeon, our present age. Siddhartha Gautama was born in the sixth century BC in Lumbini, to the North of the holy Indian city of Varanasi. His father Suddhodana was King of the Shakya clan, and ruler of one of several kingdoms that existed in India at the time. Buddha Shakyamuni or Gautama Buddha has many honorific names, such as "Bhagavan" (World Honored One), "Sugata" (Blessed One), "Jina" (Conqueror), "Atulya" (Matchness One) and "Tathagata" (One who have gone Suchness). The first three Buddhas of this Fortunate Aeon are Buddha Krakuccanda, Buddha Kanakamuni and Buddha Mahakashyapa. Buddha Maitreya will appear as the fifth Buddha of the Fortunate Aeon, He will be succeed by Buddha Simhanada. The last Buddha of this Fortunate Aeon is Buddha Rucika. However, according to the Hinayana tradition, Buddha Shakyamuni is twenty-eighth Buddha, beginning from Buddha Tanhankara as the first Buddha. Buddha Tanhankara is one of the last few Buddhas from the first World Cycle of Existence. The reason for counting Buddha Shakyamuni as the twenty-eighth Buddha, is that he took the Bodhisattva Vows and generated Bodhicitta during the time of Buddha Tanhankara. And there is another Hinayana school (Sthaviravada) counted that Buddha Shakyamuni is twenty-fifth Buddha, beginning from Buddha Dipankara as the first Buddha. Buddha Dipankara is the first Buddha who gave the prediction of Buddhahood to Buddha Shakyamuni when He was still a Bodhisattva. All traditions agree that Buddha Shakyamuni is the fourth Buddha of this Fortunate Aeon. Each of these Buddhas will perform the Twelve Deeds of a Buddha.

The Twelve Deeds of Buddha Shakyamuni

The Twelve Deeds of Buddha Shakyamuni are:

(01) desecent from the Akanishita to the Tushita,
(02) conception,
(03) birth,
(04) education,
(05) marriage and play,
(06) renunciation,
(07) asceticism,
(08) sitting at the Tree of Enlightenment,
(09) defeating the devil,
(10) Perfect Enlightenment,
(11) turning the Wheel of Dharma, and
(12) attaining Parinirvana.

32 Major Auspicious Marks and 80 Minor Signs

Each of Their bodies will carry the 32 Major Auspicious Marks and 80 Minor Signs:

32 Major Auspicious Marks are:

(01) protuberance on the head,
(02) hair of the head is blue-black and curling from left to right,
(03) even and broad forehead,
(04) white tuft of hair between the eyebrows,
(05) blue eyes,
(06) forty teeth,
(07) even and orderly teeth,
(08) teeth close together,
(09) white teeth,
(10) ability of tasting any food as the best,
(11) jaw like a lion's,
(12) long and thin tongue,
(13) voice like Brahma's,
(14) well-framed shoulders,
(15) seven prominent parts (i.e. both hands, both feet, both shoulders, and the back),
(16) both shoulders well filled out,
(17) fine, golden skin,
(18) arms reaching the knees when standing upright,
(19) majestic upper part of the body like a lion's,
(20) body like a Nyagrodha tree in circumference,
(21) a hair growing from each pore,
(22) hair growing upwards and its point bending towards the right,
(23) male organ hidden in the foreskin,
(24) well-rounded thighs,
(25) unprotuberant ankle-bone,
(26) soft and tender hands and feet,
(27) hands and feet with webs between fingers and toes,
(28) long fingers,
(29) soles bearing the mark of a thousand-spoked wheel,
(30) both feet standing firm,
(31) long and broad heels, and
(32) calves like the shanks of the king of black antelopes.

80 Minor Signs are:

(01) copper-colored nails,
(02) soft and glossy nails,
(03) highly curved nails,
(04) round fingers,
(05) tapering fingers,
(06) strong fingers,
(07) hidden veins,
(08) veins without knots,
(09) unexposed ankles,
(10) both feet identical,
(11) steps like a lion's,
(12) steps like an elephant's,
(13) steps like a swan's,
(14) steps like a bull's,
(15) turning the head clockwise to look back,
(16) beautiful manner of walking,
(17) upright walking,
(18) well-framed limbs,
(19) immaculate limbs,
(20) well-balanced limbs,
(21) clean limbs,
(22) soft limbs,
(23) strong limbs,
(24) complete male organ,
(25) broad, elegant and round limbs,
(26) walking with an even step,
(27) delicate limbs,
(28) unimpaired limbs,
(29) symmetrical and majestic body,
(30) well-joined limbs,
(31) well-proportioned limbs and members,
(32) pure and unobscured eye-sight,
(33) rounded abdomen,
(34) spotless abdomen,
(35) unfurrowed abdomen,
(36) convex abdomen,
(37) deep-seated navel,
(38) right-turning navel,
(39) readiness to help others equally,
(40) noble conduct,
(41) body without freckles,
(42) hands as soft as cotton,
(43) brilliant lines on the hand,
(44) deep lines on the hand,
(45) unbroken lines on the hand,
(46) face not too long,
(47) lips red like the Bimba fruit,
(48) soft tongue,
(49) thin tongue,
(50) red tongue,
(51) voice like an elephant's roar and like thunder,
(52) sweet and pleasant voice,
(53) perfect teeth,
(54) sharp teeth,
(55) white teeth,
(56) even teeth,
(57) tapering teeth,
(58) high nose,
(59) nose not too long,
(60) pure eyes,
(61) broad eyes,
(62) beautiful eyebrows,
(63) eyes like the petal of a blue Kuvalaya flower,
(64) blue-black eyebrows,
(65) soft eyebrows,
(66) regular eyebrows,
(67) lustrous eyebrows,
(68) large ears,
(69) both ears identical,
(70) healthy ears,
(71) forehead well fitted to the face,
(72) broad forehead,
(73) well-developed head,
(74) blue-black hair,
(75) closely growing hair,
(76) soft hair,
(77) undishevelled hair,
(78) smooth and even hair,
(79) fragrant hair, and
(80) palms and soles marked with Svastika and other auspicious signs.

To be continued....