Buddha Vanso - Book Summary | JainGPT

This document is a scan of the Jain text titled "Buddha Vanso" (The Lineage of the Buddhas), edited by Rahul Sankrityayan, Ananda Kausalyayan, and Jagdish Kashyap, and published by Uttam Bhikkhu in 2481 Buddha Era (1937 AD).

Here's a comprehensive summary of its content based on the provided pages:

Overall Purpose and Content:

The "Buddha Vanso" is a collection of biographies or accounts of the previous Buddhas in the Buddhist tradition. It details their lives, their extraordinary deeds, their teachings, and the circumstances of their lives before attaining Buddhahood. The text emphasizes the practice of the ten paramitas (perfections) as the path to Buddhahood.

Key Sections and Themes:

Introduction (Pages 3-4):
- Purpose: The editors state their intention to publish Pali literature in Devanagari script, acknowledging the difficulty for Sanskrit scholars to access Pali texts due to the script difference. This is their innovative effort to bridge that gap.
- Editorial Approach: They planned to include new readings and textual variations but, due to time constraints, only did so for the Dhammapada and other texts separately. Footnotes contain these textual variations, often cited from the Pali Text Society publications.
- Acknowledgement: They express gratitude to Bhadanta Uttam Sthavira for his assistance, without which their endeavor would have remained incomplete.
- Editors: Rahul Sankrityayan, Ananda Kausalyayan, and Jagdish Kashyap.
Table of Contents (Page 5):
- This page lists the 28 Buddhas whose stories are recounted, along with chapter titles:
  - Ratana Chakmana Kanda (Chapter on the Jeweled Promenade) - Chapter 1
  - Deepankaro (Deepankara Buddha) - Chapter 2
  - Kondo (Kondanna Buddha) - Chapter 3
  - Mangalo (Mangala Buddha) - Chapter 4
  - Sumano (Sumana Buddha) - Chapter 5
  - Revato (Revata Buddha) - Chapter 6
  - Sobhito (Sobhita Buddha) - Chapter 7
  - Anomavassi (Anomadassi Buddha) - Chapter 8
  - Padumo (Paduma Buddha) - Chapter 9
  - Narado (Narada Buddha) - Chapter 10
  - Padumuttaro (Padumuttara Buddha) - Chapter 11
  - Sumedho (Sumedha Buddha) - Chapter 12
  - Sujato (Sujata Buddha) - Chapter 13
  - Piyadassi (Piyadassi Buddha) - Chapter 14
  - Atthadassi (Atthadassi Buddha) - Chapter 15
  - Dhammdassi (Dhammdassi Buddha) - Chapter 16
  - Siddhattho (Siddhartha Buddha) - Chapter 17
  - Tisso (Tissa Buddha) - Chapter 18
  - Phusso (Phussa Buddha) - Chapter 19
  - Vipassi (Vipassi Buddha) - Chapter 20
  - Sikhi (Sikhi Buddha) - Chapter 21
  - Vessabhu (Vessabhu Buddha) - Chapter 22
  - Kakusandho (Kakusandha Buddha) - Chapter 23
  - Konagamano (Konagamana Buddha) - Chapter 24
  - Kassapo (Kassapa Buddha) - Chapter 25
  - Gotamo (Gotama Buddha) - Chapter 26
  - Buddhapakinna-kkhandham (Miscellaneous Chapter on Buddhas) - Chapter 27
  - Dhatu Bhagaviyaka Katha (Discourse on Relics) - Chapter 28
Chapter 1: Ratana Chakmana Kanda (Jeweled Promenade) (Pages 7-12):
- This chapter describes a miraculous event where the Buddha, upon request from Brahma, created a jeweled promenade in the sky.
- Devas from various realms participated in adorning the promenade with celestial flowers and showering praises.
- The chapter highlights the Buddha's supramundane powers, his compassion, and the awe and reverence inspired by his presence.
- It also mentions the arrival and reverence shown by prominent disciples like Sariputta, Moggallana, and Mahakassapa.
Biographies of Previous Buddhas (Chapters 2-26):
- Each chapter (from Page 12 onwards) is dedicated to a specific past Buddha.
- Common Elements in each biography:
  - Name of the Buddha: Clearly stated.
  - Birthplace and Family: Details about the city, king father, and queen mother.
  - Palaces and Lifespan: Mention of the three palaces they enjoyed and the duration of their lifespan.
  - Renunciation: The circumstances that led them to renounce worldly life.
  - Bodhisattva Practices: The specific perfections (paramitas) they cultivated over countless eons.
  - Encountering the Four Signs: The traditional four signs (old age, sickness, death, and ascetic) that prompted their renunciation.
  - Attainment of Buddhahood: The tree under which they attained enlightenment and the duration of their penance.
  - First Sermon and Disciples: The location of their first sermon, the number of beings enlightened, and the names of their chief disciples and attendant.
  - Prophecy: A prophecy about the future Buddha (often Gotama) made by the current Buddha.
  - Death (Parinirvana): The location of their parinirvana and the size of their stupa.
  - Personal Merit: The narrator (often identified as a future Buddha or a significant figure in the narrative) recounts their own past actions (meritorious deeds) that led to their eventual Buddhahood.
- Examples:
  - Deepankara Buddha (Chapter 2): Describes Sumedha (who later became Gautama Buddha) as a wealthy Brahmin, his quest for liberation, his encounter with Deepankara Buddha, and his offering of a flower and renunciation of his wealth, receiving a prophecy of future Buddhahood.
  - Subsequent Buddhas: The pattern continues, detailing the lives and achievements of Kondanna, Mangala, Sumana, Revata, Sobhita, Anomadassi, Paduma, Narada, Padumuttara, Sumedha, Sujata, Piyadassi, Atthadassi, Dhammdassi, Siddhartha, Tissa, Phussa, Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Konagamana, and Kassapa.
Buddhapakinna-kkhandham (Chapter 27):
- This chapter seems to provide a more concise overview or a compilation of various Buddhas from different kalpas (eons) and their relative timelines. It emphasizes the vast number of Buddhas that have appeared and the vast intervals between them.
Dhatu Bhagaviyaka Katha (Chapter 28):
- This chapter focuses on the relics of the Buddhas, particularly the distribution of the relics of Gautama Buddha after his parinirvana. It mentions the stupas built for the relics and the distribution of bodily remains like teeth and hair.

Language and Style:

The text is written in Pali, a Middle Indo-Aryan language, using Devanagari script. The language is poetic and devotional, often employing rich imagery and metaphors to describe the Buddhas and their miraculous powers.

Overall Significance:

The "Buddha Vanso" is a foundational text for understanding the Mahayana Buddhist concept of the lineage of Buddhas. It illustrates the long and arduous path of a Bodhisattva, characterized by the cultivation of perfections over immense periods, culminating in Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. The biographical accounts serve as inspirational examples of dedication, compassion, and wisdom.