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The Story of the Diparnkarabuddha Prophecy

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The Story of the Diparnkarabuddha Prophecy The JapaneseAssociationJapanese Association of Indian and Buddhist Studies Journat (lf'Indian andBudtthist Studies Nbl. 59, No.3. March 2011 (63) The Story of the Diparnkara Buddha Prophecy in Northern Buddhist Texts: An Attempt at CIassification MATsuMuRA Junko 1. Introduction The story of the Bodhisattva rc ¢ civing the prophccy that he would become Sakyamuni Buddha is narrated in both Southern and Northern Buddhist literature. Precisely for the reason that the story explicitly gives clear thematic emphasis to the importance ofbecoming a Buddha rather than becoming an Arhant, it may be regarded as marking a turning point from carly Buddhism to Mahfiyana Buddhism, because in MahfiyAna Buddhism embarking on the ages-long Bodhisattva path is far more highly recommended and praised. However, the story is so popular and important in both Northern and Southern Buddhism that there is a plethora of many different versions, so that, if we were to include short references and mentions of the moti £ the number of related texts would be almost uncountable. Although Akanuma, Taga and Lamotte made lists of appearances of the story in Buddhist literature, and the former two scholars tried to classify versions of the story, mainly by comparing the 1) order of occurrencc of plot elements, their attempts do not seem very successfu1. The present author has recently examined Pali versions of the story, which is usually known as the Sumedhakatha in the Therav5da tradition, and so has traced the relationship of the ApadEna versions (the Dharmaruqyqpadana and the Ydsodharopadana) with Northern 2) Buddhist texts. Following up on that work, the author attempts in this article to list the Northern versions of the story and classify them according to a plausible and rational method, thereby attempting to get a bird's eye view of the different versions in both Southern and Northern Buddhist literature. Howevcr, because of the diversity and complexity of the story-cycle connected to DIpamkara Buddha, the author confines herself to treating only texts centaining the main plot elements of the story; i.e., Diparpkara Buddha's appearance in the world; the Bodhisattva offering him flowers; the Bodhisattva spreading his hair on the mud to stop Dipamkara Buddha's feet getting soiled; the Bodhisattva making a vow to 1137- NII-Electronic Library Service The Japanese AssooiationAssociation of Indian工ndian and Buddhist Studies ’ （64） The Story of the D ipamkara Buddha Prophecy in Northem Buddhist Texts（J． MATsuMuRA） become a Buddha ；and Diparnl〈ara Buddha giving his prophecy to the Bodhisattva． 2．The Three Types of Dipa 卑 kara Prophecy Story we examine the Nomhern versions ofthe story they can be classified into three When ， types according to the name of the Bo （ihisattva（the former incarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha）： ’ Type in which the Bodhisattva has no name Type in which the Bodhisattva s l， proper ； 2， ’ name is Megha ；and Type 3 ， inwhich the Bodhisattvas name is Sumati． Although Sumati the version so 雛 no to isequivalent to Sumedha in Theravada ， f evidence has been fbund 3） ・ug9 ・・t th・t th・ n ・m ・ S・ m ・dha exi ・t・d i・ th・ N ・曲 ・m B ・ ddhi・t versi ・ n ・． 「 lype 1）in which the Bodhisattva has no proper name ： The 乃 μ κ ’η 伽 ∫ translated by Zhu Dali and Kang Meng − la） g g 抑 g 修 行本起 經 ， 竺 大 力 − xiang 孟 197 CE Tl84 ： 3．461a17 462cO9． 康 詳 ， ， ’ The Foshuo Taizi Rutying benqi ing translated by Zhiqian 1b） ／ 佛 説 太 子 瑞 應 本起 經 ， 支 − ： − 謙 ， 222 228CE ， Tl85 3．472c18 473bl1 ． The ｝Yichu Pusa benqi ing translated by Nie Daozhen − 1c） ／ 異 出菩 薩本起 經 ， 聶 道 眞 ， 28〔｝ 313CE Tl88 ：3．617bl8 − 617c29 ． ， 「 ’ IYpe 2）in which the Bodhisattvas name is Megha 二 ） ・ Th ・ M 。 ha・a ，tu ・d Emil ・ S・n ・rt・1 − ・Th・ B ・ dhi・attv… nam ・ i・ M ・ ・ 2 ） ， ． ， ．193 2484 gh ． The Z 劭 ’訥 砌 the Ekottarihagama hereafter abb EA scroll 2b） g ソ 抑 g 増 壹 阿 含 經 （ ； ． ）， ll，translated by 僧 伽 提 婆 （Sahghadeva ）or 曇 摩 難 提 （Dharmanandin ）and Zhu Fonian 5） ） ’ − − 竺 佛 念 ， 384 385 CE ， T 125 ： 2．597b l 5 599b246 ；The Bodhisattva s name isYunlci雲 雷 ‘‘ − ” サ ’ （cloud thunder ）．Cf．2b ）EA scroll 13；Dipalpkara Buddha s biography is independently “ ” − 7） narrated in the Dizhu pin 地 主 品 ：Tl25 ：2．609b24 61la13 ． The Vanaya of the Dharrnaguptaka Sifenlti translated by Bud − 2c） ， 四 分 律 ， 佛 陀 耶 舎 （ 8 ） ） ni ・n ・nd thers Tl428 ・ ・− ・ ・Th ・ Ch・ ・S・・ Zh・ F ・ 竺 ・ 41 図 12CE ， 22。782 785 229 y ）， 佛念 ， ’ Bodhisattvasname is Mique 彌 却 （＊ Megha ）． ’ The Fo benxing i ing translated by Jfianagupta − 2d） ／ ／ 佛 本 行 集 經 ， 闍 那 崛 多 （ ）， 587 591 ’1 − °） ・ ・ ） CE Tl90 、3．664・ 12 669・ 31 ・ Th ・ B ・ dhi・attv ・ … am ・ i・ Yu ・ ・1・ud ． ， 雲 （ ） 2e）The Pusa zang hui菩薩 藏會 （Bodhisattvapitaka）in the Maharatnaketastitra大寶 積 12） translated by Xuanzang sornetime betWeen 645− 664 CE T310 ： 11．317a16− 經 ， 玄 奘 ， ， ） ’ ＊ 319b22i3：The Bodhisattvasname is Miga 迷 伽 （Megha ）． ’ zang zhengt7a ing translated by 2e ）The Foshuo dashengpusa ／ 佛 説大乘菩 薩藏 正 法經 ， 一 1138 一 一 NII-ElectronicN 工 工 Eleotronio Library Service The JapaneseAssociationJapanese Association of Indian and Buddhist Studies The Story ofthe Dipamkara Buddha Prophecy in Northern Buddhist Tk)xts (J. MATstJMtJ･RA)(65) tllft (Dharrnapala) and others, 1lth century (an independent translation ofthe Bodhisatt- vapit.akastitra) , T316: 11.882b06-884al8: The Bodhisattva'sname isBaoyun Wdin(`tiew- el-cloud"). 2e and 2e' were not included in the lists made by Akanuma, Taga and Lamottc. [IYpe 3) in which the Bodhisattva's namc is Sumati: 3a) The Div.vdvadiina, No.18 DharmarucyavadEna, Ed. Cowell and Neil, 246-2s4i4J: The Bodhisattva's name is Sumati . 3b) Thc Bodhisattvdvaddnakaipalatti by Kscmendra, No. 89 Dharmaruc.vavadana, Ed. Candra Das and Chandra VidyabhUsarpa, 772-821; Vaidya, II.503-515: The Bodhisattva's name is Sumati. 3c) The Guoqu xianzai yinguoJ'ing xaiiEiiEll)ft{eeNas, translated by *"KewBEee (Guna- bhadra), 435-443 CE, T189: 3.620c15-623a13i5]: The Bodhisattva's name is Shanhui g k' ("goodwisdom:'). 3d) The Fb ben.ringl-ing fi"}J!Xtlss, translated by Shi Baoyun geWE-, early 5th century, T193: 4.91c28-83c7: The Bodhisattva's namc is Shansi g.ee ("good thought") . -i.ai original words and ,W. could as Thc Sanskritforthe Chinese ffg be Sumedha, inthe Pali version, but there is no evidence to support the supposition that the original Skt word was Sumedha. However, there is evidence to show that the original Sanskrit was Sumati; passagcs such as the fo11owing examples from theDazhidulun Jk rwRstt show that Sumati "inreeeeme, was the name widely known in Northern Buddhist tcxts: tsfl- ;i aY)tt, gl!,it,,,ki " ecf4,lt"tttsA,."" (T1509: 25276c2-3 ) and JS4allinzareg me, niekrelel}fil:dieeif14(, es -IIi･ JTI ifi1gfii pa･Z."" (316b2O-2 1). no and not There is doubtthat Megha Sumati are derivedfrom Sumedha; itis possible that both remaining forms could be derived firom either Megha or Sumati. However, this fact does not nccessarily mean that the Northern versions are derived from the Pali version, the Sumedhakatha; it can be supposed that the core of the story was fbrmed somewhere in India, and then developed independently in different areas, or in different sects. Type 1 versions, where the Bodhisattva has no proper name, obviously belong to the older stratum. The early dates oftheir translation into Chinese also support this supposition. 3. Dipamkara Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Visit to the Capital City In order to establish whether the classification ofthe Northem versions into the above three -1139- NII-Electronic Library Service The JapaneseAssociationJapanese Association of Indian and Buddhist Studies 'fexts (66) The Story of the Diparpkara Buddha Prophecy in Northem Buddhist (J. MATsuMuitA) types can be also verified by differences between other elements in the story, we will examine the first part of the story, i.e., Diparpkara's birth, his enlightenment, and his visit to King's capital city where the Bodhisattva is to receive the prophecy that he will become Sfikyamuni Buddha. The P5ii version ofDipamkara Buddha's birth story, narrated in Bv-a 78,34-83,18 (Eng. tr.: Horner 115-121), is obviously a later stereotyped fabrication imitating Gotama Buddha's birth story. It wili therefbre not be taken into consideration. In the fo11owing, a summary of each version will be given. 1a) The XitLxing benqil-ing ig3i 4scgess Long ago, there was a Cakravartin king called Dengsheng re ma. His kingdom was called Tiheyi (or Tihewei) reIn va ('DIpayati), and his crown prince was Dengguang re )ltZ. The king transferred the kingdom to.the crown prince on his demise, but the crown prince, having realized the imperma- nence (ofthewerld) , handed thekingdom oyer to hisyounger brother,renounced the worldly life, and wandered various countries the com- became Dipamkara Buddha (ee)k:as). Having through in pany of 620,OOO monks, he retumed once to his homeland to save its people. However, the king of his homeland (i.e. Diparpkara's younger brother) thought that his brother woutd usurp the kingdom, and so tried to prevent his visit. Diparpkara Buddha then, with supernatural powers, created was and retented, a second capital city. Seeingthat,the king terrified and asked Dipatpkara Buddha to visit capital seven and accept offbrings his dayslater, to from him. (46lb16-c16) "At In this text the Bodhisattva's narne is introduced as fo11ows: that time there was a Brahnan youth called Wugouguang re ee>fiMAu.tz di, tZi fi,, ijfi)IZ" (461c17). However, "pure the name l･ !It,.. ijli )tZ, light," appears only here, and in the latter part of the story the Bodhisattva is only mentioned as Rutong ts fi which corresponds to Skt mdnava.
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