佛祖統紀 1.85

1.85

Next, he encountered eight hundred million Buddhas all named Dīpaṃkara; next, he encountered three hundred million Buddhas all named Puṣya; next, he encountered ninety thousand Buddhas all named Kāśyapa; next, he encountered sixty thousand Buddhas all named Dīpamālā; next, he encountered eighteen thousand Buddhas all named Sālarāja; next, he encountered seventeen thousand Buddhas all named Pāramita; next, he encountered fifteen thousand Buddhas all named Sūrya; next, he encountered two thousand Buddhas all named Kauṇḍinya; next, he encountered six thousand Buddhas all named Nāga; next, he encountered one thousand Buddhas all named Tamāla; next, he encountered five hundred Buddhas all named Padmottara; next, he encountered sixty-four Buddhas all named Uṣṇīṣa (the Kośa refers to him as Śikhin, here translated as 'Treasure Crest', who is this scripture's Uṣṇīṣa. The Fanyi mingyi states: 'Our Buddha completed the first asaṃkhyeya upon encountering this Buddha, separated by two asaṃkhyeyas from Śikhin, the second among the Seven Buddhas'). Next, he encountered one Buddha named Samyagācāra (the second asaṃkhyeya began with this Buddha). Next, he encountered eighty-eight thousand billion pratyekabuddhas. Next, he encountered one Buddha named Sudhī. At that time, Maitreya was a wheel-turning sage king named Vairocana, and initially aroused his mind under that Buddha, forty kalpas before [Śākyamuni]. Next, he encountered one Buddha named Sāradhvaja. I was a wheel-turning sage king named Dṛḍhadhanus, and under that Buddha I aroused the bodhicitta, vowing to attain the fruit of Buddhahood in the future to instruct and transform sentient beings. (Arousing the mind alongside Ānanda under Buddha King of Emptiness, arousing the mind under the ancient Śākya Buddha when he was a potter, and now arousing the mind under Sāradhvaja Buddha when he was the sage king Dṛḍhadhanus—these are all expedient expositions of the Tathāgata). Next, through immeasurable kalpas, he encountered immeasurable Buddhas such as Śakradhvaja. Next, he encountered one Buddha named Dīpaṃkara (he encountered this Buddha when the third asaṃkhyeya was completed). I was a young scholar-monk (māṇava) and offered blue lotus flowers to that Buddha. He conferred a prediction upon me: 'After an asaṃkhyeya of kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood named Śākyamuni.' (This conferred name was based on the vow made when he was in the causal stage as a potter. From this point onward, the predictions conferred by all Buddhas were uniform with this name. The Vajracchedikā says: 'Prior to Dīpaṃkara Buddha, I met eight hundred and forty million nayutas of Buddhas, and worshipped and attended upon them all without leaving a single one in vain.' The Lotus says: 'In the interim I spoke of Buddhas such as Dīpaṃkara, all by expedient distinctions'). At that time, Dīpaṃkara Buddha lived in the world for eight hundred and forty million years and then entered extinction. Above, I was the Four Heavenly Kings; below, I was a wheel-turning king (this corresponds to the three wheels of silver, etc.); and so on up to being a Brahmā king above, and a sage king below (this corresponds to the gold wheel), each thirty-six times (this discusses vertically the bodhisattva's retribution bodies). As for his transformations manifesting in response to the times, being either the head of the scholars, a state preceptor, or a Daoist master, they cannot be fully recorded (this discusses horizontally the diversity of the bodhisattva's transformation bodies). From this point onward, he further encountered the Buddha Sarvābhibhū, whose lifespan was eighty thousand billion years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After ten billion kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood named Śākyamuni' (the third asaṃkhyeya began with this Buddha). Next, he encountered Padmottara Buddha, whose lifespan was eighty thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After one hundred thousand kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood named Śākyamuni' (hereafter, 'you shall attain Buddhahood' is followed in each case by 'named Śākyamuni Buddha'). Next, he encountered Agracārin Buddha, whose lifespan was seventy thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After one thousand kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' Next, he encountered Agrana-yaśas Buddha, whose lifespan was seventy thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After five hundred kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' Next, he encountered the ancient Śākya Buddha, whose lifespan was eighty thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After one hundred kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' (Examining this, the ancient Śākya in the first asaṃkhyeya should refer to the initial thirty billion of identical name; since this one appears after Dīpaṃkara, the character 'ancient' ought not to be used, but presumably it is called 'ancient' in relative reference to the present Śākya). Next, he encountered Tiṣya Buddha, whose lifespan was sixty thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After ninety-five kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' Next, he encountered Puṣya Buddha, whose lifespan was sixty thousand years. Standing on one foot, I praised the Buddha with a verse: 'Above the heavens and below the heavens, there is none like the Buddha; / In the worlds of the ten directions, there is also none to compare. / Everything that exists in the world, I have seen it all; / In all things, there is none like the Buddha.' That Buddha prophesied to me: 'After ninety-four kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' (The Dazhidulun says: 'By praising Puṣya Buddha with a single verse for seven days and seven nights, he surpassed nine kalpas, and after ninety-one kalpas attained bodhi.' In most scriptures it is stated that the one under whom nine kalpas were surpassed was Vipaśyin Buddha). Next, he encountered Satyārthadarśin Buddha, whose lifespan was forty thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After ninety-three kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' Next, he encountered Vipaśyin Buddha, whose lifespan was eighty thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After ninety-one kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' Next, he encountered Śikhin Buddha, whose lifespan was seventy thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After thirty-one kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.' Next, he encountered Viśvabhū Buddha, whose lifespan was sixty thousand years; that Buddha prophesied to me: 'After thirty kalpas, you shall attain Buddhahood.'