佛祖統紀 1.86

1.86

The commentary states: Regarding the Seven Buddhas spoken of conventionally, according to the Bhaiṣajyarāja-sūtra, the one thousand Buddhas of the past Glorious Kalpa begin with Padmaprabha and end with Viśvabhū; the present Auspicious Kalpa begins with Krakucchanda and ends with Ruci. Thus we know that the three Buddhas from Vipaśyin to Viśvabhū were all in the past Glorious Kalpa, while the four Buddhas from Krakucchanda to Śākya are all in the present Auspicious Kalpa. The Seven Buddhas succeeded one another, separated by only a single kalpa. Now, most scriptures say that Vipaśyin was ninety-one kalpas ago and the other two Buddhas were thirty-one kalpas ago, which are very far apart, seemingly not part of the count of the Glorious Kalpa. However, when the three asaṃkhyeyas were completed, he precisely encountered Vipaśyin; planting the marks and signs for one hundred kalpas from that point onward, the ninety-one kalpas naturally harmonises with the explanation, because it deducts the nine kalpas surpassed by previously praising the Buddha. Although the above two explanations are expedient distinctions, fearing that the various schools among the translations in this land differ, we preserve both for now to serve as evidence for those who cite the texts. (The reviewer says: 'If it is asserted that the Seven Buddhas succeeded one another, separated by only a single kalpa, then Vipaśyin Buddha should have predicted attainment of Buddhahood after six kalpas, and likewise Kāśyapa Buddha should have predicted attainment of Buddhahood after one kalpa. Why say that planting the marks and signs for one hundred kalpas naturally harmonises with the ninety-one kalpas? The text below also says: "The four Buddhas above appeared successively during the ninth decrement kalpa of the Auspicious Kalpa," both of which contradict the claim of being separated by only a single kalpa. Readers should examine this carefully.')