景德傳燈錄 1.20

1.20

Ancient Buddhas appeared in the world across boundless spans of time; they cannot be completely known or fully enumerated. Therefore, recent discussions of the Bhadrakalpa hold that there are one thousand Tathāgatas, but down to Śākyamuni, only seven Buddhas are recorded. According to the Dīrghāgama Sūtra, it says: 'By the vigor of the seven Buddhas, / They emit light and extinguish darkness. / Each seated under various trees, / Therein they achieved right enlightenment.' Furthermore, Mañjuśrī is the ancestral teacher of the seven Buddhas. When the Great Being Shanhui of Jinhua climbed the summit of Mount Song to practice the Way, he moved the seven Buddhas to lead before him and Vimalakīrti to follow behind. The present compilation begins definitively with the seven Buddhas and continues downward.