Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c29.459

v2.c29.459

Seven Sabbaññu-Buddhas are mentioned in the earlier books³; these are Vīpassī, Sikhī, Vessabhū, Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, Kassapa and Gotama. This number is increased in the later books. The Buddhavaṃsa contains detailed particulars of twenty-five Buddhas, including the last, Gotama, the first twenty-four being those who prophesied Gotama’s appearance in the world. They are the predecessors of Vīpassī, etc., and are the following⁴: Dīpaṅkara, Koṇḍañña, Maṅgala, Sumana, Revata, Sobhita, Anomadassī, Paduma, Nārada, Padumuttara, Sumedha, Sujāta, Piyadassī, Atthadassī, Dhammadassī, Siddhattha, Tissa and Phussa. The same poem, in its twenty-seventh chapter, mentions three other Buddhas—Taṇhaṅkara, Medhaṅkara and Saraṇaṅkara—who appeared in the world before Dīpaṅkara. The Lalitavistara has a list of fifty-four Buddhas and the Mahāvastu of more than a hundred. The Cakkavatti Sīhanāda Sutta⁵ gives particulars of Metteyya Buddha who will be born in the world during the present kappa. The Anāgatavaṃsa gives a detailed account of him. Some MSS. of that poem⁶ mention the names of ten future Buddhas, all of whom met Gotama who prophesied about them. These are Metteyya, Uttama, Rāma, Pasenadi Kosala, Abhibhū, Dīghasoṇī, Saṅkacca, Subha, Todeyya, Nāḷāgiripalaleyya (sic).