[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [The History of Buddhist Thought](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933) › c19.40 # The History of Buddhist Thought c19.40 The History of Buddhist Thought c19.40 - **Language:** English ### [c19.40](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.40) It is naturally in the distinctly legendary portion of the Canon that we chiefly find biographical matter. The \*Ambaṭṭha-sutta\* (\*Dīgha\*, i) gives the story of the founding of the Sakya clan by the sons of king Okkāka. The \*Mahāvastu\* (i, 348) also gives it, and continues it down to Suddhodana. This continuation occurs in the Pāli only in the commentaries, but it forms a continuous legend, and the portion in the \*Dīgha\* appears to be a piece of the legend inserted by the \*Dīgha\*-reciters. When we come to the birth of Buddha we find, at least in some portions of the Canon, a Bodhisatta doctrine. The \*Mahāpadāna-sutta\* (\*Dīgha\*, ii, 1) tells of six previous Buddhas and of the marvellous events at the birth of a Bodhisatta. These events are also recounted of Gotama himself in the “Sutta of the marvellous and wondrous events” (\*Majjh.\*, iii, 118). The Bodhisatta descends “mindful and conscious” from the Tusita heaven, he stays visible as a thread through a precious stone, is received by the gods at his birth, and his mother dies after seven days. The \*Mahāpadāna-sutta\* also gives the names of his caste, gotra, age, tree of enlightenment, two chief disciples, the number of his disciples, the names of his chief attendant, his father, mother, and city. - [Previous: c19.39](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.39) - [Next: c19.41](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.41) - [Up: c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19) ## Linked texts (4) - [Mahāpadānasutta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.digha.14.1.1.1) — Pāli - [Mahāsuññatasutta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.majjhima.122.26.6) — Pāli - [Mahāvastu](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.mahavastu) — Sanskrit - [Dīghanikāya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.digha) — Pāli --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.40](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.40) · Pramāṇa