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Going deeper
The Buddha's Apadāna: Perfections and a Palace Built by the Mind
Buddhāpadānaṃ
Verses in which the Buddha answers Ānanda on how one becomes an omniscient Buddha: his aspiration under countless earlier Buddhas, a jewelled palace made by the mind as an offering to all Buddhas, dedicating merit to all beings, the perfections, and three admonitions.
8 points
In the Buddhāpadāna, the first text of the Apadāna in the Khuddaka Nikāya, Ānanda asks the Buddha at Jeta's Grove whether omniscient Buddhas really exist and by what causes they become so. The Buddha answers in verse: those who have made merit under all the Buddhas but have not yet been freed attain omniscience through keen wisdom.
The Apadāna is a collection of verses in which the Buddha, paccekabuddhas, monks and nuns recount good deeds done in past lives and their results up to the final life. Most scholars place the Apadāna in a later stratum of the Tipiṭaka compared with major collections such as the Dīgha or Majjhima Nikāya, while the Theravāda tradition counts it as part of the Khuddaka Nikāya.
Much of the Buddhāpadāna is richly visionary. The Buddha says he gathered by mind all the jewels in the Buddha-fields, created a many-storeyed jewelled palace, invited the Buddhas, paccekabuddhas and disciples of past and present to dwell there, offered robes and food, and dedicated the merit to all beings. At the end he sums up the perfections he fulfilled, gives three admonitions, and says that the Buddhas and the Buddha's qualities are inconceivable, and the result of confidence in the inconceivable is itself inconceivable.
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1
Aspiring to Buddhahood for countless ages Buddhattaṃ abhipatthayiṃ
The Buddha says that he too aspired to Buddhahood under countless earlier Buddhas, fulfilled the perfections, honoured the Buddhas and the Saṅgha with ten fingers joined, and bowed his head to the awakening of all Buddhas. This point is for overall understanding.
Applying it in daily lifeBig life goals are not reached in a day. Break them into small efforts you can keep up, and respect those who walked the path before you.
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2
A jewelled palace built by the mind Manasā sabbamāhare
He gathered by mind the jewels in the sky and on the earth throughout the Buddha-fields, created a jewelled palace reaching the heavens, and invited the Buddhas, paccekabuddhas and disciples to stay there. He offered triple robes from wish-fulfilling trees and jewelled bowls full of food. The verses say this gift was given by mind, and through that good deed and aspiration he was reborn in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven.
Applying it in daily lifeBefore doing a good deed, picture giving with complete gladness, then choose one small thing you can actually do today, so that heart and action go together.
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3
Asking and answering one another Sāvakā buddhe pucchanti buddhā pucchanti sāvake
In that palace some taught the Dhamma and some entered jhāna. Buddhas questioned Buddhas, disciples questioned Buddhas and Buddhas questioned disciples. They asked and answered one another, delighting in the Dhamma.
Applying it in daily lifeIn a team or study group, let those who know more ask those who know less. When everyone dares to ask and answer, everyone understands more deeply.
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4
May all beings share in the merit Sabbe bhāgī bhavantu te
He made the wish that all beings, percipient and non-percipient, share in the fruit of the merit he made; that the devas tell any who do not know; and that all beings who live on food receive food they enjoy.
Applying it in daily lifeAfter doing good, deliberately share that goodness with others in mind, and when you can, help those around you actually eat well, for example by sharing food with someone in need.
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5
A rain of Dhamma across the world-systems Dhammameghena vassante sabbe hontu anāsavā
He says he gave to the poor, to travellers and to beggars for the sake of awakening, and wished that people across the world-systems might see him, hear the drum of the deathless, and, when the rain of Dhamma falls, all become free of the taints, with even the last among them becoming stream-enterers.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen you receive something good, think how to pass it on, for example by teaching what you know to someone who doesn't, without hoarding knowledge.
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6
Perfections fulfilled to the end Datvā dātabbakaṃ dānaṃ
He sums up: giving what should be given, fulfilling virtue completely, reaching the perfection of renunciation, questioning the wise, making supreme effort, reaching the perfection of patience, making firm resolve, fulfilling truthfulness and reaching the perfection of loving-kindness, he attained supreme awakening.
Applying it in daily lifePick one perfection to train each week. This week, for example, practise patience by not reacting immediately when you are annoyed.
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7
An even mind in gain and loss Lābhālābhe sukhadukkhe
He says he was even-minded in everything, in gain and loss, pleasure and pain, praise and blame, and so attained awakening.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen you get praise or criticism at work, ask whether your mind is swinging too much, then return to the question of what in the work should be improved.
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8
Three admonitions of the Buddhas Esā buddhānusāsanī
See laziness as a danger and effort as safety, and arouse effort. See quarrelling as a danger and non-quarrelling as safety, and live in harmony, speaking kindly to one another. See heedlessness as a danger and heedfulness as safety, and develop the eightfold path. This is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Applying it in daily lifeWrite three words, effort, harmony, heedfulness, where you see them often, and use them each evening to review which you managed today.
Try it in daily life
The Buddhāpadāna is not a step-by-step manual. It gives a picture of Buddhahood as the fruit of immense goodwill and long training. What we can use is the attitude of mind: giving with a clear, glad heart, wanting others to share in the good, and keeping the mind even in gain and loss, pleasure and pain, praise and blame.
The palace built by the mind suggests that even without wealth we can start from intention. A mind that delights in goodness and wishes everyone well is where real action begins the next day.
The three admonitions at the end are short and usable at once: see laziness as a danger and make effort; see quarrelling as a danger, live in harmony and speak kindly to one another; see heedlessness as a danger and develop the eightfold path.
Sources in the Tipiṭaka
Tap to read the actual passage on the page cited.
- Buddhāpadāna Thai Royal Edition · Volume 32 · page 1 The Buddha answers Ānanda on the causes of omniscience: the palace of the mind, the perfections and the Buddhas' admonitions
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