Sumedha Buddha

This article is about one of the Buddhas preceding Gautama Buddha. For a previous life of Gautama Buddha, see Sumedha.
Sumedha Buddha
Sanskritसुमेध
Sumedha
PāliSumedha
Burmeseသုမေဓဘုရား
Korean선혜불
(RR: Seonhye Bul)
Sinhalaසුමේධ බුදුන් වහන්සේ
Sumedha Budun Wahanse
Thaiพระสุชาตพุทธเจ้า
Phra Sumetha Phutthachao
VietnameseThiện Tuệ Phật
Information
Venerated byTheravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana
Preceded by
Padmottara Buddha
Succeeded by
Sujāta Buddha
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According to Theravada Buddhism's Pali canon's Buddhavamsa and its commentary, Sumedha Buddha is the fourteenth of twenty-seven Buddhas who preceded the historical Gautama Buddha. Sumedha Buddha was born in Sudassana. According to the canon at the age of 9,000 years old he became an ascetic, practiced austerities for fifteen days, and attained Enlightenment. He lived 90,000 years, and died in Medhārāma.[1][2]

The Buddhavamsa describes Sumedha Buddha in this fashion:

Sumedha, hard to attack, of intense incandescence, supreme sage in all the world. He was clear-eyed, full-mouthed, of tall stature, upright, majestic. He sought the welfare of all beings and released many from bondage.[3]

During Sumedha Buddha's lifetime, the one destined to become Gautama Buddha was known as the Brahmin Uttara who, upon entering ascetic life, made an offering to Sumedha Buddha and his Order of 80 crores of wealth.[4][5]

  1. ^ Horner, IB, ed. (1975). The minor anthologies of the Pali canon. Volume III: Buddhavaṁsa (Chronicle of Buddhas) and Cariyāpiṭaka (Basket of Conduct). London: Pali Text Society. ISBN 0-86013-072-X.
  2. ^ Malalasekera, G.P. (1899–1973), Dictionary of Pali Names, entry 4 for "Sumedha" (London, Pali Text Society). Retrieved 23 December 2014 from PaliKanon at http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/s/sumedha.htm .
  3. ^ Horner (1975), pp. l, 54-55.
  4. ^ Horner (1975), pp. 55-56.
  5. ^ Malalasekera (1899–1973), op cit.