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Three types of Future Buddhas

From Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia
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Of these three kinds of Noble Persons (1) Samma-Sambodhisatta or Future Perfect Buddhas are grouped into three types:

(a) Pannadhika Future Buddhas,
(b) Saddhadhika Future Buddhas, and
(d) Viriyadhika Future Buddhas.

     Buddhahood is attainment of Omniscience (Sabbannutta nana ). To attain this Supreme Wisdom the seeker must have a mental make-up in which Wisdom is predominant. The factor of predominant Wisdom means careful consideration and forethought in doing everything physically, verbally or mentally. By so doing, one's wisdom becomes strengthened and mature existence after existence so that in due course one painlessly attains Omniscience which is far superior to all kinds of wisdom. Just as money is gained in the world by means of monetary investment, even so Omniscience is gained by means of intellectual investment.

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     (a) Future Buddhas called Pannadhika with the factor of predominant Wisdom always present in their endeavours become Buddhas after fulfilling their Perfections (Parami) for four asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons .

         9. "Future Perfect Buddhas" means "Future Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones."

         10. "Future Buddhas" from now on means "Future Perfect Buddhas" or "Future Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones" unless otherwise stated.

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        11. Perfection: parami, also called paramita, 'Completeness' and 'highest state' are also given as meanings of the Pali word in PED. The Perfect ions arc ten in number which are "the perfect exercise of the ten principal virtues of a Bodhisatta." PED. For details see the Anudipani.

         12. Asankhyeyya (asankheyya) literally means 'innumerable.' Some take it to be the figure one followed by 140 zeros, i.e. 10 x 14. Kacc. 395; Abhidh. 474-6. Warren translates the word as 'immensity.' Buddhism in Translation , p. 5.

     (b) Other Future Buddhas also believe that they can become Buddhas by fulfilling Perfections, and in their mental make-up such belief is predominant. With them Faith plays a greater role than Wisdom. They are therefore called Saddhadhika Future Buddhas, "Future Buddhas with predominant Faith." Since they are not led by Wisdom but by Faith in their fulfilment of Perfections they cannot become Buddhas after four asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons, but only after eight asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons.13

     (c) There are still other Future Buddhas who rely solely upon their Energy (Industriousness). For them Wisdom is not a principal factor. Neither do they place emphasis on the Faith that Perfections lead to Enlightenment. Holding that Energy brings about Buddhahood, they give top priority to Energy in their fulfilment of Perfections and become Buddhas only after sixteen asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons. They are therefore called Viriyidhika Future Buddhas, "Future Buddhas with Predominant Energy."

     Thus it should be noted that three designations — Pannadhika, Saddhadhika and Viriyadhika are applied only to Future Buddhas. Otherwise one would think that they belonged to Fully Enlightened Buddhas]]. These distinctions exist only while they remain as Future Buddhas, but once they attain Buddhahood, they are all identical in respect of Wisdom, Faith and Energy. One cannot say which Buddha is more accomplished than the other in each of these aspects.

         13. Aeon: kappa. which may also be translated 'world cycle.' A kappa has an age of enormous length. For details see the Anudipani.

     Pannadhikanam hi saddha manda hoti panna tikkha;

    Saddhadhikanam panna majjhima hoti saddha balava;

     Viriyadhikanam saddha-panna manda viriyam balavam.14

     In Pannadhika Future Buddhas, Wisdom is strong butFaith is weak]];

     In Saddhadhika Future Buddhas, Wisdom is medial but Faith is strong]];

     In Viriyidhika Future Buddhas, Faith and Wisdom are weak, but Energy is strong]].



Of these three kinds of Noble Persons (1) Samma-Sambodhisatta or Future Perfect Buddhas are grouped into three types: (a) Pannadhika Future Buddhas, (b) Saddhadhika ;;Future Buddhas]], and (d) Viriyadhika Future Buddhas.

     Buddhahood is attainment of Omniscience (Sabbannutta nana ). To attain this Supreme Wisdom the seeker must have a mental make-up in which Wisdom is predominant. The factor of predominant Wisdom means careful consideration and forethought in doing everything physically, verbally or mentally. By so doing, one's wisdom becomes strengthened and mature existence after existence so that in due course one painlessly attains Omniscience which is far superior to all kinds of wisdom. Just as money is gained in the world by means of monetary investment, even so Omniscience is gained by means of intellectual investment.

     (a) Future Buddhas called Pannadhika with the factor of predominant Wisdom always present in their endeavours become Buddhas after fulfilling their Perfections (Parami) for four asankhyeyya [One asankhyeyya is followed by 140 zeros] and a hundred thousand aeons [‘world cycle’].

    (b) Other Future Buddhas also believe that they can become Buddhas by fulfilling Perfections, and in their mental make-up such belief is predominant. With them Faith plays a greater role than Wisdom. They are therefore called Saddhadhika Future Buddhas, "Future Buddhas with predominant Faith." Since they are not led by Wisdom but by Faith in their fulfillment of Perfections they cannot become Buddhas after four asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons, but only after eight asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons.

     (c) There are still other Future Buddhas who rely solely upon their Energy (Industriousness). For them Wisdom is not a principal factor. Neither do they place emphasis on the Faith that Perfections lead to Enlightenment. Holding that Energy brings about Buddhahood, they give top priority to Energy in their fulfillment of Perfections and become Buddhas only after sixteen asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons. They are therefore called Viriyidhika Future Buddhas, "[[Future[Buddhas]] with Predominant Energy."

     Thus it should be noted that three designations — Pannadhika, Saddhadhika and Viriyadhika are applied only to Future Buddhas. Otherwise one would think that they belonged to Fully Enlightened Buddhas. These distinctions exist only while they remain as Future Buddhas, but once they attain Buddhahood, they are all identical in respect of Wisdom, Faith and Energy. One cannot say which Buddha is more accomplished than the other in each of these aspects.

Reasons for difference between the three types of Future Buddhas

     As has been stated, Bodhisattas are of three types with three respective periods of fulfillment of Perfections, namely, four asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons, eight asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons and sixteen asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons. A reason this for difference is mentioned in the Paramis or Paramitas.

To elaborate, even at the time of receiving the prophecy the Bodhisattas are of three types:

     (i) Ugghatitannu Bodhisattas,
    (ii) Vipancittanu Bodhisattas and
   (iii) Neyya Bodhisattas.

     (i) Ugghatitannu Bodhisattas are those who have the capacity to attain Arahatship together with the six Higher Spiritual Powers (Abhinna) and four kinds of Analytical Knowledge (Patisambhida); they can attain that stage even before the end of the third line of a verse-sermon of four lines delivered by a Buddha if they wish to achieve Enlightenment of a Disciple (Savaka-Bodhi) in that very existence. (This is one of the eight factors for receiving the prophecy.)
Note:

    (1) [Abhinna-(1) Psychic Powers (Iddhi-vidha),

    (2) Divine Ear (dibba-sota),

    (3) Penetration of others mind (citta-pariya-nana or cetopariya),

    (4) Divine Eye (dibba-cakkhu),

    (5) Remembrance of former existences (pubbenivasanussati or pubbenivasa), and

    (6) Extinction of. 'influxes' (asavakkhaya)]

Note: (2) [[[Patisambhida]]-
    (1) Analytical Knowledge of Meaning(attha),
    (2) of causal relations ( dhamma )
    (3) of language (nirutti ) and
    (4) sharp intellect (patibhana )]

    (ii) Vipancittannu Bodhisattas are those who have the capacity to attain Arahatship together with the six Higher Spiritual Powers (Abhinna) and four kinds of Analytical Knowledge (Patisambhida); they can attain that stage before the end of the fourth line of a verse-sermon of four lines delivered by a Buddha if they wish to achieve Enlightenment of a Disciple (Savaka-Bodhi) in that very existence.

     (iii) Neyya Bodhisattas are those who have the capacity to attain Arahatship together with the six Higher Spiritual Powers (Abhinna) and four kinds of Analytical Knowledge (Patisambhida); they can attain that stage at the end of the whole verse-sermon of four lines delivered by a Buddha if they wish to achieve Enlightenment of a Disciple (Savaka-Bodhi) in that very existence.

     With Ugghatitannu Bodhisattas the degree of maturity of Perfections leading to emancipation is so strong that they have to endeavor only for four asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons after receiving the prophecy. With Vipancitannu Bodhisattas the degree of maturity of Perfections leading to emancipation is medial and they have to endeavor for eight asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons after receiving the prophecy. With Neyya Bodhisattas the degree of maturity of Perfections leading to emancipation is so weak that they have to endeavor for sixteen asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons after receiving the prophecy.

     Ugghatitannu Bodhisattas are identical with Panadhika Bodhisattas; so are Vipancitannu Bodhisattas with Saddhadhika Bodhisattas and Neyya Bodhisattas with Viriyadhika Bodhisattas.

Impossibility of attainment of Buddhahood before completing the required period of Perfections

     The paddy species that ripens only when it is three, four or five months old by no means yields crops in fifteen days or a month although watering and weeding may have been done many times a day; its stems and leaves cannot grow (as much as one would like) and its ears cannot start bearing seeds, thrive and mature. In the same way, it should be noted that all the three types of Bodhisattas by no means attain full Buddhahood with its perfectly ripe fruit of Omniscience before they have completed the full course of Perfections that lasts a hundred thousand aeons in addition to four, eight or sixteen asankhyeyya even if, since receiving the prophecy, they have given charity and have observed pertinent virtues such as morality, etc.

Source

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