Tirthankaras of the Future

Author(s): Nalini Balbir
Publisher: Z_Aspect_of_Jainology_Part_3_Pundit_Dalsukh_Malvaniya_012017.pdf

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Nalini Balbir
I here propose to review some Buddhist parallels to the Jaina facts surveyed above and to underline the similarities in the ways of presentation, independently of any historical or doctrinal interpretation.
(i) Use of the compound atita-andgata-paccuppanna-applied to the Arhats as a whole : e.g. Digha-Nikaya XVI (ed. Pali Text Society, vol. II, 83, 6-7-XXVIII, vol. III, 100,23-24; also II, 82,29-30-III, 100, 16-17:
Na kho me, bhante, atitanagata-paccuppannesu arahantesu Sammãsambuddhesu ceto-pariya-anam atthi.
"Lord no knowledge have I concerning the mind of past, future and present Arhats Awaked ones" (RHYS DAVIDS' trsl.).
Cp. above 1.1.1. Ayäramga I, 4, 1, 1.
(ii) Birth of the future Buddha Maitreya is predicted by Gautama Buddha : cf. Digha-Nikaya XXVI (vol. III, 75, 30-76. 21):
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Metteyyo nama Bhagava loke uppajjissati araham samma-sambuddho (76, 1-2). Emphasis is laid on the identity between the life-patterns of both e.g. so dhammam desissati-ādi-kalyāņam .... seyyathā pi ‘ham etarahi dhammam desemi ādi-kalyāṇam .... (ibid., 76, 13-16; etc.). cp. in Jainism 1.2.2. the Śreņika-Mahāpadma episode.
(iii) With the prophecies of rebirth as future Tirthankaras told by a T. (above 1.2.1 and fn. 56), compare, in the Mahāyāna tradition, the Buddha Tathagata announcing to his disciples their future destinies as Buddhas: e.g. Saddharmapundarika, chap. VI, p. 142 ff.; chap. VIII, p. 193 ff.; chap. IX, p. 206 ff. (trsl. H. KERN, Sacred Books of the East, vol. XXI); the Encyclopaedia of Buddhism vol. III, p. 360 refers to an Avadanaśataka chapter entirely devoted to such predictions; etc.
(iv) Story-pattern in the Dasabodhisattuppattikatha: the adventures of the heroes in their present births are told at length; they acquired merit mostly through their generosity. In contrast, the accounts of their careers as future Buddhas are very meagre and generally only mention a few details such as their names, physical measurements, life-span. But, as has been rightly noticed by Venerable H. Saddhatissa (p. 7), there is no elaboration of them as there is for the past Buddhas in the Buddhavamsa text and commentary. Thus, Thus, for
instance:
evam, Sariputta, iminā dāna-phalena ca Todeyya-brāhmaṇo anagate Narasiho nama Samma-sambuddho bhavissati (chap. VIII, 151, 70); etc.
In the Mahāyāna tradition, see Saddharmapundarika, chap. VI, VIII, IX,
Cp. the Jaina stories ad 1.2.1 and the Vimsatisthānakacarita (2.2). Unfortunately, I have not come across any kathakośa collecting the stories relevant to the 24 figures occurring in the Jaina lists.
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