Buddha's 12 Noble Deeds and Spiritual Journey

Book 3
Great Deeds of
the Buddha
Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen
Great Deeds of the Buddha

Tsechen Kunchab Ling Publications

Walden, New York
Tsechen Kunchab Ling Publications
Printed in May 2015
This booklet was prepared by Khenpo Kalsangs devoted

students. Susan Mader sponsored the booklet. Ani Jhampa
Nyima did the cover design. Transcription was done by Kevin
Lyons. Chodrung-ma Kunga Chodron and Jamyang Losel did
editing and layout. By this merit, may the life of Venerable
Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen and all holy teachers be long and
their teachings flourish.
There is no charge for this book. Donations to the publication

fund are greatly appreciated and will help us to print more copies
to distribute to others.
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Contents
Praise of the Twelve Deeds of Lord Buddha

A Commentary on the Great Deeds of the

Buddha
Khenpo Kunga Wangchuk
31
Praise of the Twelve Deeds of Lord Buddha

Prostrations to you, King of the Shakyas, whose body is
radiant like a mountain of gold. Through skillful
means and compassion, you took birth in the Shakya
clan and vanquished the hosts of Mara that others
could not conquer.
Prostrations to you who awakened first the resolve to
attain enlightenment, then fully perfected the
accumulations of merit and wisdom to become the
protector of living beings through your vast spiritual
works in this age.
Prostrations to you, who while ruling the gods knew
that the time had come to bring the law to living
beings. Descending from the realm of celestials, you
foresaw the clan into which you would take birth,
and like a great elephant entered the womb of
Mayadevi.
Prostrations to you, Scion of the Shakya Clan, at whose
birth in the grove of Lumbini ten full months
thereafter, Brahma and Shakra came to pay homage
and sages proclaimed with certainty that you
belonged to the lineage of great beings.
Prostrations to you, Incomparable One, who as a

youthful, powerful lion among men showed the
miracle of Angamagadhara and deflated the pride of
conceited ones.
conceited ones.
conceited ones.
Prostrations to you, who through skill in means,
sustained a kingdom and assumed a retinue and
queen to accord with the customs of worldlings and
help them become free from error.
Prostrations to you who perceived that worldly affairs
are insubstantial, renounced the householders life,
and went forth to accomplish the stages of
renunciation at each one of the immaculate stupas.
Prostrations to you who dwelt in austerity for six years
beside the Nairanjana River, diligently intent on
attaining enlightenment, and, perfect in vigor,
attained there the highest stage of meditation.
Prostrations to you who, in order to bring to fruition the
efforts you had made throughout beginningless time,
sat beneath the Bodhi tree in Magadha and
awakened to perfect enlightenment.
Prostrations to you who then quickly looked upon beings

with compassion, and at Varanasi and other holy
places, turned the wheel of the doctrine to help them
also traverse to liberation by relying on the three
vehicles.
Prostrations to you, Sage Victorious in Spiritual Battle,
who vanquished the demons in the land of Khormo
Jik, and put an end to the erroneous wranglings of
Devadatta, the six heretical sages, and others.
Prostrations to you who with virtues unequalled in the
three worlds, manifested the great miracle at
Shravasti, and caused the doctrine to be greatly
enhanced by the reverence of gods, humans, and all
other beings.
Prostrations to you who to move lazy disciples to hasten
their efforts, manifested the perishing of your
deathless, adamantine body at the pure abode of
Kushinagara, and passed beyond into peace.
Prostrations to you who left behind eight aspects of your
body and many relics to show that in reality, you
had not perished, and to help future beings acquire
merit through their worship.
Through the merit of this brief eulogy in praise of the
deeds of the Blessed One, our Master in the holy
teaching, may all living beings also become equal to
the Buddha in their own works.
O Tathagata, whatever form, retinue, lifespan, and pure
land you have, likewise whatever marks of
perfection you possess, may I and others also become

just like that.
Prostrations to the thousand fully enlightened Buddhas,
who made similar aspirations arising from genuine
virtuous accumulations, became a brotherhood while
performing virtuous conduct, and accomplished all
deeds within one noble eon.

(dzed wa cu nyi kyi tod pa zhug so)
Thab khe thug jei sha kyai rig su trung
zhen kyi mi thub dut kyi pung jom pa
ser gyi hlun po ta wur jet pai ku
sha kyai gyal po chot la chag tsal lo
Kang gi dang por chang chub thug kyet ne
sot nam ye she tsog nyi dzog dzet ching
du dir dzet pa gya chen dro wa yi
gon gyur kyot la dag gi tot par gyi
Hla nam dul dzet dul wai du kyen ne
hla le bab ne lang chen tar sheg te
rig la zig ne hla mo gyu trul kyi
hlum su zhug par dzet la chag tsal lo
Da wa chu dzog sha kyai sre po de
tra shi lum bii tsal du tam pai tse
tsang dang gya jin gyi tu tsen chog ni
chang chub rig su nge la chag tsal lo
Zhon nu tob den mi yi seng ge de
ang ga ma ga dar ni gyu tsal ten
kye wo dreg pa chen nam tsar chet ne
dren da met par dzet la chag tsal lo
Jig ten chot dang thun par cha wa dang

kha na ma tho pang chir tsun mo yi
khor dang den dzet thab la khe pa yi
gyal srit kyong bar dzet la chag tsal lo
Khor wai ja war nying po met zig ne
kyim ne chung te kha la shek ne kyang
chot ten nam dag drung du nyit le nyit
rab tu chung bar dzet la chag tsal lo
Tson pe chang chub drub par gong ne ni
ne ren dza nai dram du lo druk tu
ka wa chet ne tson dru thar chin te
sam ten chog nye dzet la chag tsal lo
Thog ma met ne bet pa don yot chir
ma ga da yi chang chub shing drung du
kyil trung mi yo ngon par sang gye ne
chang chub dzog par dzet la chag tsal lo
Thug je dro la nyur du zig ne ni
wa ra na si la sog ne chok tu
cho kyi khor lo kor ne dul cha nam
theg pa sum la got dzet chak tsal lo
Zhen kyi gol wa ngen pa tsar chet chir
mu teg ton pa drug dang lhe jin sog
khor mo jig gi yul du dut nam tul
thub pa yul gyal dzet la chag tsal lo
Srit pa sum na pe met yon ten kyi
nyen du yot par cho trul chen po ten
hla mi dro wa kun kyi rab chot pe
ten pa gye par dzet la chag tsal lo
Le lo chen nam nyur du kul wai chir

tsa chog drong gi sa zhi tsang ma ru
chi met dor je ta wui ku sheg ne
nya ngen de war dzet la chag tsal lo
Yang dag nyit du jig pa met chir dang
ma ong sem chen sot nam thob chai chir
de nyit du ni ring sel mang trul ne
ku dung cha gyet dzet la chag tsal lo
De tar ten pai dak po chom den kyi
dzet pai tsul la do tsam tot pa yi
ge we dro wa kun kyi chot pa yang
de sheg nyit kyi chot dang tsung par shok
Sha kyai gyal po kyet ku chi dra dang
khor dang ku tsei tset dang zhing kham dang
kyet kyi tsen chog zang po chi dra wa
de dra kho nar dak sog gyur war shog
Thun pei mon lam ge tsog mit jung pe /
kyit pa chot tse na yang chet gyur la
kal zang chig la dzit pa tar chin pei
dzog pei sang gye tong la chag tsal lo

First, it is important to create the right motivation and
behavior to receive Dharma teachings. That means that
we should change our motivation to think, In order to
benefit all sentient beings, I must reach the highest
attainment, just as the Buddha did. For that purpose, I
am studying this Dharma teaching, and having learned
it, I will put it into practice and follow the footsteps of the
Buddha.
Today, we will learn about the excellent holy deeds of
Lord Buddha Shakyamuni and also some of the stories of
his previous lives. Generally, explanations of the
spiritual career of the Buddha Shakyamuni can
organized in three parts. The first part is how he
generated enlightenment thought. The second is how for
three countless eons he accumulated enormous merit and
wisdom in order to pursue enlightenment. The third is,
as a result of that accumulation of merit and wisdom,
finally, he performed the twelve noble deeds and
achieved the highest attainment, Buddhahood, in order
to benefit boundless living beings.

Important Events in the Buddhas Previous Lives
The first part of the Buddhas spiritual career describes
how he generated enlightenment thought.
A long time ago, the Buddha Shakyamuni was not
different than any of us. In those days, he also possessed
negative emotions, negative karma, and so forth. As a
result of his negative karma, he fell into a hell realm
where he and another being also suffering in hell were
forced to pull a heavy chariot while being chased by very
cruel guards in hell known as yamas. The other being
suffering beside him was too weak to pull the chariot, but
still the yamas shouted, Pull harder, and beat them
with iron hammers to try to force them to pull harder.
The Buddha in that early previous life felt great
compassion for the other person and cried, He is too
weak to pull the cart! He simply has no strength! Let me
pull
for
him
and
let
him
go
free!
Saying this, his heart filled with compassion, he tried to
take the other beings suffering.
The yamas shouted, You have your own work. If that
is not enough for you, we will beat you some more!
Saying that, they beat the head of the Buddha in that
previous live with a hammer, and he passed away. By the
merit of his great compassion, he took rebirth in Tushita
heaven as the son of a god. This is the story of how the
Buddha first generated compassion.
Then after that life as a son of the gods in Tushita
heaven was exhausted, our Lord was later born as the
son of a potter in this realm of Jambudvipa. He had a
strong attitude and virtuous thoughts. In those days,
another Buddha, also known as Shakyamuni, visited the
area where the potters son lived. The boy was greatly
inspired by hearing of that Buddha Shakyamuni and
went to see him. Upon meeting him, the potters son knelt
10
Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

before that
aspiration:
Buddha
Shakyamuni
and
made
the
Shakya gyalpo khet ku chi dra dang

Khor dang ku tsei tsed dang zhing kam dang
Khyed kyi tsan chog zang po chi dra wa
De dra kho nar dag sog gyur war shog
Oh Tathagata,
Whatever form, retinue, lifespan, and pure lands you
have,
Likewise, whatever marks of perfection you possess,
May I and others also become just like that.
Because of that heartfelt prayer, the Buddha
Shakyamuni of our present eon also has the same name,
and is of the same clan as that Buddha Shakyamuni of
ancient times. That is how our Lord made the aspiration
to become enlightened.
Then for one countless eon, he continuously
accumulated merit and wisdom and venerated millions
and millions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. As a result of
that accumulation of merit and wisdom, he achieved the
level of a first bhumi bodhisattva.
After that, he continued to pursue that exalted path,
and accumulated merit and wisdom for one more
countless eon and as a result of that, he reached the stage
of an eighth bumi bodhisattva. By now, he had
accumulated merit and wisdom for two countless eons.
At that point, the great Bodhisattva met the Buddha
Dipamkara. The Buddha Dipamkara prophesized, In
the future, this being will become a perfectly enlightened
Buddha in Jambudvipa and his name will be
Shakyamuni.
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Then the Bodhisattva continuously accumulated
merit and wisdom, venerated countless Buddhas and
bodhisattvas and benefitted infinite living beings. As a
result of that, he reached the tenth bhumi bodhisattva
stage.
As a tenth-bhumi bodhisattva, he became the chief of
all celestial beings, known as Bodhisattva White Crown,
because he had a white unisha on the top of his head. He
was the king of Tushita heaven, and he remained there
for a long time as the king of the god realms.
Then, it became time to perform the activities
prophesized by the Buddha Kashapa. Many Buddhas and
bodhisattvas came to request him, Now is the time to
perform the twelve deeds of a Buddha, and to depart for
Jambudvipa to demonstrate the deeds of a Buddha for
the benefit of living beings. To fulfill their requests, he
decided to descend to Jambudvipa. When it came time to
depart, he appointed the Bodhisattva Maitreya as his
regent.
Before his descent, Bodhisattva White Crown foresaw
five auspicious things about the place where he would
take birth: the world, which was this Jambudvipa; the
place, which was a central area of India known as
Lumbini; the clan, which was the pure, royal Shakya
clan; the time, which was when human beings are fully
developed; and the mother who was Mayadevi, who
possessed thirty-two great positive qualities. Seeing
these five auspicious things, Bodhisattva White Crown
decided to descend to Jambudvipa.
Up to here we have recounted some stories of the
Buddhas previous lives. Now we begin the story of the
Buddhas most recent life.
12

The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha
Deeds One and Two: Descent from Tushita Heaven
& Entering the Mothers Womb
The Buddhas life story begins with his conception, when
he entered the womb of his mother, Queen Mayadevi. He
entered the womb in the form of a white elephant with
six tusks.
Of course, ordinarily an elephant has two tusks but
this one had six tusks and was decorated with gold,
precious jewels, and golden tassels. In that form, he
descended from Tusita heaven on the auspicious night of
the fifteenth of the lunar month of Vesak, which falls in
the spring. At the same time Queen Mayadevi dreamed
that a white elephant descended from the celestial realm
and entered in her body from her right side.
The next day she explained her auspicious dream to a
brahmin who knew the signs of dreams. He told the king
and queen, This is not an ordinary dream, it is of
tremendous significance. Your son will either become a
universal emperor or a perfectly enlightened Buddha.
Otherwise such signs do not occur for an ordinary
person.
Deed Three: Birth
After the Bodhisattva had dwelt for ten months in his
mothers womb, thirty-two auspicious signs appeared. In
the royal gardens, many flowers bloomed, especially
utpala flowers. In the royal familys neighborhood, many
other auspicious omens also occurred.
Then in the month of spring, Queen Mayadevi decided
to travel to Lumbini garden which is located between the
kingdom of the Buddhas father King Shuddodana and
the place where Queen Mayadevi was born. Arriving at
the garden, she resided there for a while, and on the
13

fifteenth day of the month of Vesak she gave birth to the
Buddha. At the moment he was born, she was holding one
branch of a sala tree and the Buddha emerged from her
right side, without causing any kind of wound.
When he emerged, many of the senior people in the
Queens retinue tried to hold him, but he did not let them
hold him. Then the kings of the gods such as Brahma and
Indra appeared and received him, served, and venerated
him.
On the first day, immediately after his birth he
pronounced, Let me walk! With that declaration, he
took seven steps to the east; seven steps to the south;
seven steps to the west, and seven steps to the north.
With each of the steps that he took in the four directions,
a lotus flower grew out of the soil under his feet. He spoke
extraordinary words. When he walked to the east he said,
I will accomplish all virtuous acts. When he walked to
the south, he said, I will be the object of veneration by
humans and gods. When he walked to the west, he said,
This is my last rebirth. Birth, aging, illness, and death
will not occur for me anymore. When he walked to the
north, he said, I will be supreme and exalted among all
beings. He then looked downward and said, I will
extinguish the fires of hell and subjugate all the negative
forces. He then looked up to the sky and said, I will life
every being high. He made these four great declarations
and walked seven steps in each direction within minutes
after taking birth in Lumbini Garden.
By this story alone, we can see that this was not an
ordinary birth. The Buddha was none other than an
enlightened being who purposely took rebirth in the
human realm. The earth in that entire area gently
quaked, and bright lights shown in the sky both day and
night. Many other auspicious signs appeared, such as the
five hundred attendants voluntarily came to serve him,
14

and the five hundred treasures were offered to the
kingdom, and many other children of kings and royal
families were born on the same day. Because of these
events, King Shudodana was extremely happy to have
such a wonderful son, and the young prince was given the
name Siddhartha, which means accomplishment.
Later there was a yogi named Krishna and his nephew
who lived to the north. They both saw a very bright,
unusual light, like the light of the sun, which pervaded
every direction. The nephew asked, What kind of light is
this? Is it the light of the sun or something else?
The yogi Krishna said, Sunlight is bright and warm;
but this light is bright and cool. Therefore this light
comes not from the sun, but from a teacher who gives
light to every living being. This is a sign that a great
being, a bodhisattva, or a Buddha has purposely
appeared.
The nephew requested, Shall we go to see the
bodhisattva?
Krishna answered, Right now, the bodhisattva is
being taken care by large powerful beings, including the
king of gods, so we will not be able to see him. When the
Bodhisattva returns to his kingdom, we may be able to
see him. Lets go at that time.
Seven days after the Bodhisattva took birth, his
mother passed away and took rebirth in Tushita Heaven.
However, her passing was not the result of the Buddhas
birth. In fact, every enlightened beings story shows that
their mother passed away soon after the great being took
birth. After that, Siddhartha was taken care of by his
aunt, Maha Prajnapati Gautami, who was actually his
mothers sister.
As an infant, Siddhartha was extremely calm and had
very good concentration, sitting like a great meditator.
Therefore, the people of the Shakya clan said, He is
15

unusual, like a great sage, so we should call him
Sakyamuni, which means Sage of the Shakyas.
Muni means one who is skilled in concentration, or
sage. This how he came to be known as Sakyamuni.
A brahmin saw it would be auspicious to come with his
retinue to King Shuddodanas palace in Kapilavastu. He
requested the king to lead him to see his son. King
Shuddodana replied, My son is taking a nap. The
brahmin said, I came from far away to see what kind of
auspicious signs appear on his body. I would like to
behold him as he sleeps. King Shuddodana agreed, and
the yogi could see that Siddhartha was sleeping without
closing the eyes. The yogi said, This is an auspicious
sign. This is not regular sleep. The child dwells in the
state of clear light. This and many other signs were
visible upon the Bodhisattva.
The Brahmin said, Looking at these signs, I would
say that this infant bodhisattva will not become an
ordinary being. There are only two possibilities: If he
remains in his kingdom, no doubt he will become a
universal emperor; if he does not remain in his kingdom,
he possesses all the causes, conditions, and signs that
predict that he will become a perfectly and fully
enlightened being.
Then the yogi smiled and shed tears. Shuddodana
asked him, Why do you smile, and why do you cry? The
yogi said, I smile due to my extreme joy at seeing such a
great being who possesses all of these various auspicious
signs. I shed tears from disappointment because looking
at myself, when he becomes an enlightened being I will
have already departed from this world, so I will not be
able to attend the teachings given by this great being.
The yogi also prophesized, He will be around age thirty
five when he becomes perfectly enlightened, he
prophesized. Then he did circumambulations and paid
16

homage, composed many meaningful poems, and then
returned where he lived.
Deed Four: Brilliantly Accomplishing Many Feats
When he grew to be a young boy, King Shuddodana sent
Siddhartha to school. On the first day, when he arrived
at school, his teacher taught him many different scripts,
every script that that he knew, and Siddhartha learned
them all effortlessly.
He then asked the teacher, Teach me more scripts.
The teacher said, Im said to be the most learned
person in the area, but I do not know any more scripts
than these.
Siddhartha said, In that case, I may know more than
you. Then Siddhartha taught his teacher sixty-four
different scripts even though he had never learned them
in this lifetime.
His teacher greatly admired his ability and said, I do
not even know the names of these scripts. It is amazing
that there exists a being so pure that he knows every
script without needing to learn it. All of the general
knowledge in this world is learned from worldly beings
who follow other worldly beings. You are the only one who
does not need to be educated by other worldly beings.
This is something very unusual. No doubt you are a pure
being.
He praised him tremendously in this way. All the
other children were surprised, delighted, and amazed
about Siddharthas skills and the knowledge.
Once when the bodhisattva Siddhartha was traveling
in the area, he sat down under a nearby tree. The tree
cast a shadow that moved like a ghost. But as long as
Siddhartha sat under the tree, the shadow did not move
even though the sun moved, the shadow of the tree did
not. Meanwhile, a rishi and mediators who had the power
17

to fly in the sky tried to fly over the area, but they were
unable to come close because of Siddharthas power.
These and many other amazing things occurred.
Deed Five: Taking a Queen and Retinue
Because of all that had occurred, the senior Shakya
family members conferred together and decided that
because Siddharthas body displayed tremendous
auspicious omens, he should be their future leader.
Therefore they requested the King to have Siddhartha
remain in the kingdom to continue the kings familial
lineage. Their request caused King Suddhodana to
encourage Siddhartha to take a consort.
At first, the boddhisattva didnt agree. Then he
reconsidered, saying, If my family says that I must
remain in the kingdom, then I need a consort who would
not contradict me; my wife should have all the positive
qualities of a lady. If they find such a lady, I will agree to
remain in the kingdom.
Then he wrote out all the positive qualities that he
required his wife to have, and gave the list to his father.
King Shuddodana was very happy, and sent his ministers
everywhere in the area, but they could not find such a
lady. No one had all of those qualities.
Shakya Dandapanis daughter, Yasodhara, saw the
letter of required qualifications and said, These are
exactly the qualifications that I have, therefore I might
be a suitable candidate.
A minister took her message to King Shuddodana. The
king examined her and offered her to Siddhartha who
accepted her as a consort. Then he remained in the
kingdom as a royal prince.
18

Deed Six: Renunciation
Siddhartha dwelt in the kingdom for many years, until
the age of twenty-seven. Then he heard celestial sounds
in the palace reminding him of his previous aspirations
and resolutions, saying to him, All Tathagatas must
follow the previous Tathagatas. Do not enjoy the luxuries
of samsara, but work for the benefit of other sentient
beings. He was reminded of his resolutions in his
previous lives to perform virtuous actions and to become
the protector of living beings. Because of this, Siddhartha
intended to leave the kingdom.
His father, King Shuddodana noticed the
bodhisattvas intent and added layers of extra security
around the palace so that Siddhartha could not leave the
royal palace and gardens. Shuddodana told his ministers
and retinue that his son was feeling a bit disappointed,
so they should take him for an outing to gardens in
various directions, and encourage him to remain in the
kingdom.
On Siddharthas outing to the eastern garden, he saw
a person who was extremely bent over and miserable. He
asked, Who is that?
His attendant told him, That is a member of your
kingdom suffering from old age.
Siddhartha asked, Do we all have to go through that
same process?
His attendant replied, Yes. There is no choice.
Everyone who does not die young has to go through the
process of old age.
Siddhartha said, Then what is the use for us to go to
the garden and have fun? Let us go back to the palace,
and he returned to the palace feeling quite depressed.
The next day they took him to garden in the south. On
the way, they saw a very sick person, suffering terribly
19

from an illness. Siddhartha asked his attendant, Whats
the matter with that person? What can we do?
His attendant told him, That person has a disease.
That is the suffering of illness.
Siddhartha asked the same question as before, Do we
all have to go through that process?
His attendant replied Yes.
Siddhartha could no longer enjoy himself so they
turned back to the palace. This was the second cause of
his disappointment.
The next day they took him to a garden in the west.
There, they saw four people carrying an object wrapped
in cloth. Siddhartha asked, What are they carrying?
Whats going on?
His attendant told him, That is someone who has
died, and what is being carried is a dead body that is
called a corpse.
Siddhartha asked, Does everyone have to go through
that process?
His attendant answered, There is no choice. Everyone
has to go through the process of death.
Siddhartha said, Then there is no pleasure at all in
samsara. We should go back to the palace. Thus he felt
distressed in samsara and in the palace.
The next day they took him to a garden in the north.
There they saw a mendicant or meditator who walked
very calmly, with a very peaceful demeanor. Siddhartha
asked, Who is that person?
His attendant told him, He is one known as a
bhikshu, a meditating monk who is free from suffering.
Siddhartha said, I myself wish, if it is possible, to
become free from suffering. Saying this, he returned to
the palace.
Siddhartha told his father that he truly wished to
renounce samsara and asked for his permission to
20

become a monk. However, his father refused. The king
said, If you ask for anything other than this, I will grant
it, but this is the one thing I cannot grant you.
Then Siddhartha asked the king, Then could you
grant me that I will not have to go through the processes
of aging, illness, and death?
The king replied, No, son that is not in my power to
grant you.
Siddartha then asked, Then even if I must go through
this life, can you grant me that I will not have to take
another birth, and experience these processes again and
again?
The king said, No, this also I cannot grant.
Siddhartha said, Then I cannot see any reason that I
should continue to remain in the kingdom. Please grant
my first request, so that I may leave the kingdom and
renounce the world.
The king said, In that case I have no choice, do
whatever you wish to do. Thus his father also agreed.
When the night came, he asked his attendant,
Channa, to prepare his horse. By the power of his
celestial retinue, all of the palace guards and the
kingdom fell into a very deep sleep.
They left the palace and the horse flew through the
sky from Kapilavastu to a place a long way from the
kingdom. It was morning when they reached their
destination. Siddhartha said, This is the place where I
shall become a renunciate.
He gave all of his royal ornaments, jewelry, fine
clothing, and other precious things to Channa and sent
them back to the kingdom with his horse.
Siddhartha himself, cut his own hair with his sword.
When he had cut it, many celestial beings appeared and
took his hair to a heavenly place. Then Siddhartha put
on a simple inexpensive religious robe, such as one can
21

find in cemetery. Then he went about in the form of a
meditator.
Deed Seven: Performance of Austerity
Then the Bodhisattva traveled to Vaishali and many
other places, where he wished to receive teachings from
great meditators. He met two famous teachers and from
them he learned the four meditative absorptions and the
four limitless meditations.
When each of these teachers taught him meditation,
they asked him to practice that meditation, which he did
and succeeded, attaining realization equal to his
teachers. Both of his teachers asked him to remain with
them and become their successor, carrying on their
spiritual teaching. But the Bodhisattva Siddhrtha said,
It is not yet my time to act as a teacher. I need to further
pursue even higher realization. Saying this, he refused
his teachers invitations to remain as their disciple.
Then he traveled toward what is now Bodhigaya.
There beside the Nairanjana River, he decided to remain
in a meditation retreat for six years to further develop his
meditation and realization.
His father, King Shuddodana and his aunt, Queen
Mahaprajnapati Gautami heard that he was travelling
about and practicing meditation in that area. They sent
a retinue of five hundred people to serve and look after
him. When the retinue of five hundred people arrived at
the place where he was meditating, Siddhartha saw them
and said, Because I did not like the retinue I had, I
renounced my position as prince. Now I have decided to
do meditation here. With you all surrounding me here,
there is not much difference from my life in the palace.
You should all return to the palace. But in order to not
completely refuse my fathers offering, I will accept five
from among the retinue of five hundred.
22

Thus, he accepted five people to look after him during
the six-year retreat, and they stayed with him. During
his six-year retreat, he also did not eat any human food.
He ate only one juniper berry every day as sustenance.
He resolved to perform his retreat based on that
sustenance alone. Later, he decided that that sustenance
was too much and he reduced it to one grain of rice a day.
Then that he further reduced his sustenance to one
sesame seed per day.
During his six-year retreat, he did not move from his
seat, and did not waver in his meditation and
concentration. Thus he practiced extreme austerity in
pursuing the spiritual path.
Deed Eight: Approaching the Essence of
Enlightenment
In order to show that the Buddhist path of enlightenment
cannot be pursued only through austerity but also
requires skillful means, the bodhisattva Siddhartha
decided to arise from his austerity and walk to Bodhgaya.
On the way to Bodhgaya he saw a man cutting grass,
whose name was Svastika. The Bodhisattva called to him
and asked him to give him some kusa grass, saying, If
you give me some kusa grass, it will be helpful for me,
and a greatly beneficial and auspicious omen for you
today. Hearing the Bodhisattvas request, Svastika
offered him the kusa grass.
The Bodhisattva approached the shore of the river.
There dwelt a farmers daughter known as Sujata. She
had made an aspiration in a previous life, When the
Buddha is about to attain enlightenment, may I offer the
first food to him after his six years of retreat. Drawn by
the power of her aspiration, she approached him and
noticed that he was in pain after eating no food at all for
so long.
23

She collected the milk of a hundred different cows,
concentrated and cooked it, then offered the milk to the
Buddha in a golden container and asked him to accept it
for her sake. The Buddha accepted the milk and drank it
and returned the golden container to her. She requested
him to accept the container, too, but Siddhartha returned
the container, saying, No, I cannot accept a golden
container because I am a renunciate monk. I have no
need for precious feasts.
Siddhartha then approached the Bodhi tree, sat
beneath it on the kusa grass, and made the aspiration,
Even if the sky falls, and the entire earth crumbles, no
matter what happens, I will not move from this place
until I attain perfectly enlightened Buddhahood. With
this great aspiration he began his meditation under the
Bodhi tree.
Deed Nine: Overcoming Mara
Due to that heroic resolution, the entire area began to
vibrate. The demons became suspicious that a perfectly
enlightened being would attain Buddhahood there and
they would be subjugated. Many demons including Mara
Papiyan and other negative forces came and tried to
disturb his meditation. They threw weapons like stones
and spears at Siddhartha. But all of the dangerous
weapons that they threw transformed into a shower of
flower petals as they neared Siddhartha and none of
these distractions disturbed him. He meditated upon
loving kindness and compassion, and the weapons
became like an offering of flowers.
Many demons also appeared in the form of beautiful
women who sang and danced. In his meditation he could
see them become decayed and aged, and they also could
not distract his meditation. So these and many other
negative forces occurred while Siddhartha was
24

meditating. In this way he completely conquered the
demons of Mara.
Deed Ten: Manifesting Supreme Enlightenment
After traveling to Bodhigaya, sitting under the bodhi
tree, and subjugating the demons, early in the morning
of the fifteenth day of the month of Vesak, Siddhartha
achieved perfectly enlightened Buddhahood.
Deed Eleven: Turning the Wheel of Dharma
Turning the wheel of dharma includes four activities. The
first activity is taming suitable beings by teaching the
Dharma according to their needs. The second activity is
to tame those beings who cannot be tamed through the
peaceful method of Dharma teaching by performing
miraculous deeds, as was the case for the taming of the
six heretical teachers.
The third activity is to perform the benefit of other
beings such as animals. Theres a story of a monkey king
who collected honey from the forest and offered it to the
Buddha in appreciation for hearing Dharma teachings.
Another story tells of an untamed elephant that
approached the Buddha and prostrated to him. In this
way, he tamed the animal beings.
The fourth activity is taming those who indulge in
excessive defilement. There was one disciple of the
Buddha who had excessive ignorance, and his own
younger half-brother Nanda who had excessive desire.
Another disciple, Anguilmala, had excessive anger and
killed nine hundred and ninety-nine people. Another
disciple had excessive laziness. He tamed these and other
disciples with excessive defilements through Dharma
teachings and various different methods.
25

Deed Twelve: Passing into Mahaparinirvana
After performing these holy deeds, in order to teach
correct understanding of impermanence in those who
view phenomena as permanent, the Buddha manifested
the appearance of entering into mahaparinirvana. After
entering mahaparinirvana, he produced countless relics
which were divided and placed in stupas. These stupas
perform the benefit of countless sentient beings by
providing a focus for their accumulation of merit and
wisdom.
These and all the other holy deeds of the Buddha are
immeasurable and inconceivable to our mind. However,
explaining and learning even some part of his good
qualities and limitless wisdom creates tremendous
benefit.
Different Enumerations of the Buddhas Holy Deeds
There are various ways of explaining the Buddhas
twelve holy deeds. Different enumerations are not
contradictory, but simply different methods of explaining
his limitless deeds. We normally explain the twelve deeds
as we have here. To summarize, they are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Descent from Tushita heaven.

Entering the mothers
Taking birth
Brilliantly accomplishing many feats
Taking a queen and retinue
Renunciation
Performance of austerity
Approaching the essence of enlightenment
Overcoming Mara
Manifesting perfect enlightenment
Turning the wheel of Dharma
Passing into mahaparinirvana
26

However, there are different enumerations. According
to other masters, the holy deeds are enumerated as eight
in the following way:
First, descent from heaven; second, overcoming Mara.
Third, manifesting perfectly enlightened Buddhahood
and travelling to infinite other realms; fourth, taming
suitable beings according to their needs by teaching the
Dharma; fifth, taming those beings who cannot be tamed
by peaceful methods through the performance of
miraculous deeds such the manner in which the six
heretical teachers were tamed; sixth, performing the
benefit of other types of beings, including animals;
seventh; taming those who excessively indulge in
defilements; eighth is manifesting impermanence for
those who hold the view of eternalism by entering into
mahaparinirvana.
In this enumeration of eight deeds, of the six holy
deeds performed as a Buddha, the first (manifesting
perfectly enlightened Buddhahood), and the last
(entering mahaparinirvana) are certain in terms of
sequence. But the four other holy deeds which are not
certain in terms of sequence; and so may be explained in
various different orders. Also, the first two deeds were
accomplished before attaining enlightenment, and the
other six afterward.
Also, in this commentary, manifesting perfect
enlightenment and taming beings by teaching the
Dharma are basically the same, at a higher level of
generalization, as the six holy deeds performed in the
state of Buddhahood.
Some other masters enumerate the deeds by
condensing all four activities relating to teaching and
taming beings into the single activity of turning the
wheel of Dharma, which contains those four activities.
27

According to a different method of enumerating holy
activities, there are five holy deeds performed as a
bodhisattva and three holy deeds performed as a Buddha.
According to yet another enumeration, there are six
deeds performed as a bodhisattva:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Descent from heaven

Taking birth
Enjoying youth
Renunciation
Proceeding to Bodhigaya
Sitting under the Bodhi tree.
And three deeds performed as a Buddha:

1.
2.
3.
Turning the wheel of dharma

Performing miraculous deeds
Entering mahaparinirvana
According to the traditional explanation upon which

this commentary was based, there are twelve deeds: nine
deeds accomplished as a bodhisattva; and three deeds
accomplished as a Buddha. They are:
Deeds accomplished as a Bodhisattva:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Descent from Tushita heaven.

Entering the mothers
Taking birth
Brilliantly accomplishing many feats
Taking a queen and retinue
Renunciation
Performance of austerity
Approaching the essence of enlightenment
Overcoming Mara
28
Deeds accomplished as a Buddha:

10. Manifesting perfect enlightenment
11. Turning the wheel of Dharma
12. Passing into mahaparinirvana
It is good to know about these different structures of
enumeration based on different masters, and the
explanations that go with them.
This concludes my explanation of the twelve holy
deeds of the Buddha Shakyamuni.
Transcribed by Khenpo Kalsangs devoted student Kevin Lyons.
29
30
Commentary on the Great Deeds of the

Buddha
Khenpo Kunga Wangchuk
NAMO GURU BUDDHA BODHISATTVA YE!
Among the thousands of Buddhas in this noble eon,
May the Excellently Courageous One, like a white lotus,
Sole protector of beings difficult to tame in this
degenerate age,
The peerless teacher, Lord of the Shakyas, be
victorious!
To my great, kindest, excellent teacher,
Who rightly led me into the Buddha's doctrine,
I pay homage with devotion, and briefly write
Some aspects of the Buddha's holy activities.
Generally, the scriptures of the Perfect, Fully
Enlightened One contain endless descriptions of which
31

Buddhas appear in which eons. Among them is an
explanation is based on the Badrakalpa Sutra, which
describes two types of eons: light eons, and dark eons.
The first refers to eons in which Buddhas appear in the
world. The second refers to eons in which Buddhas do
not appear.
Among light eons, the present one is known as Noble
Eon, and during it, one thousand and five Buddhas
appear. It will be followed by sixty-five dark eons, during
which no Buddhas will appear. Next will come a light
eon known as Greatly Melodious, or Greatly Renowned,
during which ten thousand Buddhas will appear. Then
after eighty dark eons will come a light eon known as
Starlike Eon, during which eighty thousand Buddhas
will appear. Then after three hundred dark eons will
come a light eon known as Range of Good Qualities,
during which eighty-four thousand Buddhas will appear.
Thus it is described.
This Present Eon
It is said that when the formation of this planet began in
the present eon, one thousand golden lotuses appeared on
the water mandala. The gods of the pure realms noticed
this and realized that these were symbols of the thousand
Buddhas to appear in this eon. They exclaimed "Ema!
This is a noble eon." From this description came the
name "Noble Eon." This world of existence is known as
the "Unweariable Realm" because patience and tolerance
are unwearied by the poison of the three negative
emotions.
The Compassionate White Lotus Sutra also explains
that one thousand and five Buddhas will appear in this
eon. The Inconceivable Secret Sutra and other sources
state that one thousand Buddhas will appear. In either
32
A Commentary
case, our present Buddha Shakyamuni is the fourth
among those thousand Buddhas.
In Homage to the Eight Stupas, Nagarjuna described
how the Buddha appeared:
First, you generated excellent enlightenment thought,
Accumulated the heaps for three countless eons,
And subjugated the four hindering maras.
Prostrations to the Bhagwan Lion.
This text describes three topics: how in the beginning
the Buddha generated excellent enlightenment thought:
in the middle accumulated the heaps for three countless
eons; and at the end manifested full and perfect
enlightenment.
How the Buddha Shakyamuni Generated Excellent
Enlightenment Thought
According to the Mahayana, long ago our Lord Teacher
was born, due to his karma, on the molten iron ground of
hell as a puller of a chariot of fire together with a being
weaker than himself. A hell guardian known as Awang
beat the weaker one again and again. By creating
compassion for the weaker being, the generation of
excellent enlightenment thought began.
These
circumstances are described in the Repaying Mother's
Kindness Sutra.
The Three Heap Sutra describes that long ago our Lord
Teacher was born as Thorough Enjoyment, the son of a
leading merchant.
In that life, he first created
enlightenment thought before the Tathagata Perfection
of Beauty.
The Noble Eon Sutra states:
33

Long ago, when I was ordinary,
While offering a bowl of broth
To the Tathagata Shakyamuni,
I first generated enlightenment thought.
Also,
When I was born "Luminous," the son of a potter,
I offered to the great Tathagata Shakyamuni,
A clay jar, five shells,
A pair of shoes, and an umbrella.
Oh Tathagata, whatever form,
Retinue, life span, and pure land you have;
Likewise, whatever marks of perfection you
possess,
May I also become just like that.
Because of this aspiration and creation of
enlightenment thought, our present Buddha was named
Shakyamuni.
The Compassionate White Lotus Sutra states in
another verse that long ago, when our Lord Teacher was
born the Brahman "Ocean's Atom," he made five hundred
great aspirations for the benefit of beings in this
degenerate age before the Tathagata Jewel Essence, and
first created enlightenment thought.
These and other scriptures contain various
explanations of the first creation of enlightenment
thought.
34
A Commentary
How the Buddha Shakyamuni Accumulated the
Heaps for Three Countless Eons
The Heaps Which Were Accumulated
Nagarjuna states: "Arisen from merit and wisdom."
Maitreyanatha states:
The Bodhisattva's heaps are
Peerless merit and wisdom.
Accordingly, the nature of the heaps is the six perfections
which contain the accumulation of merit, and the
accumulation of wisdom.
The time that our Lord Teacher began to accumulate
the heaps, and the method by which he accumulated
them cannot be considered to be immediately after he
generated enlightenment thought. The intent of the
Cloud of Jewels Sutra is described by Asanga in the
Condensation of the Vehicles:
When the following four qualities are possessed, the
three countless eons of accumulation begin. On the path
of accumulation they are: possession of powerful virtue;
possession of powerful aspiration; a solid mind which
does not abandon Bodhichitta due to various
circumstances; and not being satisfied with limited good
qualities.
"Countless" does not mean incalculable. Countless
means that number which is reached by counting one,
ten, hundred, thousand, and so forth, up to sixty
numerical places. This is stated in the Abhidharma Kosa
and its commentary.
When our Lord Teacher was born as a prince known
as "Performer of Diligence," the son of King Ahyu Vijaya,
in the palace known as Completely Victorious Banner,
the Tathagata Great Luminous Heap appeared in the
35

world. At that time, the prince venerated the Tathagata
and accumulated the root of virtue. From this point, he
accumulated merit for one countless eon, by which he
attained the first bumi stage of realization.
When our Lord Teacher was born as the leading
merchant "Noble Wisdom," in a city on the Golden Jambu
River ruled by King Luminous Beauty, the Tathagata
Jewel Lamp appeared in the world. Noble Wisdom
venerated the Tathagata and received instruction. From
this point, for one countless eon he accumulated the
heaps, by which he attained the seventh bumi.
When our Lord Teacher was born a Brahman known
as Cloud Youth, the Tathagata Dipamkara appeared in
the world. He purchased five utpala flowers and offered
them to the Tathagata. Then he spread the skin of a
krishna sari deer, and put his own golden colored hair
upon it as a cushion. The Buddha placed his feet upon
this, and prophesied: In the future, you will be known as
Tathagata Shakyamuni.
With this prophesy, our Lord Teacher reached the
eighth bumi because it is said:
Offered five utpala flowers to the Buddha
Dipamkara,
Spread my queue of hair as a cushion,
And attained the patience of unborn phenomena.
I was prophesied to become the King of the Shakyas.
From this point, for one countless eon, our Lord
Teacher took many births for the benefit of beings, such
as Indra Noble Eyes, and so forth. Finally, in this eon,
when beings' life span was twenty thousand years, the
Buddha Kashapa appeared in the world, during which
time our Lord Teacher was born as Young Brahman
36
A Commentary
Guru. At this point, he completed the stage of a tenth
bumi Bodhisattva.
According to the Hinayana tradition, during the first
countless eon, he venerated seventy-five thousand
Buddhas. During the second countless eon, he venerated
seventy-six thousand. During the third countless eon, he
venerated seventy-seven thousand. However, in the
Mahayana tradition, he met countless millions of
Buddhas, venerated them, and received instruction from
them, Because it is said in the Moonlight Sutra:
Myriad millions of Buddhas
More, as many as the sands of the Ganges,
All reside upon this Vulture Peak.
All these Lords of Humans were venerated by me.
How the Buddha Shakyamuni Manifested Full and
Perfect Enlightenment
This section includes two topics: how the Buddha
Shakyamuni attained perfect enlightenment; and
specific descriptions of his holy activities.
How the Buddha Attained Perfect Enlightenment
According to the Shravaka tradition, during the three
countless eons of accumulation of the heaps, finally only
one hundred more eons were left to be accumulated. The
cause of the acquisition of the perfect marks first
occurred when our Lord Teacher was the Bodhisattva
Certain Abiding. During this time, the Buddha Diligent
Praise of Victorious Fortune shortened nine of the one
hundred remaining eons of the accumulation of the
heaps, such that only ninety-one still remained.
After that, at the end of ninety-one eons, during the
time of the Buddha Kashapa, our Lord Teacher was born
as Young Brahman Guru. After he departed, he was born
37

as Noble White Crown, the son of gods in Dushita heaven.
Finally, he was born in the body of Prince Siddhartha.
The Shravakas believe that he was still a Bodhisattva on
the path of accumulation, and that until he subjugated
the maras, he possessed all the fetters.
Then they believe that all the paths, from the heat of
the path of application up to realization of the exhaustion
of birthlessness, were instantaneously traversed while
seated in the vajra asana in Bodhigaya, because the
Abhidharma states:
Buddhas and rhinoceroses, up to enlightenment
Accomplish all in one session of samadhi.
According to the Mahayana tradition, at the end of the
tenth bumi Bodhisattva stage, through vajra-like
absorption, our Lord Teacher manifested the
Sambogakaya which possesses the five certainties. Upon
this base, he achieved the Dharmakaya which is the
ultimate realization of non duality, or the inseparability
of subject and object, away from all extremes. The
subject is the primordial wisdom of knowing exactly, and
knowing everything. The object is double purity: the
natural purity of the realm of reality, and removal of
temporary obscurations.
At the same time, he
manifested the Nirmanakaya in countless realms, such
as the Unweariable Realm. In this way, the Buddha
manifested perfect enlightenment.
The Lankarshegpa Sutra states:
Abandoning the pure god realms,
In the pleasant realm known as Below Nothing,
The perfect Buddha was enlightened.
The emanation Buddha was enlightened here.
38
A Commentary
Concerning the time, inconceivable eons ago our Lord
Teacher was already enlightened as a Buddha known as
Crown Lord. He again demonstrated his enlightenment
and the other activities. He states this in the Sutra of the
Meeting of Father and Son:
Having generated compassion for all sentient beings,
To completely mature sentient beings,
The great hero emanated
Eighty million Jinas,
Already manifested as a Buddha.
Yet discarded an attitude of satisfaction.
From the White Lotus Sutra:
Inconceivable thousands of millions of eons ago,
Never limited, beyond number,
I attained this supreme enlightenment.
I also preached the Dharma continuously.
These quotations demonstrate this.
Specific Descriptions of the Buddha's Holy
Activities
Generally, the holy activities of the Excellent Teacher,
Lord of Munis, are beyond conception, however, for the
benefit of those disciples who rejoice in enumeration, the
principle holy activities are described in the Kalachakra
Tantra as six. The Vajra Panjari Tantra describes eight,
and other sources have various numbers.
Here, according to the Bodhisattva Maitreya's
description in the Uttara Tantra:
The deeds of taking birth:
Transference from Dushita heaven,
39

Entering the mother's womb, taking birth,
Brilliantly learning multiple fields,
Pleasantly enjoying a queen and retinue,
Renunciation, performance of austerity,
Approaching the essence of enlightenment,
Conquering the forces of mara,
Manifesting supreme enlightenment,
Turning the wheel of Dharma, and
Passing beyond sorrow
Will demonstrate abiding in the impure realms,
As long as samsara exists.
Explained according to this quotation, there are twelve
great deeds.
The First Deed of Transference from Dushita
Heaven
The Bodhisattva Noble White Crown, the son of gods,
emanated in Dushita heaven where he taught the
Dharma upon lion thrones in heavenly palaces to
retinues of numberless gods. When the time arrived to
tame sentient beings in Jambudivipa, our Lord Teacher's
previous aspirations and the blessing of the Buddhas of
the ten directions brought to his mind these verses in the
sound of musical instruments:
Possessor of vast merit, myriad heaps, awareness,
Realization, limitless intelligence, luminous wisdom,
Unsurpassed power, and vast skill,
Remember the prophesy of Dipamkara.
He was requested with these and other verses.
At that time, a son of the gods emanated as a Brahman
vedic sage, and taught the Vedas to the people of
Jambudivipa, saying: "Anyone who possesses thus and
40
A Commentary
such perfect major and minor marks will become either a
universal emperor or a perfectly enlightened Buddha."
The sage taught the people to recite thus. Also, a voice
was heard saying: "Twelve years from now, the
Bodhisattva will enter the womb."
When the Pratyeka Buddhas heard these words, five
hundred who were dwelling in the area of Varanasi flew
into the sky, entered the fire element, cremated their own
bodies, and their relics fell to the ground at a place which
became known as Sages' Descent.
When the Buddha intended to descend to
Jambudivipa, he had five visions: of place, time, clan,
caste, and mother. When these five visions occurred, he
taught the gods the Dharma which can purify
transference during death. He placed his crown on the
head of Maitreya Bodhisattva, saying:
"Friends,
Maitreya Bodhisattva will teach the Dharma to you. As
for me, I will go to Jambudivipa for the benefit of beings
there."
Hearing this, the gods were not happy, saying: Holy
teacher, if you do not dwell here, Dushita heaven will lose
its beauty. Jambudivipa is deluded by eighteen heretical
teachers, Osung Zoji and the rest. It is not a proper place
for a Bodhisattva to dwell."
When they supplicated thus, the Bodhisattva replied:
"Just as one lion can overpower other animals, and a
single sun can outshine the other planets and dispel
darkness, I will overpower all others." He replied with
these and other words, intending to depart.
Thinking about the appropriate form in which to enter
the womb, Noble Dignity, a son of the gods remarked:
"According to the Brahman Vedas, you should embark in
the form of an elephant."
When he embarked, eight hundred thousand sons and
daughters of the gods of the desire realms gathered, and
41

the Bodhisattva manifested the transference from
Dushita Heaven. Inconceivable clouds of music and other
things were offered.
The Second Deed of Entering the Mother's Womb
On the fifteenth day of the month of Vesak, during the
ascent of the victory constellation, at midnight the
Bodhisattva entered the womb of Mayadevi through her
right side, while she was performing poshada practice.
He manifested the form of a noble elephant calf, the color
of silver, snow, or water lilies. Meanwhile, eight
auspicious preliminary signs occurred in the palace of
King Shuddodana. At that time, the mother dreamed:
Completely covered by a golden net, crowned with
red,
Clearly displaying six white tusks,
The color of conch shells, snow, or silver,
I see an excellent elephant entering my body.
Such an entrance, my body and mind
Have never seen, heard, or experienced before.
It comforts me with extreme bliss,
Like resting in the state of samadhi.
The mother's womb was blessed as a jeweled sanctum
in which the Bodhisattva dwelt. As he grew, gods from
the Realm of the Thirty-Three and other heavenly
abodes, as well as thirty-six million men and gods
matured. The Bodhisattva dwelt thus for ten months
enjoying uncontaminated bliss.
The Third Deed of Taking Birth
When ten months were completed, thirty-two auspicious
signs, such as the blooming of buds, occurred. King
42
A Commentary
Shuddodana had Lumbini Garden beautified as
pleasantly as a heavenly realm.
Arriving there, the mother stood grasping the branch
of a plaksa tree, and the Bodhisattva emerged from the
right side of her body, unstained by birth from a womb.
He shone brilliantly, adorned with raiments and
ornaments. Gods strewed flowers, Brahma and Indra
received him in a kashika cloth, and Nanda and
Upananda offered bathing water from the sky. The
Bodhisattva spoke: "Koushika, let me set forth." He
walked seven steps to the east and the other five
directions, while proclaiming that he would become
peerless among the three worlds of existence. Where ever
he stepped, a lotus arose.
Meanwhile, other auspicious signs appeared, light
pervaded every direction, the earth quaked, and the
sound of celestial music was heard in the sky. Princes
were born to the four kings of the four directions; five
hundred sons of noble family were born; eight hundred
daughters, including Yasodhara, were born; five hundred
servants including Chandaka were born; twenty
thousand foals including Kanthaka, were born; and ten
thousand calves were born. In the center of the realm,
the Bodhi tree sprouted, five hundred treasure chests
arose from the soil, and five hundred gardens appeared.
Because all these auspicious signs occurred, King
Shuddodana named his son "Siddhartha," which means
"Accomplishment of All Goals." The father showed his
son to a prophet, who said: "If he remains in the palace,
he will become a universal emperor. If he leaves the
palace, he will become a perfectly enlightened Buddha."
Later, when the family went to worship the god of the
Shakya clan, known as Yaksha Increase of the Shakyas,
the god prostrated to the feet of the young Bodhisattva.
Because of this, the Bodhisattva was called "God of
43

Gods." He sat among the wild Shakya clan like a sage,
therefore he was called "Shakyamuni," or Sage of the
Shakyas.
Seven days after his birth, the Bodhisattva's mother
departed this earth to take birth in the Realm of the
Thirty Three. The youth was given to Maha Prajnapati
Gautami, with thirty two nurses to care for him.
The great miraculous signs of the birth of the
Bodhisattva caused Asita, who lived on Mount Himavat,
to apprehend the Bodhisattva through his five
clairvoyances. To see the Bodhisattva, he flew from the
mountain to Kapilavastu. Approaching the city, his
miraculous ability to fly declined, and he walked to the
palace.
After meeting the prince, he told King
Shuddodana: "Because he possesses the stainless thirtytwo major marks, you should be aware that two but not
three circumstances may occur. He will become either a
universal emperor, or the most perfectly enlightened
being in the world. Among these two, it appears that he
will not appreciate desire objects, and so he will certainly
become an enlightened Buddha."
Thus he prophesied.
The Fourth Deed of Brilliantly Learning Multiple
Fields
When the youth grew somewhat, he was sent to
Visvamitra, the teacher of children, together with ten
thousand other Shakya children. There, the Bodhisattva
named sixty-four different Brahman scripts, and asked:
"O teacher, which of these shall I learn?" The teacher was
astonished and said:
How wonderful is this pure being,
Learned in all the Shastras,
In the world, following the customs of the world,
44
A Commentary
Nonetheless, he comes to the schoolroom.
He has the knowledge of names of scripts
Which I do not even know,
He knows them thoroughly,
Nonetheless, he comes to the schoolroom.
When studies actually began, when the syllable A was
pronounced, the sound
came out ANITYAH
SARVASAMSKARAH,
"all
aggregates
are
impermanent." When the syllable AA was pronounced,
the sound came out AATMAPARAHITA, "all phenomena
are without self." In addition to these, other sounds
appeared when the other syllables were pronounced. By
the power of the Bodhisattva, the ten thousand Shakya
children learned countless doors of Dharma, and
matured into unsurpassable enlightenment.
Also, the Bodhisattva showed his knowledge of the
scripts of the gods, nagas, gandharvas, and others, and
his comprehensive learning.
The Bodhisattva was sent to learn mathematics from
the great mathematician Shakya Arjuna. From him, he
studied mathematics, archery, swimming, wrestling, and
other various fields of worldly knowledge, and
demonstrated his complete mastery of all of them. A
sutra says:
All the shastras that exist in this human world:
Enumeration, scripts, mathematics, types of
elements,
Limitless disciplines, and arts;
Countless eons ago, he mastered these fields.
Yet, he merely followed the customs of worldly
beings.
45

He matured the minds of countless children to the
excellent vehicle.
Thus he demonstrated his learning.
The Bodhisattva visited a garden where he sat in
meditation under a jambu tree, contemplating the four
samadhis. The tree's shadow did not move beyond the
Bodhisattva's body. At that time, five heretic rishis flew
through the sky, and when they approached the sky
above the Bodhisattva, they were no longer able to fly.
Amazed, they descended and spoke praises of the
Bodhisattva, circumambulating him.
Then they
departed.
The Fifth Deed of Pleasantly Enjoying a Queen and
Retinue
The senior Shakyas gathered to discuss a proposal which
they presented to King Shuddodana. In order that the
lineage of the universal emperor not be broken, the prince
should be encouraged to marry. The father replied: "We
should ask the prince himself." The king and the senior
Shakyas put their request to the prince. The Bodhisattva
described the faults of desire and did not grant their
request.
They requested again and again, and finally, in order
to manifest skillful action; in order to completely mature
sentient beings; in order to demonstrate the removal of
unwholesomeness; and in order to follow the example of
the previous Bodhisattvas the Bodhisattva replied:
Lotuses develop in the midst of a murky swamp.
Kings are venerated in the midst of crowds of people.
When Bodhisattvas gather an excellent retinue,
They place hundreds of millions of beings in
immortality.
46
A Commentary
With these words, he granted their request. He wrote a

letter describing thirty-two qualities suitable for his wife,
and offered it to the king. The king summoned his
brahmin ministers and told them to search for such a
maiden.
The brahmins found Yasodhara, daughter of the
Shakya Dandapani, who possessed all of these good
qualities.
The king sent a messenger to request
Dandapani's daughter in marriage. Shakya Dandapani
replied: "In order to send a daughter from my clan, the
groom must have excellent skill in archery and wrestling.
Because your prince lacks these skills, how can I give my
daughter?
When this was reported to the Bodhisattva, he agreed
to compete with anyone. King Shuddodana sounded a
bell all over the city, announcing a contest of skills in
Kapilavastu, and made preparations.
At the contest, the first challenger was Devadatta.
Near the entrance to the competition area, some people
of Vaishali brought an elephant to offer to the
Bodhisattva. Devadatta killed the elephant with a single
blow of his palm. Sundarananda grasped the elephant by
the tail and threw it outside the gates. The Bodhisattva
approached, lifted up the corpse of the elephant with his
toe, and heaved it outside the seven walls which encircled
the city, a distance of one krosha. Where the body of the
elephant struck the ground, a great hole was made,
which became known as Ditch of the Elephant.
Nanda and Ananda came forward to compete in
wrestling. The mere touch of the Bodhisattva's hand
made them fall to the ground. Next, Devadatta came
forward. The Bodhisattva lifted him with his right hand,
twirled him in the air three times, and again placed him
on the ground.
47

For the archery competition, Ananda set an iron drum
as a target at a distance of two kroshas, Devadatta at four
kroshas, and Sundarananda at six kroshas. Each of their
arrows hit their target, but could go no further. The
young Bodhisattva set an iron drum as a target at a
distance of ten kroshas, put the trunks of seven tala trees
behind it, and put an iron statue of a boar behind them.
The Bodhisattva's arrow pierced all of these, as well as
the ground behind them. The hole in the ground which
the arrow made became known as Arrow Well.
The contest also included tests of literature,
mathematics, jumping, and swimming, and the young
Bodhisattva was the incomparable victor in every
contest. Countless gods and men were completely
satisfied by the amazing demonstrations, and the sound
of their cheering filled the land.
Shakya Dandapani offered his daughter Yasodhara in
marriage. To follow the custom of worldly beings, the
Bodhisattva enjoyed life with Yasodhara and her retinue
of 84,000 young women. Dwelling in the midst of them,
he enjoyed their entertainments, and performed the
benefit of beings.
The Sixth Deed of Renouncing His Kingdom
Thus the Bodhisattva dwelt in the palace. When he
reached the age of twenty-nine, through the blessings of
the Buddhas of the ten directions, musical instruments
sounded in the sky, and these words were heard:
Seeing beings filled with hundreds of sufferings,
Resolving to be a protector and place of refuge for
beings,
Become their excellent benefactor and savior.
Previously, you made such aspirations.
48
A Commentary
Virtuous Courage, recall your previous aspirations
To benefit beings, and your virtuous conduct.
Now is the time to recall your commitment,
Renounce the world now and become a supreme
rishi.
These and other words were heard in the music. With
this, the Bodhisattva's mind focused solely on
renunciation.
The Bodhisattva rode through the eastern gate in his
chariot to see the sights in the gardens outside the palace.
A god from the pure god realm emanated as an extremely
aged and tottering old man, who was suffering extremely.
The Bodhisattva saw this. Likewise, at the southern
gate, he saw a person suffering from illness. At the
western gate, he saw a corpse being carried away, while
the relatives mourned and cried. At the northern gate,
he saw a well-tamed, peaceful monk, who was completely
controlled.
Seeing each of these sights one by one, the Bodhisattva
was reminded of the disadvantages and faults of
remaining in the household life, and the benefit and good
qualities of liberation. He turned his chariot and rode
back to the palace. King Shuddodana heard that these
signs of renunciation had arisen, and advised the queen
and the rest of his retinue that they should be diligent
and exert all efforts that the Bodhisattva not become a
renunciate.
The Bodhisattva thought: "Without receiving my
father's permission, it is not appropriate to renounce the
world. With this in mind, he went to his father one
evening and requested permission. His father refused
three times, but could not dissuade the Bodhisattva.
Finally, the father said: "May you completely accomplish
your wish." Saying thus, he granted permission.
49

The next morning, the news spread to the Shakyas,
and all of them agreed to prevent him from escaping. The
city of Kapilavastu had a gate in each of the four
directions. Five hundred guards were stationed at each
gate which were fitted with special doors that could be
heard at a distance of one krosha, and with bars that
tightly closed them. At each gate, 500 Shakya youths,
500 chariots, and 500 soldiers were stationed. Also, at
every crossroads and intersection, senior warriors were
stationed as guards both day and night.
At that time, a thousand million sons of the gods came
to assist the Bodhisattva. They caused all of the women
and guards to fall deeply asleep, the gates to open
auspiciously, and the horses and elephants to fall silent.
The queen and her retinue were transformed into an
undesirable appearance.
At midnight, the Bodhisattva climbed to the roof of the
palace and prostrated to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
of the ten directions. Indra, four guardian kings, and the
sons of the gods known as Sun and Moon prostrated to
the Bodhisattva.
Perceiving that the victory
constellation had arisen, the Bodhisattva advised his
attendant Chandaka to bring the excellent horse
Kanthaka, decorated with ornaments.
The Bodhisattva mounted the horse, and the four
guardian kings lifted it into the sky while Brahma and
Indra led the way. Millions of sons of gods preceded
them, and in this way, he departed the palace.
At a distance of six yojinas, dawn arose, and the
Bodhisattva alighted. He gave his horse and ornaments
to Chandaka. Before the Cudapratigrahana stupa, he cut
his hair with his sword, which was the color of a blue
utpala flower. The gods of the Realm of Thirty Three
carried the Bodhisattva's holy hair to their land to
become an object of veneration.
50
A Commentary
A son of the gods of the pure realms emanated in the
form of a hunter. He offered saffron-colored robes
suitable to a renunciate monk, and the Bodhisattva
accepted them. In this way, he renounced the world, and
undertook full ordination.
The Seventh Deed of Performing Six Years of
Austerity
To demonstrate to his followers that tremendous
hardship must be performed in order to achieve excellent
enlightenment, first the Bodhisattva approached
Vaishali, where Arada Kalama, the son of
Datrmadandika lived. Arada taught the meditative
absorption of the ayatana of nothingness. After that, in
Rajagrha, he met Rudraka, son of Rama, who taught the
meditative absorption of the ayatana of the tip of
existence. After learning these absorptions, he realized
that they were not methods which could produce
liberation from samsara.
Then the Bodhisattva traveled to Uruvilva. Near the
village, he saw the flat banks of the Nairanjana river,
surrounded by beautiful scenery. In order to refute the
idea in the minds of the beings of Jambudivipa that
negativity can be purified by wrong austerity and
mistaken behavior, for six years the Bodhisattva
performed the meditative absorption of pervading all
space.
During his austerity, some cow herders poked cotton
into his ears and pulled it out through his nose, and
maras tried to trouble him, but nothing could disturb his
meditation. Five attendants came to serve him, but he
accepted only one sesame seed, one grain of rice, and a
juniper berry.
The Bodhisattva wore a namjar upper robe made of
pieces of cloth found in the cemetery and sewn together.
51

His colored upper and lower robes were offered by
Vimalapraba, a son of the gods.
One morning the Bodhisattva walked to the village.
There, at the advice of the gods, Sujata, the daughter of
a farmer, collected milk from a thousand cows,
concentrated it seven times, mixed it with fresh rice
cooked in a newly made pot, and offered it to the
Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva accepted her offering, and
ate well. He threw the golden bowl into the river, where
it was taken by Sagara, king of the nagas. The god Indra
begged the golden bowl and took it away to the Realm of
the Thirty Three.
The five attendants, feeling disrespect, departed. The
nutritious food restored the Bodhisattva's dignity,
increased his radiance, and the signs of a great being
such as the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks
clearly appeared. Also, a golden halo one arm span in
width appeared around his body.
The Eighth Deed of Approaching the Essence of
Enlightenment
When the Bodhisattva approached the Bodhi Tree to
subjugate mara, through the power of the gods, a gentle
wind and rain cleansed the path. The mountains, trees,
plants, and even newborn babies bowed their heads in
that direction. Great Brahma, lord of the three worlds of
existence, advised his retinue to arrange offerings.
When the rays of light from the Bodhisattva's body
touched them, every sentient being purified their
negative emotions and suffering, and all faults of the
container were cleansed.
On the right side of the road, the grass seller Svastika
was cutting kusa grass. The Bodhisattva spoke to him:
Svastika! Quickly give me kusa grass.
52
A Commentary
Today that grass will be of great benefit to me.
By subjugating Mara and his hosts,
I will reach the peace of excellent enlightenment.
Svastika offered the Bodhisattva very soft, green, kusa
grass.
The Bodhisattva circumambulated the Bodhi Tree
seven times, and placed the grass as a cushion, with the
tips inward. He sat in full meditation posture, facing the
east, made his body very straight, and mindfully
contemplated, making this commitment:
Here on this cushion, my body may shrivel,
Skin, bones, and flesh may dissolve,
Until reaching enlightenment, so difficult to attain
in many eons,
My body will not move from this cushion.
Gods surrounded the Bodhisattva in each of the ten
directions to protect him. From between the eyebrows of
the Bodhisattva, inconceivable rays of light emanated,
and illuminated immeasurable realms.
Countless
Bodhisattvas gathered, making offerings and praising
him.
The Ninth Deed of Conquering the Forces of Mara
Rays of light known as Complete Conquering of Mara and
All His Hosts emanated from between the Bodhisattva's
eyebrows.
This shook the realm of the maras,
overpowered their dignity and radiance, and they became
enfeebled. These verses were heard:
The completely pure being who has performed
actions for many eons,
53

Son of Shuddodana, who completely abandoned the
kingdom,
To benefit beings produced the desire to manifest
immortality.
To make great effort, today he nears the Bodhi
Tree.
Thirty-two inauspicious dreams occurred to the leader
of mara. Displeased, he summoned his retinue. In order
to subjugate the Bodhisattva, he gathered a huge army
of fearsome maras, yakshas, kumbhandas, mahoragas,
rakshas, pretas, pisacas, and skeletons. There were also
ferocious maras who made one's hair stand on end; maras
with heads, hands, and legs numbering from one to a
thousand bearing various weapons in their hands; other
maras with the heads of tigers, snakes, boars, elephants,
horses, donkeys, camels, monkeys, lions, and bears; and
others with the heads of various other animals. Other
maras had hair which stuck straight up and flames came
from their mouths and eyes.
Mara's army completely encircled the Bodhisattva for
eighty yojinas, and threw a storm of weapons at him. All
of the weapons turned to a shower of flowers, so there was
nothing they could do. Mara spoke to the Bodhisattva:
"Can you reach liberation through that much merit?" The
Bodhisattva replied:
Mara Papiyan, if through a single offering, you
became head of the empire of desire,
I have unceasingly made many millions of offerings.
Mara replied: You were the witness to my offering,
but you have no witness.
The Bodhisattva touched the ground with his right
hand and spoke:
54
A Commentary
This earth is the base for every being,

Equally for the animate and inanimate, whether
near or far,
This is my witness that I do not lie.
This earth shall be my witness to you.
As soon as the Bodhisattva uttered these words, the
earth trembled with six quakes. From a fissure appeared
Sthavara, goddess of the earth. The upper half of her
body was adorned with ornaments. She said:
Great Being, it is just so.
It is indeed as you have declared.
This is true by me.
Yet you, Bhagwan are the witness of all beings and
gods.
Thus she spoke and disappeared. Mara Papiyan felt
extremely disappointed and mortified.
Mara sent his daughters, who skillfully demonstrated
thirty-two types of cunning and deception, but could not
wave even the tip of one of the Bodhisattva's hairs.
Finally, they paid homage to the Bodhisattva and left.
Again, the forces gathered and threw a multitude of
weapons, but the outcome was the same as before. The
demons became completely confused and lost their way.
Scattered, they took a week to find each other. During
this time, countless demons turned their minds toward
enlightenment.
The Tenth Deed of Manifesting Supreme
Enlightenment
In the early part of the night, the Bodhisattva
contemplated the four samadhi.
At midnight, he
55

developed all clairvoyances. During the later part of the
night, near dawn, when the city's drum was about to
sound, the Bodhisattva actualized the twelve links of
interdependent origination and the Four Noble Truths.
The moment after that, through his uncontaminated
primordial wisdom, he achieved perfect enlightenment,
Buddhahood, the state of the Great Kingdom of Dharma.
The Buddha rose to a height of seven tala trees and
declared:
The chain is broken, the emotions stilled.
The stream of impurities is dry and runs no more.
As the chain is destroyed, suffering is ended.
The gods showered flowers to the height of ones knees
and venerated him. Great luminous light pervaded all
the worlds of existence. The bodies and minds of all
beings touched by that light were pervaded by bliss, and
the earth quaked with six motions. The Buddhas of the
ten directions praised him:
Just as we became Buddhas,
In the same way, you have become a Buddha.
Like the essence of one butter,
Which is the same as the essence of other butter.
The Bodhisattva proclaimed:
Merit results in happiness and dispels suffering.
Possessing merit, humans accomplish their wishes,
Conquer demons, actualize the enlightenment of
Buddhahood,
Pass beyond sorrow, and attain the stage of calm.
56
A Commentary
Thus he spoke. The sons and daughters of the gods of the
desire realm, even the demons, and all beings praised
him with a multitude of verses. A shower of flowers and
other inconceivable things were offered from the ten
directions.
The Eleventh Deed of Turning the Wheel of Dharma
In this way, the Buddha attained complete and perfect
enlightenment, Buddhahood. During the first week, he
did not move from meditation posture, and his gaze
remained fixed on the Bodhi Tree. During the second
week, he traveled long distances throughout the threethousand worlds of existence. During the third week,
again he gazed unblinkingly at the Bodhi Tree. During
the fourth week, he traveled short distances between the
eastern and western oceans. Mara requested the Buddha
to pass into nirvana, but the Buddha did not grant Mara's
wish, stating that he would not enter nirvana until he
had accomplished the benefit of beings.
During the fifth week, the Buddha resided with the
King of Nagas, Mucilinda. During the sixth week, the
Buddha stayed beneath a nyagrodha tree. During the
seventh week, the Buddha stayed beneath the tree of the
cause of liberation.
At that time, two merchants, Trapusa and Bhallika
collected honey, sugar crystals, and beverages and
offered them to the Buddha. The Buddha reflected upon
what type of container the previous Buddhas had used to
take their food. The four guardian kings brought a stone
alms bowl. The Buddha blessed it and accepted food in
the bowl. Again the two merchants collected milk from a
thousand cows, concentrated it into cream, put it in a
precious container, and offered it. The Buddha accepted
the milk, but left the container where it lay. Later,
Brahma, the king of the gods, took the container as an
57

object of veneration. The Buddha prophesied that the
two merchants would become Buddhas known as
Madhusambhava, Source of Honey.
The Buddha manifested the appearance of
disappointment and spoke:
Deep, peaceful, away from all extremes, clearly
luminous, and uncompounded;
I have found the nectar-like Dharma
Which cannot be understood by anyone to whom it
is shown,
So I should remain alone and silent in the forest.
Although through his compassion, he did not abandon
beings blinded by ignorance, in order to show that the
wheel of Dharma is not turned without request, he
proclaimed:
Possessing limitless compassion for all worldly
beings,
I will not teach if requested by another.
These beings are devoted to Brahma.
If he requests, I will turn the wheel of Dharma.
Thus he spoke.
Light rays issued from between the Bodhisattva's
eyebrows, and illuminated all the worlds of existence.
Realizing this, Brahma with his crown of hair descended
with a retinue of sixty-eight hundred thousand and
prostrated to the feet of the Tathagata. Folding his
hands, he supplicated:
The wealth of noble ones treasured by sentient
beings
Is able to give breath to millions of living beings.
58
A Commentary
Not to teach for their benefit and to remain silent
Is not appropriate for the central pillar of beings.
Brahma supplicated with these and many other verses.
Again Brahma reappeared with Indra and
emphatically supplicated the Buddha. Again, Brahma
offered the Buddha a golden wheel with a thousand
spokes and supplicated him. Thus Brahma with the
crown of hair requested thrice. Finally, the Buddha
accepted his request to turn the wheel of Dharma for the
sake of uncertain beings.
The Buddha intended to first teach the Dharma to
beings with only a little of the three poisons, who were
easy to tame. But Rudraka had passed away seven days
ago, and Arada Kalama had passed away three days ago.
The Buddha saw that his five attendants would be
suitable to receive the Dharma. Therefore, he set out for
Kasika. Seeing him from afar, the five attendants
agreed: "The sage Gautama, the lax one, the one who
eats a lot, whose abstinence has declined, is approaching.
When he arrives, we should not stand, we should not
prostrate. If he sits, we will just give him one of our extra
cushions."
However, Kaundinya did not mentally approve of this.
When the Tathagata came near, their agreement
naturally dissolved. They stood up, and some welcomed
him, others prepared cushions, others brought water to
wash his feet, and thus they requested him to be seated.
The Tathagata spoke pleasantly and delighted the five
disciples. They spoke to him asking: "Ayusmat, your
sense organs are clear, and your complexion is completely
pure. Have you actualized superior primordial wisdom?"
The Buddha replied: "Monks, do not address the
Tathagata as Ayusmat, as it will cause you to experience
unhappiness for a long time. I have found the elixir of
59

immortality and attained Buddhahood.
I am an
omniscient teacher. Didn't you make such and such an
agreement when I approached? Monks, come forward. I
will teach you the Dharma. Listen to it, and practice
assiduously."
He spoke these and other words. The minute the
Tathagata uttered them, all the signs that the disciples
were heretics disappeared, and their appearance became
as monks who had been ordained for hundreds of years.
They confessed their fault, and developed respect.
The Buddha reflected upon the location at which the
previous Buddhas turned the wheel of Dharma. A
thousand precious thrones appeared in Varanasi.
Arriving there, the Buddha circumambulated the three
previous thrones, and sat upon the fourth in full
meditation posture. The five disciples prostrated to the
Buddha's feet and sat in front of him.
Limitless rays of light emanated from the Bhagwan
Buddha's body and illuminated all the worlds of existence
in the ten directions. With countless Bodhisattvas,
Brahma, Indra, and the four direction guardians at their
head, innumerable holy beings from the ten directions
gathered. All circumambulated and prostrated to the
Buddha, making inconceivable offerings. They requested
him to turn the wheel of Dharma.
The Bhagwan Buddha spoke first to the five
attendants: "Monks, enter neither of the two extremes,
neither the extreme of desire in which merit declines, nor
the extreme of fatigue and exhaustion. Therefore,
abandon these two extremes and abide in the middle
path. The Tathagata will teach this Dharma. This
Dharma is the following: the Eightfold Noble Path.
Monks, also these are the Four Noble Truths. If one asks
what they are, they are: suffering, source of arising,
cessation, and path."
60
A Commentary
In this way, the first time, the Buddha taught the
nature of the Four Noble Truths. Immediately, Ajnanta
Kaundinya attained the path of seeing.
Again the Buddha spoke: "Monks, thoroughly
understand suffering, abandon the source of arising,
actualize cessation of suffering, and have one's mind rely
upon the path, by which suffering ceases."
In this way, the second time, the Buddha taught the
functions of the Four Noble Truths.
Immediately
Kaundinya attained Arhathood, and the four others,
Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji attained the
path of seeing.
The third time, the Buddha spoke: "Monks, suffering
was completely understood, the source of arising was
abandoned, cessation was actualized, and one's mental
continuum relied upon the path."
In this way, the third time, the Buddha taught the
completion of the Four Noble Truths. The other four
disciples achieved Arhathood. Thus the Buddha uttered
the Four Noble Truths three times and turned twelve
aspects of the wheel of Dharma. Through this, the five
attendants achieved Arhathood, and eighty thousand
gods and countless others achieved the path of seeing.
The sons of wealthy merchants in Varanasi known as
Yasa, Punnaji, Vimala, Gavampati, and Subahu became
his five close disciples, were ordained and achieved
Arhathood. Then fifty sons of the leaders of the town
were ordained and they achieved Arhathood. Through
this, there came to be sixty Arhats.
Uruvela Kassapa, who was 120 years old with 500
attendants, and his brothers known as Nadi Kassapa and
Gaya Kassapa, who each had 250 attendants were all
ordained by the Buddha, who said to them: "Come
forward." They all achieved Arhathood, and then the
number of Arhats in the world exceeded one thousand.
61

In this way, the place of the first Turning of the Wheel
of Dharma was the area of Varanasi, mainly for the five
disciples and others.
The primary subject of the
teachings was the Four Noble Truths, and the duration
was six or seven years.
The place of the second Turning of the Wheel of
Dharma was the area of Vulture Peak, mainly for
Mahayana disciples.
The primary subject of the
teachings was signlessness, and the duration of the
teachings was thirty years.
The place of the third Turning of the Wheel of the
Dharma was in Vaishali, for uncertain disciples. The
primary subject of the teachings was selected excellent
topics, and the duration was seven years. In this way,
countless beings were liberated.
The Twelfth Deed of Manifesting Passing Beyond
Sorrow
The Noble Golden Rays Sutra states:
The Buddha does not enter nirvana,
Also, the Dharma never disappears.
But to completely mature sentient beings,
Entry into parinirvana is demonstrated.
Thus it says.
In reality, inconceivable eons ago, the Bhagwan
Buddha already attained the stage of complete victory
over the four maras, and therefore had no sorrow to pass
beyond. However, in order to avert beings' clinging to the
concept of permanence, and to overcome their laziness,
and due to the wishes of some inferior beings that the
Buddha no longer appear before their eyes, the Buddha
merely enacted the words of passing beyond sorrow.
62
A Commentary
When the Buddha reached the age of 80, when he was
close to entering nirvana, in order to remind Ananda of
the need to request that he not enter nirvana, the Buddha
said: "Those who have meditated long on the Four
Miracle Legs, can remain for an eon or longer if they
desire." These and other words he thrice stated.
However, obscured by Mara, Ananda heard nothing.
Secretly, Mara Papiyan requested the Buddha to enter
nirvana, and the Buddha accepted his request. Then, the
upasika Cunda, son of a smith, offered food to the
Buddha, and requested him not to enter nirvana. The
Buddha granted his request and promised to remain for
three more months. Thus, the Buddha renounced the
remainder of his life, yet blessed beings by remaining
alive. At that time, the earth shook, stars fell, and many
other signs occurred. Through this, Ananda realized that
the Bhagwan Buddha had renounced the remainder of
his life. Again and again, he requested the Buddha to
remain, but the Buddha did not grant his request.
Gradually, teaching the Dharma, and liberating
countless disciples, the Buddha traveled toward
Kushinagar, the land of the Malas. Nearing there,
between twin sala trees, the Malas prepared a throne for
him. Upon that, the Buddha reclined upon his right side,
and stretched his legs straight, with the left leg upon the
right, intending to pass beyond sorrow. He continued to
teach the Dharma to the Malas.
The last disciples of his physical form were the king of
gandarvas, Sunanda, and the wanderer Subaddha. They
approached the Buddha and received Dharma teaching,
and his blessings. Seeing the truth, they achieved
Arhathood. Being unable to bear seeing the Buddha
enter nirvana, they passed away before the Buddha.
The Bhagwan Buddha taught his four types of
disciples a summary of the precepts, and cut their doubts
63

concerning the Three Jewels and the Four Noble Truths.
On the fifteenth of the Vesak month, he demonstrated
the passing beyond sorrow.
Then for one week, Ananda made preparations and
arrangements for the cremation of the holy body. The
great Shravaka Kaundinya, Kulji, Tenth Power
Kasshapa, and Maha Kasshapa gathered and wrapped
his holy body with five hundred cloths, placed it inside an
iron vessel filled with butter, and covered it. With
veneration and respect, they placed this upon a pile of
scented wood.
The fire naturally blazed up without being lit, and
burned continuously for seven days. After that, the fire
was extinguished by water mixed with milk, and the
vessel was opened. The vessel was completely filled with
relics like sesame seeds. These were divided into eight
parts and given to the kings who had gathered from the
various directions, with the advice that they build stupas
to contain them in their individual lands. Also, two
stupas were built to contain the vessel and the ashes from
the fire, and four were built to contain the four eyeteeth.
The holy deeds of the excellent lion of the Shakyas,
Are known only by the primordial wisdom of the
Buddhas.
Nevertheless, for those who intend to gain merit,
I summarize this according to the words of the holy
teachers.
Birth, enlightenment, teaching, and parinirvana,
Should be proclaimed in the future to the devoted.
Thus the excellent Buddha spoke before entering
nirvana.
Devotedly venerating these words, this was written
to the best of my ability.
64
A Commentary
May the virtue arising from this, like the cool light
of the autumn moon,
Dispel the suffering of the mental fever and
darkness of all beings.
May devotion and the benevolent thought of the
Buddha and his doctrine,
And the kuna flower grove of liberation be
developed.
This text, Key to the Door of Liberation, which is a brief
explanation focusing primarily on the twelve wonderful,
excellent holy deeds of our Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, is
based on the teachings received from my greatly kind
teacher Dosep Thupten Gyaltsen, and many other holy
teachers. Written by Kunga Wangchuk, disciple of holy
teachers and renunciate of mundane activities, so as to
be easy for small minded beginners like myself to
understand. It was written in 1991, in the Tibetan year
2117, seventeenth rabjong, iron sheep year, at the
Dzongsar Institute in Bir, and abbreviated from texts
written by earlier scholars.
Translated into English and edited by Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen
and Chodrung-ma Kunga Chodron in 1995 at Sakya Phuntsok Ling
in Washington DC. By the merit of this, may all beings reach the stage
of Buddhahood.
65
Tsechen Kunchab Ling

www.sakyatemple.org 301-906-3378

Buddha's 12 Noble Deeds and Spiritual Journey

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Book 3

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Tsechen Kunchab Ling Publications

Tsechen Kunchab Ling Publications

Printed in May 2015

This booklet was prepared by Khenpo Kalsangs devoted

There is no charge for this book. Donations to the publication

Praise of the Twelve Deeds of Lord Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

A Commentary on the Great Deeds of the

Praise of the Twelve Deeds of Lord Buddha

Prostrations to you, Incomparable One, who as a

Prostrations to you who then quickly looked upon beings

perfection you possess, may I and others also become

Jig ten chot dang thun par cha wa dang

Le lo chen nam nyur du kul wai chir

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Shakya gyalpo khet ku chi dra dang

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Descent from Tushita heaven.

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Descent from heaven

And three deeds performed as a Buddha:

Turning the wheel of dharma

According to the traditional explanation upon which

Descent from Tushita heaven.

Explanation of the Twelve Deeds

Deeds accomplished as a Buddha:

Transcribed by Khenpo Kalsangs devoted student Kevin Lyons.

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Commentary on the Great Deeds of the

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

With these words, he granted their request. He wrote a

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

Great Deeds of the Buddha

This earth is the base for every being,