List of the named Buddhas in the Pali Canon

This article is about Buddhas identified in the Theravadan Pali Canon. For for a list of Buddhas identified in the Sanskrit Mahayana traditions, see 1002 buddhas of this Fortunate Aeon.

An alter at the Sule Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar, depicting the 28 Buddhas described in the Buddhavamsa

Sumedha, the youth who would after many reincarnations become Gautama Buddha, receiving his niyatha vivarana (prediction of future Buddhahood) from Dīpankara Buddha

Within the Theravadan Pali Canon, there are two well-known lists of Buddhas. The earlier texts of the canon identify seven buddhas, known as The Seven Buddhas of Antiquity (Saptatathāgata). A later text, the Buddhavamsa, identifies a total of twenty-eight buddhas.

Other texts identify the future buddha Maitreya, who will appear on earth as a successor to Gautama Buddha. Thus, a total of twenty-nine buddhas are identified in traditional Pali texts.

The Seven Buddhas of Antiquity

In the earliest strata of Pali Buddhist texts, especially in the first four Nikayas, only the following seven buddhas, called The Seven Buddhas of Antiquity (Saptatathāgata), are explicitly mentioned and named:

1. Vipassī
2. Sikhī
3. Vessabhū
4. Kakusandha
5. Koṇāgamana
6. Kassapa
7. Gautama

According to tradition, these seven buddhas are a bridge between two kalpas: the vyūhakalpa ("glorious eon") and the bhadrakalpa ("fortunate eon"). The first three buddhas in the list are the last buddhas of the vyūhakalpa, and the next four buddhas are the first buddhas of the bhadrakalpa:

1. Vipassī (the 998th Buddha of the vyuhakalpa)
2. Sikhī (the 999th Buddha of the vyuhakalpa)
3. Vessabhū (the 1000th and final Buddha of the vyuhakalpa)
4. Kakusandha (the first Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
5. Koṇāgamana (the second Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
6. Kassapa (the third Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
7. Gautama (the fourth and present Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)

The Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Sutta from the Digha Nikaya also mentions that following the Seven Buddhas of Antiquity, a Buddha named Maitreya is predicted to arise in the world.

Seven Buddhas engraving a Sachi

"The Seven Buddhas", at Sanchi (1st century BCE/CE).

In the engraving of "The Seven Buddhas", at Sanchi, six Buddhas of the past are represented, together with the current Buddha, Gautama Buddha, with his Bodhi Tree (at the extreme right). In the central section of the engraving are three stupas alternating with four trees with thrones in front of them, adored by figures both human and divine. These represent six Buddhas of the past (namely: Vipassī Buddha, Sikhī Buddha, Vessabhū Buddha, Kakusandha Buddha, Koṇāgamana Buddha and Kassapa Buddha) with the current Buddha, Gautama Buddha. Three are symbolized by their stupas, and four by the trees under which each respectively attained enlightenment. The tree on the extreme right is the pipal tree of Gautama Buddha and the one next to it is the banyan tree of Kassapa Buddha. The identification of the others is less certain.

The Buddhavamsa

Main article: Buddhavamsa

The Buddhavamsa includes brief biographies of twenty-five buddhas: Gauatama Buddha and the twenty-four buddhas who preceded him. This text also identifies three more buddhas who proceded the group of twenty-five--thus, identifying a total of twenty-eight.

In countries where Theravāda Buddhism is practiced by the majority of people, such as Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, it is customary for Buddhists to hold elaborate festivals, especially during the fair weather season, paying homage to the 28 buddhas described in the Buddhavamsa.

Many Buddhists also pay homage to the future Buddha, Maitreya.

The 29 named Buddhas

The following list of twenty-nine buddhas includes the 28 buddhas identified in the Buddhavamsa plus the future buddha, Buddha Maitreya. Thus, this list includes:

• the three buddhas who lived before Dīpankara Buddha—Taṇhaṅkara, Medhaṅkara, and Saraṇaṅkara
• Dīpankara Buddha - the Buddha who gave niyatha vivarana (prediction of future Buddhahood) to the Brahmin youth who would become Gautama Buddha.
• Twenty-three more buddhas who appear after Dipanakara and before Gautama Buddha
• Gautama Buddha
• Maitreya Buddha

	Pāli name	Sanskrit name	Caste	Birthplace	Parents	Bodhi tree	Incarnation of Gautama
1	Taṇhaṅkara	Tṛṣṇaṃkara	Kshatriya	Popphavadi	King Sunandha, and Queen Sunandhaa	Rukkaththana
2	Medhaṅkara	Medhaṃkara		Yaghara	Sudheva, and Yasodhara	Kaela
3	Saraṇaṅkara	Śaraṇaṃkara		Vipula	Sumangala, and Yasawathi	Pulila
4	Dīpaṃkara	Dīpaṃkara	Brahmin	Rammawatinagara	Sudheva, and Sumedhaya	Pipphala	Sumedha (also Sumati or Megha Mānava, a rich Brahman)
5	Koṇḍañña	Kauṇḍinya	Kshatriya	Rammawatinagara	Sunanda, and Sujata	Salakalyana	Vijitawi (a Chakravarti in Chandawatinagara of Majjhimadesa)
6	Maṅgala	Maṃgala	Brahmin	Uttaranagara (Majhimmadesa)	Uttara, and Uttara	a naga	Suruchi (in Siribrahmano)
7	Sumana	Sumanas	Kshatriya	Mekhalanagara	Sudassana and Sirima	a naga	King Atulo, a Naga
8	Revata	Raivata	Brahmin	Sudhannawatinagara	Vipala and Vipula	a naga	A Veda-versed Brahman
9	Sobhita	Śobhita	Kshatriya	Sudhammanagara	Sudhammanagara (father) and Sudhammanagara (mother)	a naga	Sujata, a Brahman (in Rammavati)
10	Anomadassi	Anavamadarśin	Brahmin	Chandawatinagara	Yasava and Yasodara	ajjuna	A Yaksha king
11	Paduma	Padma	Kshatriya	Champayanagara	Asama, and Asama	salala	A lion
12	Nārada	Nārada		Dhammawatinagara	King Sudheva and Anopama	sonaka	a tapaso in Himalayas
13	Padumuttara	Padmottara	Kshatriya	Hansawatinagara	Anurula, and Sujata	salala	Jatilo an ascetic
14	Sumedha	Sumedha	Kshatriya	Sudasananagara	Sumedha (father), and Sumedha (mother)	nipa	Native of Uttaro
15	Sujāta	Sujāta		Sumangalanagara	Uggata, and Pabbavati	welu	a chakravarti
16	Piyadassi	Priyadarśin		Sudannanagara	Sudata, and Subaddha	kakudha	Kassapa, a Brahmin (at Siriwattanagara)
17	Atthadassi	Arthadarśin	Kshatriya	Sonanagara	Sagara and Sudassana	champa	Susino, a Brahman
18	Dhammadassī	Dharmadarśin	Kshatriya	Surananagara	Suranamaha, and Sunanada	bimbajala	Indra, the leader of the gods (devas)
19	Siddhattha	Siddhārtha		Vibharanagara	Udeni, and Suphasa	kanihani	Mangal, a Brahman
20	Tissa	Tiṣya		Khemanagara	Janasando, and Paduma	assana	King Sujata of Yasawatinagara
21	Phussa	Puṣya	Kshatriya	Kāśi	Jayasena, and Siremaya	amalaka	Vijitavi
22	Vipassī	Vipaśyin	Kshatriya	Bandhuvatinagara	Vipassi (father), and Vipassi (mother)	patali	King Atula
23	Sikhī	Śikhin	Kshatriya	Arunavattinagara	Arunavatti, and Paphavatti	pundariko	Arindamo (at Paribhuttanagara)
24	Vessabhū	Viśvabhū	Kshatriya	Anupamanagara	Suppalittha, and Yashavati	sala	Sadassana (in Sarabhavatinagara)
25	Kakusandha	Krakucchanda	Brahmin	Khemavatinagara	Agidatta the purohitta Brahman of King Khema, and Visakha	airisa	King Khema
26	Koṇāgamana	Kanakamuni	Brahmin	Sobhavatinagara	Yannadatta the Brahman, and Uttara	udumbara	King Pabbata of a mountainous area in Mithila
27	Kassapa	Kāśyapa	Brahmin	Baranasinagara	Brahmadatta a Brahman, and Dhanavati	nigroda	Jotipala (at Vappulla)
28	Gotama (current)	Gautama (current)	Kshatriya	Lumbini	King Suddhodana, and Maya	Asatu Bodhi	Gautama, the Buddha
29	Metteyya	Maitreya	Brahmin	Ketumatī	Subrahma and Brahmavati	Naga Bodhi

See also

• 1002 buddhas of this Fortunate Aeon
• Bhadrakalpikasutra
• Buddhist deities
• Thirty-five Confession Buddhas
• Five Tathagatas

References

• Beal, S (1875). The romantic legend of Sâkya Buddha: from the Chinese-Sanscrit. London: Trubner & Company, Ludgate Hill. 
• Malalasekera, GP (2007). Dictionary of Pāli proper names. Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited. ISBN 978-81-208-3020-2. 
• Buswell Jr., RE; Lopez Jr., DS (2014). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (1st ed.). Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 106, 776. ISBN 978-0-691-15786-3. 
• Morris, R, ed. (1882). "XXVII: List of the Buddhas". The Buddhavamsa. London: Pali Text Society. pp. 66–7. 

Further reading

• Law, BC, ed. (1938). "The lineage of the Buddhas". The Minor Anthologies of the Pali Canon: Buddhavaṃsa, the lineage of the Buddhas, and Cariyā-Piṭaka or the collection of ways of conduct (1st ed.). London: Milford. 
• Takin, MV, ed. (1969). "The lineage of the Buddhas". The Genealogy of the Buddhas (1st ed.). Bombay: Bombay University Publications. 
• Vicittasarabivamsa, U (1992). "Chapter IX: The chronicle of twenty-four Buddhas". In Ko Lay, U; Tin Lwin, U. The great chronicle of Buddhas, Volume One, Part Two (PDF) (1st ed.). Yangon, Myanmar: Ti=Ni Publishing Center. pp. 130–321. 

External links

• https://suttacentral.net/bv