• Vipassī

The nineteenth of the twenty four Buddhas. He was born in the Khema park in Bandhumatī, his father being Bandhumā and his mother Bandhumatī. He belonged to the Kondañña gotta. For eight thousand years he lived as a householder in three palaces: Nanda, Sunanda and Sirimā. His body was eighty cubits in height. His wife was Sutanā (v.l. Sudassanā) and his son Samavattakkhandha. He left the household in a chariot and practised austerities for eight months. Just before his enlightenment, the daughter of Sudassana setthi gave him milk rice, while a yavapālaka named Sujāta gave grass for his seat. His bodhi was a pātali tree. He preached his first sermon in Khemamigadāya to his step brother Khandha and his purohita's son Tissa; these two later became his chief disciples. His constant attendant was Asoka; Candā and Candamittā were his chief women disciples. His chief lay patrons were Punabbasummitta and Nāga among men, and Sirimā and Uttarā among women. He died in Sumittārāma at the age of eighty thousand, and his relics were enshrined in a thūpa seven leagues in height. The Bodhisatta was a Nāga king named Atula. (Bu.xx.1ff.; BuA.195f.; D.ii.2ff).

Three reasons are given for the name of this Buddha (BuA.195; cf. DA.ii.454; SA.ii.15): (1) Because he could see as well by night as by day; (2) because he had broad eyes; (3) because he could see clearly after investigation. Vipassī held the uposatha only once in seven years (DhA.iii.236), but on such occasions the whole Sangha was present (Sp.i.186). The construction of a Gandhakuti for Vipassī brought Mendaka great glory in the present age. Mendaka's name at the time was Avaroja (DhA.iii.364f). Aññākondañña was then known as Cūlakāla, and nine times he gave Vipassī Buddha the first fruits of his fields. DhA.i.81f.