Isigili Sutta
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Isigili Sutta (PÄli: Isigili Sutta; Majjhima NikÄya 116) is a discourse in the PÄli Canon that lists the names of hundreds of paccekabuddhas (individually enlightened beings) who lived and attained final parinibbÄna on Isigili mountain near the ancient city of RÄjagaha (modern Rajgir). In the Thai TheravÄda tradition, because of its long recitation of the names and virtues of these paccekabuddhas, the sutta is regarded as highly auspicious and protective. It is therefore included in the official Thai protective chanting anthology (Phra Paritta) as the third chant of the BhÄį¹avÄra, together with the Girimananda Sutta.[1]
Background
The Buddha delivered this discourse while residing on Isigili mountain, one of the five hills surrounding RÄjagaha (VebhÄra, Paį¹įøava, Vepulla, GijjhakÅ«į¹a, and Isigili). The mountain is also known for the black rock outcrop called KÄįø·asilÄ, where the Buddha and the Saį¹ gha frequently stayed. Other events recorded in the Tipiį¹aka as occurring on Isigili include:
- Ven. Dabba Mallaputta organising lodging for monks (earning him the designation āforemost in arranging dwellingsā)
- The incident of Ven. Vakkali Theraās despair
- The Buddhaās statement that a perfectly enlightened Buddha could, if requested, live for an entire kappa (aeon), but that Ven. Änanda did not make the request.[2]
Content
The sutta can be divided into three main parts:
- The Buddha points out the five mountains surrounding RÄjagaha and notes that four of them (VebhÄra, Paį¹įøava, Vepulla, and GijjhakÅ«į¹a) formerly had different names, whereas Isigili has always borne the same name.[3]
- He explains the origin of the name āIsigiliā (āthe mountain that swallows seersā). In the distant past, when 500 paccekabuddhas entered the mountain to meditate, people saw them going in but never coming out again, leading people to say: āThis mountain swallows seersā (PÄli: isiį¹ gilati), and thus the name Isigili arose.[4]
- The Buddha then recites the names of more than 500 paccekabuddhas who resided on the mountain for long periods and attained parinibbÄna there. The list includes names such as Arittha, Uparittha, TagarasikhÄ«, YasassÄ«, Sudassana, PiyadassÄ«, GandhÄra, Piį¹įøola, UpÄsabha, NÄ«tha, Tatha, SutavÄ, BhÄvitatta, and many others (some overlapping with previous SammÄsambuddhas such as Kakusandha, Koį¹Ägamana, and Kassapa). The refrain repeatedly praises them as having destroyed the fetters, ended craving, and attained perfect individual enlightenment.[5]
Commentary tradition
The PapaƱcasÅ«danÄ« (Majjhima NikÄya Commentary) states that the Buddha raised the topic of the mountains not for the purpose of honouring the paccekabuddhas who had dwelt there. It provides a legendary origin story for one group of 500 paccekabuddhas:
In a former age, a village girl near BÄrÄį¹asÄ« offered a lotus flower and 500 popped-rice cakes to a paccekabuddha and aspired to have 500 sons. At the same moment, 500 hunters offered roasted meat to the same paccekabuddha and aspired to become her sons. In their next life the 500 youths were miraculously born inside lotus flowers in a natural lake. When they grew up and saw the lotuses withering, they realised impermanence, developed insight, and attained paccekabodhi. The commentary records their victory verse:
| ā | Lotuses bloom in the lake, Covered with swarms of bees; |
ā |
From that time onward the mountain has been known as Isigili.[8]
Doctrinal points
Commentators identify the following themes in the sutta:
- The attainment of nibbÄna is not limited to the dispensation of a SammÄsambuddha; paccekabuddhas also realise it independently.
- The path to liberation is timeless and has been discovered repeatedly throughout history.
- The sutta serves as a commemorative record that places the present Buddhist community within a long lineage of awakened practitioners.[9][10]
Parallels
A parallel version exists in the Chinese Madhyama Ägama (äøéæå«ē¶ MA 170), which contains a similar list of paccekabuddhas associated with mountains near RÄjagaha, although the names and some names differ slightly.[11]
See also
References
- ā Thai Tipiį¹aka, Mahamakut Royal Edition, Suttanta Piį¹aka, Majjhima NikÄya, Uparipaį¹į¹Äsa Vol. 3 Part 1, pp. 332ā337.
- ā G.P. Malalasekera (2007). Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, p. 319.
- ā Thai Tipiį¹aka, Mahamakut Royal Edition, Suttanta Piį¹aka, Majjhima NikÄya, Uparipaį¹į¹Äsa Vol. 3 Part 1, p. 332.
- ā Thai Tipiį¹aka, Mahamakut Royal Edition, Suttanta Piį¹aka, Majjhima NikÄya, Uparipaį¹į¹Äsa Vol. 3 Part 1, p. 333.
- ā Thai Tipiį¹aka, Mahamakut Royal Edition, Suttanta Piį¹aka, Majjhima NikÄya, Uparipaį¹į¹Äsa Vol. 3 Part 1, pp. 333ā334.
- ā PapaƱcasÅ«danÄ«, Majjhima NikÄya Commentary, in Thai Tipiį¹aka, Mahamakut Royal Edition, Suttanta Piį¹aka, Majjhima NikÄya, Uparipaį¹į¹Äsa Vol. 3 Part 1, p. 337.
- ā Thai Tipiį¹aka, Sixth Council Edition, Sutta Piį¹aka, Majjhima NikÄya, Uparipaį¹į¹Äsa, Anupadavagga, Isigili Sutta.
- ā PapaƱcasÅ«danÄ«, Majjhima NikÄya Commentary, in Thai Tipiį¹aka, Mahamakut Royal Edition, Suttanta Piį¹aka, Majjhima NikÄya, Uparipaį¹į¹Äsa Vol. 3 Part 1, p. 337.
- ā Analayo, Bhikkhu (2011). A Comparative Study of the Majjhima-nikÄya. 1. Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation. pp. 432ā435. Search this book on
- ā Piya Tan (2010). MN 116 Isigili Sutta: Discourse at Isigili. The MÅ«la Series. The Minding Centre. pp. 12ā13. Search this book on
- ā Analayo, Bhikkhu (2011). A Comparative Study of the Majjhima-nikÄya. pp. 430ā435. Search this book on
