Buddhavamsa

The Buddhavamsa is a text that forms part of the Khuddaka Nikaya, the fifth and final division of the Sutta Pitaka in the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. It is written in verse and comprises twenty-three chapters. The primary theme of the Buddhavamsa is the lives of the Buddhas, specifically detailing the lineage of twenty-four past Buddhas and the present Buddha, Gautama.

The text describes the period when the future Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was still a bodhisatta, accumulating merit and virtues over countless lifetimes. It recounts his aspirations to become a Buddha, his interactions with previous Buddhas, and the prophecies made about his eventual enlightenment. Each of the twenty-four past Buddhas is introduced, along with a brief account of their lives, their parinirvana, and the stupa or relic mound erected in their memory.

A significant portion of the Buddhavamsa is dedicated to the story of Gautama Buddha's life, from his celestial conception and birth to his enlightenment and final passing. It emphasizes the practice of the ten perfections (paramis) by the bodhisatta as the foundation for Buddhahood. The Buddhavamsa serves to illustrate the concept of multiple Buddhas appearing throughout cosmic history and highlights the extraordinary efforts and virtues required to achieve Buddhahood. It is considered an important source for understanding the Buddhist cosmology and the ideal of the bodhisatta path.