Overview
To fulfill the perfections required for Buddhahood, a Bodhisatta must receive a formal prophecy (niyato vivaraṇa) from a living Buddha, confirming his future success. Our Bodhisatta traversed four incalculable eons, receiving validation from exactly twenty-four successive Buddhas, beginning his verified journey under Buddha Dīpaṅkara.
The List
The 24 successive Buddhas from whom our historical Buddha received prophecies:
- Dīpaṅkara, 2. Koṇḍañña, 3. Maṅgala, 4. Sumana, 5. Revata, 6. Sobhita, 7. Anomadassī, 8. Paduma, 9. Nārada, 10. Padumuttara, 11. Sumedha, 12. Sujāta, 13. Piyadassī, 14. Atthadassī, 15. Dhammadassī, 16. Siddhattha, 17. Tissa, 18. Phussa, 19. Vipassī, 20. Sikhī, 21. Vessabhū, 22. Kakusandha, 23. Koṇāgamana, 24. Kassapa.
Textual References
- Canonical: Buddhavaṃsa (Khuddaka Nikaya) – An entire book of poetry explicitly detailing the life, family, capital city, and specific prophecy delivered by each of these 24 structural Buddhas.