Overview
In Buddhist cosmology, a being who perfects immense kammic merit over countless lifetimes is reborn bearing the 32 Marks of a Great Man (Mahāpurisa). According to orthodox Theravāda tradition and Brahmanical astrology alike, a being bearing these physical marks has only two possible futures, depending on their choice to remain in the world or renounce it.
The List
- Cakkavatti - The Wheel-Turning Monarch: If the Great Man remains living the household life, he will become a righteous universal emperor who conquers the world without violence, ruling by the Dhamma and establishing morality across the continents.
- Sammāsambuddha - The Fully Awakened One: If the Great Man renounces the household life and goes forth into homelessness, he will become a supreme Buddha, discovering the path to Nibbāna and turning the Wheel of Dhamma for the liberation of gods and humans.
Textual References
- Canonical: Lakkhaṇa Sutta (DN 30) – The Buddha details the 32 marks and explicitly states the two destinies that await the one who possesses them.
- Canonical: Mahāpadāna Sutta (DN 14) – The seers prophesy these exact two destinies for the infant Bodhisatta Vipassī.