the four sights
the four sights
Is there a Pāḷi term for the four sights (the old man, the sick man, the corpse, and the ascetic?)
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Re: the four sights
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Re: the four sights
I know the the suttas did not say that the bodhisatta saw the four sights, but which text exactly tells this story?
Secondly, the Buddha said that all Buddhas of the past and of the future will see these four sights. Which sutta was that?
Secondly, the Buddha said that all Buddhas of the past and of the future will see these four sights. Which sutta was that?
Re: the four sights
It's probably inspired from Vipassi Buddha's story in DN14.pilgrim wrote:I know the the suttas did not say that the bodhisatta saw the four sights, but which text exactly tells this story?
Haven't seen such a sutta. Maybe commentarial "sutta".Secondly, the Buddha said that all Buddhas of the past and of the future will see these four sights. Which sutta was that?
Last edited by Kumara on Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: the four sights
Bhante, there are several biographies, of which the Sanskrit Buddhacarita is the most complete. The Theravadin biography would probably be Buddhaghosa's Nidanakatha.Kumara wrote:It's probably inspired from Vipassi Buddha's story in DN14. Even then, we can find only 3 'signs'. No samana there.pilgrim wrote:I know the the suttas did not say that the bodhisatta saw the four sights, but which text exactly tells this story?
Haven't seen such a sutta. Maybe commentarial "sutta".Secondly, the Buddha said that all Buddhas of the past and of the future will see these four sights. Which sutta was that?
Someone on this forum mentioned a sutta where the Buddha said that all Buddhas of the past see the 4 sights. but I can't find that comment now(have tried the search function). Edit: After some google-fu, I think this is indeed Commentarial.
DN14 Mahapadana sutta records the 4th sight
"And as he was being driven to the pleasure park, Prince Vipassi saw a shaven headed man, one who had gone forth, wearing a yellow robe. And he said to the charioteer, ‘What is the matter with that man? His head is not like other men’s, and his clothes are not like other men’s."
Last edited by pilgrim on Wed Mar 05, 2014 7:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: the four sights
Hello All,
Link to Mahapadana Sutta
Scroll down to End of Birth Section for the Four Sights
http://buddhasutra.com/files/mahapadana_sutta.htm
With metta,
Chris
Link to Mahapadana Sutta
Scroll down to End of Birth Section for the Four Sights
http://buddhasutra.com/files/mahapadana_sutta.htm
With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
Re: the four sights
hi Chris, you probably already know this but I think it should be mentioned that the Buddha was telling the story of the 4 sights as experienced by a previous Buddha, Vipassi.cooran wrote:Hello All,
Link to Mahapadana Sutta
Scroll down to End of Birth Section for the Four Sights
http://buddhasutra.com/files/mahapadana_sutta.htm
With metta,
Chris
Re: the four sights
Probably a later development based on AN 3.39 which didn't explicitly say that He saw the sights. From Ven. Bodhi's "In the Buddha's Words":pilgrim wrote:I know the the suttas did not say that the bodhisatta saw the four sights, but which text exactly tells this story?
According to legend, while the Bodhisatta was still a prince living in the palace, he encountered an old man, a sick man, and a corpse, sights he had never seen before. These encounters shattered his worldly complacency and stirred him to seek a way to liberation from suffering. The commentaries say that these three figures were deities in disguise sent to awaken the Bodhisatta to his mission. Hence old age, illness, and death are called “divine messengers.”
Re: the four sights
You probably know that the popular Buddha's story is mostly not from the Suttas.pilgrim wrote:Someone on this forum mentioned a sutta where the Buddha said that all Buddhas of the past see the 4 sights. but I can't find that comment now(have tried the search function). Edit: After some google-fu, I think this is indeed Commentarial.
Ah, yes. It's there. I've removed the error. Some memory interference. I've not been pay attention to this stuff for many years.DN14 Mahapadana sutta records the 4th sight
"And as he was being driven to the pleasure park, Prince Vipassi saw a shaven headed man, one who had gone forth, wearing a yellow robe. And he said to the charioteer, ‘What is the matter with that man? His head is not like other men’s, and his clothes are not like other men’s."
Here's the other bit of memory that mixed up the earlier bit: We can find the pre-renunciation Gotama contemplating on 3 of the 4 'signs' (i.e., minus the samana) in Ariyapariyesana Sutta (MN 26). The details may be inspired from Devaduta Sutta (MN 130).
Re: the four sights
Is this thread on the wrong section? Isn't this one supposed to be on Pali only?