Appendix A:
The Chronicle of the Future Buddha (Anagatavamsa)

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahatto Sammasambuddhassa

Sariputta of great wisdom, the leader Upatissa, the firm general of the Doctrine, approached the leader of the world and asked the Conqueror about his own doubts with reference to the future Buddha: "What will the wise Buddha immediately after you be like? I wish to hear this in detail. Please tell me, o Seeing One." Hearing the Thera's words, the Blessed One said this:

It is not possible for anyone to describe at length Ajita's great accumulated merit which is not small, which is of great fame. I will tell (you about) it in part. Listen, o Sariputta. In this auspicious world cycle, in the future, in a crore of years, there will be an Awakened One named Metteyya, best of men, of great merit, great wisdom, great knowledge, great fame, great power, great steadfastness; he will be born, one who sees.

Having great rebirth, (great) mindfulness, full of wisdom, of great learning, he will be a preacher, a knower, one who sees well, who touches and plunges into the highest goal. He will be born, that Conqueror.

At that time, there will be a royal city named Ketumati, twelve leagues long and seven leagues wide,  full of men and women, adorned with palaces, frequented by men and women, incomparable, rightly protected.

There will be a king named Sankha, of limitless strength and vehicles, possessing the seven jewels, a Wheel-turning Monarch of great power, having psychic powers, fame, enjoying all sensual pleasures; and he will preach the doctrine of quiescence that destroys all its opponents.  A well-made palace there, like a divine palace, will arise through his merit. (It will be) resplendant with many jewels, surrounded by balustrades, well designed, delightful, resplendant, very tall, the best, hard to look at, harming the eyes. The jewel palace that came into existence for King Maha-Panadassa will rise up for him and King Sankha will live in it.

And then, in that city, there will be various streets here and there, delightful lotus ponds, well built, with beautiful banks, 16 full to the brim of fragrant, clear, clean, cool, sweet water, (with banks) strewn with sand, (ponds) covered with red and blue lotuses, accessible to all people at all times. There will be seven rows of palm trees and walls of seven colours made of jewels encircling all the city. The royal city of Kusavati at that time will be Ketumati. In squares at the gate(s) of the city there will be shining wishing trees, (one) blue, (one) yellow, (one) red, and (one) white. There will have come into being divine clothes and divine ornaments hanging there, all sorts of wealth and possessions.

At that time, in the middle of the city, there will be four halls, facing the four directions, and there will be (another) wishing tree produced by his merit. Hanging from those wishing trees there will be cotton cloth, sheaths, flaxen cloth of Kodum produced by his merit. Hanging from those wishing trees there will be tambourines, tambours, and small drums produced by his merit. Hanging from those wishing trees there will be encircling bracelets and necklaces made of jewels produced by his merit. Hanging from those wishing trees there will be "high" oranments, "blooming-face" ornaments, bracelets and girdles produced by his merit. And hanging from those wishing trees there will be many other ornaments and decorations of different sorts.

Through the action of beings' merits, men will enjoy self-generated rice that has no "dust," no chaff, that is pure, sweet- smelling, with grains ready husked, ripened without cultivation. A sixteenth of (today's) ambana (measure) will be 2,270 cartloads. And at that time one grain will produce two tumbas - they are called rice grains - produced by the action of beings' merits. The men who live in Ketumati in the kingdom of Sankha will wear armour and braclets. Whatever they want will be fulfilled. They will have happy faces. They will wear large earrings. Their bodies will be covered with yellow sandalwood paste. They will wear garments from Kasi. They will be of great wealth, rich; they will be waked by drums and lutes. They will constantly be exceedingly happy in body and mind.

Jambudipa will be ten thousand leagues, without thorns, clear, with green grass. There will be three diseases: desire, hunger, and old age. The women will marry at the age of five hundred. They will always be in unity, congenial, without disputes. The vines, trees, and bushes will be equipped with fruit and flowers. There will be a grass four-inches high that will be as soft as cotton. There will be even rains and gentle winds, neither too hot nor too cold. There will always be a beautiful climate. The rivers and ponds will not lack (in water). Here and there in the districts, the pure sand will not be rough. It will be scattered around like pearls the size of peas and beans. It will be delightful like an adorned garden.

Here and there, there will be villages and towns very close together and full of people.  (The villages and towns) will be like a great forest of reeds and bamboo, full of people, I think, at a cockflight's (distance), without interval. Trading cities will be filled with men and women who will be prosperous, rich and tranquil, free from danger and in good health. They will wander about festivals, always joyful, always playing, extremely happy. They will rejoice, happy and pleased. There will be much food and water, much to eat, much meat, drink, and water. Jambudipa will be delightful, like the Alakamanda of the Devas or the broad capital of the Kurus.

One named Ajita (will be born), Metteyya, the best of two-footed beings, with the thirty-two excellent marks and the minor characteristics, of golden complexion, without stain, very splendid, resplendent, of the highest fame, glorious, of perfect form, of good sight, of great power, incomparable. He will be born in a Brahman family, with great wealth and possessions, and of excellent family. There will be no dispute concerning his birth. (Four) palaces made of jewels will have come into being for Ajita: Sirivaddha, Vaddhamana, Siddhattha, and Candaka. Ajita's female attendants will be women perfect in all their limbs, adorned with (all kinds of) ornaments, small, medium, and large. There will be a complete (retinue of) one hundred thousand women fully adorned. Candamukhi will be his wife. Brahmavaddhana will be his son. He will delight in great happiness, be joyful, and endowed with pleasure. He will enjoy all fame like Nandana and Vasava.  He will live in a household for eight thousand years.

At some time, he will go to a park for pleasure to amuse himself. Seeing the danger in sensual pleasures and being wise in accordance with the nature of Bodhisattas, he will see the four signs which destroy sensual pleasures: an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and a happy wanderer. He will go forth. Having sympathy for all beings, he will become averse to sensual pleasures. Not looking for the unsurpassed, great happiness and bliss in seeking honour, he will go forth. He will undertake the practice of exertion for seven days. That Conqueror will go forth, leaping up (into the air) with his palace. Ajita will go forth, honoured by a great group of people, friends and companions, blood relatives, a fourfold army, an assembly of the four castes, and 84,000 princesses.

When Metteyya has gone forth, at that time, 84,000 Brahmans who are skilled in the Vedas will go forth. At that time, both of the brothers, Isidatta and Purana will go forth (with) 84,000 (other people). The twins, Jatimitta and Vijaya, of unlimited wisdom, will approach that Perfect Buddha from the 84,000. The householder named Suddhika and the lay woman Sudhana will approach the perfect Buddha from that 84,000. The lay disciple named Sangha and the lay woman named Sangha will approach that perfect Buddha from the 84,000. The householder named Saddhara and the renowned Sudatta will approach that perfect Buddha out of the 84,000. The woman named Yasavati and the renowned Visakha will be honoured by men and women. They will go forth in renunciation on the admonition of Metteyya. Other citizens and many people from the country, and no few nobles, Brahmans, merchants, and workers, inclined to renunciation, a great crowd of all sorts of birth, will then go forth, following the going forth of Metteyya.

On the day that Wise One goes forth in renunciation, on that very day of renouncing, he will approach the dais of the tree of awakening. In the place of the unconquered Bulls Among Men, on that supreme seat of awakening, seated in a cross-legged position, the One of Great Fame will be awakenend. The Conqueror will go to the excellent garden Nagavana in full flower, and there he will set in motion the incomparable Wheel of the Doctrine: misery, the arising of misery, the overcoming of misery, and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to the cessation of misery. Then, there will be a gathering of men all around for one hundred leagues when that protector of the world sets in motion the Wheel of the Doctrine. Then, very many Devas will approach the Conqueror there, and he will free 100,000 crores from their bondage. Then, that king Sankha, having given his jewel palace to the Sangha with the Conqueror at its head, having given another great gift to the poor, the needy, and to beggars, hurrying along with this queen, he will approach the Perfect Buddha. Through the power of the great king and his limitless force of charriots, he will approach the Conqueror accompanied by 90,000 crores (of people). Then the Perfect Buddha will beat the drum of the Doctrine, the excellent and highest sound of the kettle drum of the undying, making known the Four Truths. The company of people accompanying the king, all 90,000 crores without exception, will become "Come Bhikkhu" monks.

Then Devas and men will approach the Leader of the World and ask the Conqueror a question concerning Arahatship. That Conqueror will answer them and 80,000 crores will attain Arahatship. That will be the third penetration. The first assembly will be of 100,000 crores of those whose taints are destroyed, who are spotless, of peaceful minds, venerable ones. When the Blessed One proclaims the Invitation (to declare purity) at the end of the rainy season, that Conqueror will be surrounded by 90,000 crores. And when the Sage has gone in seclusion to the golden and silver Gandhamadana slope of the Himavanta mountain range, he will enjoy the sport of meditation (accompanied by) 80,000 crores of those whose taints are destroyed, who are spotless, of peaceful minds, venerable ones. 100,000 crores of those who possess the six higher knowledges, who possess great psychic power, will constantly surround that Protector of the World, Metteyya.

Skilled in discriminating knowledge, knowing the words and the explanation (of the Doctrine), very learned, expert in the Doctrine, knowledgeable, adorning the Sangha, well tamed, gentle, firm, they will surround that Conqueror. That Naga (the Buddha) will be honoured by those monks who will be Nagas like him. He who will have crossed over, together with those who have crossed over, who are at peace, who assemble in peace. Together with an order of disciples surrounding that Great Sage, the Compassionate One, the Sympathetic One, Metteyya, greatest of two-footed beings,  raising up many individuals and Devas, will bring them to Nibbana. That Conqueror will wander around the towns and villages and capitals. He will beat the drum of the Doctrine. He will sound the conch shell of the Doctrine. He will proclaim the spiritual sacrifice. He will raise the banner of the Doctrine. He will roar the lion's roar, set in motion the excellent wheel (of the Doctrine), and cause men and women to drink the drink of truth with its excellent taste. That Conqueror will wander for the sake of all beings, both rich and poor, causing many people who are capable of being awakened to be awakened.

The Seeing One will cause some to take refuge (in the Triple Gem), some to take the five moral precepts, and some to undertake the ten skilful (actions). He will give some the state of being a novice and the four excellent Fruition States. He will give some discriminating knowledge into the incomparable Doctrine. The Seeing One will give some the eight excellent attainments. He will give some the three knowledges and the six higher knowledges. That Conqueror will admonish (a large) group of people (to undertake) that practice. Then the Teaching of the Conqueror Metteyya will be wide spread.

Seeing people capable of being awakened, that Sage will go 100,000 leagues in a moment and will cause them to be awakened. At that time, Metteyya's mother will be named Brahmavati, his father will be named Subrahma and will be the priest of King Sankha. His foremost lay disciples will be Asoka and Brahmadeva. The (lay) attendant Siha will attend on that Conqueror. Paduma and Sumana will be his foremost female disciples. Sumana and Sangha will be his foremost personal attendants. Yasavati and Sangha will be his foremost female attendants. The Naga tree will be the awakening (place) for that Blessed One. Its trunk will be two thousand cubits. It will have 20,000 branches with curved tips (always) moving. It will shine like the outspread tail of a peacock. The tips (of the branches) will be continually in flower and fragrant with a heavenly smell. The blossoms will be the size of wheels, with enough pollen to fill a nali measure. (The tree) will send its perfume in all directions for ten leagues, both with and against the wind. It will scatter its flowers all around the throne of awakening. People from the country, coming together there, will smell the excellent odour and pour forth words (of admiration), rejoicing in its odour. There will be a happy fruition of meritorious deeds for that venerable one, the Best of Buddhas, whose unimaginable radiance will spread out (like the smell of) the flowers.

That Conqueror will be eighty-eight cubits tall. That Teacher's chest will be twenty- five cubits in diameter. The Seer will have broad eyes with thick eyelashes. His eyes will be pure, not blinking day or night. His physical eye will see small or large things in all directions for ten leagues without obstruction. His radiance will stream forth as far as twenty-five leagues. That Conqueror will shine like a streak of lightening or a candlestick. He will shine like the sun, resembling a garland of jewels.  His (thirty-two major) marks and (eighty) secondary marks will at all times be seen as rays. Many hundreds of thousands of different sorts of rays will fall down. At every footstep (he takes) a beautiful flowering lotus will grow. (The lotuses will be) thirty cubits (across) with even petals and twenty-five minor petals. The stamens will be twenty cubits long and the pericaps will be sixteen cubits long. Inside the red lotuses (the flowers) will be filled with very red pollen. The Kamavacarika Devas will make columns of honour and Naga kings and Supanna (Devas) will decorate them.  There will be eight columns of gold, eight of silver, eight of jewels, and eight made of coral. There will be many hundreds of flags hanging there disporting themselves adorned garlands of flags ornamented with many precious things. There will be awnings adorned with jewels and resembling the moon. There will be many jewelled head ornaments with nets of small bells surrounding them.  They will scatter fragrant, sweet-smelling, perfumed flowers, and different sorts of powder, both human and divine, and a variety of cloths of diverse colours, beautiful, of the five colours. They will all sport around, having faith in the Buddha. There will be gateways there with strings of jewels, a thousand (cubits) high, delightful, beautiful, unobstructed and well-formed. They will be seen to be shining, with their radiance widespread all around.

The Buddha, at the head of the Order of Monks, will go in their midst, like Brahma in his assembly or lnda in his palace. When the Buddha goes (anywhere), they will go; when he stays (in a place), they will stay; when the Teacher sits or lies down together with his assembly, they will always practise the (same) four postures. There will be these honours as well as others, both human and divine. There will constantly be many sorts of marvels to honour Metteyya through the power of his endless merit.

Having seen that marvel, many people of various births, (many) men with their families, will only abandon the Teacher as their refuge at the cost of their lives. Whoever practices the holy life after hearing the word of the Sage, that person will go beyond journeying-on, which is subject to death and difficult to escape from. Many householders will purify the eye of the Doctrine by means of the ten meritorious acts and the three types of right action. Many will be destined for heaven through being accomplished in the traditional learning and texts, having purified (themselves) through respect for him, and through following the true Doctrine. It would not be possible to describe in every detail their fame which will be so great. They will be continually very happy. When they reach the end of their time (in that life), those men will have great fame as well as happiness. Life, beauty, and strength, and heavenly bliss (in a heavenly world) will be theirs. They will experience the happiness of sensual pleasures for as long as they wish. Then afterwards, at the end of their lives, they will enter into (true) happiness.

(The Buddha's) lifetime there will be 80,000 years. Remaining there that long, he will bring many people to the other shore. He will cause beings whose minds are ripe to be completely awakened and he will instruct others who have not perceived the (four) truths concerning which is the right path and which is the wrong path. He will carefully establish the torch of the Doctrine, the boat of the Doctrine, the mirror of the Doctrine, the medicine (of the Doctrine) for beings (at that time and) in the future. Then, in the midst of the venerable order of lay disciples who will have done what should be done, that Conqueror will blaze out like a mass of fire, and he will be extinguished. When the Perfect Buddha has been completely extinguished, his Teaching will remain for 180,000 years. After that, there will be a terrible disappearance in the world.

Thus, the constituent elements are impermanent, not firm, temporary, transitory, liable to destruction and old age, and empty. The constituent elements are like an empty fist, they are empty, they are the talk of fools. There is no power for anyone there, not even for one who has the psychic powers.  Thus, knowing this as it really is, one should be disillusioned with all compounded things. A Thoroughbred Among Men is hard to find. He is not born everywhere. Wherever that Hero is born, that happy family prospers. Therefore, in order to see Buddha Metteyya here, act rightly, firmly, energetically, with agitated mind. Whoever does good things here and dwells vigilent, whether a monk, nun, lay disciple, or laywoman disciple, whoever esteems the great Buddha, pays great honour to the Great One, that person together with the Devas will see the auspicious assembly at that time. Practise the holy life. Give suitable gifts. Keep the observance days. Practise loving kindness carefully. Be one who delights in being vigilent, always performing meritorious actions. Having acted skilfully here, you will make an end of misery.

• Introduction

• The Bodhisatta Metteyya

• Buddha Ariya Metteyya

• The Duration of the Sasana of Buddha Gotama

• The Coming of Buddha Ariya Metteyya

• The Birth of the Next Buddha

• The Wheel-turning Monarch Sankha

• The Career of Bodhisatta Metteyya

• How to Meet Buddha Metteyya

• Appendix A: The Chronicle of the Future Buddha

• Appendix B: The Aspiration to Meet Buddha Ari Metteyya

• List of Abbreviations