The Pali word Vipassī has the Sanskrit form Vipaśyin. Vi (good) and passī (saw) together mean "having seen clearly". The word belongs to the same family as the term vipassanā (contemplation). The Buddha was so named because he discovered the path to observe things as it is, without judgement. he discovered a way for the mankind to be in present moment through observing breathing and sensations consciously in the self without judgements. This introspections automatically develops insight into one self which helps to see things clearly as they are, not as we think or, imagine and helps untie the knot even of perpetual complicated circumstances.
Biography
According to the Buddhavamsa, as well as traditional Buddhist legend and mythology, Vipassī lived 91 kalpas — many billions of years — before the present time.[4][5] In Vipassī's time, the longevity of humans was 84,000 years.[citation needed]
Vipassī was born in Bandhumatī in Khema Park, in present-day India.[6]His father was Bandhumā the warrior-chief, and his mother was Bandhumatī. His wife was Sutanu, and he had a son named Samavattakkhandha.[6]
Vipassī lived as a householder for 8,000 years in the palaces of Nanda, Sunanda and Sirimā. Upon renouncing his worldly life, he rode out of the palace in a chariot.[6] Vipassī practiced asceticism for eight months before attaining enlightenment under an Ajapāla nigrodha tree.[5] Just prior to achieving buddhahood, he accepted a bowl of milk rice offered by Sudassana-setthi's daughter, and grass for his seat by a guard named Sujâta.
Sources differ as to how long Vipassī lived. He was reported to have died in Sumitta Park, at the age of either 80,000[6] or 100,000 years.[5] His relics were kept in a stupa which was seven yojanas in height, which is roughly equal to 56 miles (90 km).[6]
Physical characteristics
Vipassī was 80 cubits tall, which is roughly equal to 121 feet (37 m), and his body radiated light for a distance of seven yojanas.[6]
Teachings
Vipassī preached his first sermon in the Khamamigadâya to 6,800,000 disciples, his second sermon to 100,000 disciples, and his third sermon to 80,000 disciples.[5]
His two foremost male disciples were Khanda and Tissa and his two foremost female disciples were Candâ and Candamittâ. Asoka was his personal assistant. His good donors were Punabbasummitta and Naga in the lay men, Sirimâ and Uttarâ in the lay women. Mendaki (then called Avaroja) built the Gandhakuti (scented pavilion) for him. He did the uposatha once every seven years, and the sangha observed the discipline perfectly.
^Buddhist Text Translation Society (2007). "The Sixth Patriarchs Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra". The Collected Lectures of Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua. Ukiah, California: Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. Retrieved 2013-03-25.
^ abcdefHorner, IB (1975). "The nineteenth chronicle: that of the Lord Vipassin". The Minor Anthologies Of The Pali Canon: Part III: Chronicle Of Buddhas (Buddhavamsa) and Basket Of Conduct (Cariyapitaka). Oxford: Pali Text Society. pp. 74–7. ISBN086013072X.
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