In Buddhist texts, Sumedha is a previous life of Gotama Buddha (PÃÂli; ) in which he declares his intention to become a Buddha. Buddhist texts describe that this takes place when Gotama Buddha is still a Buddha-to-be (', '). Traditions regard Sumedha's life as the beginning of the spiritual journey leading up to the attainment of Buddhahood by Gotama in his last life, a journey which takes place through many lifetimes. Born in a brahmin family, Sumedha begins to live as an ascetic in the mountains. One day he meets Dëpankara Buddha () and offers his own body for him to walk over. During this sacrifice, he makes a vow that he also will be a Buddha in a future lifetime, which is confirmed by Dëpankara through a prophecy.
The encounter between Sumedha and Dëpankara Buddha is the oldest Buddhist story known which deals with the path of a bodhisatta, and the story has been described as the TheravÃÂdin interpretation of this ideal. It is the most detailed story of a previous life of the Buddha, and is one of the most popular stories in Buddhist art. It is depicted in many TheravÃÂdin temples and is at least alluded to in innumerable Buddhist works. Sumedha's story has often been raised by TheravÃÂda Buddhists as an example of selfless service.
Sumedha's life is described in the PÃÂli Buddhavaá¹Âsa and JÃÂtaka, the latter being based on the former. The Sanskrit textual traditions relate Sumedha's life as well. The Sanskrit tradition accounts are very similar to those of the PÃÂli, which has led Indologists Kenneth Norman and Richard Gombrich to argue that the accounts can be dated back to pre-sectarian Buddhism, possibly as early as a century after the Buddha. On the other hand, Buddhist studies scholar Jan Nattier argues that Dëpankara Buddha's absence in the earliest PÃÂli discourses (', ') indicates that traditions about Dëpankara only became current several centuries after the Buddha. Buddhist studies scholar Naomi Appleton states parts of the biographical material were "fixed no later than the sixth century CE".
Chinese Buddhist pilgrims such as Faxian (337 422 CE) identified the place where Sumedha would have met Dëpankara Buddha as NagarÃÂhÃÂra (Afghanistan), now called Nangarhar. Faxian reported a shrine for Dëpankara there: apparently, it was important for GandhÃÂran Buddhists to claim that their country was the origin of Gotama Buddha's spiritual life. Since most of the depictions of Sumedha's account have been found in the area northwest of India, especially GandhÃÂra, it has been suggested that the story developed there. However, the motif of the spreading of hair has also been found in the Ajantàand NÃÂlandàareas, and there is some evidence that the story was common in AjantÃÂ.
Buddhist studies scholar Karen Derris has pointed out that the Buddhavaá¹Âsa has received relatively little scholarly attention, due to mainstream scholars' focus on early PÃÂli texts and being prejudiced against mythological accounts of later origin.
In the PÃÂli texts, Sumedha is said to have lived four "incalculable eons" and a hundred thousand normal eons ago. In what most texts describe as Gotama Buddha's own memories, an account is given of Sumedha's life, in the voice of the first person. Sumedha is born in Amaravatë in a brahmin family of noble birth. After having grown up, he realizes that life is full of suffering such as sickness and death, and he sets out to find a "state beyond death". He realizes he cannot take his wealth in the afterlife and therefore donates it all, becoming a type of ascetic wearing matted hair ('). He begins to live on the Dhammaka mountain, in the Himalayas. He starts to observe strict discipline, choosing only to live under trees and live on fruits. The texts say that his self-cultivation helps him to attain "the highest knowledge" and develop "great yogic power" like flying. He is depicted as being so immersed in yogic practice, that he does not notice the portents that a Buddha has arisen in the world.
One day, while traveling to the city of Rammavatë, he sees people preparing a road for Dëpankara Buddha to travel on, Dëpankara being the first of twenty-four Buddhas that Sumedha will meet before becoming a Buddha himself. Being joyful on hearing the word buddha, Sumedha takes responsibility for a part of the road which has not been done yet, but he does not manage to finish it in time for Dëpankara. Since he does not want to use his psychic powers to repair the road, Sumedha prostrates himself in the mud in front of Dëpankara Buddha and his following as a human bridge. He spreads his hair, his deer skin and bark garment on the mud to cover it fully. Later texts would come to see this is an advanced stage in the development of Gotama, the Buddha-to-be, in that he fully dedicates himself to Buddhahood, not only in mind and in speech, but also physically. In this manner, he pays homage to Dëpankara Buddha and helps him and the monks to cross the mud unsullied. This is regarded as a sacrifice of Sumedha's life, in that it entails many monks walking over him, and him possibly dying in the process. While doing so, Sumedha then pronounces a specific vow ('; ') that in the future he too will become a Buddha.
Before walking over Sumedha's body, Dëpankara stops before him and makes a prophecy (, ) that Sumedha's wish will come true in a future lifetime: he will then become the Buddha called SÃÂkyamuni (). Dëpankara also mentions several details of the future Buddha's life, such as the names of his parents and main disciples. When Dëpankara makes this statement, many devotees who believe they cannot yet attain enlightenment under Dëpankara vow that they will attain it under the next Buddha, SÃÂkyamuni. After the prediction, with Sumedha still lying in the mud, Dëpankara Buddha and his following of monks circumambulate around Sumedha, and in some stories offer flowers, as a sign of respect and to celebrate Sumedha's future Buddhahood. Meanwhile, deities are depicted as approving of the prophecy, like a "divine chorus that give notice of his pending buddhahood", a subservient role typical for Buddhist cosmology. The text reveals that many of the onlookers later become followers of Gotama Buddha in his final lifetime, after his enlightenment, according to the wish they made. Specifically, they are reborn as the disciples called the Kassapa Brothers (), and their followers. The motif that people who formerly encountered Dëpankara Buddha become enlightened under another Buddha Gotama indicates that each Buddha is regarded as continuing upon the work left unfinished by the previous Buddhas.
Sumedha makes his vow as a Buddha-to-be (', ') because of the concern he has with other living beings. The story relates that Sumedha could have attained personal enlightenment at the time of meeting Dëpankara, but chooses to strive to become a Buddha instead. Inspired by Dëpankara's example, he feels he has the duty to strive for the highest accomplishment, to become a Buddha. After the prophecy is made, Sumedha reflects on the qualities he needs to accomplish Buddhahood called the 'perfections' ('; '), and concludes which are most important, beginning with the perfection of giving. With Sumedha having reflected on these perfections, an earthquake follows: in Buddhist studies scholar Kate Crosby's words, "the whole universe confirms the future success of his vow". This causes panic among the inhabitants, but Dëpankara explains to them there is no reason for dismay. The texts conclude with Sumedha returning to the Himalayas.
Sumedha continues his spiritual journey through many lifetimes, "millions of lifetimes and billions of years". Every time he meets another Buddha, he performs an act of devotion and renews his bodhisatta vow to become one himself. All the while, he develops his perfections further, as each of the Buddhas he meets inspires him to pursue Buddhahood further, and in the process, adds something unique to the Buddha-to-be's identity. Traditionally, the rest of the JÃÂtakas are also understood to depict the period between Sumedha's bodhisatta vow and his eventual enlightenment as a Buddha. One of the more well-known tales of a previous life is that of Prince Vessantara (), part of the JÃÂtaka collection, who famously gives his wealth, wife and children away to attain Buddhahood.
In several Chinese Buddhist texts, as well as the Sanskrit MahÃÂvastu, Sumedha is called Megha. In several other Chinese and Sanskrit texts, including the DivyavadÃÂna, he is called Sumati. The spelling Sumegha also occurs.
In the PÃÂli ApadÃÂna and ÃÂgamas, Sumedha receives (or buys) blue lotus flowers from a young brahmin girl called SumittÃÂ; he later offers the flowers to Dëpankara Buddha, throwing them in the air. Sumittàtakes a vow that she may be reborn as the wife of Sumedha in a future life, which is confirmed by a prediction by Dëpankara Buddha. Later, Sumittàis reborn as Yasodharà(), the wife of Prince Siddhattha who later becomes Gotama Buddha. In some versions of the story, Yasodharàonly gives the flowers to Sumedha on the condition that he join her in pledging to be reborn as a couple in future lives. Yasodharàis depicted in many GandhÃÂran bas reliefs and statues, alongside Sumedha (and Dëpankara Buddha). In the ApadÃÂna, the DivyÃÂvadÃÂna and the MahÃÂvastu, Sumedha also has a friend called Meghadatta or Mati. The texts relate that the friend does much bad karma and is reborn in hell for many lifetimes as a result. He is reborn in the time of Gotama Buddha as his disciple Dhammaruci ().
Medieval post-canonical PÃÂli texts from Burmese, Thai, Sinhalese and Khün vernacular traditions describe an even earlier period in the spiritual path of Gotama Buddha, relating about lives even prior to that of Sumedha, during which he not yet received confirmations of his vow from other Buddhas. In this "pre-Sumedha" narrative tradition, the encounter between Sumedha and Dëpankara is seen as an advanced stage on the spiritual path of Gotama Buddha, as opposed to a beginning. These narratives depict a more gradual process of development, and do not regard the beginning of the spiritual path of Gotama Buddha as a single, revolutionary event. Because of that, they offer a perspective which diminishes the importance of the encounter between Sumedha and Buddha Dëpankara. For example, the PaññÃÂsa JÃÂtaka collection that circulated in Southeast Asia relates about a previous life of Sumedha, in the time of a previous Buddha also called Dëpankara. In this lifetime, Sumedha already has the wish to become a Buddha, but cannot receive the prophecy from this Dëpankara Buddha, because in this lifetime Sumedha is a woman. This Dëpankara hears of the woman's wish, who is his stepsister, and lets her know that she will be able to receive the prediction later, when she is born as the male Sumedha during the time of the next Dëpankara. There is debate among scholars whether this story should be interpreted as empowering women to become bodhisattas, or affirming the status quo of women being unable to access the bodhisatta path.
Archaeologist Maurizio Taddei has noted that in many Gandharan art depictions, Sumedha's life is linked to that of RÃÂhula, the son of the Buddha. The Buddha giving his spiritual heritage to his son is compared to that of Sumedha allowing the Buddha Dëpankara to walk over him, and Dëpankara making the prophecy. Both the figure of Gotama Buddha giving his inheritance to his son, and the figure of Dëpankara Buddha giving his inheritance of Buddhahood to Sumedha are depicted with flames emitting from their bodies; both scenes are depictions of inheritance, filial and disciple piety; both may have been considered by fifth-century Buddhists to be representations of "eager youth".
Sumedha is a powerful spiritual figure, who is depicted as striving with willpower to attain the reality beyond painful rebirth, and in the process is willing to discard his "filthy" body for the higher good. The story of the encounter is meant to evoke respect for Gotama Buddha, but also meant as an encouragement for those who strive for enlightenment in a future lifetime. It could have been used to encourage devotees to aspire to be reborn under Metteyya (), believed by Buddhists to be the future Buddha. Furthermore, the story of Sumedha, as well as many JÃÂtaka stories, indicate that the path of a Buddha-to-be is superior and more heroic than that of striving for only personal enlightenment. The story of Sumedha meeting Dëpankara has a "strong devotional ethos".
Through the motif of the prophecy, Dëpankara not only shows his "complete cognizance of cosmos"in the words of comparative religion scholar Eviatar Shulmanbut also that the Buddha Gotama and the Buddhas that have preceded him, are "ultimately of the same substance". Sumedha is depicted as the "Buddha seed" (') that will eventually develop into a fully enlightened Buddha, just like all the other Buddhas. Thus, Sumedha's prophecy not only shows the future personal attainment of Gotama Buddha, but also reveals a "cosmic structure". The story of Sumedha shows that "buddhas make other buddhas", or as Buddhist studies scholar Steven Collins puts it, Buddha is connected with others, in a complex and interwoven pattern of predictions and recollections". In addition, Sumedha's sacrifice of his body as a sort of bridge can be interpreted as a symbol for the passing of Buddhism from one age to the next.
Since Dëpankara's approval of Sumedha is a pattern that occurs with every Buddha before attaining Buddhahood, it becomes "paradigmatic and reoccurring". It can therefore be regarded as "sacred time" in contrast with profane, single events, following the theory of historian Mircea Eliade. Collins does point out that Sumedha's account in the Buddhavaá¹Âsa depicts both repetitive and non-repetitive time: though the paths of the bodhisattas and Buddhas are depicted as repetitive in nature, time in the cycle of rebirth of living beings is described as a continuous flowing river, where living beings can reach salvation under a certain Buddha and thereby reach "the further shore of nirvana" and no longer be reborn. Derris adds that in the narratives about Dëpankara's prediction there is a "shimmering temporal landscape", in which the Buddha-to-be Sumedha is to some extent already the Buddha. Words like Jina (lit. 'conqueror') and TathÃÂgatha are applied to him, which are epithets of an already enlightened Buddha. This indicates how certain the prediction was seen to be.
Post-canonical PÃÂli works, Sanskrit works such as the MahÃÂvastu, as well as SarvÃÂstivÃÂda and Mà «la-sÃÂrvastivÃÂda commentaries describe that a Buddha-to-be must go through several stages before becoming a Buddha: the "natural stage", before conceiving the wish to become a Buddha; the stage of taking a vow to become one; and the stage of living in agreement with that vow, fulfilling the perfections. At the fourth stage, the Buddha-to-be is declared to have an irreversible destination as a Buddha, provided the Buddha-to-be makes a correct vow. Among qualities needed for that vow to succeed, the commentary of the JÃÂtaka states that the Buddha-to-be must fulfill eight conditions, among which having extreme willpower and being male. These conditions are only found in the TheravÃÂda texts. Buddhist studies scholar Peter Harvey does add, though, that the condition of being male only holds for becoming a Buddha, but not for becoming an enlightened disciple of a Buddha. In the PÃÂli tradition, therefore, this condition has hardly any practical consequences, because Buddhahood is seen as open for very few individuals, and most people aim to attain enlightenment as a disciple instead. Most scholars agree that the PÃÂli Canon does not describe the bodhisatta path as open for every individual, and that the PÃÂli texts differ in this respect from MahÃÂyÃÂna Buddhism, in which the path of Buddhahood is regarded as open for all. A number of scholars have argued that there is no such difference, however.
In the TheravÃÂda tradition, the story is usually regarded as the beginning of the Buddha's spiritual path, and is included in the first part () in most traditional accounts about the Buddha's life. The model for this organization of information was the Buddhavaá¹Âsa, and the NidÃÂnakathÃÂ, part of the commentary on the JÃÂtakas, in which the Dà «re takes up half of the account. The story of Sumedha attempts to establish a relation between Gotama Buddha and a lineage of predecessors, thus legitimizing the message of the Buddha, and describing a "pre-enlightenment training". This is comparable to how an Indian king was anointed by his predecessor, and therefore conforms to Indian beliefs. Indeed, the medieval PÃÂli Jënalaá¹ kÃÂra dubs Dëpankara's prophecy "a great consecration", consecration referring to anointment of kings (').
The story is the longest and most detailed account about a previous life of the Buddha, and serves as the model for other such accounts. It is the oldest known Buddhist story about the path of a bodhisatta, and it forms the oldest instance in the PÃÂli tradition of the altruistic bodhisatta rationale, depicting a person aiming for the enlightenment of other living beings. Indeed, the story has been dubbed "a concise TheravÃÂdin reformulation of the MahÃÂyÃÂna bodhisattva ideal", as it deals with the very question of what it means to be a Buddha-to-be. The story defines the role of the bodhisatta path within TheravÃÂdin Buddhist doctrine and terminology in a revolutionary manner, using new terms like 'prediction' ('), 'aspiration' (') and 'service, meritorious act' ('). The JÃÂtakanidÃÂna describes the personal relationship between a Buddha and a bodhisatta within the TheravÃÂdin doctrine and normalizes, incorporates and integrates the bodhisatta in its structure. Scholar Juyan Zhang argues that accounts about Sumedha in the Ekottara ÃÂgama and JÃÂtaka NidÃÂna may have formed a prototype for the later MahÃÂyÃÂna mythology and iconography of the bodhisattva Avalokiteà Âvara, developing from the fifth century CE. Buddhist studies scholars Hikata Ryushà  and Shizutani Masao believe the story of Sumedha to be part of "primitive MahÃÂyÃÂna", the earliest stage in the development of MahÃÂyÃÂna Buddhism, but archaeologist Rhi Juhyung believes the evidence is not yet definitive.
The story of Sumedha's encounter with Dëpankara Buddha is one of the most popular in Buddhist art. It is depicted in many TheravÃÂdin temples and is at least alluded to in a huge amount of religious works. Indeed, in TheravÃÂdin Buddhist culture, the story of Sumedha, as well as hat of Vessantara, is as important as the final life of Gotama Buddha, and in some countries, Sumedha's story is included in children's books about the Buddha. The story of Sumedha's encounter with Dëpankara has been much depicted in Buddhist art. In depictions of rebirth narratives in GandhÃÂran art, the story dominates and has an "extraordinary" position in the iconography of GandhÃÂran monuments with relics (stà «pas). It is often depicted integrated with the present life of the Buddha and is as at least as often depicted as key events in the Buddha's last life. The reason why the story was less influential outside of GandhÃÂra may have been because Vessantara's story was more popular there, Vessantara providing both a model in terms of spirituality and kingship.
In the texts of monastic discipline of the Dharmaguptaka textual tradition, Sumedha receives the prediction of his future Buddhahood and flies away into the air. His hair, however, remains on the ground, still spread out, but now detached from his body. Dëpankara warns his disciples not to step on the hair. Hundreds of thousands of persons then come and make offerings of flowers and perfumes to the hair. In some versions of the story, such as in the DivyavadÃÂna, stà «pas are built by local kings to enshrine the hairs. Buddhist studies scholar John S. Strong argues that these accounts indicate a historical development toward a relic cult of bodhisattas.
In modern times, the story of Sumedha's sacrifice has been raised by TheravÃÂda Buddhists as an example of selflessness in Buddhism. Sri Lankan monk and scholar Walpola Rahula wrote:
On a similar note, Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi raised Sumedha's example as a model for selfless public service.
In Jainism, a similar story exists with regard to their founder MahÃÂvira, who is predicted to become a jina, an omniscient being, in a future life. He creates much bad karma, however, and is reborn in hell as a result. Later he manages to be reborn as a human being and fulfill the prophecy. Both the Buddha-to-be and MahÃÂvira-to-be encounter 24 preceding omniscient teachers. Therefore, there are similarities between this story on the one hand, and the life of Sumedha and his friend Meghadatta on the other hand.
There are some differences, however. Sumedha makes an aspiration for full enlightenment before he receives his prophecy, whereas Marëci, the previous life of MahÃÂvira, is not depicted as upholding such an aspiration, and the prophecy is made at the request of Marëci's father, whereas in Sumedha's case, the prophecy is made in response to his aspiration. Secondly, in Marëci's case, the prophecy also pertains to some "worldly and morally dubious" attainments such as becoming a powerful king (', '), whereas the prophecy Sumedha receives does not contain such elements. Sumedha's aspiration is seen as a powerful and positive intention, that can only lead to positive consequences, as predicted in the prophecy. In Marëci's case, however, his prophecy is not connected with his conscious intention, and the consequences of the prophecy are both positive and negative. This ties in with doctrinal differences in karma and intention between the two religions: whereas in Buddhism intention is fundamental to the concept of karmic retribution, in Jainism all action is important, even that without intention. Whereas in Buddhism a positive and powerful aspiration is seen to only lead to positive results, in Jainism, nearly all aspiration has a problematic side to it, as Marëci's prophecy leads him to an accomplishment as a jina, but also potentially dangerous worldly powers.
The life of Sumedha was depicted in the initial episodes of the 1997 Indian serial Buddha, produced by G. Adi Sheshagiri Rao. In this serial of 27 episodes, the Buddha (and the Buddha-to-be) is played by actor Arun Govind. The story mostly follows the traditional outline, but much time is spent on the generosity of Sumedha, at one point showing him sacrificing his eyes for a blind person.