Introduction
The Mahasudassana Sutta takes the reader back to the place and moment ofthe Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Digha Nikaya 16), when the Buddha, preparing to leave his body, lay down in the lion pose between the twin sal trees at Kusinara. Ananda asks the Buddha not to leave his body in such a remote, jungle-lost village, but the Buddha stops him. "Don't say that, Ananda. After all, this place was once the capital of the kingdom of the Sovereign of the world."
King Mahasudassana, his treasures and qualities
King Mahasudassana conquered the land in the four directions and, through his reign, ensured a happy and prosperous life for the inhabitants. In the capital, Kusinara, surrounded by seven walls of precious metals and stones, precious trees grew. The city was constantly filled with the cries of elephants, the neighing of horses, the rumble of carriages, singing, the sounds of musical instruments, and cries of joy and contentment (this description conveys the image of a mandala containing the riches and splendor of the visible world).
King Mahasudassana possessed seven treasures:
A treasure wheel whose revolution opened the way for the king and his army to conquer new lands;
A treasure elephant, on which the king could travel from sea to sea. This elephant could travel through the air;
A treasure Horse, with qualities similar to those of the Treasure Elephant;
A jewel-treasure, a stone that could illuminate the world in the darkness so that people, thinking that day had come, took up their usual affairs;
A treasure woman, a goddess who appears from the heavenly realms, faithful to the king and loving him;
The treasure-keeper, who could keep the king's treasures and find treasures anywhere, even in the middle of a river;
A treasure advisor who can give wise and sound advice.
(The Seven Treasures of Mahasudassana are the manifestation of the reality of the world of the Thirty-Three Gods who rule the world under the leadership of the God Sakka).
Also, Mahasudassana had four qualities: he was more beautiful than other people, had a longer life, was not subject to illness, and was revered and dear to all his subjects (these qualities are inherent in Brahma, seeBrahmajala Sutta, Digha Nikaya 1)
The creation of lotus lakes and the construction of the Dhamma Palace
Mahasudassana ordered the creation of lotus lakes that bloomed year-round, covered with lotuses of various colors. Bathhouses and inns were built near these lakes, and anyone who needed anything could find it there (lotus lakes, satisfying all desires, are an image of the concentration of consciousness in the heart, where the mind becomes like a lotus lake, fed by internal sources and independent of rain or rivers).
Through a combined effort, humans and gods built a palace for King Mahasudassana called Dhamma. It contained 84,000 rooms (a symbolic number equal to the number of species in the universe according to ancient Indian beliefs). The palace also contained fences, steps, precious trees, nets of bells, and the Dhamma Lake. These images symbolize the four purified accumulations, or skandhas: the palace with steps and fences represents form; the precious trees represent perceptions; the nets of bells represent notions; and the Dhamma Lake represents samskaras. The king himself, present in the palace, present in the 84,000 rooms, represents the pure skandha of consciousness.
King Mahasudassana’s Thought
Looking at his greatness and riches, King Mahasudassana pondered, "What is the cause of such prosperity?" Reflecting, Mahasudassana realized that the cause of his prosperity lay in the giving, self-control, and renunciation he had demonstrated in past lives. King Mahasudassana then retired to a room with a peaked roof, sat cross-legged, and made a firm resolution: "May desire cease! May bad intentions cease! May heartlessness cease!" (qualities opposite to self-control, renunciation, and giving).
By reflecting and purifying his mind, the king experienced successive entry into the four jhanas (concentration on an object with form, concentration on composure (of the bodily qualities), concentration on the state of equanimity, and concentration on the cessation of involvement in the activity of the senses (renunciation of the states of happiness and unhappiness); for more details, seethe Samanññaphala Sutta, Digha Nikaya 2). Then Mahāsudassana spread friendliness, compassion, love of virtue, and serene peace in all directions (the four brahmavihāras; for more details, seethe Tevijja Sutta, Digha Nikaya 13).
The Visit of Queen Subhadda and the Rebirth of Mahasudassana
Queen Subhadda once reflected on the fact that she had not seen Dhamma Mahasudassana in a long time, who was staying in the palace. When she entered the king's room, she saw him lying on his right side in the lion pose (just as the Buddha had lain down when preparing to die). The queen begged Mahasudassana not to leave his body, but he reproved her: "Don’t say that. Say: all pleasant things are impermanent and subject to change. It is not good to die filled with desire. It is painful and blameworthy. Abandon attachment to the 84,000 abodes, 84,000 horses, elephants, householders, kshatriyas, piles of robes..."
Like a person who feels sleepy after a hearty meal, so Mahasudassana felt and, leaving his body, was immediately reborn in the world of Brahma.
Explanation of the connection between reincarnations
Concluding his story, the Buddha explains the connection between reincarnations. The Buddha had already left his body in Kusinara six times, and the last time he did so was as King Mahasudassana. But now, looking around all the worlds, the Buddha cannot find the place where he will leave his body next (meaning that this earthly birth of the Buddha is his last).
Conclusion
To understand the connection between reincarnations explained by the Buddha in the Mahasudassana Sutta, it is best to also familiarize yourself with the Mahapadana Sutta (Digha Nikaya 14). There, the Buddha speaks of another chain of seven reincarnations, beginning with Buddha Vipassi. In both cases, the discussion concerns the connection between incarnations in worlds of varying subtlety. In this sutta, King Mahasudassana is a subtle manifestation of the Buddha himself, the perfect king-ruler of the world in the world of Dhamma. His jewels are symbols: the Wheel – the spread of Dhamma; the Elephant – the power of asceticism; the Horse – a sharpened mind skilled in analysis; the Jewel – Awakening; the Woman – the Sangha of disciples; the Householder – the Sangha of laypeople; the Advisor – the Assembly of heavenly beings patronizing the Dhamma.
