7 & 8. He has soft and tender hands and feet, and his hands and feet are “net-like” (jāla-hatthapāda). The kamma which produces these marks is the practice of the four saṅgahavatthu, (“bases of kindness”) which are generosity, kindly speech, good deeds and impartiality. The result is that the mahāpurisa is beloved by his followers.
The softness of a mahāpurisa’s hands and feet is compared to ghee which has been strained one hundred times through cotton cloth, and they remain soft and tender throughout his life, even when he gets old. The “net-like” mark is compared to the hood of a snake or to a net window built by a skilled carpenter. The fingers and toes being, as we have seen, of equal length, stand a little apart from each other and are joined by a web of skin.
9 & 10. The mahāpurisa has highly placed ankles (ussaṅkhapāda). The ankles of other people are like nails binding the foot, restricting its motion. The ankles of the mahāpurisa are placed higher up on the leg, allowing the foot to move freely in all directions. When he walks, the upper body remains motionless, like a golden statue aboard a ship, and the soles of his feet are visible from all sides, not just from behind as in the case of other people.
He has upward turning body-hairs. The body-hair of a mahāpurisa curls and points upward, as if looking into his face.
He bears these marks because in previous lives he spoke Dhamma to the people for their welfare and happiness. The result of these marks is that, if he becomes a cakkavatti, he becomes the foremost of all householders but if he becomes a Buddha, he becomes the foremost of all beings whatsoever.
11. The mahāpurisa has legs like an antelope. The flesh is distributed evenly all around, not thicker in the back like in other people’s legs. He acquires this mark because in past lives he quickly mastered some skill, art, craft or way of conduct. The result of this mark is that the mahāpurisa quickly acquires everything needful for the life of a supreme king or of a Buddha, as the case may be.
12. The skin of the mahāpurisa is of such a delicate fineness that no dust or dirt can adhere to it. His skin sheds all manner of impurity just like a lotus leaf sheds water. It may be asked, then, why the Buddha is described as bathing? The answer is threefold; to cool or warm his limbs, to make merit for the donors and to set an example for his disciples. He acquired this mark by asking pertinent questions of wise ascetics or brahmins and the result of it is that the mahāpurisa enjoys great wisdom.
13. The mahāpurisa has a golden complexion. The colour of his skin resembles gold that has been polished with vermillion powder and rubbed with a panther’s fang. (Why this curious instrument was used for polishing gold is not explained). He acquired the merit to obtain this mark by being free of anger even when subjected to abuse and by making many gifts of fine cloth in previous lives. The result is that whether he becomes a Buddha or a cakkavatti, he will receive fine rugs, cloth and other such goods.
14. The mahāpurisa has the mark called kosohitavatthaguyho which refers to some peculiarity of the genital organs. Kosa in its most general meaning stands for “any cavity or enclosure containing anything, viz. a storehouse or granary,” but also more specifically, “the membraneous cover of the male sexual organ, the praeputium.” The relevant definition of ohita is “hidden, put away.” Vattha is “cloth, clothing” and guyha is “to be hidden, hidden in.” The compound vatthaguyha, “that which is concealed by cloth”, is a euphemism for the genitals. The PED renders the whole compound as “having the pudendum in a bag.”237
The commentary makes clear what this means when it says that the mahāpurisa’s male organ resembles that of a bull or similar animal, and that it has the appearance of the pericarp of a lotus (DN-a 14). In bulls and horses the penis when flaccid is entirely withdrawn within the prepuce, the outer skin which in a human male culminates in the foreskin, and it emerges only when erect.238 That this mark did not impair normal functioning is evident in that the Buddha fathered a son, and indeed one of the characteristics of a cakkavatti is that he has one thousand sons, “all heroes” (DN 3).
The kosohitavatthaguyho mark is sometimes taken to mean that the Buddha’s penis was somehow introverted or withdrawn entirely within his body. This is the assumption in some Mahāyāna texts, for instance. It appears to be based on an early mistake in rendering an Indian dialect into Sanskrit which resulted in kośopagatavastiguyha, “something hidden in the lower belly.”239 There is also a Mahāyāna sutra surviving only in Chinese which takes the “normal” state of the Buddha’s genitals to be like a lotus, but from this emerges at will a penis with which he can manifest various miraculous transformations, including wrapping it seven times around Mount Sineru!240
This mark is acquired by the mahāpurisa because in previous lives he united loved ones who had become separated, mother with child, sibling with sibling and so forth, to their great happiness. If he becomes a cakkavatti, the result of the kosohitavatthaguyho is that he will father one thousand heroic warrior sons. The text (DN-a 30) says that if he becomes a Buddha, the result is the same. Although it is not explicitly stated, even in the commentary, we have to assume that this is to be taken figuratively meaning that he will have many spiritually heroic disciples.
It is because they are physically incapable of bearing this mark that women cannot be Buddhas or cakkavattis (AN-a 1:279–280).
15 & 16. The mahāpurisa has limbs proportioned evenly like a banyan tree. This means that the span of his arms is equal to his height. Also, while standing he can touch both knees with the palms of his hands without stooping. These marks are acquired by the kamma of wisely judging those under his authority in previous lives, knowing clearly what each individual deserves. The result for a cakkavatti is that he shall be wealthy in gold and silver and his storehouses always full of grain. A Buddha shall be wealthy in spiritual goods; having a great measure of faith, learning, morality and so forth.
17, 18 & 19—The front part of the mahāpurisa’s body is as well proportioned as that of a lion. This does not mean that the rest of his body resembles a lion, which is perfect only in the fore parts. “There is no master craftsmen or master of psychic power in the entire world that can create an image which resembles the perfection of the mahāpurisa.” Also, the upper part of the mahāpurisa’s back is smooth, with no visible hollow between the shoulder-blades. The flesh there is as smooth as a golden shield. Lastly, the throat of the mahāpurisa is even all round (samavaṭṭakkhandha).241 Other people’s necks may be long or crooked like a bird’s but not so the mahāpurisa. The flesh of his throat is even all round and when he speaks, it is like thunder arising from the clouds of the sky and there is no bulging of tendons or veins in the neck.
These marks are acquired by formerly having sought the welfare of the many folk (bahujana), both in material goods such as fields, sons, elephants and slaves and in spiritual goods such as faith, morality and learning. If he becomes a cakkavatti, then his wealth will never diminish or be lost. If he becomes a Buddha, then his spiritual virtues will never diminish.
20. He has a supremely developed sense of taste. With seventeen thousand nerves distributed throughout his body and ending in his mouth, when the mahāpurisa takes a morsel of food, the essence is conveyed throughout his body. This is how the Bodhisatta was able to survive on such lean fare as a single rice grain a day during his years of austerity. Other people do not have this power and most of the nutritive essence of their food is lost, which makes them subject to many diseases.
This mark is gained by having refrained in previous lifetimes from harming living beings with sticks and stones. The result is that the mahāpurisa will always have good digestion and suffer but little from disease.
21 & 22. The mahāpurisa has deep blue eyes (abhinīlanetta). Pali, like many ancient languages, does not clearly distinguish between black and blue, nīla representing both.242 However, in this case the colour “blue” is clearly intended because the commentary says that the colour is like that of a flax flower. His eyes are also compared to a decorative window
opening into a vimāna (deva palace). The mahāpurisa has eyelashes like those of a newly born red calf. Although the eyelashes are specially mentioned, this mark refers to the perfection of the entire eye, which is neither sunken like that of an elephant or protruding like that of a mouse, but perfectly placed, and resembles a well polished gem. The eyelashes themselves are soft, very fine and black (nīla).
These marks are acquired because the mahāpurisa in previous existences always looked at people directly, and with kindliness, never sidelong like a crab and never with a poisonous (visāci) glance. As a result of this mark, the mahāpurisa is looked upon with affection by all classes and kinds of beings.
23. His head resembles a royal turban (uṇhīsasīsa). The commentary gives two explanations of this mark, which are not mutually exclusive. The first is that the mahāpurisa has a band of flesh running across the forehead from ear to ear, which resembles the wrapping of a royal turban. Indeed the resemblance is not accidental, kings adopted the use of this turban in imitation of a mahāpurisa’s forehead. The second explanation is that his head is perfectly round, not misshapen in any way like those of other people.
This mark is acquired by having previously been foremost in skilful behaviour; the keeping of precepts and fasts, honouring mother and father and in generosity. As a result of this mark, he enjoys the loyalty of his followers.
24 & 25. The mahāpurisa has just one body-hair growing from each pore (ekekaloma).243 He also has a remarkable tuft of hair above the nose, between the eyebrows called uṇṇā (lit. “cotton wool”). When a strand of this hair is taken by the tip and stretched out, it is half as long as his arm. When released, it curls back into a clock-wise spiral with the tip pointing upward. It is pure white in colour and exceedingly soft and fine. The uṇṇā is said to be very beautiful and is compared to a silver star mounted on a golden plate, or a stream of milk being poured from a golden pitcher, or to the morning star.
These two marks were acquired by the kamma of always speaking the truth. The result is that the mahāpurisa will be obeyed by his followers.
26 & 27—The mahāpurisa has forty teeth, twenty in the lower jaw and twenty in the upper. These teeth are perfectly even, without irregularities of any kind, as if carved from a conch shell. Other people might have rotten teeth, or blackened teeth, but those of the mahāpurisa are always pure, shining white.
These marks were obtained because in previous lives the mahāpurisa never spoke slander but always sought to reconcile the differences between those who were at odds with one another. As a result of these marks, his followers will be harmoniously united, not divided one against another.
28 & 29. The tongue of the mahāpurisa is very long, broad and flexible. As this mark is not readily visible, when the Buddha wanted to demonstrate it to dispel the doubt of enquiring brahmins he first rolled his tongue into a tight tube resembling a pin. In this way he displayed it’s flexibility. To demonstrate its length, he stuck the tip of it into each ear in turn. To demonstrate its broadness, he covered the whole of his forehead with it (eg. MN 91). Also, the mahāpurisa has a very clear brahmā-like voice. This is because his organs of speech are purified and not obstructed by phlegm and bile. His voice is compared to that of an Indian cuckoo (karavīka).244
These marks were gained by refraining from harsh speech in previous existences, and always uttering speech that was pleasant to hear, agreeable and useful to the many folk. As a result of having these marks, the mahāpurisa’s speech is always listened to attentively.
30. The mahāpurisa has jaws like a lion. In the case of a lion, only the lower jaw is perfectly formed but in the case of a mahāpurisa both jaws are like this. They are compared to the half-moon. He bears this mark because in previous time his speech was meaningful and connected to the Dhamma.
By the power of this mark, if he becomes a cakkavatti he cannot be overcome by any human foe. If he becomes a Buddha, he cannot be overcome by anything at all, whether it be human or non-human enemies or internal defilements.
31 & 32. The teeth of a mahāpurisa are even, and his canine teeth are very bright. The teeth of ordinary people have gaps between them into which bits of food get lodged while eating. This is not so in the case of a mahāpurisa. His teeth are evenly placed without crookedness or gaps, like a row of diamonds. Also his four canine teeth are exceedingly white, and are compared to the morning star.
He obtained this marks by having practices right livelihood and refraining from such wrong livelihoods as robbery or deceit. As a result of these marks, the mahāpurisa’s followers will be pure.
In addition to these 32 marks of a great man, passing mention is occasionally made in the commentaries to eighty minor marks (asīti anubyañja).245 However these are nowhere described in the commentaries or even the sub-commentaries and we have to go to medieval sources to find a list. The 12th century Buddha biography poem Jinālaṅkāra is cited by The Great Chronicle of Buddhas for the list printed there (GGB p. 243 f ). We do not propose to examine these in detail but just to make a few general observations. The great majority of these minor marks are not as unusual as the major marks, but are simple statements of physical beauty; “neat and smooth fingernails and toenails,” “well proportioned body,” “glossy teeth,” “body free of moles or freckles,” etc. Only two would fall definitely into the category of the supernormal, and both of these are mentioned elsewhere in the commentaries. The mahāpurisa has the strength of “one thousand crores of Kalavaka elephants.” In the Saṃyutta Commentary there is a description of the strength of different classes of elephant and the Buddha is there said to have the strength of ten Chaddanta elephants (the strongest kind, a magical breed of flying elephant). Each class of elephant has some multiple of the strength of the preceding class and doing the requisite math, this means that the Buddha had the strength of 100 billion men! (SN-a 12:22)
The other extraordinary sign included among the 80 minor marks is the ketumāla (“garland of rays”) which emanates from the head of a mahāpurisa. This is always mentioned in reference to the glorious appearance of a Buddha and is usually included along with the 32 major and 80 minor marks.246 This is to be distinguished from another remarkable feature of a Buddha’s appearance, the presence of six coloured rays which emanate from his body, called the buddharasmi. These emanated for a distance of 80 hattha (cubits) from his body. Golden rays issued from his trunk in all directions. Rays “the colour of a peacock’s neck” (moragīvavaṇṇa, copper-sulfate colour/peacock blue) issued upward from the hairs of his head. Rays “the colour of red coral” (pavāḷa) issued from his feet and spread out along the ground. White rays issued from his teeth, eyes and nails.
Crimson (mañjeṭṭha) coloured rays emanated from “that place where the red and yellow colours are mixed.” Finally, brilliant (pabhassara) rays emanated everywhere (Ud-a 8:6). Obviously, some of this description is somewhat obscure. Later tradition settled on blue, yellow, red, white, orange and brilliant as a combination of the other five as the colours of the Buddha’s rays, as can be seen in the Sri Lankan Buddhist flag.
One remaining oddity of the Buddha’s physical appearance may be mentioned, if only to dismiss it. It has been held by some that the Buddha was three times the height of a normal man, and this can sometimes be seen rendered in old Sri Lankan art where a gigantic Buddha towers over his diminutive disciples. This is based on a single passage in the Vinaya Commentary (Vin-a Sd 6) which discusses units of measure and says that a sugatavidatthi (Buddha’s span) is three times that of a middle sized man’s. All the smaller units of measure in India (as in most places) were based on the dimensions of the human body. A vidatthi was a hand-span. If all the Buddha’s dimensions were extrapolated from this, he would have been more than five metres tall. There are several passages in the suttas which indicate that while he may have been tall, he was not freakishly so; for instance when King Ajātasattu fails to recognize him among his disciples at a distance (DN 2). Why the Vinaya compilers inserted this odd measu
rement remains a mystery.247
3:1:10 THE CAKKAVATTI—WORLD MONARCH
As we have seen, two possible careers are open to the mahāpurisa, depending on whether he follows the way of a householder or of a samaṇa. In either case, he reaches the extreme pinnacle of his chosen path. If he goes forth into homelessness as a samaṇa, he becomes a Buddha; but if he remains in the life of a householder, he reaches the highest possible worldly status, that of a cakkavatti, a “Wheel-Turner” or universal monarch.
The summary description of a cakkavatti is as follows:
If he remains as a householder, he will become a cakkavatti king, a righteous (dhammika) dhammarāja, conqueror of the four quarters, establishing security in all the lands, endowed with the seven treasures: the wheel-treasure, the elephant-treasure, the horse-treasure, the jewel-treasure, the woman-treasure, the householder-treasure and the counsellor-treasure. He will have more than a thousand sons, heroes with manly bodies who defeat all hostile armies. He will conquer the whole earth bounded by the sea with Dhamma, without the use of stick or sword, and will rule it by Dhamma.248
The commentary expands on some of these terms (we shall examine the seven treasures in some detail below): He is called dhammika because he acts for the welfare of others, and dhammarāja because he acts for his own welfare. He is conqueror of the four quarters because he is the lord (issara) of the world with its four oceans, adorned with four continents. He is victorious over all enemies and all kings are his subjects. “He establishes security over all the lands” means that all his vassals are content in their duties and no rebellion against him is possible. His thousand plus sons are all fearless, with bodies like devas. If any enemy dared to stand against them, they would be able to crush them with their great strength. But the king (and presumably his sons) kill no living beings and keep the five precepts (DN-a 3). It seems that the cakkavatti has the potential of overwhelming force but never has to use it.
The Buddhist Cosmos Page 17