Vipassi, one of the Twenty-Eight Buddhas, was the first of the seven past Buddhas who are closest to us (of whom Shakyamuni was the last). He was the last third Buddha among the thousand Buddhas of the decorated kalpa, but Shakyamuni was the fourth among the thousand Buddhas of the benevolent kalpa.
The Pali word Vipassi has the Sanskrit form Vipaśyin. Vi (good) and passi (saw) together mean "having seen clearly". The word belongs to the same family as the term vipassanā (contemplation).
This Buddha was so named because he had big eyes, clear vision both day and night, and his insight into perpetual complicated circumstances and very deep theories.
He lived 90 kalpas before us, in this time the longevity of humans was 84,000 years. It was from the warrior class (Kshatriyas), the tribe of Kondañña. He was born in Bandhumatî in Khema Park. His father was Bandhuma, and his mother Bandhumatî.
He lived as a householder for 8000 years in three palaces: Nanda, Sunanda and Sirimâ. His height was 80 cubits high. His wife called Sutanâ and his son Samavattakkhanda. He renounced the worldly life and left his home on a trolley and practiced austerities for eight months. Just before his Enlightenment, he received a rice meal of milk offered by Sudassana-setthi's daughter, and grass for his seat by a guard named Sujâta.
He obtained enlightenment under a Patalî tree, he preached his first sermon in the Khamamigadâya to 168,000 disciples, his second sermon to 100,000 disciples, and his third sermon to 80,000 disciples.
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 people, 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. He lived for 80,000 years and died at Sumittârâma. His relics were kept in a stupa of seven leagues in height.
| Buddhist titles | Seven Buddhas of the Past | Succeeded by Vessabhū Buddha |
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