Third Decade (Stories 21-30)

Abstract

The third chapter is about pratyekabuddhahood, or the awakening of ‘solitary’ or ‘independent’ buddhas, who achieve awakening in times of no Buddhism. Eight of these ten stories concern people predicted by Śākyamuni Buddha to achieve pratyekabuddhahood in future lifetimes, and these echo the stories of the first decade. The two remaining stories are told by Śākyamuni to explain the crumbling stūpas (reliquaries) of past pratyekabuddhas that he and his disciples encounter.