The miracle of the "double appearances”. When the
Buddha laid down a rule forbidding the exercise of supernatural powers by
monks - following on the miracle performed by
Pindola Bhāradvāja - the
heretics went about saying that henceforth they would perform no miracles except
with the Buddha. Bimbisāra reported this to the
Buddha, who at once accepted the challenge, explaining that the rule was for his
disciples and did not apply to himself. He, therefore, went to
Sāvatthi, the place where all Buddhas perform
the Miracle. In reply to Pasenadi, the Buddha
said he would perform the miracle at the foot of the
Gandamba tree on the full moon day of Asālha [in July]. This was in the
seventh year after the Enlightenment (DA.i.57).
The heretics therefore uprooted all mango trees for one league around, but,
on the promised day, the Buddha went to the king's garden, accepted the mango
offered by Ganda, and caused a marvellous tree to
sprout from its seed. The people, discovering what the heretics had done,
attacked them, and they had to flee helter-skelter. It was during this flight
that Pūrana Kassapa committed suicide.
The multitude, assembled to witness the miracle, extended to a distance of
thirty six leagues. The Buddha created a jewelled walk in the air by the side of
the Gandamba. When the Buddha's disciples knew what was in his mind, several of
them offered to perform miracles and so refute the insinuations of the heretics.
Among such disciples were Gharanī,
The Buddha refused their offers and related the
Nandivisāla Jātakas. Then, standing
on the jewelled walk, he proceeded to perform the Yamaka-pātihāriya (Twin
Miracle), so called because it consisted in the appearance of phenomena of
opposite character in pairs - e.g., producing flames from the upper part
of the body and a stream of water from the lower, and then alternatively. Flames
of fire and streams of water also proceeded alternatively from the right side of
his body and from the left. DA.l.57; DhA.iii.214f. explains how this was done.
From every pore of his body rays of six colours darted forth, upwards to the
realm of Brahmā and downwards to the edge of the
Cakkavāla. The Miracle lasted for a long while, and as the Buddha walked up
and down the jewelled terrace he preached to the multitude from time to time. It
is said that he performed miracles and preached sermons during sixteen days,
according to the various dispositions of those present in the assembly. At the
conclusion of the Miracle, the Buddha, following the example of his
predecessors, made his way, in three strides, to
Tāvatimsa, there to preach the Abhidhamma Pitaka to his mother, now born as
The Twin Miracle is described at DA.i.57, and in very great detail at
DhA.iii.204; see also J. iv.263ff. The DhA. version appears to be entirely
different from the Jātaka version; the latter is very brief and lacks many
details, especially regarding Pindola's miracle and the preaching of the
Abhidhamma in Tāvatimsa. The account given in Dvy. (143-66) is again different;
the Miracle was evidently repeatedly performed by the Buddha (see, e.g.,
Candanamālā), and it is often referred to - e.g., J. i.77, 88, 193;
Ps.i.125; SnA.i.36; AA.i.71; MA.ii.962; Mil. 349; Vsm.390; PvA.137; Dāthāvamsa
i.50. The miracle was also performed by the Buddha's relics; see, .e.g.,
Mhv.Xvii.52f.; Sp.i.88, 92.
It is said (Mil..349) that two hundred millions of beings penetrated to an
understanding of the Dhamma at the conclusion of the Miracle.
The Twin Miracle can only be performed by the Buddha. Mil.106.