The Chinese term means "outside" or "foreign;"-- in Pali, anna-titthiya,="those belonging to another school." (16) These three predecessors of Sakyamuni were the three Buddhas of the present or Maha-bhadra Kalpa, of which he was the fourth, and Maitreya is to be the fifth and last.

They were: (1) Krakuchanda (Pali, Kakusanda), "he who readily solves all doubts;" a scion of the Kasyapa family.

Human life reached in his time 40,000 years, and so many persons were converted by him.

(2) Kanakamuni (Pali, Konagamana), "body radiant with the colour of pure gold;" of the same family.
Human life reached in his time 30,000 years, and so many persons were converted by him.

(3) Kasyapa (Pali, Kassapa), "swallower of light." Human life reached in his time 20,000 years, and so many persons were converted by him.