Tha Ap 117Suvaṇṇapupphiya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

115. Suvaṇṇapupphiya

Walt 1716 The Blessed One named Vipassi,

the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,

sitting down, preached the deathless state

to the body of people there . Verse 1

Walt 1717 After having heard theTeaching

of that Biped-Lord, Neutral One,

I then offered to the Buddha

four flowers made out of fine gold. Verse 2

Walt 1718 There was a canopy of gold

stretched over the whole crowd back then.

From the Buddha’s light and the gold’s

there was a vast effulgence there . Verse 3

Walt 1719 Happy, with rapture in my heart,

thrilled, with my hands pressed together,

with joy produced for those who heard ,

conveying pleasure to the world, Verse 4

Walt 1720 having invited the Buddha,

worshipping the Compliant One,

experiencing great delight

I then returned to my own house. Verse 5

Walt 1721 Having entered my residence,

I called to mind the Best Buddha.

Due to that pleasure in my heart,

I was reborn in Tusitā. Verse 6

Walt 1722 In the ninety-one aeons since

I offered that flower to him,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā . Verse 7

Walt 1723 There were sixteen different kings then,

all known as Nemisammata,

in the forty-third aeon hence,

wheel-turning monarchs with great strength. Verse 8

Walt 1724 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 9

Thus indeed Venerable Suvaṇṇapupphiya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Suvaṇṇapupphiya Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

Legends of the Buddhist Saints (Apadāna) is released under the Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share Alike license.

This is the first-ever complete translation of Apadāna into a Western language.

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org