Tha Ap 119Buddhasaññaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

117. Buddhasaññaka

Walt 1733 When Vipassi, Top of the World,

abandoned life’s constituents,

the land, engirdled in water,

the very earth, did quake back then . Verse 1

Walt 1734 When the Buddha’s life was finished

my dwelling was also shaken.

And my ornamental hair-wreath

was stretched and pulled apart by that . Verse 2

Walt 1735 When my residence was shaken,

I was terrified to feel it .

And for whatever reason then

there was a vast effulgence there . Verse 3

Walt 1736 Vessavaṇa having come here,

dispelled the fears of the people:

“There’s nothing for beings to fear;

be calm, exercise self-control. Verse 4

Walt 1737 O! the Buddha! O! the Teaching!

O! our Teacher’s great achievement!

Also when he was being born

the earth itself did quake back then .” Verse 5

Walt 1738 After he praised Buddha’s power,

I thrilled an aeon in heaven.

During the remaining aeons

I did lots of wholesome karma. Verse 6

Walt 1739 In the ninety-one aeons since

I obtained that perception then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

the fruit of perceiving Buddha. Verse 7

Walt 1740 In the fourteenth aeon ago,

I was a majestic monarch,

known by the name of Samita,

a wheel-turner with great power. Verse 8

Walt 1741 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 9

Thus indeed Venerable Buddhasaññaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Buddhasaññaka Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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