Tha Ap 121Paccupaṭṭhānasaññaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

119. Paccupaṭṭhānasaññaka

Walt 1748 Right when Well-Gone Atthadassi

had achieved final nirvana,

I was born in a spirit’s womb;

I possessed great glory back then. Verse 1

Walt 1749 “It’s a bad attainment for me,

a bad dawn, a bad arising,

that I should find such opulence

when the Eyeful One’s passed away.” Verse 2

Walt 1750 Discerning what I was thinking,

the follower named Sāgara

with a wish for my upliftment,

then came into my presence there : Verse 3

Walt 1751 “Why are you grieving? Do not fear!

o you knower of the Teaching,

by the Buddha have been given

the seeds of everyone’s success. Verse 4

Walt 1752 He who’d worship the Sambuddha,

Siddhattha, Leader of the World,

should worship even one small bone

after the final nirvana. Verse 5

Walt 1753 When the heart’s pleasure is the same

there is the same priceless merit.

Therefore having built a stupa,

worship the Victor’s relics there .” Verse 6

Walt 1754 After hearing Sāgara’s words,

I then built a Buddha-stupa.

For five years I attended to

that Sage’s ultimate stupa. Verse 7

Walt 1755 Due to that deed for the Biped-Lord,

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

having enjoyed great happiness,

I attained my arahantship. Verse 8

Walt 1756 In the seventh aeon ago

there were four named Bhūripañña,

wheel-turning kings with great power,

possessors of the seven gems. Verse 9

Walt 1757 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 10

Thus indeed Venerable Paccupaṭṭhānasaññaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Paccupaṭṭhānasaññaka Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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