Tha Ap 128Kusumāsaniya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

126. Kusumāsaniya

Walt 1830-1831 In the city, Dhaññavatī,

I was a brahmin at that time,

a master of the three Vedas,

well-versed in marks and history,

the dictionaries and poetry,

also skilled in reading omens,

an erudite grammarian;

I taught mantras to my students. Verse 1-2

Walt 1832 At that time I’d placed on the road

five handfuls of lotus flowers,

wishing to offer sacrifice

for my mother and my father. Verse 3

Walt 1833 The Blessed One then, Vipassi,

Honored by the monks’ Assembly,

the Bull of Men went near me then,

lighting up every direction. Verse 4

Walt 1834 Having invited the Great Sage,

I appointed a seat for him,

then spreading out those flowers there ,

I led him up to my own house. Verse 5

Walt 1835 Whatever I had in my house,

alms-food which I had been given,

I gave all that to the Buddha,

feeling well- pleased by my own hands. Verse 6

Walt 1836 Discerning when his meal was done,

I gave one handful of flowers .

Giving thanks, the Omniscient One

then departed facing the north. Verse 7

Walt 1837 In the ninety-one aeons since

I gave him that flower back then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of giving flowers. Verse 8

Walt 1838 In an intervening aeon,

I was King Varadassana,

a wheel-turner with great power,

possessor of the seven gems. Verse 9

Walt 1839 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 10

Thus indeed Venerable Kusumāsaniya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Kusumāsaniya 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.

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