Tha Ap 132Padumapūjaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

130. Padumapūjaka

Walt 1862 In the Himalayan region,

there’s a mountain named Gotama.

It’s covered with various trees,

and the lair of a great group of ghosts. Verse 1

Walt 1863 In the middle of that mountain

an ashram had been constructed.

Surrounded by my own students,

I lived in that ashram back then . Verse 2

Walt 1864 “Let the student-group come to me;

let them bring me a pink lotus;

let us do a Buddha- pūjā

for the Biped-Lord, Neutral One.” Verse 3

Walt 1865 Having assented, “yes, sir, let’s ”

they brought a pink lotus flower .

Making an occasion for it,

I offered it to the Buddha. Verse 4

Walt 1866 Then, assembling the students,

I thus advised them thoroughly:

“Don’t you ever be neglectful;

be diligent, bring happiness.” Verse 5

Walt 1867 Having thus advised those students

who were patient about my words,

and bound to diligent virtue,

I passed away there at that time. Verse 6

Walt 1868 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 1869 In the fifty-first aeon hence

there was a king, Jaluttama,

a wheel-turner with great power,

possessor of the seven gems. Verse 8

The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 9

Thus indeed Venerable Padumapūjaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Padumapūjaka Thera is finished.

The Summary:

Sereyyaka, Pupphathūpī,

Pāyās-Odaki-Thomaka,

Āsanī-Phala and Saññī,

Gandha and Padumapupphiya.

Five more than a hundred verses

preached by knowers of the meaning.

The Sereyyaka Chapter, the Thirteenth.

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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