Tha Ap 144Thambāropaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

142. Thambāropaka

Walt 1945 When the World’s Lord reached nirvana,

Dhammadassi, the Bull of Men,

I placed a pillar with banners

at the Best Buddha’s stupa then . Verse 1

Walt 1946 After constructing a stairway

I climbed up that best stupa there .

Taking a white jasmine flower

I placed it on that pillar then . Verse 2

Walt 1947 O! the Buddha! O! the Teaching!

O! our Teacher’s great achievement!

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of stupa- pūjā . Verse 3

Walt 1948 In the ninety-fourth aeon hence

there were sixteen different monarchs

known by the name Thūpasikha,

wheel-turning kings with great power. Verse 4

Walt 1949 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 5

Thus indeed Venerable Thambāropaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Thambāropaka 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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