Tha Ap 145Vedikāraka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

143. Vedikāraka

Walt 1950 When the World’s Lord reached nirvana,

Piyadassi, Ultimate Man,

with a pleased heart and happy mind,

I made the Buddha a railing. Verse 1

Walt 1951 Having surrounded it with gems

I made that ultimate rail then ,

and having made that great railing

I passed away right on the spot. Verse 2

Walt 1952 In whichever womb I’m reborn,

whether it’s human or divine,

gemstones are carried in the sky:

that is the fruit of good karma. Verse 3

Walt 1953 In the sixteenth aeon ago

there were thirty-two different kings,

all wheel-turners with great power,

and they were named Maṇippabhā. Verse 4

Walt 1954 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 5

Thus indeed Venerable Vedikāraka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Vedikāraka 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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