Tha Ap 15Nanda

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

13. Nanda

Walt 700 Padumuttara’s khoma cloth

I gave to the Self-Become One,

the Sage So Great, the Blessed One,

the Best in the World, Neutral One. Verse 1

Walt 701 Then Buddha, named for the lotus

made this prophesy about me:

“due to giving this piece of cloth

you will have the color of gold. Verse 2

Walt 702 Experiencing two-fold bliss

incited by your wholesome roots

you will be the younger brother

of Gotama the Blessed One. Verse 3

Walt 703 Happy by nature but lustful,

you will be greedy for pleasures.

Being incited by Buddha

you will then go forth, renouncing. Verse 4

Walt 704 After you’ve renounced the world there,

incited by your wholesome roots,

knowing well all the defilements.

you’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 5

Walt 705 In the seven-thousandth aeon

there were four with the name Cela;

sixty thousand aeons ago

there were four named Upacela; Verse 6

Walt 706 in the five-thousandth aeon ago

there were four people named Cela;

they were rulers of the four continents

possessors of the seven gems. Verse 7

Walt 707 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 8

Thus indeed Venerable Nanda Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Nanda 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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