Tha Ap 18Rāhula

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

16. Rāhula

Walt 741 I gifted a mirrored surface

in the seven-story palace

of Blessed Padumuttara

the World’s Best One, the Neutral One. Verse 1

Walt 742 The Biped-Lord, the Bull of Men,

the Great Sage then surrounded by

a thousand arahants undefiled

proceeded to his perfumed hut. Verse 2

Walt 743 Standing in the monks’ Assembly,

and lighting up that perfumed hut,

the God of Gods, the Bull of Men,

the Teacher, spoke these verses then : Verse 3

Walt 744 “I shall relate details of him

who would cause this palace to shine

with a mirror well spread out here ;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 4

Walt 745 Things made of gold, things of silver,

things made of lapis lazuli;

whatever things he wishes for

will arise in the sky for him . Verse 5

Walt 746 Sixty-four times the king of gods

he will exercise divine rule;

a thousand times he’s going to be

a wheel-turner, without a break. Verse 6

Walt 747 In the twenty-first aeon hence

the Kṣatriyan named Vimala

victorious on all four sides

will be a wheel-turning monarch. Verse 7

Walt 748 His city, called Reṇuvatī,

will be well-fashioned out of tile.

Each side three hundred leagues in length

will be joined rectangularly. Verse 8

Walt 749 His palace named Sudassana

constructed by Vissakamma

will be furnished with gabled cells

studded with seven kinds of gems. Verse 9

Walt 750 Filled with divine musicians,

and never lacking the ten sounds;

it will be like Sudassana,

the city where the gods reside. Verse 10

Walt 751 Even when its radiance dims,

as though the sun were rising then

it will be made to shine brightly

eight leagues in every direction. Verse 11

Walt 752 In one hundred thousand aeons,

arising in Okkāka’s clan,

the one whose name is Gotama

will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 12

Walt 753 Falling from Tusitā heaven ,

incited by his wholesome roots,

he’ll be the legitimate son

of Gotama the Blessed One. Verse 13

Walt 754 If he should remain in the house

then he would be a wheel-turner.

For that reason an arahant can’t

obtain pleasure within the house. Verse 14

Walt 755 Being well-trained he will renounce

after going forth from the house.

He will be known as Rāhula

and he will become an arahant.” Verse 15

Walt 756 “As a blue jay protects its eggs

and as an ox protects its tail,

so too, Great Sage, I being wise

and moral did protect virtue . Verse 16

Walt 757 Understanding his Teaching, I

lived loving his dispensation.

Knowing well all the defilements,

without defilements I now live. Verse 17

Walt 758 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 18

Thus indeed Venerable Rāhula Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Venerable Rāhula 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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