Tha Ap 186Pañcahatthiya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

184. Pañcahatthiya

Walt 2169 The Blessed One known as Tissa

was the World’s Best, the Bull of Men;

Honored by the monks’ Assembly,

he went out onto the highway. Verse 1

Walt 2170 Wishing to give an offering

to achieve my vow, I picked up

five handfuls of lotus blossoms

and four more handfuls placed by me. Verse 2

Walt 2171 Delighted by the Buddha’s rays,

I gave them to the Best Biped,

the Golden-Colored Sambuddha

who was walking through the bazaar. Verse 3

Walt 2172 In the ninety-two aeons since

I offered those flowers to him,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā . Verse 4

Walt 2173 In the thirtieth aeon hence

there were five Subhāsammatās,

wheel-turning monarchs with great strength,

possessors of the seven gems. Verse 5

Walt 2174 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 6

Thus indeed Venerable Pañcahatthiya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Pañcahatthiya 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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