Tha Ap 191Ekacāriya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

189. Ekacāriya

Walt 2202 At that time a great din arose

among the Tāvatiṁsa gods:

“The world’s Buddha has passed away

and we’re still afflicted with lust.” Verse 1

Walt 2203 Among them who had thus been moved,

afflicted with arrows of grief,

made firm by my own mental strength,

I went into Buddha’s presence. Verse 2

Walt 2204 Plucking a mandārava bloom,

tender, created with magic,

I then offered it at the time

of the Buddha’s Passing Away. Verse 3

Walt 2205 All the gods and celestial

nymphs rejoiced for me at that time.

For one hundred thousand aeons

I was not born in a bad state. Verse 4

Walt 2206 Sixty thousand aeons ago

there were born sixteen great people

all named Mahāmallajana

wheel-turning monarchs with great strength. Verse 5

Walt 2207 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 6

Thus indeed Venerable Ekacāriya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Ekacāriya 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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