Tha Ap 20Raṭṭhapāla

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

18. Raṭṭhapāla

Walt 769 A rare elephant, fit for kings,

with chariot-pole tusks was given by me

to Blessed Padumuttara,

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

Walt 770 It included all the trappings,

white umbrella and a mahout;

taking the value of all that

I had a monastery built. Verse 2

Walt 771 The palaces that I built there

numbered fifty-four thousand then ;

holding a massive almsgiving

I gave it to the Sage So Great. Verse 3

Walt 772 The Great Sage gave thanks to me then ,

the Self-Become One, Best Person,

then he preached the path beyond death

to all of the smiling people. Verse 4

Walt 773 Then Buddha, named for the lotus

made this prophesy about me;

seated in the monks’ Assembly

he uttered these verses aloud : Verse 5

Walt 774 “I’ll relate the karmic results

of this one who constructed here

fifty-four thousand palaces;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 6

Walt 775 Eighteen thousand huts with gables

will come into being upon

his superb heavenly mansion;

they all will be made out of gold. Verse 7

Walt 776 Fifty times as the king of gods

he will exercise divine rule.

And fifty-eight times he will be

a king who turns the wheel of law . Verse 8

Walt 777 In one hundred thousand aeons,

arising in Okkāka’s clan,

the one whose name is Gotama

will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 9

Walt 778 Falling down from the world of gods,

incited by his wholesome roots,

every time he will be reborn

in a rich clan with lots of food. Verse 10

Walt 779 He afterwards leaving the world,

incited by his wholesome roots,

will be the Teacher’s follower,

known by the name Raṭṭhapāla. Verse 11

Walt 780 Being one bent on exertion,

calmed, devoid of grounds for rebirth,

knowing well all the defilements,

he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 12

Walt 781 Rising up, having left the world,

abandoning abundant food,

like one for whom almsfood is phlegm

I have no taste for any food. Verse 13

Walt 782 My effort bearing the burden

brought me release from attachments.

Now I’m bearing my last body

in the Buddha’s dispensation. Verse 14

Walt 783 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 15

Thus indeed Venerable Raṭṭhapāla Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Raṭṭhapāla 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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