Tha Ap 21Sopāka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

19. Sopāka

Walt 784 The Blessed One named Siddhattha

came into my presence one time

when I was cleaning a retreat

on a most fine, superb mountain. Verse 1

Walt 785 Seeing the Buddha who’d arrived

I spread out a woven grass mat

for the World’s Best, the Neutral One,

and gave to him that floral seat. Verse 2

Walt 786 Sitting on that seat of flowers

Siddhattha the World-Leader

discerning my situation

then spoke about impermanence. Verse 3

Walt 787 “In flux indeed is all that is;

things that arise and then decline

are being born and then dying;

happy is the relief from them.” Verse 4

Walt 788 Saying this the Omniscient One,

the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,

the Hero flew into the sky

just like a swan-king in the air. Verse 5

Walt 789 Abandoning my own dogma

I then perceived impermanence.

Meditating for just one day ,

right then and there I passed away. Verse 6

Walt 790 Incited by my wholesome roots

I then enjoyed the two-fold bliss.

When my last rebirth was attained

I was born among dog-cookers. Verse 7

Walt 791 After I set out from the house

I went forth into homelessness.

Dread-locked ascetic seven years,

I attained my arahantship. Verse 8

Walt 792 Energetic, self-abandoned,

careful about the moral rules,

having pleased the Great Elephant

I got higher ordination. Verse 9

Walt 793 In the ninety-four aeons since

I did that good karma back then

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth;

that’s the fruit of a flower-gift. (10

Walt 794 In the ninety-fourth aeon since

I obtained that perception then ,

meditating upon that sense

my defilements were all destroyed. Verse 11

Walt 795 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 12

Thus indeed Venerable Sopāka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Venerable Sopāka 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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