Tha Ap 37Mogharāja

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

35. Mogharāja

Walt 1066 The Blessed One Atthadassi

the Self-Become One, Unconquered,

encompassed by the monks’ Assembly

entered the chariot-road then . Verse 1

Walt 1067 With my students all around me

I then departed from the house.

Having gone out I then saw there

the Sambuddha , the World-Leader. Verse 2

Walt 1068 Then saluting the Sambuddha,

hands pressed together on my head,

bringing pleasure to my own heart,

I praised the World-Leader kindly: Verse 3

Walt 1069 To what extent beings have form,

are formless or are unconscious,

all of them are included in

the great knowledge that you possess. Verse 4

Walt 1070 If one encloses water with

a net that is good for fishing,

all the creatures in the water

would then be caught inside the net. Verse 5

Walt 1071 And whoever has intentions

one with form or a formless one,

are all of them included in

the great knowledge that you possess. Verse 6

Walt 1072 You’re lifting up this world which is

confused by the darkness-maker.

Having listened to your Teaching

they all then cross the flood of doubt. Verse 7

Walt 1073 This world’s enmeshed in ignorance,

covered by the darkness-maker.

In your knowledge they shine brightly

driving out the darkness-maker. Verse 8

Walt 1074 That eye of yours, for everyone,

is what removes the great darkness.

Having listened to your Teaching

many folks achieve nirvana.” Verse 9

Walt 1075 Having filled up a container

with a bit of pure bee’s honey,

picking it up with both my hands,

I held it out to the Great Sage. Verse 10

Walt 1076 The Great Hero, the Sage So Great,

accepted it, with some boiled rice.

Eating it, the Omniscient One

then rose up into the sky there . Verse 11

Walt 1077 Teacher Atthadassi, Man-Bull,

standing up in the atmosphere,

bringing pleasure to my own heart,

then spoke these verses about me : Verse 12

Walt 1078 “This one by whom knowledge is praised

and the Best Buddha is lauded,

due to the pleasure in his heart,

will not go to a bad rebirth. Verse 13

Walt 1079 He will exercise divine rule

fully fourteen different times then .

He will reside upon the earth

with eight hundred earthly reigns there . Verse 14

Walt 1080 And five hundred times he will be

a king who turns the wheel of law .

He will exercise on the earth

uncountable regional reigns. Verse 15

Walt 1081 A learned man who knows mantras,

he will master the three Vedas.

And then he will renounce the world

in Gotama Buddha’s teaching. Verse 16

Walt 1082 Through his knowledge he’ll discover

facts which are so deep and subtle.

He’ll be the Teacher’s follower

whose name will be Mogharāja, Verse 17

Walt 1083 endowed with the three knowledges,

undefiled, a duty-doer.

Gotama the Top Charioteer

will place him in that foremost place.” Verse 18

Walt 1084 Abandoning my human work,

severing the bonds of being,

knowing well all the defilements,

without defilements I now live. Verse 19

Walt 1085 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 20

Thus indeed Venerable Mogharāja Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Mogharāja 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.

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org