Tha Ap 395Sabbakittika

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

390. {393.} Sabbakittika

Walt 3677 shining like a dinner-plate tree,

blazing forth like a tree of lamps,

radiant like the morning star,

like lightening in a mass of clouds, Verse 1

Walt 3678 not frightened, never terrified,

like a lion, king of the beasts,

illuming the knowledge-light,

crushing the groups of heretics, Verse 2

Walt 3679 elevating this entire world,

eliminating every doubt,

roaring like the king of the beasts,

I saw the Leader of the World. Verse 3

Walt 3680 With matted hair, wearing a hide,

lofty, strong, and powerful, I

took my robe made out of bark and

spread it at the soles of his feet. Verse 4

Walt 3681 Taking a fragrant black creeper,

I anointed the Thus-Gone-One.

After anointing the Buddha,

I praised the Leader of the World: Verse 5

Walt 3682 “O Great Sage, Crosser of the Flood,

you are lifting up the whole world.

You are shining with knowledge-light,

your supreme lightening -like knowledge. Verse 6

Walt 3683 You turn the wheel of the Teaching,

you crush the rival heretics,

the Bull, the Winner at Meetings,

you are shaking the entire world. Verse 7

Walt 3684 Like the waves of the great ocean,

breaking on the edge of the shore,

every misguided view breaks up

when it crashes on your knowledge. Verse 8

Walt 3685 When a net which has very fine

mesh has been stretched out in a lake,

creatures entangled in the net

instantly find themselves oppressed. Verse 9

Walt 3686 So the heretics in the world,

attached to the various sects,

do thrash about, O Happy One,

entangled in your great knowledge. Verse 10

Walt 3687 Support for those caught in the flood,

you’re the Lord for those lacking kin,

Refuge for those distressed by fear,

Relief for those seeking freedom, Verse 11

Walt 3688 the One Hero, the Unmatched One,

the Heap of Compassion and Love,

Moral One, Unequaled, Peaceful,

Master, Neutral, the Winning Road, Verse 12

Walt 3689 Wise One, Whose Delusion’s Destroyed,

Lust-less One, Who Speaks the Unsaid,

Accomplished One, you’ve Thrown Off Hate,

Stainless One, Restrained, Pure One, Verse 13

Walt 3690 Attachment-Free, Conceit Slain,

Arahant, Three-Worlds-Surpasser,

Limit-Free, Teaching-Respecter,

Goal-Reacher, Whose Rule is Friendship, Verse 14

Walt 3691 you Ferry Across like a ship,

Bring Relief like buried treasure,

are Without Fear as is a lion,

Haughty like an elephant-king.” Verse 15

Walt 3692 Having praised with those ten verses

Padumuttara of Great Fame,

having worshipped the Teacher’s feet,

I thereafter stood silently. Verse 16

Walt 3693 Padumuttara, World-Knower,

Sacrificial Recipient,

the Teacher, standing in the monks’

Assembly, spoke these verses then : Verse 17

Walt 3694 “He who praised my morality,

my knowledge, also my Teaching,

I shall relate details of him;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 18

Walt 3695 For sixty thousand aeons he’ll

delight in the world of the gods.

Overcoming the other gods,

he will exercise rulership. Verse 19

Walt 3696 He thereafter having gone forth,

incited by his wholesome roots,

will go forth in the Blessed One

Gotama’s dispensation. Verse 20

Walt 3697 Going forth, having avoided

bad actions done with his body,

destroying all his defilements,

he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 21

Walt 3698 “Just like a cloud, which thundering,

satiates this world wanting rain ,

so indeed did you, Great Hero,

satiate me with your thunder.” Verse 22

Walt 3699 Praising morality, wisdom,

the Teaching and the World’s Leader,

I attained the ultimate peace,

nirvana, the unshaking state. Verse 23

Walt 3700 So now indeed the Blessed One,

the Eyeful One, should long remain;

people should learn what now is known,

and they should reach the deathless state. Verse 24

Walt 3701 This is my last going around;

all new existence is destroyed.

Knowing well all the defilements,

I now am living, undefiled. Verse 25

Walt 3702 In the hundred thousand aeons

since I praised the Buddha back then ,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of praising Buddhas . Verse 26

Walt 3703 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

All defilements are exhausted;

now there will be no more rebirth. Verse 27

Walt 3704 My being in Buddha’s presence

was a very good thing for me.

The three knowledges are attained;

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 28

Walt 3705 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 29

Thus indeed Venerable Sabbakittika Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Sabbakittika Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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