Tha Ap 407Upasīva

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

402. {405.} Upasīva

Walt 3990 In the Himalayan region,

there’s a mountain named Anoma.

My well-made hermitage is there ,

with halls well-constructed of leaves. Verse 1

Walt 3991 And a river is flowing there,

beautiful, with excellent banks,

and along those banks are growing

many pink and blue lotuses. Verse 2

Walt 3992 That river is flowing back then,

covered with fish and tortoises,

sheatfish, pāvusa , valaja ,

reed-fish, red-fish and maggura . Verse 3

Walt 3993 Timira trees are blooming there,

ashoka, khuddamālaka ,

laurel, and mountain laurel trees

are perfuming my hermitage. Verse 4

Walt 3994 Winter cherry is blooming there,

and forests of Arab jasmine;

sal and salalā trees are there,

and lots of blooming campaka . Verse 5

Walt 3995 Arjuna trees and hiptage vines,

and sugarcane are blossoming;

silver greywood, madhugandhi ,

blossoming in my hermitage. Verse 6

Walt 3996 Half a league on every side is

covered with bimbijālika ,

golden shower, trumpet-flower,

jasmine, also piyaṅguka . Verse 7

Walt 3997 Mātaṅgava and sattali

trumpet-flower, Chinese chaste tree,

much sage-leaf alangium there,

and tālakūṭa blossoming. Verse 8

Walt 3998 There is much sāleyyaka there,

blossoming in my hermitage.

Many trees are beautiful when

they are bursting into flower.

On every side the scents of that

are wafting through my hermitage. Verse 9-10a-b

Walt 3999 Myrobalan and gooseberry,

mango, rose-apple, bahera,

jujube, markingnut, and bel,

as well as phārusaka fruits, Verse 10c-d,.11a-b

Walt 4000 wild mangosteen, chirauli-nut,

mahuwa and kāsumārī ,

breadfruit and jak are growing there,

bananas and jujube fruits, Verse 11c-d,.12a-b

Walt 4001 large quantities of hog-plum there,

as well as vallikāra fruits,

citron and sapāriya trees

are blooming in my hermitage. Verse 12c-d,.13a-b

Walt 4002 Ālaka and isimugga ,

after that lots of moda -fruit;

all around, heavy with ripe fruit,

are wave-leafed and glomerous figs. Verse 13c-d,.14a-b

Walt 4003 Pepper, and black peppercorns there,

banyan, also wood-apple trees,

a lot of glomerous fig trees,

kaṇḍapakka and pārī trees . Verse 14c-d,.15a-b

Walt 4004 These and many other trees too

are fruiting in my hermitage.

Also many flowering trees,

flowering in my hermitage. Verse 15c-d,.16a-b

Walt 4005 Titan arum, also bindweed,

bilāni , takkaḷāni bulbs ,

ālaka and tālaka too

are all found in my hermitage. Verse 16c-d,.17a-b

Walt 4006 Close to that hermitage of mine,

there was a large natural lake.

It was beautiful, with good banks,

cool water, crystal- clear water. Verse 17c-d,.18a-b

Walt 4007 Many pink and blue lotuses

are mixed with white lotuses there;

covered with mandālaka blooms,

it’s full of various good scents. Verse 18c-d,.19a-b

Walt 4008 Pink lotuses germinate there;

others, flowering, make pollen.

Many pink lotus buds and leaves

and pericarps float on that lake . Verse 19c-d,.20a-b

Walt 4009 Honey flows from the lotus stems

and milk and ghee from lotus roots.

On all sides, with the scent of that,

it’s full of various good scents. Verse 20c-d,.21a-b

Walt 4010 White lotuses, ambagandhī ,

and many nayita are seen;

as befits a natural lake,

there’s a lot of screw-pine in bloom. Verse 21c-d,.22a-b

Walt 4011 Bandhujīva in full flower,

sweetly-scented setavārī ,

crocodiles and alligators

and other fierce beasts are born there. Verse 22c-d,.23a-b

Walt 4012 Many uggāhas and pythons

live there in that natural lake;

sheatfish, pāvusa , valaja ,

reed-fish, red-fish and maggura . Verse 23c-d,.24a-b

Walt 4013 It’s covered with fish and turtles,

also with small, tailless monkeys;

pigeons and ravi -swans as well ,

wild jungle fowl, nadīcaras , Verse 24c-d,.25a-b

Walt 4014 wattled lapwings and ruddy geese,

campakas as well as pheasants,

squirrels, also osprey and hawks,

and many birds called uddhara , Verse 25c-d,.26a-b

Walt 4015 paddy-birds, Ceylon lorikeets,

crabs and many yak-oxen too ,

kāreṇiyas and tilakas

are then residing on that lake. Verse 26c-d,.27a-b

Walt 4016 Lions and tigers and leopards,

bears and wolves, kara bānā bears,

monkeys, also even centaurs

are seen inside my hermitage. Verse 27c-d,.28a-b

Walt 4017 Smelling those sweetly-perfumed scents,

feeding myself upon those fruits,

drinking perfumed water, I am

living there in my hermitage. Verse 28c-d,.29a-b

Walt 4018 Eṇi -deer as well as wild boar,

spotted deer, also smaller breeds,

and aggikas and jotikas

are living in my hermitage. Verse 29c-d,.30a-b

Walt 4019 Swans and curlews and peacocks too,

mynah birds and also cuckoos;

there are many mañjarikas ,

owls and poṭṭhasīsas there. Verse 30c-d,.31a-b

Walt 4020 There are goblins, also titans,

many fairies, also demons,

garuḷas , also snake-demons,

living there in my hermitage. Verse 31c-d,.32a-b

Walt 4021 Sages who possess great powers,

peaceful-hearted and attentive,

holding long-spouted waterpots,

all wearing robes of deer-leather,

wearing braids and carrying weights,

are living in my hermitage. Verse 32c-d,.33

Walt 4022 Looking but a plough’s length ahead,

clever and living peacefully,

happy if receiving or not,

they’re living in my hermitage. Verse 34

Walt 4023 Throwing off their clothes made of bark,

rattling their deer-leather robes ,

supported by just their own strength,

they are then flying through the sky. Verse 35

Walt 4024 They are not carrying water,

nor branches nor wood for the fire;

those things are supplied by themselves:

that’s the fruit of a miracle. Verse 36

Walt 4025 Taking a tub made of iron,

they’re living inside the forest;

even elephants, great cobras

and lions do not frighten them . Verse 37

Walt 4026 Some would travel to Goyāna,

others to Pubbavideha,

and some to Utturukuru,

depending on just their own strength;

carrying their alms food from there,

they are eating it together. Verse 38,.39a-b

Walt 4027 When all of those fierce ascetics,

those neutral ones, were taking off,

the forest is then noisy with

the flapping of deer-leather robes. Verse 39c-d,.40a-b

Walt 4028 Of that sort were those great heroes,

those fierce ascetics, my students;

always surrounded by them, I

am living in my hermitage. Verse 40c-d,.41a-b

Walt 4029 Satisfied through their own karma,

educated, come together,

morally-upright and clever,

skillful in the four boundless states,

wishing to boost their own karma,

they are propitiating me. Verse 41c-d,.42

Walt 4030 Padumuttara, World-Knower,

Sacrificial Recipient,

recognizing the proper time,

the Guide approached my hermitage . Verse 43

Walt 4031 Having approached, the Sambuddha,

the Zealous One, Clever, the Sage,

the Sambuddha, taking his bowl,

approached me begging for alms food. Verse 44

Walt 4032 Spreading out a mat made of grass

for the Great Hero who’d approached,

the one whose name was “Best Lotus,”

I showered him with sal flowers. Verse 45

Walt 4033 Having the Sambuddha sit down,

my mind stirred up with emotion,

quickly ascending a mountain,

I brought some fragrant aloe wood. Verse 46

Walt 4034 Taking a divinely-scented

jak fruit big as a water-jug,

hoisting it up on my shoulder,

I went up to him , the Leader. Verse 47

Walt 4035 Giving the fruit to the Buddha,

I anointed him with aloe.

Happy, with pleasure in my heart,

I worshipped him , the Best Buddha. Verse 48

Walt 4036 Padumuttara, World-Knower,

Sacrificial Recipient,

seated amidst those great sages,

then spoke these verses about me : Verse 49

Walt 4037 “He who gave me fruit and aloe,

and also a place to sit down,

I shall relate details of him;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 50

Walt 4038 In a village or a forest,

atop mountains or inside caves,

recognizing this man’s wishes,

food will come into existence. Verse 51

Walt 4039 Whether born in the world of gods

or in that of men, this person

will satisfy his retinue

with food and also with clothing. Verse 52

Walt 4040 In whatever womb he’s reborn,

whether it’s human or divine,

having inexhaustible food,

this person’s going to transmigrate. Verse 53

Walt 4041 For thirty thousand aeons he’ll

delight in the world of the gods.

A thousand times he’ll be a king,

a king who turns the wheel of law . Verse 54

Walt 4042 Seventy-one different times

he will exercise divine rule,

and he will have much local rule,

innumerable by counting. Verse 55

Walt 4043 In one hundred thousand aeons,

arising in Okkāka’s clan,

the one whose name is Gotama

will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 56

Walt 4044 Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma ,

Dhamma ’s legitimate offspring,

knowing well all the defilements,

he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 57

Walt 4045 The gain for me was well-received,

which is that I saw the Leader.

Obtaining the three knowledges,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 58

Walt 4046 In a village or a forest,

atop mountains or inside caves,

recognizing what I’m wishing,

food is always coming to me. Verse 59

Walt 4047 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 60

Walt 4048 Being in Best Buddha’s presence

was a very good thing for me.

The three knowledges are attained;

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 61

Walt 4049 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 62

Thus indeed Venerable Upasīva Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Upasīva 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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