Tha Ap 410Todeyya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

405. {408.} Todeyya

Walt 4113 In Ketumati, best city,

there was a king named Vijaya,

a hero, endowed with great strength,

inhabiting that city then. Verse 1

Walt 4114 Because of that king’s indolence,

wild men of the forest rose up.

They were spies, and men with foul mouths;

they laid waste to the country then. Verse 2

Walt 4115 When the borderlands angered him ,

the king then quickly assembled

his dependents and officers,

to restrain all those enemies. Verse 3

Walt 4116 Elephant-riders, sentinels,

champions, shield-bearing soldiers,

archers and mighty noblemen:

they all assembled at that time. Verse 4

Walt 4117 The cooks and those who dress the hair,

the bath boys, the garland-makers,

heroes and conquering soldiers:

they all assembled at that time. Verse 5

Walt 4118 The swordsmen as well as the waiters,

bowmen and people in armor,

hunters and conquering soldiers:

they all assembled at that time. Verse 6

Walt 4119 Mātaṅgas rutting in three ways

and tuskers sixty years of age,

adorned with headdresses of gold:

they all assembled at that time. Verse 7

Walt 4120 The soldiers who have done the job,

enduring cold as well as heat,

also excrement-removal:

they all assembled at that time. Verse 8

Walt 4121 The sound of conchs, the sound of drums,

and thus the sound of trumpets;

they being gladded by those sounds

did all assemble at that time. Verse 9

Walt 4122 Those who crush and those who injure

with tridents and knives and mantras,

suits of armor, also lances:

they all assembled at that time. Verse 10

Walt 4123 Dressing in a suit of armor

that king, victory-less victor,

impaled on tridents at that time

sixty thousand living beings. Verse 11

Walt 4124 The people then let out the cry,

“Alas! the king is unrighteous.

When will there ever be an end

for one who is roasting in hell?” Verse 12

Walt 4125 On the bed I then tossed and turned,

as though I’m lying down in hell:

I do not sleep by day and night;

they torture me with a trident. Verse 13

Walt 4126 “What good is this careless kingship,

these vehicles or this army?

They aren’t able to support me ;

they terrify me all the time. Verse 14

Walt 4127 What good are these sons and these wives,

as well as this entire kingship?

Well then why don’t I now go forth?

I will cleanse the road to rebirth. Verse 15

Walt 4128-4129 Disregarding all my wealth and

fighting battles I abandoned

my sixty thousand elephants

decked out in all the ornaments,

mātaṅgas with gold headdresses,

clothed in harnessing made of gold,

mounted by elephant-trainers

with lances and goads in their hands.

Frightened by my own bad karma,

I went out into homelessness. Verse 16-18a-b

Walt 4130-4131 My sixty thousand horses too ,

decked out in all the ornaments,

thoroughbreds of good pedigree,

horses from Sindh, fast vehicles,

mounted by trainers of horses

wearing armor with bows in hand—

having abandoned all of them,

I went out into homelessness. Verse 18c-d-20a-b

Walt 4132 Sixty thousand chariots too ,

decked out in all the ornaments,

covered in the skins of leopards

and likewise tigers, flags hoisted—

having abandoned all of them,

I went forth into homelessness. Verse 20c-d-21

Walt 4133 Sixty thousand milch-cows as well ,

and all the metal pails for milk—

eliminating even them,

I went forth into homelessness. Verse 22

Walt 4134-4135 My sixty thousand women too ,

decked out in all the ornaments,

with varied clothes and jewelry

and wearing earrings made of gems,

with long eyelashes, lovely smiles

and slim waists, pleasant to look at—

abandoning them as they wept,

I went forth into homelessness. Verse 23-24

Walt 4136 And sixty thousand villages,

completely full in all regards—

throwing away that whole kingship,

I went forth into homelessness. Verse 25

Walt 4137 Having gone out from the city,

I approached the Himalayas.

On Bhāgīrathī River’s banks,

I constructed a hermitage. Verse 26

Walt 4138 Having built a hall out of leaves

I made myself a heated room;

bent on exertion, resolute,

I’m living in my hermitage. Verse 27

Walt 4139 Terror does not arise in me;

I don’t see frights or fearful things

when meditating under trees,

in pavilions or empty homes. Verse 28

Walt 4140 The Sambuddha named Sumedha,

Chief, Compassionate One, the Sage,

blazing with the light of knowledge,

arose in the world at that time. Verse 29

Walt 4141 There was a powerful spirit

living near my hermitage then .

When the Best Buddha came to be,

he then announced that fact to me: Verse 30

Walt 4142 “A Buddha’s risen in the world,

an Eyeful One named Sumedha;

he’s helping all the folk to cross;

he will ferry you across too.” Verse 31

Walt 4143 After hearing the spirit’s words,

all the time I was deeply moved;

thinking, “A Buddha! A Buddha!”

I made my hermitage ready. Verse 32

Walt 4144 After chopping wood for the fire

and smoothing out my sleeping mat,

having worshipped my hermitage,

I went out from the forest then . Verse 33

Walt 4145 Taking sandalwood from village

to village, city to city,

searching for him , the God of Gods,

I then came up to him , the Guide. Verse 34

Walt 4146 At that moment, the Blessed One,

Sumedha, Leader of the World,

was preaching the Four Noble Truths,

enlightening the people then. Verse 35

Walt 4147 Pressing both my hands together

with the sandalwood on my head,

having greeted the Sambuddha,

I spoke these verses to him then : Verse 36

Walt 4148 “When jasmine trees are flowering

their scents are diffused around them;

Hero, with the scent of virtue you

permeate every direction. Verse 37

Walt 4149 When the sal trees are flowering,

champak, ironwood, vanika ,

hiptage vines, and and also screw-pine,

their scents get diffused with the wind. Verse 38

Walt 4150 Having smelled your perfume-like scent,

I came here from Himalaya.

I worship you, O Sage So Great,

World’s Best One, O One of Great Fame.” Verse 39

Walt 4151 I anointed the World-Leader,

Sumedha, with good sandalwood.

Bringing pleasure to my own heart

I stood silently at that time. Verse 40

Walt 4152 The Blessed One named Sumedha,

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

seated in the monks’ Assembly

spoke these verses about me then : Verse 41

Walt 4153 “This one who praised my virtues and

who worshipped me with sandalwood,

I shall relate details of him;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 42

Walt 4154 For twenty-five aeons he is

going to be a handsome man

who speaks welcome words, pious

and upright, full of great power. Verse 43

Walt 4155 In the twenty-sixth aeon he

will delight in the world of gods.

A thousand times he’ll be a king,

a king who turns the wheel of law . Verse 44

Walt 4156 Thirty-three times the lord of gods,

he will exercise divine rule,

and there will be much local rule,

innumerable by counting. Verse 45

Walt 4157 Being fallen from there, this man

will go on to the human state.

Bound up with his good karma he’s

going to be Brahma’s kinsman. Verse 46

Walt 4158 Learned, knowing all the mantras,

a master of the three Vedas,

endowed with three auspicious marks

will be the brahmin, Bāvarī. Verse 47

Walt 4159-4160 Having become that man’s student,

he’ll be a master of mantras.

Going up to the Sambuddha,

Gotama, Bull of the Śākyas,

having asked him subtle questions,

cultivating the straight path, he

knowing well all the defilements,

will reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 48-49

Walt 4161 The three fires are blown out in me;

all new existence is destroyed;

knowing well all the defilements,

I am now living, undefiled. Verse 50

Walt 4162 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 51

Walt 4163 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 52

Walt 4164 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 53

Thus indeed Venerable Todeyya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Todeyya Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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