Tha Ap 411Jatukaṇṇika

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

406. {409.} Jatukaṇṇika

Walt 4165 In the city, Haṁsavatī,

I was the son of a rich man.

I amuse myself all the time,

endowed with sensual pleasures. Verse 1

Walt 4166 Ascending one palace of three

raised up for me by architects,

I amuse myself constantly

with dancing and with singing there. Verse 2

Walt 4167 Musical instruments played for

me, keep up the right melody.

All of the women are dancing;

they’re carrying my mind away. Verse 3

Walt 4168 Head-twisters, tiny dwarf-dancers,

bower-crouchers, in-the-middlers,

leapers and comedy-dancers

are always entertaining me. Verse 4

Walt 4169 Cymbal-beaters, kumbhathūn -ers,

many dancers, puppet-masters;

those dancers and puppet-masters

are always entertaining me. Verse 5

Walt 4170 Bath boys and those who dress the hair,

cooks, garland-makers, dice-players,

all the boxers and the wrestlers

are always entertaining me. Verse 6

Walt 4171 When those well-trained professionals

are playing at those different arts ,

I do not know the night from day,

like Indra with the thirty gods. Verse 7

Walt 4172 Wayfarers, people on the road,

beggars and many travelers,

they are always approaching me,

and taking their meals at my house. Verse 8

Walt 4173 Buddhist monks and also brahmins,

the unexcelled fields for merit,

working to increase my merit

are also coming to my house. Verse 9

Walt 4174 All the Jains: the Padakas the

Laṭakas , Pupphasāṭakas ,

Tedaṇḍakas , Ekasikhas

are also coming to my house. Verse 10

Walt 4175 Ājīvikas: the Godhammas ,

Viluttāvīs , Devadhammis ,

and the Rajojalladharas ,

are also coming to my house. Verse 11

Walt 4176 Ascetics and forest dwellers:

Parivattakas , Siddhipattas

many Koṇḍas , Puggalikas ,

are also coming to my house. Verse 12

Walt 4177 Oḍḍakas , also Damiḷas ,

Sākulas , Malayāḷakas ,

Sabaras , and Yonakas too

are also coming to my house. Verse 13

Walt 4178 Andhakas , all the Muṇḍakas ,

Kolakas , Sānuvindakas ,

and Ārāvacīnaraṭṭhas

are also coming to my house. Verse 14

Walt 4179 Alasandakas , Pallavakas ,

Babbaras , Bhagga-kārusas ,

Rohitas and Cetaputtas ,

are also coming to my house. Verse 15

Walt 4180 Madhurakas , Kosalakas ,

Kāsikas , Hatthiporakas ,

Isiṇḍas , and Matthalas too

are also coming to my house. Verse 16

Walt 4181 Velāvakas and Arammas ,

Okkalas , many Mekalas ,

Khuddakas and Suddakas too

are also coming to my house. Verse 17

Walt 4182 Rohanas , also Sindhavas ,

Cittas and Ekakaṇṇikas ,

Suraṭṭhas and Aparantas

are also coming to my house. Verse 18

Walt 4183 Suppārikas , Kikumāras

Malayas , Soṇṇabhūmakas ,

Vajjihāras too, all of them

are also coming to my house. Verse 19

Walt 4184 Basket-makers, also weavers,

leather workers and carpenters,

metal-smiths as well as potters

are also coming to my house. Verse 20

Walt 4185 Gem-sellers and bronze-purveyors,

workers in gold and cloth-merchants,

and those who work in tin, they all

are also coming to my house. Verse 21

Walt 4186 Fletchers and the makers of bows,

weavers and makers of perfumes,

as well as tailors, all of them

are also coming to my house. Verse 22

Walt 4187 Oil-handlers and wood-gatherers,

water-carriers and servants,

cooks and those who protect the soup

are also coming to my house. Verse 23

Walt 4188 Gate-keepers and sentinels,

eulogizers, flower-pluckers,

elephant riders and keepers

are also coming to my house. Verse 24

Walt 4189 I gave wealth to the indolent

Maharaja named Ānanda,

covering his deficiency

with gems of the seven colors. Verse 25

Walt 4190 I satisfied with gemstones all

those people who were praised by me,

the multi-colored populace,

discerning what they were thinking. Verse 26

Walt 4191 When the lovely words were spoken,

when the drums were being sounded,

when the conch-shells were being blown,

I’m delighting in my own house. Verse 27

Walt 4192 The Buddha in that period

was Leader Padumuttara.

He was with one hundred thousand

whose defilements were now extinct. Verse 28

Walt 4193 The Eyeful One had gone onto

the road, together with the monks.

Lighting up Every Direction,

he blazed forth like a tree of lamps. Verse 29

Walt 4194 They all are pounding on their drums

for the traveling World-Leader.

His brilliant light is being shed,

like the sun when it has risen. Verse 30

Walt 4195 Even behind paneled windows

not penetrated by its rays,

all the time, inside the houses,

there was an enormous brilliance. Verse 31

Walt 4196 After seeing the Buddha’s light,

I said to the assemblymen,

“Without a doubt the Best Buddha

is this one going on the road.” Verse 32

Walt 4197 Having come down from the palace,

I quickly went to the bazaar.

Having greeted the Sambuddha,

I spoke these words to him back then : Verse 33

Walt 4198 “O may the Buddha pity me,

the Leader named Supreme Lotus.”

The Sage then consented to come ,

with the hundred thousand masters. Verse 34

Walt 4199 Thus inviting the Sambuddha,

I led him to my own great house.

There I satisfied the Great Sage

with food to eat and drinks to drink . Verse 35

Walt 4200 Knowing it grew too late to eat

for the Best Buddha, Neutral One,

I served the Best Buddha with a

hundred musical instruments. Verse 36

Walt 4201 Padumuttara, World-Knower,

Sacrificial Recipient,

sitting down inside my own house,

spoke these verses about me then : Verse 37

Walt 4202 “He who served me with instruments,

and who gave me alms food and drink,

I shall relate details of him;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 38

Walt 4203 This man is going to make the whole

world into a single kingdom.

Possessing gold, possessing wealth,

he’ll be one with abundant food. Verse 39

Walt 4204 Undertaking the five precepts,

and then the ten ways of acting;

undertaking, making progress,

he will then train his retinue. Verse 40

Walt 4205 Sixty thousand instruments and

women who are all-adorned

will play for this one constantly:

that is the fruit of attendance. Verse 41

Walt 4206 For thirty thousand aeons he

will delight in the world of gods.

Sixty-four times the lord of gods,

he will exercise divine rule. Verse 42

Walt 4207 And seventy-four times he’ll be

a king who turns the wheel of law ,

and there will be much local rule,

innumerable by counting. Verse 43

Walt 4208 In one hundred thousand aeons,

arising in Okkāka’s clan,

the one whose name is Gotama

will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 44

Walt 4209 In whichever womb he’s reborn,

whether it’s human or divine,

being one with no lack of wealth,

he will go to the human state. Verse 45

Walt 4210 Having become a learned man,

a master of the three Vedas,

this one will wander the whole earth,

searching for ultimate meaning. Verse 46

Walt 4211 And afterwards he will go forth,

incited by his wholesome roots.

He’ll thrill in the dispensation

of Gotama, the Blessed One. Verse 47

Walt 4212 After pleasing the Sambuddha,

Gotama, Bull of the Śākyas,

having burnt up his defilements,

this one will become an arahant.” Verse 48

Walt 4213 Like a tiger-king in the woods,

like a lion, king of the beasts,

today I’m living without fear

in the Buddha’s dispensation. Verse 49

Walt 4214 I do not see me being born

in want or in a bad rebirth

in the world of gods or people:

that is the fruit of attendance. Verse 50

Walt 4215 I’m now intent on seclusion,

calmed, devoid of grounds for rebirth;

like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 51

Walt 4216 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 52

Walt 4217 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 53

Walt 4218 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 54

Thus indeed Venerable Jatukaṇṇika Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Jatukaṇṇika Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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