Tha Ap 474Maṇipūjaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

469. {472.} Maṇipūjaka

Walt 4943 The Victor, Padumuttara,

was a Master of Everything,

Seclusion-Lover, the Sambuddha

was flying through the sky back then . Verse 1

Walt 4944 In the Himalayan region,

there was a large natural lake.

My palace was located there,

bound up with my good karma. Verse 2

Walt 4945 Having gone out from the palace,

I saw the Leader of the World,

bright like a blue water lily,

blazing up like a fire-altar. Verse 3

Walt 4946 Thinking, “I’ll worship the Leader,”

though I searched I saw no flower.

Bringing pleasure to my own heart,

I worshipped him , the Teacher, then . Verse 4

Walt 4947 With the gem I had on my head,

I worshipped him , the World-Leader:

“Let there be a lucky result

of this offering of a gem.” Verse 5

Walt 4948 Padumuttara, World-Knower,

Sacrificial Recipient,

the Teacher, standing in the sky,

spoke this verse about me then : Verse 6

Walt 4949 “Let your thought have a good result;

let you receive huge happiness.

Because of offering this gem,

let you experience great fame.” Verse 7

Walt 4950 Having said this, the Blessed One,

the one whose name was “Best Lotus,”

the Best Buddha then flew away,

to where his mind directed him . Verse 8

Walt 4951 Sixty aeons the lord of gods,

I exercised divine rule.

And another hundred times I

was a monarch who turns the wheel. Verse 9

Walt 4952 When I had become a god who

remembered his former karma,

a gemstone comes to be for me,

which functioned as my source of light. Verse 10

Walt 4953-4954 Eighty-six thousand women then

were married to me as my wives,

with varied clothes and jewelry

and wearing earrings made of gems,

with long eyelashes, lovely smiles

and slim waists, pleasant to look at.

They’re constantly waiting on me:

that’s the fruit of offering gems. Verse 11-12

Walt 4955 Well-made things to adorn myself

are coming to me as I wish,

made of gold and made of gemstones,

and likewise made out of rubies. Verse 13

Walt 4956 Delightful gabled huts and caves,

and beds that are very costly,

discerning what I am thinking,

are produced according to wish. Verse 14

Walt 4957 The gain for them is well-received

who get to listen to Buddha,

the Merit-Field for humankind,

the Medicine for all that breathe. Verse 15

Walt 4958 My karma too was so well done,

which is that I saw the Leader.

I am freed from all suffering;

I’ve attained the unshaking state. Verse 16

Walt 4959 In whichever womb I’m reborn,

whether it’s human or divine,

on all sides are the seven gems;

there is light for me all the time. Verse 17

Walt 4960 Because of that gem-offering,

having enjoyed great good fortune,

the knowledge-light is seen by me;

I’ve attained the unshaking state. Verse 18

Walt 4961 In the hundred thousand aeons

since I offered that gem to him ,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of offering gems. Verse 19

Walt 4962 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 20

Walt 4963 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 21

Walt 4964 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 22

Thus indeed Venerable Maṇipūjaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Maṇipūjaka 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.

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