Tha Ap 487Candanamāliya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

482. {485.} Candanamāliya

Walt 5105 Giving up the five sense pleasures,

forms which are dear and delightful;

giving up eight hundred million,

I went forth into homelessness. Verse 1

Walt 5106 After going forth I gave up

bad karma done with the body.

Giving up bad conduct through words,

I dwelt upon a river’s banks. Verse 2

Walt 5107 Then the Best Buddha approached me,

living alone near that river .

I did not know, “he’s the Buddha;”

I gave him a friendly welcome. Verse 3

Walt 5108 Giving him that friendly welcome,

I then asked him his name and clan:

“Are you a god, a music-nymph,

or even generous Indra? Verse 4

Walt 5109 Or else who are you? Son of whom?

Like God Himself has come here now ,

you’re shining in all directions,

like the sun when it is rising. Verse 5

Walt 5110 Marks of wheels with one thousand spokes

are seen on your foot, happy one.

Who then are you? The son of whom?

How then can we come to know that?

Please declare your name and your clan;

please do relieve me of my doubts!” Verse 6

Walt 5111 “I’m not a god, a music-nymph,

nor even generous Indra,

and I do not exist as God:

I am superior to them. Verse 7

Walt 5112 In the past I burst asunder

their sphere, the chains of sense pleasures;

having destroyed all defilements,

the best Awakening’s attained. Verse 8

Walt 5113 After hearing those words of his,

I spoke these words to him back then :

“If you’re a Buddha, O Great Sage,

please sit down here , Omniscient One.

I am going to worship you;

you’re the Ender of Suffering. Verse 9

Walt 5114 Spreading out my deer-hide leather,

I gave it to the Teacher then .

The Blessed One sat down there like

a lion in a mountain cave. Verse 10

Walt 5115 Quickly ascending a mountain,

I gathered a mango tree ’s fruit,

a beautiful sal flower and

some very costly sandalwood. Verse 11

Walt 5116 Quickly taking all of that, I

approached the Leader of the World.

Giving the fruit to the Buddha,

I offered him that sal -flower. Verse 12

Walt 5117 Anointing him with sandalwood,

I then worshipped him , the Teacher,

happy, with pleasure in my heart,

and with a huge amount of joy. Verse 13

Walt 5118 Seated on my deer-leather robe ,

Sumedha, Leader of the World,

then praised my karma at that time,

causing me to smile about that : Verse 14

Walt 5119 “Due to this gift of mango fruit,

and of both perfume and flowers,

for twenty-five hundred aeons

he will delight in the gods’ world.

With intentions not lacking thought,

he will be very powerful. Verse 15

Walt 5120 For twenty-six hundred aeons

he will delight in the gods’ world.

He’ll be a king who turns the wheel,

victorious on all four sides. Verse 16

Walt 5121 The City known as Vebhāra,

constructed by Vissakamma,

will be entirely made of gold,

adorned with various gemstones. Verse 17

Walt 5122 By means of that very method,

he’ll transmigrate judiciously.

Being happy in every place,

whether as a god or human,

when he obtains his last rebirth,

he will be born as a brahmin. Verse 18

Walt 5123 Having departed from the house

he will be one without a home.

Mastering special knowledges,

he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 19

Walt 5124 Having said that, that Sambuddha,

Sumedha, Leader of the World,

while I meditated on him,

then departed into the sky. Verse 20

Walt 5125 Due to that karma done very well,

with intention and firm resolve,

discarding my human body,

I went to Tāvatiṁsa then .

Walt 5126 Having fallen from Tusitā,

I was born in a mother’s womb.

There is no lack of possessions,

even when I am in the womb. Verse 21

Walt 5127 Food and also drink are enjoyed,

even when I’m in mother’s womb;

due to my desire they’re produced

for my mother as she wishes. Verse 22

Walt 5128 When I was only five years old,

I went forth into homelessness.

I attained my arahantship

while my hair was being cut off. Verse 23

Walt 5129 Searching out my former karma,

I did not see it like a child;

I remembered karma for

the whole thirty thousand aeons. Verse 24

Walt 5130 “Praise to you, O Well-Bred Person!

Praise to you, Ultimate Person!

Coming in your dispensation,

I’ve attained the unshaking state. Verse 25

Walt 5131 In the thirty thousand aeons

since I worshipped the Buddha then ,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā . Verse 26

Walt 5132 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 27

Walt 5133 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 28

Walt 5134 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 29

Thus indeed Venerable Candanamāliya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Candanamāliya Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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