Tha Ap 489Puḷinuppādaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

484. {487.} Puḷinuppādaka

Walt 5140 On a Himalayan mountain,

I’m Devala the ascetic.

My meditation walkway there

was made by non-human beings. Verse 1

Walt 5141 Bearing a weight of matted hair,

carrying a water-pot then,

searching for ultimate meaning,

I departed from the forest. Verse 2

Walt 5142 Eighty-six thousand students there,

waited upon me at that time.

Well-known together with their deeds,

they are living in the forest. Verse 3

Walt 5143 Going out from the hermitage,

I made a stupa out of sand.

Assembling various flowers,

I worshipped that stupa then. Verse 4

Walt 5144 Bringing pleasure to my heart there,

I re- entered the hermitage.

All my students, come together,

questioned me about what that meant: Verse 5

Walt 5145 “ All of us would like to find out

which deity you’re honoring

at that stupa made out of sand:

being asked, please tell that to us.” Verse 6

Walt 5146 “The Eyeful Ones, Greatly Famed Ones,

have no views and no magic spells;

they’re the ones I am honoring,

the Best Buddhas, Greatly Famed Ones.” Verse 7

Walt 5147 “In what way are they Great Heroes,

Omniscient Ones, Lords of the World?

What do they look like? What conduct?

In what way are they Greatly Famed?” Verse 8

Walt 5148 “Buddhas have thirty-two great marks,

and also forty adult teeth.

Their eyes with heifer-eyelashes

resemble wild licorice fruits. Verse 9

Walt 5149 And when those Buddhas are walking,

they look but a plough’s length ahead.

They do not have a person’s voice;

their euphonic sound is not heard. Verse 10

Walt 5150 Also, when those Well-Gone-Ones walk,

they lift up one foot at a time ,

always starting with the right foot:

that is the nature of Buddhas. Verse 11

Walt 5151 And those Buddhas are not afraid,

just like lions, the kings of beasts.

They do not ever praise themselves,

and don’t revile living beings. Verse 12

Walt 5152 They are free of pride and contempt,

the same for all living beings.

Buddhas only praise selflessly:

that is the nature of Buddhas. Verse 13

Walt 5153 And when Buddhas are being born,

they radiate light from themselves ,

and in six different ways they cause

this whole bountiful earth to quake. Verse 14

Walt 5154 And they are able to see hell,

and hell is cooled off at that time.

A massive cloud rains forth as well :

that is the nature of Buddhas. Verse 15

Walt 5155 Such-like are those Great Elephants,

Incomparable, of Great Fame;

in beauty they are unsurpassed,

the Thus-Gone-Ones, Beyond Measure.” Verse 16

Walt 5156 All of my students, respectful,

then expressed their thanks for my speech,

and likewise went along with me,

as far as they could and had strength. Verse 17

Walt 5157 Wishing for their own good karma,

they’re worshipping that sand stupa .

Having faith in that speech of mine ,

their minds drifted to Buddhahood. Verse 18

Walt 5158 Then a God’s Son, Greatly Famous,

fell down from Tusitā heaven.

He was born in a mother’s womb,

making the ten-thousand worlds quake. Verse 19

Walt 5159 I stood on the walkway which was

near my hermitage at that time .

All my students, having gathered,

came into my presence just then . Verse 20

Walt 5160 “The earth, bull-like, is bellowing;

it’s roaring like the king of beasts.

It’s shaking like a crocodile;

what will this be the result of?” Verse 21

Walt 5161 “The Buddha I detailed for you,

close to the stupa made of sand,

the Blessed One, the Teacher, now

has been born in a mother’s womb.” Verse 22

Walt 5162 Discussing the Teaching for them,

and having detailed the Great Sage,

exhorting my own students there ,

I sat in lotus position. Verse 23

Walt 5163 All my strength was then exhausted,

due to a serious illness.

Remembering the Best Buddha,

I passed away right on the spot. Verse 24

Walt 5164 All of my students assembled;

they made me a pyre at that time,

and taking my mortal remains,

they lifted me onto the pyre. Verse 25

Walt 5165 Having attended to the pyre,

hands pressed together on their heads,

wounded by the arrows of grief,

come together they lamented. Verse 26

Walt 5166 While they were wailing uselessly,

I then came back to the pyre there .

“I am your dead teacher, wise ones;

do not lament my passing on . Verse 27

Walt 5167 Endeavor for the highest good,

night and day not being lazy.

Don’t be negligent, all of you;

your moment is offered to you.” Verse 28

Walt 5168 Exhorting my own students thus ,

I returned to the world of gods.

For eighteen aeons after that

I delighted in the gods’ world. Verse 29

Walt 5169 And then a hundred times I was

a king who turns the wheel of law .

Also another hundred times,

I was a king who turns the wheel.

Also another hundred times

I then exercised divine rule. Verse 30

Walt 5170 In the remaining aeons I

transmigrated as god or man.

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of generating. Verse 31

Walt 5171 As in the month of Kattikā,

many trees are in full flower,

likewise in that very season,

I have flowered as a great sage. Verse 32

Walt 5172 Vigorous effort’s the yoked ox,

carrying perfect peace for me.

Like elephants with broken chains

I am dwelling without constraint. Verse 33

Walt 5173 In the hundred thousand aeons

since I praised the Buddha back then ,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of praising Buddhas . Verse 34

Walt 5174 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 35

Walt 5175 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 36

Walt 5176 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 37

Thus indeed Venerable Puḷinuppādaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Puḷinuppādaka Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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