Tha Ap 500Puḷinathūpiya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

495. {498.} Puḷinathūpiya

Walt 5304 In the Himalayan region,

there’s a mountain named Samaṅga.

I had a well-built hermitage

furnished with halls of leaves there then . Verse 1

Walt 5305 Named Nārada, with matted hair,

I practiced fierce austerities.

Fourteen thousand students back then

are worshipping me in that place . Verse 2

Walt 5306 Being off in solitude then,

I contemplated in this way :

“All of the people worship me

but I don’t worship anyone. Verse 3

Walt 5307 I do not have an advisor;

there is no one who speaks to me;

no teacher and no preceptor,

I come to a home in the woods. Verse 4

Walt 5308 There is not a teacher for me

whom I am giving honor to,

and serving with respectful heart;

my forest-dwelling’s meaningless. Verse 5

Walt 5309 I’ll search for one to give gifts to,

and to be respected by me ;

I will live enjoying his help,

whom no one will find blameworthy. Verse 6

Walt 5310 Very near my hermitage,

there was a river with high banks,

with good slopes, which was beautiful

and strewn about with pure white sand. Verse 7

Walt 5311 Having approached it at that time,

the river named named Amarika,

after piling up some sand, I

built a stupa out of that sand. Verse 8

Walt 5312 “Those men who were the Sambuddhas,

Enders of Becoming, Sages,

I’ll make this with the marks of a

stupa such-like those built for them.” Verse 9

Walt 5313 Having built my stupa of sand,

as though I made it out of gold,

I covered it with three thousand

gold-colored kiṅkhani flowers. Verse 10

Walt 5314 I am praising evening and morn,

filled with joy, hands pressed together.

As though facing the Sambuddha,

I worshipped that stupa of sand. Verse 11

Walt 5315 When defilements get produced or

pre-occupations with the house,

I recall that well-made stupa,

and always look at them like this : Verse 12

Walt 5316 “Living having depended on

the Meaning-Conveyor, the Guide,

it’s not appropriate for you

to live with defilements, Good Sir. Verse 13

Walt 5317 When I bend down at the stupa,

then respect arises in me;

I drive out bad reflections like

an elephant pained by the goad. Verse 14

Walt 5318 The King of Death then trampled me,

conducting my life in that way.

Passing away right on the spot,

I went to the world of Brahmā. Verse 15

Walt 5319 Dwelling there for the whole lifespan,

I was born among the thirty.

Eighty times the lord of the gods,

I exercised divine rule there . Verse 16

Walt 5320 And then three hundred times I was

a king who turns the wheel of law ,

and I enjoyed much local rule,

innumerable by counting. Verse 17

Walt 5321 I’m enjoying the results of

three thousand kiṅkhani flowers.

Twenty-two thousand people are

waiting on me in every life. Verse 18

Walt 5322 Due to worshipping the stupa,

I am not soiled with dirt and dust;

my limbs are not exuding sweat;

I’m radiantly beautiful. Verse 19

Walt 5323 O! the stupa well-made by me;

Amarika River’s well-seen!

Having built a stupa of sand,

I’ve attained the unshaking state. Verse 20

Walt 5324 “Field” or “Not-Field” aren’t distingished

by a person seeking the pith,

who desires to do wholesome deeds;

his practice is thus accomplished. Verse 21

Walt 5325-5326 Just as a person with great strength

is able to cross a river;

carrying a protective stick,

he would spring across a large lake,

so I, depending on this stick,

will cross the great sea of being :

through his effort and energy

a man would cross over the sea. Verse 22-23

Walt 5327 And so too the karma I did,

which was my little protection;

depending on that karma done,

I crossed over re-becoming. Verse 24

Walt 5328 When my last rebirth was attained,

incited by my wholesome roots,

I am reborn in Śrāvasti,

in a wealthy clan with big halls. Verse 25

Walt 5329 My mother and father had faith,

gone to the Buddha for refuge;

they had both seen the deathless state,

turning to the dispensation. Verse 26

Walt 5330 Taking bark from the Bodhi tree

they built a stupa made of gold.

They’re praising it evening and morn,

face to face with the Śākyas’ Son. Verse 27

Walt 5331 They passed three watches of the night,

praising the Buddha’s appearance,

outside the stupa made of gold,

on a day when the moon was full. Verse 28

Walt 5332 I, having seen the gold stupa,

remembered the stupa of sand.

Sitting down on a single seat,

I attained my arahantship. Verse 29

Walt 5333 The Twenty-Second Recitation Portion

Searching for him, the Great Hero,

I saw the Dhamma ’s general.

Having departed from the house,

I went forth in that one’s presence. Verse 30

Walt 5334 Being only seven years old,

I attained my arahantship.

Knowing my virtue, the Buddha,

the Eyeful One, then ordained me . Verse 31

Walt 5336 The work has been completed by

me, even when I was a child;

what’s to be done was done by me,

in the Buddha’s dispensation. Verse 32

Walt 5337 All hate and fear is in the past;

all bonds overcome, I’m a sage.

I’m you’re follower, Great Hero:

the fruit of a golden stupa. Verse 33

Walt 5338 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 34

Walt 5339 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 35

Walt 5340 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 36

Thus indeed Venerable Puḷinathūpiya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Puḷinathūpiya Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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