Tha Ap 519Kuṭajapupphiya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

514. {517.} Kuṭajapupphiya

Walt 5493 In the Himalayan region,

there’s a mountain named Cāvala.

The Buddha named Sudassana

was living on the mountainside. Verse 1

Walt 5494 Taking Himalayan flowers,

I traveled through the sky back then .

I saw the Buddha, Stainless One,

the Flood-Crosser, the Undefiled. Verse 2

Walt 5495 Taking a winter-cherry bloom,

I placed it on his head just then.

I offered it to the Buddha,

the Self-Become One, the Great Sage. Verse 3

Walt 5496 In the thirty-one aeons since

I offered him that flower,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā . Verse 4

Walt 5497 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 5

Walt 5498 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 6

Walt 5499 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 7

Thus indeed Venerable Kuṭajapupphiya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Kuṭajapupphiya 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.

This is the first-ever complete translation of Apadāna into a Western language.

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org