Tha Ap 52Cunda

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

50. Cunda

Walt 1239 Having had a festoon work made

for the World’s Best, the Neutral One,

the Blessed One named Siddhattha,

I covered it with jasmine flowers. Verse 1

Walt 1240 After I finished placing flowers,

I then gave it to the Buddha.

Picking up the remaining flowers,

I offered them to the Buddha. Verse 2

Walt 1241 Happy, with pleasure in my heart

I gave that floral festoon work

to the Buddha, World’s Chief Leader,

like a festoon work made of gold. Verse 3

Walt 1242 The Sambuddha, With Doubt Dispelled,

Honored by Those Who’ve Crossed the Flood,

seated in the monks’ Assembly,

spoke these verses about me then : Verse 4

Walt 1243 “I’ll relate details of him who

gave me a floral festoon work

permeated with divine scents;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 5

Walt 1244 When he’s fallen from here, this man

will go on to the world of gods,

a god-assembly around him ,

scattered with jasmine flowers there . Verse 6

Walt 1245 His residence, jutting up tall,

will be made of gold and gemstones.

That divine mansion will blaze forth,

illumined by his good karma. Verse 7

Walt 1246 He will exercise divine rule

seventy-four different times.

Waited on by celestial nymphs,

he will enjoy great happiness. Verse 8

Walt 1247 He will reside upon the earth

and have three hundred earthly reigns.

Five hundred times he’s going to be

a king who turns the wheel of law . Verse 9

Walt 1248 He will be a human monarch

known by the name of Dujjaya.

He’ll experience that merit

without knowing his own karma. Verse 10

Walt 1249 Not going to a place of grief

he will go to a human state.

There will be heaps of gold for him ,

very much, counted in billions. Verse 11

Walt 1250 He will be reborn in the world;

he will then be a brahmin man,

beloved own son of Sārī,

and the wise son of Vaṅgata. Verse 12

Walt 1251 Then he’ll go forth in the Shiny-

Bodied Buddha’s dispensation.

His name will be Cūlacunda,

a follower of the Teacher. Verse 13

Walt 1252 Even when he is a novice,

he will become an arahant.

Knowing well all the defilements

he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 14

Walt 1253 To attain the ultimate goal

I waited on my own brother,

the Great Hero who’d arisen,

and many pleasant others, too. Verse 15

Walt 1254 Serving my brother, when he died,

I put his relics in his bowl

and gave it to the Sambuddha,

the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men. Verse 16

Walt 1255 The Buddha in this world with gods

picked up that bowl with both his hands.

Paying respect to those relics,

he praised the top follower then . Verse 17

Walt 1256 My mind is now completely freed

and faith is established in me.

Knowing well all the defilements,

I am now living, undefiled. Verse 18

Walt 1257 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 19

Thus indeed Venerable Cunda Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Cunda Thera is finished.

The Summary:

Upāli, Soṇa, Bhaddiya,

Sannidhāpaka, Hatthiya,

Chadana, Seyya-Cankamaṁ

Subhadda, the one named Cunda:

one hundred and forty verses

and another four besides those .

The Upāli Chapter, the Fifth.

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