Tha Ap 558Uttara

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

556. Uttara

Walt 6385 The Sambuddha named Sumedha,

Bearing the Thirty-two Great Marks,

Seclusion-Lover, Blessed One,

came up to the Himalayas.

Walt 6386 Plunged into the Himalayas,

the Chief, Compassionate, the Sage,

getting into lotus posture,

sat down, the Ultimate Person.

Walt 6387 I was a sorcerer back then,

one who could travel through the sky;

taking my well-gone trident I

was going through the sky right there .

Walt 6388 Like fire burning on a mountain,

like the moon on the fifteenth day,

the Buddha blazed forth in the woods,

like a regal sal tree in bloom.

Walt 6389 Coming down from atop the woods,

the Buddha’s rays filled all of space,

with the color of a reed-fire.

Seeing that , I pleased my own heart.

Walt 6390 Wandering, I saw a flower,

a dinner-plate with divine scent.

Carrying three of those flowers,

I offered them to the Buddha.

Walt 6391 Through Buddha’s majestic power,

just then those three flowers of mine,

stems turned upward, petals downward,

they’re making shade for the Teacher.

Walt 6392 Due to that karma done very well,

with intention and firm resolve,

discarding my human body,

I went to Tāvatiṁsa then .

Walt 6393 There my well-constructed mansion

was known by the name “Dinner-Plate.”

It measured sixty leagues in length,

and it was thirty leagues in width.

Walt 6394 A hundred thousand pinnacles,

a mil- kaṇḍa cent- bheṇḍu large ,

made of gold, covered in flags,

appeared for me on that mansion.

Walt 6395 Palanquins made out of crystal,

made of gold or made of gemstones,

and also made out of rubies,

go where I wish if I should wish.

Walt 6396 And there was an expensive bed,

which had an assembled mattress,

with a wool blanket on one end,

and furnished with lots of pillows.

Walt 6397 Going out from the palace, I’m

wandering in divine travels,

going according to my wish,

honored by the gods’ assembly.

Walt 6398 I stand on flowers underneath;

a canopy is above me.

A hundred leagues on every side

is covered with dinner-plate trees .

Walt 6399 There sixty thousand instruments

wait on me evening and morning.

They’re attending me constantly,

by night and day they’re not lazy.

Walt 6400 I delight in play and pleasures;

desiring desires, I rejoice

due to the dances and singing,

the percussion and speeches there.

Walt 6401 Eating and drinking there I’m then

rejoicing among the thirty,

together with troops of women

I rejoice in my great mansion.

Walt 6402 And five hundred different times,

I exercised divine rule there .

And three hundred different times,

I was a king who turns the wheel.

And I enjoyed much local rule,

innumerable by counting.

Walt 6403 Transmigrating from birth to birth,

I receive many possessions.

I have no lack of possessions:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6404 I transmigrate in just two states:

that of a god, or of a man.

I know no other rebirth state :

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6405 I am born in the two high clans,

kṣatriyan and also brahmin.

I’m not aware of lesser clans:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6406 Elephant- and horse-vehicles,

palanquins and chariots too ,

I am receiving all of that:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6407 Troops of slaves and troops of slave-girls,

and women who are all decked out,

I am receiving all of that:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6408 Silk material, woolen stuff,

khoma cloth and cotton goods too ,

I am receiving all of that:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6409 New clothing and fruit which is fresh,

pure food of foremost tastiness,

I am receiving all of that:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6410 People saying, “eat this, enjoy

this, please lie down on this fine bed,”

I am receiving all of that:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6411 Everywhere I’m given honor

and I have very lofty fame,

always in the majority,

my retinue has no factions.

Walt 6412 I’m not aware of cold nor heat,

and burning fever is not known.

Likewise there is not found in me,

suffering of the mind or heart.

Walt 6413 Having been the color of gold,

I transmigrate from birth to birth.

I do not know a bad color:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6414 Falling down from the world of gods,

incited by my wholesome roots,

I am reborn in Śrāvasti,

in a wealthy clan with big halls.

Walt 6415 Giving up the five sense pleasures,

I went forth into homelessness.

Being only seven years old,

I attained my arahantship.

Walt 6416 Knowing my virtue, the Buddha,

the Eyeful One, then ordained me .

A young boy worthy of honor:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6417 The divine eye is purified;

I’m skilled in meditative states.

Special knowledges perfected:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6418 Analytical modes attained,

skilled in all the superpowers,

perfect in special knowledges:

that’s the fruit of Buddha- pūjā .

Walt 6419 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 .

Walt 6420 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint.

Walt 6421 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!

Walt 6422 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught!

Thus indeed Venerable Uttara Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Uttara Thera, the sixth.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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