Tha Ap 6Anuruddha

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

4. Anuruddha

Walt 423 I caught a glimpse of the World-Chief,

the Blessed One named Sumedha,

the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,

while he was dwelling in solitude. Verse 1

Walt 424 So I approached that Sambuddha,

Sumedha, the Chief of the World,

and holding up hands pressed together

I said to him , the Best Buddha: Verse 2

Walt 425 “With your permission, Great Hero

o World’s Best One, O Bull of Men,

I shall light a lamp for you while

you meditate beneath that tree.” Verse 3

Walt 426 That Wise One signaled his assent

the Self-Existent, Best Debater.

I then contrived a mechanism

by piercing through some tree trunks there . Verse 4

Walt 427 I set afire a thousand wicks

for the Buddha, the World’s Kinsman.

For a week I kept them all lit

and then those lamps were extinguished. Verse 5

Walt 428 Due to the pleasure in my heart

and that intention and resolve,

discarding my human body

I’m born in a divine mansion. Verse 6

Walt 429 There was a pillar, well-proportioned

for me born in that divine state.

It blazed forth on every side then :

that is the fruit of giving lamps. Verse 7

Walt 430 On every side for a whole league

I myself shined forth at that time.

I surpassed all the other gods:

that is the fruit of giving lamps. Verse 8

Walt 431 For thirty aeons, king of gods

I exercised divine rule then .

No one at all neglected me:

that is the fruit of giving lamps. Verse 9

Walt 432 And also eight and twenty times

I was a wheel-turning monarch.

Both day and night I could then see

an entire league surrounding me . Verse 10

Walt 433 With knowledge of one thousand worlds,

I see in the dispensation.

The “divine eye” is now attained:

that is the fruit of giving lamps. Verse 11

Walt 434 That Sambuddha named Sumedha

lived thirty thousand aeons hence.

To him a lamp was given by me

with a mind that was very clear. Verse 12

Walt 435 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint.

Walt 436 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 437 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 13

Thus indeed Venerable Anuruddha Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Anuruddha 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.

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