Thi Ap 9Pañcadīpikā

– Therīpadāna

– The Legends of the Therīs

9. Pañcadīpikā

Walt 91 In the city, Haṁsavatī,

I was a wanderer back then.

From hermitage to hermitage,

I wandered desiring the good. Verse 1

Walt 92 One day when the moon was waning,

I saw the supreme Bodhi Tree .

Bringing pleasure to my heart there,

I sat down at that Bodhi’s roots. Verse 2

Walt 93 Standing with a heart of reverence,

hands pressed together on my head,

knowing mental happiness there,

I then reflected in this way: Verse 3

Walt 94 “If he has limitless virtue,

is unique, without a rival,

let Buddha show me a marvel;

let him make this Bodhi Tree shine.” Verse 4

Walt 95 When I made that aspiration,

the Bodhi Tree did then blaze up.

It shined forth in all directions,

displaying every good color. Verse 5

Walt 96 Seven nights and days I sat there,

at the roots of that Bodhi Tree ,

and when the seventh day arrived,

I made an offering of lamps. Verse 6

Walt 97 Setting them around my seat there,

I proceeded to light five lamps.

And then my lamps all remained lit,

until the sun did rise again . Verse 7

Walt 98 Due to that karma done very well,

with intention and firm resolve,

discarding my human body,

I went to Tāvatiṁsa then . Verse 8

Walt 99 There my well-made divine mansion

was known as “Pañcadīpī” then.

It was a hundred leagues in height,

and sixty leagues in width back then. Verse 9

Walt 100 Uncountable numbers of lamps

are burning in my surroundings.

The divine world is then lit up

with lamp-light, up to its edges. Verse 10

Walt 101 If when standing looking eastward,

I should desire to see something ,

above, below, also across,

I see everything with my eyes. Verse 11

Walt 102 As far as I should wish to see,

things well done and things not well done,

there’s no obstruction to my sight

in the trees and the mountains there. Verse 12

Walt 103 I was fixed in the chief queen’s place

of eighty kings among the gods.

I was fixed in the chief queen’s place

of one hundred wheel-turning kings. Verse 13

Walt 104 In whichever womb I’m reborn,

whether it’s human or divine,

in my surroundings, a whole lakh

of lamps are burning there for me. Verse 14

Walt 105 Fallen from the world of the gods,

being born in a mother’s womb,

while I was in that mother’s womb,

my eyes were open all the time. Verse 15

Walt 106 Due to my having good karma,

an entire hundred thousand lamps

are lit in the lying-in room:

that’s the fruit of giving five lamps. Verse 16

Walt 107 When my final rebirth occurred,

I turned my mind away from lust .

I attained the unaging and

undying cool state, nirvana. Verse 17

Walt 108 When I was but seven years old,

I attained my arahantship.

Discerning my virtue, Buddha

Gotama ordained me right then . Verse 18

Walt 109 Meditating on a platform,

beneath a tree, in palaces,

in caves or empty buildings then

five lamps are burning there for me. Verse 19

Walt 110 My divine eye is purified;

I am skilled in concentration.

I excel in special knowledges:

that’s the fruit of giving five lamps. Verse 20

Walt 111 Every achievement is achieved;

my duty’s done, I’m undefiled.

With five lamps I’m worshipping your

feet, Great Hero, o Eyeful One. Verse 21

Walt 112 In the hundred thousand aeons

since I gave him those lamps back then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of giving five lamps. Verse 22

Walt 113 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 23

Walt 114 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 24

Walt 115 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 25

Thus indeed Bhikkhunī Pañcadīpikā spoke these verses.

The legend of Pañcadīpikā Therī 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.

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