131. Sobhita (THA-AP133)

The Victor Padumuttara,
the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,
before a large body of folks
did preach the path of deathlessness.

Then having listened to his words,
those majestic words he uttered,
pressing both my hands together,
I became tranquil at that time.

“As the great ocean is
the foremost of the seas,
and the rock-heap Meru
is the best of mountains,

likewise those people who
are controlled by the heart
approach not a tittle
of the Buddha’s knowledge.”

The Buddha, Compassionate, Sage,
setting forth the Dhamma-method,
seated in the monks’ Assembly,
uttered this verse about me then:

“He who praises knowledge like this
when the Buddha, World-Leader lives,
for one hundred thousand aeons
will come to know no bad rebirth.

Having destroyed the defilements,
tranquil and well-attentive,
he’ll be the Teacher’s follower,
known by the name of Sobhita.”

I have burnt up my defilements,
all new existence is destroyed.
The three-fold knowing is attained,
I have done what the Buddha taught.

In the fifty-thousandth aeon
there were seven Samuggatas,
wheel-turning kings with great power,
possessors of the seven gems.

The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught!

Thus indeed Venerable Sobhita Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Sobhita 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

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.