11. Sīhāsanadāyaka (THA-AP13)

When the World-Leader Siddhattha,
the Best Biped had reached nirvana,
his words had been spread; many folks
had embraced his dispensation.

With a pleased heart and happy mind
I had a lion-throne fashioned.
Having had the lion-throne made,
I had a foot-stool constructed.

And then I had a house built there
to shield the lion-throne from rain.
Due to the pleasure in my heart
I was reborn in Tusitā.

A heavenly mansion, well-built,
existed at that time for me.
In length it measured twenty-four,
in width another fourteen leagues.

Seven thousand lovely maidens
were always waiting on me then.
There was a couch made out of gold
well-fashioned in the mansion there.

Elephant- and horse-carriages,
and divine carriages served me.
Palaces and also litters
were produced according to wish.

Couches constructed out of gems
and many other costly things
always came into being for me;
that’s the fruit of a lion-throne.

I am always climbing up steps
made of gold and made of silver,
made of crystal, made of lapis;
that is the fruit of the foot-stool.

In the ninety-four aeons since
I performed that act of merit,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth;
that is the fruit of good karma.

There were three men all named Inda
seventy-three aeons ago;
there were three more named Sumana
seventy-two aeons ago;

and seventy aeons ago
there were three kings named Varuṇa;
they were lords of four continents
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 Sīhāsanadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Sīhāsanadāyaka 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.