242. Nāgakesariya (THA-AP244)

Gathering both ends of a bow,
I entered into the forest.
I saw a small lake gathered there,
very clean and full of flowers.

Plucking one with both of my hands
and saluting on my forehead,
I then offered it to Tissa,
the Buddha, Kinsman of the World.

In the ninety-two aeons since
I did pūjā with that flower,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā.

In the seventy-seventh aeon,
I was named Pamokkharaṇa,
a wheel-turning king with great strength,
possessor 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 Nāgakesariya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Nāgakesariya 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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Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.