289. Buddhūpaṭṭhāyaka (THA-AP291)

Veṭambari was the name of
the man who was my father then.
Having taken me by my hand,
he led me to the Greatest Sage.

“These Buddhas, Chief Lords of the World,
will all be pointed out to me;”
I served them all respectfully,
feeling well- pleased by my own hands.

In the thirty-one aeons since
I looked after the Buddha then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
the fruit of providing service.

In the twenty-third aeon hence
there were four of the ruling caste,
who were all called Samaṇūpaṭṭhāka,
wheel-turning monarchs with great strength.

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

Thus indeed Venerable Buddhūpaṭṭhāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Buddhūpaṭṭhāyaka 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.