423. {426.} Ghatamaṇḍadāyaka (THA-AP428)

Seeing the Blessed One, Well-Thought,
the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,
entered into the great forest,
tormented by internal pain,
bringing pleasure to my own heart,
I presented cream from some ghee.

From doing and heaping that up,
the river named Bhāgīrathī,
and even the four great oceans
are supplying ghee-cream to me.

And even this whole awful earth,
beyond measure, beyond counting,
discerning what I am thinking,
turns into honey and sugar.

These trees on all four continents,
foot-drinkers growing in the earth,
discerning what I am thinking,
turn into wishing-trees for me.

Fifty times the lord of the gods,
I exercised divine rule there.
And fifty-one times I was then
a king who turns the wheel of law.
And I enjoyed much local rule,
innumerable by counting.

In the ninety-four aeons since
I gave him that gift at that time,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of the cream from ghee.

My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint.

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!

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

Thus indeed Venerable Ghatamaṇḍadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Ghatamaṇḍadāyaka Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters.

Whitman College, 2017

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