95. Gandhamāliya (THA-AP97)

I made a perfumed stupa for
him, Siddhattha, the Blessed One,
the Buddha, Top Chief of the World,
blazing up like a fire-altar,
bright as a blue water lily,
as superb as a tiger bull,
of noble birth as is a lion,
seated, the Top of all the Monks,
Honored by the Monks’ Assembly,
and covered it with jasmine flowers
appropriate for the Buddha.
Then worshipping the Teacher’s feet
I departed facing the north.

In the ninety-four aeons since
I gave that perfumed garland then,
distinguished by the fruit of doing
what should be done for the Buddha,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā.

In the thirty-ninth aeon hence
there were sixteen different people;
all were known as Devagandha
and they were all wheel-turning kings.

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

Thus indeed Venerable Gandhamāliya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Gandhamāliya 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.