[153. Vīthisammajjaka[1]]

[I saw] the World-Chief setting out
like the rising hundred-rayed [sun],
like the [mid-day] yellow-rayed sun,
like the moon[2] on the fifteenth [day].^3 [2007]

There were sixty-eight thousand [monks],
who’d all destroyed the defilements,
surrounding the Sambuddha [then],
the Biped-Lord, the Bull of Men. (2) [2008]

After I had swept that road for
the World-Leader, the Charioteer,
I [then] raised up a banner there,
with a mind that was very clear. (3) [2009]

In the ninety-one aeons since
I offered that banner [to him,]
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of giving banners. (4) [2010]

In the fourth aeon [after that]
I was a king with great power,
who was famous as Sudhaja[3]
and was endowed with every sign. (5) [2011]

The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (6) [2012]

Thus indeed Venerable Vīthisammajjaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Vīthisammajjaka Thera is finished.

  1. “Road-Sweeper” ↩︎

  2. reading cchandaṃ (BJTS) for tad-āhu (“that was,” PTS) ↩︎

  3. “Good Banner.” This reading of the name follows BJTS. PTS reads “by the name Vissuta”. ↩︎

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on this translation, as well as on technical and other aspects of the project.

Please use one of the following methods to provide feedback:

Note: a free Github account is required for options #1 & #2.

  1. Open an Issue on Github

    If you detect a bug or would like to provide technical feedback, you can open an issue in our Github repository.

    Check that the issue has not already been opened, then click “New Issue” and provide a detailed description of the problem.

  2. Suggest an Edit on Github

    To suggest a specific change to the translation, navigate to the relevant poem in the Github repository, click “History”, then click on the most recent commit. Find the line you would like to revise, click it, and fill out the comment box that opens below. We will review your feedback and incorporate it into the text if appropriate.

    Those more familiar with Github are also invited to fork the repository and submit a specific change via pull request.

  3. Send an email

    Contact Jonathan S. Walters for translation-related or general queries. For technical questions or comments, contact Dana Johnson.