[532. {535.}[1] Kumāra-Kassapa[2]]
One hundred thousand aeons hence
the Leader arose [in the world],
the Hero, Friend of Every World,[3]
who name was Padumuttara. (1) [5811]
Being a brahmin at that time,
distinguished,[4] a Vedic master,
wandering during siesta,
I saw the Leader of the World,
explaining the Four [Noble] Truths,
awakening the world with gods,
praising in the multitude the
top of those with varied discourse. (2-3) [5812-5813]
At that time, with a gladdened heart,
inviting [him], the Thus-Gone-One,
decorating a pavilion
with [bolts] of cloth diversely dyed,
lit up by various gemstones,
I fed [him] with the monks[5] [in it].
Having fed [them all] for a week
diverse, foremost [and] tasty food,
worshipping[6] [him] and followers
with flowers of various hues,
falling down in front of [his] feet,
I aspired [to attain] that place. (4-6) [5814-5816]
Then the Excellent Sage,[7] Sole Hoard
of the Taste of Compassion,[8] said:
“Look at that excellent brahmin,
[with] face and eyes [like] lotuses,
possessing much joy and delight,
[his] body hair growing upward,
[his] large eyes extremely mirthful,
greedy for my dispensation,
fallen down in front of my feet,
happily turned toward one [purpose:][9]
he’s wishing for that [foremost] place
[of preachers with] varied discourse.[10] (7-9) [5617-5819]
In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world. (10) [5820]
Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
named Kumāra-Kassapa, he
will be the Teacher’s follower. (11) [5821]
Through the power of that cloth with
varied flowers and gems [as well],
he will attain the foremost [place]
of [preachers] with varied discourse.” (12) [5822]
Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and [firm] resolve,
discarding [my] human body,
I went to Tāvatiṃsa [then]. (13) [5823]
Touring[11] the space of existence
like an actor upon the stage,[12]
the son of a deer [named] Sākhā,[13]
I entered the womb of a doe. (14) [5824]
[And] then while I was in the womb,
[my mother’s] turn to die stood nigh.[14]
Turned out[15] by Sākhā, my mother
went to Nigrodha for refuge. (15) [5825]
By that deer-king [Nigrodha], she
was released from [her pending] death.
Sacrificing his life [instead],
[Nigrodha] then advised me thus: (16) [5826]
“Only Nigrodha should be served;
don’t keep company with Sākhā.[16]
Better death in Nirodha[‘s care]
than life in [the care of] Sākhā.” (17) [5827]
Instructed by that advice of the deer[-king],
my mother and I, because of his advice,
to the delightful Tusitā heaven came[17]
as though [we] had gone abroad, taking [our] house. (18-19) [5828][18]
Again, when Hero Kassapa’s
dispensation had reached [its] goal,
ascending to a mountain-top
engaged in the Victor’s teachings,[19] (20) [5829]
now, in Rājagaha[20] [city],
I was born in a wealthy[21] clan.
My mother, with [me in her] womb,
had gone[22] forth into homelessness. (21) [5830]
Finding out that [she] was pregnant,
they approached Devadatta[23] then.
He said, “let all of you banish[24]
this Buddhist nun[25] who is evil.” (22) [5831]
Now [she] too being shown mercy
by the Lord of Sages,[26] Victor,
my mother’s [living] happily
in a convent for Buddhist nuns. (23) [5832]
Finding that out, the Kosala
earth-protector supported me,
with the care given to a prince,[27]
and by name I was “Kassapa.” (24) [5833]
Because there was “Great Kassapa,”
I [was known as] “Boy Kassapa.”
Hearing Buddha’s preaching that the
body’s the same as an anthill,[28]
because of that my mind was freed
from attachment altogether.
After taming King Pāyāsi,[29]
I [then] attained that foremost place. (25-26) [5834-5835]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (27) [5836]
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! (28) [5837]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (29) [5838]
Thus indeed Venerable Kumāra-Kassapa Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Kumāra-Kassapa Thera is finished.
Apadāna numbers provided in {fancy brackets} correspond to the BJTS edition, which contains more individual poems than does the PTS edition dictating the main numbering of this translation. ↩︎
“Boy-Kassapa” ↩︎
sabbalokahito, or “Friendly to All Worlds” ↩︎
reading vissuto with BJTS for PTS va sato ↩︎
sasaṅghaŋ, lit., “with the assembly [of monks]” ↩︎
lit., “doing pūjā ↩︎
munivaro ↩︎
karuṇekarasāsayo, BJTS Sinhala gloss: karuṇā rasaṭa eka ma nidhāna vū (“who was the one [and only] treasure-trove for the taste of compassion”) ↩︎
ekāvatta-sumānasaŋ ↩︎
reading vicchittakathikattanaṃ (lit., “varied-discourse-ness”) with BJTS for PTS vicchittakathikatthadaŋ (“of giving meaning through varied discourse”) ↩︎
paribbhamaŋ bhavākāse ↩︎
raṅgamajjhe yathā naṭo ↩︎
“Branch”. RD says “branch-deer” (sākhā-miga) signifies a monkey at J ii.73; the compound translated here (sākhāmigatrajo) thus can also be read to mean “son of a monkey,” but the following lines make clear that the figures here are deer. ↩︎
reading vajjhavāro upatiṭṭho with BJTS (“the turn to die for was looked after ”[or “was served”]) for PTS vajjavāraŋ upatiṭhā (“she looked after [etc.] the time to die”). ↩︎
reading vattā with BJTS for PTS cchattā ↩︎
lit., “one should not keep company with Sākhā ↩︎
āgamma, lit., “having come” ↩︎
PTS treats this as two short verses; BJTS as a single verse in more elaborate metre (with 11-syllable feet rather than half-verses); I follow BJTS’s reading. ↩︎
jinasāsanaŋ, lit., “the Victor’s dispensation” ↩︎
modern Rajgir, in Bihar. ↩︎
seṭṭhi°, “a millionaire’s” ↩︎
lit., “went forth.” We are to understand that she did this unintentionally, i.e., unaware she was pregnant ↩︎
the Buddha’s cousin, who tries to rival the Buddha with increasing virulence and hatred until he is finally sucked into avīcchi hell. See #387 {390}, above. ↩︎
vināsetha, 2nd pers. pl., also “destroy” “ruin” “kill” ↩︎
bhikkhuniŋ ↩︎
munindena ↩︎
or “to the prince,” his own son? ↩︎
in the Vammikasutta, M i. 142ff, which is centered on Kumāra-Kassapa. A certain deity appears and tells him a riddle about a burning anthill; he reports this to the Buddha who solves the riddle by equating the anthill with the body. See DPPN II:832-833 ↩︎
who maintained that karma bears no fruit. His famous dialogue about rebirth with Kumārakassapa is recounted in the Pāyāsisutta, D. ii. 316ff. See DPPN II:187-188 ↩︎