[536. {539.}[1] Rādha[2]]
The Victor, Padumuttara,
the Sage, Knower of Every World,
the One who had [Five] Eyes, arose
a hundred thousand aeons hence. (1) [5956][3]
The Admonisher,[4] Instructor,[5]
Crosser-Over[6] of all that breathe,
Skilled at Preaching,[7] [he], the Buddha,
caused many folks to cross [the flood]. (2) [5957]
Merciful,[8] Compassionate One,[9]
Well-Wisher[10] of all that breathe, he
established in the five precepts
all the rivals who had arrived. (3) [5958]
In this way he was Unconfused[11]
and Very Well-Known[12] by rivals,
Ornamented[13] by arahants
who were masters [and] neutral ones. (4) [5959]
The [body of the] Sage So Great
rose up fifty-eight cubits[14] [tall];
he was Valuable Like Gold,[15]
Bearing the Thirty-Two Great Marks. (5) [5960]
[People’s] lifespan at that time was
[fully] one hundred thousand years.
Remaining [in the world] so long,
he ferried many folks across. (6) [5961]
I then [lived] in Haṃsavatī,
brahmin master of the mantras.
Approaching the Excellent Man,[16]
I heard the preaching of Dhamma, (7) [5962]
the Great Hero, the [World-]Leader,
Confident among Multitudes,[17]
appointing[18] a monk with quick wit,[19]
in that [quality’s] foremost place. (8) [5963]
After doing deeds at that time
for the Leader and Assembly,
having bowed [my] head at [his] feet,
I aspired [to attain] that place. (9) [5964]
With his lovely voice[20] conveying
away [all] defilements [and] stains,
he as Shiny as Gold Ingots,[21]
the Blessed One then said to me,
“May you be happy and long-lived;
your intention is accomplished.
Hugely[22] [fruitful] for you [will be]
[this] deed done for the monks[23] and me. (10-11) [5965-5966]
In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world. (12) [5967]
Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
the one given the name Rādha
will be the Teacher’s follower.” (13) [5968]
Glad by reason of your virtue,[24]
the Śākyas’ Son, the Bull of Men,
the Leader’s going to appoint [you]
foremost of those who have quick wit.” (14) [5969]
After hearing that I was thrilled,
[and] then for as long as [I] lived,
mindful, loving-hearted [and] wise,
I waited on[25] [him], the Victor. (15) [5970]
Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and [firm] resolve,
discarding [my] human body,
I went to Tāvatiṃsa [then]. (16) [5971]
Three hundred times [the lord of gods,]
I exercised divine rule [there],
and [then] five hundred times I was
a king who turns the wheel [of law]. (17) [5972]
[There was also] much local rule,
innumerable by counting.
Through the power of that karma,
I was happy in every place. (18) [5973]
When [my] last rebirth was attained,
I was born in a brahmin clan,
poor,[26] [and] wanting for clothes and food,
in Rajgir, ultimate city.[27] (19) [5974]
I gave a ladle’s worth of food
to Sāriputta, neutral one,
when [I] was old and decrepit,
and I came to [his] hermitage. (20) [5975]
Nobody was ordaining[28] me,
being old [and] of failing strength;[29]
due to that, old and discolored,
I was sorrow[ful] at that time. (21) [5976]
Having seen me, Great Compassion,[30]
the Sage So Great said [this] to me:
“What meaning has this sorrow, son?
Tell me of your mental anguish.” (22) [5977]
“I’m not getting ordained, Hero,
in your well-preached dispensation;
thus I’m miserable with grief;
be [my] refuge, O Leader.” (23) [5978]
Then calling the monks together,
the Seventh Sage questioned [them thus]:
“Let them speak, those who remember
the service of this one [for us].” (24) [5979]
Sāriputta spoke at that time:
“I remember his deed [for us].
He gave a ladleful of food
to me [then] wandering for alms.” (25) [5980]
Excellent, Excellent, grateful
Sāriputta! [Now] you ordain
this [man, an] elderly brahmin;
he’s going to be a thoroughbred.[31] (26) [5981]
Then [I] got to go forth [and got]
ordained with proper ritual.[32]
In a short time [I then] attained
destruction of the defilements.[33] (27) [5982]
Thrilled [and] mindful, I’m listening
carefully to the Sage’s words.
Then the Victor placed me in the
foremost place of those with quick wit. (28) [5983]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (29) [5984]
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! (30) [5985]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (31) [5986]
Thus indeed Venerable Rādha Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Rādha 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. ↩︎
a historical monk, see DPPN II: 730-731 ↩︎
this and the following five verses also appear, verbatim, as the first six verses of Dabbamalla’s apadāna (#531 {534}, above; [5769]-[5774]), and also of Mahākoṭṭhita’s apadāna (#534 {537}, above; [5881]-[5886]), and also of Uruvela-Kassapa’s apadāna (#535 {538}, above; [5911]-[5916]) ↩︎
ovādako ↩︎
viññāpako ↩︎
tārako ↩︎
desanākusalo ↩︎
anukampako ↩︎
kāruṇiko ↩︎
hitesi ↩︎
nirākulaŋ ↩︎
suñññataŋ, or “empty [of ill-will],” which is BJTS Sinhala gloss reading; I construe the epithet as su + ñata ↩︎
vicchittaŋ ↩︎
ratanāna-aṭṭha-paññāsaŋ uggato. A ratana (Sinh. riyan) is figured as twelve-fingers (aṅgula), according to Sinh-Eng Dictionary about eighteen inches. The claim here then is that Padumuttara Buddha was 1044 inches (or 87 feet) tall. ↩︎
kañcchanagghiyasaṅkāso, lit., “like a gold valuable thing” or “like a gold festoon work” ↩︎
naravaraŋ ↩︎
parisāsu visārado ↩︎
paññāpentaŋ ↩︎
paṭtibhāneyyakaŋ bhikkhuŋ ↩︎
or “sound”: sarena ↩︎
siṅgīnikkhasamappabho. °Nikkha° can mean gold coins, or a particular weight of gold, cf. nekkha. “Gold Ingots” similarly evokes both the weight of the gold and the [minted] coin or bar that contains that weight ↩︎
atīva vipulaŋ ↩︎
lit., “with the Assembly” ↩︎
reading sa te hetuguṇe tuṭṭho with BJTS for PTS sake hetuguṇe tuṭṭho (which could be “happy by reason of [his] own virtue”) ↩︎
paricchariŋ, “waited on” “attended to” ↩︎
PTS reads vippakule n’iddhe; BJTS reads vippakule ‘niddhe; both convey the same meaning. ↩︎
giribbajapuruttame. Giribbaja or Girivraja is another name for Rajgir (also for Vaṅkagiri; see DPPN I:770) ↩︎
pabbajenti, lit., “giving me the ‘going forth’” ↩︎
dubbalathāmakaŋ, lit., “of bad strength [and] vigor” ↩︎
mahākāruṇiko ↩︎
hessat’ ājāniyo ayaŋ ↩︎
kammavācchupsampadaŋ, “higher ordination according to monastic rites” ↩︎
or of the outflows, āsavakkhayaŋ, i.e., “I attained my arahantship” ↩︎