44.
The Chapter on Ekavihāri
1.
The Life History of the Elder Ekavihārika
1.
"In this fortunate cosmic cycle, a kinsman of Brahma of great fame;
Kassapa by clan, the best of speakers arose.
2.
"Without obsession, unsupported, with a mind like space;
Abundant in emptiness, such a one, delighting in the signless, a master.
3.
With consciousness free from attachment, without defilement, aloof from family and group;
The greatly compassionate hero, skilled in the means of monastic discipline.
4.
"Energetic in the tasks of others, training those including the gods;
The path leading to Nibbāna, the destination that dries up the mire.
5.
"The Deathless, of supreme gratification, the warding off of ageing and death;
He, the saviour of the world, seated in the midst of the great assembly.
6.
The Protector with the voice of the Indian cuckoo, the Tathāgata with the voice of Brahma;
Lifting up from great peril, those who are lost and without a leader.
7.
"Teaching the stainless Teaching, the leader of the world was seen by me;
Having heard his teaching, I went forth into homelessness.
8.
"Having gone forth, then I, reflecting on the Conqueror's Dispensation;
Alone in the charming forest, I dwelt, oppressed by association.
9.
"Seclusion from identity was for me, it became the cause for me;
For one secluded in mind, seeing danger in association.
10.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, all existences have been uprooted;
Like an elephant having cut the bond, I dwell without mental corruptions.
11.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, my coming to the Buddha's presence;
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
12.
"The four analytical knowledges, and these eight deliverances;
The six higher knowledges have been realized, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Ekavihārika spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The Life History of the Elder Ekavihārika is first.
2.
The Life History of the Elder Ekasaṅkhiya
13.
"For the Blessed One Vipassī, there was a great Bodhi-tree festival;
The great multitude having assembled, venerate the highest enlightenment tree.
14.
"For I do not think this is a trivial matter, he will be the Supreme Buddha;
Whose enlightenment is such, and the Teacher is worthy of veneration.
15.
"Then, having taken a conch shell, I attended upon the Bodhi tree;
Blowing it all day long, I venerated the highest enlightenment.
16.
"The action done near, led me to the heavenly world;
My corpse has fallen, I rejoice in the heavenly world.
17.
"Sixty thousand musical instruments, satisfied, joyful and delighted;
Always attend upon me, this is the fruit of honouring the Buddha.
18.
"Seventy-one cosmic cycles ago, I was a king named Sudassana;
Ruler of the four quarters, victorious, lord of the Indian subcontinent.
19.
"From there, musical instruments of a hundred factors surround me always;
I experience my own action, this is the fruit of attendance.
20.
"Whatever realm of rebirth I am reborn in, whether divinity or human;
Even while gone into my mother's womb, drums are always beaten.
21.
"Having attended on the Self-enlightened One, having experienced accomplishment;
The safe, secure, Deathless, I have attained the unshakeable state.
22.
"Ninety-one cosmic cycles ago from now, the action which I did then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of honouring the Buddha.
23.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
24.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
25.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Ekasaṅkhiya spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The Life History of the Elder Ekasaṅkhiya is second.
3.
The Life History of the Elder Pāṭihīrasaññaka
26.
"The Conqueror named Padumuttara, the receiver of oblations;
With a hundred thousand masters, entered the city then.
27.
"As he entered the city, at peace, such a one;
The jewels shone forth, there was shouting at that very moment.
28.
By the Buddha's power, drums sounded untouched;
Lutes played by themselves, as the Buddha entered the city.
29.
"I pay homage to the foremost Buddha, Padumuttara, the great sage;
Having seen the miracle, I gladdened my mind there.
30.
"Oh, the Buddha! Oh, the Teaching! Oh, the accomplishment of our Teacher!
Even the non-sentient musical instruments play by themselves."
31.
"A hundred thousand cosmic cycles ago from now, when I obtained that perception then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of perception of the Buddha.
32.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
33.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
34.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Pāṭihīrasaññaka spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The Life History of the Elder Pāṭihīrasaññaka is third.
4.
The Life History of the Elder Ñāṇatthavika
35.
"Like a blazing kaṇikāra tree, like an illuminated lamp post;
Shining like gold, I saw the highest of bipeds.
36.
"Having set aside the water-pitcher, the bark garment and the jug;
Having arranged the antelope skin on one shoulder, I praised the foremost Buddha.
37.
"'Dispelling the darkness of ignorance, entangled in the net of delusion;
Having shown the light of knowledge, you have crossed over, O great sage.
38.
"You lift up this world to its limit, the whole, unsurpassed;
There is no comparison to your knowledge, as far as the world's destination extends.
39.
'By that knowledge, omniscient, thus he is called the Buddha;
I pay homage to that great hero, whose omniscience is unobstructed.'
40.
"A hundred thousand cosmic cycles ago from now, I praised the foremost Buddha;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of praising knowledge;
41.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
42.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
43.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Ñāṇatthavika spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The Life History of the Elder Ñāṇatthavika is fourth.
5.
The Life History of the Elder Ucchukhaṇḍika
44.
"In the city of Bandhumatī, I was a gatekeeper;
I saw the stainless Buddha, who has gone beyond all phenomena.
45.
"Having taken a piece of sugar-cane, I gave it to the foremost Buddha;
With a confident mind, glad at heart, to Vipassī, the great sage.
46.
"Ninety-one cosmic cycles ago from now, when I gave a piece of sugar-cane then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of the piece of sugar-cane.
47.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
48.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
49.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Ucchukhaṇḍika spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The life history of the Elder Ucchukhaṇḍika is the fifth.
6.
The Life History of the Elder Kaḷambadāyaka
50.
"The Fully Self-Enlightened One named Romasa, dwelt in the mountain caves;
I gave him a kaḷamba fruit, devoted, with my own hands.
51.
"Ninety-four cosmic cycles ago from now, the gift that I gave then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of the kaḷamba offering.
52.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
53.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
54.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Kaḷambadāyaka spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The life history of the Elder Kaḷambadāyaka is the sixth.
7.
The Life History of the Elder Ambāṭakadāyaka
55.
"Having seen the Buddha in the forest, the Self-Become One, the unconquered;
Having taken an ambāṭaka fruit, I gave to the Self-Become One.
56.
"Thirty-one cosmic cycles ago from now, the fruit that I gave then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of giving fruit.
57.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
58.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
59.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Ambāṭakadāyaka spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The life history of the Elder Ambāṭakadāyaka is the seventh.
8.
The Life History of the Elder Harītakadāyaka
60.
"Yellow myrobalan, emblic myrobalan, mango, rose-apple and beleric myrobalan;
Jujube, marking-nut and marmelos, I myself shall carry.
61.
"Having seen the sage gone to the mountain slope, a meditator, delighting in meditative absorption;
Afflicted by illness, without a companion, the great sage.
62.
"Having taken yellow myrobalan, I gave to the Self-Become One;
When the medicine was eaten, the illness was calmed at that very moment.
63.
"The Buddha, who has abandoned anguish, gave thanks to me;
'By this giving of medicine, and by the appeasement of disease.
64.
"'Whether become a god or a human, or born in another birth;
May he be happy everywhere, and may illness not come to you.'
65.
Having said this, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, self-become, unconquered;
The wise one rose up into the sky, like a king of swans in the firmament.
66.
"Since yellow myrobalan was given to the self-born great sage;
From this birth onwards, illness did not arise in me.
67.
"This is my last, the final existence goes on;
The three true knowledges have been realized, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
68.
"Ninety-four cosmic cycles ago from now, I gave medicine then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of medicine.
69.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
70.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
71.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Harītakadāyaka spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The life history of the Elder Harītakadāyaka is the eighth.
9.
The Life History of the Elder Ambapiṇḍiya
72.
"An elephant king then I was, with tusks as long as a plough-pole, fully grown;
Wandering in the great forest, I saw the leader of the world.
73.
"Having taken a lump of mangoes, I gave it to the Teacher;
The great hero accepted, Siddhattha, the leader of the world.
74.
"While I was gazing, the Conqueror then consumed;
Having gladdened my mind there, I was reborn in Tusita.
75.
"From there, having fallen away, I was a universal monarch;
By this very means, having experienced accomplishment.
76.
"I, with self resolute in striving, at peace, without clinging;
Having fully understood all mental corruptions, I dwell without mental corruptions.
77.
"Ninety-four cosmic cycles ago from now, the fruit that I gave then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of giving fruit.
78.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
79.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
80.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Ambapiṇḍiya spoke these verses.
Thus he spoke.
The life history of the elder Ambapiṇḍiya is the ninth.
10.
The Life History of the Elder Ambaphaliya
81.
"Of the Buddha Padumuttara, the foremost of the world, such a one;
Wandering for almsfood, bearing the highest fame.
82.
"Having taken the highest fruit, with a clear mind;
I gave it to the Teacher, the hero worthy of offerings.
83.
"By that action, lord of bipeds, eldest of the world, bull among men;
I have attained the unshakeable state, having abandoned victory and defeat.
84.
"A hundred thousand cosmic cycles ago from now, the gift that I gave then;
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of the foremost gift.
85.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc.
I dwell without mental corruptions.
86.
"Indeed welcome it was for me, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
87.
"The four analytical knowledges, etc.
the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus the Venerable Elder Ambaphaliyo spoke these verses.
The life history of the Elder Ambaphaliya is the tenth.
The Ekavihāri Chapter is the forty-fourth.
Its summary:
The Elder and the one who dwells alone, Saṅkhiya and Pāṭihīraka;
Thavika and Ucchukhaṇḍī, and the Kaḷamba-ambāṭaka giver.
Harītaka-mango-bunch giver, and the mango giver as tenth, the monk;
Eighty-six verses, counted by the wise.
