156. Kadambapupphiya

Tha-ap 158

Natural pebbles beneath a clear alpine stream.

Walt 2022 In the Himalayan region,
there’s a mountain named Kukkuṭa.
At the foot of that same mountain,
seven Lonely Buddhas dwelt then. Verse 1

Walt 2023 Seeing a kadam tree in bloom,
like the risen king of all lamps,
taking blossoms with both my hands
I placed them upon the Buddhas. Verse 2

Walt 2024 In the ninety-four aeons since
I did that flower-pūjā then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā. Verse 3

Walt 2025 In the ninety-second aeon
seven named Phullanāyaka
were wheel-turning kings with great strength,
possessors of the seven gems. Verse 4

Walt 2026 The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 5

Thus indeed Venerable Kadambapupphiya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Kadambapupphiya Thera is finished.

Connections

Collection & context

TherāpadānaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

About this edition

Translation by Jonathan S. Walters · SuttaCentral · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US

Noncommercial reuse with attribution and the same license. Original publication and digitization credits are preserved below.

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.

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.