333. {336.} Pabhaṅkara

Walt 2984 In deep forest which was crowded
with wild beasts there was a stupa
of Blessed Padumuttara,
the World’s Best One, the Neutral One. Verse 1

Walt 2985 Nobody dared to travel there
to pay homage to the stupa.
The stupa was broken, in ruins,
covered in grasses, sticks and vines. Verse 2

Walt 2986 I was then a forest-worker,
as were father and grandfathers.
I saw that stupa in the woods,
broken, tangled in grass and vines. Verse 3

Walt 2987-2988Having seen the Buddha’s stupa,
I served it with a reverent heart:
“the Best Buddha’s stupa, broken,
is abandoned in the forest.
It’s not meet, not appropriate
for one who can tell right from wrong.
But I engage in other work,
not cleaning the Buddha’s stupa.” Verse 4-5

Walt 2989 Cleaning off the grasses and sticks
and vines growing on the stupa,
after worshipping it eight times,
still bent over I then went off. Verse 6

Walt 2990 Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I went to Tāvatiṁsa then. Verse 7

Walt 2991 There my well-constructed mansion
was made of gold, brightly shining.
It rose up sixty leagues in height
and it was thirty leagues in width. Verse 8

Walt 2992 And thirty different times did I
exercise rule over the gods.
And five and twenty times was I
a wheel-turning king with great strength. Verse 9

Walt 2993 Transmigrating from birth to birth,
I’m receiving great possessions.
Possessions never lack for me:
that’s the fruit of cleaning stupas. Verse 10

Walt 2994 When I’m going in the forest,
seated on an elephant’s back,
whichever direction I go,
the forest provides me refuge. Verse 11

Walt 2995 I do not see with my two eyes
any tree-stump or thorn at all.
In accordance with my karma,
it gets removed all by itself. Verse 12

Walt 2996 I do not get the itch, ringworm,
rashes, abscesses, leprosy,
epilepsy and scabies too:
that’s the fruit of cleaning stupas. Verse 13

Walt 2997 Another miracle for me:
after I had cleaned the stupa,
I was not conscious of pimples
or spots produced on my body. Verse 14

Walt 2998 Another miracle for me:
after I had cleaned the stupa,
I transmigrate in just two states:
that of a god, or of a man. Verse 15

Walt 2999 Another miracle for me:
after I had cleaned the stupa,
every place where I am living
is gold-colored and very bright. Verse 16

Walt 3000 Another miracle for me:
after I had cleaned the stupa,
displeasing things are avoided,
and things which are pleasing appear. Verse 17

Walt 3001 Another miracle for me:
after I had cleaned the stupa,
my mind is always very pure,
one-pointed, very attentive. Verse 18

Walt 3002 Another miracle for me:
after I had cleaned the stupa,
seated in a single sitting,
I achieved the arahant-state. Verse 19

Walt 3003 In the hundred thousand aeons
since I did that good karma then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of cleaning stupas. Verse 20

Walt 3004 The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 21

Thus indeed Venerable Pabhaṅkara Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Pabhaṅkara Thera is finished.