487. {490.} Sālamaṇḍapiya

Walt 5219 Plunged into a sal tree forest,
I had a well-made hermitage,
which was covered with sal flowers;
I live in the woods at that time. Verse 1

Walt 5220 The Blessed One, Piyadassi,
Self-Become One, the Chief Person,
Seclusion-Lover, Sambuddha,
came into the sal-forest then. Verse 2

Walt 5221 Departing from the hermitage,
I went into the forest then.
Searching for roots and fruit to eat,
I’m roaming in the forest then. Verse 3

Walt 5222 There I saw him, the Sambuddha,
Piyadassi, Greatly Famed One,
well-seated, attaining the goal,
shining light in the great forest. Verse 4

Walt 5223 Having placed four sticks of wood there,
building a well-made pavilion
above the Buddha at that time,
I covered it with sal flowers. Verse 5

Walt 5224For seven days I held up that
sal-flower-covered pavilion.
Bringing pleasure to my heart there,
I worshipped him, the Best Buddha. Verse 6

Walt 5225 At that time the Blessed One then
rose up from his meditation.
Looking but a plough’s length ahead,
the Ultimate Person sat down. Verse 7

Walt 5226 Named Varuṇa, the follower
of Piyadassi, the Teacher,
with one hundred thousand masters,
then approached the Guide, the Buddha. Verse 8

Walt 5227 Piyadassi, the Blessed One,
the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,
seated in the monks’ Assembly,
the Victor then displayed a smile. Verse 9

Walt 5228 Anuruddha, the attendant,
of Piyadassi, the Teacher,
placed his robe on one shoulder,
then asked this of him, the Great Sage: Verse 10

Walt 5229 “What is the cause, O Blessed One,
of the smiling of the Teacher?
When what reason was being known
did you display that, O Teacher?” Verse 11

Walt 5230 “This young man who held for me a
floral canopy for a week:
having remembered his karma,
I displayed that smile at that time. Verse 12

Walt 5231 “I do not see sufficient space
for that good karma to ripen.
In the world of gods or men
there is not found sufficient space. Verse 13

Walt 5232 When this good-karma possessor
is living in the world of gods,
as far as his whole retinue,
there will be a sal canopy. Verse 14

Walt 5233 As befits this one’s good karma,
being there he’ll be delighted
by dances which are all divine,
and by songs and speeches as well. Verse 15

Walt 5234 As far as his whole retinue,
there will be many fine perfumes,
and a rain made of sal flowers
will be raining all the time there. Verse 16

Walt 5235 When this man has fallen from there,
he will go to the human state.
Here too a floral canopy
will be carried all of the time. Verse 17

Walt 5236 And here too dance as well as song,
well-accompanied by cymbals,
will attend on him constantly:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā. Verse 18

Walt 5237 Also, when the sun is rising,
a downpour of sal will rain forth.
Connected with his good karma,
that rain will rain all of the time. Verse 19

Walt 5238 After eighteen hundred aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 20

Walt 5239Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
knowing well all the defilements,
he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled. Verse 21

Walt 5240 There will be a sal canopy
for this one who grasps the Teaching,
and that sal canopy will be there
for him being burnt on a pyre." Verse 22

Walt 5241 Detailing the result for me,
Piyadassi Buddha, Great Sage,
preached Dharma to my retinue,
refreshing them with Dharma-rain. Verse 23

Walt 5242 For thirty aeons among the
gods, I exercised divine rule,
and sixty plus four times I was
a king who turns the wheel of law. Verse 24

Walt 5243 Coming here from the world of gods,
I’m receiving huge happiness.
Here too there’s a sal canopy:
that’s the fruit of a canopy. Verse 25

Walt 5244 This is the final time for me;
my last rebirth is proceeding.
Even here a sal canopy
exists for me all of the time. Verse 26

Having pleased him, the Sage So Great,
Gotama, Bull of the Śākyas,
I’ve attained the unshaking state,
beyond all conquest and defeat. Verse 27

Walt 5245 In the eighteen hundred aeons
since I worshipped the Buddha then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā. Verse 28

Walt 5246 My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. Verse 29

Walt 5247 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! Verse 30

Walt 5248 The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 31

Thus indeed Venerable Sālamaṇḍapiya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Sālamaṇḍapiya Thera is finished.

The Summary:

Naḷamālī, Maṇidada,
Ukkāsatika, Vījanī,
Kummāsa and Kusaṭṭha too,
also Giripunnāgiya,
Vallikāra, Pānadhida
and then Pulīnacaṅkama:
five and ninety are the verses
that are counted by those who know.

The Paṁsukūla Chapter, the Forty-Ninth