[82]
The Victor (Jina) named Padumuttara, gone to the far shore of all dhammas,
self-tamed, surrounded by the tamed, then departed from the city.
At that time I was a garland-maker in the city of Haṃsavatī;
I took up three lotus blossoms, the choicest that were there.
I saw the stainless Buddha in the bazaar street, coming along the way,
and the very moment I saw the Fully Awakened One, I thought thus:
"What use to me are these flowers of mine, presented to the king?
I might obtain a village, or village land, or a thousand [coins].
Having honoured the Hero, tamer of the untamed, bringer of happiness to all beings,
the very Protector of the World, I shall obtain the deathless wealth."
Having reflected thus, I made my own mind serene with confidence;
taking the three red lotuses, I then flung them into the sky.
The moment I flung them up, they spread out in the sky;
there they stayed poised above his head, stalks upward, blossoms turned down.
Whatever people saw it raised a shout of acclaim;
the deities in the sky gave forth their applause:
"A marvel has arisen in the world by reason of the supreme Buddha;
by reason of these flowers we shall all hear the Dhamma."
Padumuttara, Knower of the World, recipient of offerings,
standing right there in the street, spoke these verses:
"That young man who honoured the Buddha with red lotuses —
him will I proclaim: listen to me as I speak.
For thirty thousand aeons he will delight in the world of the gods (devaloka),
and thirty times, as lord of the gods, he will wield kingship over the gods.
There will then be for him a mansion named Mahāvitthārika,
three hundred yojanas in height, one hundred and fifty in breadth,
with four hundred thousand turrets, well fashioned,
furnished with excellent gabled chambers, adorned with great couches.
A hundred thousand koṭis of celestial nymphs will attend him round about,
skilled in dance and song, and accomplished in instrumental music.
Upon such a superb mansion, thronged with companies of women,
a rain of flowers will then pour down — divine, and red.
On the wall-pegs, on the ivory hooks, on the door-posts and on the archways,
red lotuses the size of wheels will hang at that time.
Within that superb mansion, canopied petal upon petal,
spreading these [petals] beneath them and drawing them over themselves, they will lie down at that time.
Encircling that dwelling for a hundred yojanas all around,
those pure red lotuses will waft forth a divine fragrance.
And seventy-five times he will be a wheel-turning monarch (cakkavatti),
with abundant regional kingship beyond reckoning by count.
Having enjoyed the two successes, free from calamity, free from misfortune,
when the final end is reached he will attain Nibbāna."
Well seen indeed by me was the Buddha! Well employed was the trade I plied:
having honoured him with three lotuses, I have enjoyed the threefold success.
Today, for me who have attained the Dhamma, released in every way,
a red lotus in full bloom shall be borne upon my head.
While the Teacher Padumuttara was recounting my deed,
there was a breakthrough to the Dhamma (dhammābhisamaya) for a hundred thousand living beings.
In the hundred-thousandth aeon from now, since I honoured the Buddha then,
I know of no bad destination: this is the fruit of the three lotuses.
My defilements (kilesa) have been burned away; all existences have been extirpated;
all taints (āsava) are utterly destroyed; now there is no renewed existence.
The four analytic insights (paṭisambhidā), and these eight liberations (vimokkha) as well,
and the six superknowledges (chaḷabhiññā) have been realized: the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled.
Thus indeed did the Venerable Tīṇipadumiya Thera speak these verses.
The Apadāna of Tīṇipadumiya Thera is concluded.
Summary (uddāna):
Nāgasamāla, Padasaññī, Susañña and Āluvadāyaka,
Ekasaññī, Tiṇadada, Sūci, Pāṭalipupphiya,
Ṭhitañjalī, Tipadumī — the verses number seventy-five.
The Nāgasamāla Chapter, the Eighth.
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THE NINTH CHAPTER: THE TIMIRAPUPPHIYA VAGGA
First: The Apadāna of Timirapupphiya Thera (81)
[Edition variants noted in the Siam Raṭṭha footnotes: saha] Yu.: sohaṃ · adantadamakaṃ] M.: adantadamanaṃ · vīraṃ] Yu.: dhīraṃ · uddhaṃvaṇṭā] Po.: uddhavaṇḍā · tiṃsakkhattuñca] M., Yu.: tasakappāni · mahāsayanamaṇḍitā] Yu.: mahāsayanavosito · vādite] M.: vāditepi; Yu.: vāditehi · satayojanaṃ] M.: satayojane · te] M.: tepi padumā lohitakā · vāṇijjamupayojitaṃ] M., Yu.: vāṇijjaṃ supayojitaṃ · buddhamabhipūjayiṃ] Po.: buddhamabhiropayiṃ]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.