[130] One hundred thousand aeons (kappa) from now there arose Padumuttara — knower of the world, the sage devoted to the welfare of the whole world, the One with Vision.
An exhorter, an instructor, a bringer-across of all living beings, skilled in teaching, the Buddha brought a great multitude of people across.
Kindly, compassionate, a seeker of the welfare of all living beings, he established in the five precepts (pañcasīla) all the sectarians (titthiya) who had come to him.
Thus [his dispensation] was free of disturbance, empty of sectarians, and adorned with arahants — self-mastered, steadfast ones.
That Great Sage rose fifty-eight cubits (ratana) in height; he was like a golden votive column (agghiya), bearing the thirty-two excellent marks.
The lifespan at that time extended to a hundred thousand years; abiding for so long, he brought a great multitude of people across.
Then I was born into a certain family in Haṃsavatī, yoked to labouring for others; I had no property whatsoever.
Dwelling at the refectory hall (paṭikkamanasālā), upon its finished floor I kindled a fire there, and the stone surface was scorched black by the burning.
Then in the assembly the Protector, the proclaimer of the four truths, spoke in praise of a disciple who was a wearer of coarse robes.
Delighted by that quality of his, having attended upon the Tathāgata, I aspired to that supreme station — the foremost of the wearers of coarse robes.
Then the Blessed One Padumuttara addressed his disciples: "See this little man, ill-clad and lean of body,
his face serene with rapture (pīti), endowed with the wealth of faith (saddhā), the hairs of his body raised in exultation, delighted, unshaken, massed [firm] like a sāla tree.
He aspires to that station of the bhikkhu Saccasena, the wearer of coarse robes; his heart's wish has gone out to that one's distinction."
Hearing that, I became glad; having bowed my head before the Victor, and having done fair deeds in the Victor's dispensation for as long as I lived,
by that deed well done and by my volition (cetanā) and aspirations, on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
Through the deed of scorching the floor at the refectory hall, I was burned in hell (niraya) for a full thousand [years], racked by [painful] feeling (vedanā).
By the residue of that kamma, for five hundred births, [though] a human born into good family, I was branded with marks in succession.
For those same five hundred births I was stricken with leprosy, and I underwent great suffering (dukkha) through the force of that kamma.
In this auspicious aeon, with confident mind I satisfied the glorious Upariṭṭha with almsfood.
By that excellence of deed and by my volition and aspirations, on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
When the final existence came round, I was born into a khattiya family; on my father's passing I was invested with the great kingship.
Overcome by leprosy, I found no happiness [even] by night; because the happiness of kingship was vain (mogha), therefore I was "Mogharāja" [the Vain King].
Having seen the blemish of the body, I went forth into homelessness, and entered discipleship under Bāvarī, foremost of the twice-born.
With a great retinue I approached the Leader of Men, and I asked a subtle question of the Lord of Speech, the confounder of disputants:
"This world, the other world, the Brahmā world together with its devas — I do not know the view concerning these held by you, the glorious Gotama.
So, in need, I have come with a question to one of such surpassing vision: how must one look upon the world so that the King of Death does not see one?"
"Look upon the world as empty, Mogharāja, ever mindful (sato); having torn out the view of self, one may thus pass beyond death.
One who looks upon the world in this way the King of Death does not see" — thus the Buddha, the physician of every disease, addressed me.
Together with the ending of the verse — rid of hair and beard, clothed in the ochre robes — I became a bhikkhu, as was fitting.
Afflicted by disease, I did not dwell in the lodgings belonging to the Saṅgha; I was sorely pressed by the words, "Let not the dwelling be defiled."
Having gathered [rags] from the rubbish heap, from the charnel ground, and from the streets, I made an outer robe (saṅghāṭi) from them and wore the coarse robe.
The Great Physician, the Guide, pleased at that quality of mine, placed me in the foremost place (etadagga) among the wearers of coarse robes.
With merit and evil exhausted, rid of every disease, like a flame without fuel I shall be quenched, free of the taints (āsava).
My defilements (kilesa) have been burned away; all existences have been rooted out; like an elephant that has burst its bonds, I dwell without taints.
Welcome indeed was my coming into the presence of my Buddha! The three true knowledges (vijjā) have been attained; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
The four analytical insights (paṭisambhidā), and these eight liberations (vimokkha) as well, and the six superknowledges (abhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
It was thus, indeed, that the Venerable Elder Mogharāja spoke these verses.
The Apadāna of the Elder Mogharāja is concluded.
Summary (uddāna):
Kaccāna, the Elder Vakkali, the one called Mahākappina, Dabba and he whose name was Kumāra [Kassapa], Bāhiya, Koṭṭhika the master,
Uruvelakassapa, Rādha, and Mogharāja the wise: here three hundred and sixty-two verses are reckoned all together.
The Kaccāyana Chapter, the Fifty-Fourth.
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The Fifty-Fifth: the Bhaddiya Chapter
First: the Apadāna of the Elder Lakuṇṭakabhaddiya (541)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.