The ascetic named Sobhita
was living amidst the mountains,
near the top of a mountain slope,
eating only wild fruits he found.After bringing some fire and wood,
I am causing it to blaze up,
seeking the ultimate goal of
being reborn in Brahma’s world.Padumuttara, World-Knower,
Sacrificial Recipient,
with a desire to lift me up,
did come into my presence then.Padumuttara Buddha:
“Why are you working, merit-filled
one? Give the fire and wood to me.
I will worship the fire and then
it will be purity for me.”Protagonist:
“You are very fortunate, Sir,
you understand, O divine one.
You attend to the fire for me;
here then is the fire and the wood.”After that, taking the firewood,
the Victor caused the fire to blaze
without burning the firewood there:
a marvel wrought by the Great Sage.Padumuttara Buddha:
“This fire of yours is not burning;
your oblation does not exist;
this vow of yours is meaningless;
you should worship this fire of mine.”Protagonist:
“What sort of fire, O Great Hero,
is that one that you speak about?
You should tell that to me as well;
we’ll both worship that fire of yours.”Padumuttara Buddha:
“Cessation of things with causes,
the burning up of defilements,
and giving up anger and hate:
those three things are my oblations.”Protagonist:
“What sort are you, O Great Hero?
What is your clan, O Happy One?
Your procedure for practicing
is extremely pleasing to me.”Padumuttara Buddha:
“I’m born in a warrior clan,
master of special knowledges.
All defilements are exhausted;
now there will be no more rebirth.”Protagonist:
“If you’re a Buddha, All-Knower,
Light-Maker, Darkness-Dispeller,
then I shall praise you, Divine One;
you are the Ender of Dis-ease.”Spreading out my deer-leather robe,
I gave a place for him to sit.
“Please sit there, O Omniscient One;
and I shall then attend on you.”The Blessed One did sit down there,
on that deer-leather, well spread out.
Inviting him, the Sambuddha,
I then went into the mountains.Having filled up a shoulder-bag,
I brought some wild mangosteen fruit.
Having mixed it up with honey,
I gave that fruit to the Buddha.While I meditated on him,
the Victor then consumed that fruit.
I brought pleasure to my heart there,
gazing upon the World-Leader.Padumuttara, World-Knower,
Sacrificial Recipient,
still sitting in my hermitage,
then spoke these verses about me:Padumuttara Buddha:
“He who regaled me with this fruit,
feeling well-pleased by his own hands,
I shall relate details of him;
all of you listen to my words:Twenty-five times in the future,
he will exercise divine rule.
A thousand times he’ll be a king,
a king who turns the wheel of law.For him, endowed with past karma,
discerning what he is thinking,
there will be food and drink and clothes
and beds which are very costly.He will be reborn all the time
conforming with his good karma;
this one is going to be happy
and always free of affliction.In whichever womb he’s reborn,
whether it’s human or divine,
being happy in every place,
he will attain the human state.A scholar and mantra-knower,
a master of the three Vedas,
having approached the Sambuddha,
he’s going to become an arahant.”Protagonist:
As far as I recall my lives,
as long as I have had knowledge,
there is no lack of wealth for me:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Attaining the supreme Teaching,
I slew all my lust and hatred;
all defilements are exhausted;
now there will be no more rebirth.My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint.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!The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught!
Thus indeed Venerable Tissa-metteyya Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Tissa-metteyya Thera is finished.