The Victor, Padumuttara,
the Sage, Knower of Every World,
the One who had Five Eyes, arose
a hundred thousand aeons hence.The Admonisher, Instructor,
Crosser-Over of all that breathe,
Skilled at Preaching, he, the Buddha,
caused many folks to cross the flood.Merciful, Compassionate One,
Well-Wisher of all that breathe, he
established in the five precepts
all the rivals who had arrived.In this way he was Unconfused
and Very Well-Known by rivals,
Ornamented by arahants
who were masters and neutral ones.The body of the Sage So Great
rose up fifty-eight cubits tall;
he was Valuable Like Gold,
Bearing the Thirty-Two Great Marks.People’s lifespan at that time was
fully one hundred thousand years.
Remaining in the world so long,
he ferried many folks across.I then lived in Haṁsavatī,
A brahmin held in high regard.
Approaching the Torch for the World,
I heard the preaching of Dhamma.One of the Great Man’s followers
had an extensive retinue.
I was thrilled after hearing him
being placed in that foremost place.Inviting him, the Great Victor,
I gave an almsgiving to him,
along with my large entourage,
including a thousand brahmins.Giving a massive almsgiving,
having saluted the Leader,
happy, standing off at one side,
I spoke these words to him just then:“Hero, due to my faith in you
and by virtue of serving you,
let me have a large retinue
while transmigrating here and there.”Buddha, the Cuckoo-Voiced Teacher,
Elephant-Trumpet-Sounding One,
spoke to the retinue just then:
“All of you look at this brahmin,
with big arms, the color of gold,
with face and eyes like lotuses,
his body hair growing upward,
happy, with faith in my virtue.This one’s aspiring to the place
of the monk with a lion’s roar.
Very far into the future,
he’ll receive that delightful place.In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world.Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
the one whose name is Kassapa
will be the Teacher’s follower.”Then ninety-two aeons ago,
there was a Teacher, Unsurpassed,
Beyond Compare, Unrivaled One:
Phussa, Chief Leader of the World.That one, having slain all darkness,
untangling the great tangle,
rained forth the rain of deathlessness,
refreshing the world with its gods.In the city of Benares,
reborn the king’s sons at that time,
we were three brothers, all of us,
in the confidence of the king.Strong, with heroic limbs and looks,
we’re undefeated in battle.
Then troubled in the borderlands,
the lord of the earth said to us:“Come, going to the borderlands,
cleaning up that forest army,
having pacified my kingdom,
come back again,” is what he said.Afterward we said to the king:
“If you’ll give leave to us to serve
the Buddha, Leader of the World,
then we’ll clean up your enemies.”Then we, having obtained our wish,
sent out by the earth’s protector,
making the borderlands weapon-
free, we came up to him again.Having asked the king to let us
serve the Teacher, the World-Leader,
getting the Excellent Sage, we
worshipped him as long as we lived.Giving very expensive cloth,
and abundant tasty alms food,
and lodgings which were delightful,
and beneficial medicines
to the Sage with the monks, neutral
toward birth because of the Teaching,
We, moral and compassionate,
minds engaged in meditation,
with loving hearts, having waited
on the World-Leader all the time,
when the World-Chief reached nirvana,
worshipping with all of our strength,fallen from there, gone to heaven,
all three of us experienced
great happiness when in that place:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā.Like an illusionist on stage
showing himself as very large,
thus touring in existence I
became the king of Videha.At the word of naked Guṇa,
become dependent on wrong views,
I got onto an evil path.
Not heeding the advice given
by my daughter known as Rujā,
I later being much-advised
by the brahmin named Nārada,
giving up Guṇa’s evil views,
having fulfilled with distinction
the ten wholesome ways of acting,
abandoning my body, I
went to heaven with a palace.When my last rebirth was attained,
I was a kinsman of Brahmā,
born in Benares with great wealth,
in a large brahmin family.Fearing death, illness and old age,
and abandoning my great wealth,
seeking the path to nirvana,
I went forth as a Jaṭila.And then those two brothers of mine
also went forth along with me.
Having built in Uruvelā
a hermitage, I then lived there.Named “Kassapa” through my lineage,
since I dwelt in Uruvelā,
I was therefore known by the name
of “Uruvela Kassapa.”My brother lived near the river;
he was named “Nadī Kassapa.”
The other lived close to Gāyā;
by name he’s “Gāyā Kassapa”.Two hundred for Nadīkassapa,
and three for the middle brother.
No less than five hundred for me,
students who all then followed me.Then the Buddha, approaching me,
the World-Chief, Charioteer of Men,
doing various miracles,
he led me on the correct path.I was ordained, “come monk,” along
with a lakh in my retinue;
I attained my arahantship,
together with all of them too.They and also many others
were students attending on me.
I was able to instruct them,
as the Seventh Sage advised me.He placed me in the foremost place
of those with a large retinue.
O! the deed done for the Buddha
certainly bore its fruit for me.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 Uruvelakassapa Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Uruvelakassapa Thera is finished.