The Victor, Padumuttara,
the One with Eyes for everything,
the Leader of the World, arose
a hundred thousand aeons hence.His morals could not be measured,
meditative states like lightening,
vast knowledge could not be measured,
and freedom unlike anything.The Leader preached the Dhamma to
the men, the gods, the snake-gods and
the Brahmās all come together,
mixed with Buddhist monks and brahmins.Confident among Multitudes,
the Buddha placed a merit-filled,
much-receiving and gift-worthy
follower in that foremost place.I was a kṣatriyan back then,
in the city named “Haṁsa;”
hearing the Victor’s words about
the follower’s virtuousness,inviting Buddha, for a week
I fed him with his followers.
Giving a massive alms-giving,
I aspired to attain that place.Then he, the Bull Among People,
seeing me bowing at his feet,
the Great Hero, in his good voice,
uttered these words concerning me:Then the multitude, desiring
to hear the words of the Victor,
the gods, titans, musical nymphs,
the greatly powerful Brahmās,
and the Buddhist monks, and brahmins,
praised him with hands pressed together:
“Praise to you, O Well-Bred Person!
Praise to you, Ultimate Person!
For a week this kṣatriyan gave
a massive alms-giving to you.
We wish to hear the fruit for him;
prophesy that, O Sage So Great.”After that, the Blessed One said,
“All of you listen to my words:
Who can tell the fruit of the gift
well-established for the Buddha
or Assembly, beyond measure?
It will bear fruit beyond measure.
This rich man is truly wishing
to attain that ultimate place.He’ll be a getter of huge wealth,
just like the monk Sudassana,
and also just like me as well;
he’ll receive that in the future.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 Sīvali
will be the Teacher’s follower.”Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I went to Tāvatiṁsa then.Then ninety-one aeons ago,
the World-Leader named Vipassi
arose, the One with Lovely Eyes,
with Insight into Everything.Then I lived in Bandhumatī,
a member of a certain clan;
I was pitied and sought after,
one intent on ending karma.Then a certain corporation
constructed a monastic school
for the Great Sage named Vipassi,
which was large and widely renowned.Searching for new curds and honey
to give along with solid food
at the end of the great alms-gift,
they did not find any to give.Then having taken some of that,
new curds and also honey too,
I went to the overseer’s house,
and seeking that they saw me.Even offering a thousand,
they did not obtain those two things.
I thought about it then like this:
“That price would not be too little.
As far as all these people are
honoring him, the Thus-Gone-One,
I too will do a pious deed,
for the World-Lord with Assembly.”Then having thought it out like that,
mixing together the curds and
the honey, I gave them to the
Lord of the World with Assembly.Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I went to Tāvatiṁsa then.Again, in Benares, being
a king who was very famous,
enraged at an enemy then,
I caused the gateway to be blocked.Then, obstructing ascetics too,
it was guarded thus for a week.
Therefore, as the result of that
karma, I fell hard into hell.And now in my final rebirth,
due to the kṣatriyan’s good deeds,
I’m born in Koliya city;
my mother was Suppavāsā,
father Mahāli Licchavi.
Because of obstructing the gate,
I gestated for seven years,
suffering in my mother’s womb.One week breached in the birth canal,
I’m endowed with great suffering.
Because she gave approval then,
my mother suffered greatly now.Departing from Śrāvasti, I
was pitied by him, the Buddha;
on the very day I set out,
I went forth into homelessness.My preceptor: Sāriputta;
powerful Moggallāna, the
wise, instructed me as teacher
while he was removing my hair.While my hair was being cut off,
I attained my arahantship.
Gods, snake-gods and human beings
are bringing me the requisites.Because, delighted, I worshipped
Buddha named Padumuttara
and the Guide, Vipassi Buddha,
I’m distinguished with requisites.Due to the distinction of those
deeds, I’m receiving everywhere
enormous and ultimate wealth,
in woods, village, water and land.When the Guide is traveling for
the sake of seeing Revata,
the World’s Chief Leader together
with thirty times a thousand monks,
the Great Wise One, the Great Hero,
the World’s Chief Leader with the monks,
the Buddha’s then served by me with
requisites the gods bring for me;
having gone he saw Revata,
then going to Jetavana,
he placed me in that foremost place.The Teacher, Friend of Every World,
praised me amidst the multitude:
“O monks, Sīvali’s the foremost
receiver among my students.”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 Sīvali Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Sīvali Thera is finished.