The Victor, Padumuttara,
the One with Eyes for everything,
the Leader of the World, arose
a hundred thousand aeons hence.Out of friendship for all beings,
for their happiness and profit,
the Best Debater, Well-Bred Man,
practiced in the world with its gods.Who Reached the Height of Fame, Splendrous,
Supported by Praise, the Victor,
the Worshipped One of every world,
Well-Known in all directions,who Crossed Over Perplexity,
who Moved Beyond Saying “How? How?,”
whose Mind’s Intentions are Fulfilled,
Attained supreme Awakening.The Ultimate Man, Producer
of the road to non-production,
declared what had not been declared
and gave birth to what was unborn.Road-Knower, Road-Discerner, he’s
the Road-Teller, the Bull of Men.
Skilled on the road, the Teacher is
the Ultimate Best of drivers.Then the Great Compassionate One,
the Leader is preaching Dhamma,
lifting up beings who are stuck
on the road known as delusion.The Great Sage praised a follower
who was regarded as the best
in exhorting of Buddhist nuns,
and placed him in that foremost place.After hearing that I was thrilled.
Inviting him, the Thus-Gone-One,
having fed him with Assembly,
I aspired to that supreme place.At that time, the Lord, also thrilled,
the Great Sage said these words to me:
“Be happy, O long-lived one; you
will receive that beautiful 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 Nandaka
will be the Teacher’s follower.”Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I was gone to Tāvatiṁsa.And now, in my final rebirth,
I’m born in a millionaire’s clan,
rich, prosperous, very wealthy,
in the great city, Śrāvasti.Seeing the Well-Gone-One at the
city gate, I was astonished;
when he got Jeta Hermitage,
I went forth into homelessness.After not a very long time,
I attained my arahantship.
Then I’m one who’s crossed existence,
instructed by the All-Seer.I preached Dhamma to the nuns and
performed the question and answer.
Instructed by me, all of them
became arahants, undefiled.Five hundred of them, none lacking;
the Great Friend, gladdened at that time,
placed me in the foremost place of
those who give instruction to nuns.Karma done a hundred thousand
aeons hence showed me its fruit here:
well-liberated, arrow-quick,
I have destroyed my defilements.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 Nandaka Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Nandaka Thera is finished.