The Victor, Padumuttara,
the One with Eyes for everything,
the Leader of the World, arose
a hundred thousand aeons hence.The Thus-Gone-One exhorts someone
in the going for refuge, and
he exhorts someone in morals,
in the supreme ten ways to act.The Hero gives to somebody
the ultimate fruit of monkhood,
and likewise the eight attainments;
he bestows the three knowledges.Supreme Man urges some being
in the six special knowledges,
and the Lord gives to somebody
the four analytical modes.Seeing folks to be awakened,
across leagues that can’t be counted,
in no time having approached them,
the Charioteer of Men exhorts.I then lived in Haṁsavatī;
I was the son of a brahmin,
a master of all the Vedas,
revered as a grammarian,
skillful in etymology,
confident in definitions,
verse-knower, ritual-knower,
also clever at prosody.While wandering about on foot,
having approached Swan Hermitage,
I saw him, the Best Debater,
Honored by the Great Populace,preaching the Dhamma without stain.
I, with contrary ideas,
after having gone up to him,
after hearing his stainless words,looking for a word of the Sage
which was incorrect, repeated,
or thrown-off or without meaning,
I saw none; therefore I went forth.After not a long time, being
confident among all teachers,
I am taken as an expert
in the subtle words of Buddha.After having put together
four well-written verses for him,
praising the Chief of the Three Worlds,
I had them preached from day to day.“In this frightful existence you
are Free from Passion, Great Hero;
out of compassion, you don’t die,
thus you’re ‘the Compassionate Sage.’Someone who’s a common person
not overwhelmed by defilements,
would be attentive and mindful;
thus Buddha’s inconceivable.These are not destroyed by themselves,
even someone’s weak defilements,
consumed in the fire of knowledge.
It would be a marvel if so.He who’s the Teacher of All Worlds:
for him the world’s thus a teacher;
he’s thus known as ‘the World-Teacher’
and the world is following him.”With fine verses like those, I praised
the Sambuddha, Dhamma-preacher;
doing so as long as I lived,
after death I went to heaven.In the hundred thousand aeons
since I praised the Buddha like that,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of praising Buddha.I experienced a lot of
great kingship in the world of gods,
and local kingship here on earth,
and wheel-turning kingship as well.I transmigrate in just two states:
that of a god, or of a man.
I do not know other rebirths;
that’s the fruit of praising Buddha.When human I‘m born in two clans:
the kṣatriyan or the brahmin.
I don’t get born in lesser clans:
that’s the fruit of praising Buddha.Now, in my final existence,
in Rajgir, ultimate city,
I am King Bimbisāra’s son,
and my given name’s Abhaya.Influenced by an evil friend,
I was bewildered by a Jain.
Sent by the leader of the Jains,
I approached the Best of Buddhas.Having asked a subtle question,
hearing Buddha’s supreme response,
going forth, in not a long time,
I attained my arahantship.After praising the Best Victor,
I myself am praised all the time.
With good-scented body and mouth,
I am endowed with happiness.Thus indeed I am greatly wise,
with sharp, clever and quick wisdom,
and I speak with varied discourse,
through the power of that karma.With pleasure in my heart, praising the Worthy,
the Unmatched, Self-Become Padumuttara,
as the fruit of that, to a place full of woe,
for a whole lakh of aeons, I did not go.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 Abhaya Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Abhaya Thera is finished.