Metteyya Chapter, the Forty-First
[398. {401.}1 Tissametteyya2]
The ascetic named Sobhita
was living amidst the mountains,
near the top of a mountain slope,
eating [only] wild fruits [he found]. (1) [3891]
After bringing [some] fire [and] wood,
I am causing it to blaze up,
seeking the ultimate goal of
being reborn in Brahma’s world. (2) [3892]
Padumuttara, World-Knower,
Sacrificial Recipient,
with a desire to lift me up,
did come into my presence [then]. (3) [3893]
[Padumuttara Buddha]:
“Why are you working, merit-filled
one? Give the fire [and] wood to me.
I will worship3 the fire [and] then
it will be4 purity for me.” (4) [3894]
[Protagonist]:
“You are very fortunate, Sir,5
you understand, O divine one.6
You attend to7 the fire [for me];
here then is the fire [and] the wood.” (5) [3895]
After that, taking the firewood,
the Victor caused the fire to blaze
without burning8 the firewood there:
a marvel [wrought] by the Great Sage. (6) [3896]
[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.” (7) [3897]
[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].” (8) [3898]
[Padumuttara Buddha]:
“Cessation of things with causes,
the burning up of defilements,
and giving up anger and hate:
those three things are my oblations.” (9) [3899]
[Protagonist]:
“What sort are you, O Great Hero?
What is your clan, O Happy One?
Your procedure for practicing
is extremely pleasing to me.” (10) [3900]
[Padumuttara Buddha]:
“I’m born in a warrior9 clan,
master of special knowledges.
All defilements are exhausted;
now there will be no more rebirth.” (11) [3901]
[Protagonist]:
“If you’re a Buddha, All-Knower,10
Light-Maker,11 Darkness-Dispeller,12
[then] I shall praise13 you, Divine One;14
you are the Ender of Dis-ease.” (12) [3902]
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.” (13) [3903]
The Blessed One did sit down there,
on [that] deer-leather, well spread out.
Inviting [him], the Sambuddha,
I [then] went [into] the mountains. (14) [3904]
Having filled up a shoulder-bag,15
I brought [some] wild mangosteen16 fruit.
Having mixed [it] up with honey,
I gave [that] fruit to the Buddha. (15) [3905]
While I meditated [on him,]
the Victor then consumed [that fruit].
I brought pleasure to [my] heart [there],
gazing upon the World-Leader. (16) [3906]
Padumuttara, World-Knower,
Sacrificial Recipient,
[still] sitting in my hermitage,
[then] spoke these verses [about me]: (17) [3907]
[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: (18) [3908]
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]. (19) [3909]
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. (20) [3910]
He will be reborn all the time
conforming with [his] good karma;17
this one is going to be happy
and always free of affliction. (21) [3911]
In whichever womb he’s reborn,
[whether] it’s human or divine,
being happy in every place,
he will attain18 the human state. (22) [3912]
A scholar [and] mantra-knower,19
a master of the three Vedas,
having approached the Sambuddha,
he’s going to become an arahant.” (23) [3913]
[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. (24) [3914]
Attaining the supreme Teaching,
I slew [all my] lust and hatred;
all defilements are exhausted;
now there will be no more rebirth. (25) [3915]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (26) [3916]
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! (27) [3917]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (28) [3918]
Thus indeed Venerable Tissa-metteyya Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Tissa-metteyya Thera is finished.
Apadāna numbers provided in {fancy brackets} correspond to the BJTS edition, which contains more individual poems than does the PTS edition dictating the main numbering of this translation.↩
BJTS reads Tissa-metteyya. He was a historical monk to whom the Tissa-metteyya-sutta of SN was preached.↩
paricare↩
hehi, (future 3rd sing. of bhavati)↩
manuja (“Man”), BJTS reads manuje (also, presumably, a vocative)↩
reading devate with BJTS for PTS deva te↩
paricchara↩
lit., “he did not burn”↩
lit., “kṣatriyan”↩
sabbaññu, “Omniscient One”↩
pabhaṅkara↩
tamonuda↩
namassissāmi↩
deva↩
khāribhārañ↩
tindukaŋ phalaŋ = timbiri, diospyros embryopteris, a.k.a. Indian persimmon, wild mangosteen↩
puññakammena saŋyuttā, lit., “with [his] meritorious karma”↩
lit., “will become”↩
lit., “bearing”↩