Kaccchchāana Chapter, the Fifty-Fourth

[528. {531.}1 Mahāakaccchchāana2]

The Victor, Padumuttara,
Lust-less,3 Unconquered Vanquisher,4
the Leader came into being,
one hundred thousand aeons hence. (1) [5663]

The Hero, with Lotus-Leaf Eyes,5
with a Mouth as Pure as the Moon,6
Shining like a Mountain of Gold,7
Bright as the Sun when it’s Blazing,8 (2) [5664]

Transporting Beings’ Eyes [and] Minds,9
Adorned with the Excellent Marks,10
Traveled the Roads of All Sayings,11
Honored by People and the Gods,12 (3) [5665]

Sambuddha, waking beings up,13
Eloquent One,14 Sweet-Sounding One,15
Compassion’s Continuous Nest,16
Confident among Multitudes,
is preaching the sweet Teaching [there],
taking up the Four Noble Truths.17
He is lifting up those with breath,
when they’re sunk in delusion’s muck. (4-5) [5666-5667]

Being an ascetic, alone,
[my] home was Himalaya then.
I saw the Victor, traveling18
the world of humans through the sky. (6) [5668]

Having gone into his presence,
I [then] heard [him] preaching Dhamma
[and] praising the great virtue of
one of that Hero’s followers: (7) [5669]

“Whereby19 this [monk] Kaccchchāayana20
provides lengthy21 explanations
of what’s been said by me22 in brief,
he gladdens multitudes, and me.
I see no other follower
[or] anyone [preaching] this way.
Thus he’s top, in that foremost place;23
so should you consider24 [him], monks.” (8-9) [5670-5671]

At that time, being astonished,
having heard that lovely speaking,
going to the Himalayas,
bringing back a heap of flowers,
having worshipped25 the World’s-Refuge,26
I aspired [to attain] that place.
At that time, discerning my wish,
the Refuge-less One27 prophesied: (10-11) [5672-5673]

“All of you, look at this great sage,28
skin the color of polished gold,
hair growing upward, broad-shouldered,29
standing steadfast,30 hands together,31
with eyes which are full of laughter,
at home in praising the Buddha,32
grasping the Teaching superbly,33
resembling sprinkled ambrosia.34 (12-13) [5673-5674]35

Hearing [of] Kaccchchāana’s virtue,
he stands [there] wishing for that place.
When very far in the future,
the Sage So Great is Gotama,
Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
[this one] will be that Teacher’s follower;
his name will be Kaccchchāana [then]. (14-15) [5675-5676]

Very learned, with great knowledge,
clever at conclusions,36 a sage,
he will attain that [wished-for] place,
as this has been foretold37 by me.” (16) [5677]

In the hundred thousand aeons
since I did that karma back then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūujāa. (17) [5678]

I transmigrate in [just] two states:
that of a god, or of a man.
I don’t go to other rebirths:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūujāa. (18) [5679]

[When human] I‘m born in two clans:
the ksatriyan or the brahmin.
I don’t get born in lesser clans:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūujāa. (19) [5680]

Now, in [my] final existence,
I was born in Ujjain city,38
sharp, a master of the Vedas,
the son of Tiritivacchcha,39
who was the brahmin counsellor40
of the [king], Pajjota CChanda;41
my mother’s CChandapaduma;42
[I’m] Kaccchchāana, with superb skin. (20-21) [5681-5682]

Dispatched by the earth’s protector43
to [go and] invite the Buddha,
having seen the Heap of Virtue,
Leader, Door to Freedom City,44
and having heard his flawless speech
which cleanses the muck of rebirth,
I attained deathless peacefulness,
with five hundred [associates]. (22-23) [5683-5684]

Clever at conclusions by birth,
very wealthy and good-looking,
I was placed in that foremost place
of the Well-Gone-One, the Wise One.45 (24) [5685]

My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (25) [5686]

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! (26) [5687]

The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (27) [5688]

Thus indeed Venerable Mahāakaccchchāana Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Mahāakaccchchāana Thera is finished.