[59. Paduma[1]]
He was declaring the Four Truths
[while] turning the best Dhamma-wheel,
raining the rain of deathlessness,
liberating many people.[2] (1) [1323]
Taking a lotus with a flag,[3]
standing half a kosa[4] [away],
happy, I raised it in the air
for the Sage Padumuttara. (2) [1324]
There was a strange occurrence then:
the lotus approached [the Buddha].
Discerning what I was thinking
the Best Debater [then] took [it]. (3) [1325]
Having taken with his fine hand
[that] superb water-born lotus,
standing in the monks’ Assembly
the Teacher spoke these verses [then]: (4) [1326]
“I shall relate details of him
who [just] tossed this lotus flower
to the Omniscient Arahant;[5]
[all of] you listen to my words: (5) [1327]
Thirty aeons as king of gods
he will exercise divine rule.
With seven hundred earthly reigns
he will reside upon the earth. (6) [1328]
Taking a bowl [of lotuses][6] there,
he’ll be a king who turns the wheel.
A rain of flowers from the sky
will rain [on him] all of the time. (7) [1329]
In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world. (8) [1330]
Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
knowing well all the defilements
he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” (9) [1331]
Coming forth from [my mother’s] womb,
[both] comprehending [and] mindful,
when I was [only] five years old[7]
I attained [my] arahantship. (10) [1332]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (11) [1333]
Thus indeed Venerable Paduma Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Paduma Thera is finished.
“Pink Lotus” ↩︎
lit., “making many people achieve nirvana.” I am tempted to use a neologism like “nirvan-izing” to get the verbal usage of nibbāpento, but refrain. ↩︎
BJTS and some PTS alternatives read sadaṇḍaṃ (“with the stem”) for sadhajaŋ, but as cty agrees with PTS in reading sadhajaŋ I translate “with a flag” despite the evocative appeal of “with the stem.” ↩︎
a kosa is 500 bow lengths, so he would have been standing 250 bow lengths away. ↩︎
lit., “One Without Outflows,” “Undefiled One,” i.e., the Buddha ↩︎
this follows the BJTS Sinhala gloss. Cty offers no comment. Could pattaŋ gahetvā also be, “taking appointment”? ↩︎
lit., “being five years from birth” ↩︎