[427. {430.}[1] Sovaṇṇakattarika[2]]
The Self-Composed One,[3] the Buddha,
the Self-Tamer,[4] Attentive One,[5]
Wandering the Path of Brahmā,[6]
Delighting in Mental Relief,[7] (1) [4617]
the Flood-Crosser,[8] the Sambuddha,
Who Loves Meditation [and] Trance,[9]
the Sage, the Seated One,[10] Attainer,[11]
Brilliant as Blue Lotus Petals:[12] (2) [4618]
I approached [him,] the Best Buddha,
taking a gourd[13] to hold water.
After washing the Buddha’s feet,
I gave that [water-]gourd [to him]. (3) [4619]
The Sambuddha [then] had [it] fetched,
the Leader, Padumuttara,
“Bringing [more] water with this [gourd,]
place it at the soles of my feet.” (4) [4620]
Agreeing, saying, “Excellent,”
and with respect for the Teacher,
carrying water with the gourd,[14]
I brought it to the Best Buddha. (5) [4621]
The Great Hero gave thanks [for that,]
quenching [the anguish in] my heart,
“Because of giving [me] this gourd,
let what you think be accomplished.” (6) [4622]
For fifteen[15] aeons [after that,]
I delighted in the gods’ world,
and thirty times I was a king,
a king who turns the wheel [of law]. (7) [4623]
Whether by day or else by night,
walking back and forth or standing,
a water pot[16] made out of gold
is standing [right] in front of me. (8) [4624]
Giving a gourd to the Buddha,
I receive a gold water-pot:
the deed done with little trouble[17]
becomes huge like that [later on]. (9) [4625]
In the hundred thousand aeons
since I gave [him] that gourd back then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of [giving] a gourd. (10) [4626]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (11) [4627]
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! (12) [4628]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (13) [4629]
Thus indeed Venerable Sovaṇṇakattarika[18] Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Sovaṇṇakattarika[19] Thera is finished.
The Summary:
Sakiŋsammajjaka Thera,
Ekadussī, thus Āsanī,
then Kadamba [and] Koraṇḍa,
Ghataŋ, also Savanika,
Succhintita, Kiṇkhanika,
and Soṇṇa-Kattarika[20] too:
there are a hundred verses here
plus seventy-one [more verses]
The Sakiŋsammajjaka Chapter, the Forty-Third
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. ↩︎
“Golden Scissors” or “Golden Walking-stick-er” or (following BJTS, and preferred) “Golden Water-jug-er”. BJTS (and PTS alt) reads the name Soṇṇakontarika, see below, n. to [4624] ↩︎
reading manobhāvanīyaṃ with BJTS for PTS manobhāvaniyaŋ; BJTS Sinhala gloss sambhāvanīya vū ↩︎
attadantaŋ ↩︎
samāhitaŋ ↩︎
iriyamānam brahmapathe. RD: “the path to the Br. world or the way to the highest good” ↩︎
cchitta-vūpasame rataŋ ↩︎
oghatiṇṇaŋ ↩︎
jhāyi-jhana-rata ↩︎
upaviṭṭhaṃ ↩︎
samāpannaŋ ↩︎
indīvara-dala-pabhaŋ ↩︎
alābu RD: “a long white gourd, Curcurbita Lagenaris” ↩︎
reading alābunā ‘hatvā with BJTS for PTS lābun’āhatvā ↩︎
reading paṇṇarasasu with BJTS for PTS pannarasesu ↩︎
reading kontaraṃ with BJTS (and PTS alt.) for PTS kattara in [4624], [4625]. Kattara is a knife or a walking stick; kattarikā a pair of scissors; konta (RD) “a pennant or standard”. BJTS gloss on kontaraṃ is keṇḍiyak, a pot or jar, ewer or can (with a spout). Cone guesses “a lance?” for this passage (see kontara, s.v.), but I take the BJTS reading (even though I do not find any warrant for it beyond the context), given the correspondence between the gift (a water-gourd) and the result (a water-pot made of gold). ↩︎
appakampi kataṃ kāraṃ, lit., “the deed done with little quaking,” ↩︎
BJTS reads Soṇṇakontarika ↩︎
BJTS reads Soṇṇakontarika ↩︎
BJTS (and PTS alt.) Soṇṇakontarika ↩︎