English
Sumedha's Aspiration Story 1. And a hundred thousand aeons, and four incalculables ago; A city named Amara, delightful, charming to behold. 2. Not devoid of ten sounds, filled with food and drink; Sound of elephants, sound of horses, drums, conch shells, and chariots; "Eat and drink!" resounded with food and drink. 3. A city complete in all its parts, suitable for all kinds of work; Endowed with seven jewels, crowded with various people; Prosperous like a city of devas, a dwelling for the meritorious. 4. In the city of Amaravati, a brahmin named Sumedha; Accumulated many crores, possessing abundant wealth and grain. 5. A reciter, a mantra-holder, one who has mastered the three Vedas; In marks and history, and in true Dhamma, he had reached perfection. 6. Having gone to a secluded place and sat down, I then thought thus: "Painful indeed is rebirth, and the breaking up of the body. 7. "Subject to birth, subject to aging, subject to sickness am I then; The ageless, deathless, secure, I shall seek Nibbāna. 8. "What if this putrid body, filled with various corpses; I were to abandon and go, without attachment, without desire. 9. "There is, there must be that path, it cannot be that it does not exist; I shall seek that path, for liberation from existence. 10. "Just as when suffering exists, happiness also exists; So when existence exists, non-existence is also to be desired. 11. "Just as when heat exists, something else, coolness, exists; So when the three fires exist, Nibbāna is to be desired. 12. "Just as when evil exists, goodness also exists; Even so when birth exists, non-birth is also to be desired. 13. "Just as a man covered in filth, seeing a full pond; Does not seek that pond, that is not the pond's fault. 14. "So too, a man covered in defilement's filth, when the deathless pond exists; Does not seek that pond, that is not the deathless pond's fault. 15. "Just as a man surrounded by enemies, when a path to escape exists; Does not flee, that is not the fault of the path. His glory. 16. Thus, surrounded by defilements, Though a safe path exists, He does not seek that path; No fault in the safe path. 17. Just as a sick person, Though a physician exists, Does not get that illness treated; No fault in that physician. 18. Thus, by the illnesses of defilements, Suffering, afflicted, He does not seek that teacher; No fault in that guide. 19. Just as a person, Detesting a corpse tied around his neck, Having released it, would go, Happy, free, self-controlled. 20. Just so, this putrid body, A collection of various foul things, Having abandoned it, I would go, Unconcerned, without longing. 21. Just as men and women, In a latrine, their excrement, Having abandoned it, they go, Unconcerned, without longing. 22. Just so, I, this body, Filled with various foul things, Having abandoned it, I will go, As one leaves a latrine after doing one's business. 23. Just as owners, A dilapidated boat, broken, taking in water, Having abandoned it, they go, Unconcerned, without longing. 24. Just so, I, this body, With nine openings, constantly oozing, Having abandoned it, I will go, Like owners an old boat. 25. Just as a person, Going with goods, by thieves, Having seen the fear of losing his goods, Having abandoned them, he goes. 26. Just so, this body, Is like a great thief; Having abandoned this, I will go, From the fear of cutting off wholesome states. 27. Thus, I, having thought, Many hundreds of millions of wealth, Having given to the needy, Approached the Himalayas. 28. Not far from the Himalayas, A mountain named Dhammika; My hermitage was well-made, A leaf-hut was well-built. 29. There I made a walking path, Free from five faults; Endowed with eight qualities, I brought forth the power of supernormal knowledge. 30. There I abandoned my garment, Having nine faults; I put on a bark-garment, Having twelve qualities. 31. Filled with eight faults, I abandoned the leaf-hut; I approached ru. whose root is patience, endowed with ten virtues. 32. The sown and planted grain, I abandoned completely; And took the fruit of practice, endowed with many virtues. 33. There I strove diligently, in sitting, standing, and walking; Within seven days, I attained the powers of supernormal knowledge. 34. Thus, when I had achieved success, and was master of the Teaching; A Buddha named Dīpaṅkara, the leader of the world, arose. 35. When he arose, was born, and taught the Dhamma; I did not see the four omens, being absorbed in the joy of jhāna. 36. In the border region, having invited the Tathāgata; With joyful minds, they cleared the path for his arrival. 37. At that time, I, having left my hermitage; Shaking my bark robes, was going through the air. 38. Seeing the people full of joy, delighted and thrilled; I descended from the sky, and immediately asked the people. 39. “Joyful, thrilled, and delighted, the great multitude of people; For whom is the path being cleared, the highway, the road?” 40. They, being asked by me, replied, “The Buddha, the unsurpassed one in the world; A Buddha named Dīpaṅkara, the leader of the world, has arisen; For him the path is being cleared, the highway, the road.” 41. Hearing the word “Buddha,” joy arose immediately; Saying “Buddha, Buddha,” I expressed my delight. 42. Standing there, I reflected, delighted and with a sense of urgency; “Here I shall sow seeds, let not the moment pass by. 43. “If you are clearing for the Buddha, give me a space; I too will clear, the highway, the road.” 44. They gave me a space, to clear the path then; Thinking “Buddha, Buddha,” I cleared the path then. 45. Before my space was finished, the great sage Dīpaṅkara; With four hundred thousand, of such ones with six supernormal knowledges; Arahants, stainless ones, the Victor proceeded on the path. 46. Processions were taking place, many drums were beaten; Gods and humans rejoiced, uttering shouts of approval. would speak. 47. Gods see humans, And humans also see gods; Both of them, with clasped hands, Follow the Tathāgata. 48. Gods with divine music, Humans with human music; Both of them playing, Follow the Tathāgata. 49. Divine mandārava flowers, Lotus and pārichattaka; In every direction they scatter, The devas in the sky. 50. Divine sandalwood powder, And excellent fragrance, all of it; In every direction they scatter, The devas in the sky. 51. Campaka, sarala, nīpa, Nāga, punnāga, ketaka; In every direction they throw up, The humans on the ground. 52. Having loosened my hair there, And bark-garment and deerskin; Having spread them in the mud, I lay down face down. 53. “Let the Buddha, having stepped on me, Go with his disciples; May he not step in the mud, It will be for my benefit.” 54. As I lay on the ground, This thought arose in my mind: “If I wished today, I could burn up my defilements. 55. “What is it to me to realize the Dhamma here As one unknown? Having attained omniscience, I will be a Buddha to the world of gods. 56. “What is it to me to be saved alone, A man of strong will? Having attained omniscience, I will save the world of gods. 57. “By this deed of mine, Done for the supreme man; Having attained omniscience, I will ferry across many people. 58. “Having cut off the current of transmigration, Having shattered the three existences; Having ascended the Dhamma-boat, I will ferry across the world of gods.” 59. Human existence, perfect gender, The cause: seeing the Teacher; Renunciation, perfect qualities, And the resolve and the wish; When these eight conditions are met, The aspiration succeeds. 60. Dīpaṅkara, the knower of the world, Receiver of offerings; Standing at my head, Spoke these words. 61. “See this ascetic, With matted hair, of severe austerities; After immeasurable aeons, He will be a Buddha in the world. 62. “He was Kapil Leaving Ramma, the Tathāgata went forth; Having striven with effort, having performed difficult austerities. 63. "At the foot of the Ajapāla tree, the Tathāgata will sit; There, having received milk-rice, he will approach the Nerañjarā. 64. "On the bank of the Nerañjarā, that Victor will eat the milk-rice; By the prepared excellent path, he will approach the Bodhi tree's root. 65. "Then, having circumambulated the supreme Bodhi-maṇḍa; At the foot of the Assattha tree, the greatly glorious one will awaken. 66. "His mother who gave him birth, will be named Māyā; His father named Suddhodana, this one will be Gotama. 67. "Without defilements, free from passion, with peaceful minds, composed; Kolita and Upatissa will be the chief disciples; Ānanda by name, the attendant, will attend upon this Victor. 68. "Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā will be the chief female disciples; Without defilements, free from passion, with peaceful minds, composed; The Bodhi tree of that Blessed One is called Assattha. 69. "Citta and Hatthāḷavaka will be the chief male lay-attendants; Uttarā and Nandamātā will be the chief female lay-attendants." 70. Having heard these words, of the unequalled great sage; Humans and devas rejoiced, "Indeed, this is a Buddha-seed!" 71. Shouts of joy arose, they clapped their hands and laughed; With joined palms they paid homage, the ten thousand worlds with their devas. 72. "If we miss the teaching of this world-protector; In the future time, we will be face to face with him. 73. "Just as people crossing a river, missing the direct ford; Taking a lower ford, cross the great river. 74. "Even so, all of us, if we miss this Victor; In the future time, we will be face to face with him." 75. Dīpaṅkara, the knower of worlds, receiver of offerings; Having declared my deed, lifted his right foot. 76. Those who were there, sons of the Victor, performed circumambulation. Devas, humans, and asuras, having paid homage, departed. 77. When the world-leader with his Sangha had passed beyond my sight; I rose from my bed, and then sat on the cushion. 78. Happy with happiness I was,