English
The constant vigilance required To repeatedly replace The fallen grass, leaves, and clay, This is the second. The lodging is available to anyone, And the lack of concentration When one is awakened at unseemly hours, This is the third. The softening of the body Due to protection from cold and heat, This is the fourth. The possibility of committing any evil Having entered a house, The covering up of blame, This is the fifth. The act of possessiveness, Thinking "mine," This is the sixth. The very existence of a house Is a second Seeing these eight drawbacks: like a privy, it is the seventh; being common to lice, nits, spiders, house-lizards, etc., it is very common, the eighth, the Great Being abandoned the leaf-hut. Therefore it was said: "Filled with eight faults, I abandoned the leaf-hut." "I approached the foot of a tree, endowed with ten virtues," rejecting the six, he says, "I have approached the foot of a tree endowed with ten virtues." Here are the ten virtues: little undertaking is one virtue, for there is only the act of approaching there. Little tending is the second, for whether swept or unswept, it is convenient for use. The state of not being able to be removed is the third; it does not conceal blame; for one doing evil there is ashamed, the state of not concealing blame is the fourth; like living in the open air, it does not stiffen the body, the state of not stiffening the body is the fifth. Absence of making possessions is the sixth, rejection of a dwelling is the seventh, unlike a very common house, there is no removing, saying, "I will tend it, go out!" the eighth, being happy while dwelling is the ninth, because the foot-of-a-tree seat is easily obtained in every place one goes, absence of dependence is the tenth, seeing these ten virtues, he says, "I have approached the foot of a tree." Considering these many reasons, the Great Being on the next day entered the village for alms. Then the people in the village he reached gave alms with great enthusiasm. He, having finished his meal, returning to the hermitage, sitting down, thought: "I did not go forth because 'I do not get food'; a rich diet increases pride, intoxication, and manly conceit. There is no end to suffering rooted in food; what if I, abandoning food produced from sown and planted grain, were to live on fallen fruit?" From then on, doing so, striving and exerting himself, within a week he developed the eight attainments and the five superknowledges. Therefore it was said: "Sown and planted grain, I abandoned, Without remainder; Endowed with many virtues, with fruits beginning to ripen. "There, I established the main effort, in sitting, standing, and walking; Within a week, I attained the power of higher knowledge." Thus, for me, having attained success, being master of the Teaching; Dīpaṅkara by name, the Conqueror, arose, the leader of the world. At his arising, at his birth, at his enlightenment, at his teaching of the Dhamma; I did not see the four omens, being absorbed in the bliss of meditation. Having invited the Tathāgata to a border region; They, with joyful minds, were clearing the path for his arrival. I, at that time, having emerged from my hermitage; Waving my bark garments, was going through the sky then. Having seen the people, delighted, thrilled, and rejoicing; Having descended from the sky, I asked the people then. "Delighted, thrilled, and rejoicing, the people are in a festive mood; For whom is the path being cleared, the straight road, the circular way?" They, being asked by me, replied, "A Buddha, unsurpassed in the world; Dīpaṅkara by name, the Conqueror, has arisen, the leader of the world; For him is the path being cleared, the straight road, the circular way." Having heard the word "Buddha," joy arose then; Saying "Buddha, Buddha," I expressed happiness. Standing there, I thought, joyful, with an agitated mind; "Here I will plant seeds, may the moment not pass me by." If you are clearing for the Buddha, give me a space; I too will clear the path, the straight road, the circular way. They gave me a space then, to clear the path; Thinking "Buddha, Buddha," I cleared the path then. Before the space was finished, Dīpaṅkara, the great sage; With four hundred thousand, with sixfold higher knowledge, such as they were; With perfected ones, without defilements, the Conqueror proceeded on the straight path. Sounds of welcome arose, many drums were beaten; Gods and humans rejoiced, uttering approval. Gods see humans, and humans also see gods; Both of them, with hands in reverence, follow the Tathāgata. Gods with divine instruments, and humans with human ones; Both of them were playing. The guides, follow the Tathagata. Divine mandārava flowers, lotuses, pāricchattaka; The gods, traversing the sky, scatter them in every direction. Divine sandalwood powder, and pure excellent fragrance; The gods, traversing the sky, scatter them in every direction. Campaka, sala, nīpa, nāga-punnāga, ketaka; People standing on the ground, toss them up in every direction. Having removed my hair there, and bark garments and leather; Having spread them in the mud, I lay face down. May the Buddha, stepping over me, go with his disciples; May he not step in the mud, it will be for my benefit. Lying on the earth, this thought occurred to me; "If I wish, today, I could burn away my defilements. "What is the use of unrecognizable attire, when the Dhamma can be realized here; Having attained omniscience, I will become a Buddha with the world of gods. "What is the use of one person, firm in strength, having crossed over; Having attained omniscience, I will deliver the world of gods. "By this aspiration of mine, made to the best of men; Having attained omniscience, I will deliver many people. "Having cut off the stream of existence, having destroyed the three realms; Having boarded the Dhamma-boat, I will deliver the world of gods." Dīpaṅkara, the knower of the world, the receiver of offerings; Standing at my head, spoke these words. "Behold this ascetic, a matted-hair ascetic, practicing intense austerity; In immeasurable aeons from now, he will become a Buddha in the world. "There will be a beautiful city named Kapilavatthu, the Tathagata having left it; Having undertaken exertion, having performed difficult deeds. "At the foot of the Ajapāla tree, the Tathagata having sat; Having accepted milk-rice there, he will approach the Nerañjarā. "On the bank of the Nerañjarā, the Victorious One gave the milk-rice; By the excellent prepared path, he will approach the Bodhi tree. "Then, having circumambulated, the unsurpassed one, the Bodhi-mandapa; At the foot of the Assattha tree, the greatly glorious one will awaken. "His mother, the one who gives birth to him, will be named Māyā; His father will be named Suddhodana, he will be Gotama. "Anāsava Truly detached, with peaceful minds, well-composed; Kolita and Upatissa will be the foremost disciples; Ānanda by name, the attendant, will attend upon this Victorious One. ‘‘Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā will be the foremost female disciples; Without taints, truly detached, with peaceful minds, well-composed. ‘‘The Bodhi-tree of that Blessed One will be called an Assattha tree; Citta and Hatthāḷavaka will be the foremost attendants; Uttarā and Nandamātā will be the foremost female attendants.’’ Having heard this utterance of the incomparable great seer; The humans and gods rejoiced, "Surely this is a Buddha-seed." Cries of jubilation arose, they clapped and laughed; With joined palms they paid homage, the ten thousand worlds with their gods. "If we should fail to serve the dispensation of this Lord of the World; In the future, we shall meet him face to face. Just as humans crossing a river, abandoning the near bank; Grasp the far bank and cross the great river. Even so, all of us, if we miss this Victorious One; In the future, we shall meet him face to face." Dīpaṅkara, the Knower of the World, the Receiver of Offerings; Having proclaimed my deed, raised his right foot. All the sons of the Victorious Ones who were there, circumambulated me; Humans, nāgas, and gandhabbas, having saluted, departed. When the Lord of the World, with his Saṅgha, had passed from my sight; With a joyful and delighted mind, I then rose from my seat. "May I be happy with happiness, delighted with joy; And suffused with rapture," I then sat cross-legged. Having sat cross-legged, I then thought thus; "I am master of jhāna, gone to the perfection of higher knowledge. ‘‘In the ten thousand world-system, there are no seers equal to me; Unequalled in psychic powers and qualities, I have attained such happiness.’’ At my sitting cross-legged, the inhabitants of the ten thousand worlds; Raised a great shout, "Surely you will become a Buddha." "The excellent seat that was previously sat upon by Bodhisattas; The signs appear, those signs appear today. Cold is dispelled, and heat is calmed; These things appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. The ten-thousandfold world-system, becomes silent and undisturbed; These things appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. Great winds do not blow, nor do the rivers flow; These things appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. Flowers of land and water, all bloom at once; All bloom together today, surely you will be a Buddha. Vines or trees, are laden with fruit at once; All bear fruit together today, surely you will be a Buddha. Gems in the sky and on earth, shine at once; Gems shine together today, surely you will be a Buddha. Human and divine, instruments play at once; Both resound together today, surely you will be a Buddha. Various flowers from the sky, rain down at once; These rain down today, surely you will be a Buddha. The great ocean churns, the ten-thousandfold quakes; Both resound together today, surely you will be a Buddha.