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Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. The Great Chronicle of Pāli Chapter One The Coming to Mahiyangana 1. Having paid homage to the Perfectly Enlightened One, the most pure, born of a pure lineage; I shall relate the Great Chronicle, which is not deficient or excessive in its accounts. 2. Though it was made by the ancients, it was sometimes too extensive; sometimes too concise, and often repetitive. 3. Free from those faults, easy to grasp and remember; inspiring faith and urgency, and derived from tradition. 4. In places that generate faith, and likewise those that cause urgency; generating both faith and urgency, listen to it. 5. For our Victor, having seen the Perfectly Enlightened Dīpaṅkara long ago, made a resolution for enlightenment, to free the world from suffering. 6. Then, that very Perfectly Enlightened One, Koṇḍañña, the auspicious sage; Sumana, Revata the Buddha, and Sobhita, the great sage. 7. Anomadassī the Perfectly Enlightened One, Paduma, Nārada the Victor; Padumuttara the Perfectly Enlightened One, and Sumedha the Tathāgata. 8. Sujāta, Piyadassī, and Atthadassī the leader; Dhammadassī, Siddhattha, Tissa, and Phussa the Victor. 9. Vipassī, Sikhī the Perfectly Enlightened One, Vessabhū the Perfectly Enlightened, the mighty one; Kakusandha the Perfectly Enlightened One, and Koṇāgamana as well. 10. Kassapa the Fortunate One, and these twenty-four Perfectly Enlightened Ones; the Great Hero, having worshipped them, was declared by them for enlightenment. 11. Having fulfilled all perfections, having attained the supreme perfect enlightenment; the supreme Gotama Buddha, freed beings from suffering. 12. In Magadha, at Uruvelā, at the foot of the Bodhi tree, the great sage; on the full moon day of Vesākha, he attained the supreme perfect enlightenment. 13. For seven weeks there, he enjoyed the supreme bliss of liberation; showing its sweetness, the master dwelt. 14. Then, going to Bārāṇasī, he set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma; dwelling there for a rainy season, he made sixty Arahants. 15. Having sent forth those bhikkhus for the purpose of teaching the Dhamma; and having disciplined the thirty friends, the Bhaddavaggiyas. 16. The Lord, the thousand ascetics with matted hair, to tame Kassapa and others. In winter, at Uruvelā, dwelling, he brought them to maturity. 17. When the great sacrifice of Uruvelakassapa was prepared, knowing his intention not to come by himself. 18. Having brought alms from Uttarakuru, the dispeller of defilements, having eaten at Lake Anotatta, in the evening, by himself. 19. In the ninth month from the Bodhi, on the full moon of Phussa, the Conqueror, to purify the island of Laṅkā, came to the island of Laṅkā. 20. Laṅkā was known by the Conqueror as a place for the flourishing of the Dispensation; and that the Yakkhas in Laṅkā, full of Yakkhas, should be expelled. 21. Known in the middle of Laṅkā, on the delightful bank of the Gaṅgā, three yojanas in length, delightful, one yojana in width. 22. In the great Nāga forest park, the battlefield of the Yakkhas, a great assembly of Yakkhas of the Yakkhas dwelling on the island of Laṅkā. 23. The Fortunate One came to that, the great assembly of Yakkhas; in the middle of the assembly, there, above their heads. 24. At the site of the Mahiyangana Thūpa, the Conqueror, in the air, caused rain, wind, and darkness, causing them to be agitated. 25. Those Yakkhas, in fear, begged the fearless Conqueror for safety; the giver of safety spoke to those Yakkhas, who were extremely terrified. 26. "Yakkhas, I will remove your fear and suffering; give me here, united, a place for me to sit." 27. Those Yakkhas said to the Fortunate One, "We give it to you, good sir, here; all of us, the entire island, give us safety, you." 28. Having removed their fear, cold, and darkness, on that given ground, having spread a leather mat, the Conqueror then sat there. 29. He spread the leather mat, it blazed all around; overcome by heat, they, terrified, stood at the edges all around. 30. Then the Lord brought the delightful Giridīpa here for them; and when they had entered there, he placed it in its proper place. 31. The Lord then condensed the Dhamma; at that time, the devas assembled; in that assembly, the Teacher taught the Dhamma to them. 32. For many crores of beings, there was an understanding of the Dhamma; they became established in the refuges and precepts. Innumerable. 33. Having attained the fruit of stream-entry, on Sumanakūṭa mountain; The great deva king Sumanā, begged for something to venerate. 34. Having stroked his head, (he, whose) hair was pure blue-black; Gave a handful of hair, the Victor, beneficial to beings. 35. He, taking that in a splendid golden casket, of the Teacher; Arranged at the sitting place, a collection of various jewels. 36. All around with seven jewels, having placed those hair relics; He, with a sapphire stupa, covered and worshipped (it). 37. When the Fully Awakened One had attained final Nibbāna, and from the pyre by psychic power; Taking the Victor's collarbone relic, the elder named Sarabhū. 38. Of the Elder Sāriputta, a disciple brought (it) to the cetiya; And having placed it right there, surrounded by monks. 39. Having caused it to be covered with earth-colored stones, the greatly powerful one; A stupa twelve cubits high, having caused it to be built, he departed. 40. Of King Devānaṃpiyatissa, the king's brother's son; Named Uddhacūḷābhaya, seeing the wonderful cetiya. 41. Having covered it, he made a cetiya thirty cubits high; The king, crushing the Damila (Tamils), there, Dukkha Gāmaṇi. 42. He made an eighty-cubit casing-cetiya for it; This Mahiyaṅgaṇa stupa was thus established. 43. Having thus made this island suitable for humans, the Lord; The wise one went to Uruvelā, with the might of a great hero. The arrival at Mahiyaṅgaṇa is finished. Arrival at Nāgadīpa 44. The Teacher, full of great compassion, delighted in the welfare of all beings; In the fifth year after enlightenment, the Victor dwelling in Jetavana. 45. Of the nāga Mahodara, and also of Cūḷodara; Of the uncle and nephew, on account of a jeweled throne. 46. Seeing their retinues, a battle was imminent; The Fully Awakened One, in the month of Citta, on the Uposatha day of the dark fortnight. 47. Early in the morning, taking his excellent bowl and robe; Out of compassion for the nāgas, he went to Nāgadīpa. 48. That nāga Mahodara, was then a greatly powerful king; In the ocean, in the nāga abode, five hundred yojanas (away). 49. His younger sister, Kaṇhā, on the Vaḍḍhamāna mountain; The nāga king's she was given, and Cūḷodara was his son. 50. His mother, the great mother, a supreme gem-couch; Having given, the Nāgī died, and so did he by his uncle. 51. For the nephew, a battle arose; Those Nāgas from the mountains, were indeed mighty. 52. The deity named Samiddhisumana, who was in Jetavana; Taking the Rājāyatana tree, to his own beautiful abode. 53. By the Buddha's permission alone, like an umbrella over the Victor; Holding it, he approached, that place where it had previously stood. 54. That deity, in Nāgadīpa, in the next existence, a human; He became, and at the place where the Rājāyatana stood, he saw. 55. Seeing Paccekabuddhas eating, his mind became clear; He gave them branches for cleaning bowls, because of that. 56. When the tree was born, in the delightful Jetavana garden; Near the gatehouse, it was outside at the back. 57. The God of gods, seeing the growth of that deity; For the benefit of this place, he brought that tree here. 58. In the midst of the battle, in the sky, the leader sat there; The dispeller of darkness, prevented the Nāgas' harm. 59. Comforting those who were afraid, he dispelled the darkness; Seeing the Fortunate One, they were pleased, and worshipped the Teacher's feet. 60. He taught them the Dhamma, the Victor made them united; Both of them, delighted, gave that couch to the Sage. 61. The Teacher, having descended to the ground there, and settled on the seat; Was satisfied by those divine foods and drinks, from the Nāga kings. 62. Those eighty crores of serpents, both water-dwellers and land-dwellers; The leader established them, in the refuges and precepts. 63. Mahodara the Nāga's uncle, Maṇiakkhika; The Nāga king of Kalyāṇī, had gone there to fight. 64. In the first Buddha-village, having heard the teaching of the good Dhamma; Established in the refuges and precepts, he implored the Tathāgata there. 65. Great compassion, O Lord, has been shown by you; Without your coming, all of us, would have turned to ashes. 66. May great compassion, O Father, be shown to me separately. Thus; By his return here, To my own dwelling place. 67. The Blessed One, having accepted, In silence his arrival; Established right there, The Rājāyatana shrine. 68. And that Rājāyatana, A very precious couch; The Lord of the World offered to the Naga kings, For veneration. 69. My shrine of use, O Naga kings, venerate; That will be, O dear ones, For benefit and for happiness. 70. Thus and so forth, the Fortunate One, Instruction to the Nagas; Having given, went to Jetavana indeed, As the compassionate one for the world. Arrival at Nagadipa Arrival at Kalyani 71. Then he, in the third year, The Naga king Maṇiakkhika; Having approached the Fully Enlightened One, Invited the Sangha of a hundred. 72. In the eighth year from enlightenment, Dwelling in Jetavana, the Conqueror; The Lord, by five hundred bhikkhus, Surrounded. 73. On the second day, when mealtime Was announced, the Conqueror; In the delightful month of Vesakha, On the full moon day, the Lord of Sages. 74. Right there, having put on, The outer robe, having taken the bowl; Came to that Kalyani region, The dwelling of Maṇiakkhika. 75. In Kalyani, at the shrine place, In a gem pavilion prepared;