English
“For the relic chamber of Cebhiya, stones the color of clouds. 58. Bring them!” they were assigned, they went to the northern land; Eighty cubits in length, shining like the sun in width. 59. Eight fingers thick, beautiful like knot-flowers; Six cloud-colored stones, they brought by digging them out. 60. Above the flower receptacle, one was placed in the middle; Four on the four sides, arranged like a casket. 61. One for the lid, in the eastern direction; Making them invisible, the powerful ones placed them. 62. In the middle of that relic chamber, the king had made; A Bodhi tree made of jewels, charming in every way. 63. Eighteen cubits was its trunk, and five branches; Its root was made of coral, resting on sapphires. 64. Its trunk of pure silver, adorned with jewel leaves; Golden tender leaves, and fruits, coral shoots. 65. Then auspicious flower vines, on its trunk; Rows of quadrupeds here, and beautiful rows of swans. 66. Above, in the beautiful canopy, nets of pearls and tiny bells; Rows of golden bells here, and garlands here and there. 67. At the four corners of the canopy, a cluster of pearl garlands; Worth nine hundred thousand, one was hanging. 68. Figures of the sun, moon, and stars, and various lotuses; Made of jewels, were placed in the canopy. 69. One thousand and eighty, various kinds of fans; Of great value and diverse colors, were hanging in the canopy. 70. Surrounding the Bodhi tree, a railing of various jewels; And inside, to be spread, great amalaka pearls. 71. Four groups of various jewel flowers, and of the Dhūḍaka. Full, full-pot rows, were made at the Bodhi tree. 72. At the Bodhi, in the eastern direction, at the corner-peak of the seat, a resplendent golden Buddha image was seated. 73. The body parts of that image, as appropriate, were made beautifully with various colored gems. 74. Mahābrahmā stood there, holding the royal parasol; Sakka, with the conch of supreme victory, performed the anointing. 75. Pañcasikha, with a lute in hand, the black nāga with his retinue, and Māra, with a thousand hands, with his thirty-six servants. 76. Similar to the eastern seat, in the three other directions, seats worth crores of wealth were spread out. 77. Making the Bodhi tree as a headrest, adorned with various gems, a couch worth a crore of wealth was arranged. 78. At the places of the seven sevens, there, appropriately, he performed the deeds, and also the Brahma's request. 79. The setting in motion of the Wheel of Dhamma, and the ordination of Yasa, the ordination of the Bhaddavaggiyas, and the taming of the Jaṭilas. 80. The arrival of Bimbisāra, and the entry into Rājagaha, the grove of Veḷuvana, and the eighty disciples. 81. The journey to Kapilavatthu, and the gem promenade, the ordination of Rāhula and Ānanda, and the acceptance of Jetavana. 82. The miracle at the foot of the mango tree, the teaching in Tāvatiṃsa, the miracle of descent from heaven, the gathering for the monks' questions. 83. The Mahāsamaya Sutta, and the Rāhulovāda, the Mahāmaṅgala Sutta, and the encounter with Dhanapāla. 84. The taming of Āḷavaka and Aṅgulimāla, and Apalāla, the assembly for the Pārāyana, and the relinquishing of life-span. 85. The acceptance of Sūkaramaddava, and of the pair of Siṅgīvaṇṇa, the drinking of clear water, and the Parinibbāna itself. 86. The lament of devas and humans, the veneration of the Elder's feet, the burning, the fire's extinction, and the honors there. 87. With the relic-casket and the measure, which generate faith, the noble one mostly performed the Jātakas. 88. The Vessantara Jātaka, he performed in detail, Kusinārā. As far as the front, and likewise the Bodhi tree. 89. In the four directions, those four great kings stood. And thirty-three divine sons, and thirty-two princesses. 90. Eight Yakka generals, and twenty more besides. Gods holding hands in reverence, then flower-filled pots. 91. And dancing deities, musical instrument playing deities. Gods holding mirrors, and likewise holding flower branches. 92. Gods holding lotuses and so on, and other gods in various ways. And rows of jewelled lamps, and also of Dhamma-wheels. 93. Rows of sword-wielding gods, and likewise gods holding parasols. On their heads, five hands, filled with perfumed oil. 94. Rows of silk wicks, were always burning brightly. In the four-cornered crystal lamps, and in each, a great gem. 95. Heaps of gold, gems, pearls, and diamonds. In the four corners, four shining stories were. 96. On the wall itself, shining, with fat-colored stone. Magical images were placed, adorning the relic chamber. 97. All kinds of images, in the delightful relic chamber. A solid mass of earth, the king caused to be made. 98. The supervisor of works here, arranged all this. The great elder Indagutta, possessing six supernormal powers, of great wisdom. 99. All this by the king's power, and by the power of deities. And by the power of the Noble Ones, was established without hindrance. 100. The accomplished Sugata, most worthy of veneration, supreme in the world, unrivalled. His relics, though broken, wishing for the welfare of beings, should be venerated. Having accumulated that merit again and again, the wise one, adorned with the virtue of faith. Should venerate the relics of the Sage, as if the Sugata were standing. In the Mahāvaṃsa, made for the delight and emotional stir of good people, the Thirtieth Chapter, named "The Construction of the Relic Chamber". Thirty-first Chapter The Enshrining of the Relics 1. Having completed the works in the relic chamber, the subduer of enemies, Having caused an assembly, spoke this to the Saṅgha: 2. "The works in the relic chamber, have indeed been completed by me. Tomorrow I shall enshrine the relic, venerable sirs." you know the relics.” 3. Having said this, the great king, then entered the city; The Sangha, considering the bhikkhu who would bring the relics. 4. They appointed Soṇuttara, who resided in the offering-hall, and possessed six supernormal powers, for the task of bringing the relics. 5. When the Lord, for the welfare of the world, was wandering on tour, a young man named Nanduttara, on the bank of the Gaṅgā. 6. Invited the Fully Enlightened One, and fed him with the Sangha; The Teacher, with the Sangha, boarded a boat at the place of embarkation. 7. There, the Elder Bhaddaji, who had six supernormal powers and great might, seeing a place washed by water, said this to the bhikkhus. 8. “By me, the great Panāda, a golden palace was spoken of; It fell here, twenty-five yojanas high. 9. Having reached the Gaṅgā, its water washed this place; The bhikkhus, not believing it, reported it to the Teacher. 10. The Teacher said, “Remove the bhikkhus’ doubt,” and from that, to make known that he was capable of controlling even the Brahma world. 11. Rising into the sky by psychic power, he stood at a height of forty-seven tālas; Placing a cloth stupa in the Brahma world, he made it grow in his hand. 12. Bringing it here and showing it to the people, then placing it back there, in its proper place, he returned from the Gaṅgā by psychic power. 13. Taking the palace with his big toe, he lifted it by its spire, showed it to the people, and then threw it there. 14. The young man Nanduttara, seeing that miracle, wished, “May I be able to bring the relics, which are dependent on others.” 15. Thus he aspired, and because of this, the Sangha appointed the ascetic Soṇuttara, who was also sixteen years old, to that task. 16. “From where shall I bring the relics?” he asked the Sangha; The Sangha told the Elder about those relics thus. 17. “The Lord of the world, lying on his deathbed of final Nibbāna, told the king of devas to make the world shine with relics. 18. ‘O king of devas, of my bodily relics, which are in eight doṇas; one doṇa is honored by the Koliyas in Rāmagāma. 19. From there to the Nāga world…” brought, then honored by nāgas; In the island of Lanka, in the great stupa, it will be for enshrinement. 20. And the Elder Mahākassapa, far-seeing, great sage, by King Dhammāsoka, was the one who caused the relics to be spread. 21. Near Rājagaha, by King Ajātasattu, causing the great relic enshrinement to be well-prepared. 22. Seven doṇas of relics, having brought, he caused to be enshrined; But one doṇa in Rāmagāma was taken by those who know the minds of beings. 23. That great relic enshrinement, King Dhammāsoka also, having seen the eighth doṇa, made an order to take it. 24. "For enshrinement in the Great Stupa, that was arranged by the Victor!" The Arahants there prevented Dhammāsoka. 25. But the stupa in Rāmagāma, made on the bank of the Gaṅgā, by the flood of the breaking Gaṅgā, that relic casket (was carried away). 26. Having entered the ocean, there, the waters divided into two; On a platform of various jewels, it was surrounded by eighteen (Nāga-kings). 27. The Nāgas, having seen that casket, to King Kāḷanāga, to the Nāga-abode of Mañjerika, having approached, they reported. 28. With ten thousand crores (of Nāgas), he went there with Nāgas; Honoring those relics, having taken them to his own abode. 29. A stupa made of all jewels, and a house above it, having caused to be made with the Nāgas, he always worshipped with devotion. 30. The great guardian there, having gone for the relic enshrinement, "Tomorrow, indeed, the relic enshrinement the king will perform." 31. Thus, the word of the Saṅgha, having heard, "Good!" he said; But he, looking forward to the appointed time, went to his monastery. 32. "Tomorrow there will be a relic enshrinement!" the king caused the drum to be beaten in the city, having arranged all the work. 33. And the entire city, and the path leading here, he adorned respectfully, and beautified the city. 34. And Sakka, king of devas, the entire island of Lanka, having summoned Vissakamma, caused it to be adorned in various ways.