English
To each Dhamma preacher, I gave clarified butter, molasses, and sugar in measures of nāḷi, licorice the size of a four-finger fist, and two cloths on the eight Uposatha days of the month. All this, given while established in sovereignty, does not please my mind. But the two gifts given by me, a pauper, without regard for life, alone please me. Hearing that, the Elder Abhaya said, "Great king, you have indeed shown favor in a place worthy of favor. But those two alms-foods, having been obtained without causing distress to others, being righteous requisites, given without regard for oneself, without attachment, having been given after satisfying the recipients," Having generated joy and delight, having been given with strong faith, and having been completely consumed, due to these five reasons, it is great. Saying that, O Great King, Maliyamahādevatthera at Samantakūṭa gave to five hundred monks and consumed the alms of Kangu and Ambili Piṇḍagāhakatthera. Dhammaguttatthera, the earth-shaking one, at Kalyāṇīya Vihāra gave to five hundred monks and consumed it. Dhammaguttatthera, resident of Talaṅgara, also gave to twelve thousand monks on Piyaṅgudīpa and consumed it. Cuḷatissatthera, resident of Maṅgaṇa, at the Kelāsakūṭa Vihāra gave to sixty thousand monks and consumed it. Mahābhaggatthera also gave to seven hundred monks at Ukkānagara Vihāra and consumed it. Saraka Bhattagāhakatthera, however, gave to twelve thousand monks on Piyaṅgudīpa and caused it to be consumed. Saying this, he diminished the king's mind. The king, having pleased his mind, said thus: "Venerable Sir, while ruling for twenty-four years, I have been of great assistance to the Sangha. Let my body also be helpful to the Sangha. Cremate my body, the slave of the Sangha, in the work-area of the Sangha at the place of seeing the Great Cetiya." Then, addressing his younger brother, he said, "O Tissa! Complete well the unfinished work on the Great Thūpa. Having caused flower offerings to be made at the Great Thūpa morning and evening, cause the offering to be made three times. Without diminishing all the alms-circle established by me, always be diligent in the duties to be done for the Sangha." Having instructed thus, he became silent. At that moment, the group of monks began chanting. The deities, however, having taken six chariots from six heavens, placed them in order and said, "O Great King, our heaven is delightful, our heaven is delightful," and requested to come to their respective heavens. The king, having heard their words, restrained them with a hand gesture, saying, "Wait until I hear the Dhamma." The Sangha stopped chanting. Thinking he had come, he stopped the recitation. The king asked, "Why, venerable sir, did you stop the group recitation?" He replied, "Great king, because you stopped it with a hand gesture." "Venerable sir, I did not give a signal to you. Deities from six heavenly realms brought six chariots, asking to return to their respective heavenly realms. Therefore, I gave them a signal to wait until I hear the Dhamma." Hearing that, some thought, "This king, frightened by the fear of death, is delirious. There is no being without fear of death." Then the Elder Abhaya said, "How, great king, can it be believed that six chariots were brought from six heavenly realms?" Hearing that, the king had garlands of flowers thrown into the sky. They went and hung separately on the chariot yokes. Seeing the garlands hanging in the sky, the great crowd became free from doubt. Then the king asked the Elder, "Which heavenly realm, venerable sir, is delightful?" "The Tusita heaven, great king, is delightful. Metteyya Bodhisatta, looking for the right time for Buddhahood, also dwells there," he said. Hearing that, the king, having affection for that place, passed away while looking at the Great Thūpa, as if awakened from sleep, and was reborn in a chariot brought from the Tusita heaven. Standing in the chariot, adorned with divine ornaments, to make known to the great crowd the extent of his accumulated merit, he circumambulated the Great Thūpa three times while the great crowd watched, paid homage to the Sangha of monks, and went to the Tusita heaven. Thus, wise beings, knowing the impermanent nature of wealth in this insubstantial accumulation, Having made donations, taking the essence through the glory of the Triple Gem, go to a good destination. Knowing the king's actresses had died, the place where they stood releasing their buds became known as the hall where buds were released. The hall made where the great crowd, holding up their hands, lamented over the king's body placed on the pyre, became known as the hall of lamentation. The place where the king's body was cremated - that sīmā-mālaka became known as the king's mālaka. Then the king... His younger brother, King Saddhātissa, having completed the unfinished plasterwork and brickwork of the Cetiya, made a stupa. Thus, in the Thūpavaṃsa, made for the pleasing of the minds of good people, the work on the Mahācetiya is finished. 26. At that time, King KākaVaṇṇatissa, the father of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇi Abhaya, will be the father of the Blessed Metteyya. Vihāramahādevī will be the mother. Duṭṭhagāmiṇi Abhaya will be the chief disciple. His younger brother will be the second disciple. The king's paternal aunt, Anuḷādevī, will be the chief queen. The king's son, Prince Sāli, will be the son. The treasurer Saṅghāmacca will be the chief attendant, and the daughter of that minister will be the chief attendant. Thus, all those who have accumulated merit, endowed with the cause, having heard the Dhamma of that Blessed One, having put an end to suffering, will attain final Nibbāna without remainder. Thus far. 27. Living in the Mahiṇdasena monastery, possessing robes and bowl, one who has mastered the three Piṭakas; endowed with faith and virtue, devoted to the welfare of all beings, by him I was well urged to begin; Now the Thūpavaṃsa, without confusion, has reached completion, perfect in number, well praised by the wise; Whatever meritorious deed we have attained by doing this, by that merit may beings go to Nibbāna; Without hindrance, and with success, as the lineage of the excellent stupa has come to be, so may the desires of the minds of people, attached to the good Dhamma, quickly attain success; By whom a commentary, a clear exposition of the meaning of the Parisambhidāmagga, was well composed, desiring the rise of the good Dhamma; Likewise, in the treatise "Saccasaṅkhepa," an explanation of the meaning, was well made by the wise one in the Sinhala language; In the summary of the Visuddhimagga, by whom an exposition of the meaning was made in the Sinhala language, for the benefit of yogis; Appointed in the Hall of Dhamma of Parakkama, the banner of all kings, one who has mastered the three Piṭakas; May the Sāsana l That which arose among the resident monks, This was written by the elder Vācissara, The Thūpavaṃsa is finished.