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Dāṭhāvaṃsa -(Tooth History)

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English

Standing above them, it illuminated, With rays as white as jasmine, all directions. 368. At that moment, the earth with its mountains, Thundered, uttering words of approval, The ocean, as if to behold that marvel, Became still, its wave-arms stilled. 369. Ma As if from Sāla trees shaken by the earth, Divine flowers fell from the sky; Dancers captivated the crowd, Celestial nymphs appeared in the sky. 370. Singers of immortal songs, Sang with joyous, thrilling voices; Divine instruments played, Deep, loud, sweet, doubled in sound. 371. Like hundreds of silver ropes sewn together, A hundred streams of water from the cloud filled the sky; All directions shone like lamps in jeweled mansions, Like hundreds of lightning flashes. 372. The end of the Malaya forest swayed, Carrying pollen dust, delightful and charming; Skilled in removing sweat drops, A cool, fragrant breeze gently blew. 373. The king, seeing this amazing miracle, Unheard of and unprecedented, With wide-open eyes and great joy, Offered great honor with jewels and more. 374. Then, carrying the relic on his head, Standing under a raised white parasol, In a decorated chariot drawn by white horses, He entered Anurādhapura, a treasure trove of prosperity. 375. In his own palace, like a palace of the gods, The king, of unmatched power, On a lion throne covered with fine cloth, Placed the relic of the Buddha under a white parasol. 376. Inside, the king built a precious relic house, And there enshrined the relic of the Buddha; He honored it with various offerings, Day and night, longing for the bliss of heaven and liberation. 377. Pleased with those who had come, The king gave many jewels and ornaments; Villages, noble families, and residences, Giving, he favored all three Sinhalese. 378. Gathering together, villagers, merchants, and townspeople, Anxious, not seeing the relic of the Buddha, Praising the deeds of the Supreme One, They proclaimed in the presence of the king; "The Lord of Dharma is born in the world for the benefit of all, For all people." He had accomplished what was set forth; The relic was spread for the benefit of many, We too desire to worship the relic. 380. So the king gathered the Sangha of monks, At the mango grove near Anuradhapura; He announced to them the Buddha's relic, For the worship of the assembled multitude. 381. There, in the great assembly of monks, one, Unequaled in wisdom and compassion's abode; Thus to Tissa, the great minister of the island's king, Skilled in acting for the world's benefit, he declared. 382. He who acts for the welfare of his dependents, His conduct is followed, of great character; Taking the relic out in the spring season, Show it to the people desiring merit. 383. Having heard the well-spoken words of the restrained one, The king then asked the Sangha of monks; For this great multitude to venerate the relic, What place here would be most delightful? 384. All those monks residing in various monasteries, Each described their own place with affection; Amidst their differing opinions, the king, Neither approved nor rejected any statement. 385. But with a mind inclined to impartiality, The king spoke again among the Sangha of monks; The relic of the Sage, according to its own will, Will go to the place itself in a moment. 386. Then the king, returning to his own palace, For the people desiring to pay homage to the relic; Quickly opening the lotus-like faces, Ordered the city and the monastery road to be decorated. 387. Swept clean, with dust settled by water sprinkling, The road then was beautiful with sand spread; Raised up were arches adorned with gold and various designs, And decorated with tiger and other animal figures. 388. A canopy preventing the sun's rays from heating, The row of flags, swayed by the wind, seemed to dance; The street, like a spring forest in appearance, Became beautiful with rows of well-grown banana trees. 389. A hundred new, full pots indicated, That the desired happiness of heaven and liberation is achieved; Camphor, sandalwood, and tagara. With incense born of passion, The gloomy day then became a bright day. 390. Dangling white pearl nets, And various pavilions were prepared; And there were arranged flower garlands, Humming with swarms of bees greedy for fragrance. 391. Some went, taking the splendor of festive attire, Others with hands full of boxes of flowers; Other people carrying loads of fragrant powder, Elsewhere others holding aloft decorated great parasols. 392. Then Laṅkissara, with moon-white horses yoked, To a splendid chariot illuminated by the radiance of jewels, Having placed the relic of the Tilaka of the three worlds, Spoke these words, after making obeisance. 393. Like the Bodhimaṇḍa of the lord of sages from the Sambodhi, Like the Gaṇḍamba tree for the crushing of heretics; And today, at the Deer Park, to distribute the Dhamma, May you yourself approach a place befitting worship. 394. Then the king, skilled in appropriate conduct, Released that chariot adorned with an established charioteer; Afterward, he himself, with a great assembly, Went making unparalleled special worship. 395. With the widespread cry of the peacock of the great crowd, With the piercing neighing of horses, With the great sound of drums, with the roar of elephants, The city was like a tumultuous ocean. 396. Delighted women going on both sides of the streets, Threw golden ornaments from the windows; Everywhere they showered a rain of flowers, And waved cloths on their well-adorned bodies. 397. When that chariot had approached near the eastern gate, Like a boat upon the surface of a cloud-ocean; The groups of ascetics and all the people there, being pleased, Worshipped with various offerings. 398. Then, having circumambulated the city to the north, That excellent chariot, having exited through the gate; Stood in the place made sacred by the Dhamma discourse of Mahinda, Like a trading ship that had gone to the heretics. 399. In that place, Laṅkissara, the best of men, the relic of the tooth of the Jina, From the jeweled casket-receptacle, Having brought it out like the moon from the evening clouds, Showed it to the people of the countryside and the city. 400. In that crowd, suddenly, a rain of ornaments and such, Pouring down, filled with exceeding joy; With joyous songs of praise and auspicious chants, The mouths of the directions were filled with clamor. 401. The lotus-like hands of the great crowd, At the moonrise, came together in budding salutations; The immeasurable praise generated by Brahma and the gods, Filled the sky, covering the expanse of the world. 402. The tooth relic, with a color like a crescent moon, With rays as white as jasmine and fresh sandalwood; Made the palaces, gate towers, stone heaps, and trees, Appear as if made of purified silver in an instant. 403. Having seen that inconceivable and exceedingly great miracle, Who there did not experience great joy and hair standing on end? Who did not bring their own ornaments home? Who did not praise the attainment of self-possession? 404. Who did not abandon the defilements clinging to their own views? Who did not desire the greatness of the Buddha? Who was not under the power of the fetter of stinginess? Who did not go for refuge to the Triple Gem? 405. The lord of Lanka, with an expenditure of nine hundred thousand, Having honored the incomparable tooth of the All-Knowing One, And having further enlarged that Tooth Relic Temple, Spent the days in the inner city. 406. Having taken the relic to the great Uttara Monastery, To perform such worship every year, King Kittisirimegha by name, Inscribed an edict of prohibition, truthful in his word. 407. Those lords of the earth, headed by Buddhadāsa, Continuing this prohibition, Adorned with the ornaments of qualities such as faith and compassion, Honored the Tooth Relic of the Conqueror in many ways. 408. The Teacher, in a previous existence, having known well the matter, Believing in the Enlightenment that destroys all defilements, not destroying it; His ear, in the foremost Dhamma, with subtle intellect, always uniting, Wishes for the peace of Nibbana, to take hold of the cause for abandoning the fear of the three existences. The Fifth Chapter. 409. He who in the grammar composed by Candagomi, Made a praiseworthy commentary on the Pañcikā, He made the Ṭīkā, which illuminates the Buddha's glory everywhere, On the Pāsādika commentary on the Vinaya. He made the Ṭīkā on the commentary on the Aṅguttara Agama, Which destroys the delusion of confusion; For the benefit of the restrained community of ascetics, He made the book named Vinayasaṅgaha. He was devoted to the practice of calming the senses, Engaged in the life of detachment, and composed; Adorned with the qualities of desiring little, and so on, A cause for the great flourishing of the Buddha's teaching. He attained the highest position among all teachers, He was skilled in all other doctrines in the scriptures; By the disciple, Mahādisāmi, the younger Sāriputta. With pure lineage, with the arising of qualities like compassion, Skilled in logic, scriptures, and eloquent; Everywhere spreading a network of rays like the moon, With widespread fame that illuminates. With faith as wealth, gentle, and named Dhammakitti, This royal preceptor, the teacher, Has made the lineage of the Jinadantadhātu, which generates joy in the ear, A lamp illuminating the vision of all. May the Dhamma of the Lord of Sages long endure, May the rulers of the earth be established in the Dhamma; May the clouds rain in due season, and may all beings, Obtain the happiness of mutual loving-kindness.

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