English
Full of fierce pride, they roared; 520. At that moment, the Blessed One, desiring their good, Came into the sky with a compassionate heart, Like a beautiful garland of rays from a gable, He stood in the sky like a gem-studded earring; 521. To end their quarrel, the Jina Created rain, darkness, wind, cold, and fear, There was thunder, and a rainbow shot Arrows of rain, piercing the multitude of Nisivāras; 522. Blinded, they were submerged in thick darkness, Confused, they did not know direction or intermediate points, terrified, And a fierce wind. Frightened by the great mountain-peak tree being shaken, They cried, not finding any refuge; 523. Then, the cold severely chilling those birds, They embraced each other and wept, Shapes of many fearsome sounds and cries Were uttered, thus great fear came to them; 524. Even Buddhas, with minds saddened by others' suffering, Should not be thought of as "Why do they cause misfortune?" The world strikes down a tree for the sake of fruit-giving, With a weapon, O gentle one, on a day for seizing enemies; 525. The Teacher then, seeing those goblins in fear and sorrow, Had compassion in his heart, Having dispelled all that rain and wind, He showed himself entirely in the sky like a jewel; 526. Seeing the Best of Sages, with lotus-like hands in añjali, Adorning their heads, they spoke these words, "We ask for the refuge of fearlessness from you, O wise one, have compassion on your slaves, it should be done;" 527. Thus then spoke the Conqueror in a sweet voice, Addressing those goblins, seeing them humbled, "If you all give up one place, You will all escape the suffering of the dense wind and cold;" 528. "If it is so, we will give it up, O wise one, Take it, O wise one, if you desire the whole island," Having spoken thus, they gave up a path of land, Having descended there, he spread out a piece of hide; 529. Sitting there, having attained the kasina, he produced A mass of flames, like a blazing fire, That smoke-bannered one, with a high peak rising to the sky, Burning and roaring through mountains and forests; 530. As if chasing after tree-dwelling monkeys and birds, By leaping over trees, forests, and mountains, The fire-god ran after the goblins, thinking, "Even wild animals and pigs in the forest;" 531. Seeing there abundant, ancient sparks Mixed with a mass of burning flames, the goblins, understanding, Ran with disheveled hair and tear-filled eyes, Together with their wives and children, not finding refuge; 532. Their bodies and minds burnt by the Buddha's power, Running around, striking the seashore, Even there they did not find refuge to enter, C Then quickly, all assembled there; 533. Seeing the Sage, with his helpers, free from sorrow, That beautiful, great island in the middle of the ocean, By his powers, making it a mountain island, Raising all up again, he placed them there; 534. Having thus made them calm, without measure, without limit, Right there, the Blessed One sat, shining brightly, Brahmā, gods, asuras, serpents, garuḷas, and siddhas, Gathering together, made a great, supreme offering; 535. In that assembly, the Conqueror preached the Dhamma, pleasing to hear, Ever removing sorrow, giving bliss to beings, Having heard, beings numbering many hundred crores, Then attained the stainless Dhamma eye; 536. On that day, Sumanakūṭa's excellent lord, With power, might, wisdom, and glory, named Sumana, The god, with a gladdened heart, in the Triple Gem, Attained the first, supreme fruit; 537. Rising up, with a delighted face, having made añjali, He bowed to the Conqueror's toe-nail rays in the ocean, Having worshiped, he spoke thus, O incomparable, brave, wise, Supreme person, best in the world, give me, O Lord, wisdom; 538. I am your servant, a worshiper of your lotus feet, With faith and other glories, I am your son, Without you, I do not wish to live even a moment, Therefore, give me, O Blessed One, something to worship; 539. Having heard that, the wise one, stroking his head, With a hand like a lotus covered with clinging bees, A fistful of blue-black hair relics, He gave in a jeweled casket; 540. Taking it with both hands, he stood bowing, On his head he placed it, like a crown, with joyful heart, Having made that great offering with the gods, He spread it, wise one, throughout the enjoyed earth; 541. He made a stupa of blue gems, with great value, Rising up, seven ratanas in height, As the Lord was still living, it was established, That stupa, giving happiness to the three worlds, like a wish-fulfilling gem; 542. After the Refuge of the three worlds had passed away, His defilements destroyed, with great power, the ascetic Sarabhu, Taking that neck relic of the Conqueror from the pyre, He placed it in that... King Cūḷābhaya made a twelve-cubit stupa; 543. At another time, King Cūḷābhaya made A beautiful thirty-two-cubit stupa; King Duṭṭhagāmaṇi, slaying the Tamils, Then made a sixty-four-cubit casing; 544. Thus, may this stupa, sprung from the great lake of Sri Lanka, Like a white lotus frequented by swarms of bees, A white parasol in the hand of the earth goddess, Grant unsurpassed peace to people; 545. Having removed the troubles of Sri Lanka and made it safe, That excellent hair relic, belonging to Sri Lanka, Having made it exceedingly radiant for the Buddha's benefit, It traveled along the path of the stars, without delay; 546. Having performed many wonderful miracles there, Having broken the net of views of the heretics with their disciples, Having given the state of Nibbāna to his disciples, He filled the beautiful city of Nibbāna; 547. From there, like a blossoming lotus grove, Free from craving, revered by the departed Sugatas, He traveled the noble path to Rājagaha, Like the sun to the lotus pond of those to be trained; 548. When the Buddha arrived, the excellent King Bimbisāra Made a great offering with the deities; In that assembly, countless beings Attained the path, the fruit, and took refuge; 549. Then the king, to the delightful, vast Bamboo Grove, Adorned with various trees and pavilions, Approached, pouring water from his right hand, Making the earth and the Himalayas tremble; 550. There, the All-Seeing One, delightful to the eyes, Constantly increasing the prosperity of the people, Pouring down showers of the rain of Dhamma, Spent the rainy season, unequaled, in the second year; 551. With feet adorned by the crowns of the gods, Constantly engaged in the welfare of the world, There, in the third and fourth years, The Sugata, abode of glory and peace, resided; 552. Constantly bearing the stainless Dhamma to the world, In the beautiful Jetavana in Sāvatthi, The Buddha, giver of happiness, resided in the fifth year, Looking out for the assembly of beings to be trained; Thus, the first arrival in Lanka. 553. Then the Blessed One, in that Jetavana grove, Dwelling in Lanka, auspicious occasion's form, Like a grove in heaven, Nanda for the deities, Beautiful, abode of gods and serpents, became; 554. There, in that lovely place, at Vaḍḍhamāna mountain, Sweet water flowing, beautiful Kalyāṇī also, Ocean, serpent abode, near Nāgadīpa too, Great, with mighty power, serpent clans reside; 555. Abundant mighty power, at Vaḍḍhamāna mountain, Lord of serpents was Cūlodara by name, Mahodara by name, in Nāgadīpa ocean, Resides, then their mountain-kin, serpent king; 556. Another serpent king's daughter, serpent maiden, Dear and beautiful, he made his wife then, Then to his daughter, giving as a gift, he Gave a beautiful jeweled throne as a seat; 557. At the death of the daughter, then for the throne, Water and land serpents, ready for war became, Then land serpents, wave-breaking garland-like, Similar agitated minds, proud, thus they roar; 558. What of the ocean serpents' fame and wealth to us? Or fame and retinue? What of strength and power? "I, I," with pride, what is their arrogance for? For those darkness' foes, sun's fire, what rise is there? 559. Then water-born alligators, roaring, bellowing, Fear-causing, arrogant, snapping their arms, "I, I, powerful! Hey! Hey! Mountain-kin, this Sharp, biting lips, harsh," thus they roar; 560. Sharp, loud roars, so long they bellow, tusker-like, Until crows come into the eye's path, Then land-born all together, humiliate, Come into the eye's path, empty pride they become; 561. Thus those two armies, clashing with each other, Various weapons, emitting, roaring, Constantly agitated shore, ocean wave-like, fearing, Agitated, agitated minds, intent on war, stood; 562. Then that day, the Sage, at the night's end, Casting his mind's net, looked upon the world. Then, He saw the future prosperity of the serpents, Subject to Samara, and further growth of the land of Lanka; 563. Then the Sage, in the month of Madhu, on the Uposatha day, In the dark fortnight, having completed all preparations, taking the Sanghati etc., Looking around in all directions, Saw the prosperous deity named Sumana, full of joy; 564. On that day, the deity Sumana, in the delightful Jetavana, Resided near the gate tower, On a flourishing banyan tree, Revering the Sugata, always worshipping; 565. Seeing him, the Sage addressed him, having arrived, Said this: "Come with me to Lanka, From your abode, in the place where you first lived, There will be your establishment, and prosperity for the serpents;" 566. Then, accepting the Sage's words on his head, With a joyful heart, uprooting that tree from its roots, Holding it above the Sugata, fully blooming, He went through the sky, like a great parasol; 567. The radiance of the Ten-Powered One's body, approaching, that tree, Shone like a shimmering jewel, worthy of reverence, Like all the mountains and rocks, Appeared devoid of their own color, possessing new colors; 568. Birds, serpents, deities, and others, overcome by the six kinds of light,