The Victor, Padumuttara,
the Sage, Knower of Every World,
the One who had Five Eyes, arose
a hundred thousand aeons hence.

The Admonisher, Instructor,
Crosser-Over of all that breathe,
Skilled at Preaching, he, the Buddha,
caused many folks to cross the flood.

Merciful, Compassionate One,
Well-Wisher of all that breathe, he
established in the five precepts
all the rivals who had arrived.

In this way he was Unconfused
and Very Well-Known by rivals,
Ornamented by arahants
who were masters and neutral ones.

The body of the Sage So Great
rose up fifty-eight cubits tall;
he was Valuable Like Gold,
Bearing the Thirty-Two Great Marks.

People’s lifespan at that time was
fully one hundred thousand years.
Remaining in the world so long,
he ferried many folks across.

I was then a millionaire’s son
in Haṃsavatī, of great fame.
Approaching the Lamp of the World,
I heard the preaching of Dhamma.

I was happy after hearing
the words of the Buddha praising
his follower, the monk who was
appointing lodgings for the monks.

My head bowed at the feet of the
Great Sage, I aspired to attain
that place, foremost among those who
do the Assembly's management.

At that time the Great Hero spoke;
he praised my karma in this way:
“Who fed the Leader of the World,
with the Assembly, for a week,

whose eyes are just like lotus leaves,
lion-shouldered, with golden skin;
fallen down in front of my feet,
he has wished for that foremost place.

In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world.

That Buddha’s follower will be
well-known by the name of Dabba.
This one is going to be the top
assigner of the lodgings then.”

Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I went to Tāvatiṃsa then.

Three hundred times the lord of gods,
I exercised divine rule there,
and then five hundred times I was
a king who turns the wheel of law.

There was also much local rule,
innumerable by counting.
Through the power of that karma,
I was happy in every place.

The Leader known as Vipassi,
with Insight into Everything,
Charming-Eyed One, arose in the
world, ninety-one aeons ago.

Evil-minded, I reproached a
follower of that Neutral One
who had destroyed all defilements,
despite having known, “he is pure.”

Having provided meal-tickets,
I offered rice well-cooked in milk
to great sages, the followers
of that very Hero of Men.

During this auspicious aeon
Brahmā’s Kinsman, Greatly Famed One,
named Kassapa through his lineage,
Best Debater, Buddha, arose.

Lighting up the dispensation,
overcoming evil rivals,
instructing the instruct-able, he
reached nirvana, with followers.

Hair-loosened, teary-faced, the gods,
were moved and they wept when the Lord
and students reached nirvana, his
dispensation reaching its goal:

“Alas! We have little merit.
The Dhamma-Eye passes away.
We’ll not see the compliant ones,
we will not hear the great Teaching.”

Just then the whole of this great earth,
which is unshaking, shook with shakes,
and the ocean, as though in grief,
was crying a piteous song.

And drums in all four directions,
were played by non-human beings;
lightening burst out from everywhere,
frightening beings who were there.

Meteors fell down from the sky,
and he whose flag is smoke was seen.
The wild beasts roared piteously,
and all the creatures born on earth.

Seeing fierce omens marking the
setting of the dispensation,
moved, we monks who still remained there,
then thought about it in this way:

“Now, without our dispensation,
enough with life itself for us.
Entering the forest we’ll strive
in the Victor’s dispensation.”

We saw a tall, superb mountain
there in the forest at that time.
Ascending by a flight of stairs,
we fell down on the flight of stairs.

Then an elder admonished us:
“A Buddha’s rising’s hard to get;
well-got for you is getting faith,
the dispensation’s small remnant.
Fallen down they’re missing their chance,
in the endless suffering-sea.
Therefore strong effort should be made
while the Sage’s thought remains.”

That elder was an arahant,
a non-returner followed him.
Fixed in good morality, the
rest of us went to the gods’ world.

In the pure abode that one monk
reached nirvana, crossed existence;
but I and Pukkusāti too,
Sabhiya, likewise Bāhiya,
so too Kumāra-Kassapa,
reborn here and there we are now
freed from the bonds of existence,
pitied by Gotama Buddha.

Born a Kusināran Malla,
even in the womb I’m conscious.
Dead mother raised up on a pyre;
I was one who fell out from that.

I landed on a pile of wood;
therefore I was known as “Dabba.”
Through the strength of holy living,
I was freed, just seven years old.

Due to the fruit of the milk-rice,
I’m endowed with the five fine traits;
due to reproaching the pure monk,
I was urged by many bad folks.

Now I am one who’s passed beyond
both merit and evil karma.
Attaining supreme peacefulness,
I am now living, undefiled.

Making the compliant ones laugh,
I appointed lodgings for them.
The Victor, pleased by that virtue,
then placed me in that foremost place.

My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint.

Being in Best Buddha’s presence
was a very good thing for me.
The three knowledges are attained;
I have done what the Buddha taught!

The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught!

Thus indeed Venerable Dabbamallaputta Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Dabbamallaputta Thera is finished.