The Victor, Padumuttara,
the One with Eyes for everything,
the Leader of the World, arose
a hundred thousand aeons hence.

Just like the waves on the ocean,
and just like the stars in the sky,
thus the word of the Sambuddha,
is thought out by the arahants.

The Supreme Victor, in a crowd
mixed with Buddhist monks and brahmins,
is honored by people along
with the gods, titans and snake-gods.

The Victor, the World-Surpasser,
illuminates the world with rays,
causing to open through his words
the tractable lotus-people.

The Supreme Person, Endowed with
the Four Perfect Confidences,
Fear and Timidness Abandoned,
is Confident, with Peace Attained.

The World-Chief is acknowledged as
the entire sphere of Buddhahood,
which is the Excellent Bull’s place;
there is no one who refutes that.

When the Neutral One, the Buddha,
fearlessly roars his lion’s roar,
no god nor man nor God Himself
exists who contradicts his words.

Preaching the excellent Dhamma,
ferrying the world with its gods,
Confident among Multitudes,
he’s turning the wheel of Dhamma.

Praising the lofty virtue of
a well-regarded follower,
foremost among eloquent monks,
he placed him in that foremost place.

I then lived in Haṃsavatī,
a brahmin likewise well-regarded,
born knowing all of the Vedas,
lord of speech, debater-crusher.

Approaching him, the Great Hero,
having heard that Dhamma-preaching,
I obtained overwhelming joy,
loving the follower’s virtue.

Inviting him, the Well-Gone-One,
World’s Delighter, with Assembly,
I served them food for seven days,
and then I covered them with cloth.

Bowing with my head at his feet,
granted leave, hands pressed together,
happy, standing off to one side,
I praised the Ultimate Victor:

“Praise to you, Leopard of Sages!
Praise to you, O Best of People!
Praise to you, Chief of Every World!
Praise to you, Fearlessness-Maker!

Praise to you, Confuser of Death!
Praise to you, Crusher of False Views!
Praise to you, Peaceful Comforter!
Praise to you, Gone Beyond Refuge!

Revered One: Lord for the lordless,
Courage-Giver for the frightened,
Resting Place for the exhausted,
Refuge for those seeking refuge.”

Praising the One of Great Virtue,
the Sambuddha, in such-like ways,
I said to the God of Speakers:
“I’m attaining that monk’s station.”

He of Limitless Eloquence,
the Blessed One, said at that time:
“This one who worshipped the Buddha
with followers for a week, and
uttered praises of my virtue,
feeling well-pleased by his own hands,
is wishing to attain the place
of the monk who’s god of speakers.

Very far into the future,
he’ll receive that delightful place,
enjoying, with nothing lacking,
happiness among gods and men.

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

Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
the one whose name is Vaṅgīsa
will be the Teacher’s follower.”

After hearing that I was thrilled,
and then for as long as I lived ,
loving-hearted, I provided
the Thus-Gone-One with requisites.

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

And now, in my final rebirth,
I’m born in a mendicant clan.
Birth was behind me when I was
only seven years past my birth.

I’m born knowing all the Vedas,
confident among speech-teachers,
lovely-sounding, varied speaker,
trampling out other speeches.

Born in Vaṅga, I’m “Vaṅga Lord,”
or I’m known as “the lord of words;”
“Vaṅgīsa” thus became my name,
which is honored throughout the world.

When I had attained discretion,
still in the first stage of my youth,
then in lovely Rajgir city
I saw the monk Sāriputta,

The Twenty-Fifth Recitation Portion
wandering about for alms food,
bowl in hand, very self-composed,
eyes undistracted, of few words,
not looking beyond a plough’s length.

Having seen him, being awestruck,
I spoke as was fitting for me,
in eloquent verses and feet,
free of spots of mere fleeting thoughts.

Then he, the wise one, the hero,
spoke back thus to me in response:
“The one described my Teacher,
the Sambuddha, the World’s Leader.”

He then made an impassioned speech,
hard to encounter, ultimate.
Pleased by that colorful speaking
by the neutral Sāriputta,
bowing with my head at his feet,
I said, “give me ordination.”

Then he, the one of great wisdom,
led me to the Best of Buddhas.
Bowing with my head at his feet,
I sat in the Teacher’s presence.

The Best Debater said to me,
“Vaṅgīsa, do you know any
art at all?” I spoke about it
and then I said to him “I know”.

“Through your distinction in knowledge,
if you can, then now speak about
a dead skull thrown out in the woods,
even after twelve years have passed.”

When I agreed saying, “Yes, Sir,”
he showed three such dead skulls to me.
I said that they were now reborn
in hell, as a man, with the gods.

At that time the Leader showed me
the skull of a Lonely Buddha.
After that, without a basis,
I requested ordination.

After going forth, I praised the
Well-Gone-One in this and that place.
Therefore the monks became annoyed
at me, “he has a poet’s mind.”

Therefore in order to test me,
the Guide, the Buddha said to me:
“Are these verses thoughtful figures,
or are they spoken groundlessly?”

“Hero, I’m not poet-minded;
they are spoken by me with grounds.”
“In that case, then, O Vaṅgīsa,
you sing your praises of me now.”

At that time I praised the Hero,
the Seventh Sage, with my verses.
Then at once, becoming happy,
the Victor placed me as foremost.

Through my speaking and through my mind
I then despised some others who
were well-behaved. Stirred up by that,
I attained my arahantship.

“No other one at all is found who’s
foremost among the eloquent
as is this monk named Vaṅgīsa;
so should you consider him, monks.”

Karma done a hundred thousand
aeons hence showed me its fruit here:
well-liberated, arrow-quick,
I have destroyed my defilements.

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 Vaṅgīsa Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Vaṅgīsa Thera is finished.