131. Sobhita

The Victor Padumuttara,
the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,
before a large body of folks
did preach the path of deathlessness.

Then having listened to his words,
those majestic words he uttered,
pressing both my hands together,
I became tranquil at that time.

“As the great ocean is
the foremost of the seas,
and the rock-heap Meru
is the best of mountains,

likewise those people who
are controlled by the heart
approach not a tittle
of the Buddha’s knowledge.”

The Buddha, Compassionate, Sage,
setting forth the Dhamma-method,
seated in the monks’ Assembly,
uttered this verse about me then:

“He who praises knowledge like this
when the Buddha, World-Leader lives,
for one hundred thousand aeons
will come to know no bad rebirth.

Having destroyed the defilements,
tranquil and well-attentive,
he’ll be the Teacher’s follower,
known by the name of Sobhita.”

I have burnt up my defilements,
all new existence is destroyed.
The three-fold knowing is attained,
I have done what the Buddha taught.

In the fifty-thousandth aeon
there were seven Samuggatas,
wheel-turning kings with great power,
possessors of the seven gems.

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

Thus indeed Venerable Sobhita Thera spoke these verses.