Commentary on the Biography of the thera, the donor of Sīhāsana

Nibbute lokanāthamhi, when the world protector passed into nibbāna; thus, began the biography of the thera Sīhāsanadāyaka. This one also, having done devoted service towards former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, was reborn in a certain family, endowed with pious faith and prosperous wealth, at the time of the Glorious One Siddhattha. When the Glorious one was alive, he dwelt in the divine world and when the Glorious one passed away into nibbāna, he sprang up as human being, and on reaching the age of intelligence, he saw the shrine of corporeal relics of the Glorious One, and bethought thus:- "Alas! My misfortune; I did not arrive well in time during the life time of the Glorious One". He made his mind pleased with piety towards the shrine, became delighted in mind, had a lion-seat to serve as the dhamma-preacher's seat, similar to one created by divine-beings, made of all kinds of gems, made, and offered it in honour as if to a living Buddha. The structure above it also he caused to be built like a celestial mansion; he had a foot-rest and a foot-stool also made. Having thus offered many a variety of such offering as lighted lamps, incense, flowers, perfumes, and so on, throughout his life, he passed away thence and was reborn in the divine world. Having enjoyed heavenly bliss subsequently now and then in the six sensual heavens and having experienced, among human beings, the prosperity of a world-king, many a time, and having also enjoyed the prosperity of regional sovereignty for incalculable occasions, he became a monk in the dispensation of the Glorious One Kassapa, performed the duties of righteous monks, and wandering round his rounds of rebirth, in this hither interval, among divine and human-beings, was reborn in a certain family, endowed with wealth at the time of the appearance of this Buddha. on attaining the age of intelligence, he listened to the preaching of the truth (dhamma) by the Master, properly gained pious faith, renounced the world to become a monk, received the full-fledged ordination, upasampadā, took mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna), and striving and exerting, attained arahatship not long after even.

1. Thus, having attained the fruition of arahatship, he remembered his own former deeds, roused up his mental pleasure and uttered a stanza, beginning with nibute Lokanathamhi in order to make manifest his deeds done previously. There He is the main protector of the world; thus he is Lokanātha (world protector); the Lord of the three worlds; thus, is the meaning. When the world-protector Siddhattha passed away into nibbāna;thus, is the connection. Vitthārite pāvacane, when Buddha's words are said in extensio, when the three piṭakas are spread out and made manifest;thus, is the meaning. Bāhujaññamhi sāsane (when there is dispensation in many men) when the instruction of Buddha, which constitutes three types of training (sikkhā), taken together are known and achieved by many men reckoned as many a hundred thousand crores of cankerless arahats; thus, is the meaning.

2-3. Pasannacitto sumaṇo, being of pleasantly pious heart and good mind, then I did not properly arrive in time during the life-time of Buddha, but on his having passed away into nibbāna, I passed away from the divine world and having sprung up in the human world I saw the shrine of corporeal relics of that Glorious one. I became pleasantly pious-minded, with my mind associated with pious faith, and good heart, and said to myself: "Indeed! My coming is good coming". Being abundantly possessed of well-arisen clear faith, I considered thus: "For the achievement of nibbāna, it is proper for me to do a meritorious deed", and made a lion-seat adorned it even with such precious articles as gold of gold, gems and so on, in dedication to the Glorious One, near the shrine of the Glorious one. I had foot-stool also made for placing His feet when seated there. For the purpose of protecting the lion-seat from being wet I had a house built over it. Therefore, it has been stated: "Sīhāsanamakāsaham gharam tattha akāsaham, I made a lion-seat:P: I built a house there". Tena cittapasādena (with that mental pleasure of piety) by me a lion-seat was made for the Glorious One as if He were alive, and piously pleased with it; Tusitam upapajjaham, (I approached Tusita) I was reborn in Tusita divine mansion; thus, is the meaning.

4. Āyāmena catubbisā, twenty four in length, Vitthārena, in width; asi (was) when I was reborn there after becoming a divine-being, on account of meritorious deed well done, there sprang up and became apparent a mansion, twenty four yojanas in length and height and fourteen yojanas across, in width, immediately, at the very moment I was reborn there; thus, is the meaning. The rest is but easily comprehensible.

9. Catunnavute ito kappe (ninety four aeons ago) ninety four aeons (kappa) from this aeon (kappa); akarim (I did) whatever deed I did, then from that time onwards, owing to the strength of my merit, i do not remember any evil destiny; I have never before experienced any misery; thus, is the meaning.

10. Tesattatimhito kappe (seventy three aeons ago) in the seventythird aeon (kappa), from this aeon (kappa); Indanāma tayo janā (three men named Inda) three world-kings named Inda; in one aeon (kappa), in three rebirths, he became a world king, Inda, by name; thus, is the meaning. Dvesattatimhito kappe (seventytwo aeons ago) seventytwo kappas from now; three men named Sumaṇa became world-kings thrice.

11. Samasattatito kappe (evenly seventy aeons ago) neither less nor more than seventy aeons (kappas) from this present aeon (kappa); Varuṇanāmakā cakkavattirājāno (world-kings named Varaṇā) three world-kings known by such a name as Varuṇa, endowed with wheel-gem were rulers in the four islands; thus is the meaning.

The Commentary on the biography of the thera Sīhāsanadāyaka has ended.