Commentary on Biography of Pupphacaṅkotiyathera

Stanzas starting with Abhītarūpam sīham va, constitute the biography of the venerable thera Pupphacaṅkotiya. This one also, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds, conducive towards escape from the rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a family house, at the time of the Glorious One Sikhi;on having attained the age of intelligence, he became endowed with abundant wealth, came to have pleasingly pious faith in the Master, filled up a casket with plucked choice-Anoja flowers, reverentially offered the flower-casket to the Glorious One in order to demonstrate his manner of pleasing piety, and made his aspiration thus:- "O Glorious One! As a result of this offering, may I be of gold complexion wherever I would be reborn, be revered, and may I attain Nibbāna. On account of that meritorious act, he was reborn among divine and human-beings, became revered everywhere, and was of gold complexion and distinct handsomeness. Subsequently, he was reborn in a family-house endowed with wealth, when this Buddha arose; when he grew up he came to have pious faith in the Master, renounced the world, developed clear insight (vipassanā), and became an arahat not long afterwards even.

68-69. Having attained the fruition of arahatship, he recollected his own former deed became delighted and uttered a stanza, starting with Abhītarūpam sīham va, in order to make manifest the deed done by him formerly. There, sīha (lion), it overwhelms and penetrates into such creatures as bipeds, quadrupeds and so on; thus sīha; abhītarūpo (looks unafraid), has the nature of being fearless; I offered with reverence the One seated similar to that naturally fearless lion; thus, is the connection. Pavaram, excellent, Sikhim (the Glorious One Sikhi) like unto the garūda-king, chief of winged animals or birds, like unto the most excellent tiger-king; like unto the distinctly born, mane-lion distinguished among lions, the refuge of the three worlds. How did He become? Sikhi, who was seated unconquered by such enemies as the aggregates (khandha), hāra and so on, free from craving (ejā), devoid of depravity (kilesa); thus, is the connection. Māraṇanaggam (chief of assassins), the chief to those killers, the best and chief in killing, drying up and crushing all kinds of depravity (kilesa), although there exist silent buddhas and disciples of Buddha for the purpose; thus, is the meaning. Bhikkhusamghapurakkhatam (made forefront of the clergy of bhikkhus); Sikhi who was seated being surrounded by clergy of bhikkhus; thus, is the connection.

70. Caṅkotakeṭhapetvāna, having put it in the casket, samokirim (I properly scattered down), I reverentially offered to the most excellent self-enlightened Buddha Sikhi after filling up the most excellent Anoja flowers in a casket.

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