The Buddha's past BAD karma (sutra)

Pubbakammapilotikabuddhaapadāna—Jonathan S. Walters (trans.), Therāpadāna, "The Legends of the Theras [Elder Monastics]," edited by Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly

387. {390.} The Rags of Previous Karma

(Walt 3341) Near the lake named Anotatta,

on the lovely level rock ground,

where sparkled gems of different sorts

and varied perfumes filled the woods, (Verse 1)

(Walt 3342) surrounded by the Assembly

of monastics, the Best of the World,

while seated there, did then explain

the former deeds he had done: (Verse 2)

(Walt 3343) Hear from me, O meditators, the karma

which formerly I did [intentionally],

and how those karma rags’ effects

ripen in the Buddha himself. (Verse 3)

(Walt 3344) Among my other, former rebirths

I was a jerk named Munāli.

I told lies about Sarabhu,

an innocent Silent Buddha. (Verse 4)

(Walt 3345) As a result of that karma [deed],

a long time I circled through hell.

I experienced suffering

for numerous thousands of years. (Verse 5)

(Walt 3346) As its final karmic effect,

here in my final existence,

I received some nasty slander

connected with Sundarīkā. (Verse 6)

(Walt 3347) I was Nanda, a follower

of the Buddha Sabbābhibhu.

My rebirth was in hell

for long after I slandered him. (Verse 7)

(Walt 3348) My long rebirth in hell

continued for 10,000 years.

When I again got human rebirth,

I also got lots of slander. (Verse 8)

(Walt 3349) Through what remained of that karma,

Lady Ciñca did slander me

in front of a group of people

without any grounding in fact. (Verse 9)

(Walt 3350) I was an erudite Brahmin,

attended on, given reverence.

In a large wood, I was teaching

mantras to many young men. (Verse 10)

(Walt 3351) To that place had come Sage Gīma,

who possessed vast superpowers.

After having seen him coming,

I slandered that blameless person. (Verse 11)

(Walt 3352) I said this to my students then:

“This sage delights in sense pleasures!”

The young men there took that to heart

when I made that declaration. (Verse 12)

(Walt 3353) Then all the young men, my students,

going for alms from clan to clan,

repeated to a lot of folks,

“This sage delights in sense pleasures!” (Verse 13)

(Walt 3354) As a result of that karma,

these many monastics now with me

all received some nasty slander

connected with Sundarīkā. (Verse 14)

(Walt 3355) One time eying wealth I murdered

brothers by a second mother.

I put them on a mountain road

and crushed them in an avalanche. (Verse 15)

(Walt 3356) As a result of that karma,

Devadatta threw a boulder

and a splinter off that boulder

then crushed the big toe on my foot. (Verse 16)

(Walt 3357) One time I was a little boy,

playing by the great thoroughfare.

Having seen a Silent Buddha,

I threw a clod of dirt at him. (Verse 17)

(Walt 3358) As a result of that karma,

here in my final existence,

Devadatta hired some killers

for the sake of murdering me. (Verse 18)

(Walt 3359) Once, while I was on my tusker,

I saw a supreme Silent Sage,

wandering about for alms food —

with that elephant I attacked him. (Verse 19)

(Walt 3360) As a result of that karma,

the elephant Nāḷāgiri,

agitated, cruel, ran at me

in the fine town at Vulture’s Peak. (Verse 20)

(Walt 3361) I was the King Patthiva;

I killed a man with a dagger.

As a result of that karma,

I roasted in hell a long time. (Verse 21)

(Walt 3362) Through what remained of that karma,

the skin on my foot got all cracked

and caused me a lot of trouble —

karma surely does not just vanish! (Verse 22)

(Walt 3363) I once lived as a fisher-boy,

in a village of fishermen.

Having seen the fish getting killed,

pleasurable thoughts filled my mind. (Verse 23)

(Walt 3364) As a result of that [mental] karma,

I suffered a headache one time;

all of the Ścythians (Shākyans) were murdered,

when Viḍuḍabha murdered them. (Verse 24)

(Walt 3365) I reviled the holy words and

followers of the Buddha Phussa,

“Chomp and eat inferior grain,

you all, and don’t eat any rice.” (Verse 25)

(Walt 3366) As a result of that karma,

I had to eat grain for three months

when, invited by a Brahmin,

I lived in various kingdoms. (Verse 26)

(Walt 3367) In the midst of a wrestling match,

a wrestler’s son, [I broke a back in a] fight;

as a result of that karma,

one time I suffered a backache. (Verse 27)

(Walt 3368) I was a practicing doctor

and purged the son of a rich man;

as a result of that karma,

I contracted dysentery. (Verse 28)

(Walt 3369) One time I, Jotipāla, said

to [the Buddha] Kassapa, the Well-Gone One,

“Whence then this baldy’s Waking Up,

Awakening so hard to reach?” (Verse 29)

(Walt 3370) As a result of that karma,

I practiced great austerities

in Uruvela, six long years,

and then achieved Awakening. (Verse 30)

(Walt 3371-72) “Along that path I did not reach

supreme Awakening,” I thought,

“along which path then should I search,

hindered by previous karma?

Exhausting skillful and unskillful karma

and avoiding every torment

free of grief, troubles, and outflows,*

I shall realize nirvana.” (Verse 31-32)

(Walt 3373) Thus did he explain, the Victor,

Endowed with All Superpowers,

in front of the Assembly of monastics,

at the great Lake Anotatta. (Verse 33)

Thus, indeed the Blessed One spoke this short discourse on Dharma, revealing his own previous unskillful conduct [as the Bodhisatta, "a being bent on supreme-enlightenment" but not yet a buddha], the Buddha-apadāna named “The Rags of Previous Karma.”

The Buddha-apadāna named “The Rags of Previous Karma” is finished.

The Summary:

Avaṇṭa and Labuja, too,

Udumbara and Pilakkhu,

Phāru, Valli, and Kadali,

Panasa, Koṭivīsaka

and the Rags of Former Karma,

the legend of the Sage so Great:

verses numbering 91

are counted by those who are wise.

THE AVAṆṬAPHALA CHAPTER, THE THIRTY-NINTH

• [*EDITORIAL NOTE: "Outflows" = "taints" (asavas), "defilements" (kilesas), "corruptions" (upakkilesas).]