Verses on Dhamma 25.11.381_6

25.11.381_6

Imā gāthā abhāsi. So ‘‘dasabalo me diṭṭho, ehīti ca avhānampi laddha’’nti balavapītiṃ uppādetvā ‘‘kuto nu kho gantabba’’nti gamanamaggaṃ apassanto dasabalassa sammukhe ākāse uppatitvā paṭhamapāde pabbate ṭhiteyeva satthārā vuttagāthā āvajjento ākāseyeva pītiṃ vikkhambhetvā saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ patvā tathāgataṃ vandamānova otaritvā satthu santike aṭṭhāsi. Atha naṃ satthā aparabhāge saddhādhimuttānaṃ aggaṭṭhāne ṭhapesīti.

Elder Vakkali thought, “I have seen the Possessor of the Ten Forces, and he speaks to me, saying, ‘Come!’” Straightway he experienced profound joy. “How pray shall I go?” thought he. And standing there on the mountain-top, though he saw no path, he sprang into the air face to face with the Possessor of the Ten Forces, on hearing the first words of the Stanza. And as he soared through the air, pondering the Stanzas pronounced by the Teacher, he completely suppressed the emotion of joy and attained Arahatship together with the Supernatural Powers. And praising the Tathāgata, he descended to the ground and stood in the presence of the Teacher. On a subsequent occasion the Teacher assigned him the foremost place among those who possess the propensity for faith.