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Chapter on Metteyya The Apadāna of Thera Tissa Metteyya 1. Leaning on a cave peak, a hermit named Sobhita; Eating fallen fruits, he lived in the mountain's interior. 2. Bringing fire-wood, I kindled a fire then; Seeking the highest goal, for rebirth in the Brahma-world. 3. Padumuttara, knower of the world, receiver of offerings; Desiring to uplift me, he came near me. 4. "What are you doing, great meritorious one? Give me your fire-wood; I will tend the fire, then purity will be mine." 5. "You are a good man, you know the deities; You tend the fire, here is your fire-wood." 6. Then, taking the wood, the Conqueror kindled the fire; But the wood did not burn there, a miracle of the Great Seer. 7. "Your fire does not burn, your offering is not found; Your vow is useless, tend my fire." 8. "What kind of fire, Great Hero, is yours, as it is called? Tell me about it too, let us both tend it." 9. "For the cessation of causal states, and for the calming of defilements; Abandoning envy and stinginess, these three are my offerings." 10. "What kind of person are you, Great Hero? What is your lineage, venerable one? Your conduct and practice, truly pleases me greatly." 11. "Born in a warrior family, I have reached the perfection of supernormal powers; All defilements are destroyed, there is no more rebirth now." 12. "If you are the Buddha, the Omniscient, the light-bringer, dispeller of darkness; I will bow to you, divine one, you are the ender of suffering." 13. Spreading out a deer-skin, I offered a seat; "Sit, Lord, Omniscient One, I will attend upon you." 14. The Blessed One sat there, on the well-spread deer-skin; Having invited the Fully Enlightened One, I went to the mountain. 15. Filling a basket-load, I brought tinduka fruits; Mixing them with honey, I gave the fruits to the Buddha. 16. While I was observing, the Conqueror ate then; My mind there... I gladdened, seeing the world's leader. 17. "Padumuttara, the world-knower, receiver of offerings; Having sat in my hermitage, spoke these verses. 18. "'He who satisfied me with fruit, pleased with his own hands; Him I shall praise, listen to my words. 19. "'Twenty-five times he will rule as king of devas; A thousand times he will be a king, a wheel-turning monarch. 20. "'Knowing his resolve, endowed with former kamma; Food and drink and clothing, and a splendid couch. 21. "'Connected with meritorious kamma, will immediately arise; Always joyful will he be, and free from illness. 22. "'Whatever birth he takes, whether divine or human; Being happy everywhere, he will attain humanity. 23. "'A reciter, a mantra-holder, one who has gone beyond the three Vedas; Approaching a Fully Awakened One, he will be an Arahant.' 24. "Since I remember myself, since I attained understanding; There has been no lack in my enjoyments, this is the fruit of the fruit-offering. 25. "I have attained the supreme Dhamma, I have uprooted lust and hatred; All defilements are destroyed, there is no more rebirth now. 26. "My defilements are burnt, all existences are uprooted; Like an elephant breaking its bonds, I dwell free from defilements. 27. "Welcome indeed it was for me, in the presence of my Buddha; The three knowledges are attained, the Buddha's teaching is done. 28. "The four analytical knowledges, and these eight liberations; The six supernormal powers are realized, the Buddha's teaching is done." Thus indeed, the Venerable Elder Tissametteyya spoke these verses. The first Apadāna: Tissametteyya Thera. 2. The Apadāna of Puṇṇaka Thera 29. "Relying on a cave peak, the Self-Existent, the unconquered one; That Buddha, being ill, dwells within the mountain. 30. "Near my hermitage, a great sound arose at once; When the Buddha was attaining Nibbāna, a light arose. As far as the forest grove, bears, wolves, and hyenas; And all fierce lions, roared at that very moment. Seeing that omen, I went to a mountain cave; There I saw the Fully Awakened One, extinguished, unconquered. Like a fully bloomed royal sāla tree, like the arisen sun with a hundred rays; Like an ember with its flame gone out, extinguished, unconquered. Filling with grass and wood, I made a pyre there; Having made the pyre well, I cremated the body. Having cremated the body, I sprinkled scented water; A yakkha standing in the sky, took my name at that very moment. Since the deed was fulfilled by you, for the Self-Awakened Great Seer; By the name Puṇṇaka, may you always be, O sage. Having passed away from that body, I went to the world of devas; There, divine fragrance, rained down from the sky. There too my name, was Puṇṇaka at that time; Whether a deva or a human, I fulfill my resolve. This is my last, my final existence; Here too the name Puṇṇaka, is proclaimed. Having pleased the Fully Awakened One, Gotama, the chief of the Sakyas; Having fully understood all defilements, I dwell without defilements. Ninety-one aeons ago, the deed I did then; I know no bad destination, this is the fruit of that small deed. My defilements are burnt away... I dwell without defilements. Indeed, it was a good coming for me... the Buddha's teaching has been done. The four analytical knowledges... the Buddha's teaching has been done. Sumedha by name, the Fully Awakened One, The foremost, compassionate sage; Having dressed in the forenoon, Came to me for alms. To the arrived Great Hero, Sumedha, the world's leader; Taking the Sugata's bowl, I filled it with ghee and oil. Having given to the foremost Buddha, Sumedha, the world's leader; Raising my hands in reverence, I generated even more joy. By this gift of ghee, And by my aspirations and resolves; Whether a deity or a human, I obtain abundant happiness. Avoiding states of woe, I wander through existences; Having set my mind there, I attain the unshakeable state. Great gain is yours, well-obtained, That you saw me, brahmin; By virtue of seeing me, Arahantship will be yours. Be confident, do not fear, Having attained great fame; Indeed, by giving me ghee, You will be liberated from birth. By this gift of ghee, And by your aspirations and resolves; Whether a deity or a human, You will obtain abundant happiness. By this gift of ghee, And by your mind of loving-kindness; For eighteen hundred aeons, You will rejoice in the deva world. And thirty-eight times, You will be king of devas; Vast regional sovereignty, Countless in number. And fifty-one times, You will be a Wheel-turning Monarch; Conquering the four quarters, Lord of the Rose-apple continent. Like the great ocean, unshakeable, Like the earth, hard to bear; Even so, your possessions, Will be immeasurable. Sixty crores of gold, Having given up, I went forth; Seeking what is wholesome, I approached Bāvari. There I studied mantras, called the six-limbed characteristic. Dispelling that darkness, you arose, Great Sage. Desiring to see you, I have come, Great Sage. Having heard your Dhamma, I have attained the unmoving state. Thirty thousand aeons ago, I gave ghee to the Buddha. In the interim, I do not recall ghee being offered by me. Knowing my intention, whatever is desired arises. Born from knowing the mind, I will satisfy everyone. Oh, the Buddhas! Oh, the Dhamma! Oh, the Teacher's attainment! Having given just a little ghee, I obtain the immeasurable. The water in the great ocean, as far as Mount Meru's side, compared to my ghee, will not be a sixteenth part. As much as the universe's accumulated mass, for the things produced by me, that space is not sufficient. The king of mountains, Himavā, the foremost heap of rocks, for the fragrance I have anointed, will not be a comparison. Clothes, fragrance, and ghee, and other things seen in this world, and the unconditioned Nibbāna, this is the fruit of the gift of ghee. My bed is mindfulness, my pasture is concentration and jhāna. Today my food is the factors of awakening, this is the fruit of the gift of ghee. My defilements are burnt... ...I dwell without taints. Welcome indeed it was for me... ...the Buddha's teaching has been done. The four analytical knowledges... ...the Buddha's teaching has been done. The Bhāgīrathī by name, originating from the Himalayas, Through the gate of Haṃsavatī, flows immediately. 73. "A park named Sobhita, was well-built on the bank of the Gaṅgā; There the Buddha Padumuttara, the leader of the world, resided. 74. "As Indra by the gods, revered by humans; The Bhagavā sat there, fearless like a lion. 75. "In the city of Haṃsavatī, I was a brahmin; My name was Chaḷaṅga, a great sage with such a name. 76. "Eighteen hundred disciples, surrounded me then; Accompanied by these disciples, I went to the bank of the Gaṅgā. 77. "There I saw ascetics, without deceit, with sins washed away; Crossing the Bhāgīrathī, I thought thus immediately. 78. "Crossing morning and evening, the glorious sons of the Buddha; They torment themselves, their selves are afflicted. 79. "Of the world with its gods, the Buddha is said to be the foremost; There is no offering for me, a purifier of the path to a good destination. 80. "Why not build a bridge, over the Gaṅgā for the best of Buddhas? Having had this work done, I shall cross this existence. 81. "Having given a hundred thousand, I had a bridge built; Believing the deed done, it will be abundant for me. 82. "Having had that bridge built, I approached the leader of the world; Having made an añjali on my head, I spoke this word. 83. "'Having given a hundred thousand, it was built by me; This great bridge is for you, O great sage, please accept it. 84. "Padumuttara, the knower of the world, the recipient of offerings; Sitting in the assembly of monks, spoke these verses. 85. "'He who built a bridge for me, pleased with his own hands; Him I shall praise, listen to my words. (The benefit of the gift of a bridge) 86. "'Even if fallen from a cliff or a mountain, or from a tree; Even if fallen, he will obtain a place,