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Chapter 49: The Chapter on Rag-robes 1. The Apadāna of the Elder Paṃsukūlasaññaka 1. "The Blessed One was named Tissa, Self-existent, the foremost person; Having set aside a rag-robe, The Conqueror entered the monastery. 2. Taking a bent bow, I wandered for food; Taking a circular net, I entered the forest. 3. There I saw a rag-robe, Caught on a tree-top then; Laying down my bow right there, And placing my hands together on my head. 4. With a clear mind, joyful, And with abundant rapture; Recalling the Foremost Buddha, I saluted the rag-robe. 5. Ninety-two aeons ago from this, I saluted the rag-robe; I know no bad destination, This is the fruit of that salutation. 6. My defilements are burnt away, All existences are uprooted; Like an elephant breaking its bonds, I dwell without defilements. 7. Welcome indeed was my coming, In the presence of my Buddha; The three knowledges are attained, The Buddha's teaching is done. 8. The four analytical knowledges, And these eight liberations; The six supernormal powers are realized, The Buddha's teaching is done." Thus indeed, the Elder Paṃsukūlasaññaka Spoke these verses. The first Apadāna of the Elder Paṃsukūlasaññaka. 2. The Apadāna of the Elder Buddhasaññaka 9. "A reciter, a mantra-holder, One who had mastered the three Vedas; In characteristics and history, With glossaries and ritual manuals. 10. Like streams of a river, Disciples came to me then; To them I recited mantras, Day and night, untiringly. 11. A Self-Awakened One named Siddhattha, Appeared in the world at that time; Dispelling that darkness, He set in motion the light of knowledge. 12. One of my disciples, He spoke to my disciples; Having heard this matter, They reported it to me then. 13. A Buddha has arisen in the world, Omniscient, leader of the world; People follow him, We have no gain. 14. Buddhas arise spontaneously, Possessing vision of great fame; Would that I might see the best of Buddhas, The leader of the world. 15. Having taken my deer-skin, My bark-garment, and water-pot; Departing from the hermitage, I addressed my disciples. 16. Like the flower of the fig tree, Like the hare in the moon; Like milk from a crow, Rare is the world's leader. 17. A Buddha arisen in the world, Human birth is also rare; When both are present, Hearing (the Dhamma) is very rare. 18. A Buddha has arisen in the world, We shall gain the eye (of wisdom), not misfortune; Come, all of us shall go, To the presence of the Perfectly Enlightened One. 19. All carrying water-pots, Clad in rough deer-skins; Their matted hair heavy with burdens, They then departed from the forest. 20. Looking a yoke's length ahead, Seeking the highest good; Free from the defilements of attachment, Fearless like a lion. 21. With few needs, not greedy, Wise, of peaceful conduct; Living by gleaning, They approached the best of Buddhas. 22. When a league and a half remained, Sickness arose in me; Remembering the best of Buddhas, I passed away there. 23. Ninety-four aeons ago, The perception I then gained; I do not know a bad destination, This is the fruit of the perception of the Buddha. 24. My defilements are burnt away… …I dwell without taints. 25. Welcome indeed was my coming… …The Buddha's teaching has been done. 26. The four analytical knowledges… …The Buddha's teaching has been done. Thus indeed did the Elder Buddhasaññaka utter these verses. The second Apadāna is that of the Elder Buddhasaññaka. 3. The Apadāna of the Elder Bhisadāyaka 27. Having plunged into a lotus pond, Frequented by various elephants; I was then pulling up lotus roots there, For the sake of food. 28. The Blessed One at that time, Named Padumuttara; The Buddha, clad in red robes, Was going through the sky. 29. Dhu Entering the charnel ground, I heard a sound then; Looking up, I saw the world's leader. 30. Standing right there, I implored the world's leader; Honey flows from lotus stalks, Milk and ghee from lotus roots. 31. May the Buddha accept my offering, The Seer, out of compassion; Then the compassionate Teacher, The greatly renowned, descended. 32. He accepted my alms, The Seer, out of compassion; Having accepted, the Fully Awakened One, Gave me his blessing. 33. 'May you be happy, O greatly meritorious one, May your destiny be fulfilled; By this gift of lotus stalks, May you obtain abundant happiness.' 34. Having said this, the Fully Awakened One, Named the Foremost of Lotus-born; The Fully Awakened One, the Conqueror, Taking the alms, went through the air. 35. Then, taking the lotus stalks, I came to my hermitage; Having hung the lotus stalks on a tree, I remembered my gift. 36. A great wind arose, Shaking the forest then; The sky resounded, With thunderbolts striking. 37. Then a thunderbolt struck me, Falling on my head then; Sitting there, I passed away at that spot. 38. Endowed with meritorious karma, I was reborn in Tusita; My body fell, I rejoiced in the deva world. 39. Eighty-six thousand adorned women; Serve me morning and evening, This is the fruit Of the gift of lotus stalks. 40. Having come to the human realm, I am always happy; There is no lack in my enjoyments, This is the fruit of the gift of lotus stalks. 41. Compassionately treated by that God of gods, the Such-one; All defilements are destroyed, There is now no rebirth. 42. A hundred thousand aeons ago, When I gave the lotus stalks then; I know no bad destination, This is the fruit of the gift of lotus stalks. 43. My defilements are burnt... ...I dwell without defilements. 44. Indeed, it was a good coming for me... ...the Buddha's teaching has been done. 45. The four analytical knowledges... ...done. the Buddha's teaching." Thus indeed, the Elder Bhisadāyaka spoke these verses. The third Apadāna of the Elder Bhisadāyaka. 4. The Apadāna of the Elder Ñāṇathavika 46. "To the south of the Himalayas, my hermitage was well-made; Seeking the highest good, I lived in the wilderness then. 47. "Content with gain and loss, with roots and fruits; Searching for a teacher, I lived alone. 48. "The Buddha named Sumedha, arose in the world at that time; He proclaimed the Four Noble Truths, uplifting the great multitude. 49. "I did not hear the Buddha, nor did anyone tell me; After eight years had passed, I heard of the world's leader. 50. "Having taken out firewood, and swept the hermitage; Taking a load of bark, I left the wilderness. 51. "Staying for one night, in villages and towns; Gradually I approached Candavatī then. 52. "The Blessed One at that time, Sumedha, the world's leader; Uplifting many beings, taught the deathless state. 53. "Passing through the crowd, having paid homage to the ocean of victors; Making my outer robe over one shoulder, I praised the world's leader. 54. "'You are the Teacher and the banner, the flag and the sacrificial post for beings; The refuge and the support, the lamp and the best of bipeds. The twenty-first recitation section. 55. "'Skillful in insight, a hero, you rescued the people; There is no other rescuer in the world, superior to you, O Sage. 56. "'It is possible to measure the great ocean, with the tip of a blade of grass; But not your omniscience, O All-knowing One, can be measured. 57. "'It is possible to hold the earth, placed on a balance scale; But there is no measure for your wisdom, O Visionary One. 58. "'Space can be measured, with a rope or a finger; But not your virtue, O All-knowing One, can be measured. The water in the great ocean, and the sky and the earth; These are measurable, but you, the Seer, are immeasurable. With six verses, the Omniscient One, the greatly renowned, having been praised; Raising my hands in reverence, I stood silent then. He whom they call Sumedha, the greatly wise Sumedha; Seated in the assembly of monks, spoke these verses. He who praised my wisdom, with a mind serene; Him I shall praise, listen to my words. For seventy-seven aeons, he will delight in the deva world; A thousand times as king of devas, he will rule the deva kingdom. And many hundreds of times, he will be a Wheel-turning Monarch; Vast regional rule, countless in number. Whether a deva or a human, endowed with meritorious deeds; With an unblemished resolve, he will be sharp-witted. In thirty thousand aeons, born of the Okkāka clan; Gotama by clan name, a Teacher will arise in the world. Having gone forth from home, he will go forth, owning nothing; By seven years of age, he will attain arahantship. Since I remember myself, since I attained the teaching; In this interim, I know not, an unlovely thought. Having wandered through all existences, I experienced prosperity; There was no lack in my enjoyments, the fruit of praising wisdom. My three fires are extinguished, all existences are uprooted; All defilements are destroyed, there is no rebirth now. For thirty thousand aeons, since I praised wisdom; I know no bad destination, the fruit of praising wisdom. My defilements are burnt... I dwell without defilements. Welcome indeed it was for me... the Buddha's teaching has been done. The four analytical knowledges... the Buddha's teaching has been done. Arisen. 5. The Apadāna of Thera Candanamāliya 75. Having abandoned the five strands of sensual pleasure, delightful and charming, Having abandoned eighty crores, I went forth into homelessness. 76. Having gone forth, with my body, I avoided evil deeds; Having abandoned verbal misconduct, I dwelled by a riverbank. 77. As I was dwelling alone, the best of Buddhas approached; I did not know it was the Buddha, I offered a welcome. 78. Having offered a welcome, I asked for his name and clan; “Are you a deity, or a gandhabba, or Sakka, the giver of cities? 79. “Who are you, whose son are you, have you come here, Great Brahma? You illuminate all directions, like the rising sun. 80. “Wheels with a thousand spokes, are seen on your feet, good sir; Who are you, whose son are you,