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this is the fruit of ferrying. 161. “My defilements are burnt away… (etc.) … I dwell without taints. 162. “Welcome indeed it was for me… (etc.) … the Buddha’s teaching has been done. 163. “The four analytical knowledges… (etc.) … the Buddha’s teaching has been done.” Thus indeed, the Elder Taraṇiya spoke these verses. The Eighth Apadāna: The Elder Taraṇiya. 9. The Apadāna of the Elder Dhammaruci 164. “When Dīpaṅkara Buddha, the Conqueror, declared of Sumedha: ‘From this aeon, in countless aeons, this one will become a Buddha. 165. “‘His mother will be named Māyā; his father Suddhodana by name, this one will be Gotama. 166. Having striven with effort, having performed difficult deeds; At the root of the Bodhi tree, the Fully Awakened One, the greatly renowned, will awaken. 167. Upatissa and Kolita, will be the chief disciples; Ānanda by name, will attend this Conqueror. 168. Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā, will be the chief female disciples; Citta and Āḷavaka, will be the chief male lay followers. 169. Khujjuttarā and Nandamātā, will be the chief female lay followers; The Bodhi tree of this hero, is called Assattha. 170. Hearing these words, of the unequalled great sage; Humans and devas rejoiced, saluting with joined palms. 171. At that time I was a young man, named Megha, well-trained; Hearing the excellent prophecy, of Sumedha, the great sage. 172. Having become devoted, to Sumedha, the abode of compassion; And that hero who went forth, I too went forth after him. 173. Restrained in the Pātimokkha, and in the five senses; Pure in livelihood, mindful, a hero, a doer of the Conqueror's teaching. 174. While I was thus dwelling, by some evil friend; I was engaged in misconduct, fallen from the good path. 175. Becoming subject to thoughts, I departed from the teaching; Afterwards, by that bad friend, I was incited to matricide. 176. I committed an anantarīya karma, I killed with a wicked mind; Fallen from there, into the Great Avīci, the extremely dreadful, I was reborn. 177. Having gone to a state of woe, I wandered in suffering for a long time; I did not again see the hero, Sumedha, the best of men. 178. In this eon, in the ocean, I was a Timiṅgala fish; Seeing a ship in the sea, I approached for food. 179. Seeing me, the merchants, frightened, remembered the best of Buddhas; "Gotama!" a great shout, hearing it uttered by them. 180. Remembering my former perception, then I passed away; In Sāvatthī, in a prosperous family, I was born into the brahmin caste. 181. I was a named Dhammaruci, who abhorred all evil. When I saw the light of the world, I was seven years old by birth. 182. Going to the Great Jetavana, I went forth into homelessness. I approached the Buddha three times, by night and by day. 183. Then, seeing me, the Sage said, "Long live Dhammaruci!" Thereupon I spoke to the Buddha, moved by my past karma. 184. For a long time, marked by a hundred merits, with a purified foundation from the past, today I behold your peerless form, truly worthy of contemplation. 185. For a long time, my darkness was dispelled, for a long time, a river was dried up by me, for a long time, the stainless, wisdom-filled eye was purified, Great Sage. 186. Associated with you for a long time, not lost again for a long time, today again associated with you, what is done, Gotama, is not lost. 187. My defilements are burnt away... I dwell without taints. 188. My coming was indeed welcome... The Buddha's teaching has been done. 189. The four analytical knowledges... The Buddha's teaching has been done. Thus indeed, the Elder Dhammaruci recited these verses. The ninth, the Apadāna of Elder Dhammaruci. 10. The Apadāna of Elder Sālamaṇḍapiya 190. Having entered a sāla forest, my hermitage was well-made. Covered with sāla flowers, I dwelt in the wilderness then. 191. And the Blessed One Piyadassī, the Self-Existent, the foremost person, the Fully Awakened One, desiring solitude, approached the sāla forest. 192. Coming out from the hermitage, I went to the forest. Seeking roots and fruits, I wandered in the woods then. 193. There I saw the Fully Awakened One, Piyadassī, of great fame, well-seated, absorbed in meditation, shining in the great forest. 194. Placing four poles, above the Buddha, I made a well-constructed pavilion, and covered it with sāla flowers. 195. Having maintained the pavilion, covered with sāla for seven days, there, having gladdened my mind, I bowed to the best of Buddhas. ṃ. 196. The Blessed One, at that time, having arisen from concentration, gazing a yoke's length, sat down, the best of men. 197. A disciple named Varuna, of the Teacher Piyadassī, with a hundred thousand ascetics, approached the Leader. 198. And the Blessed One Piyadassī, chief of the world, bull of men, having sat in the assembly of monks, revealed a smile, the Conqueror. 199. Anuruddha, the attendant, of the Teacher Piyadassī, having arranged his outer robe over one shoulder, asked the Great Sage. 200. "What, O Blessed One, is the cause, of the Teacher's smile? When a reason exists, the Teacher reveals a smile." 201. "For seven days, the young man who held a sala-flower canopy for me; remembering his deed, I revealed a smile. 202. I do not see a place where that merit does not ripen; whether in the deva world or among humans, there is no place it does not reach. 203. Dwelling in the deva world, endowed with meritorious deeds, as far as his assembly extends, it will be covered with sala flowers. 204. There, with divine dances, songs, and music, he will always rejoice, serene, endowed with meritorious deeds. 205. As far as his assembly extends, it will be fragrant with scents; and a shower of sala flowers will fall at that very moment. 206. Having passed away from there, this man will come to the human realm; here too, a sala-flower canopy will always be held. 207. Here, dances and songs, accompanied by harmonious music, will always surround me; this is the fruit of worshipping the Buddha. 208. When the sun rises, a shower of sala flowers will fall; connected with meritorious deeds, it will fall at all times. 209. After eighteen hundred aeons, one born in the Okkāka clan, named Gotama by family, a Teacher will appear in the world. 210. His heir in the Dhamma, born of the Dhamma, created by the Dhamma, having fully understood all defilements, will attain Nibbāna, free from defilements. 211. Understanding the Dhamma, His, a sāla roof will be; For him burning on the pyre, a covering there will be. Having proclaimed the result, The Great Sage Piyadassī; Taught the Dhamma to the assembly, Satisfying them with a rain of Dhamma. For thirty aeons among the devas, I exercised sovereignty as a deva king; And sixty-seven times, I was a wheel-turning monarch. Having come here from the deva worlds, I obtain abundant happiness; Here too, a sāla roof, This is the fruit of the pavilion. This is my last, Final existence; Here too, a sāla roof, Will be for all time. Having pleased the Great Sage, Gotama, the Sakyan bull; I have attained the unmoving state, Having abandoned victory and defeat. Eighteen hundred aeons ago, When I worshipped the Buddha; I do not know a bad destination, This is the fruit of Buddha-worship. My defilements are burnt… I dwell without taints. Welcome indeed it was for me… The Buddha's teaching is done. The four analytical knowledges… The Buddha's teaching is done.