English
54. Kaccayana Chapter 1. The Apadāna of Elder Mahākaccāyana 1. “A Conqueror named Padumuttara, unshaken, victor of the unconquered; A hundred thousand aeons ago, that leader arose from here. 2. “A hero with lotus-petal eyes, with a face pure as the moon; Resembling a golden mountain, shining with the brilliance of the sun. 3. “Charming to the eyes of all beings, adorned with excellent marks; Beyond the path of all speech, honored by humans and devas. 4. “The Fully Awakened One, awakening beings, the Lord of Speech with a sweet voice; His lineage bound by compassion, skillful in assemblies. 5. “He teaches the sweet Dhamma, connected with the Four Noble Truths; He rescues beings sunk in the mud of delusion. 6. “At that time, being a solitary ascetic, dwelling in the Himalayas; Going through the sky to the human world, I saw the Conqueror. 7. “Approaching him, I heard the Dhamma teaching; Praising the great qualities of a disciple of that hero. 8. “‘What I have said in brief, he explains in detail; He pleases the assembly and me, just like this Kaccāyana. 9. “‘I do not see any other disciple like this one; Therefore, he is foremost in this, thus, bhikkhus, remember this.’ 10. “Then I, being amazed, having heard that delightful speech; Having gone to the Himalayas, and gathered a collection of flowers. 11. “Having worshipped the refuge of the world, I aspired to that position; Then, knowing my intention, he, the vanquisher of defilements, declared: 12. “‘Behold this excellent sage, whose golden skin is purified; With hair standing on end, broad-shouldered, standing still with joined palms. 13. “‘With eyes full of joy, his intention fixed on the Buddha’s praise; Born of Dhamma, with an uplifted heart, as if sprinkled with ambrosia.’ 14. “Having heard the qualities of Kaccāna, I stood aspiring to that position; In the future time, of the Great Sage Gotama. 15. “A heir to his Dhammas, a descendant He, by Dhamma created, Kaccāna by name, will be the Teacher’s disciple. 16. Very learned, greatly wise, a sage knowing intentions; He will attain that state, as I have declared. 17. A hundred thousand aeons ago, the deed I did then; I know no bad destination, this is the fruit of worshipping the Buddha. 18. For two existences I wandered, among devas and then humans; I went to no other destiny, this is the fruit of worshipping the Buddha. 19. In two families I was born, among khattiyas and then brahmins; I was not born in a low family, this is the fruit of worshipping the Buddha. 20. And now in my last existence, born in Ujjenī city; Of Caṇḍa Pajjota, the chief brahmin priest. 21. Son of Tiriṭivaccha, skilled, a master of the Vedas; My mother was named Candimā, I am Kaccāna, of excellent skin. 22. Sent by the king, to investigate the Buddha; Having seen the gate to the city of liberation, the Leader, a collection of virtues. 23. And having heard the pure word, drying up the mud of destinies; I attained the peaceful deathless, along with the other seven. 24. I became one who knows intentions, of the Well-gone, the greatly wise; Placed at the foremost in this, my wish perfectly fulfilled. 25. My defilements are burnt, all existences uprooted; Like a nāga breaking its bonds, I dwell without taints. 26. Welcome indeed it was for me, in the presence of my Buddha; The three knowledges attained, the Buddha’s teaching done. 27. The four analytical knowledges, and these eight liberations; The six supernormal powers realized, the Buddha’s teaching done. Thus indeed Venerable Mahākaccāyana Thera spoke these verses. The first Apadāna of Mahākaccāyana Thera. 2. The Apadāna of Vakkali Thera 28. A hundred thousand aeons from now, the Leader arose; Of incomparable name, amito, by name Padumuttara. 29. With a lotus-like face, with a pure, lotus-like complexion; Untainted by the world, like a lotus by water. 30. A hero with lotus-petal eyes, charming like a lotus; With the fragrance of the supreme lotus, therefore he is Padumuttara. 31. The chief of the world, without conceit, like eyes for the blind; Of peaceful demeanor, a treasury of virtues, an ocean of great compassion. 32. One day that great hero, revered by Brahmās, asuras, and devas; The supreme Buddha, amidst a multitude of people, thronged by devas and humans. 33. With his fragrant face, and his sweet voice; Delighting the entire assembly, he praised his disciple. 34. “The wise one, devoted by faith, longing for my sight; There is no other like him, this bhikkhu Vakkali.” 35. Then I, in the city of Haṃsavatī, a brahmin's son; Having become and heard that speech, I delighted in that occasion. 36. Having invited that stainless Tathāgata, together with his disciples; Having fed him for seven days, I then clothed him with fine cloth. 37. Bowing my head to him, who was an ocean of infinite virtues; Immersed and full of joy, I spoke these words. 38. “That one whom you have praised, in the seventh [aeon] from now, O sage; The bhikkhu, foremost among those with faith, may I be like him, O sage.” 39. When this was said, the great hero, whose vision was unobstructed; The great sage uttered these words, to the assembly. 40. “Behold this young man, wearing a yellow garment; Whose body is adorned like gold, charming to the eyes of people. 41. “In the future, in the time of the great sage Gotama; This disciple will be foremost among those devoted by faith. 42. “Whether a deva or a human, free from all suffering; Endowed with all enjoyments, he will wander happily in saṃsāra. 43. “In the hundred thousandth aeon from now, born into the Okkāka clan; Gotama by name…” By the name Ma, The Teacher will be in the world. 44. "An heir in his Dhamma, a true son, born of Dhamma; By the name Vakkali, will be the Teacher's disciple." 45. By that special kamma, and by my aspirations; Having abandoned my human body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. 46. Having been happy everywhere, wandering from existence to existence; I was born in Sāvatthī city, in a certain family. 47. Me, delicate as fresh butter, soft as a new-born sprout; Lying gently on my back, (my parents) were terrified by ghosts. 48. At the feet of the Great Seer, they lay down, with humble minds; "We give this (child) to you, Lord, be a refuge, O Leader." 49. Then he accepted me, the sage, a refuge for the fearful; With a hand marked with a net-like pattern and a wheel, with a soft and tender hand. 50. From then on, by him, I was protected with invulnerable protection; Freed from all enmity, I grew up happily. 51. Being without the Fortunate One, I was restless for a moment; At seven years of age, I went forth into homelessness. 52. Endowed with all perfections, with noble, dark-eyed vision; His form, adorned with all beauty, I dwelt, insatiated (by gazing at it). 53. Knowing my delight in the Buddha's form, then the Conqueror admonished me; "Enough, Vakkali, why in form, do you delight, (which is) a joy for fools? 54. "He who sees the true Dhamma, he, the wise one, sees me; Not seeing the true Dhamma, even seeing me, he does not see me. 55. "The body is full of endless dangers, like a poisonous tree; A dwelling place for all diseases, a mere heap of suffering. 56. "Disgusted with form, (see) the rise and fall of the aggregates; See the end of defilements, you will go to the end with ease." 57. Thus instructed by him, the Leader, my well-wisher; Having climbed Gijjhakūṭa, I meditated in a mountain cave. 58. Standing at the foot of the mountain, the Great One comforted me. the sage. “Vakkali,” the Conqueror said. Hearing that, I was delighted. 59. “I plunged into the rocky mountain, many hundreds of men deep; Then, by the Buddha’s power, I reached the earth with ease. 60. “Again he taught the Dhamma, the arising and passing of aggregates; Understanding that Dhamma, I attained arahantship. 61. “In the midst of a great assembly, then the one who reached the end of conduct, the great wise one, declared me foremost among those freed by faith. 62. “A hundred thousand aeons ago, the kamma I did then; I do not know a bad destination, this is the fruit of worshipping the Buddha. 63. “My defilements are burnt away… …I dwell without taints. 64. “My coming was indeed welcome… …the Buddha’s teaching has been done. 65. “The four analytical knowledges… …the Buddha’s teaching has been done.” Thus indeed, the venerable Elder Vakkali uttered these verses. The Apadāna of Elder Vakkali, the second. 3. The Apadāna of Elder Mahākappina 66. “There was a Conqueror named Padumuttara, one who had crossed over all phenomena; He arose in the unclouded sky, like the sun in an autumn sky. 67. “With the radiance of his words, he awakened the lotuses of those to be trained; He dried up the mud of defilements, the leader with the rays of his wisdom. 68. “He destroyed the fame of sectarians, as the sun does the light of fireflies; He revealed the light of truth and meaning, like a jewel, the day-maker. 69. “He was the source of virtues, like the ocean of jewels; Like a thundercloud to beings, he rained the Dhamma-cloud. 70. “I was Akkhadassa then, in the city called Haṃsa; I approached and heard the Dhamma, from the supreme lotus-named one. 71. “Of a bhikkhu, an advisor, a disciple who had accomplished; As he revealed his virtues, and satisfied my mind. 72. “Hearing, I was delighted and joyful, inviting the Tathāgata; Having fed him with his disciples, I aspired to that state. 73. “Then, like a swan, a swan-drum-sound… He was a sweet-voiced swan-drum. Behold this great minister, skilled in judgment. 74. Fallen at my feet, with hairs standing on end; Cloud-colored, broad-shouldered, with serene eyes and face. 75. With a great retinue, a royal official of great fame; This one, with a joyful mind, desires the state of those who have done good deeds. 76. ‘By this prostration, by this giving, by these aspirations; For a hundred thousand eons,