English
55. The Chapter on Bhaddiya 1. The Apadāna of Thera Lakuṇḍabhaddiya 1. "There was a Buddha named Padumuttara, endowed with eyes in all phenomena; A hundred thousand aeons from now, that leader arose. 2. "At that time, I was a wealthy merchant's son in Hamsavatī; Wandering on foot, I went to the monastery. 3. "Then that light of the world, that leader, taught the Dhamma; He highly praised his chief disciple, who had a sweet voice. 4. "Hearing that, I was delighted, and having made an offering to the Great Sage; Having worshipped the Teacher's feet, I aspired to that state. 5. "Then the Buddha, the leader, declared in the midst of the Saṅgha: 'In the future time, you will attain that wish. 6. "'A hundred thousand aeons from now, born into the Okkāka clan; A teacher named Gotama by clan, will appear in the world. 7. "'A true son, born of the Dhamma, an heir in his teachings; Named Bhaddiya, will be a disciple of the Teacher.' 8. "By that well-done action, and by those aspirations; Having abandoned the human body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. 9. "Ninety-two aeons from now, the leader Phussa arose; Difficult to approach, difficult to overcome, the Buddha, supreme in all worlds. 10. "Accomplished in conduct, great, upright, majestic; Benefactor of all beings, he freed many from bondage. 11. "In his Nandārāma park, I was a cuckoo named Phussa; Near the Perfumed Chamber, I lived in a mango tree. 12. "Then, seeing the supreme Buddha, worthy of offerings, going for alms; Having gladdened my mind, I cooed sweetly. 13. "Then, having gone to the royal park, I took a ripe mango, with golden skin, and offered it to the Perfectly Enlightened One. 14. "Then the Greatly Compassionate Buddha, understanding my mind; The leader took the bowl from the attendant's hand. 15. "With a joyful mind, I gave the mango to the Great Sage; Having placed it in the bowl..." I, making a beautiful añjali. 16. With a charming voice, a pleasing, beautiful voice; Singing for the worship of the Buddha, I went to sleep in a nest. 17. Then, me with a joyful heart, with my mind set on love for the Buddha; A bird-hunter came near, and with an evil mind, killed me. 18. Having passed away from there, I experienced great happiness in Tusita; I came to the human realm, by the power of that kamma. 19. In this auspicious eon, a kinsman of Brahmā, greatly renowned; Named Kassapa by clan, the best of speakers, arose. 20. Having illuminated the Dispensation, having overcome wrong views; Having disciplined the trainable, he passed away with his disciples. 21. When that foremost of the world had passed away, many people, full of faith; For the purpose of worshipping the Buddha, built a stupa for the Teacher. 22. ‘A stupa seven yojanas high, adorned with seven jewels; We shall make for the Great Seer,’ thus they deliberated. 23. As Kikī, the king of Kāsī, then the leader of the army; I, being the one who spoke the measure for the immeasurable cetiya. 24. Then by my words, a cetiya one yojana high; They made for the hero of men, adorned with various jewels. 25. By that well-performed kamma, and by my aspirations; Having abandoned the human body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. 26. And now in this last existence, I was born into a merchant family; In the excellent city of Sāvatthī, prosperous, flourishing, and wealthy. 27. Seeing the Sugata entering the city, with a mind full of wonder; Having gone forth, not long after, I attained arahantship. 28. By that kamma, by which I determined the measure of the cetiya; I was born with a small body, worthy of contempt. 29. By worshipping the foremost of sages with a sweet voice; I attained the foremost position among monks with beautiful voices. 30. By offering fruit to the Buddha, and by recollecting his virtues; Endowed with the fruits of recluseship, I dwell without defilements. 31. My defilements are burnt away, all existences are uprooted; Like an elephant breaking its bonds, I dwell without defilements. 32. “Welcome indeed it was for me, in the presence of the Best of Buddhas; The three knowledges have been attained, the Buddha’s teaching has been done. 33. “The four analytical knowledges, and these eight liberations; The six supernormal powers have been realized, the Buddha’s teaching has been done.” Thus indeed, the Elder, Venerable Lakuṇḍabhaddiya, spoke these verses. The first Apadāna: Lakuṇḍabhaddiya Thera. 2. Kaṅkhārevata Thera’s Apadāna 34. “The Conqueror named Padumuttara, who had eyes in all phenomena; A hundred thousand aeons ago from now, that leader arose. 35. “With a lion’s jaw, a Brahma’s voice, a swan’s drum-like sound; With the gait of an elephant, shining like the moon and sun. 36. “Greatly wise, greatly heroic, greatly meditative, greatly powerful; The compassionate protector, the dispeller of great darkness. 37. “He, the foremost of the three worlds, disciplining many who were to be trained; The Fully Awakened One, the sage, knower of beings’ dispositions, taught the Dhamma. 38. “Describing the meditator, the hero delighting in meditation, the peaceful, the unperturbed; The Conqueror delighted the assembly, the people. 39. “Then I, a Brahmin in Haṃsavatī, skilled in the Vedas; Having heard the Dhamma, rejoiced, and aspired to that state. 40. “Then the Conqueror, the leader, declared in the midst of the Saṅgha; ‘Rejoice, O Brahmin, you shall obtain that wish. 41. “‘A hundred thousand aeons from now, born into the Okkāka clan; A teacher named Gotama by family, will appear in the world. 42. “‘A rightful heir in his teachings, born of the Dhamma; Named Revata, will be a disciple of the Teacher.’ 43. “By that well-done deed, and by those aspirations; Having abandoned the human body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. 44. “And now in this last existence, I was born in the Koliya city; Khat of good family, wealthy, prosperous, and with great riches. 45. “When the Buddha taught the Dhamma in Kapilavatthu; Then, pleased with the Sugata, I went forth into homelessness. 46. “Many doubts I had, in various eons, here and there; All that the Buddha removed, having taught the supreme Dhamma. 47. “Then, having crossed transmigration, always delighting in the joy of jhāna; As I was dwelling, the Buddha, seeing me, said this: 48. “‘Whatever doubts there are, here or hereafter, known by oneself or known by others; Those who meditate abandon them all, strenuous, practicing the holy life.’ 49. “A deed done a hundred thousand eons ago, its fruit manifested for me here; Completely freed, like an arrow's speed, I burned up my defilements. 50. “Then, seeing me delighting in jhāna, the Buddha, the sage who reached the world's end; The foremost of meditating bhikkhus, the greatly wise one declared. 51. “My defilements are burned… (etc.) … I dwell without taints. 52. “My coming was indeed welcome… (etc.) … the Buddha’s teaching has been done. 53. “The four analytical knowledges… (etc.) … the Buddha’s teaching has been done.” Thus indeed, the Elder Venerable Kaṅkhārevata spoke these verses. The Apadāna of the Elder Kaṅkhārevata, the second. 3. The Apadāna of the Elder Sīvalī 54. “There was a Victor named Padumuttara, with eyes in all things of Dhamma; A hundred thousand eons from now, the leader arose. 55. “His virtue was immeasurable, his concentration like a diamond; His supreme knowledge immeasurable, and his liberation incomparable. 56. “In an assembly of humans, devas, nāgas, and Brahmās; Crowded with ascetics and brahmins, the leader taught the Dhamma. 57. “With his disciples, greatly endowed, meritorious, radiant; He established him as foremost, skilled in assemblies. 58. “At that time, I was a khattiya, in the city called Haṃsa; Having heard that word of the Victor, the great qualities of the disciple. 59. “Having invited for seven days, having fed him with his disciples; Having given a great offering, I aspired to that position. 60. “Then, seeing me bowing at his feet, the foremost of men, the hero, with a great voice, spoke these words: 61. “‘Then, the great multitudes, desiring to hear the word of the Jina, devas, dānavas, gandhabbas, and Brahmās of great power, 62. “‘ascetics and brahmins, bowed with joined palms: “Homage to you, noble man, homage to you, supreme man. 63. “‘A great gift was given by the Khattiya, even for seven days, by you; desiring to hear its fruit, declare it, great sage.”’ 64. “Then the Blessed One said, ‘Listen to my words; established in the immeasurable Buddha, and in the Saṅgha. 65. “‘Who can speak of that offering, for it is of immeasurable fruit; even if he, of great fortune, aspires to a supreme state. 66. “‘A recipient of vast gains, just like the monk Sudassana; “May I also be like that,” you shall obtain that in the future. 67. “‘In the hundred thousandth eon from now, born in the Okkāka lineage, a teacher named Gotama by clan, will arise in the world. 68. “‘His heir in the Dhamma, born of the Dhamma, named Sīvali, will be a disciple of the Teacher.’ 69. “By that well-done deed, and by those aspirations, having abandoned the human body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. 70. “In the ninety-first eon, Vipassī, the world-leader, the beautiful-sighted, the all-Dhamma-seer, arose. 71. “At that time, in Bandhumatī, of a certain family, I was beloved and respected, occupied with my work. 72. “Then a certain group made a great and very famous offering of food to Vipassī, the great sage. 73. “When the great alms-giving was finished, they gave a mixture of edibles; they sought for fresh curds and honey, but did not find them. 74. “Then I, taking that fresh curds and honey, went to the house of the master of the work…” eyes, searching, they saw me. 75. Even giving a thousand, they did not obtain those two; Then I thought thus, "This will not be a small thing. 76. "As all these people honor the Tathāgata; So I too will make an offering to the World-Leader with the Saṅgha." 77.