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Then, having thought thus, I mixed curds and honey together; And gave it to the World-Protector, with the Saṅgha. 78. By that well-done deed, and by the aspirations of my mind; Having abandoned my human body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. 79. Again, in Bārāṇasī, I was a king of great fame; Then, angry with Sattuka, I caused a gate to be blocked. 80. Then, the ascetics were hindered, they were kept for one day; From that, as a result, I fell into a terrible hell. 81. And now, in this last existence, I was born in the Koliya city; Suppavāsā is my mother, Mahāli the Licchavi is my father. 82. Due to the meritorious deed of the Khattiya, and the consequence of blocking the gate; For seven years I dwelt, suffering in my mother's womb. 83. For seven days I was stuck at the door, afflicted with great suffering; My mother, by her wish-offering, was thus greatly distressed. 84. I came out well, compassionated by the Buddha; On the very day I came out, I went forth into homelessness. 85. Sāriputta was my preceptor, Moggallāna of great psychic power; As he shaved my hair, the great wise one instructed me. 86. As my hair was being cut, I attained arahantship; Devas, nāgas, and humans bring offerings to me. 87. The Lord Padumuttara, and Vipassī the Guide; Whom I worshipped joyfully, especially with offerings. 88. From that, by the excellence of those deeds, vast and supreme; I obtain gain everywhere, in the forest, village, water, and land. 89. When the Guide goes to see Revata; The Foremost Leader of the World with thirty thousand monks. 90. Then, by the offerings provided by devas, for my sake, the great wise one; The Great Hero with the Saṅgha the world's leader. 91. "By me the Buddha was attended, I went and saw Revata; Then going to Jetavana, He placed me foremost. 92. "'Among those who receive, Sīvali is chief, Among my disciples, bhikkhus'; The Teacher, benefactor of all the world, Praised me in the assemblies. 93. "My defilements are burnt away... ...I dwell without defilements. 94. "Welcome indeed was my coming... ...the Buddha's teaching has been done. 95. "The four analytical knowledges... ...the Buddha's teaching has been done." Thus indeed did the Elder Sīvali recite these verses. The third Apadāna of Elder Sīvali. 4. The Apadāna of Elder Vaṅgīsa 96. "A Jina named Padumuttara, With eyes in all phenomena; A hundred thousand aeons ago, That leader arose. 97. "Just as waves in the ocean, Like stars in the sky; So was his teaching, Adorned with Arahants. 98. "Honored by devas, asuras, nāgas, And by humans; Amidst ascetics and brahmins, The Supreme Jina in the midst of people. 99. "Illuminating the world with his radiance, The Jina, who reached the end of the world; Awakening the lotuses of the teachable, With his words. 100. "Endowed with the four confidences, The supreme man; His fear and diffidence abandoned, Attained to security, confident. 101. "He declares the noble, excellent state, And the complete Buddha-ground; The world's foremost, there is no one to challenge him anywhere. 102. "When that Such One roars his lion's roar, Fearless; No deva, human, or Brahmā, Is found to oppose him. 103. "Teaching the excellent Dhamma, Bringing peace to the world of devas; He sets the Wheel of Dhamma in motion, Confident in the assemblies. 104. "The foremost among those with ready wit, A disciple well-approved; Having praised his many virtues, He placed him foremost. 105. "At that time, in Haṃsavatī, I was a brahmin, well-approved; Born knowing all the Vedas, Vaṅgīsa, the slayer of debaters. 106. "Approaching that Great Hero, And hearing his Dhamma discourse; I attained supreme joy, Delighting in the disciple's virtues. 107. "Having invited him The Excellent One, with the Saṅgha, delight of the world; Having fed him for seven days, I then clothed him with fine garments. Bowing my head at his feet, having made an opportunity, with joined palms; Standing to one side, joyful, I praised the supreme Conqueror. ‘Homage to you, crusher of debaters, homage to you, supreme sage; Homage to you, foremost of all worlds, homage to you, giver of safety. ‘Homage to you, crusher of Māra, homage to you, destroyer of wrong views; Homage to you, giver of peace and happiness, homage to you, giver of refuge. ‘For the helpless, you are the protector, for the fearful, the giver of fearlessness; A place of rest for the peaceful, a refuge for those seeking refuge.’ With such words, having praised the Fully Awakened One of great virtue; I said: ‘May I attain the state of a monk, a destroyer of debaters.’ Then spoke the Blessed One, of endless wisdom: ‘He who fed the Buddha for seven days with his disciples. ‘And proclaimed my virtues, delighted with his own words; This one desires the state of a monk, a destroyer of debaters. ‘In the future time, you will obtain that wish; Having experienced much divine and human prosperity. ‘In a hundred thousand aeons from now, born in the Okkāka clan; By clan name Gotama, a Teacher will arise in the world. ‘An heir in his Dhamma, a legitimate son, created by Dhamma; By name Vaṅgīsa, will be a disciple of the Teacher.’ Having heard that, having become joyful, for as long as I lived, then the Conqueror; I attended with requisites, with a mind of loving-kindness for the Tathāgata. By that well-done deed, and by the aspirations of my will; Having abandoned the human body, I went to Tusita. And now in this last existence, I was born in a brahmin family; When I was reborn, I was seven years old by birth. Born knowing all Vedas, skilled in the science of debate; Master of debate, eloquent speaker, one who crushes the arguments of others. Born in Vaṅga, thus Vaṅgīsa, or master of speech; Vaṅgīsa, this name of mine, became renowned in the world. When I attained understanding, standing in my first youth; Then in delightful Rājagaha, I saw the great Sāriputta. Him wandering for alms, bowl in hand, well-restrained; With ungreedy eyes, speaking little, looking only a yoke's length ahead. Seeing him, I was amazed, and spoke what was suitable for me; Like a kaṇikāra flower, well-arranged, a beautiful verse I uttered. He told me about the Teacher, the Fully Awakened One, leader of the world; Then that wise hero, spoke further to me. Words connected with dispassion, making the highest difficult to see; With varied insights, I was pleased by that steadfast one. Bowing my head at his feet, I said to him, 'Ordain me!' Then that greatly wise one, led me to the best of Buddhas. Bowing my head at his feet, I sat near the Teacher; The best of speakers said to me, "Vaṅgīsa, do you know anything?" To him, "Any skill?" I said, "Yes, I know," I replied; "A dead head, cast away in the forest, even twelve years old; With your special knowledge, if you can, make it speak." When I affirmed, "Yes," he showed me three heads; In hell, among humans, among devas, I made those reborn speak. Then of one whose defilements were destroyed, the leader showed me the head; Then I, with my task undone, requested ordination. Having gone forth with the Fortunate One, I associate here and there; Then me... You are a poet, the monks here are complaining. 134. “Then, to test me, the Buddha, the Guide, said: ‘These verses, O Takkika, occur to you spontaneously.’ 135. “‘I am not a poet, O Hero; they occur to me spontaneously.’ ‘Then, Vangīsa, praise me spontaneously.’ 136. “Then I praised the Hero, the best of sages, with verses. Pleased with me then, the Victor placed me at the forefront. 137. “With a spontaneous mind, I surpassed others. Disturbed by that, O Pesala, I attained Arahatship. 138. “‘Among those with spontaneous speech, no other is found like this monk Vangīsa; thus, bhikkhus, remember.’ 139. “A deed done a hundred thousand (kalpas ago), showed its fruit to me here. Like a well-released arrow, I burned up my defilements. 140. “My defilements are burned up… I dwell without taints. 141. “My coming was indeed welcome… the Buddha’s teaching has been done. 142. “The four analytical knowledges… the Buddha’s teaching has been done.” Thus indeed, the venerable Elder Vangīsa spoke these verses. The fourth Apadāna is that of Elder Vangīsa. 5. The Apadāna of Elder Nandaka 143. “A Victor named Padumuttara, with eyes in all doctrines, arose a hundred thousand kalpas from now, as a leader. 144. “For the welfare of all beings, for the happiness, the best of speakers, for the benefit, the noble man, practiced among gods and humans. 145. “Attaining the peak of fame, glorious, bearing renown, the Victor; revered by all the world, renowned in all directions. 146. “He had crossed over doubt, transcended perplexity; with his mental resolve fulfilled, he attained the supreme enlightenment. 147. “The supreme man, the producer of the unarisen path; he proclaimed the unproclaimed, he generated the ungenerated. 148. “The knower of the path, the expert in the path, the proclaimer of the path, the bull among men; the skillful teacher of the path, the best of charioteers…” the highest among men. 149. “Then the Great Compassionate One, the Leader taught the Dhamma; Rescuing beings sunk in the mire of craving. 150. “Regarding the admonition of bhikkhunīs, he declared a disciple as supreme; Praising him in this foremost position, the Great Sage established him. 151. “Hearing that, I was delighted, and invited the Tathāgata; Having fed him and the Saṅgha, I aspired to that supreme state. 152. “Then the delighted Lord, the Great Seer, told me: ‘May you be happy and long-lived, you shall attain that wish. 153. “‘In a hundred thousand aeons from now, born in the Okkāka lineage; A teacher named Gotama by clan, will appear in the world. 154. “‘His heir in the Dhamma, a true son born of the Dhamma; Nandaka by name, will be a disciple of the Teacher.’ 155. “By that well-done kamma, and by those aspirations; Having abandoned the human body,