Tha Ap 111Biḷālidāyaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

109. Biḷālidāyaka

Walt 1663 In the Himalayan region,

I dwelt on a mat made of leaves.

Not feeling any greed for food,

I was always happy back then. Verse 1

Walt 1664 Digging up roots like kaḷamba ,

biḷāli and takkaḷi too

I ate them prepared by adding

jujube, marking-nut, and bel. Verse 2

Walt 1665 Padumuttara, World-Knower

Sacrificial Recipient,

discerning what I was thinking,

came into my presence just then . Verse 3

Walt 1666 Taking some biḷāli roots for

the Great Elephant who had come,

the God of Gods, the Bull of Men,

I placed them in his alms-bowl then . Verse 4

Walt 1667 The Great Hero then consumed them

which made me extremely happy.

After eating, the Omniscient One

spoke this verse to me at that time : Verse 5

Walt 1668 “You’ve brought pleasure to your own heart

by giving me these roots to eat .

For one hundred thousand aeons

you’ll come to know no bad rebirth.” Verse 6

Walt 1670 This is my last going around;

all new existence is destroyed.

I am bearing my last body

in the Buddha’s dispensation. Verse 7

Walt 1669 In the fifty-fourth aeon thence

the one known as Sumekhali

was a wheel-turner with great strength,

possessor of the seven gems. Verse 8

Walt 1671 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 9

Thus indeed Venerable Biḷālidāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Biḷālidāyaka Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

Legends of the Buddhist Saints (Apadāna) is released under the Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share Alike license.

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