Tha Ap 12Ānanda

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

10. Ānanda

Walt 653 Setting out from the ashram’s door

the Great Sage Padumuttara

was raining the rain of deathlessness

and quenching the population. Verse 1

Walt 654 One hundred thousand Hero monks

strong, with the special knowledges,

were surrounding the Sambuddha

like shadows that never depart. Verse 2

Walt 655 I was on an elephant’s back

with a superb white umbrella.

Having seen his beautiful form

great happiness arose in me. Verse 3

Walt 656 Dismounting from the elephant

I approached him , the Bull of Men,

and raised over the Best Buddha

my umbrella, made of gemstones. Verse 4

Walt 657 Padumuttara, Sage So Great,

discerning what I was thinking,

halting the talk he was giving,

then spoke these verses about me : Verse 5

Walt 658 “He who’s hoisting this umbrella

adorned with ornaments of gold,

I shall relate details of him;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 6

Walt 659 Having gone on from here this man

will dwell in Tusitā heaven .

He’ll experience happiness

being honored by divine nymphs. Verse 7

Walt 660 He will exercise divine rule

four and thirty different times.

One hundred eight times a strong king

he will reside upon the earth. Verse 8

Walt 661 And he’ll be a wheel-turning king

eight and fifty different times.

He will exercise on the earth

uncountable regional reigns. Verse 9

Walt 662 In one hundred thousand aeons

arising in Okkāka’s clan,

the one whose name is Gotama

will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 10

Walt 663 He will be a close relative

of that Flag of the Śākyan Clan.

Ānanda will be his name then ,

attendant of the Sage So Great. Verse 11

Walt 664 Ardent striver, intelligent,

and wise in terms of many truths,

humble in action, and yielding,

he’ll recite all the Buddha’s words . Verse 12

Walt 665 Being one bent on exertion,

calmed, devoid of grounds for rebirth,

knowing well all the defilements

he’ll reach nirvana, undefiled.” Verse 13

Walt 666 There are elephants in the woods,

tuskers who are sixty years old,

mātaṅgas rutting in three ways,

chariot-pole tusks, vehicles for kings. Verse 14

Walt 667 Like them there are numerous lakhs

of wise men with vast superpowers

all of whom are not astonished

at the Buddha-elephant’s might . Verse 15

Walt 668 I worship in the beginning,

in the middle and at the end.

With a pleased heart and happy mind

I attend on the Best Buddha. Verse 16

Walt 669 Ardent striver, intelligent,

one who knows truly, mindful one,

arrived at the stream-enterer-fruit,

skilled in the training-bases, I Verse 17

Walt 670 brought forth the karma which I did

one hundred thousand aeons hence.

I have now achieved that station,

firm, unwavering in Dhamma . Verse 18

Walt 671 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint.

Walt 672 Being in Best Buddha’s presence

was a very good thing for me.

The three knowledges are attained;

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 19

Walt 673 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 20

Thus indeed Venerable Ānanda Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Ānanda Thera is finished.

The Summary:

The Buddha and the Lonely Buddha

Sāriputta and Kolita

Kassapa and Anuruddha

Puṇṇa Thera and Upāli.

Koṇḍañña and Piṇḍola

and Revata, Ānanda the Wise

Six hundred and fifty verses

adding them all together.

The Buddha Chapter of the Apadāna , the First.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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

This is the first-ever complete translation of Apadāna into a Western language.

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org