Tha Ap 125Pāyāsadāyaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

123. Pāyāsadāyaka

Walt 1791 I saw the Golden Sambuddha,

Bearing the Thirty-two Great Marks

Honored by the monks’ Assembly,

who was leaving the forest then . Verse 1

Walt 1792 Overjoyed I then arranged for

milk-rice served in a bowl of bronze.

Wishing to offer sacrifice

I presented this offering. Verse 2

Walt 1793 The Buddha living at that time,

the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,

had well-ascended a walkway

in the wind’s path up in the sky. Verse 3

Walt 1794 And having seen that miracle,

marvel making hair stand on end,

placing down that bowl made of bronze,

I worshipped Vipassi right then . Verse 4

Walt 1795 “You are the God, Omniscient One,

over the gods as well as men.

Having taken pity on me,

please accept this food, O Great Sage.” Verse 5

Walt 1796 Discerning what I was thinking,

the Teacher, Great Sage in the World,

the Blessed One, Omniscient One,

the World-Leader, accepted it . Verse 6

Walt 1797 In the ninety-one aeons since

I gave him that alms-food back then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that is the fruit of some milk-rice. Verse 7

Walt 1798 In the forty-first aeon hence

I was a ruler named Buddha,

a wheel-turner with great power,

possessor of the seven gems. Verse 8

Walt 1799 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 9

Thus indeed Venerable Pāyāsadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Pāyāsadāyaka 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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