Tha Ap 129Phaladāyaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

127. Phaladāyaka

Walt 1840 I was a learned mantra-knower

who had mastered the three Vedas.

I lived in an ashram back then,

not far from the Himalayas. Verse 1

Walt 1841 I had offerings for the fire

and some white-lotus-fruits as well;

having placed these in a bag, I’d

hung them on the top of a tree. Verse 2

Walt 1842 Padumuttara, World-Knower,

Sacrificial Recipient,

with a wish for my upliftment,

came up to me while begging alms. Verse 3

Walt 1843 Happy, and with a happy heart,

producing supreme joyfulness,

conveying pleasure to the world,

I gave the Buddha my fruit. Verse 4

Walt 1844 The Golden-Colored Sambuddha,

Sacrificial Recipient,

the Teacher, standing in the sky,

then uttered this verse \[about me: Verse 5

Walt 1845 “Because of this gift of some fruit

with intention and firm resolve,

for one hundred thousand aeons

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

Walt 1846 By means of just those wholesome roots,

I did experience happiness.

I’ve attained the unshaking state

beyond all conquest and defeat. Verse 7

Walt 1847 In the seventh aeon ago

I was the king, Sumaṅgala,

a wheel-turner with great power,

possessor of the seven gems. Verse 8

Walt 1848 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 9

Thus indeed Venerable Phaladāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Phaladāyaka 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.

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

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org