Tha Ap 199Tindukadāyaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

197. Tindukadāyaka

Walt 2248 Traveling a bad mountain road,

I was a monkey, strong and fast.

Seeing wild mangosteen in fruit,

I called to mind the Best Buddha. Verse 1

Walt 2249 Going forth for several days,

cheerful, with pleasure in my heart

I sought the Leader of the World,

Siddhattha, the Three-Worlds-Ender. Verse 2

Walt 2250 Realizing that thought of mine,

the Teacher, Supreme in the World,

came into my vicinity

with one thousand free of outflows. Verse 3

Walt 2251 Generating great delight then,

I approached him with fruit in hand.

The Blessed One accepted it ,

the Omniscient, Best Debater. Verse 4

Walt 2252 In the ninety-four aeons since

I gave him that fruit at that time,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of a gift of fruit. Verse 5

Walt 2253 In the fifty-seventh aeon

there was one named Upananda,

a wheel-turning king with great strength,

possessor of the seven gems. Verse 6

Walt 2254 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 7

Thus indeed Venerable Tindukadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Tindukadāyaka Thera is finished.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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