Tha Ap 225Dverataniya

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

223. Dverataniya

Walt 2384 I was a deer-hunter back then,

within a grove in the forest.

I saw the Buddha, Stainless One,

Sacrificial Recipient. Verse 1

Walt 2385 I then gave a piece of meat to

Vipassi Buddha , the Great Sage.

I exercised overlordship

in the world including its gods. Verse 2

Walt 2386 Because of giving meat back then,

gems came into being for me.

I had two jewels in this world

for attainment of worldly things. Verse 3

Walt 2387 I am enjoying everything

as the profit of a meat-gift.

I have a body which is soft

and wisdom, a sharp intellect. Verse 4

Walt 2388 In the ninety-one aeons since

I gave him that meat at that time,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that is the fruit of giving meat. Verse 5

Walt 2389 And in the fourth aeon ago

there was one lord of the people.

He was named Mahārohita,

a wheel-turning king with great strength. Verse 6

Walt 2390 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 7

Thus indeed Venerable Dverataniya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Dverataniya 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.

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