Tha Ap 314Bhojanadāyaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

312. Bhojanadāyaka

Walt 2771 Of good birth like a sal tree’s bough,

rising up like a drumstick tree,

streaking the sky like Indra’s bolt,

the Victor was always shining. Verse 1

Walt 2772 With a mind that was very clear,

I donated edibles to

him, the God Over Other Gods,

Vessabhu Buddha , the Great Sage. Verse 2

Walt 2773 The Self-Become, Unconquered One,

the Buddha, gave me thanks for that:

“let it be born as fruit for you,

as you’re reborn in existence.” Verse 3

Walt 2774 In the thirty-one aeons since

I gave that gift to him back then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that is the fruit of giving food. Verse 4

Walt 2775 In the twenty-five aeon hence

there was one man, Amittabhā,

a wheel-turning king with great strength,

possessor of the seven gems. Verse 5

Walt 2776 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 6

Thus indeed Venerable Bhojanadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Bhojanadāyaka 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