Tha Ap 521Sabbaphaladāyaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

516. {519.} Sabbaphaladāyaka

Walt 5505 My name back then was Varuṇa,

a brahmin master of mantras.

After throwing away ten sons,

I plunged into the forest then. Verse 1

Walt 5506 Making a well-built hermitage,

well-proportioned and beautiful,

constructing a hall of leaves there ,

I am living in the forest. Verse 2

Walt 5507 Padumuttara, World-Knower,

Sacrificial Recipient,

with a desire to lift me up,

then came up to my hermitage. Verse 3

Walt 5508 Throughout that forest grove, there was

a huge effulgence of his light .

By the Buddha’s special powers

he lit up the forest back then. Verse 4

Walt 5509 After seeing that miracle

of the Best Buddha, Neutral One,

taking a satchel made of leaves,

I filled it with fruit at that time. Verse 5

Walt 5510 Having gone up to the Buddha,

I gave him the fruit with the bag.

The Buddha, with pity for me,

spoke these words to me at that time : Verse 6

Walt 5511 “After bringing a khārī -load,

you, come along behind me now ,

and when the Assembly eats it,

there will be good karma for you. Verse 7

Walt 5512 Taking that satchel of leaves , I

gave it to the monks’ Assembly.

After having pleased my heart there,

I was reborn in Tusitā. Verse 8

Walt 5513 There, bound up with my good karma,

I am enjoying, all the time,

dances and songs performed for me ,

also speeches which are divine. Verse 9

Walt 5514 In whichever womb I’m reborn,

whether it’s human or divine,

I have no lack of possessions:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 10

Walt 5515 Having given the Buddha fruit,

I am exercising lordship

through the four great continents,

including oceans and mountains. Verse 11

Walt 5516 As far as they, the flocks of birds,

are flying across the sky, they

too obey my authority:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 12

Walt 5517 All the spirits, ghosts, and demons,

the kumbhaṇḍas and garuḷas ,

throughout that grove in the forest,

approach in order to serve me. Verse 13

Walt 5518 Turtles and dogs and honey-bees,

both gadflies and mosquitos; they

too obey my authority:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 14

Walt 5519 The birds that are called Suparṇas

born to birds but having great strength,

they too go to me for refuge:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 15

Walt 5520 Cobra-gods who have long lives,

superpowers, also great fame; they

too obey my authority:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 16

Walt 5521 Lions and tigers and leopards,

bears, wolves, kara bānā bears; they

too obey my authority:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 17

Walt 5522 Those who live in herbs and in grass,

also those who live in the sky;

they all go to me for refuge:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 18

Walt 5523 Hard to see and very subtle,

deep, very well explicated;

having seen that Teaching I dwell:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 19

Walt 5524 The eight deliverances seen,

I am now dwelling, undefiled;

energetic, intelligent:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 20

Walt 5525 Those Buddha’s sons, with the eight fruits,

free of flaws and very famous,

I am now also one of them:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 21

Walt 5526 Mastering special knowledges,

incited by my wholesome roots,

knowing well all the defilements,

I am now living, undefiled. Verse 22

Walt 5527 Three knowledges, powers attained,

are Buddha’s sons, the greatly famed,

who are endowed with “divine ear”:

I am now also one of them. Verse 23

Walt 5528 In the hundred thousand aeons,

since I gave him that fruit back then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 24

Walt 5529 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 25

Walt 5530 Being in Best Buddha’s presence

was a very good thing for me.

The three knowledges are attained;

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 26

Walt 5531 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 27

Thus indeed Venerable Sabbaphaladāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Sabbaphaladāyaka 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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