Tha Ap 67Bhisadāyaka

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

65. Bhisadāyaka

Walt 1377 The Sambuddha named Vessabhu,

the third Sage born in that aeon,

plunging into a forest grove

lived there , the Ultimate Person. Verse 1

Walt 1378 Taking some lotus roots and stems,

I went into Buddha’s presence

and gave that food to the Buddha

feeling well- pleased by my own hands. Verse 2

Walt 1379 And feeling the touch of the hand

of Vessabhu the One Most Wise,

I was happy beyond compare;

could anything ever top that? Verse 3

Walt 1380 My final life is taking place;

all existence is now destroyed.

When I was an elephant king

I planted wholesome seeds back then . Verse 4

Walt 1381 In the thirty-one aeons since

I did that good karma back then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of a lotus root. Verse 5

Walt 1382 In the thirteenth aeon ago

there were sixteen lords of people,

kings all known as Samodhāna

wheel-turning monarchs with great strength. Verse 6

Walt 1383 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 7

Thus indeed Venerable Bhisadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Bhisadāyaka 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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