Tha Ap 9Aññākoṇḍañña

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

7. Aññākoṇḍañña

Walt 601 Sambuddha Padumuttara

was the Best in the World, the Guide.

I saw him first, when he had just

achieved that state of Buddhahood. Verse 1

Walt 602 All around the Bodhi tree’s roots

spirits were gathered together

surrounding the Sambuddha, they

worshipped, with hands pressed together. Verse 2

Walt 603 All the gods had delighted minds;

as they flew around in the sky,

“This one has become a Buddha,

Dispelling the Darkness of Night.” Verse 3

Walt 604 A huge din was being produced

by them overcome with laughter,

“We’ll destroy our defilements

in Sambuddha’s dispensation.” Verse 4

Walt 605 Having heard the words of the gods,

that majestic speech they uttered,

I gave him his very first food,

happy, and with a happy heart. Verse 5

Walt 606 Discerning what I was thinking,

the Teacher, Peerless in the World,

seated in the gods’ meeting hall

then spoke these verses about me : Verse 6

Walt 607 “Leaving the world a week ago,

today I reached Awakening.

This one’s given me my first rice,

a celibate monk’s sustenance. Verse 7

Walt 608 I shall relate details of him

who coming here from Tusitā

presented this almsfood to me;

all of you listen to my words: Verse 8

Walt 609 For thirty thousand aeons he

will exercise divine rule.

Overpowering all the gods

he will reside in heaven then . Verse 9

Walt 610 Falling down from the world of gods

he’ll go into a human state.

A thousand times a wheel-turner

he will reign there for a long time . Verse 10

Walt 611 In one hundred thousand aeons,

arising in Okkāka’s clan,

the one whose name is Gotama

will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 11

Walt 612 Falling down from heaven again

he’ll go into a human state.

Going forth from the house and world

he will dwell there for twenty years. Verse 12

Walt 613 In the seventh year after that

the Buddha will declare the truth.

He whose name will be Koṇḍañña

will be the first one to grasp it .” Verse 13

Walt 614 When he set out I too renounced

and great effort was made by me.

So as to destroy defilements

I went forth into homelessness. Verse 14

Walt 615 Approaching, the Omniscient One,

Buddha in the world with its gods

did beat the drum of deathlessness

in the deer-forest named “Isi”. Verse 15

Walt 616 He has now achieved deathlessness,

the unsurpassed and peaceful state.

Knowing well all the defilements,

without defilements I now live. Verse 16

Walt 617 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint.

Walt 618 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!

Walt 619 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 17

Thus indeed Venerable Aññākoṇḍañña Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Aññākoṇḍañña 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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