Tha Ap 99Madhupiṇḍika

– Therāpadāna

– The Legends of the Theras

97. Madhupiṇḍika

Walt 1588 In a quiet and trouble-free

forest grove, I once having seen

Siddhattha the Sage, the Supreme,

Sacrificial Recipient, Verse 1

Walt 1589 Gone-Out-One, the Great Elephant,

Bull of Men, like a thoroughbred,

shining forth like the morning star,

praised by the assembly of gods,

much happiness arose in me;

knowledge came into being then. Verse 2

Walt 1590 Giving honey to the Teacher

who’d risen from meditation,

and worshipping the Teacher’s feet,

I departed facing the east. Verse 3

Walt 1591 Then thirty-four aeons ago

I was the king, Sudassana;

sweet honey flowed from lotus roots

whenever I was eating them .

And it rained a rain of honey:

that’s the fruit of former karma. Verse 4

Walt 1592 In the ninety-four aeons since

I gave him that honey back then,

I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:

that’s the fruit of giving honey. Verse 5

Walt 1593 And thirty-four aeons ago

there were four named Sudassana,

wheel-turning kings with great power,

possessors of the seven gems. Verse 6

Walt 1594 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 7

Thus indeed Venerable Madhupiṇḍika Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Madhupiṇḍika 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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