98. Senāsanadāyaka (THA-AP100)

I gave a mat made out of leaves
to Siddhattha, the Blessed One,
and served that Buddha thoroughly,
then scattered flowers around for him.

I enjoyed a very costly
pleasant cave, and palaces too;
flowers which were most expensive
dropped into my bed at that time.

On my bed I snuggled on an
ornamented mat of flowers,
and a rain of flowers always
rained down upon my bed back then.

In the ninety-four aeons since
I gave that mat made out of leaves,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of a giving a mat.

There were seven wheel-turning kings
all named Ṭhitosanthāraka
who were born, those lords of people,
then in the fifth aeon ago.

The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught!

Thus indeed Venerable Senāsanadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Senāsanadāyaka 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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Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.