101. Bhikkhadāyī (THA-AP103)

I saw the golden Sambuddha,
Sacrificial Recipient,
who, gone forth from the excellent
forest, has come to nirvana.

I gave a spoonful of begged food
to Siddhattha, the Sage so Great,
the Great Hero, the Neutral One,
the Wise One, he who was Tranquil.

When he made many folks attain
nirvana as they followed him,
a lofty joy arose in me
about the Buddha, Sun’s Kinsman.

In the ninety-four aeons since
I gave him that alms-food back then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of begged-for alms-food.

In the eighty-seventh aeon
there were seven wheel-turning kings;
they were all named Mahāreṇu,
possessors of the seven gems.

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

Thus indeed Venerable Bhikkhadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Bhikkhadāyaka 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.

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.