109. Biḷālidāyaka (THA-AP111)

In the Himalayan region,
I dwelt on a mat made of leaves.
Not feeling any greed for food,
I was always happy back then.

Digging up roots like kaḷamba,
biḷāli and takkaḷi too
I ate them prepared by adding
jujube, marking-nut, and bel.

Padumuttara, World-Knower
Sacrificial Recipient,
discerning what I was thinking,
came into my presence just then.

Taking some biḷāli roots for
the Great Elephant who had come,
the God of Gods, the Bull of Men,
I placed them in his alms-bowl then.

The Great Hero then consumed them
which made me extremely happy.
After eating, the Omniscient One
spoke this verse to me at that time:

“You’ve brought pleasure to your own heart
by giving me these roots to eat.
For one hundred thousand aeons
you’ll come to know no bad rebirth.”

This is my last going around;
all new existence is destroyed.
I am bearing my last body
in the Buddha’s dispensation.

In the fifty-fourth aeon thence
the one known as Sumekhali
was a wheel-turner with great strength,
possessor 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 Biḷālidāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Biḷālidāyaka 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.

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