124. Gandhodakiya (THA-AP126)

Sitting in my superb palace,
I saw the Victor, Vipassi,
splendid like an arjuna tree,
the Omniscient One, Undefiled.

As the World-Leader went across
the area near the palace,
his aura spread out everywhere
as though that light came from the sun.

Taking up some perfumed water
I sprinkled the Best Buddha then,
and with that pleasure in my heart,
I passed away right on the spot.

In the ninety-one aeons since
I sprinkled that perfumed water,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā.

In the thirty-first aeon hence
the Kṣatriyan named Sugandha,
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 Gandhodakiya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Gandhodakiya 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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