219. Sappidāyaka (THA-AP221)

Seated in a splendid palace,
surrounded by harem women,
having seen a monk who was ill
I helped him back to his own home
where the Great Hero had entered,
the God of Gods, the Bull of Men.
Then I gave clarified butter
to him, Siddhattha, the Great Sage.

Seeing him, Quieter of Fear,
his Face and Senses Very Clear,
having worshipped that Teacher’s feet,
I kept very well in the past.

Having seen me extremely pleased,
with sense-faculties perfected,
the Hero flew into the sky
just like a swan-king in the air.

In the ninety-four aeons since
I gave him that gift at that time,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
the fruit of clarified butter.

In the seventeenth aeon hence
there lived one named Jutideva,
a wheel-turning king 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 Sappidāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Sappidāyaka 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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