243. Naḷinakesariya (THA-AP245)

I was a water bird who dwelled
within a natural lake there.
Then I saw him, the God of Gods,
when he was flying through the sky.

With a mind that was very clear
I plucked some pollen with my beak
and then offered it to Tissa,
the Buddha, Kinsman of the World.

In the ninety-two aeons since
I did pūjā with that flower,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that’s the fruit of Buddha-pūjā.

In the seventy-third aeon
I was one named Satapatta,
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 Naḷinakesariya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Naḷinakesariya 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.