67. Vatthadāyaka (THA-AP69)

I was born as a bird back then,
with good strong wings, a harpy-king.
I saw the Stainless Buddha go
on Gandhamādana Mountain.

Shedding my harpy appearance,
I got dressed in human clothing.
One piece of cloth I gave to the
Lord of Bipeds, the Neutral One.

Having taken that piece of cloth,
the Buddha, the World’s Top Leader,
the Teacher, standing in the sky
spoke these verses about me then:

“Because of the gift of this cloth
and the resolve in his own heart,
abandoning the harpy womb
he’ll delight in the world of gods.”

But Atthadassi, Blessed One,
the World’s Best One, the Bull of Men,
after praising the gift of cloth
then departed facing the north.

When I’m reborn in existence
attainments of cloth befall me;
there’s a canopy in the sky:
that is the fruit of giving cloth.

Seven men named Aruṇaka
were wheel-turners with great power.
In the thirty-fourth aeon hence
they were the lords over people.

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

Thus indeed Venerable Vatthadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Vatthadāyaka 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.