[18]
For the Blessed One Padumuttara, the Eldest of the World, the Steadfast One (tādī),
I spread out a mirror in the seven-storied palace.
Surrounded by a thousand whose taints (āsava) were destroyed, the Great Sage,
the Lord of the Two-footed, the bull among men, approached the Perfumed Chamber (gandhakuṭī).
Illumining the Perfumed Chamber, the God of Gods, the bull among men,
the Teacher, standing amid the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, spoke these verses:
"He by whom this couch was made to shine, like a mirror well spread out —
him I shall proclaim; listen to my words.
Palaces made of gold, made of silver, and also made of beryl
will arise [for him] — whatever is dear to his mind.
Sixty-four times he will exercise rulership over the gods as lord of the devas;
and immediately thereafter, a thousand times, he will be a wheel-turning monarch (cakkavatti).
In the twenty-first aeon (kappa) [hence] there will be a khattiya named Vimala,
a victorious wheel-turning monarch, lord of the four quarters.
His city, Reṇuvatī by name, will be well built of bricks,
three hundred [yojanas] in length, laid out foursquare.
A palace named Sudassana, created by Visukamma,
furnished with excellent gabled halls, adorned with the seven kinds of gems, [will stand there].
Never devoid of the ten sounds, thronged with knowledge-bearers (vijjādhara),
it will be like Sudassana, the city of the gods.
Its radiance will stream forth as of the rising sun;
it will shine perpetually for eight yojanas all around.
A hundred thousand aeons hence, one sprung from the Okkāka lineage,
Gotama by name, will be the Teacher in the world.
Passing away from Tusita, impelled by his bright roots [of merit],
he will become the own son of the Blessed One Gotama.
If he were to dwell in the house, he would become a wheel-turning monarch;
but that such a one should find delight in the house — this is impossible.
Departing from the house, he will go forth, of excellent vows;
Rāhula by name, he will become an arahant."
As a kikī-bird would guard her egg, as a yak-cow her tail —
prudent, accomplished in virtue — [thus] did the Great Sage behold me.
Having come to know His Dhamma, I dwelt delighting in the teaching (sāsana);
having fully understood all the taints, I dwell free of taints.
The four analytic insights (paṭisambhidā), and these eight liberations (vimokkha),
the six superknowledges (abhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
It was thus that the Venerable Rāhula the Elder spoke these verses.
The Apadāna of the Elder Rāhula is concluded.
Seventh: The Apadāna of the Elder Upasena Vaṅgantaputta (17)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.