[350]
Not far from Himavant
stands the mountain named Lambaka;
the Fully Awakened One named Upatissa
was walking in meditation in the open air.
Formerly I was a deer-hunter
in the forest, in the woodland;
having seen him — the deva of devas,
the Self-Become One (sayambhū), the Unconquered —
with a mind full of confidence
I then gave a handful of grass
to that Great Seer, the Buddha,
for him to sit upon.
And having given it to the deva of devas,
I made my mind confident still more;
having venerated the Fully Awakened One,
I departed, facing north.
When I had gone but a little way,
the king of beasts assailed me;
struck down by the lion,
I met my death on that very spot.
Since the deed had been done by me close at hand [to my death],
directed to the supreme Buddha, the one free of taints (āsava),
like the flight of a well-loosed arrow
I went to the deva world.
There a splendid palace (yūpa) stood,
fashioned by my deed of merit:
with a thousand sections and seven orbs,
hung with banners, wrought of gold.
Its radiance streamed forth
like the risen hundred-rayed sun;
thronged about by deva maidens,
I rejoiced, enjoying pleasures at will.
Passing away from the deva world,
urged on by the bright root (sukkamūla) [of merit],
I came to the human state
and attained the destruction of the taints.
Ninety-four aeons (kappa) ago
I gave that sitting-place;
I know of no bad destination —
this is the fruit of a handful of grass.
The four analytic insights (paṭisambhidā),
and also these eight liberations (vimokkha),
the six superknowledges (chaḷabhiññā) have been realized;
the Buddha's teaching has been done.
It was thus that the Venerable Elder Tiṇamuṭṭhidāyaka spoke these verses.
The Apadāna of the Elder Tiṇamuṭṭhidāyaka is concluded.
The Ninth: the Apadāna of the Elder Tindukaphaladāyaka (349)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.