[411]
In the city of Haṃsavatī I was the son of a rich merchant;
furnished with the strands of sensual pleasure (kāmaguṇa), I kept myself surrounded then.
Then, having ascended the mansion, a spender of great riches,
there with dances and with songs I kept myself surrounded then.
Instruments were sounded for me, joined with cymbal and gong;
all the women, delighting me, quite carried off my mind.
Celāvakas, dwarf-women (vāmanikā), kuñjavas and sīhimajjhitas,
tumblers (laṅghikā) and sokajjhāyīs ever surrounded me.
Minstrels (vetāḷika) and pot-drum players, many actors and dancers,
players and stage-performers ever surrounded me.
Barbers, bath-attendants, cooks, garland-makers, supāsakas,
athletes (jallā) and wrestlers (mallā) — all of them ever surrounded me.
While these disported themselves, trained, their skill made perfect,
I knew not night from day, like Inda in the city of the Thirty.
Wayfarers and the destitute, beggars all and wanderers many —
they came constantly to my house, seeking alms.
Ascetics and brahmins too, unsurpassed fields of merit,
making my merit increase, came to my house.
Paṭakas and laṭukas, Nigaṇṭhas all, wearers of flower-cloth,
bearers of the triple staff (tedaṇḍika) and men of a single topknot came to my house.
Ājīvikas with hair plucked out, Gotamas, Devadhammikas,
these wearers of dust and dirt came to my house.
Parivattakas and siddhipattas, kodhapugganikas many,
men of austerity and forest-wanderers came to my house.
Andhakas and Damiḷas, Sākuḷas and Malayāḷakas,
Savaras and Yonakas too came to my house.
Gandhakas and Muṇḍakas all, Kuṭṭhalas and Sānuvindakas,
Āravas and men of the Cīna realm came to my house.
Alasandakas and Pallavakas, scalers of the mountain heights,
Bāhikas and Cetaputtas came to my house.
Madhurakas and Kosalakas, Kāsikas and Hatthiporikas,
Isindas and Makkalas too came to my house.
Celāvakas and Ārambas, Obhāsas and Meghalas many,
Khuddakas and Suddakas too came to my house.
Rohakas and Sindhavas, Cittakas and Ekakaṇṇikas,
men of Suraṭṭha and of Aparanta came to my house.
Suppārakas and Kumāras, Malayas and men of Soṇṇabhūmi,
and Vajjihāras — all of them came to my house.
Basket-makers and weavers, leather-workers and carpenters,
laborers and potters came to my house.
Jewelers and metalsmiths, goldsmiths and cloth-dealers,
and tinsmiths — all of them came to my house.
Arrow-makers and turners, weavers and perfumers,
dyers and tailors came to my house.
Oil-dealers and firewood-gatherers, water-carriers and errand-servants,
curry-cooks and saradakkhas came to my house.
Gatekeepers and guards, garland-binders and flower-sweepers,
elephant-riders and elephant-keepers came to my house.
To the king named Ānanda, the concordant, I gave my gifts;
whatever fell short I made up with gems of the seven hues.
All the many folk of diverse kinds whom I have here recounted —
knowing their minds, I gratified them even with gems.
While sweet strains were sounding, while the drums were being beaten,
while the conchs were being blown, I took my delight in my own house.
At that time the Blessed One named Padumuttara —
he, together with a hundred thousand whose taints (āsava) were utterly destroyed —
accompanied by those bhikkhus, the One with Vision, entered upon the street,
lighting up all the quarters; he shone like a tree of lamps.
As the Leader of the World went on, all the drums were sounding;
his radiance streamed forth like the hundred-rayed [sun] arisen.
Even by the ray that entered through the chinks of the door-panels,
abundant light arose at that moment within the houses.
Seeing the Buddha's radiance, I said to the men of my company:
"Beyond doubt the Best of Buddhas has come into this street."
Quickly descending from the mansion, I went into the midst of the road;
saluting the Fully Awakened One, I spoke these words:
"May the Buddha whose name is the supreme water-born [flower] have compassion on me!"
And that Sage, with his hundred thousand masters, consented.
Having invited the Fully Awakened One, I led him to my own house;
there with food and with drink I satisfied the Great Sage.
Knowing it to be the time when the Best of Buddhas, the Such One, had eaten,
I attended upon the Best of Buddhas with song and with music.
Padumuttara, Knower of the World, recipient of oblations,
seated within the house, spoke these verses:
"He who has attended on me with music and has given me food and drink —
him will I proclaim: listen to me as I speak.
Having food in abundance, possessed of gold, possessed of victuals,
this man will exercise sole kingship over the four continents.
Undertaking the five precepts, delighting in the ten courses of action (kammapatha),
undertaking them and keeping them going, he will train his following.
Adorned women will ever sound a hundred thousand instruments for him:
this is the fruit of attendance (upaṭṭhāna).
For thirty thousand aeons he will delight in the world of the devas;
sixty-four times, as lord of the devas, he will exercise divine kingship.
And seventy-four times he will be a wheel-turning monarch (cakkavatti);
his extensive regional kingship is beyond count by reckoning.
A hundred thousand aeons hence, one arisen in the Okkāka clan,
Gotama by name, will be the Teacher in the world.
Into whatever womb he is reborn, divine or else human,
being of undiminished wealth, he will come to the human state.
Having become a reciter, a master gone to the far shore of the three Vedas,
seeking the supreme goal, he will then wander over the earth.
And afterwards, having gone forth, spurred on by bright roots [of merit],
he will delight in the dispensation of the Blessed One Gotama.
Having pleased the Fully Awakened One, Gotama, bull of the Sakyas,
having burned up the defilements (kilesa), this one will be an arahant."
Like a royal tiger in the forest grove, like the maned lion, king of beasts,
today I dwell fearless in the dispensation of the Sakyan's son.
Whether in the world of the devas or among humans, I see no rebirth of mine
in poverty or in a bad destination: this is the fruit of attendance.
Devoted to seclusion am I, at peace, free from acquisitions (nirūpadhi);
like a bull elephant that has burst its bonds, I dwell without taints.
My defilements have been burned up; all existences have been uprooted;
like a bull elephant that has burst its bonds, I dwell without taints.
Welcome indeed has been my coming into the presence of my Buddha;
the three true knowledges (vijjā) have been attained; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
The four analytical knowledges (paṭisambhidā) and these eight liberations (vimokkha),
the six superknowledges (chaḷabhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Thus indeed did the Venerable Jatukaṇṇika the Elder speak these verses.
The Apadāna of Jatukaṇṇika the Elder is concluded.
The Tenth: the Apadāna of Udena the Elder (410).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.