[123]
The Victor (jina) named Padumuttara, gone to the far shore of all dhammas,
rose in the cloudless sky (ajaṭākāse) like the sun in the autumn firmament.
With the radiance of his word he makes the lotuses of those ripe for guidance blossom;
the Leader dries up the mire of defilements (kilesa) with the rays of his wisdom.
He strikes down the renown of the sectarians, as the sun, adamantine [in its brilliance];
everywhere the Day-maker shines forth by night and by day.
He is a wellspring of virtues, as the ocean is of gems;
like Pajjunna [the rain-god] he rains down upon living beings with the cloud of Dhamma.
At that time I was a judge in the city called after the swan (Haṃsavatī);
having drawn near, I listened to the Dhamma of him named after the best of water-born flowers [Padumuttara],
as he proclaimed the virtue of a disciple possessed of mindfulness (sati), an exhorter of the bhikkhus,
gladdening my mind.
Having heard, out of rapture (pīti) glad at heart, I invited the Tathāgata,
and having fed him together with his pupils, I aspired to that station.
Then he who bore the swan's likeness, whose voice was as the swan's cry and the kettledrum, [declared]:
"Behold this great minister, skilled in judgment,
fallen at the base of my feet, his body-hairs risen erect,
hued like a rain-cloud, radiant, with serene eyes and countenance,
attended by a great retinue, engaged in the king's service, of great fame:
in gladness this man aspires to the station of that eloquent one.
By this almsfood (piṇḍapāta), by his generosity (cāga), and by his aspirations,
for a hundred thousand aeons he will not be reborn in a bad destination.
Having experienced divine good fortune among the devas and greatness among human beings,
with the remainder he will attain Nibbāna.
A hundred thousand aeons from now, arisen in the family of Okkāka,
there will be in the world a Teacher, Gotama by name.
An heir in his dhammas, a true-born son formed by the Dhamma,
he will be the Teacher's disciple, Kappina by name."
Then, having rendered well-wrought service in the Victor's dispensation,
abandoning the human body, I went to Tusita.
Having governed kingdoms of devas and of men in due succession,
I was born close by Bārāṇasī, in a family of weavers (keṇiyajāti).
Together with my wife, with a retinue of a hundred thousand,
I attended upon five hundred Paccekabuddhas.
Having fed them for the three months, I also clothed them with the triple robe;
passing away from there, we all went to the heaven of the Thirty (Tidasa).
Passing away from there, we all came again to the human state;
we were born in the city of Kukkuṭa, on the flank of the Himavant.
I was the king's son named Kappina, of great fame;
the rest, born in ministers' families, attended upon me alone.
Having attained the happiness of great kingship, prosperous in all pleasures,
I heard the tidings, announced by merchants, of a Buddha's arising:
"A Buddha has arisen in the world, without equal, a person unique;
he makes known the true Dhamma (saddhamma), the deathless, the supreme happiness;
and his pupils are well-yoked and well-freed, without taints (anāsava)."
Having heard their word, and having honored the merchants,
abandoning the kingdom, together with my ministers, I went forth, devoted to the Buddha.
Having seen the river Mahācandā, full, brimming level with its banks,
without a ford, offering nothing to hold to, hard to cross, swift-flowing,
I recollected the virtue of the Buddha and crossed over in safety:
"If the Buddha has crossed the stream of existence, gone to the end of the world, the Knower,
by this declaration of truth (saccavajja) may my journey succeed!
If the path (magga) is one going to peace, bestowing release, the bliss of peace,
by this declaration of truth may my journey succeed!
If the Saṅgha has crossed the wilderness, an unsurpassed field of merit,
by this declaration of truth may my journey succeed!"
The moment this excellent truth was made, the water withdrew from the path;
then I crossed over with ease onto the delightful bank of the river.
I saw the Buddha seated, like the rising maker of light,
like a mountain of gold ablaze, like a lamp-tree fully alight,
like the moon attended by its stars, surrounded by his disciples,
delighting the people, as Vāsava when he pours down rain.
Having paid homage, together with my ministers I sat down to one side;
then, knowing our disposition, the Buddha taught the Dhamma.
Having heard the stainless Dhamma, we said to the Victor:
"Let us go forth, Great Hero: we are sunk in existence."
"Well proclaimed, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma, for your making an end of suffering (dukkha);
live the holy life (brahmacariya)" — so spoke the sage supreme.
Together with that word, all of us bore the guise of bhikkhus;
we were fully ordained, stream-enterers (sotāpanna) in the dispensation.
Then, having gone to the Jetavana, the Guide gave instruction;
instructed by the Victor, I attained arahantship (arahatta).
Then at that time I instructed thousands of bhikkhus;
they too, carrying out my instruction, became free of taints.
The Victor, pleased at that quality, placed me in the foremost place:
"Kappina is the chief of those who exhort the bhikkhus," [he declared] amid the great multitude.
The deed done a hundred thousand [aeons ago] has shown me its fruit here:
well released, like the flight of an arrow, I have burned up my defilements.
My defilements are burned up; all existences are rooted out;
like an elephant that has sundered its bonds, I dwell without taints.
Welcome indeed was it for me, [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 insights (paṭisambhidā), and also these eight liberations (vimokkha),
the six superknowledges (chaḷabhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Thus indeed the venerable Elder Mahākappina spoke these verses.
The Apadāna of the Elder Mahākappina is concluded.
Fourth: the Apadāna of the Elder Dabbamallaputta (534).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.