[133]
One hundred thousand aeons (kappa) before this one
there arose the Victor (Jina) named Padumuttara,
the One with Eyes for all dhammas, the Leader.
His virtue (sīla) was beyond reckoning, his concentration (samādhi) like the diamond;
his excellent knowledge (ñāṇa) was beyond reckoning, and his liberation (vimutti) without compare.
In a gathering of humans, gods, and nāgas, and of brahmās,
thronged with ascetics and brahmins, the Leader taught the Dhamma.
Confident amid the assemblies, he placed in the foremost position (etadagga)
his disciple of great gains, endowed with merit, a bearer of splendor.
At that time I was a khattiya in the city named Haṃsavatī.
Having heard that utterance of the Victor — the many virtues of the disciple —
I invited him together with his disciples and fed them for seven days;
and having given a great gift, I aspired to that position.
Then, seeing me bowed down at his feet, the Bull among Men,
the Steadfast One, spoke these words with a mighty voice.
Then, desiring to hear the word of the Victor, the great multitude —
deities and gandhabbas and brahmās of great power,
and ascetics and brahmins as well — paid homage with joined palms:
"Homage to you, O thoroughbred of men! Homage to you, O supreme among men!
The khattiya has given a great gift for seven days and more;
desiring to hear its fruit — declare it, O Great Sage!"
Then the Blessed One said: "Listen to my utterance.
When an offering (dakkhiṇā) has been established in the measureless Buddha together with his Saṅgha,
who, taking it up, could declare it? For it is of measureless fruit.
Moreover, this man of great wealth aspires to the supreme position:
'Just as the bhikkhu Sudassana is a receiver of abundant gains,
so may I too become' — this you shall obtain in the future.
A hundred thousand aeons from now, sprung from 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,
Sīvalī by name, he will be a disciple of the Teacher."
By that deed (kamma) well done, and through my volition and aspirations,
on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
Ninety-one aeons before this one there arose Vipassī,
the Leader of the World, lovely-eyed, the clear seer of all dhammas.
At that time, in Bandhumatī, I was one cherished by a certain family
and, diligent, I was busily engaged in its work.
At that time a certain guild had a residential compound (pariveṇa) built
for Vipassī the Great Seer, renowned as "the Great."
And when it was finished, they gave a great gift accompanied by solid foods;
but searching for fresh curds and honey, they found none.
Then I, taking fresh curds and honey as well, went to the house of the master of the work;
and those searching for these caught sight of me.
Though they offered even a thousand, they did not obtain the two.
Thereupon I thought: "This will be no trifling matter.
Just as all these people do honor to the Tathāgata,
so I too will do a service to the Leader of the World together with the Saṅgha."
Then I brought the curds and the honey together and, having blended them,
I gave them to the Lord of the World together with the Saṅgha.
By that deed well done, and through my volition and aspirations,
on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
Again, having become a king of great fame in Bārāṇasī,
then, enraged at a foe, I caused a blockading of the gate.
At that time ascetics were shut in, held under guard for a single day;
then, through the result (vipāka) of that, I fell into a most evil, dreadful hell.
And now, in my last existence, I was born in the city of the Koliyas;
Suppavāsā was my mother, Mahāli the Licchavi my father.
Through meritorious kamma I was born among khattiyas; through the force of the blockading of the gate,
I dwelt seven years in my mother's womb, in suffering.
For seven days I was lost at the door of the womb, beset by great suffering;
and my mother, through her giving of consent, was thus in extreme pain.
Shown compassion by the Buddha, I came forth in safety;
and on the very day of my coming forth I went forth into the homeless life.
Sāriputta was my preceptor; Moggallāna, of great psychic power,
the greatly wise, instructed me as he shaved off my hair.
Even while the hair was being cut, I attained arahantship (arahatta).
Devas, nāgas, and human beings bring requisites (paccaya) to me.
In that, rejoicing, I honored with requisites, in exceptional measure,
the one named Padumuttara and Vipassī the Guide,
therefore, through the distinction of those deeds, I obtain gain
abundant and supreme everywhere — in forest, in village, on water, on land.
When the Guide, the supreme Leader of the World, went to see Revata
together with thirty thousand bhikkhus,
then the Great Hero of great wisdom, the Leader of the World together with the Saṅgha,
was attended by me with requisites brought by devas for my sake;
the Buddha, having gone, saw Revata; then, having gone to Jetavana,
he placed me in the foremost position:
"Bhikkhus, among my pupils Sīvalī is the foremost of those who receive gains."
Thus the Teacher, the benefactor of all the world, extolled me amid the assemblies.
My defilements (kilesa) have been burned away; all existences have been extirpated;
like an elephant that has burst its bonds, I dwell free of taints (āsava).
Welcome indeed was it for me to come into the presence of my Buddha!
The three true knowledges (vijjā) have been attained; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
The four analytic insights (paṭisambhidā), and also these eight liberations (vimokkha),
and the six superknowledges (abhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Thus indeed the Venerable Elder Sīvalī spoke these verses.
The Apadāna of the Elder Sīvalī is completed.
The fourth: the Apadāna of the Elder Vaṅgīsa (544).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.