[137]
The Victor (jina) named Padumuttara, gone to the far shore of all dhammas, the Leader, arose a hundred thousand eons (kappa) ago.
The Tathāgata established some in the going for refuge; some he established in virtue, in the supreme ten courses of action.
That Wise One gave to one the supreme fruit of the monkhood (sāmaññaphala); likewise he bestowed the eight attainments (samāpatti) and the three true knowledges (vijjā).
The Supreme among Men yoked some beings to the six superknowledges (chaḷabhiññā); to another that Protector gave the four analytic insights (paṭisambhidā).
Seeing people capable of awakening even an incalculable number of yojanas away, the Charioteer of Men would reach them in an instant and train them.
At that time I was a brahmin's son in Haṃsavatī, gone to the far shore of all the Vedas, esteemed as a grammarian,
skilled in etymology (nirutti) and confident in the lexicon (nighaṇḍu), a knower of the words, versed in the keṭubha, proficient in prosody and poetics.
While wandering on a walking excursion I came to the Haṃsārāma, and there I saw the Excellent, the Supreme One, revered by a great multitude.
As he was teaching the stainless Dhamma I approached him, my mind bent on opposition; but having heard his flawless sayings,
I saw in that Sage nothing contradictory or repetitious, nothing off the mark or meaningless — and so I went forth.
In no long time I became confident in all matters, esteemed as the leader of a company in the subtle word of the Buddha.
Then, having composed four verses of well-turned phrasing, praising the Foremost of the Three Worlds, I recited them day after day:
"Dispassionate are you, Great Hero, though you dwell in saṃsāra with its perils; out of compassion you do not pass into Nibbāna — therefore the Sage is the Compassionate One.
"The being who, though a mere worldling (puthujjana), was not under the sway of the defilements (kilesa), but clearly comprehending (sampajāno) and yoked to mindfulness (sati) — therefore he is inconceivable.
"Had the feeble defilements lying latent in his disposition not perished when scorched by the fire of knowledge (ñāṇa), that would have been a marvel.
"He who is the guru of the whole world, and who likewise bears such weight in the world — he is, moreover, the teacher of the world, and the world is his follower."
With these verses and others I extolled the Sambuddha; having given the teaching of the Dhamma as long as I lived, I went to heaven, and then I fell away from there.
It was a hundred thousand eons ago that I extolled that Buddha: I know of no bad destination since — this is the fruit of extolling.
In the world of the devas (devaloka) I then enjoyed great celestial kingship; and many a time I enjoyed the great kingship of a universal monarch (cakkavatti).
I am reborn in only two states of existence, as a deva or as a human; I know of no other destination — this is the fruit of extolling.
I am reborn in only two families, the khattiya and the brahmin; I know of no low family — this is the fruit of extolling.
And now, in my final existence, in Giribbaja, supreme among cities, I am the son of King Bimbisāra, Abhaya by name.
Having come under the sway of a bad friend (pāpamitta), befuddled by the Nigaṇṭha, I was sent by Nāṭaputta, and so I approached the Best of Buddhas.
Having asked a subtle question and heard the supreme answer, I went forth, and before long I attained arahatship.
Because I extolled the excellent Victor, I am myself extolled at all times; I became fragrant in body and mouth, endowed with happiness.
Keen in wisdom, joyous in wisdom, and swift in wisdom, likewise of great wisdom am I, and of brilliant ready discernment (paṭibhāṇa) — through the power of that kamma.
Having lauded Padumuttara, the Unequalled, the Self-Become One (sayambhū), with a mind full of confidence, for a hundred thousand eons I did not go to the plane of loss and woe (apāyabhūmi) — by the fruit of that.
My defilements 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 my coming into the presence of the Best of Buddhas: the three true knowledges have been attained; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
The four analytic insights, and these eight liberations (vimokkha) too, and the six superknowledges have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Thus indeed did the Venerable Elder Abhaya speak these verses.
The Apadāna of the Elder Abhaya is concluded.
The eighth: the Apadāna of the Elder Lomasatiya (548).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.