[8] Bringing a guest of mine, I came then to the village; seeing the river full to its banks, I went to the monastery (saṅghārāma).
Forest-dwellers, upholders of the ascetic practices (dhuta), meditators, wearers of coarse robes, delighting in seclusion, those wise ones were dwelling in the monastery.
The destination (gati) of those well-liberated, steadfast ones (tādī) had been cut off; and they could not go for alms, for the river had shut them in.
With a mind full of confidence, glad, filled with joyful inspiration, with palms joined in reverence, I took up rice-grains and gave a gift of rice-gruel (yāgu).
Confident, I gave with my own hands the gruel that had been cooked; well pleased with my own deed, I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
A mansion (byamha) made of gems arose for me among the host of the Thirty; attended by throngs of women, I rejoiced in that supreme mansion.
Thirty-three times, as lord of the devas, I exercised divine rulership; thirty times, as a wheel-turning monarch (cakkavatti), I exercised great kingship.
Extensive regional kingship was mine, incalculable in number; and having enjoyed glory, whether in the deva world or among humans,
when my final existence arrived, I went forth into homelessness; together with my hair as it was shaved off, I cast away all prosperity.
Contemplating this bodily frame in terms of destruction and decay, I attained arahantship (arahatta) even before the training rules (sikkhāpada) were given.
Well given was my excellent gift, wrought by my own hands and well applied: by that very gift of gruel I have attained the unshakeable state.
Sorrow, lamentation (soka, parideva), illness, distress, and burning of mind — I know of none that has arisen in me: this is the fruit of the gift of gruel.
Having given gruel to the Saṅgha, in the unsurpassed field of merit (puññakkhetta), I experience five benefits (ānisaṃsa) — oh, how well offered is a gift of gruel!
Freedom from illness, beauty of form, swift awakening to the Dhamma, the gaining of food and drink, and long life as the fifth: these are mine.
Whoever, arousing joyful inspiration, should give gruel to the Saṅgha — that wise one would receive these five things.
All that had to be done has been done; existences (bhava) have been rooted out by me; all taints (āsava) are utterly destroyed; now there is no renewed existence.
So I shall wander from village to village, from town to town, paying homage to the Fully Awakened One and to the excellence of the Dhamma.
Thirty thousand aeons ago I gave that gift; since then I know of no bad destination (duggati): this is the fruit of the gift of gruel.
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.
Welcome indeed was 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 analytic insights (paṭisambhidā), and also these eight liberations (vimokkha), the six superknowledges (chaḷabhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Thus indeed did the Venerable Elder Yāgudāyaka speak these verses.
The Apadāna of the Elder Yāgudāyaka is concluded.
The Ninth: The Apadāna of the Elder Patthodanadāyaka (419)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.