Avaṇṭaphala Chapter, the Thirty-Ninth
[378. {381.}1 Avaṇṭaphaladāyaka2]
The Blessed One, Hundred-Rayed One,3
the Self-Become, Unconquered One,
Seclusion-Lover,4 Sambuddha,
went forth in order to seek food. (1) [3278]
[Holding] fruit in [my] hand, I saw
the Bull of Men who had approached.
Happy, with pleasure in [my] heart,
I gave [him] fruit with stems removed. (2) [3279]
In the ninety-four aeons since
I gave [him] that fruit [at that time],
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that is the fruit of giving fruit. (3) [3280]
Being in Best Buddha’s presence
was a very good thing for me.
The three knowledges are attained;
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (4) [3281]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (5) [3282]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (6) [3283]
Thus indeed Venerable Avaṇṭaphaladāyaka Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Avaṇṭaphaladāyaka Thera is finished.
Apadāna numbers provided in {fancy brackets} correspond to the BJTS edition, which contains more individual poems than does the PTS edition dictating the main numbering of this translation.↩
“Stemless Fruit Donor.” This same apadāna, with only slight changes, is repeated as #463 {466} and #501 {504} below, under the same title, and with a different title as #506 {509}↩
sataraŋsi, i.e., “the Sun”↩
viveka-kāma↩