[411. {414.}1 Madhumaŋsadāyaka2]
In the city, Bandhumatī,
I was a pork-seller3 [back then].
Having cooked the spleen and lungs,4
I poured honey over [that] meat.5 (1) [4373]
Having gone to a gathering,6
I took hold of a single bowl.
Filling up that bowl [with meat], I
gave it to the monks’ Assembly. (2) [4374]
The monk there who was most senior
then assigned7 [the merit] to me:
“due to filling this bowl [with meat],
he will receive great happiness. (3) [4375]
Receiving8 the two attainments,9
incited by [his] wholesome roots,
during [his] last going around,
he will destroy the defilements.” (4) [4376]
Bringing pleasure to [my] heart there,
I [then] went to Tāvatiṃsa.
Eating as well as drinking there,
I do receive great happiness. (5) [4377]
In a pavilion or tree-root,
recalling previous karma,
a downpour of [both] food and drink
is raining on me all the time. (6) [4378]
This is the final time for me;
[my] last rebirth is proceeding.10
Even here [both] food and drink are11
raining on me all of the time. (7) [4379]
Because of having given meat,
transmigrating in existence,
knowing well all the defilements,
I am living without constraint.12 (8) [4380]
In the ninety-one aeons since
I gave that offering back then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that is the fruit of giving meat. (9) [4381]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (10) [4382]
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! (11) [4383]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (12) [4384]
Thus indeed Venerable Madhumaŋsadāyaka Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Madhumaŋsadāyaka 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.↩
“Honey-Meat-Donor”↩
sūkariko, Cty: sūkaramaṃsaṃ vikkiṇitvā jīvitaṃ kappento, “earning a living by selling hog-flesh”↩
ukkoṭakaŋ randhayitvā, following the cty: pihaka-papphāsa-maṃsaṃ pacchitvā. BJTS gloss: kävatū papumas pisa, ‘having cooked the liver and heart meat.” The intent is clearly “cooking the pig innards” or “cooking the pluck”↩
reading madhu maṃsamhi okiriŋ with BJTS (and PTS alt., and cty.) for PTS: madhusappimhi ākiriŋ, “I sprinkled honey on the ghee”↩
sannipātam ahaŋ gantvā↩
reading niyyādesi with BJTS for PTS niyyātesi. BJTS Sinhala gloss: maṭa pin dunnē ya↩
bhutvā, lit., “becoming”↩
dve sampattiyo, i.e., birth as a human and birth as a god↩
ccharimo vattate bhavo↩
lit., “is,” with “food-and-drink” being taken as a singular noun.↩
or “free of the outflows,” “undefiled,” anāsavo↩