[501. {504.}1 Avaṭaphaliya2]

The Blessed One, Hundred-Rayed One,3
the Self-Become, Unconquered One,
rising up from [his] solitude,
went forth in order to seek food. (1) [5414]

[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) [5415]

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) [5416]

My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (4) [5417]

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! (5) [5418]

The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (6) [5419]

Thus indeed Venerable Avaṭaphaliya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Avaṭaphaliya Thera is finished.

  1. 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.↩

  2. here BJTS and PTS agree on the spelling. The meaning is “Stemless Fruit-er.” This same apadāna (with only very slight differences) appears above, titled Avaṇṭaphaladāyaka-apadāna, as #378 [381], and titled Avaṇṭaphaliya° (there PTS Avaṭaphaliya°), as #463 {466}. In the present apadāna the order of the refrain verses matches #463 {466} but is inverted from #378 {381}; and the third foot of the first verse varies from that in both of the parallel first verses. Virtually the same apadāna is also presented as #506 {509}, below, with the title Tālaphaliya. It varies from the present one only in the fourth foot of the second verse, where “with stems removed” is replaced by “palmyra”. It is repeated again as {555}, below, and ascribed to the historical monk Vajjīputta. Note Lilley’s note on PTS colophonic title here, not only that its own alt. S-1 reads Avaṇṭa° but also “The following apadāna is missing in G., and the Thera’s name is attached to this apadāna*.”↩

  3. sataraŋsi, i.e., “the Sun”↩