[506. {509.}1 Tālaphaliya2]
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) [5442]
[Holding] fruit in [my] hand, I saw
the Bull of Men who had approached.
Happy, with pleasure in [my] heart,
I gave [him] a palmyra fruit. (2) [5443]
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) [5444]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (4) [5445]
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) [5446]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (6) [5447]
Thus indeed Venerable Tālaphaliya Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Tālaphaliya 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.↩
“Palmyra-Fruit-er.” the fruit is a purple-colored, and something like a small coconut. When the top of cut off it contains three refreshing bits of fruit which are scooped out with the finger and eaten fresh.↩
sataraŋsi, i.e., “the Sun”↩