[439. {442.}[1] Koladāyaka[2]]
I was dressed in[3] deer-leather [then,]
wearing garments made out of bark.
Carrying a khāri load, I
brought jujubes[4] to the ashram. (1) [4724]
At that time the Buddha, Sikhi,
was alone with nobody else.[5]
He [then] approached my hermitage,
shining brightly all of the time. (2) [4725]
Bringing pleasure to [my] own heart,
worshipping[6] the Compliant One,[7]
taking [them] with both of my hands
I gave the Buddha jujubes. (3) [4726]
In the thirty-one aeons since
I gave that fruit [to him] back then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
the fruit of giving jujubes. (4) [4727]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (5) [4728]
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! (6) [4729]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (7) [4730]
Thus indeed Venerable Koladāyaka Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Koladāyaka 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. ↩︎
“Jujube Donor.” Virtually the same apadāna is repeated below as #{553}, where it is ascribed to the historical monk Gayākassapa. ↩︎
lit., “with” ↩︎
kolaŋ, Sinh. ḍebara phala, Ziziphus Mauritania, Zyziphus Jujuba, Indian jujube or Chinese apple. ↩︎
lit., “without a second” ↩︎
lit., “and worshipping” ↩︎
subbataŋ ↩︎