Apadana commentary (Atthakatha)

by U Lu Pe Win | 216,848 words

This is the English translation of the commentary on the Apadana (Atthakatha), also known as the Visuddhajana-Vilasini. The Buddhist stories known as apadanas refer to biographies of Buddhas, Buddhist monks and nuns. They are found in the Pali Canon (Khuddaka Nikaya), which is the primary canon of Theravada Buddhism. Alternative titles: Visuddhaja...

Commentary on Biography of the thera Mogharāja

Stanzas beginning with Atthadassī tu Bhavavā constitute the biography of the venerable thera Mogharāja. This one also, having done devoted service towards former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of rebirth, in this and that existence, was reborn in the house of a family at the time of the Glorious One Padumuttara; having attained the age of intelligence, he one day listened to the truth (dhamma), in the presence of the Master, when he noticed the master placing a bhikkhu at the topmost position among the wearers (or bearers) of wretched robes (lūkhacīvara), made his self-resolution, desiring to get that ranking position, did meritorious deeds in this and that existence, was reborn in a brahmin family again at the time of the Glorious One Atthadassī and reached perfection in the arts and sciences of the brahmins. One day, he saw the Glorious One Atthadassī, surrounded by clergy of bhikkhus going along a chariot-road, became pressingly pious-minded, paid his homage to Him with five forms of establishments (pañcapatiṭṭhita) raised his clasped hands in adoration on to his head, recited six stanzas in praise of Him, beginning with these words: "Yāvatā rūpino satthā (as long as the handsome Master) and so on and offered honey having filled up the pot. The Master accepted it and made thanks-giving. On account of that meritorious act, he wandered about his rounds of rebirths among divine and human-beings and was reborn as a minister of a king named kaṭṭhavāhana at the time of the Glorious One Kassapa. On being sent by the king to bring the Master, he went to the presence of the Master, listened to the preaching of the truth (dhamma), properly gained pious faith, became a monk, performed the duties of a monk for twenty thousand years, passed away thence, wandered about his rounds of rebirths only in good courses of existence for one Buddhantara (interval between two Buddhas) and when this Buddha arose. He gained the name Mogharāja, acquired knowledge of science in the presence of the brahmin Bāvarī, became remorseful, renounced the world, became an ascetic, became surrounded by a thousand ascetics, was sent out together with Ajita and so on to the presence of the Master, he, being the fifteenth of them, asked questions and attained arahatship at the end of answers. Having attained arahatship, however, he bore (or wore) the ragged raiment (pamsukūla), endowed with three distinctive kinds of meagreness namely:- meagre weapon-needle, meagre thread, meagre dye. On that account the Master placed him at the topmost position among those who wore meagre robes.

(1) Pañcapatiṭṭhita; the definition given by the Pāḷi-English Dictionary of the Pāḷi Text Society under the word Pañca is not adequate, if not incorrect. It is the adhivacana (terminology) for such a form of paying homage as comprising the attitude of the adorer on his bended knees, bowing himself down till his forehead touches the earth (bhūmi, ground) and the palms of his two hands rest on the ground; thus, the five members of his bodily limbs, namely: two knees, two palms and the forehead are in earth-touching attributes in his attitude of adoration.

64. Having thus attained the fruition of arahatship, commensurate with his self-resolution (panidhāna), he came to notice his own load of former merit and uttered a stanza, beginning with Atthadassī tu BhagavĪā in order to make manifest the deeds done by him. All that is but clear in meaning.

73. Pūṭadam pūrayitvāna, having filled the container; pūṭaka (container), is said to be waterpot devoid of fly-eggs; having filled a jar with small honey, paggayha, having lifted up, mahesino (to the great Sage);took that honey-jar in the manner of respect with both his hands and offered it to the Glorious One; thus, is the connection. The rest is but easy of comprehension.

The commentary on the biography of the thera Mogharāja has ended.

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