Commentary on Biography of the thera Opavayha

Stanzas starting with Padumuttara Buddhassa constitute the biography of the venerable thera Opavayha. This one also, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a wealthy family when the sun-conqueror Padumuttara clearly shone in the world; Having grown up in due course, he amassed much wealth, became highly prosperous and while leading the life of a householder, he came to have clear faith in the dispensation (sāsana) and because his faith in the master was abundant, he made a reverential offering with a well-bred sindh horse. Having made the reverential offering however, he considered thus:- "To monks beginning with Buddha such animals as elephants, horses and so on are not appropriate; I shall offer proper commodities"; and having had that horse appraised he offered fit and proper such robes as conventionalised velvet cloth, carpets and so on, and such medicinal requisite as camphor (kappura) takkola and so on. On account of that act of merit, he lived as long as his life-span lasted and having passed away thence, he enjoyed prosperity, being endowed with many a such conveyance as elephants, horses and so on, among divine and human-beings; and was reborn in a family house when this Buddha arose; On his having attained the age of intelligence, he was endowed with pious faith in the dispensation, became a monk, took mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna), developed spiritual insight (vipassanā), and established himself in arahatship having gone through the noble paths in succession. He became well-known as the thera Opavayha under the influence of the load of meritorious deed done by him.

33. Investigating thus: "Due to what reason, indeed, has this tranquil path been achieved by me", he came to realise under his very eyes, by means of his knowledge, his former deed, became pleasure-minded and uttered a stanza, starting with Padumuttara Buddhassa in order to make manifest by way of a solemn utterance the deed done by him formerly. The meaning of it has but been said. Ājānīya'madāsaham, I reverentially offered a well-bred most excellent horse of Sindh origin; thus; is the meaning.

35. Sapattabhāro (the bearer of his own begging bowl) he, to whom there are loads of eight requisites inclusive of his own begging bowl, is a sapattabhāra (burdened with his own bowl) yoked with eight monk's requisites, thus, is the meaning.

36. Khamanīyamadāsaham, I offered to be congenial, such seeming minks' requisites as robes and so on which are befittingly congenial; thus, is the meaning.

40. Carimo (the all-round end) attained extreme end, have become concluded; thus, is the meaning. The rest is but easily comprehensible.

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