Commentary on Biography of the thera Asananbodhiya

Stanzas starting with Jātiyā Sattavassāham constitute the biography of the venerable thera Asanabodhiya. This one, too, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive toward escape from rounds of rebirth (vaṭṭa), in this and that existence, was reborn in a certain family-house, at the time of the Glorious One Tissa; on having attained the growth of age, he gained bliss, became piously pleased with the dispensation, took a fruit from the Asanabodhi tree, thereafter, taking the tiny sprout of bodhi he planted a bodhi tree. In order that the plant may not die, he looked after it with such act as sprinkling water and so on, and reverentially nurtured the tree. On account of that meritorious act, he enjoyed bliss among divine and human-beings, and was reborn in a family house, when this Buddha arose. Due to all-round maturity of his load of virtues, he became a monk while he was still seven years of age and attained arahatship even on top of a razor;he was well-known as the thera Asanabodhi, by the name of the meritorious deed done by him formerly.

78. On having recollected the load of his former meritorious deed, he became pleasureminded and uttered a stanza starting with jātiyā sattavasso'ham, in order to make manifest the deed done by him formerly. There jātiyā (from birth) beginning from the time of coming out from the mother's womb; thus, is the meaning. I, who was seven years old, who was all-round filled with the gift of voice (sarado) met the Glorious One Tissa, the leader of the world; thus, is connection. Pasannacitto sumano (pleasingly pious-minded and good-hearted) mannerly and clearly pious, unperturbed and clearly unshaken-minded, good-hearted, excellent-minded, his mind which goes well with delighted mind; thus, is the meaning.

79. Tissassāham Bhagavato (I to the Glorious One Tissa) three times born; thus, Tissa; He sprang up and was born having become released from the womb of mother, from the nativity of a human-being and from the five aggregates (khandha); Buddha was born; this, is the meaning. I had the most excellent Asana bodhi tree of that eldest of the world, of such a Glorious One Tissa planted; thus, is the connection.

80. Asanonāmadheyyena (bearing the name Asana) it was the Asana bodhi tree by the name Asana on account of the designated name and name perception; Dharaṇī ruhapādapo (the tree planted in the earth) it bears creepers, trees, hills, rivers, oceans and so on; thus, dharaṇī (earth). What is that? It is pathavī (earth); it grows and gets established; thus, dharaṇī ruho (grown on the earth or ground); it drinks with its foot; thus pādapo (tree); it drinks the sprinkled water, and carries or bears the taste and essence of water by means of its rod reckoned as foot; thus, is the meaning. Grown on the ground it is, as well as drinks by means of foot; thus, dharanruhapādapo, the tree grown on the ground. Paricarim (all-round walked about looked after), I nourished for five years that most excellent Asanabodhi tree; thus, is the meaning.

81. Pupphitam Pādapamdisvā, on having seen the tree in bloom, abbhutam, strange; sakam kammam, own act; pakittento publicising; on having seen the hair-bristling phenomenon, due to awe-provoking flowers blossomed by the Asana bodhi nurtured by me, I went to the presence of the most excellent Buddha in order to speak to Him about my own deed in the manner of publicising the matter; thus, is the meaning. There is but clear in meaning, everywhere.

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