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 Buddhasaññaka

Stanzas starting with Dumagge pamsukūlikam constitute the biography of the venerable thera Buddhasaññaka. This one also, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of rebirth (vaṭṭa) in this or that existence, was reborn in a family-house, at the time of the Glorious One Tissa; on having grown up, there was born in him pious faith, noticed the ragged refuse-robe (pamsukūla) of the Glorious One tangled on the top of a tree, became pleasingly pious-minded, considered it to be the insignia of arahatship (arahaddhaja), and made such personal reverence as paying homage, giving reverential offering and so on. On account of that meritorious act, he enjoyed the divine and human bliss, was reborn in a wealthy family when this Buddha arose; there sprang up in him believing faith, he consequently renounced the world, and became an arahat before long even.

9. Having attained and achieved arahatship, he recollected his own former deed, became delighted and uttered a stanza, starting with Dumagge pamsukūlikam in order to make manifest the deed done by him formerly. There, it quakes and trembles; thus duma (tree; or it milks, fills the sky surface; thus, duma (tree); the topmost (or tip-end) of a tree; thus, dumaggo (tree top); on that tree-top. It goes towards the state of ungracefulness, being loathsome like unto earth; thus, pamsukūla, )loathsome earth); the self-same dust-heap is pamsukūlika, (the product of dust heap); avandim (I paid homage) on having seen the dust-heap robe (pamsukūla), tangled on the tree-top, I lifted up my clasped hands and paid my homage to that ragged raiment (pamsukūla); thus, is the meaning. Tam is but a particle (nipāta); the rest is but easy of meaning everywhere.

The Commentary on the biography of the thera Buddhasañña has ended.

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