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 Vatthadāyaka
Stanzas starting with Pakkhijjāto ٲ āsim constitute the biography of the venerable thera Vatthadāyaka. This one also having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from his rounds of repeated rebirths (ṭṭ) in this and that existence, was reborn in the womb of a garū da bird, at the time of the Glorious One ٳٳ岹ī. On having seen the Glorious One Atthadassī, who was going to the ҲԻ岹Բ hill, he became pleasingly pious-minded, forsook his appearance of garū da-bird, created the guise of a lad, took along with him very costly divine (or celestial) clothes and reverentially offered it to the Glorious One. That Glorious one also accepted it, spoke words of thanks and took His departure. The bird spent his time with that self-same pious-mindedness, lived on as long as his life-span lasted, passed away thence, was reborn in the divine world, wandered about his rounds of existence there, oft and on, experienced the benefits of merit, thereafter, enjoyed the human-prosperity among human-beings; everywhere highly costly garments and ornaments were obtained; thereafter, in every existence, he sprang up, he lived under the shade of clothes wherever he went; he was later reborn in a family house when this Buddha arose; on his having attained the age of intelligence, he came to possess pious faith in the Master, renounced the world, and not long after even, became canker-free, having attained six sorts of superknowledge. He became well-known as Vatthadāyaka thera, by the name of the meritorious deed done by him formerly.
45. Having recollected his own former deed, he became pleasure-minded and uttered a stanza starting with pakkhijāto ٲ āsim in order to make manifest the deed done by him formerly. There, pakkhijāto (born as winged animal), a bird goes up and flies with this; thus, pakkha (wings); to it there are wings; thus 貹ī (wing-possessor); born and sprung up in the womb of a bird; thus, is the meaning. ܱ貹ṇṇ (garūda bird), he, whose wings are excellent is supaṇṇa, good-winged; the great bearer of brightly shining wings, of gold-colour which seizes (or catches hold of) the wind (or breeze); thus, is the meaning. Garuḷādhipo (garūda-king) they swallow heavy load of stone for the purpose of seizing dragons; thus, ḷa (big bird); the chief and king of garū das; thus, is ḷadhipo; I saw the stainless Buddha; thus, is the connection.
The commentary on the biography of the thera Vatthadāyaka has ended.