463. {466.} Avaṇṭaphaliya

Tha-ap 468

Dew on a delicate web between flowering branches.

Walt 4889 The Blessed One, Hundred-Rayed One,
the Self-Become, Unconquered One,
Seclusion-Lover, Sambuddha,
went forth in order to seek food. Verse 1

Walt 4890 Holding fruit in my hand I saw
the Bull of Men who had approached.
Happy, with pleasure in my heart,
I gave him fruit with stems removed. Verse 2

Walt 4891 In the ninety-four aeons since
I gave him that fruit at that time,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that is the fruit of giving fruit. Verse 3

Walt 4892 My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. Verse 4

Walt 4893 Being in Best Buddha’s presence
was a very good thing for me.
The three knowledges are attained;
I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 5

Walt 4894 The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 6

Thus indeed Venerable Avaṇṭaphaliya Thera spoke these verses.

The legend of Avaṇṭaphaliya Thera is finished.

Connections

Collection & context

TherāpadānaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

About this edition

Translation by Jonathan S. Walters · SuttaCentral · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US

Noncommercial reuse with attribution and the same license. Original publication and digitization credits are preserved below.

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters.

Whitman College, 2017

Legends of the Buddhist Saints (Apadāna) is released under the Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share Alike license.

This is the first-ever complete translation of Apadāna into a Western language.

For more information, visit apadanatranslation.org

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.