My name back then was Varuṇa,
a brahmin master of mantras.
After throwing away ten sons,
I plunged into the forest then.Making a well-built hermitage,
well-proportioned and beautiful,
constructing a hall of leaves there,
I am living in the forest.Padumuttara, World-Knower,
Sacrificial Recipient,
with a desire to lift me up,
then came up to my hermitage.Throughout that forest grove, there was
a huge effulgence of his light.
By the Buddha’s special powers
he lit up the forest back then.After seeing that miracle
of the Best Buddha, Neutral One,
taking a satchel made of leaves,
I filled it with fruit at that time.Having gone up to the Buddha,
I gave him the fruit with the bag.
The Buddha, with pity for me,
spoke these words to me at that time:“After bringing a khārī-load,
you, come along behind me now,
and when the Assembly eats it,
there will be good karma for you.Taking that satchel of leaves, I
gave it to the monks’ Assembly.
After having pleased my heart there,
I was reborn in Tusitā.There, bound up with my good karma,
I am enjoying, all the time,
dances and songs performed for me,
also speeches which are divine.In whichever womb I’m reborn,
whether it’s human or divine,
I have no lack of possessions:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Having given the Buddha fruit,
I am exercising lordship
through the four great continents,
including oceans and mountains.As far as they, the flocks of birds,
are flying across the sky, they
too obey my authority:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.All the spirits, ghosts, and demons,
the kumbhaṇḍas and garuḷas,
throughout that grove in the forest,
approach in order to serve me.Turtles and dogs and honey-bees,
both gadflies and mosquitos; they
too obey my authority:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.The birds that are called Suparṇas
born to birds but having great strength,
they too go to me for refuge:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Cobra-gods who have long lives,
superpowers, also great fame; they
too obey my authority:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Lions and tigers and leopards,
bears, wolves, kara bānā bears; they
too obey my authority:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Those who live in herbs and in grass,
also those who live in the sky;
they all go to me for refuge:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Hard to see and very subtle,
deep, very well explicated;
having seen that Teaching I dwell:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.The eight deliverances seen,
I am now dwelling, undefiled;
energetic, intelligent:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Those Buddha’s sons, with the eight fruits,
free of flaws and very famous,
I am now also one of them:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.Mastering special knowledges,
incited by my wholesome roots,
knowing well all the defilements,
I am now living, undefiled.Three knowledges, powers attained,
are Buddha’s sons, the greatly famed,
who are endowed with “divine ear”:
I am now also one of them.In the hundred thousand aeons,
since I gave him that fruit back then,
I’ve come to know no bad rebirth:
that is the fruit of giving fruit.My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint.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!The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught!
Thus indeed Venerable Sabbaphaladāyaka Thera spoke these verses.
The legend of Sabbaphaladāyaka Thera is finished.