Kaludayi's Verses

BSRV 37.
1 (2020) 73–116 Buddhist Studies Review ISSN (print) 0256-2897

http://www.doi.org/10.1558/bsrv.18497 Buddhist Studies Review ISSN (online) 1747-9681
Two Series of Kāḷudāyī’s Verses in the Pāli Commentaries:

A Literal Translation
Aruna Keerthi Gamage

International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), Leiden University
arunak.gamage@yahoo.com
The Theragāthā of the Khuddakanikāya has only ten stanzas (vv. 527–536) ut-
tered by the Elder Kāḷudāyī. However, the Madhuratthavilāsinī (Bv-a), the com-
mentary to the Buddhavaṃsa preserves 64 stanzas ascribed to the Elder while
the Visuddhajanavilāsinī (Ap-a), the commentary to the Apadāna quotes a dif-
ferent series consisting of 48 stanzas ascribed to him. It is probable that these
two series contain ancient verses which could not be accommodated within
the Pāli canon and then continued to be preserved in the commentaries as
extra-canonical texts. Yet some of the verses in these two series appear to be
later compositions. The present article offers a literal translation of the Bv-a
and the Ap-a verses, which have so far received no scholarly attention.
For G. A. Somaratne
Introduction
For convenience, I shall henceforth label KTh1 the series of stanzas attested in the
Bv-a and KTh2 those in the Ap-a. The KTh2 shares all ten stanzas from the Theragāthā
(see next pages), but the KTh1 borrows only two of them. If we subtract the ten
verses attested in the Theragāthā, it is clear that there is a total of 100 further stan-
zas attributed to Kāḷudāyī in both KTh1 and KTh2 (Kāḷudāyī also being mentioned
in the Sasson article in this volume, pp.55 and 56–57). Both series, adorned with an
array of literary figures, offer two eulogies to the environment of India in spring,
though they are remarkably different from each other. They proceed by describ-
ing various well-fruited, well-flowered trees and creepers standing on both sides
of the road, and divergent species of birds with charming cries and antelopes with
diverse behaviours.1
1. I have already discussed some special features of these two series such as infrequent forms,
grammar, tautology, lacunae and corruptions, metrical license and literary devices, and so forth.
Keywords: nature poetry, Kāḷudāyī, Theragāthā, Buddhavaṃsa commentary, Apadāna com-

mentary
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74 Two Series of Kāḷudāyi’s Verses in the Pāli Commentaries
The Theragāthā verses
Let me quote the ten verses appearing in the Theragāthā (Th 527–36) together with Norman’s transla-
tion (1995 I 61-62) as follows:
1) aṅgārino dāni dumā bhadante
phalesino chadanaṃ vippahāya,
te accimanto va pabhāsayanti
samayo mahāvīra bhagīrasānaṃ.
The trees are now crimson, lord, having shed their (old) foliage, about to fruit. They illuminate as though
aflame. The time partakes of flavour, great hero.
2) dumāni phullāni manoramāni
samantato sabbadisā pavanti,
pattaṃ pahāya phalam āsasānā
kālo ito pakkamanāya vīra.
The delightful trees, in bloom, diffuse their scent all around in all directions, having shed their petals,
hoping for fruit. It is time to go forth from here, hero.
3) n’evātisītaṃ na panāti-uṇhaṃ
sukhā utu addhaniyā bhadante,
passantu taṃ Sākiyā Koḷiyā ca
pacchāmukhaṃ Rohiniyaṃ tarantaṃ.
It is not too cold, nor again too hot; the season is pleasant, fit for a journey, lord. Let the Sakiyas and
Koliyas see you facing west, crossing the River Rohiṇī.
4) āsāya kassate khettaṃ - bījaṃ āsāya vuppati,
āsāya vāṇijā yanti - samuddaṃ dhanahārakā,
yāya āsāya tiṭṭhāmi - sā me āsā samijjhatu.
The field is ploughed in hope; in hope the seed is sown; in hope merchants go to sea, bringing back
wealth. Let that hope of mine, in which I stand, be realised.
5) punappunaṃ c’eva vapanti bījaṃ
punappunaṃ vassati devarājā,
punappunaṃ khettaṃ kasanti kassakā
punappunaṃ dhaññam upeti raṭṭhaṃ.
Again and again they sow the seed; again and again the deva-king rains; again and again farmers
plough the field; again and again grain comes to the kingdom.
6) punappunaṃ yācanakā caranti
punappunaṃ dānapatī dadanti,
punappunaṃ dānapatī daditvā
punappunaṃ saggam upenti ṭhānaṃ.
Again and again beggars wander; again and again liberal givers give; again and again liberal givers, hav-
ing given, go to the heavenly place.
7) vīro have sattayugaṃ puneti
yasmiṃ kule jāyati bhūripañño,
maññām’ahaṃ sakkati devadevo
tayā hi jāto muni saccanāmo.
A hero of great wisdom indeed cleanses seven generations in whatever family he is born. I think, Sakiya,
you are the deva of devas, for you begot the sage who is truly named.
8) Suddhodano nāma pitā mahesino
buddhassa mātā pana Māyanāmā,
yā bodhisattaṃ parihariya kucchinā
kāyassa bhedā tidivamhi modati.
The father of the great seer is called Suddhodana, but the Buddha’s mother was called Māyā, who, hav-
ing cherished the Bodhisatta with her womb, after the breaking up of the body rejoices in the three
heavens.
© Equinox Publishing Ltd 2020

Aruna Keerthi Gamage 75
9) sā Gotamī kālakatā ito cutā

dibbehi kāmehi samaṅgibhūtā,
sā modati kāmaguṇehi pañcahi
parivāritā devagaṇehi tehi.
She, Gotami, having died, having descended from here, being possessed of deva-like sensual pleasures,
rejoices in five strands of sensual pleasures, surrounded by those groups of devas.
10) buddhassa putto’mhi asayhasāhino
Aṅgīrasassappaṭimassa tādino,
pitupitā mayhaṃ tuvaṃ’ si Sakka
dhammena me Gotama ayyakosī ti.
I am the son of the Buddha, who endures what is beyond endurance, the son of the incomparable vener-
able Aṅgīrasa. You, Sakiya, are my father’s father; truly you are my grandfather Gotama.
Some erroneous wordings have presumably crept into the KTh1 and KTh2 due
to both aural and graphical confusions. Similarly, the copyists who were not closely
acquainted with Pāli have apparently produced a considerable amount of contami-
nated readings in both series. It seems a number of debatable wordings have most
probably come into existence during the process of transcribing both series from
palm-leaf manuscripts to papers. In the palm-leaf manuscripts, the letters are writ-
ten as continuous series. Either the editor or the scribe who did not pay much atten-
tion to the meaning of the stanza was unable to recognize precise divisions of the
compounds of some stanzas in these manuscripts. As a result, he most probably
tended to divide the compounds inaccurately. This tendency obviously leads to con-
taminate the text. In what follows, there are four of such instances from the KTh1:
1. KTh1 5: vicittamālā sucipallavehi susajjitā
2. KTh1 6: susajjitā vāsanivāsabhūtā
3. KTh1 20: girī […] disā rajindā va virocayanti
4. KTh1 43: kilesasaṅghassa bhitāsakehi tapassisaṅghehi
In the first example, vicittamālā sucipallavehi does not make satisfactory sense.
Most probably, the original reading was vicittamālāsucipallavehi, which offers a liter-
ary device (rūpaka). Thus, I take this as a compound and translate the whole phrase as
‘well decorated with variegated garlands of pure sprouts’. Also, in the second exam-
ple, the term vāsanivāsabhūtā does not fit the context well. However, when taking the
whole pāda as one compound, i.e. susajjitāvāsanivāsabhūtā, it makes better sense. We
are able to understand the contraction of the pāda as susajjita+āvāsa+nivāsa+bhūtā,
which literally means ‘just as well equipped dwelling places and houses’. In the third
instance, disā (‘directions’), when taking as a separate term is not compatible with
the particular context. Similarly, the term rajindā also does not make satisfactory
sense within this context. The stanza speaks of the shiny mountains seen around.
As the Siamese (BudSir) edition records, a Myanmar edition reads gajindā in lieu of
rajindā. Apparently, disā gajindā as a compound (i.e. disāgajindā), makes better sense,
and can be translated as ‘the mountains are shining as the lords of elephants of direc-
tions’.2 In the fourth example, the term bhitāsakehi does serve the context well. But
See Gamage 2019 (55–83)
2. See the translation and notes on KTh1 20.

when reading this term with the preceding portion of the pāda — kilesasaṅghassa — as
a sandhi: kilesasaṅghass’abhitāsakehi (kilesasaṅghassa+abhitāsakehi) it suits well. Then,
one is able to figure out that kilesasaṅghass’abhitāsakehi is a qualification of the fol-
lowing portion (i.e. tapassisaṅghehi) of the same pāda allowing one to come up with
a nice rendering of the entire pāda as follows: ‘by groups of ascetics who exceed-
ingly frighten the heap of [their own mental] defilements’.3 These instances show
that the failure to understand the exact divisions of compounds in the stanzas has
somewhat constituted a deviation of the poem from the original author’s intention.
I attempted to translate many stanzas in both series more literally, although some
of these thus appear in less idiomatic to English. However, in a few places, I had to
give up the literal meaning of the terms because they make no sense. Also, I was not
able to find the English renderings for a couple of flora and fauna in the KTh2. Thus
some trees remain only in their Latin botanical names and some species of birds have
only their ornithological designations. I left such terms untranslated. The authors
of both series are not consistent with nominal cases in the stanzas. In such cases, I
translated them considering the idea expressed in the whole stanza. The following
example clarifies how the author uses nominative forms in accusative sense.
KTh2 24: ketakī dhanuketakī […] sugandhā sampavāyanti
Ketakī and Dhanuketakī are defusing adorable fragrances.
It is obvious that the term sugandhā occurs here in the sense of sugandhaṃ or
sugandhe. This is not a new tendency to Pāli literature. We can see some instances
for this kind in the Pāli canon as well.4 The author moreover uses singular forms in
a plural sense. The substitution of gender is also one of ubiquitous features of both
series. The majority of these features can be considered as the strategies employed
by the poet for metrical license. I have noted many of those instances in the rel-
evant footnotes. This translation is based on the Bv-a of the Chaṭṭhasaṅgīti edition
for the KTh1 and the Ap-a of the PTS edition for the KTh2. In addition to Pāli and
Sanskrit dictionaries, I refer to some Sanskrit lexicons such as the Śabdakalpadruma
and Halāyudha because they offer useful definitions for some terms. Similarly, I
quote Pāli canonical instances as well as commentarial glosses in order to clarify
some specific terms existing in both series.
According to the Pāli commentaries, praising the beauty of the season as well as
the attractiveness of the road from Rājagaha to Kapilavatthu with sixty gāthās, the
Elder Kāḷudāyī prompted the Buddha to visit Kapilavatthu. The verses in a some-
what repetitive style describe the beauty of nature, with an implication that nature
responds to the Buddha. The KTh1 particularly offers a beautiful eulogy to the envi-
ronment of India in spring. It begins by describing the trees with red shoots and
sprouts, and then proceeds to illustrate various trees and creepers standing on both
3. See the translation of KTh1 43.

4. See A II 32: saṅgahā ete samavekkhanti paṇḍitā. ‘Wise People carefully consider these means of
favorable relationship.’ See also Bodhi 2012 (420). Buddhaghosa clearly figures out the term
saṅgahā as a nominative form expressing accusative sense. See Mp III 65: ‘saṅgahā ete’ ti upay-
ogavacane paccattaṃ. ‘“These means of favorable relationship” is a [term] of nominative case
expressing the accusative sense.’

sides of the road, and divergent species of birds with charming cries and antelopes
with diverse behaviours. The author is keen to describe the meadows, shiny sand,
ponds endowed with pure water and beautiful lotuses, the mountains, sky, peacocks,
bees, fountains of water, rivers, woodlands, and so forth (see Gamage 2019, 62).
Kāḷudāyī’s verses in the Buddhavaṃsa Aṭṭhakathā (KTh1)5

1. aṅgārino dāni dumā bhadante
te accimanto’ va pabhāsayanti
samayo mahāvīra Aṅgīrasānaṃ.6
O respected sir, the trees are now crimson, expecting fruit, having shed the foliage com-
pletely. They are shining exceedingly7 just as those [trees] are endowed with flames. O great
hero, it is the time [in favour] of8 Aṅgīrasas.9
5. This series runs in the Burmese Chaṭṭhasaṅgīti (Bv-a Be 28–37) edition and the Siamese BudSir
(Bv-a Se 34–46) editions. However, both PTS and Sinhalese (SHB) editions of the Bv-a do not
include these 64 stanzas.
6. The Theragāthā reads this Bhagīrasānaṃ. See Th 527. See also Th-a II 223–224. As Se records, a
Siamese edition and a Mynmar edition read this term as Bhagīrathānaṃ, and Bhagīrasānaṃ
respectively. According to Vedic tradition, there is a close connection of the Gotamas and the
Aṅgīrasa clan. See MacDonnell and Keith 1912 (234–235), DPPN I 20. In the Pāli canon, the term
Aṅgīrasa occurs as an honorific appellation to the Buddha. For example, see S I 196 and A III 239.
According to Buddhaghosa, the term is a synonym for the Buddha. See Spk I 152: ‘Aṅgīrasan’ ti
Sammāsambuddhaṃ. Bhagavato hi aṅgato rasmiyo nikkhamanti, tasmā Aṅgīraso ti vuccati. ‘“Aṅgīrasa”
means the Fully-Enlightened One. The rays indeed emanate from the limb[s] of the Blessed One,
thus, [he] is called “Aṅgīrasa’’.’ See also Mp III 316. As Dhammapāla’s account reveals, some (Keci)
held the view that the term Aṅgīrasa was used to qualify king Suddhodana, the father of the
Buddha. See Th-a II 226: ‘Aṅgīrasassā’ ti aṅgīkatasīlādisampattikassa. ‘aṅgam aṅgehi niccharaṇaka-
obhāsassā’ ti Apare. Keci pana Aṅgīraso Siddhattho ti dve nāmāni pitarā yeva gahitānī ti vadanti. ‘“Of
Aṅgīrasa” means of the one who owned the wealth that begins with moral conduct. Some other
[masters opine that the term means] “of the one who possesses the radiance emitting from all of
[his] limbs”. Nonetheless, some [masters] state that the two names, viz. Aṅgīrasa and Siddhattha
are referred only to the father [of the Buddha].’
7. pabhāsayanti. The use of causative instead of simple active present tense is a notable feature of
this series. Here pabhāsayanti (‘illuminate exceedingly’) is used in the sense of pabhāsanti (‘shine
exceedingly’). The same term occurs in Kāḷudāyī’s verses in the Theragāthā of the Khuddakanikāya.
See Th 527. The meaning of the causative form is not really appropriate for this context. The poet
is seemingly using this form in the sense of present active to preserve the metre. Dhammapāla
when commenting on the latter text, apparently realizes the awkwardness of this usage thus, he
interprets as follows: Th-a II 223: ‘accimanto va pabhāsayantī’ ti dīpasikhāvanto viya jalita-aggī viya
vā obhāsayanti sabbā disā ti adhippāyo. ‘“They illuminate exceedingly as though aflame” means as
though having a lamp’s flame or being set on fire they irradiate well all directions, [this is] the
intention.’ Interestingly, Norman also preferred the literal meaning of pabhāsayanti. See Norman
1995 (I 54). Apart from this instance, this feature can be seen in several verses of the present
series. See KTh1 10c has abhidhāvayanti (‘make to run towards’) for abhidhāvanti (‘run towards’).
See also KTh1 20c, 22c, 37c, 39b, 41c, 49c. The same feature is similarly applied for present tense
continues forms: KTh1 17b: abhinādayantā (‘making to cry out beautifully’) for abhinadantā and
KTh1 39c: gajjayantā (‘making to roar’) for gajjantā (‘roar’).
8. There is an ellipsis, according to Dhammapāla, in this pāda, and it should be anuggahāya. See
Th-a II 223: ‘anugaṇhanāyā’ ti vacanaseso. ‘“In favour of ” is the remnant of the utterance.’ The
Chaṭṭhasaṅgīti reads ‘anuggahāyā’ ti in lieu of ‘anugaṇhanāyā’ ti. See Th-a Be II 169. Throughout
this series, I follow the commentator’ suggestion because it suits well the context.
9. aṅgīrasānaṃ. Presumably, the plural implies that this is a good time for all the Gotama clan.

2. dumā vicittā suvirājamānā

rattaṅkureh’eva ca pallavehi,
ratan’ujjalamaṇḍapasannibhāsā
samayo mahāvīra Aṅgīrasānaṃ.
The variegated trees shining forth beautifully with [their] red shoots and sprouts, resemble
pavilions that are exceedingly flashing with jewels.10 O great hero, it is the time [in favour]
of Aṅgīrasas.
3. supupphitaggā kusumehi bhūsitā
manuññabhūtā sucisādhugandhā,
rukkhā virocanti ubhosu passesu
The delightful11 trees with [their] well-blossomed tops, adorned with flowers, with pure
and excellent fragrance, are shining on both sides. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of
Aṅgīrasas.
4. phalehi ’nekehi samiddhibhūtā
vicittarukkhā ubhatovakāse,
khuddaṃ pipāsam pi vinodayanti
The variegated trees rich with many fruits in both locations quench hunger and thirst.
O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
5. vicittamālāsucipallavehi
susajjitā morakalāpasannibhā,
rukkhā virocanti ubhosu passesu
The trees with [their] variegated garlands well decorated with pure sprouts,12 resembling
peacock tails, are shining on both sides [of the road]. O great hero, it is the time [in favour]
of Aṅgīrasas.
10. ratanujjalamaṇḍapasannibhāsā. Perhaps, sannibhāsa occurs only in the present context in Pāli lit-
erature. However, sannibha, which also appears in KTh1 5b refers to similitude. See PTSD, s.v. san-
nibha: ‘resembling’, MW, s.v. saṃnibha: ‘like, similar, resembling’, M II 137: mudutūlasannibhā. Tr.
Horner 1957 (322): ‘soft like cotton-down’, (Tr. Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi 1995, 746): ‘with the sheen of
soft cotton.’ The term sannibhāsa seems to occur here in the same sense. Presumably, the author
added sā after sannibhā for the sake of metrical license.
11. manuññabhūtā literally means ‘are delightful’. The poet, in a number of stanzas of the present
series, makes compounds placing the term bhūta as their second unit. These kinds of compounds
are also known to the Pāli canon wherein they function in two ways. When a term functioning as
an adjective precedes bhūta, the compound refers to the quality described by that adjective. For
instance, the Alagaddūpamasutta reads thus, M I 132: Ariṭṭho bhikkhu […] tuṇhībhūto maṅkubhūto
[…] nisīdi. We have the following two renderings for this sentence: ‘the monk Ariṭṭha […] sat
down silent, ashamed’ (Horner 1954 I 170); ‘bhikkhu Ariṭṭha […] sat silent, dismayed.’ (Ñāṇamoli
and Bodhi 1995, 226). On the contrary, when bhūta is preceded by a term functioning as a noun,
the compound offers a simile. See A Be I 448: pajā aṇḍabhūtā. Tr. ‘People are […] become like
an egg.’ Bodhi 2012 (512); Mp III 128: ‘aṇḍaṃ viya bhūto’ ti aṇḍabhūto. ‘[It is called] “[the people
are] become an egg” because [they have] become like an egg’; S II 92: muñjapabbajā bhūtā. Tr.
Bodhi 2000 (594): ‘like matted reeds and rushes’; Spk II 96: ‘muñjababbajabhūtā’ ti muñjatiṇaṃ viya
babbajatiṇaṃ viya ca bhūtā tādisā jātā. ‘“[People] have become matted reeds and rushes” means
[they] have become like matted reed grass and rushes grass, [and they] have become like that.’
For this usage of the present series, see, KTh1 4a, 6b, 11a, 32c, 35a, 43c.
12. Be, PTS and Se read vicittamālā sucipallavehi, as two words.

6. virocamānā phalapallavehi
susajjitāvāsanivāsabhūtā,
tosenti addhānakilantasatte
Shining forth rich with fruits and sprouts they, being well-equipped resting places and
shelters,13 satisfy the beings weary from the journey. O great hero, it is the time [in favour]
of Aṅgīrasas.
7. suphullitaggā vanagumbanissitā
latā anekā suvirājamānā,
tosenti satte maṇimaṇḍapā ’va
Numberless creepers with tops well-blossomed, hanging on the forest-shrubs, shining out
beautifully, satisfy the beings just as jewel pavilions. O great hero, it is the time [in favour]
of Aṅgīrasas.
8. latā anekā dumanissitā ’va
piyehi saddhiṃ sahitā vadhū va,
palobhayantī hi sugandhagandhā
Like numberless creepers leaning on trees [for greed of their sap, so] females (human and
animal) indeed [are] united with [their] beloved male [partners], for perfumed with fra-
grance they seduce [them].
9. vicittanīlādimanuññavaṇṇā
dijā samantā abhikūjamānā,
tosenti mañjussaratā ratīhi
Birds with brilliant colours such as shiny blue, singing around beautifully, delight [the be-
ings] with [their] lovely and pleasing sounds.14 O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of
Aṅgīrasas.
10. migā ca nānā suvirājamānā
uttuṅgakaṇṇā ca manuññanettā,
disā samantā m-abhidhāvayanti
Various types of deer shining forth beautifully with ears raised15 and charming eyes are run-
ning in every directions. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
11. manuññabhūtā ca mahī samantā
virājamānā haritā va saddalā,
supupphirukkhā moḷinivalaṅkatā
And the earth is delightful all around [i.e. on both sides of the road], shining extremely
13. I extract susajjitāvāsanivāsabhūtā as susajjita+āvāsa+nivāsa+bhūtā.

14. I take mañjussaratā ratīhi as a compound. However, it is somewhat unusual. For mañjussaro, see D
II 20, Sv II 452.
15. uttuṅgakaṇṇā literally means ‘[having] high ears.’ This is apparently used in the sense of ukkaṇṇā;
with ears raised.

green with new grass.16 Well-flowered trees are adorned just as females who are wearing
crowns.17 O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
12. susajjitā muttamayā ’va vālukā
susaṇṭhitā cārusuphassadātā,
virocayant’ eva disā samantā
Well-equipped, with sand as though consisting of pearls, well-established giving a delight-
ful and pleasant touch, they illuminate indeed the directions all around. O great hero, it is
the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
13. samaṃ suphassaṃ sucibhūmibhāgaṃ
manuññapupphodayagandhavāsitaṃ,
virājamānaṃ sucimañ ca sobhaṃ
The level, pure piece of land with pleasant touch, perfumed with the fragrance of delightful
rising (i.e. ‘blossoming’)18 flowers, is shining forth [with] an extremely pure19 beauty. O great
hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
14. susajjitaṃ Nandanakānanaṃ ’va
vicittanānādumasaṇḍamaṇḍitaṃ,
sugandhabhūtaṃ pavanaṃ surammaṃ
The wooded range,20 adorned with heaps of variegated various trees just as the well-
equipped grove of Nandana, is perfumed and absolutely delightful. O great hero, it is the
time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
15. sarā vicittā vividhā manoramā
susajjitā paṅkajapuṇḍarīkā,
pasannasītodakacārupuṇṇā
Various variegated lovely lakes well-equipped with mud-born white lotuses21 are filled with
16. saddalā stands for the ground where new green grass is abundantly growing. Śabdastomamahānidhi
defines the term śādvala thus: ŚMn, s.v. śādvala: bahulatṛṇayukte deśe. ‘[‘śādvala’ means] the ground
with abundant grass.’ Here is the Halāyudhakośa: Hk, s.v. śādvala: ‘navatṛṇabahuladeśaḥ.’ ‘[The term
śādvala] is the plot of ground where new grass is abundant.’ See also Th-a II 77: ‘susaddalā’ […] ti
[…] sundaraharitatiṇā. ‘“susaddalā” means beautiful and green grass.’
17. moḷinivalaṅkatā. Presumably, ‘mo’ ‘ni’ of moḷinivalaṅkatā may have expected to articulate as a short
syllable and a long syllable respectively. We assume moḷinī is a feminine gender term of molī
referring to woman with a crown. See PTSD, s.v. moli: ‘Chignon, crest, turban’, MW, s.v. maulin:
‘having a diadem or crown.’
18. The term udaya (‘rise’) of pupphodaya (puppha+udaya) is a new expression to refer to the ‘blos-
soming’ of flowers in this context.
19. sucimaṃ does not occur in the first four Nikāyas, but does so rarely in the Khuddakanikāya. For
example, see J Be II 337: kalyāṇatitthaṃ sucimaṃ. ‘Charming and extremely pure [river] banks.’
20. pavana is interpreted in two ways in the commentaries. Ps II 85: ‘pavane’ ti vanasaṇḍe. ‘“In the
pavana” means in the wooded range.’ Spk II 100: ‘pavane’ ti mahāvane. ‘“In the pavana” means in
the dense forest.’ I follow the first interpretation here. See also PTSD, s.v. pavana: ‘side of a moun-
tain, declivity’, MW, s.v. pravaṇa: ‘wood.’
21. paṅkajapuṇḍarīkā. In this context, I render the term paṅkaja (‘mud-born’) in its literal sense
(i.e. in yoga sense, not as a rūḍhi) as a qualification of puṇḍarīkā. Furthermore, paṅkajapuṇḍarīkā

limpid, cool and lovely water. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
16. suphullanānāvidhapaṅkajehi
virājamānā sucigandhagandhā,
pamodayant’ eva narāmarānaṃ
[Those lakes] shining forth with well-blossomed various sorts of lotuses that are perfumed
with pure fragrance, indeed delight human beings and deities.22 O great hero, it is the time
[in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
17. suphullapaṅkeruhasannisinnā,23
dijā samantā m-abhinādayantā,
modanti bhariyāhi samaṅgino te
Those birds firmly sitting on well-blossomed lotuses, making cries around [and] rejoice
united with wives.24 O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
18. suphullapupphehi rajaṃ gahetvā
alī vidhāvanti vikūjamānā,
madhumhi gandho vidisaṃ pavāyati
Having taken pollen from the well-blossomed flowers, the bees are running25 around buzz-
ing. The fragrance of honey immensely perfumes the intercardinal directions.26 O great
19. abhinnanādā madavāraṇā ca
girīhi dhāvanti ca vāridhārā,
savanti najjo suvirājitā va
And founts of water are running from the mountains just as rutted elephants27 with fre-
quent trumpetings. The rivers are flowing as if shining forth beautifully. O great hero, it is
the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.28
appears to be used here in the sense of instrumental, i.e. paṅkajapuṇḍarīkehi. In Se, as a variant
of the Burmese edition mahāpaṅkajapuṇḍarīkehi is given. This term is obviously more descriptive
and hypermetric, thus appears to be an addition of a copyist or a reader. For the term puṇḍarīka,
see KTh2 45.
22. Here, narāmarānaṃ apparently gives accusative sense.
23. Se gives the variant sannissitā (‘well attached to’) as a reading of a Burmese (Ma) edition. Yet this
reading is hypermetric.
24. bhariyāhi (lit. ‘with wives’) refers to female birds in this context. I think the author deliberately
chose this term to add an extra elegance to the poem.
25. Here vidhāvanti (lit. ‘run to diverse directions’) occurs to denote the flight of bees, and this usage
works to strengthen the literary value of the poem.
26. vidisaṃ. Th-a III 159: ‘vidisā’ ti […] catasso anudisā. ‘“vidisā means four intercardinal directions.’ Cf.
SNa 16:28: diśaṃ na kāṃcid vidiśaṃ na kāṃcit. ‘[The flame of a ceased-lamp] nether [goes] to any
direction not intercardinal direction.’
27. madavāraṇā ca. ca that occurs at the end of this pāda seems a graphical confusion or a scribal
error of va, and it does not make sense in this context. Hence, I interpret it as va; ‘as if.’
28. This verse substantially differs in Se. It runs as follows:

20. girī samantā va padissamānā,

mayūragīvā iva nīlavaṇṇā,
disārajindā ’va29 virocayanti
The mountains, clearly seen around indeed are blue coloured just like peacock necks,
[and] are shining as ruling kings of the directions. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of
Aṅgīrasas.
21. mayūrasaṅghā girimuddhanasmiṃ,
naccanti nārīhi samaṅgibhūtā,
kūjanti nānāmadhurassarehi
The flocks of peacocks dance on the summit of the mountains30 united with females,31 and
scream various melodious cries. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
22. suvādikānekadijā manuññā
vicittapattehi virājamānā,
girimhi ṭhatvā abhinādayanti
Numberless lovely birds with agreeable twitterings,32 shining forth with variegated wings,
are crying out beautifully standing on the mountain. O great hero, it is the time [in favour]
abhinnanādā madavāraṇā ca girīhi najjo suvirājitā ’va, savanti dhāvanti ca vāridhārā samayo mahāvīra
aṅgīrasānaṃ. ‘And the rutted elephants have [their] frequent trumpetings. The rivers are [flow-
ing] from the mountains shining forth beautifully. Founts of water are flowing and running.
O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.’
29. Although Be and Se read disā rajindā as two terms, I take these two as a compound, i.e. disārajindā
to mean the great kings who are ruling directions. That is to say, kings of the regions. Here,
apparently rājindā (rāja+indā) is shortened as rajindā for metrical license. This usage cannot be
attested in the canon. Nevertheless, we do have the term disampati (‘the lord of the directions’),
as an epithet of a king. The commentary to the Jātaka glosses the vocative form disampati as fol-
lows: Ja III 106: ‘disampatī’ ti disānaṃ pati mahārāja. ‘“disampati” means the lord of the directions,
O great king,.’ Furthermore, the sub-commentary to the Majjhimanikāya explains the term thus:
Ps-pṭ Be II 148: ‘disampatī’ ti […] disāsīsena deso vutto ti. desānaṃ adhipatirājā ti attho. ‘“disampati”
means [one should know that] region is stated here under the heading of direction. The lord king
of the regions, is the meaning.’ Therefore, it is justifiable to take disārajindā in the sense of the
kings of the regions. As Se records, a Myanmar edition reads the variant gajindā ’va in place of
rajindā ’va. Then the whole compound stands for disāgajindā (‘the elephants of directions’). When
reading the entire verse in light of this reading, the mountains seen around are equated to the
elephant-lord of the directions. To me, this reading serves the context well because it gives an
indication to the eight diggajas that are associated with the eight cardinal points. The Amarakośa
enumerates those eight elephants as follows:
AK 1:3:3: airāvataḥ puṇḍarīko vāmanaḥ kumudo’ñjanaḥ,
puṣpadantaḥ sārvabhaumaḥ supratīkaś ca diggajāḥ.
The Abhidhānappadīpikā apparently influenced by the Amarakośa, and reproduced a gāthā to
describe the disāgajas. See AbhP Be 1:30. See also Sircar 1971 (331).
30. The term girimuddhanasmiṃ is a bit peculiar. If it is a scribal error for girimuddhanismiṃ, the
case ending smiṃ is redundant because girimuddhani is adequate to express the locative mean-
ing here. Alternatively, the author either suffixed smiṃ to a hypothetical term girimuddhana or
advertently used girimuddhanismiṃ in keeping with metrical license.
31. morī basically stands for peahen in Pāli literature. See J II 37. Presumably, the poet purposely uses
this term as a figure of speech to strengthen the value of the work.
32. It seems that the term suvādikā occurs only in this context in Pāli literature. See PTSD, s.v. vādika:
‘speaking, talking.’

of Aṅgīrasas.
23. suphullapupphākaram-ābhikiṇṇā
sugandhanānādalalaṅkatā ca,
girī virocanti disā samantā
The mountains overspread with [various] sorts of well-blossomed flowers, and adorned
with various fragrant leaves,33 are shining in the directions34 around. O great hero, it is the
24. jalāsayā ’nekasugandhagandhā
surinda-uyyānajalāsayā va,
savanti najjo suvirājamānā
The rivers flow, shining forth beautifully, perfumed with many fragrances35 from the ponds
like the ponds in the garden of the lord of gods. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of
Aṅgīrasas.
25. vicittatitthehi alaṅkatā ca
manuññanānāmigapakkhipāsā,
najjo virocanti susandamānā
samayo mahāvīra aṅgīrasānaṃ.
The rivers, adorned with charming banks and having lines of various kinds of deer and
birds,36 are flowing beautifully. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
26. ubhosu37 passesu jalāsayesu
supupphitā cārusugandharukkhā,38
vibhūsitaggā surasundarī ca
Well-flowered trees with charming fragrance on both sides of the lakes [appear] as orna-
mented beautiful celestial females.39 O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
27. sugandhanānādumajālakiṇṇaṃ
vanaṃ vicittaṃ suranandanaṃ ’va,
manobhirāmaṃ satataṃ gatīnaṃ
33. For dala, see Hk, s.v. dalaṃ: patraṃ.

34. Here, the locative case ending of disāsu is seemingly dropped metri causa.
35. See DOP, s.v. jalāsaya: ‘a lake or pond, a river.’
36. manuññanānāmigapakkhipāsā. This pāda qualifies najjo in the third pāda, and it carries a personifi-
cation; rūpaka. pāsā is used in the sense of ‘group’ here. The term apparently refers to a chain or
a cord. See MW, s.v. pāśa: ‘cord, chain.’
37. Se reads usosu that is apparently a misreading.
38. According to Se, a Myanmar edition reads here tārusugandharukkhā. In this reading, tāru (lit.
‘relating to taru or trees’) does not make satisfactory sense.
39. surasundarī ca. The last term, i.e. ca does not make sense in this context, and it is apparently a
graphical confusion of va. I take this as surasundarī va. Both in Sinhalese and Burmese characters
for ca and va are extremely similar. MW, s.v. surasundarī: ‘a lovely celestial female.’

The lovely forest crowded40 with a multitude of various fragrant trees41 resembling the god’s
[park] Nandana is always adorable for passers-by.42 O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of
Aṅgīrasas.
28. sampannanānāsuci-annapānā
sabyañjanā sādurasena yuttā,
pathesu gāme sulabhā manuññā
Numerous kinds of pure, luscious foods and drinks43 with curries connected to lovely and
delicious taste44 are easy to gain on the roads in the village. O great hero, it is the time [in
favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
40. DOP, s.v. kiṇṇa: ‘scattered, strewn.’

41. sugandhanānādumajālakiṇṇaṃ. The term jāla that constitutes in this pāda to refers to a multitude.
See DOP, s.v. jāla1: ‘a collection, a multitude.’
42. Here the term gatīnaṃ is apparently used in the sense of gantūnaṃ (‘for passers-by’).
43. sampanna. See PTSD, s.v. sampanna: ‘successful, complete, perfect.’ Yet I translate the term sam-
panna here as ‘sweet’ or ‘luscious’ following the commentators. In the Ākaṅkheyyasutta, the Bud-
dha gives an admonition to his disciples thus: M I 33: sampannasīlā bhikkhave viharatha. ‘Dwell,
O monks, being fully endowed with moral conduct.’ See also Horner 1954 (I 41); Ñāṇamoli and
Bodhi 1995 (115). Glossing the term sampannasīlā, Buddhaghosa explains the semantic range
of sampanna in the Papañcasūdanī as follows: Ps I 153–154: tattha ‘sampannasīlā’ ti tividhaṃ
sampannaṃ paripuṇṇa-samaṅgi-madhuravasena. tattha: ‘sampannaṃ sālikedāraṃ — suvā bhuñjanti
Kosiya, paṭivedayāmi te brahme — na naṃ vāretum ussahe’ ti idaṃ paripuṇṇasampannaṃ nāma. ‘iminā
pātimokkhasaṃvarena upeto hoti samupeto upāgato samupāgato upapanno sampanno samannāgato’ ti
idaṃ samaṅgisampannaṃ nāma. ‘imissā bhante mahāpaṭhaviyā heṭṭhimaṃ talaṃ sampannaṃ, seyyathā
pi khuddaṃ madhuṃ anelakaṃ evam assādan’ ti idaṃ madhurasampannaṃ nāma. ‘In regard to the
[term] “sampannasīlā” (‘being fully endowed with moral conduct’), there are threefold [mean-
ings of the term] sampannaṃ, namely, [being fully furnished with] perfectness, possession [and]
sweetness. With regard to [these three meanings]: 1. “the parrots, O Kosiya, consume the perfect
rice-field. O Brahma, I announce to you that I am not able to prevent that [action of the par-
rots].” This is called being fully furnished with perfectness. 2. “One is possessed of this restraint
by pātimokkha, well possessed, entered, well entered, closely entered, replete with, endowed
with”. This is called fully furnished with endowment. 3. “The under surface of this great earth,
O Venerable one, is full of sweetness, [and] [it has] the enjoyable taste just as [of] a flawless
honey-[comb].” This is called fully furnished with sweetness.’ Buddhaghosa probably quoted the
above-mentioned three citations respectively from the Jātaka (J Be I 276. See also Ja IV; Rouse,
1901, 176), Vibhaṅga (Vibh Be 255. The PTS reads samuppanno (‘well arisen’) instead of sampanno,
and it does not suit the context. See Vibh 246; Tiṭṭila 1969, 321) and Vinaya (Vin III 7; Horner, 1938
I 14). Besides the great commentator, Dhammapāla (It-a II 175–176) and Buddhadatta (Bv-a 14;
Horner 1978, 21) also shared this gloss in their commentaries.
44. Bv-a Se 39 reads sādhurasena. ‘With excellent taste’. To some extent, this term also appears to
serve the present context. Yet sādhurasena would much better fit here. Although sādu (‘sweet’)
is not synonymous with sadhu (‘excellent’), the former term at times seemingly gave rise to
the latter in Pāli literature. Both in the Āḷavakasutta appearing in the Saṃyuttanikāya and the
Suttanipāta there is the verse line thus: S I 214, Sn 32: kiṃ su have sādutaraṃ rasānaṃ? Tr. Bodhi
2000 (315), Bodhi 2017 (185): ‘What is really the sweetest of tastes?’ The commentaries of these
two texts show that the Mahāvihāra school preserved the reading sādhutaraṃ in addition to
sādutaraṃ. Presumably, both commentators have seen another version of the Pāli canon slightly
differing from the one available to us today.Here is the gloss of the term sādutaraṃ: Spk I 327,
Sn-a I 231: ‘sādutaran’ ti atisayena sāduṃ. ‘sādhutaran’ ti pi pāṭho. ‘“sādutaraṃ (‘sweetest’) means
extremely sweet. There is also the reading sādhutaraṃ (‘most excellent’). See also Bodhi 2017
(622).

29. virājitā āsi45 mahī samantā

vicittavaṇṇā kusumāsanassa,
ratt’indagopehi alaṅkatā ’va
The earth is shiny all around with variegated colours of a seat of flowers46 just as adorned
with scarlet rain-mites.47 O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
30. visuddhasaddhādiguṇehi48 yuttā
Sambuddharājaṃ abhipatthayantā,
bahū hi tatth’ eva janā samantā
Indeed, just there are a number of people all around who are endowed with the qualities
such as extremely pure faith, sincerely desiring [to see] the fully Awakened king.49 O great
31. vicitra-ārāmasupokkharañño50
vicitranānāpadumehi channā,
bhisehi khīraṃ ’va rasaṃ pavāyati
Lovely [and] excellent garden ponds are covered with various variegated lotuses. The sap
resembling milk [flowing] from the lotus stems, immensely perfumed [the directions].51 O
45. virājitā āsi mahī samantā. Here, āsi, I take in the sense of present tense. Se reads virājitā asāsi mahī
samantā.
46. kusumāsanassa. Lit. ‘Of the seat with flowers.’ As attested in some canonical reference kusumāsana
was offered to Buddhas to sit on. See Ap I 69: nisīdi […] Bhagavā […] kusumāsane. ‘The Blessed one
sat on the set of flowers.’ See also Walters 2017 (129). The Apadāna also contains a reference to an
Elder named Kusumāsaniyatthera. See Ap I 160. According to commentarial explanations, it refers
to a seat on which variegated flowers are spread. See Mp I 151: vaṇṇagandhasampannāni pupphāni
āharitvā […] pupphāsanaṃ paññāpesuṃ. ‘Having brought the flowers that are fully endowed with
colours and fragrance, [they] laid down a seat of flowers.’ See also Th-a I 22.
47. tatt’indagopehi. See DOP, s.v. inda-gopaka: ‘the scarlet rain-mite’, ‘Red Velvet Mite’ (Dhammika
2015, 42).
48. Se reads visuddhasuddhādiguṇehi. Here, the term suddha is redundant because the same idea is
already well expressed with the former term visuddha. Thus, this appears to be a misreading.
49. Sambuddharājaṃ. To the best of my knowledge, this term represents its first attestation in Pāli
literature.
50. Se reads this line thus: vicitrā-arāmasupokkharañño, and according to this edition, a Myanmar
edition reads the very same line as °pokkharaññā. Both of these readings are hypermetric. PTSD,
s.v. pokkharaṇī: ‘a lotus pond, an artificial pool or small lake for water, plants’, MW, s.v. puṣkarin: ‘a
lotus pool, any pool or pond.’ As Buddhaghosa points out in the Sāratthappakāsinī, although the
term pokkharaṇī literally means ‘a pond with lotuses’ or ‘a pond with water’, as an actual denota-
tion (rūḷhi), it is used as a referent to a pond whether or not it has water or lotuses. See Spk I 17.
51. bhisehi khīraṃ ’va rasaṃ pavāyati. Canonical attestations speak of the lotus stems flowing honey-
like sap. Before looking at some sources relating to this motif, let me distinguish between bhisa
and muḷāla. Pāli exegetical sources lead us to presume that the term bhisa refers to ‘edible bul-
bous stems’ or ‘rhizomes of lotuses’ while the term muḷāla stands for a ‘lotus root.’ According
to Hanneder, bisa stands for ‘[edible] rhizomes’ of lotus. See Hanneder 2002 (299). In the sub-
commentary to the Saṃyuttanikāya, Dhammapāla differentiates bhisa from muḷāla: Spk-pṭ Be I
293: ‘muḷālan’ ti setapadumānaṃ mūlaṃ. ‘bhisan’ ti tesaṃ yeva kandaṃ. ‘“muḷāla” means the root of
white lotuses [and] “bhisa” means the [edible] bulbous stem of those very same [white lotuses].’
The author of the Apadāna commentary, explains bhisa offering a creative etymology as follows:
Ap-a Be II 92: dvipadacatuppadānaṃ chātakaṃ bhisati hiṃsati vināsetī ti bhisaṃ, ko so? padumak-

great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.

32. vicitranīlacchadanenalaṅkatā
manuññarukkhā ubhato ’vakāse,
samuggatā sattasamūhabhūtā
Lovely trees adorned with charming blue foliage have well arisen52 on both sides just like a
multitude of beings. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
ando. ‘Because it throws, injures [and] destroys the hunger of bipeds [and] quadrupeds, it is
[called] “bhisa”. What is that? The [edible] bulbous stem of lotus.’ Nevertheless, the term muḷāla
(Skt. mṛṇāla) is also used, especially in Sanskrit sources, as a referent to the ‘lotus stalk.’ The
Halāyudhakośa, for instance defines mṛṇālam as paṅkajādīnāṃ nālam (‘[“mṛṇāla” means] the stalk
of [the flowers] that begin with lotus’). See Hk: mṛṇālam. See also Hanneder 2002 (300). Both bhisa
and muḷāla occur together in Pāli literature. For example, see Ap I 114: bhisaṃ muḷālaṃ gaṇhitvā.
‘Having taken [edible] bulbous stem(s) of lotus and [their] root(s).’ See also Walters 2017 (200);
S V 447. At times, these two terms can also be attested as a dvandva compound. See S II 269:
bhisamuḷālaṃ. ‘[Edible] bulbous stem(s) of lotus and [their] root(s).’ See also Bodhi 2000 (710), S V
447; Bodhi 2000 (1864), Sn-a I 296; Bodhi 2017 (730). The following are the two pādas appearing in
the biography of the Elder named Bhisadāyakatthera (‘the Elder who offered bhisa’) of the Apadāna
(Ap II 420): madhu bhisehi savati — khīrasappi muḷālibhi. ‘Honey flows from [edible] bulbous stem
of lotus, [and] milk [and] clarified butter from lotus roots.’ See also Walters 2017 (623–624), Ap I
137; Walters 2017 (232). In what follows is the gloss that illustrates how the commentator under-
stood the idea expressed in the above-mentioned two pādas: Ap-a Be II 210: ‘madhuṃ bhisehi
savatī’ ti pokkharamadhu padumakesarehi savati, paggharati. ‘khīraṃ sappiṃ muḷālibhī’ ti khīrañ ca sap-
pirasañ ca padumamuḷālehi ‘savati’, paggharati. ‘“Honey flows from [edible] bulbous stem of lotus”
means lotus-nectar flows [and] oozes from the filaments of lotuses; “milk [and] clarified butter
[flow] from lotus roots” means milk and juice of clarified butter “flow” [and] ooze from lotus
roots.’ This interpretation shows that the commentator considers the [edible] bulbous stem of
lotus (bhisa) and filaments of lotuses (padumakesara) to be synonymous in this context. He more-
over, equates honey (madhu) with lotus-nectar (pokkharamadhu). It seems that the commentator
understands the two pādas in a more literal sense, and interprets accordingly. According to him,
pokkharamadhu stands for the nectar oozing from the filaments of lotuses. However, we see the
term pokkharamadhu occurring elsewhere in the commentaries stands for the pollens of flow-
ers (in general) that mix with drops of water and turn into an edible crispy substance on lotus
leaves due to the sunshine. In the Sāratthappakāsinī, Buddhaghosa explains pokkharamadhu thus:
Spk I 281: kusumānaṃ pupphanasamaye vāto reṇuvaṭṭiṃ uṭṭhāpetvā paduminīpaṇṇesu pāteti. tattha
udakaphusitāni patanti. tato ādiccapākena paccitvā pakka-ayoghaṭikā viya tiṭṭhati. etaṃ pokkharama-
dhu nāma. ‘During the blossoming time of flowers, the wind having caused to rise lumps of [their]
pollen, cause to [them] fall on the lotus leaves. [Then,] drops of water fall on those [lumps of
pollen]. Subsequently, having been cooked by the heat of the sun, [they] remain [on lotus leaves
appearing] just as a baked iron pot. This [substance] is called ‘lotus nectar.’ See also Spk-pṭ Be
I 293, Ja VI 531. In the Jātaka too, we see the above-mentioned two pādas: J Be II 340: madhuṃ
bhisehi savati — khīrasappimuḷālibhi. See also Ja VI 530. Interestingly, the author of the Jātaka
commentary reads these two pādas in a different perspective. Here is his gloss: Ja Be VI 531:
‘madhun’ ti bhisakoṭiyā bhinnāya paggharaṇaraso madhusadiso hoti. ‘khīrasappi muḷālibhī’ ti muḷālehi
paggharanaraso khīramissakanavanītasappi viya hoti. See also Ja VI 531. ‘“Honey” means the sap
oozing as a result of breaking a point of an [edible] bulbous stem of lotus, resembles honey; “milk
[and] clarified butter [flow] from lotus roots” means the sap oozing from lotus roots is similar
to fresh butter [and] clarified butter that are mixed with milk.’ As this gloss suggests, contrary
to the author of the Apadāna commentary, here the commentator of the Jātakaṭṭhakathā appar-
ently treats the two pādas under discussion, as a statement of figurative language. Thus, he takes
madhu and khīrasappi as similes.
52. Thi-a 237: ‘samuggatan’ ti […] uggataṃ uṭṭhitaṃ acc’uggamma ṭhitaṃ. ‘“Well arisen” means arisen,
stood up, staying after extremely arisen out.’ See also Pruitt 1998 (320). PTSD, s.v. samuggata:
‘arisen’, PSED, s.v. samudgata: ‘upraised, uplifted, elevated.’

33. vicitranīlabbham ivāyataṃ vanaṃ

surindaloke iva Nandanaṃ vanaṃ,
sabbotukaṃ sādhusugandhapupphaṃ
The elongated forest resembling a charming blue cloud, with the flowers with excellent
agreeable fragrance, belonging to all seasons,53 is like the park Nandana in the world of the
gods’ lord. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
34. subhañjasaṃ yojanayojanesu
subhikkhagāmā sulabhā manuññā,
janābhikiṇṇā sulabhannapānā
Lovely path[s] straight for every league, attractive villages in which excellent almsfood is
quite easy to obtain. [Those villages where] foods and drinks are quite easy to obtain, are
crowded with people. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
35. pahūtachāyūdakarammabhūtā
nivāsinaṃ54 sabbasukhappadātā,
visālasālā ca sabhā ca bahū
There are number of vast halls and assemblies that are agreeable with immense shades and
water that properly give all happiness for those who dwell. O great hero, it is the time [in
36. vicittanānādumasaṇḍamaṇḍitā
manuñña-uyyānasupokkharañño,
sumāpitā sādhusugandhagandhā
There are well created perfect lovely garden ponds adorned with heaps of various varie-
gated trees are perfumed with excellent agreeable fragrance. O great hero, it is the time [in
37. vāto mudūsītalasādhurūpo
nabhā ca abbhā vigatā samantā,
disā ca sabbā va virocayanti
The wind has the form of softness, coolness and agreeability55 and the clouds are gone away
53. sabbotukaṃ. See MW, s.v. sarvartuka, PTSD, s.v. utuka.

54. According to Se, the variant nivāsinā (‘by one who dwells’) appeared in a Myanmar edition. This
reading does not suit the context.
55. mudūsītalasādhurūpo. The term rūpa when followed by an adjective in compounds expresses the
nature or quality of what it precedes. See Sn 132: kiṃ devasaṃgho ativiya kalyarūpo? ‘Why does
the group of deities have the form of exceedingly agreeable?’ Here is the two scholarly ren-
derings of the same expression: Tr. Bodhi 2017 (274): ‘For what reason is the group of devas
exuberantly jubilant?’; Tr. Norman 2001(89): ‘Why is the group of devas exceedingly happy?’
See also Th 212: sukallarūpo. ‘The form of exceedingly agreeable’; Th-a II 77: ‘sukallarūpo’ […]
kammanīyabhāvo. ‘“The form of exceedingly agreeable” [means] the nature of being ready to
act’; M II 131: ānandarūpo. ‘The form of bliss’; Ps III 361: ‘ānandarūpo’ ti ānandasabhāvo. ‘“The form
of bliss” means the own nature of bliss’. In KTh2 29 we find an oxymoron, sādhurūpā bhayānakā;
[those who] possess the form of good [but] fearful.’

from the sky all around. All the directions are indeed shining. O great hero, it is the time [in
38. pathe rajo’nuggamanattham eva
rattiṃ pavassanti ca mandavuṭṭhī,
nabhe ca sūro muduko va tāpo
Truly, in order not to rise the dust on the road, light rains are pouring down properly at
night, and the sun in the sky indeed is of extremely gentle heat. O great hero, it is the time
39. madappabāhā madahatthisaṅghā
kareṇusaṅghehi sukīḷayanti,
disā vidhāvanti ca gajjayantā
The parades of rutting elephants having streams of juice [that exude from their temples]
are playing well with the herds of cow elephants, and [they] are running in the directions
making trumpetings. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
40. vanaṃ sunīlaṃ abhidassanīyaṃ
nīlabbhakūṭaṃ iva rammabhūtaṃ,
vilokitānaṃ ativimhanīyaṃ
The forest, which is extremely blue, excellently attractive, as delightful as a ridge of blue
cloud, is absolutely astonishing for those who look around.56 O great hero, it is the time [in
41. visuddham abbhaṃ gaganaṃ surammaṃ
maṇimayehi samalaṅkatā va,
disā ca sabbā atirocayanti
The sky with extremely pure clouds is highly attractive just as well decorated with those
made of jewels.57 And all the directions are brightly shining. O great hero, it is the time [in
42. gandhabbavijjādharakinnarā ca
sugītiyantā madhurassarena,
caranti tasmiṃ pavane suramme
Gandhabbas, Vijjādharas and Kinnaras58 beautifully singing songs in sonorous tone,59 are
56. vilokitānaṃ. Lit. ‘For those who look around’. See Sv I 193: vilokitaṃ nāma anudisā pekkhaṇaṃ.
‘“vilokita (‘looking around’)” is called looking at the intercardinal directions.’ See also Ps I 261.
57. maṇimayehi breaks the metre as it reads. Here ṇi is presumably shortened form of ṇī metri causa.
The meaning of maṇīhi (‘with jewels’) is apparently sufficient to express the meaning here and
mayehi is redundant.
58. gandhabbavijjādharakinnarā ca. DOP, s.v. gandhabba: ‘one of a class of heaven-dwelling beings,
noted especially as musicians.’ Vp, s.v. vidhyādhara: devayonibhede. ‘[The term vidyādhara is used]
to refer to a class of deity’; DOP, s.v. kinnarī: ‘mythical being, prob[ably] an animal but with some
human features or characteristics (they live in the mountains; are timid, but sing and dance
superbly…).’
59. sugītiyantā seems a bit unusual term. The author either used this term in the sense of sugāyamānā

wandering in that perfectly charming wooded range. O great hero, it is the time [in favour]
of Aṅgīrasas.
43. kilesasaṅghass’abhitāsakehi
tapassisaṅghehi nisevitaṃ vanaṃ,
vihāra-ārāmasamiddhibhūtaṃ
The forest frequented by groups of ascetics who exceedingly frighten the heap of [their own
mental] defilements, is prosperous with monasteries and gardens. O great hero, it is the
44. samiddhinānāphalino vanantā
anākulā niccamano’bhirammā,
samādhipītiṃ abhivaḍḍhayanti
The borders of the forest60 that are endowed with various perfect fruits,61 are calm62 [and]
one should find constant mental delightfulness [therein]. [Those borders of the forest]
greatly enhance the rapture of the meditative concentration. O great hero, it is the time [in
45. nisevitaṃ ’nekadijehi niccaṃ
gāmena gāmaṃ satataṃ vasantā,
pure pure gāmavarā ca santi63
And there are great villages in every city ever frequented by various kinds of birds that live
by constantly flying village to village. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
46. vatthannapānaṃ sayanāsanañ ca
gandhañ ca mālañ ca vilepanañ ca,
tahiṃ samiddhā janatā bahū ca
In those [villages],64 there are clothing, food, drink, [places for] sleeping and sitting,65 fra-
or sugīyamānā or he invented a new verb sugītiyantā (‘beautifully singing songs’) suffixing yantā
to the noun sugīti (‘beautiful song’). I translated su here as an adverb.
60. See MW, s.v. vanānta: ‘forest-region, a wood’, PSED, s. v. vanānta: ‘the skirts or borders of a forest.’
61. samiddhinānāphalino. I take this as nānāsamiddhiphalino. The term samiddha makes better sense
than samiddhi in this context. See PTSD, s.v. samiddha, MW, s.v. samṛddha.
62. See DOP, s.v. anākula.
63. Se records two variants existing in Myanmar edition(s) thus: gāmavarā vasangi, gāmavare vasanti.
The first of these two readings appears to be an obvious mistake. Perhaps, a copyist who was
less familiar to Pāli produced this reading due to aural confusion. Although the second reading
can be rendered as ‘[Those birds] live in the great village’, it looks absurd when reading with the
preceding line — gāmena gāmaṃ satataṃ vasantā. ‘Live by constantly flying village to village’ — of
the verse. This verse is highly coloured with tautological oddity.
64. I take tahiṃ (lit. ‘there’) in plural sense to refer to villages.
65. sayanāsanañ ca. Both compounds, namely, sayanāsana and senāsana are widely attestable in the
Pāli canon. The former term often occurs in the verse sections (for example, see D II 50, S I 61,
Dhp 14:7, Ud 43), whereas the latter is common in the prose sections (see D I 71, M I 10, S II 194,
A I 237). Both of these terms refer to the lodgings for monks. In the Papañcasūdanī, Buddhag-
hosa’s gloss on the term senāsana as follows: Ps II 214–215:‘seti c’eva āsati ca etthā’ ti ‘senāsanaṃ’,
mañcapīṭhādīnam etaṃ adhivacanaṃ. ten’ āha: ‘senāsanan’ ti mañco pi senāsanaṃ, pīṭham pi bhisi

grances, garlands, unguents, and many people who are fully furnished with [property]. O
47. puññ’iddhiyā sabbayasaggapattā
janā ca tasmiṃ sukhitā samiddhā,
pahūtabhogā vividhā vasanti
Indeed, diverse rich and happy people who attained the summit of the complete fame
through the success of meritorious deeds, [furnished with] enormous wealth, are living
there. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
48. nabhe ca abbhā suvisuddhavaṇṇā
disā ca cando suvirājito va,
rattiñ ca vāto mudusītalo ca,
And, the clouds in the sky of absolutely pure colours, and the moon is as though illuminat-
ing the directions beautifully,66 and the wind is also soft and cool at night. O great hero, it is
the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
49. cand’uggame sabbajanā pahaṭṭhā
sakaṅgaṇe citrakathā vadantā,
piyehi saddhiṃ abhimodayanti
When the moon is rising, all the people being extremely cheerful, greatly rejoice with be-
loved ones telling colourful stories67 in their own compound. O great hero, it is the time [in
50. candassa raṃsīhi nabhaṃ viroci
mahī ca saṃsuddhamanuññavaṇṇā,
disā ca sabbā parisuddharūpā
pi bimbohanam pi vihāro pi aḍḍhayogo pi pāsādo pi hammiyam pi guhā pi aṭṭo pi mālo pi leṇam pi
veḷugumbo pi rukkhamūlam pi maṇḍapo pi senāsanaṃ. yattha vā pana bhikkhū paṭikkamanti, sabbam
etaṃ ‘senāsanan’ ti. ‘Because [one] seeps and sits here’, [it is called] “senāsana (‘sleeping and sit-
ting’)”, this is a designation of bed, chair, and so forth. It is stated thus: “senāsana” means: bed
is also a senāsana. [Similarly,] a chair, a cushion, a pillow, a monastery, a half-roofed monastery,
a building on high foundations, a palace, a cave, a watch-tower, a circular [house], a mountain
cave, a bamboo thicket, a foot of a tree, a pavilion is also a senāsana. Nonetheless, wherever else
the monks retreat, all this is a senāsana.’ We see Buddhaghosa attaching the (underlined) scrip-
tural passage to substantiate his gloss. I assume that he quoted this passage from the Vibhaṅga
(Vibh 251; Tiṭṭila 1969, 327). But he slightly abbreviated and altered it when presenting in his
commentaries. See also Sv I 208–209, Mp III 200. As both Buddhaghosa’s gloss and the scriptural
passage make clear, although the term senāsana primarily referred to ‘sleeping and sitting’, i.e. ‘a
bed and chair’, conventionally or as a rūḷhi, it began to use as a referent to any kinds of dwelling
places for monks. In his Saddhammapajjotikā, Upasena also apparently follows Buddhaghosa. See
Nidd-a I 97. For Dhammapāla’s brief comment on senāsana, see Vv-a Be 20.
66. disā ca cando suvirājito va provides here a good example of grammatical incorrectness of this
series. In fact, the author could have formulated this pāda as either disā ca candena virājitā va (‘the
directions are as though illuminated brightly by the moon’) or disā ca cando ca virājitā va (‘the
directions and the moon as though are illuminating brightly’) to ensure the accuracy of both
grammar and metre.
67. citrakathā is an accusative term here although it looks like a nominative. In the canon we read
cittakathī, see A III 58: āyasmā Nārado […] cittakathī. Tr. Bodhi 2012 (677): ‘Venerable Nārada is [an]
artful speaker’, DOP, s.v. cittakath(i)n: ‘speaking brilliantly.’

The sky is shining68 with the beams of the moon, and the earth is having absolutely pure
charming colours. And, all the directions have the form of high purity. O great hero, it is the
time of Aṅgīrasas.
51. dūre ca disvā varacandaraṃsiṃ
pupphiṃsu pupphāni mahītalasmiṃ,
samantato gandhaguṇatthikānaṃ
Having seen the excellent moonbeam indeed at a distance,69 flowers blossom70 on the sur-
face of the earth, everywhere for those who are desirous of the qualities of fragrance.71 O
52. candassa raṃsīhi vilimpitā va72
mahī samantā kusumena’laṅkatā,
viroci sabbaṅgasumālinīva
The earth, ornamented with flower[s] everywhere as though anointed by the rays of the
moon properly, is shining73 as one with all [her] limbs beautifully garlanded. O great hero, it
is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
53. kucanti hatthī pi madena mattā
vicittapiñchā ca dijā samantā,
karonti nādaṃ pavane suramme
And the elephants intoxicated due to [their] rut are trumpeting, and the birds with varie-
gated tail-feathers are making cries all around in the extremely attractive wooded range. O,
54. pathañ ca sabbaṃ paṭipajjanakkhamaṃ
iddhañ ca raṭṭhaṃ sadhanaṃ sabhogaṃ,
sabbatthutaṃ sabbasukhappadānaṃ
And the path is fully fitting for traveling along, and the country, which is prosperous with
wealth [and] food that properly gives comfort to all, is praised by all.74 O great hero, it is the
55. vanañ ca sabbaṃ suvicittarūpaṃ
sumāpitaṃ nandanakānanaṃ ’va,
yatīna pītiṃ satataṃ janeti
68. viroci. This is apparently occurring in the sense of virocati, the present tense for metrical license.
69. dūre ca. I assume dūre va would be the original reading that has been turned into this form by
later hands, thus I render it accordingly.
70. pupphiṃsu pupphāni. I read pupphiṃsu here in the sense of present tense.
71. gandhaguṇatthikānaṃ. The meaning of this reading is doubtful. I agree with Kieffer-Pülz when
she assumes, ‘this verse makes the impression as if composed by collecting several pādas, and
the result is a sentence without really being convincing from the point of content’.
72. According to Se, a Myanmar edition reads here vilīyanā’ va, which means ‘as though melting.’
This meaning does not fit the context.
73. I translate viroci in the present tense.
74. sabbatthutaṃ (lit. ‘praised by all’). See also PTSD, s.v. thuta: ‘praised.’

And the entire forest having a beautifully variegated form just as the well-created grove
of Nandana always produces ascetics’ rapture. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of
Aṅgīrasas.
56. alaṅkataṃ devapuraṃ ’va rammaṃ
Kapīlavatthuṃ75 iti nāmadheyyaṃ,
kulanagaraṃ idha sassirikaṃ
The hometown named Kapilavatthu, which is delightful as the decorated city of gods is
resplendent here. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
57. manuñña-aṭṭālavicittarūpaṃ76
suphullapaṅkeruhasaṇḍamaṇḍitaṃ,
vicittaparikhāhi puraṃ surammaṃ
The city has the variegated form with lovely gateways, [and it is] extremely delightful with
charming motes adorned with heaps of well-blossomed lotuses.77 O great hero, it is the time
58. vicittapākārañ ca toraṇañ ca
subhaṅgaṇaṃ devanivāsabhūtaṃ,
manuññavīthi78 suralokasannibhaṃ
[That city] is resembling the world of divine beings [is endowed with] a variegated rampart,
a portal [and] a beautiful court [covered with sand] just as the abode of the gods and lovely
streets. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
59. alaṅkatā Sākiyarājaputtā
virājamānā varabhūsanehi,
surindaloke iva devaputtā
The royal princes of the Śākyans are adorned, are brilliantly shining with excellent orna-
ments, like the sons of the gods79 in the world of the god’s king. O great hero, it is the time
75. Se reads Kapilavatthuṃ.

76. Se reads this pāda as follows: manuññāṭṭālavicittarūpaṃ. Perhaps a copyist’s knowledge of gram-
mar led him to emend manuñña aṭṭāla to manuññāṭṭāla without keeping an eye on the metre.
77. suphullapaṅkeruhasaṇḍamaṇḍitaṃ vicittaparikhāhi. I take this phrase as one compound so as to
make better sense in this context. Perhaps, the author makes a nasal ending at the end of the
first term metri causa. As it makes clear throughout this series, s/he shows a strong preference
for nasal endings in the verses. In some cases, s/he does not hesitate to convert some masculine
gender nouns neuter. See KTh1 13: sucibhūmibhāgaṃ instead of sucibhūmibhāgo (‘pure piece of
land’), KTh1 54: pathaṃ instead of patho (‘path’).
78. manuññavīthi seems used here to mean manuññavīthiṃ. Se reads manuññavitti, which means
‘lovely intelligence.’ It obviously does not make satisfactory sense within this context. Presum-
ably, it is a result of aural confusion of the scribe.
79. Here is Buddhaghosa’s explanation of the term devaputtā appearing in the Sāratthappakāsinī (Spk
I 103): devānaṃ hi aṅke nibbattā purisā devaputtā nāma. ‘Indeed, the sons of the gods are called the
men who were born on the lap of gods.’

60. Suddhodano munivaraṃ abhidassanāya

amaccaputte dasadhā apesayi,
balena saddhiṃ mahatā muninda
O lord of sages, Suddhodana dispatched young ministers with a huge army in ten groups80 to
respectfully81 see the noble sage. O great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.
61. n’ evāgataṃ passati n’ eva vācaṃ
sokābhibhūtaṃ naravīraseṭṭhaṃ,
tosetum icchāmi narādhipattaṃ82
Indeed, neither [Suddhodana] sees anyone who returned nor [hears] a word. I wish to please
that great hero of men, the lord of men who is overcome by grief. O great hero, it is the time
62. taṃ dassanen’abbhutapītirāsi
udikkhamānaṃ dvipadānam indaṃ,
tosehi taṃ muninda guṇaseṭṭhaṃ
O lord of sages, please him, who is endowed with noble qualities, who expects an amazing
80. amaccaputte dasadhā apesayi. DOP, s.v. dasadhā: ‘in ten groups’, Ja VI 482: ‘dasadhā’ ti dasavidhe
koṭṭhāse. ‘“In ten [parts]” means tenfold divisions.’ Here amaccaputte (lit. ‘sons of the ministers’)
apparently refers to young ministers but not the sons of them. This verse alludes to king Sud-
dhodana’s dispatch of ten ministers with a large retinue to the Buddha for the purpose of per-
suading the latter to visit the city Kapilavatthu. Before dispatching Kāḷudāyī to the Buddha, King
Suddhodana has attempted to accomplish this purpose nine times without success. Each time
the king dispatched a minister surrounded by a thousand men, but none of those was eager to
fulfil his ambition. In the Manorathapūraṇī, Buddhaghosa narrates this account, and recapitu-
lates it as follows: Mp I 302: evaṃ navahi amaccehi saddhiṃ nava purisasahassāni pesesi. ‘In this
manner, [king Suddhodana] dispatched nine thousands men with nine ministers.’ For the tenth
and the last time, the king sent the minister Kāḷudāyī to the Buddha. The Manorathapūraṇī (Mp I
302) records the king’s words thus: ‘rājā […] tāta, purisasahassaparivāro gantvā Dasabalaṃ ānehī’ ti
āha. ‘King [Suddhodana] asked thus: “dear, go, surrounded by a thousand men and fetch the pos-
sessor of the Ten[fold] power [of knowledge] (i.e. the Buddha)”.’ As far as I can see, this reference
can be seen in the following commentaries: Mp I 301–302, Th-a II 221, Bv-a 23, Ja I 85–86, Ap-a
Be I 100–101. It is clear that these ten group-leaders dispatched by the king, including Kāḷudāyī
are the ministers themselves but not the sons of the ministers. Thus the putte in the compound
amaccaputte, most probably a marker of youth of the ministers. It is also of worth noting here
that only the commentaries to the Buddhavaṃsa and the Apadāna qualify Kāḷudāyī as a minis-
ter. The former text reads thus: Bv-a 23: so kira rañño sabb’atthasādhako amacco. ‘Truly, he [i.e.
Kāḷudāyī] is said to be the king’s minister who promotes all aims.’ For Horner’s translation, see
Horner 1978 (33). See also Ap-a Be I 101.
81. Suddhodano munivaraṃ abhidassanāya. This pāda is in Vasantatilakā that has 14 syllables. As far as I
can see, this metre is not attested in the canon. It is extremely rare even in the commentaries. I
suspect, someone intervened in altering this pāda. Perhaps, this pāda was originally in Indravajrā
metre like: Suddhodano taṃ abhidassanāya (‘[King] Suddhodana, to see you (taṃ) respectfully’),
and it was subsequently changed by someone by replacing munivaraṃ in lieu of taṃ.
82. Se reads narāmipattaṃ, which is apparently a misreading. narādhipattaṃ (lit. ‘lordship of men’)
also does not make satisfactory sense within the context. This is most probably a graphical or
aural confusion of narādhipaṃ taṃ.

heap of happiness by seeing you,83 him, the lord of bipeds.84 O great hero, it is the time [in
63. āsāya kassate khettaṃ - bījaṃ āsāya vappati,
āsāya vāṇijā yanti - samuddaṃ85 dhanahārakā,
yāya āsāya tiṭṭhāmi - sā me āsā samijjhatu.
The field is ploughed86 with expectation. The seed is sown with expectation. The merchants
who bring wealth, go to the ocean with expectation. May that my expectation, with which
I stand, be fulfilled.87
64. nātisītaṃ nāti-uṇhaṃ - nātidubbhikkhachātakaṃ,
saddalā haritā bhūmi - esa kālo mahāmunī ti.
It is neither too cool nor too hot, and there is no hunger [resulted from] extreme famine.
The earth is green with new grass. O great sage, this is the time [in favour of Aṅgīrasas].88
Kāḷudāyī’s verses in the Apadāna Aṭṭhakathā (KTh2)89

Most of the stanzas from 12 to 48 in this series are fairly close to the tone of the
gāthās in the Jātaka, Apadāna and Buddhavaṃsa (see Gamage 2019, 70). The specialty
of this series is that it has four different repeated lines. Stanzas 12 to 19 offer a
eulogy to the trees bearing sweet fruits — such as mango and wood apple — located
on both sides of the road. Beginning in stanza 20, a description of blossoming trees
runs until stanza 25. The last pāda of each stanza from 12 to 21 has a repeated line
gantukālo mahāyasa (‘O glorious one, it is the time to go’); but from 22 to 34 it varies
as samayo te mahāyasa (‘O glorious one, the time [has come] for you’). The reason for
the change of the repeated line in this manner is not clear. We can observe that the
majority of the trees in bloom that we come across from stanza 22 onwards are com-
paratively small. However, it is not certain whether the poet has chosen a different
constant line for these stanzas considering the smallness of the trees. This descrip-
tion turns into a eulogy to the quadrupeds living around the road from stanza 27,
and it continues up to stanza 34, preserving the same repeated line. Beginning in
stanza 35, there is a charming portrayal of various kinds of birds seen around the
road, which comes to an end in stanza 41. The repeated line at the end of all the
83. dassanenabbhutapītirāsi is seemingly missing the case ending nasal (i. e. abbhutapītirāsiṃ).
Alternatively, perhaps, the author intended it as a compound with the following word —
dassanen’abbhutapītirāsi-udikkhamānaṃ. For udikkhamānaṃ, see Sv I 276: āgamanam assa patthento
udikkhanto ti attho. ‘One who is longing for this [person’s] arrival, “one who is expecting”, is the
meaning.’ See also DOP, s.v. udikkhati: ‘looks for, watches for.’
84. dvipadānam indaṃ occurs here to qualify the king. In the Ja V 468 too, the term dipad’inda stands
for an epithet of the king.
85. Se reads samudaṃ (‘with pleasure’) does not make satisfactory sense to the present context. It is
most probably a misreading of samuddaṃ.
86. kassate. The duplication of ss is apparently a substitution assuming usual grammar of a passive
voice verb. See also Norman 1995 (I 206).
87. See KTh2 4. See also Norman 1995 (I 54).
88. Cf. KTh2 5.
89. Ap-a 533–537; Ap-a Be II 258–263; Ap-a Se II 318–324. Sinhalese (Ce) edition does not accommo-
date this series.

stanzas in this description is changed to kālo te pitu dassane (‘It is the time for seeing
your father’). Stanzas 42 to 48, which create a stunning picture of the lotus ponds
around the road, have a different repeated line samayo te ñātidassane (‘It is time for
seeing your relatives’). It is difficult to identify the reason for the shift of repeated
line in this series. Nevertheless, this change undoubtedly adds an extra elegance
to the poem (see Gamage 2019, 71).
1. aṅgārino dāni dumā bhadante
tenaccimanto va90 pabhāsayanti
samayo mahāvīra Bhāgīrasānaṃ.91
O respected sir, the trees are now crimson, expecting fruit, having shed foliage, [and] there-
by [they] are shining just as those are endowed with flames. O great hero, it is the time [in
favour] of Bhāgīrasas.
2. dumāni phullāni manoramāni
samantato sabbadisā pavanti,
pattaṃ pahāya phalam āsasānā
kālo ito pakkamanāya vīra.92
The delightful trees93 blossomed, having shed leaves expecting fruit, are greatly wafting
[their scent] in all directions around.94 O hero, it is the time to leave from here.
3. nevātisītaṃ api nāti-uṇhaṃ95
sukhā utū addhaniyā bhadante,
passantu taṃ Sākiyā Koḷiyā ca
pacchāmukhaṃ Rohiṇiyaṃ tarantaṃ.96
90. Be and Se read te accimanto va. ‘They [are shining] just as those are endowed with flames.’
91. Se reads this term as two terms thus: Bhāgī rasānaṃ. Th 527 also has the same reading. But Bv-a
Be 29 reads Aṅgīrasānaṃ. The Mahāvastu contains the corresponding verse (Mvu III 93) as follows:
aṃgāriṇo dāni (drumā) bhadanta
phalesino . . .
te arcimanto va prabhāsayanti
samayo Mahāvīra Bhagī rasānāṃ.
92. Cf. Mvu III 93: vanāni phullāni manoramāṇi
samantato sarvadiśā pravānti,
puṣpaṃ tyajitvā phalam ādiyante
samayo ito prakramituṃ te śāstu.
93. dumāni. This neuter term occurs here instead of the masculine dumā. As the commentary notes,
this happens due to the change of gender (Th-a II 224: liṅgavipallāsena vuttaṃ. ‘[It] is stated [thus]
in terms of the change of gender’). The Mahāvastu replaces the term with vanāni (‘forests’).
94. Here sabbadisā has the locative meaning although it is nominative perhaps for metrical license.
In the gloss on the term sabbadisā of the Theragāthā (Th 528, Dhammapāla explains its contextual
meaning as follows: Th-a II 224: ‘sabbadisā’ ti […] sabbadisāsu. ‘‘‘All directions” means in all direc-
tions.’
95. Be 57 and Se read this line thus: nevātisītaṃ na panāti-uṇhaṃ. ‘It is indeed not too cold but not too
hot.’
96. Cf. Mvu III 93: na cātiśītaṃ na ca ati-uṣṇaṃ
ṛtusukhaṃ adhvani te bhaveya,
paśyantu te koliyā śakiyā ca
mukhaṃ rohiṇīm iva tārakāṇi.

O respected sir, it is indeed not too cold and97 not too hot; the season is fitting for a journey.98
May the Śākyans and Koliyans see you facing westward,99 crossing the River Rohiṇī.
4. āsāya kasate khette100- bījaṃ āsāya vappati,
āsāya vāṇijā yanti - samuddaṃ dhanahārakā,
yāya āsāya tiṭṭhāmi - sā me āsā samijjhatu.101
The fields are ploughed with expectation. The seed is sown with expectation. The mer-
chants who bring wealth, go to the ocean with expectation. May that my expectation, with
which I stand, be fulfilled.
5. nātisītaṃ nāti-uṇhaṃ - nātidubbhikkhasādakaṃ,102
saddalā haritā bhūmi - esa kālo mahāmuni.
It is neither too cool nor too hot, and there is no cause for an extreme famine. The earth is
green with new grass. O great sage, this is the time.
6. punappunañ c’ eva vapanti bījaṃ
punappunaṃ vassati devarājā,
punappunaṃ khettaṃ kasanti kassakā
punappunaṃ [dhaññaṃ] pūrenti koṭṭhakaṃ.103
97. Obviously, pi has the sense of a conjunction here. At times, the commentators figure out pi
occurring in the canon in this sense. For example, see Ps I 40: pikāro sampiṇḍanattho. ‘[Here,] the
letter pi [has] the sense of accumulation’; Vibh-a 405: sampiṇḍanattho c’ettha pikāro. ‘And here, the
letter pi [has] the sense of accumulation.’
98. sukhā utū addhaniyā bhadante. addhaniyā is fairly rare in the Pāli canon. Although the term
addhaniyaṃ (D II 120, Vin III 9) in some places is attested therein, it is in the sense of “last long”
(See Rhys Davids, T. W. and C. A. F. 1910 I 128). The Mahāvastu reads adhvani here, the locative sin-
gular of adhvan; a journey. See MW, s.v. adhvan. Although the Pāli equivalent of adhvani is addhani,
here perhaps redundant yā is used for metrical reasons. Dhammapāla interprets addhaniyā as
‘fitting for a journey’ (Th-a II 224: ‘addhaniyā’ ti addhānagamanayoggā), which Norman follows
(See Norman 1995 I 54). On the other hand, addhaniyā can also mean ‘traveler’, the epenthetic
corresponding of adhvanyaḥ, a traveler. See Hk, s.v. adhvanyaḥ: pathikaḥ, pāriyānikaḥ. See also MW,
s.v. adhvanya: ‘a traveler.’
99. The literal meaning of pacchāmukhaṃ; ‘the face turned back’ (see Sv II 425, Ps III 81) is bit
unusual to this context. The canon does not have any other attestation for this term. However,
Dhammapāla’s description related to this lemma leads us to presume this means ‘facing west-
ward’ (See Th-a II 224).
100. āsāya kasate khette. This reading looks a bit unusual. Perhaps the copyist, who was keen in creat-
ing an alliteration within this pāda, emended khettaṃ to khette following the case ending of the
preceding term kasate. However, the Theragāthā (Th 56 530a), KTh1 63, Ap-a Be II 57, and Ap-a Se
II 318 read khettaṃ in lieu of khette—āsāya kasate khettaṃ—‘The field is ploughed with expecta-
tion.’ To me, this reading is much better because it is natural and rhythmic.
101. Cf. Mvu III 108: āśāya kṛṣyate kṣetraṃ — bījam āśāya vapyate, āśāya vāṇijā yānti — samudraṃ
dhanahārakā, yo yasya āśāya tiṣṭhāmi — sā me āśā samṛdhyatu.
102. nātidubbhikkhasādakaṃ. This is an obvious mistake of nātidubbhikkhasādhakaṃ either of
copyist or of editor. Thus, I render the latter reading. Cf. KTh1 64. Here, Be and Se read
nātidubbhikkhachātakaṃ. ‘There is no hunger [resulted from] extreme famine.’
103. dhaññaṃ pūrenti koṭṭhakaṃ is hypermetric, but Be and Se 319 record dhaññam upeti raṭṭhaṃ.
‘Grains approach the country.’ See also S I 174, Th 531d. Here is the corresponding verse pre-
served in the Mahāvastu (Mvu III 108):
punarpunaḥ kṣipra vapanti bījaṃ
punarpunaḥ varṣati devarājaḥ,
punarpunaḥ vardhati bījagrāmaṃ
punarpunar lābhaṃ labhanti karṣikā. See also DOP, s.v. koṭṭha.

Indeed, again and again, [they] sow the seed. Again and again, the god of clouds104 rains.
Again and again, farmers plough the field. Again and again, grains fill the storeroom.
7. punappunaṃ yācanakā caranti
punappunaṃ dānapatī dadanti,
punappunaṃ dānapatī daditvā,
punappunaṃ saggam upenti ṭhānaṃ.105
Again and again, beggars wander.106 Again and again, the lords of liberality107 give and hav-
ing given again and again, they approach the heavenly state again and again.
8. dhīro108 have sattayugaṃ puneti
yasmiṃ kule jāyati bhūripañño,
maññām’ahaṃ sakkati devadevo
tayābhijāto109 muni saccanāmo.
The resolute man of broad wisdom110 indeed sanctifies111 seven generations112 in whatever
family he is born. I suppose the god of the gods [i.e. one who excels gods] is capable of [doing
it]. I am the sage who is truly named,113 well begotten by you.
104. See Sv I 218, Ps II 322: ‘devo’ ti megho. ‘“deva” means cloud’; DOP, s.v. deva.
105. Mvu III 109: punaḥpunar yācanakā upenti
punarpunaḥ satpuruṣā dadanti,
punarpunaḥ satpuruṣā pi dattvā
punaḥpunar svargam upenti sthānaṃ.
106. Cf. S I 174: punappunaṃ yācanakā yācayanti. ‘Again and again, beggars beg.’
107. See DOP, s.v. dānapati: ‘a lord of liberality’, ‘a magnificent giver’ Bodhi 2012, 659, ‘a liberal man’
Horner 1973 (32).
108. See Be, Se and Th 533a read vīro. ‘The here.’ DOP, s.v. dhīra: ‘intelligent, wise; steadfast, firm, reso-
lute’, Mp III 33: ‘dhīro’ ti dhitisampanno. ‘“dhīra” means one who is endowed with courage’. See
also Bv-a 36; ‘wise one means intent on wisdom.’ Horner 1978 (54). See also Dhp-a III 189: ‘dhīro’ ti
paṇḍito. ‘“dhīra” means the skilled one.’ See also It-a II 62.
109. Be, Se and Th 533dread tayā hi jāto. ‘Indeed, [he who] is begotten by you.’
110. S I 42: bhūripañña. Tr. Bodhi 2000, 135: ‘broad of wisdom.’ See also PTSD, s.v. bhūripañña: ‘of
extensive wisdom, very wise.’ Nid I 95: bhūri vuccati pathavī. tāya paṭhavīsamāya paññāya vipulāya
vitthatāya samannāgato, As 148–149. Tr. Tin 1920 (I 195): ‘[…] it has been said that the earth is
broad, and that a man endowed with understanding, having richness and abundance like the
earth, is of ‘broad’ understanding.’
111. Here puneti is used in the sense of punāti, which means cleanses, purifies, sanctifies. See Bv-a 67:
‘punātī’ ti puññaṃ. Tr. Horner 1978 (100): ‘merit means it cleanses away.’
112. Here, sattayugaṃ alludes to sattamā pitāmhayugā (D I 113, M II 165, A I 163). Tr. Bodhi 2012 (257):
‘as far back as the seventh paternal generation.’ See also Bodhi 2017 (260). Norman renders the
latter phrase as ‘decent for seven generations.’ See Norman 2001 (78).
113. Cf. Mvu III 109: vīro hi vai sapta yugāṃ punāti
yasmiṃ kule jāyati bhūriprajño,
piteva śākyā nayati devadevo
tvayāpi jāto muni satyanāmaḥ.
The whole pāda tayābhijāto muni saccanāmo is apparently a figure of speech, which Kāḷudāyī
uses to introduce himself. Some Elders introduce themselves as muni in many theragāthās. For
instance, Anuruddha (Th 83) Tālapuṭa (97) and Vaṅgīsa are referring to themselves as muni.
saccanāmo is rendered in many ways. See Tr. Bodhi 2012 (909): ‘the one truly named’; Bodhi 2012
(1757); n. 1320: ‘whose name truly corresponds to his being’. Mvu III 109 reads tvayāpi jāto muni
satyanāmaḥ. Jones translates this pāda as ‘for from you is born the seer Sathyanāma’ (Jones 1956,
107). Here he ‘takes Satyanāma as a personal name’ (See Norman 1995 I 207 n. 533), which is hard
to justify.

9. Suddhodano nāma pitā mahesino

Buddhassa mātā pana māyanāmā,
yā Bodhisattaṃ parihariya kucchinā
kāyassa bhedā tidivātimodati.114
The father of the great seer is named Suddhodana and the mother of the Awakened One is
named Māyā, who having cherished the Buddha-being with [her] womb, with the breakup
of the [corporal] body greatly rejoices in the three heavens.
10. sā Gotamī kālakatā ito cutā
dibbehi kāmehi samaṅgibhūtā,115
sā modati kāmaguṇehi pañcahi
parivāritā devagaṇehi tehi.
That Gotamī having died, having passed away from here, endowed with celestial sensual plea-
sures, rejoices with five qualities of sensual pleasure surrounded by those groups of deities.
11. Buddhassa putto ’mhi asayhasāhino
Aṅgīrasassappaṭimassa tādino,
pituppitā mayha tvaṃ si Sakka116
dhammena me Gotama ayyako si.
I am the son of the Awakened One, who bears the unbearable,117 of the incomparable
Aṅgīrasa who is like that.118 O Sakka, you are my father’s father, and reasonably, you are O
Gotama, my grandfather.
12. ambā panasā kapiṭṭhā ca - pupphapallavalaṅkatā,
dhuvapphalāni pavanti119 - khuddāmadhukakūpamā,
114. Here tidivātimodati is apparently a contaminated reading, and tidivamhi modati is well-attested in
Be, Se and Th 534d.
Cf. Mvu III 109: Śuddhodano nāma pitā jinasya
Buddhasya Māyā kila nāma mātā,
yā bodhisatvaṃ parihārya kukṣiṇā
kāyasya bhedāt svargeṣu modati.
115. Se reads samaṅgībhūtā. Although this reading is more accurate grammatically, it breaks the
metre.
116. pituppitā for pitupitā and mayha for mayhaṃ are most probably for metrical reasons. Both Be and
Se read this line thus: pitu pitā mayhaṃ tuvaṃ’si Sakka. This is hypermetric although it is gram-
matically more accurate.
117. CPD, s.v. asyha: ‘intolerable, irresistible.’
118. tādino is the genitive singular case of tādin. As the Pāli commentarial sources reveal that tādī
has a special connotation. See Ap-a 369: ‘tādino’ ti iṭṭhāniṭṭhesu akampiyasabhāvassa. ‘“Of the one
who is like that” means of the one who has the unshaken nature in agreeable and disagreeable
[objects]’; Spk II 289: ‘tādino’ ti lābhālābhādīhi ekasadisassa. ‘‘Of the one who is like that” means
of the one who has the sameness [when confronting the issues arising] due to gain, loss, and so
forth.’ Bodhi translates tādino as of ‘the Stable One’, which seems more fitting to this context
(Bodhi 2000, 253). Nonetheless, I render this term more literally following Roth. See Roth 1968
(47). See also ‘of such a one’ (Norman 2001, 20), ‘being of such a kind’ (Norman 2000, 14).
119. pavanti can mean ‘waft immensely’ or ‘blow.’ But, this meaning is not compatible within this
context. Thus, I presume the original reading was pasavanti (‘cause to be born’, ‘produce’). Nota-
bly, Be and Se read here savanti (‘flow’). Although savanti makes better sense, it is hard to decide
that it as the original reading because, in many cases, both Be and Se make arbitrary substitu-
tions relying on the traditional Pāli grammar. I deduce that copyist’s inadvertence omission sa of
pasavanti has given rise to a new variant reading pavanti. The former term make fits the context
although it is hypermetric.

sevamāno ubho passe - gantukālo mahāyasa.

Mango, jack120 and wood apple [trees]121 adorned with flowers and sprouts, frequently pro-
duce fruits,122 which are similar to bee honey [in combs].123 O greatly reputed one,124 it is the
time to go being served [by these trees standing]125 on both sides.
13. jambū sumadhurā nīpā - madhugaṇḍidivapphalā,
tā ubhosu pajjotanti - gantukālo mahāyasa.
The rose apples and kadamba [fruits] 126 with rich taste are [similar to] honeycombs and
heavenly fruits.127 They are shining128 in both [sides]. O greatly reputed one, it is the time
to go.
14. tiṇḍukāni piyālāni - sovaṇṇavaṇṇā manoharā,129
khuddakappaphalā130 niccaṃ - gantukālo mahāyasa.
Tinduka131 and piyāla132 [trees] are frequently [bearing] golden coloured, adorable fruits as
[sweet as] bee honey. O greatly reputed one, it is the time to go.
15. kadalī pañca mocci ca - supakkaphalabhūsitā,133
ubho passesu lambanti - gantukālo mahāyasa.
120. PTSD, s.v. panasa: ‘the Jack or bread fruit tree (Artocarpus integrifolia) and its fruit.’
121. PTSD, s.v. kapiṭṭha: ‘the wood apple tree.’
122. Cf. D III 201: niccaphalā.
123. Lengthen of khuddā in khuddāmadhukakūpamā is most probably metri causa. DOP, s.v. khuddama-
dhu: ‘honey.’ See also BHSD, s.v. kṣudramadhu.
124. Be reads mahāyassa, which is a scribal error of mahāyasa.
125. It is not quite certain whether sevamāno here stands for seviyamāno (Skt. sevyamānaḥ) referring to
the Buddha. It is also possible the term denotes the trees described in this stanza. If so, it must be
a singular term with plural sense (i.e. sevamānā). Cf. KTh2 23d: disā sabbāni sobhayaṃ. ‘Enchanting
all the directions’.
126. PTSD, s.v. nīpa: ‘N[ame] of the tree Nauclea cadamba, a species of Asoka tree’, DOP, s.v. nīpa: ‘cad-
amba, Anthocephalus chinensis, Indian oak, Barringtonia racemosa’, Śkd, s.v. nīpaḥ: kadambavṛkṣaḥ,
Bv-a 89: ‘nīpan’ ti kadambapupphaṃ. ‘“nīpa” means a kadamba flower.’ The Meghadūta (21a) reads
nīpaṃ dṛṣṭvā. ‘Having seen nīpa.’ Mallinātha comments on nīpaṃ as follows: “nīpaṃ” sthalakadam-
bakusumam. ‘“nīpa” means ground-grown kadamba flower.’ See Kale 1967 (17–18).
127. There is no a kind of fruit is yet attested as madhugaṇḍi, perhaps it maybe a synonym of
madhugaṇḍa; ‘honeycomb’. Sv-pṭ III 214: ‘madhugaṇḍan’ ti madhupaṭalaṃ, PTSD, s.v. madhugaṇḍa:
honey comb.’ madhugaṇḍiṃ occurs in the Mahāvaṃsa XXII: 43 and Geiger translates is as ‘honey-
comb’. See Geiger 1912 (149).
128. Perhaps pajjotanti is intended to pronounce as pajotanti.
129. Be and Se read soṇṇavaṇṇā manoharā and, one might think it is more reliable at prima facie
because it keeps the metre Anuṣṭubh. I presume sovaṇṇavaṇṇā is more plausible although it is
hypermetric.
130. PTS reads khuddakapphalā is seemingly an erroneous reading resulted from haplography of
khuddakappaphalā. But Be, Se and KTh2 16c preserve the more accurate reading.
131. PTSD, s.v. tinduka: ‘the tree Diospyros embryopteris’, DOP, s.v. tinduka/tiṇḍuka: ‘false mongosteen,
Diospyros malabarica, its fruit’, ‘Indian Persimm’ (Dhammika 2015, 15).
132. PTSD, s.v. piyāla: ‘the Piyal tree, Buchanania latifolia, the fruit of this tree, used as food’, MW, s.v.
piyāla: ‘the tree Buchanania Latifolia (in Bengal commonly called Piyal).’
133. PTS reads supattaphalagopitā. ‘Protected by beautiful leaves and fruits’ or ‘Protected by fruits
having beautiful leaves.’ As Se records, this reading can also be attested in a Myanmar edition.
Yet, the meaning of this reading is not compatible with the context.

Plantains and five [kinds of] bananas134 that are ornamented with perfectly ripe fruits are
drooping in both sides. O greatly reputed one, it is the time to go.
16. madhupphaladharā niccaṃ - morarukkhā manoramā,
khuddakappaphalā niccaṃ - gantukālo mahāyasa.
Mind-gratifying mora trees135 ever bear bee-honey-like tasty fruits always.136 O greatly re-
puted one, it is the time to go.
17. hintālatālapantī ca - rajatakkhandho va jotare,
supakkaphalasañchannā137 - khuddakappā madhussavā,
phalāni tāni khādante - gantukālo mahāyasa.
And the rows of marshy date and palmyra trees138 that are properly covered with perfectly
ripe, bee honey-like juice-flowing139 fruits, are shining just as silver trunk[s].140 Those fruits
are eaten. O greatly reputed one, it is the time to go.
18. udumbarāruṇāvaṇṇā141 - sadā sumadhurapphalā,
Fig trees that are frequently having reddish brown coloured extremely sweet fruits are
drooping in both sides. O greatly reputed one, it is the time to go.
134. pañca mocci is an obscure phrase, especially, mocci seems most probably corrupted. Perhaps, pañca
mocañ ca was the original reading. In the Mahāvagga, we identify both coca and moca as two kinds
of banana. See Vin I 246: anujānāmi bhikkhave aṭṭha pānāni: ambapānaṃ jambupānaṃ cocapānaṃ
mocapānaṃ madhupānaṃ muddikāpānaṃ sālūkapānaṃ phārusakapānaṃ. Tr. Horner 1951 (III 339):
‘I allow you, monks, eight (kinds of) drinks: mango drink, roseapple drink, plantain drink, banana
drink, honey drink, grape drink, edible lotus root drink, phārusaka drink.’ See also Sp V 1102:
‘cocapānan’ ti aṭṭhikehi kadaliphalehi katapānaṃ ‘mocapānan’ ti anaṭṭhikehi kadaliphalehi katapānaṃ.
‘“cocapāna” means the beverage that is made with banana with bones [and] “mocapāna” means
the beverage that is made with boneless banana.’ DOP, s.v. coca: ‘a kind of (kernelled?) plantain’,
PTSD, s.v. moca: ‘the plantain or banana tree, Musa, Sapientum. Śkd, s.v. moca: ‘kadalīphalam.’
135. Mora is not listed in PTSD, MW, ASED, PSED, BHSD. The botanical name of mora tree is Dimocarpus
longan. See Lim 2013 (29).
136. khuddakappaphalā is not the contraction of khuddaka and appa but of khudda and kappa. We see
the phrase phalāni khuddakappāni (‘fruits as [sweet as] bee honey’) in the Jātaka (See J V 324). The
commentary of the Jātaka glosses the term khuddakappāni as follows: Ja V 324: ‘khuddakappānī’
ti […] khuddamadhupaṭibhāgāni madhurāni. ‘“Bee-honey-like” means the [fruits that are] sweet
resembling bee-honey’; DOP, s.v. khudda: ‘honey’, BHSD, s.v. kṣudra: ‘honey.’ Cf: MW, s.v. kalpa:
‘equal.’
137. As Se records, a Myanmar edition reads this pāda as supattaphalasañchannā, which can be ren-
dered in two ways, 1) ‘properly covered with beautiful leaves and fruits’, 2) ‘properly covered
with fruits having beautiful leaves.’ In regard to both marshy date and Palmyra trees, their fruits
as well as leaves are beautiful. Since it is apt to speak of the beauty of these two things, I would
presume the first rendering is more appropriate to the context.
138. MW, s.v. hintāla: ‘the marshy date tree, Phoenix or Elate Paludosa’, DOP, s.v. tāla: ‘the palmyra
palm, the fan palm, Borassus flabellifer.’
139. Sv-abhṭ Be II 73: ‘madhussavo’ ti madhurarasasandanaṃ. ‘“Flowing juice” means flowing sweet
taste.’
140. Although rajatakkhandho va literally means ‘just as silver trunk’ its plural meaning makes better
sense in the context.
141. Presumably, aruṇā vaṇṇā is used instead of aruṇavaṇṇā, metri causa. DOP, s.v. udumbara: ‘fig-tree,
Ficus glomerata’, DOP, s.v. aruṇa: ‘reddish brown, tawny.’ Se reads udumbarāruṇāvaṇṇanā (‘Fig trees
that are frequently having reddish brown praise’). Here the term vaṇṇanā is an obvious mistake.

19. itthambhūtā anekā te - nānāphaladharā dumā,

Those numerous trees bearing various fruits charactarized in this manner,142 are drooping
in both sides. O greatly reputed one, it is the time to go.
20. campakā salaḷā nāgā - sugandhā māluteritā,
supupphitaggā jotanti - sugandhenābhipūjayuṃ,143
sādarā vinatān’eva - gantukālo mahāyasa.
Fragrant campaka,144 salaḷa145 and nāga146 trees, of which the tops are well-flowered, shaken
by the wind, are shining greatly honouring with fragrance as though they bent properly
with reverence.147 O greatly reputed one, it is the time to go.
21. punnāgā giripunnāgā - pupphitā dharaṇīruhā,
supupphitaggā jotanti - sugandhenābhipūjayuṃ,
sādarā vinat’uggaggā - gantukālo mahāyasa.
Flowered punnāga148and giri-punnāga149 trees grown in the earth150 of which tops are well-
blossomed are shining, [and they] greatly honouring with fragrance,151 properly bent [their]
uppermost tops152 with reverence. O greatly reputed one, it is the time to go.
142. DOP, s.v. itthambhūta: ‘being thus, so characterized’, Sdn Be 329: ‘itthambhūto’ ti imaṃ pakāraṃ
bhūto patto. ‘“Being thus” means [something] being in this manner [and something] that reached
[this nature].’
143. Both Be and Se read this as sugandhenābhipūjayuṃ, which literally means ‘[they] greatly honoured
with fragrance’ does not fit the context well. Therefore, I shall take this as sugandhenābhipūjayaṃ
as a present continues singular form with plural meaning and render accordingly. PTS reads
here sugandhenābhipūjayyuṃ. This is obviously a mistake. It is possible this contaminated read-
ing to rise due to the aural confusion as well as the copyist’s limited acquaintance with Pāli.
144. DOP, s.v. campaka: ‘a species of magnolia with highly fragrant flowers, Michelia champaca.’
145. PTSD, s.v. salaḷa: ‘a kind of sweet, scented tree’, DPL, s.v. sarala: ‘The tree Pinus Longifolia.’
146. PTSD, s.v. nāgarukkha: ‘the ironwood tree.’
147. PTSD, s.v. sādara: ‘reverential’, MW, s.v. sādara: ‘having or showing respect, respectful, reveren-
tial; considerate, attentive or devoted to.’
148. There is no clear identification of punnāga in Sanskrit dictionaries. PTSD, s.v. punnāga: ‘a species
of tree.’
149. giripunnāga; rock-punnāga is mentioned in the Apadāna. See Ap I 16: punnāgā giripunnāgā, Ja VI
531: ‘giripunnāgā’ ti mahāpunnāgā. See also DOP, s.v. giripunnāga: ‘a plant, the mountain punnāga;
its flower.’
150. dharaṇīruhā is an epithet of a tree. In the commentary to the Apadāna, there is a nice explanation
of the term dharaṇīruhā as follows: Ap-a 233: dharaṇiyaṃ ruhā sañjātā vaḍḍhitā cāti ‘dharaṇīruhā’,
rukkhā. ‘Because [they are] grown, well arisen [and] increased in the earth, [they are called]
“dharaṇīruhā (‘that grown in the earth’)”, [it means] the trees.’ See also DOP, s.v. dharaṇīruha:
‘growing in the earth, a tree.’
151. As I did in the previous gāthā (KTh2 20d), here too, I rendered sugandhenābhipūjayuṃ as a present
continues singular form.
152. DOP, s.v. ugga: ‘powerful, intense, terrible, fierce, severe’, MW, s.v. ugra: ‘powerful, violent,
mighty, impetuous, strong, huge, formidable, terrible; high, noble; cruel, fierce, ferocious, sav-
age; angry, passionate, wrathful; hot, sharp, pungent.’

22. asokā koviḷārā ca - somanassakarā varā,

sugandhā kaṇṇikābandhā153 - rattavaṇṇehi bhūsitā,154
sādarā vinat’uggaggā - samayo te mahāyasa.
Excellent asoka155 and coral trees156 that make happiness, having extremely fragrant [flow-
ers] tied in bunches,157 adorned with red colours, properly bent [their] uppermost tops with
reverence. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.
23. kaṇṇikārāphullitā niccaṃ - sovaṇṇaraṃsijotakā,
dibbagandhā pavāyanti - disā sabbāni sobhayaṃ,
sādarā vinatān’eva - samayo te mahāyasa.
Kaṇikāra158 trees always in bloom that illuminate with golden rays, are perfectly perfumed
with heavenly scents159 enchanting all the directions160 as though [they] properly bent with
reverence. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.
24. supattā gandhasampannā - ketakī dhanuketakī,161
sugandhā sampavāyanti - disāsabbābhigandhino,
153. PTS reads sugandhā kaṇṇikā gandhā. ‘Having fragrant [flowers] having the fragrant of bunches.’
This is a pleonastic pāda that does not make a satisfactory sense in the context. As Se records, a
Myanmar edition also preserved the same reading. I take sugandhā kaṇṇikābandhā attested in Be
and Se as more reliable reading.
154. Se reads rattavaṇṇehi bhūmitā. The second term is obviously a misreading.
155. DOP, s.v. asoka: ‘the name of a tree, Jonesia asoca’, MW, s.v. aśoka: ‘the tree Jonesia Asoka Roxb. (a
tree f moderate size belonging to the leguminous class with magnificent red flowers).’
156. DOP, s.v. koviḷāra: ‘a kind of tree, Bauhinia variegate’, Śkd, s.v. kovidāra: ‘raktakāñcanavṛkṣaḥ.’ Bodhi
renders this term as ‘coral tree.’ (See Bodhi 2012, 1083).
157. I shall take the term kaṇṇikā to mean ‘bunches’ following the definition appearing in the
Vimativinodanīṭīkā and Cone’s interpretation: Vv-ṭ Be I 300: ‘kaṇṇikā’ ti bahūnaṃ pupphānaṃ vā
mālānaṃ vā ekato bandhitassa nāmaṃ. ‘“kaṇṇikā” means a name either of many flowers or garlands
that are tied together’; DOP, s.v. kaṇṇikābaddha ‘tied in a bunch.’
158. kaṇṇikāra with ṇṇ is seemingly an editorial substitution assuming its Sanskrit equivalent
karṇikāra. However, kaṇikāra with ṇ has many attestations in the Pāli literature. DOP, s.v. kaṇikāra:
‘the tree Sterospermum acerifolium, its flower’, MW, s.v. karṇikāra: ‘Pterospermum acerifolium, Cathar-
tocarpus fistula, the flower of Pterospermum acerifolium.’
159. Cf. M I 212: dibbā maññe gandhā sampavanti. Tr. Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi 1995 (307): ‘heavenly scents
seem to be floating in the air.’
160. disā sabbāni sobhayaṃ. Here sabbāni is neutralized by the author, and sobhayaṃ apparently occurs
in plural sense. A considerable number of verses in the Khuddakanikāya do not agree with con-
ventional Pāli grammar, in particular this nikāya often shows an independent policy regarding
the singularity and plurality of verbs and nouns. For instance, in the Therīgāthā (Thi 134):
naṅgalehi kasaṃ khettaṃ — bījāni pavapaṃ chamā,
puttadārāni posentā — dhanaṃ vindanti māṇavā.
‘Plough the field with ploughs, sowing the seeds on the ground properly, nourishing children and
wives, young Brahmins ascertain wealth.’ Here, both kasaṃ (‘is ploughing’) and pavapaṃ (‘is sow-
ing properly’) that qualify māṇavā (‘young Brahmins’) represent plural sense, namely, kasantā
(‘are ploughing’) and pavapantā (‘are sowing properly’) respectively. Here is Dhammapāla’s
explanation (Thi-a 113): ‘kasan’ ti kasantā […] bahu’tthe hi idaṃ ekavacanaṃ […] ‘pavapan’ ti […]
vapantā. ‘“Is ploughing” means are ploughing. This is a singular expression in the sense of the
plural. “Is sowing properly” means are sowing properly.’ See also Pruitt 1998 (152). As Norman
remarks, the ‘author with no eye for consistency’ (Norman 1995 II 86.) of these occurrences.
But, one can argue that the author ignored grammatical consistencies for the sake of metrical
license. See also KTh2 25d: ubho magge pasobhayaṃ, KTh2 26d: ubho magge palobhayaṃ.
161. According to the Se, a Myanmar edition reads manuketakī here.

sādaraṃ162 pūjayantā va - samayo te mahāyasa.

Ketakī163 and dhanu-ketakī164 [bushes] having beautiful leaves, replete with fragrance, are
properly defusing perfect fragrances, [and they] that strongly perfume all the directions, are
similar to those who are honouring with reverence. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.
25. mallikā jātisumanā - sugandhā khuddamallikā,
disā sabbā pavāyanti - ubho magge pasobhayaṃ,
sādarā te palambanti - samayo te mahāyasa.
Arabian jasmine,165 jasmine166 and khudda-mallikā (little jasmine? 167) trees are perfectly de-
fusing fragrance in all directions168 gracing both [sides of] ways beautifully.169 They are well
drooping with reverence. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.
26. sindhuvārā sītagandhā - sugandhā māluteritā,
disāsabbābhipūjentā - ubho magge palobhayaṃ,170
sādarā vinat’uggaggā - samayo te mahāyasa.
On both [sides of] ways, excellently fragrant sinduvāra171 and white sandalwood172 trees
shaken by the wind, are greatly honouring all directions while seducing, properly bent
[their] uppermost tops with reverence. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.
27. sīhā kesarasīhā ca - catuppadanisevitā,
acchambhītā surāpāne - migarājā patāpino.
28. sīhanādena pūjenti - sādarā te migābhibhū,
maggamhi ubhato vūḷhā - samayo te mahāyasa.
The lions and maned lions173 associated with quadrupeds, are heroes [who are] fearless174 of
162. Be reads sādarā.

163. DOP, s.v. ketakī: ‘the tree Pandanus odoratissimus.’
164. DOP, s.v. dhanuketakī: ‘a kind of ketakī.’ Sinhalese name of dhanuketakī is dunukéyyā and its scien-
tific name is attested as Pandanus ceylanicus. See Ashton et al. 1997 (72).
165. DPL, s.v. mallikā: ‘Arabian jasmine’, ASED, s.v. mallikā: ‘Kind of Jasmine (Jasminum Sambac: both
flower and plant).’
166. DOP, s.v. jātisumanā: ‘a kind of jasmine, the great-flowered jasmine; a jasmine flower, jasmine
blossom.’
167. I am not certain whether khuddamallikā refers to a small kind of jasmine. If not, it yet remains to
be identified.
168. See the note on KTh2 2b: sabbadisā.
169. ubho magge pasobhayaṃ. See the note on KTh2 23d: disā sabbāni sobhayaṃ.
170. Be and Se read pasobhayaṃ. ‘Gracing beautifully.’ See also the note on KTh2 23d: disā sabbāni
sobhayaṃ.
171. DPL, s.v. sinduvāra: ‘the tree Vitex negundo’, Hk, s.v. sinduvāra: nirguṇḍī sinduvāraḥ syān mandāraḥ
pāribhadrakaḥ.
172. PSED, s.v. śītagandha: ‘white sandal’, MW, s.v. śītagandha: ‘having cool fragrance, sandalwood.’
173. These two stanzas, i.e. KTh2 27 and 28, is a pair. DOP, s.v. kesarasīha: ‘a maned lion, a lion.’
174. DOP, s.v. acchammbhi(n): ‘not stiff or rigid (with fear); unafraid.’ Presumably, acchambhītā has
been created by a copyist who was not much familiar with Pāli.

living beings,175 powerful176 kings of beasts. Those overlords of animals,177 honouring with
[their] (lion’s) roar with reverence, placed in sequence178 on the both [sides of] the way. O
greatly reputed one, it is your time.
29. byagghā sindhavā nakulā179- sādhurūpā bhayānakā,
ākāse sampatantā ’va - nibbhītā yena kenaci,
tehi te sādarā natā - samayo te mahāyasa.
Tigers, sindh hourses180 and mongooses that have the form of goodness but frightful,181 [run-
ning] as if flying about in the sky nicely,182 are fearless of anyone.183 By them, you are re-
spectfully worshiped. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.
30. tidhā pabhinnā184 chaddantā, surūpā sussarā subhā,
175. surāpāne. I assume that two terms sūrā pāṇe have been turned into surāpāne by the editors,
though surāpāne does not make sense in this context. See PTSD, s.v. surāpāna: ‘drinking strong
liquor.’ When reading palm-leaf manuscripts in which all the words are written in continuous
series, the editor is sometimes unable to realize the proper divisions of words. As Porter points
out, ‘by taking a letter or syllable from one word, and adding it to that which proceeds or fol-
lows, he would give rise to a various reading.’ See Porter 1848 (25). Sūrā literally means ‘heroes’.
See sūrā. PTSD, s.v. sūra: ‘violent, courageous, a hero’, MW, s.v. śūra: ‘violent, heroic, brave.’ pāṇa
refers to a living being. Many commentators including Buddhaghosa rightly explain the mean-
ing of the term pāṇa as follows: Sv I 69: ‘pāṇo’ ti c’ettha vohārato satto, paramatthato jīvitindriyaṃ.
‘“Living creature” means in this context a [refer to] the living being in the conventional sense
[and] the faculty of vitality in the absolute sense’. See also Ps I 198, Spk II 144, As 97. The sub-
stitution of dental n for retroflex ṇ and vice versa is a common feature in Sinhalese palm-leaf
Manuscripts.
176. PTSD, s.v. patāpa: ‘splendour, majesty’, MW, s.v. pratāpin: ‘glowing, shining, splendid, majestic,
powerful.’
177. PTSD, s.v. migābhibhū: ‘king of beasts (i. e. the lion).’ See also Sn 133: migābhibhū. Norman trans-
lates this as ‘overlord of animals.’ (Norman 2001, 90) while Bodhi rendered it as ‘the lord of
beasts’ (Bodhi 2017, 275) .
178. vūḷhā. A III 69: tesaṃ kāmoghavūḷhānaṃ. Tr. Bodhi 2012 (684): ‘those swept up by the flood of
sensuality.’ Mp III 258: ‘kāmoghavūḷhānan’ ti kāmoghakaḍḍhitānaṃ. ‘“[Those who] are carried away
by the floods of sensuality” means [those who] are drawn by the floods of sensuality’; Vin I 149:
gāmo udakena vūḷho hoti. Tr. Horner 1951 (197): ‘[T]he village […] to be carried away by the water.’
PTSD, s.v. vuḷha & vūḷha: ‘carried away’, PSED, s.v. vyūḍha: ‘expanded, developed, broad, wide;
placed in order, arranged, marshalled.’ In this transition, I rely on Apte.
179. PTS read naṅkulā This is most probably an erroneous variant reading resulted due to the audi-
tory confusion of copyists. DOP, s.v. nakula: ‘an ichneumon, a mongoose.’
180. PTSD, s.v. sindhava: ‘belonging to the Sindh, a Sindh horse.’ The commentary to the Dhamma-
pada explains the term sindhavā (Dhp-a IV 4) as follows: ‘Sindhavā’ ti Sindhavaraṭṭhe jātā assā.
‘“Sindhavā” means the horses that are born in Sindhu country.’
181. PTSD, s.v. bhayānaka: ‘frightful, horrible.’ Here, sādhurūpā bhayānakā is an oxymoron.
182. PTSD, s.v. sampatati: ‘to jump about, to fly along or about’, Vv 12: kokilā sampatanti. Tr. Kennedy
1942 (16): ‘kokilas hover about’; Vv-a 57: ‘sampatantī’ ti […] samantato patanti vicaranti. ‘“[They]
flying about [in the sky] nicely” means [they] alight around, [they] behave around.’
183. nibbhītā yena kenaci is an unusual statement of which literal meaning is ‘are brave for anybody.’
This is seemingly using instead of na bhītā yassa kassaci. Typically, in the canon, genitive case
governs when expressing this sense. See A II 120: so na bhāyati samparāyikassa maraṇassa, J IV 64:
yassa bhāyati maccharī.
184. PTS reads here tidhammabhinnā and it is obviously a contaminated reading of tidhā pabhinnā.
Both Be and Se preserve the latter reading. According to the Se, a Myanmar edition reads here
timmebhinnā, which is also a contaminated reading. The phrase tidhā pabhinnā can be attested
in the Pāli canon. For instance, see Ap II 354: tidhāppahinnā mātaṅgā kuñjarā saṭṭhihāyanā. Tr.
Walters 201 (640): ‘Mātaṅgas rutting in three ways [and] tuskers sixty years of age [.]’ See also Ap

sattappatiṭṭhitaṅgā te, ubho maggesu kūjino,

sādarā hāsamānā va, samayo te mahāyasa.
Auspicious six-tusked185 elephants flowing rut-fluid from three places who have lovely form,
are endowed with pleasant cries. They with sevenfold stance186 are crying187 in both [sides
of the] ways, appear as [they are] smiling188 with reverence. O greatly reputed one, it is your
time.
31. migā varāhā pasadā - citrāsāvayavā subhā,
ārohapariṇāhena - surūpā aṅgasaṃyutā,
ubho magge gāyamānā va - samayo te mahāyasa.
Beautiful deer, wild boars and spotted deer189 with variegated limbs,190 endowed with bodies
that have lovely form with right height and length,191 [appear] as those who are singing on
II 388; Walters 2017 (714), Ap-a 311; Gamage 2019 (74 n. 149). The Madhuratthavilāsinī speaks of
elephants flowing rut-fluid from seven places. See Bv-a 210: sattadhāpabhinnaṃ. Tr. Horner 1978
(304): ‘seven-fold firm, and showing signs of rut in seven places.’
185. DOP, s.v. chaddanta: ‘one of the types of the elephant (the most superior)’, cf. LV 348:
gajavaramahāpramāṇaḥ ṣaḍdanto hemajālasaṃchannaḥ. ‘Having the measure of a huge and noble
elephant [bearing] six tusks, properly covered by golden nets’; BC 1: 20: dhṛtvā himādridhavalaṃ
guru ṣaḍviṣāṇāṃ dānādhivāsitamukhaṃ dviradasya rūpam. ‘Bearing a form of a possessor of two
tusks [i.e. ‘an elephant’] with heavy six tusks as white as the snow-mountain [i.e. ‘the mount
Himalaya’], [and] with the face properly perfumed with rut-fluid.’
186. sattappatiṭṭhitaṅgā te. In the canon, the elephant of the wheel-roller monarch is qualified
with the term sattappatiṭṭha. See D II 174, M III 173: hatthiratanaṃ […] sattappatiṭṭho. Tr. T. W.
Rhys Davids and C. A. F. 1910–1921 (II 204): ‘[T]he Elephant Treasure […] seven-fold firm’; Tr.
Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi. 1995 (1025): ‘[T]he elephant-treasure […] with sevenfold stance’. In his sub-
commentary to the Dīghanikāya, Dhammapāla glossing on the term under discussion, reveals
why that it is called an elephant with sevenfold stance as follows: Sv-pṭ II 252: ‘sattappatiṭṭho’
ti bhūmiphusanakehi vāladhi, varaṅgaṃ, hattho ti imehi ca tīhi, catūhi pādehi cāti sattahi avayavehi
patiṭṭhitattā sattapatiṭṭho. ‘“[The Elephant] with sevenfold stance” means [the elephant is called]
“with sevenfold stance” because [it is] firm with seven limbs, [namely], with these three [limbs]
that touch the ground: tail, noble limb [i.e. ‘penis’], trunk and four legs.’
187. It is interesting to note here that the author collocates kūjino with elephants instead of gajjino.
The elephant’s trumpet usually depicted in Pāli with gajjeti or kuñcati. Kūjino typically refers to
the twittering of birds. See MW, s.v. kūjin: ‘warbling, making a rumbling sound in the bowels.’
188. hāsamānā va (lit. ‘those who are entertaining’) is seemingly occurs here in the sense of hasamānā
va (‘just as smiling’). We have already seen the author of the KTh1 frequently substitute caus-
ative forms instead of present and continuous forms. In some contexts, the term hāsa means
‘joy’, or ‘happiness.’ For instance, the Dhammasaṅgaṇī enumerates hāsa as a synonym of pītī (Dhs
10.), Ap I 259: hāso me udapajjatha; ‘The joy arose in me’; Vv 119: taṃ me giraṃ suṇantassa, hāso me
vipulo ahu. Tr. Gehman 1942 (116): ‘When that I heard That Voice abundant joy arose in me’; Vv-a
316: ‘hāso’ ti tuṭṭhi. ‘“hāsa (‘joy’)” means satisfaction.’ However, hāsamānā can also mean ‘those
who are entertaining.’ See S IV 306: hāseti. Bodhi translates the verb as ‘entertains’ (Bodhi 2000,
1333). It seems that ‘those who are smiling’ seems more apt to the context.
189. PTSD, s.v. pasatamiga: ‘spotted antelope.’ See also MW, s.v. pṛishat.
190. citrā sa+avayavā literally means ‘with variegated limbs’ or ‘variegated own limbs’? It is hard to
determine that this should be extracted sa or sva? To me, this is an abstruse term, although I fol-
lowed the first interpretation. See also DOP, s.v. avayava: ‘limb, member, part, constituent’, PSED,
s.v. sāvayava: ‘composed of parts.’
191. CPD, s.v. ārohapariṇāha: ‘height or length and breadth or circumference’, A II 250:
ārohapariṇāhasampanno. Tr. Bodhi 2012 (616): ‘possesses […] the right proportions’; Ap II 457:
aṅgapaccaṅgasampanno — ārohapariṇāhavā,
abhirūpo ruci homi — sampuṇṇaṅgo anūnako.
Tr. Walters 2017 (862): ‘I possess perfected limbs, [with proper] length and circumference; I’m

both [sides of the] way. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.

32. gokaṇṇā sarabhā192 rurū193 - ārohapariṇāhino,
surūpā aṅgasampannā - sevamānā va accharuṃ,
sevamānā tehi tadā - samayo te mahāyasa.
Elks,194 sarabha deer and gold coloured deer endowed with limbs that have lovely form with
right height and length, truly remained195 while serving [you]. On that occasion, you [could
walk] being served by them.196 O greatly reputed one, it is your time.
33. dīpī acchā taracchā ca - tudarā varuṇā sadā,
te dāni sikkhitā197 sabbe - mettāya tava tādino,
te p’ajja sevakā addhā198 - samayo te mahāyasa.
Leopards, bears, hyenas199 and jackals200are ever piercing201 [but] they are disciplined now,
with loving kindness of you who is like that. Indeed, they are also [your] servants today. O
greatly reputed one, it is your time.
34. sasā sigālā202 nakulā203 - kalandakāḷakā bahū,
very handsome [and] splendid, [with] complete limbs, no[thing] lacking.’

192. PTS reads this as rathabhā. This is a contaminated reading. However, both Be and Se preserve
sarabhā, which is most probably the original reading. See also Ja III 402: ‘sarabhā’ ti sarabhamigā.
‘“sarabhā” means sarabha-deer’; PTSD, s.v. sarabha: ‘a sort of deer’, MW, s.v. śarabha: ‘a kind of deer
or (in later times) a fabulous animal.’
193. The PTS reads rūru. PTSD, s.v. ruru: ‘a sort of deer’, MW, s.v. ruru: ‘a spices of antelope, a kind of
savage animal.’ In this translation, I follow the following interpreting appearing in the Jātaka
commentary (Ja V 418): ‘rurū’ ti suvaṇṇavaṇṇamigā. ‘“ruru” means gold coloured deer.’
194. DOP, s.v. gokaṇṇa: ‘a span, a kind of deer or elk’, PTSD, s.v. gokaṇṇa: ‘a large species of deer.’
195. accharuṃ seems a third person aorist plural form. The verb acchati is a generic term denoting
many postures such as standing, sitting, and so forth. Here is a couple of glosses on acchati and
acchanti: Vv-a 298: ‘acchatī’ ti nisīdati. ‘“acchati” means sits’; Vv-ṭ Be III 407: ‘acchatī’ ti tiṭṭhati.
‘“acchati” means stands’; Sv III 870: ‘acchantī’ ti vasanti. ‘“acchanti” means live’; Sv-pṭ III 61:
‘acchantī’ ti āsanti upavisantī ti attho. ‘“acchanti” means sit, enter is the meaning.’ DOP, s.v. acchati:
‘sits, remains, stays.’
196. sevamānā tehi tadā. I assume sevamānā is a future continuous form referring to the Buddha. The
term tadā alludes to the future tense. If so, sevamānā occurs here in singular sense, i.e. sevamāno.
197. The PTS reads sakkhitā here, but it does not make satisfactory sense.
198. The Be, PTS and Se read te paccasevakā. Although sevakā (‘servants’) can easily be rendered, it is
not clear what the author intended by pacca. I think pacca here is an aural confusion of p’ajja; te
p’ajja sevakā, which means ‘they are also servants, today.’ The terms pi (‘also’) and ajja (‘today’)
are typically contracted as p’ajja. For instance, see J V 369: so p’ajja saṃsayaṃ patto. ‘He is also
doubtful today.’ The commentary explains so p’ajja as follows: Ja V 369: ‘so p’ajjā’ ti so pi ajja. On
this ground, I shall emend te paccasevakā to te p’ajja sevakā and translate accordingly.
199. DOP, s.v. taraccha: ‘a hyena’. See also PSED, s.v. tarakṣaḥ, tarakṣuḥ.
200. In the Jātaka the tusks of an elephant is qualified with varuṇa. See J VI 135: accutavaruṇadantaṃ.
Apart from this term, there is no direct attestation to trace varuṇa but as the Halāyudhakośa
reveals that, this is a synonym for jackal. See Hk, s.v. varuṇa: jambūka. See also Śkd, s.v. varuṇa:
jambukaḥ.
201. tudarā has no canonical or commentarial attestation. Presumably, this is a contaminated reading
due to Burmese orthography and intervention of editors and copyists. But, DOP lists tudaka (see
DOP, s.v. tudaka: ‘pricking, piercing’). Depending on Cone’s interpretation, I take the term tudarā
here as a qualification of dīpi acchā taracchā.
202. Both Be and Se read siṅgālā here. Perhaps this is a result of aural confusion.
203. PTS reads naṅgulā. This is also a contaminated reading of nakulā crept into the text probably due

kasturā sūrā gandhā te - kevalā gāyamānā va.204

samayo te mahāyasa.
[There are] many hares, jackals, mongooses, squirrels, giant squirrels,205 musk-deer206 and
rhinoceroses207 that are brave. [It seems,] as if they are singing altogether. O greatly reputed
one, it is your rime.
35. mayūrā nīlagīvā te - susikhā subhapakkhikā,
supiñchā te sunādā ca - veḷuriyamaṇisannibhā,
nādaṃ karontā pūjenti - kālo te pitu dassane.
Those are blue necked, fair-crested, and lovely winged peacocks. They, having beautiful
cries and fair tail-feathers208 resembling lapis lazuli gems,209 are honouring making scream.
It is the time to see210 your father.
36. suvaṇṇacitrahaṃsā ca - javahaṃsā vihācarā,
te sabbe āsayā chuddhā - jinadassanabyāvaṭā,
madhurassarena kūjanti - kālo te pitu dassane.
[There are] gold coloured geese, variegated geese as well as the geese with swiftness tra-
versing the sky. All of them who are keen to see the Conqueror,211 released212 from lair, and
making cries in pleasant tone. It is the time to see your father.
to aural confusion.
204. In this verse that consists of 6 pādas, kevalā gāyamānā va runs as pāda d as it reads in the Be, Se and
PTS editions. A pāda of this verse is missing. Here, pāda d runs as kevalā gāyamānā va. It terribly
violates the metre when occurring as pāda d. To put this differently, kevalā gāyamānā va is highly
unlikely occur as an even pāda (i.e. yuk or sama pāda) of pathyāvaktra or Anuṣṭubh metre. But, it
suits well as an odd pāda (i.e. ayuk or viṣama pāda), especially, in this case as pāda e. It is most
probably pāda e is of this verse is misplaced as pāda d by the editors. Thus, I presume that pāda d
of this verse is missing, but not pāda e.
205. kalandakālakā is bit problematic in form. Interestingly, commentators gloss kalanda with kālaka,
and vice versa. See Sv III 941, Ps II 135: ‘kalandakā’ ti hi kāḷakānaṃ etaṃ nāmaṃ. ‘“kalandakā” means
indeed, this is a name of kāḷakas’; Ps-pṭ Be II 200: ‘kāḷakādayo’ ti kalandakādayo. ‘“kāḷaka, and oth-
ers” means kalanda, and others.’ See also DOP, s.v. kalandaka: ‘a squirrel’, DOP, s.v. kāḷaka: ‘a squir-
rel.’ Perhaps the author may have intended the giant squirrels (Ratufa macroura) with kāḷakā. ‘[T]
his genus is presented by three species in South Asia of which one species is endemic to South
Asia and one is endemic to India.’ Srinivasulu and Srinivasulu 2012 (121).
206. This maybe an alternative form of kastūrikā, which Monier Williams renders as ‘musk-deer.’ See
MW, s.v. kastūrikā.
207. gandhā. This may be a misreading resulted due to the aural confusion of gaṇḍā (‘rhinoceroses’).
See MW, s.v. gaṇḍa: ‘a rhinoceros.’
208. The ñ of supiñchā is a variant reading most probably resulted from Burmese author’s pen.
209. I think ‘lapis lazuli’ is the best fitting simile for the peacock feathers. See DPL, s.v. veḷuriyaṃ: ‘a
precious stone, perhaps lapis lazuli.’ SWKF, s.v. vaiḍūrya: ‘Katzenauge.’
210. From this stanza, dassane recurs in last line of this series. Apparently, this locative noun has
dative meaning expressing purpose i.e. dassanāya (‘to see’).
211. See PTSD, s.v. dassanavyāvaṭa: ‘keen on a sight, eager to see.’ See also Ud-a 116: ‘byāvaṭo’ ti ussukko.
‘“He who is eager” means he who is looking forwards’; Spk-pṭ Be II 288: ‘byāvaṭo’ ti pasuto. ‘“He
who is eager” means he who intents upon.’
212. Bv-a 101: ‘chuddhā’ ti suchuddhā suvuddhāritā ti attho. Tr. Horner 1978 (147): ‘Rejected means well
rejected; the meaning is well withdrawn from’; DOP, s.v. chuddha: ‘thrown away, rejected, aban-
doned; released, emerged from.’ Cf. Bv 15: bilāsayā darīsayā, nikkhamanti sakāsayā, te p’ajja āsayā
chuddhā, dhuvaṃ Buddho bhavissasi. Tr. Horner 2000 (18): ‘[Animals] having lairs in holes, lairs in
caves, come forth each from its lair; these lairs are rejected too today. Assuredly you will be a
Buddha.’

37. haṃsā koñcā sunadā te - cakkavākā nadīcarā,

bakā balākā rucirā - jalakākā sarakukkuṭā,
sādarābhinādino ete - kālo te pitu dassane.
Those geese and curlews213 have beautiful cries. Sheldrakes214 traverse the river. Herons,215
cranes,216 cormorants217 and waterfowls218 are lovely. These [species of birds] are making
great cries with reverence. It is the time to see your father.
38. citrā surūpā susarā219 - sālikā220 suvataṇḍikā,
rukkhaggā sampatantā te - ubho maggesu kūjino,
tesu tesu nikūjanti - kālo te pitu dassane.
Colourful, myna birds and snouted parrots221 possess lovely forms [and] charming cries. They
are flying from the tops of the tree[s] properly and making cries on both [sides of the] ways.
[They are] making cries in a lower tone222 at various places. It is the time to see your father.
39. kokilā sakalā citrā - sadā mañjussarā varā,
vimhāpitā te janataṃ - saddhimittādike surā,
sarehi pūjayantā ’va - kālo te pitu dassane.
The cuckoos [whose feathers] are completely variegated, frequently endowed with
perfect lovely tone. They, who are courageous for astonishing223 people together with
213. haṃsā koñcā. Hannedar points out that ‘goose’ the more appropriate translation of haṃsa. See
Hanneder 2002 (297). PTSD, s.v. koñca: ‘the heron’, DOP, s.v. koñca: ‘a heron or crane’, MW, s.v.
krauñca: ‘a kind of curlew; an osprey.’
214. DOP, s.v. cakkavāka: ‘the Cakra bird, (the ruddy sheldrake?).’ See also Balcerowicz and Mejor
2004 (266 n. 28). Some identify cakravāka as Sheldrake or Brahminy duck (Anas casarca, Sanskrit
cakravāka). See Kutban and Doniger 2012 (205).
215. PTSD, s.v. baka: ‘a crane, heron.’
216. PTSD, s.v. balākā: ‘a water fowl’, MW, s.v. balākā: ‘a crane.’
217. MW, s.v. jalakāka: ‘water-crow’, PSED, s.v. jalakāka: ‘the diver-bird.’ According to the research
related to ornithology, jalakāka represents Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants). See Turcotte and
Watts 1999 (86).
218. sarakukkuṭā. This species of bird remains to be ascertained. I am not sure this refers to sārasa.
The latter terms is rendered as ‘a water bird, Ardea sibirica’ in PTSD and as ‘the Indian or Siberian
crane, Ardea Sibirica’ in MW.
219. Be and Se read sussarā. This term is not in conformity with metre.
220. Be and Se read sāḷikā. DPL, s.v. sāḷikā: ‘the mynah bird, Gracula Religiosa’, see MW, s.v. śārikā: ‘kind
of bird (commonly called Maina, either the Gracula Religiosa or the Turdus Salica…).’
221. suvataṇḍikā is an ambiguous term. It is not certain that this is a scribal error of suvatuṇḍikā; par-
rots with snout. See MW, s.v. tuṇḍī: ‘a beak, snout.’ See also MW, s.v. tuṇdika: ‘furnished with a
snout.’
222. nikūjanti. I am not certain how to translate the upasarga ni here.
223. vimhāpitā. As far as I can tell, this term cannot be attested in the four Suttanikāyas. Whereas,
it is in the Apadāna, the term vimhita occurs to mean ‘astonishment’. For instance, see Ap II
464 tadāhaṃ vimhito hutvā — sutvā vākyaṃ manoramaṃ. Walters 2017 (877): At that time, being
astonished, having heard that lovely speaking’; Ap II 505 tadā Buddhānubhāvaṃ taṃ — disvā
vimhitamānaso. ‘On that occasion, having seen the dignity of the Buddha, I was with the thought
of astonishment’; Walters 2017 (961). See also Ap I 237: vimhitāsayo (‘intention of astonishment’),
Ap II 490, 499: vimhitamānaso (‘thought of astonishment’), Ap II 497: vimhito (‘[was] astonished’),
Ap II 574: vimhitā (‘[was] astonished’), Ap II 578: vimhitā (‘[ware] astonished’). In the Milindapa-
ñha too, we see the term occurring in the same sense. See Mil 122: rājā […] vimhito. ‘The king
was astonished.’ See also Horner 1969 (I 170). Although the term vimhāpana (‘astonishing’) can-
not be attested in the four Suttanikāyas, it is in the commentaries as a synonym of the term

friends,224 and so forth (?), [appear] as if honouring with cries. It is the time to see your
father.
40. bhiṅkā kururā225 sārā - pūritakānanā226 sadā,
ninnādayantā pavanaṃ - aññam aññasamaṅgino,
gāyamānā sareneva - kālo te pitu dassane.
The ferocious, strong227 and young elephants228 ever fill the forest, trumpeting over the
wooded range united with each other; [appear] as those who are singing in a sweet tone. It
is the time to see your father.
41. tittirā229 susarā sārā - susarā vanakukkuṭā,230
mañjussarā rāmaṇeyyā - kālo te pitu dassane.
The perfect partridges and jungle fowls are endowed with lovely cries. [They have] melodi-
ous cries that are delightful. It is the time to see your father.
42. setavālukasañchannā - supatitthā manoramā,
madhurodakasampuṇṇā - sarā jotanti te sadā,
tattha nhatvā pivitvā ca - samayo te ñātidassane.
Those delightful lakes with beautiful [and] excellent fords,231 well-covered with white sands,
kuhana (‘deception’). For example, in the Majjhimanikāya, there is the following phrase: M I 465:
janakuhanatthaṃ. ‘For the purpose of deceiving people.’ (See also Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi 1995, 568).
In the Papañcasūdanī, Buddhaghosa explains this phrase thus: Ps III 182: ‘janakuhanatthan’ ti
janavimhāpanatthaṃ. ‘“For the purpose of deceiving people” means for the purpose of astonish-
ing people.’ We see here the commentator equating kuhana with vimhāpana. See also It 28, It-a I
109. The term kuhana constantly occurs in the canon in a negative connotation. It is not quite
certain whether the masters of the Mahāvihāra school saw both these terms in a negative sense.
What is certain is that the term vimhāpitā is used in the verse under discussion in positive sense.
See also PTSD, s.v. vimhāpeti: ‘to astonish, to cause dismay to, to deceive.’
224. saddhimittādike surā is an unintelligible reading. The literal meaning of this term, i. e. ‘Clever
with friends and so forth’, makes no reliable sense in this context. This contaminated reading
may have resulted due to the intervention of the copyist whose acquaintance in Pāli is quite
poor. surā perhaps occurs here to mean those who are courageous. For sūra, see n. 136.
225. kururā is probably a misreading for kurūrā (PTSD, s.v. ‘bloody, raw, cruel’, MW, s.v. krūra: ‘cruel,
fierce, ferocious, pitiless, harsh, formidable.’ I take it as an adjective for bhiṅkā. Be and Se substi-
tute kurarā here, which is not fitting to the context. As the canonical attestations make it clear,
kurarā refer to a species of bird. See Ap I 17, J VI 539. See also DPL, s.v. kurara: ‘a sea-eagle or
osprey.’
226. pūritakānanā sadā. In addition to the PTS edition, a Myanmar edition recorded in the Se, has the
same reading. Yet, both Be and Se take this pāda thus: pūritā kānane sadā. To me, pūritakānanā as
a bahuvrīhi serves the context well.
227. I assume sārā (PTSD, s.v. sāra: ‘essential, most excellent, strong’) as an adjective for bhiṅkā.
228. DPL, s.v. bhiṅko: ‘a young elephant.’ In the Saṃyuttanikāya, the term bhiṅkacchāpā is used to
refer to young elephants (S II 269). The following is the Sāratthappakāsinī’s definition of this
term (Spk II 231): ‘bhiṅkacchāpā’ ti hatthi potakā. te kira abhiṇhaṃ bhiṅkārasaddaṃ karonti, tasmā
bhiṅkāracchāpā ti vuccanti. ‘“Young offspring” means young elephants. It is said that they make
a cry [resembling to that] of a vase repeatedly. Thus, [they] are called “bhiṅkāracchāpā”.’ Here
bhiṅkāracchāpā is seemingly a misreading. The Chaṭṭhasaṅgīti edition reads bhiṅkacchāpā here.
See Spk Be II 212.
229. DOP, s.v. tittira: ‘a partridge.’
230. As 117: vanakukkuṭa. Tin translates this term as ‘wildfowl.’ See Tin 1920 (I 155), and Nyānaponika
renders it as ‘Waldhühnern’ (Nyānaponika 2005, 216).
231. supatitthā manoramā. In the canon, the term supatittha is used to qualify river banks as well as
fords of the lakes. See Ap Be I 16: uttānakūlā nadikā — supatitthā manoramā. ‘The small river with

are completely filled with sweet water, are shining always. Having bathed and drunk there,
[you could walk]. It is the time to see your relatives.
43. kumbhīrā makarākiṇṇā - valayā muñjarohitā,
macchakacchapabyāviddhā - sarā setodakā232 subhā,
tattha nhatvā pivitvā ca - samayo te ñātidassane.
The attractive lakes with limpid water are replete with crocodiles, makaras, and valaya, mu-
ñja and rohita fish.233 [The lakes] are whirled around by fish and tortoises.234 Having bathed
and drunk there, [you could walk]. It is the time to see your relatives.
44. nīl’uppalasamākiṇṇā - tathā235 ratt’uppalehi ca,
kumud’uppalasaṅkiṇṇā - sarā sobhanti ’nekadhā,
tattha sītalakā toyā - samayo te ñātidassane.
shallow banks and beautiful and excellent fords.’ The PTS reads supatiṭṭhā in lieu of supatitthā
(see Ap I 15). Thus, Walters renders it ‘well-fixed.’ See Walters 2017 (39). Following is the gloss
on the term supatitthā appearing in the commentary that I follow in this translation: Ap-a Be I
235: ‘supatitthā’ ti sundarapatitthā. ‘“supatitthā” means with beautiful and excellent fords.’ In what
follow are three more examples of supatittha together with their commentarial glosses: (1.) M I
167: sūpatitthaṃ. Tr. Horner 1954 (I 210): ‘a delightful ford’; Tr. Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi 1995 (259):
‘smooth banks’, Ps II 173: ‘suppatitthan’ ti anupubbagambhīrehi sundarehi titthehi upetaṃ. ‘“suppatit-
tha” means [the river] that is endowed with beautiful [and] gradually-sloping banks.’ S I 91:
supatitthā. (2.) Tr. Bodhi 2000: ‘with good fords’; Spk I 160: ‘supatitthā’ ti sundaratitthā. ‘“supatitthā”
means [the lake] with beautiful fords.’ (3.) A III 190: supatitthā. Tr. Bodhi 2012 (776): ‘with smooth
banks’; Mp III 297: ‘supatitthā’ ti samatitthā. ‘“supatitthā” means [the lake] with flat fords.’
232. Be and Se read sītodakā. ‘[With] cold water.’ The commentary Ud-a 402–403: ‘setodikā’ ti
nikkaddamā. ‘“[The river] with white water” means [the river] with mud-free water.’
233. I take two lines, i.e. KTh2 43ab as semantically connected as one split-compound. Cf. Ap I 15:
kumbhīlā makarā c’ettha. ‘Crocodiles and Makaras in this [small river].’ See also Walters 2017 (39).
See also DOP, s.v. kumbhīra/kumbhīla: ‘a crocodile’[…] kumbhīla: ‘a crocodile (of the Ganges).’ DPL,
s.v. makaro: ‘Name of mythical fish or sea monster.’ See also MW, makara: ‘a kind of sea-monster
(sometimes confounded with the crocodile, shark, dolphin…)’, ASED, s.v. ‘kind of marine mon-
ster.’ The Abhidhānaratnamālā of Halāyudha identifies makara as a kind of fish. See Habh, s.v.
makara: ‘matsyaviśeṣo makaraḥ.’ Furthermore, Halāyudha explains the term as follows: Hk, s.v.
makara: pādīnāṃ gaṇāntargato jalajantuviśeṣaḥ. ‘[“makara” means] a species of living creatures liv-
ing in water that is reckoned among those who possess legs.’ Valayā is not consistent in some
other canonical contexts. Cf. Ap 15: jalajā muñjarohitā. Jalajā here seems a distorted form of
valayā. Perhaps, this is a substitution of the scribes, which is a clear reminder of ‘the tendency
for an uncommon expression to be replaced by a common one’ in textual criticism. See Martin
2010 (16). Interestingly, the Jātaka reads this as follows: J IV 70: vālajaṃ muñjarohitaṃ J VI 278:
valajā muñjarohitā. See Hk, s.v. valayaḥ: śaṅkhakaḥ, kambuḥ. ‘[“Valayaḥ” means] the conch-shell
[and] a conch.’ See also Śkd, s.v. valaya. J IV 70: ‘vālajan’ ti vālajamacchaṃ, ‘muñjarohitan’ ti muñ-
jamacchañ ca rohitamacchañ ca. ‘“valajaṃ” means Valaja fish [and] “muñjarohitaṃ” means Muñja
fish and Rohita fish.’ PTSD, s.v. muñja: ‘a sort of fish (+rohita, taken as Dvandva…)’, DPL, s.v. rohito:
‘the fish Cyprinus Rohita.’ See also Weber and Beaufort 1964 (152).
234. DOP, s.v. kacchapa: ‘a turtle, a tortoise.’ byāviddhā has apparently come from a Burmese Pen. Bur-
mese Manuscripts typically substitute b for v. PTS edition reads J VI 530: macchakacchapavyāviddhā.
‘[The lotus pond] is whirled around by fish and tortoises.’ The commentary glosses this pāda as
follows: J VI 531: ‘vyāviddhā’ ti pasanne udake vyāviddhā paṭipāṭiyaṃ gacchantā dissanti. ‘“vyāviddhā”
means [fish and tortoises] are whirling around in clear water [of the water pond and they] are
seen moving in sequence.’ See also for vyāviddha PTSD, s.v. vyāviddha: ‘whirling about, flitting
(here & there), moving about, pell-mell.’ MW, vyāviddha: ‘thrown or tossed about, whirling
round.’
235. PTS read yathā. ‘Just as’, which is not compatible with this context.

The lakes that are well crowded with blue water lilies236 and red water lilies,237 [as well as the
lakes that are] crowded with white water lilies [and] blue water lilies,238 look beautiful239 in
many ways.240 There, waters are extremely cool. It is the time to see your relatives.
45. puṇḍarīkehi sañchannā - padumehi samohatā,
ubho maggesu sobhanti - pokkharañño tahiṃ tahiṃ,
tatthodakāni nhāyanti - samayo te ñātidassane.
The ponds well-covered with white lotuses, well-overspread241with lotuses,242 look beautiful
in various places on both [sides of the] roads. There, [the people] are bathing waters. It is
the time to see your relatives.
236. nīl’uppalasamākiṇṇā. Hanneder’s study shows that the accurate rendering of uppala is ‘blue water
lily.’ See Hanneder 2002 (295–308). Since this verse refers to uppala and ratt’uppala in addition to
nīl’uppala, I render uppala as ‘water lily’ to suit the context.
237. The ellipsis saṅkiṇṇā seems to have been assumed after ratt’uppalehi ca for the completion of
meaning.
238. DOP, s.v. kumuda: ‘a water-lily, esp. the night-blossoming white water-lily (Nymphaea alba or Nym-
phaea pubescens)’, MW, s.v. kumuda: ‘the esculent white water-lily (Nymphaea esculenta).’
239. PTSD, s.v. sobhati: ‘to shine, to be splendid, look beautiful.’
240. DOP, s.v. nekadhā: ‘many times, in many ways.’
241. samohata is seemingly a graphical confusion of samotata that happened due to the close resem-
blance of ta and ha in Burmese characters. See Vv 63: nānāpadumasañchannā, puṇḍarīkasamotatā.
Tr. Kennedy 1942 (76): ‘covered with various lotuses, with white lotus overspread.’ The two verse
lines just quoted also appear in the Petavatthu. See Pv 41. Its rendering runs thus. ‘(The ponds)
are covered with many pink lotuses and bedecked with the white lotus’. Gehman 1942 (201). The
commentaries of these two canonical texts gloss samotata as follows: Vv-a 191 ‘samotatā’ ti […]
samantato avatatā. ‘“samotatā” means [the lotus ponds are] covered around [with white lotuses]’,
Pv-a 157: ‘samotatā’ ti samokiṇṇā. ‘“samotatā” means [they are] well crowded [with white lotuses].’
I translate samotata.
242. puṇḍarīkehi and padumehi. The Halāyudhakośa glosses the term puṇḍarīkam with śuklapadmaṃ
(‘white lotus’) and sitāmbhojaṃ (‘white lotus’). Interestingly, the Pāli commenters, especially,
Buddhaghosa offer a couple of interpretations of uppala and puṇḍarīka. According to his first
interpretation, any kind of water lily is called uppala irrespective of its blueness, redness and
whiteness, and the second says that uppala means the water lily that has a hundred petals,
and puṇḍarīka means the lotus with less than a hundred petals. He moreover proceeds stating
that the white lotus is called paduma irrespective of the number of its petals, and red lotus is
called puṇḍarīka. See Sv II 219, Ps II 322, Mp III 234: setarattanīlesu yaṃ kiñci uppalaṃ uppalam eva,
ūnakasatapattaṃ puṇḍarīkaṃ, satapattaṃ padumaṃ. pattaniyamaṃ vā vinā pi setaṃ padumaṃ, rattaṃ
puṇḍarīkan ti ayam ettha vinicchayo. ‘Any water lily out of [the ones existing] in white, red or in
blue, [irrespective of its colour] it is indeed [simply called] ‘an uppala’ [without specifying as
set’uppalaṃ (‘a white water lily’), ratt’uppalaṃ (‘a red water lily’) or nīl’uppalaṃ (‘a blue water lily’)
[and] the [lotus that has] less than a hundred petals is [called] ‘a puṇḍarīka’ [and] the [lotus] that
has a hundred petals, is [called] ‘a paduma.’ Alternatively, even without determining the [number
of] petals, the white [lotus] is [called] ‘a paduma’ [and] the red [lotus] is [called] ‘a puṇḍaṛīka’, this
is the rule here.’ He is Dhammapāla’s gloss on the term setarattanīlesu: Sv-pṭ I 343: ‘setarattanīlesū’
ti uppalesu, set’uppalaratt’uppalanīl’uppalesū ti attho. ‘“Out of the whites, reds [and] blues” means
among the water lilies; among the white water lilies, red water lilies [and] blue water lilies, is
the meaning.’ See also Mp-ṭ III Be 13. The following comment on paduma and puṇḍaṛīka appears
in the Manorathapūraṇī (Mp II 236): ‘paduman’ ti paṇḍarapadumaṃ. ‘puṇḍarīkan’ ti rattapadumaṃ.
‘“paduma” means “a white lotus” [and] “puṇḍaṛīka” means “a red lotus”.’ Dhammapāla also fol-
lows what Buddhaghosa stated in the Manorathapūraṇī thus: Vv-a 236: setakamalaṃ ‘padumaṃ’,
rattakamalaṃ ‘puṇḍarīkan’ ti vadanti. ‘Some [masters] state that a white lotus is “paduma” [and]
red lotus is “puṇḍarīka”.’ It is significant to note that the commentators do not use puṇḍarīka to
refer to white lotus in many contexts. However, Dhammapāla sometimes equates puṇḍarīka with
‘white lotus’ using setakamala (Vv-a 191) and setapaduma (Pv-a 157).

46. setapulinasaṅkiṇṇā - supatitthā manoramā,

sītodakamahoghehi - sampuṇṇā tā nadī 243 subhā,
ubho maggehi sandanti - samayo te ñātidassane.
Those lovely rivers completely filled with great floods of cool water, well crowded with
white sandbanks in the middle,244 with beautiful and excellent fords, are flowing indeed in
both [sides of] the way.245 It is the time to see your relatives.
47. maggasa246 ubhato passe - gāmanigamasamākulā,
saddhā pasannā janatā - ratanattayamāmakā,
tesaṃ sampuṇṇasaṅkappo - samayo te ñātidassane.
On both sides of the road, [there are] well crowded villages and towns247 with people who
are faithful, tranquil and considering [thus:] ‘I am devoted to the Three Jewels’. Being the
one who completely fills the intention of those [people], [you may walk]. It is the time to
see your relatives.
48. tesu tesu padesesu, devā mānussakā ubho,
gandhamālābhipūjenti, samayo te ñātidassane ti.
In various regions, both deities and humans248 are greatly honouring [you] with perfumes
and garlands.249 It is the time to see your relatives.
Concluding comments
It seems that the two series have reached their present form as a result of autono-
mous developments, and that they stem from different authors. The KTh1 and
KTh2 are two peripheral series of verses ascribed to Kāḷudāyī and preserved in the
Bv-a and Ap-a respectively. The style of the latter version is closer to some of the
texts in the Khuddaka-nikāya, and it is apparently older than KTh1. Both series are
243. PTS reads kānadī, which does not make sense within this context.
244. PTSD, s.v. pulina: ‘a sandy bank or mound in the middle of a river’, Hk, s.v. pulinam: toyotthitataṭam,
jalād acirotthitaṃ taṭaṃ. ‘[“pulina” means] the [sand] bank risen from the [river’s] water, the
[sand] bank recently risen from the [river’s] water.’
245. maggehi. I take magge hi.
246. PTS reads maggesu.
247. gāmanigamasamākulā is hypermetric. It is fairly complicated to translate this stanza. The author
follows unusual syntaxes here. Especially, the pādas bcd deviate the usual Pāli idiom. I guess
s/he has intended the following sequence of phrases: maggesu ubhato passe, saddhā pasannā
ratanattayamāmakā janatā gāmanigamasamākulā. It seems that the underlined terms func-
tion as adjectives of gāmanigamasamākulā in this stanza. I take the latter term in the sense of
samākulagāmanigamā. To phrase differently, I take gāmanigamasamākulā as a viśeṣaṇa-uttarapadā-
samāsa in which the last member of the compound, i.e. samākulā functions as the adjective, and
I translate the whole compound as samākulagāmanigamā; ‘well crowded villages and towns.’ We
have many instances for this kind of compounds in the Pāli canon. See A II 86: samaṇamacalo.
Tr. Bodhi 2012 (468): ‘The ascetic unshaken’; Mp III 113: ‘samaṇamacalo’ ti […] niccalasamaṇo.
‘“samaṇamacala” means the ascetic who is steady.’
248. Literally, mānussakā and mānusakā refer to the manufactured things or possessions of humans.
See Bv-a 100: ‘mānusakā’ ti manussānaṃ santakā mānussakā. Tr. Horner 1978 (145): ‘Man-made
means pertaining to men, man-made.’ See also PTSD, s.v. mānusaka: ‘a human being, man.’ How-
ever, here the poet is obviously using it for metrical license.
249. Perhaps, gandhamālāhi pūjenti would be the original reading, which makes better sense. There is
a reasonable possibility to confuse hi and bhi both in Sinhalese and Burmese characters.

endowed with charming eulogies to the environment, and they are adorned with
an array of literary figures. More research is needed to identify all the rhetorical
devices used in both series (Gamage 2019, 79).
Acknowledgements
I owe special thanks to the J. Gonda Foundation and the International Institute for
Asian Studies (IIAS), Leiden, the Netherlands, for offering me a research fellowship
from 2019 to 2020 enabling me to work on this article. Similarly, I am immensely
grateful to Dr Petra Kieffer-Pülz and Professor Peter Harvey for their insightful
comments, valuable suggestions and corrections.
Abbreviations
A Aṅguttaranikāya
AbhP Abhidhānappadīpikā
Ap Apadāna
Ap-a Visuddhajanavilāsinī
As Atthasālinī
Bv Buddhavaṃsa
Bv-a Buddhavaṃsa-aṭṭhakathā
D Dīghanikāya
Dhp-a Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā
Dhs Dhammasaṅgaṇī
It Itivuttaka
It-a Itivuttaka-aṭṭhakathā
J Jātaka
Ja Jātaka-aṭṭhakathā
M Majjhimanikāya
Mil Milindapañha
Mp Manorathapūraṇī
Nidd Niddesa
Ps Papañcasūdanī
Ps-pṭ Papañcasūdanīpurāṇaṭīkā
Pṭsm-a Paṭisambhidāmagga-aṭṭhakathā
Pv Petavatthu
Pv-a Petavatthu-aṭṭhakathā
S Saṃyuttanikāya
Sdn Saddanīti
Sn Suttanipāta
Sn-a Suttanipāta-aṭṭhakathā
Sp Samantapāsādikā
Spk Sāratthappakāsinī
Sv Sumaṅgalavilāsinī
Sv-abhṭ Sīlakkhandhavagga-abhinavaṭīkā
Sv-pṭ Sumaṅgalavilāsinīpurāṇaṭīkā
Th Theragāthā

Th-a Theragāthā-aṭṭhakathā
Thi Therīgāthā
Thi-a Therīgāthā-aṭṭhakathā
Ud-a Udāna-aṭṭhakathā
Vibh-a Vibhaṅga-aṭṭhakathā
Vin Vinaya
Vjb Vajirabuddhiṭīkā
Vv Vimānavatthu
Vv-a Vimānavatthu-aṭṭhakathā
Vv-ṭ Vimativinodanīṭīkā
Except where otherwise stated, all the above abbreviations refer to editions of texts
published by the Pali Text Society (PTS).
Special Abbreviations
Be Burmese Chaṭṭhasaṅgīti Tipiṭaka Edition
Ce Sinhalese Buddhajayanti Tipiṭaka Edition and Simon Hewavitarne Bequest
Aṭṭhakathā Edition
KTh1 1st series of Kāḷudāyī’s verses
KTh2 2nd series of Kāḷudāyī’s verses
Se Siamese Tipiṭaka and Aṭṭhakathā (BudSir)
AK Ramanathan, A.A. Amarakośa: with the Unpublished South Indian Commentaries. Vol. I.
1989. India: Adyar Library and Research Centre.
ASED MacDonnell, Arthur Anthony. 1893. A Sanskrit English Dictionary. London: Longmans
Green and Company.
BC Cowell, Edward. B. 1894. Buddha-Katita or Life of Buddha. New Delhi: Cosmo Publica-
tions.
BHSD Edgerton, Franklin. 1953. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. Two Vols.
New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
CPD Trenckner, V. et al. 1924–2011. A Critical Pāli Dictionary, vols. I, fasc.1–III, fasc. 8. Co-
penhagen: Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters; Bristol: Pali Text Society.
DOP Cone, Margaret. 2001–2010. Dictionary of Pāli 2 vols. Oxford: Pali Text Society.
DPL Childers, Robert Cæsar.1875. A Dictionary of Pāli Language. London: Trübner and Co.
DPPN Malalasekara, G. P.1937–1938. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names 2 Vols. London: John
Murray, Albemarle Street.
Habh Th. Aufrecht. 1861. Halayudha’s Abhidhānaratnamālā. London: Williams & Norgate.
Hk Jośhī, Jayaśaṅkara. 1957. Halāyudhakośaḥ. Lakhnau: Uttara Pradeśa Hindī Saṃsthāna.
JC Rouse, W. H. D. 1905. ‘Jinacarita’. London: Oxford University Press.
LV 1993. Lalitavistara. Ed. Hokazono.
Mvu Senart, Par É. 1977. Le Mahāvastu. Texte Sanscrit Publié Pour La Première Fois Et Accom-
pagné D’Introductions Et D’un Commentaire Vol. III. Paris: À L’Imprimerie Nationale.
MW Monier-Williams, Monier. 1899. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford Uni-
versity Press.
PSED Apte, Vaman Shivaram.1890. The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Poona: Shi-
ralkar.
PTSD Rhys Davids, T. W. and William Stede. 1921–1925. Pāli-English Dictionary. London:
Pali Text Society.

ŚKd Kanta Deva, Raja Radha. 1967. Śabdakalpadrumaḥ. Varanasi: Chaukhamba Sanskrit
Series.
ŚMn Bhaṭṭāchārya, Srī Tārānātha. 1967. Śabdastomamahānidhi. Varanasi: Chowkhamba
Sanskrit Series Office.
SNa Johnston, E. H. 1928. The Saundarananda of Aśvaghoṣa. London: Oxford University
Press.
SWKF Böhtlingk, Otto. 1856–1884. Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in Kürzerer Fassung 7 Vols. St. Pe-
tersburg: Buchdruckerei der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
Vp Tarkavācaspati, Śrī Tārānātha. 1962. Vācaspatyam. Varanasi: Chaukhamba Sanskrit
Series.
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BSRV 37.

1 (2020) 73–116 Buddhist Studies Review ISSN (print) 0256-2897

Two Series of Kāḷudāyī’s Verses in the Pāli Commentaries:

Aruna Keerthi Gamage

Keywords: nature poetry, Kāḷudāyī, Theragāthā, Buddhavaṃsa commentary, Apadāna com-

The Theragāthā verses

© Equinox Publishing Ltd 2020

9) sā Gotamī kālakatā ito cutā

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3. See the translation of KTh1 43.

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Kāḷudāyī’s verses in the Buddhavaṃsa Aṭṭhakathā (KTh1)5

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2. dumā vicittā suvirājamānā

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13. I extract susajjitāvāsanivāsabhūtā as susajjita+āvāsa+nivāsa+bhūtā.

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20. girī samantā va padissamānā,

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33. For dala, see Hk, s.v. dalaṃ: patraṃ.

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40. DOP, s.v. kiṇṇa: ‘scattered, strewn.’

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29. virājitā āsi45 mahī samantā

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great hero, it is the time [in favour] of Aṅgīrasas.

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33. vicitranīlabbham ivāyataṃ vanaṃ

53. sabbotukaṃ. See MW, s.v. sarvartuka, PTSD, s.v. utuka.

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75. Se reads Kapilavatthuṃ.

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60. Suddhodano munivaraṃ abhidassanāya

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Kāḷudāyī’s verses in the Apadāna Aṭṭhakathā (KTh2)89

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9. Suddhodano nāma pitā mahesino

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sevamāno ubho passe - gantukālo mahāyasa.

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19. itthambhūtā anekā te - nānāphaladharā dumā,

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22. asokā koviḷārā ca - somanassakarā varā,

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sādaraṃ162 pūjayantā va - samayo te mahāyasa.

162. Be reads sādarā.

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sattappatiṭṭhitaṅgā te, ubho maggesu kūjino,

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both [sides of the] way. O greatly reputed one, it is your time.

very handsome [and] splendid, [with] complete limbs, no[thing] lacking.’

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kasturā sūrā gandhā te - kevalā gāyamānā va.204

Kaludayi's Verses

Kaludayi's Verses