Chapter 44

LIfE HISTORIES Of BHIKKHUN¢ ARAHATS

1. MAHŒPAJŒPATI GOTAM¢ THER¢

he future Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī Therī was born into a worthy family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. On one occasion, she was listening

to a discourse by the Buddha when she happened to see a bhikkhunī being named by the Buddha as the foremost among the bhikkhunīs who were enlightened earliest¹. She aspired to the same distinction in a future existence. So, she made extraordinary offerings to the Buddha and expressed that wish before Him. The Buddha predicted that her aspiration would be fulfilled.

In Her Previous Existence as The Head of Water-carriers

The future Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī Therī led a life of charity and observed the moral precepts and at the end of her life she was reborn in the deva realm When she passed away from deva existence during the interval between the two Buddhas, she was reborn into the slave class in Bǎrǎṇasī, as the head of water carriers.

Then, when the rains-retreat period was drawing near, five Paccekabuddhas who lived in Nandam| Cave, descended at the Migadǎvana forest, near Bǎrǎṇasī, from the sky and went into the city to gather alms-food. They stayed at the Isipatana Migadǎvana forest after the alms-round and discussed among themselves about seeking help in making small dwelling places for use during the rains-retreat.

(A bhikkhu, who vows to remain at a chosen place during the rains-retreat period, is required by the Vinaya Rules to live in a sort of dwelling with some roof (made of slate, or baked tile, or cement tile, or grass or leaves) and with a door. This rule has no exception even for those bhikkhus who have vowed to observe such austere practices as the Nǎlaka practice or the Moneyya practice. If a dwelling for the purpose is not offered to them ready-made, they have to seek assistance in getting one built. This dwelling is the place where they vow to live during the three-month rains-retreat period, and is essential for making the vow.)

The five Paccekabuddhas, who had to fulfil the need for a dwelling for use during the rains-retreat, arranged their robes in the evening and entered the city of Bǎrǎṇasī to seek assistance. Their going into the city was noted by the chief of the water carriers. The Paccekabuddhas stood at the door of the rich man of Bǎrǎṇasī but when they told him about their need, the rich man said, ‚We were not prepared to help. May the revered ones go elsewhere.‛

The chief of water carriers met the Paccekabuddhas as they came out of the city at the city gate and putting down the water pot, she made obeisance. Then she asked the purpose of the revered ones in going into the city and coming out so soon from it. The Paccekabuddhas told her that they were seeking assistance to have a small dwelling built for use during the rains-retreat period. And also on further inquiry, she learnt that the need was still unfulfilled. She asked them: ‚Is this dwelling to be the gift of only well-to-do donors? Or is it proper for a slave like me to donate one?‛

‚Anybody may do so, female lay supporter,‛ they replied.

1. Rattaññǔ Puggala: one who was enlightened earliest. This is a techanical term which means the bhikkhu who is the senior-most in the Order. It also means the bhikkhu who understands the four Ariya Truths earliest. It also may mean the bhikkhu who attain arahatship earliest.

‚Very well, Venerable Sirs, we shall donate the dwellings tomorrow. Meantime, may the Venerables accept my offering of food tomorrow.‛

After making the invitation, she picked up her water pot and, instead of returning to the city, she went back to the water-hole and gathered her company of water carriers there. Then she said to them: ‚Now girls, do you want to be slaves to others all the time? Or do you want freedom from servitude?‛

They answered in unison: ‚We want freedom from servitude!‛

‚If so, I have invited the five Paccekabuddhas to an offering tomorrow. They are in need of dwellings. Let your husbands give their helping hands for one day tomorrow.‛

‚Very well,‛ they all said. They told this to their husbands in the evening after the latter had come home from the forest where they worked. The men all agreed to help and made an appointment at the door of the chief of the male slaves. When they had assembled there, the head of the water carriers urged them to lend a hand in building dwellings for the five Paccekabuddhas during the rains-retreat period, and thus extolling great benefits of such contribution. A few of the men, who did not agree to help at first, were admonished by her and persuaded into the task.

The next morning, the head of the water carriers offered food to the five Paccekabuddhas. After that, she signalled the five hundred male slaves to start work. They promptly went to the forest, cut down trees, and each group of a hundred men built a modest dwelling unit for one Paccekabuddha, complete with an adjacent walk to it. They filled the water pots and saw to the bare essentials in five dwellings for the five Paccekabuddhas. They then offered them to the Paccekabuddhas, requesting them to dwell there during the rains-retreat period. Having received the consent of the revered ones, they also took turns to offer daily food to them.

If there was some poor water carrier who was unable to prepare a meal for the five Paccekabuddhas on her appointed day, the head of the water carriers would give her the necessary provisions. The three months of νassa thus passed. Near the end of the νassa, the head of the water carriers asked the five hundred slave girls each to weave a piece of rough cloth. The five hundred pieces collected from them were exchanged for five sets of fine robes which were offered, one set to each of the five Paccekabuddhas. The Paccekabuddhas, after receiving the robes, rose to the sky in the presence of their donors and went away in the direction of Gandamǎdǎna mountain.

In the Past Existence as The Chief Weaver

These water carriers slave girls spent the rest of their life in doing meritorious acts. On their death, they were reborn in the deva realm. The head of the deva girls, on her passing away, was reborn into the family of the chief weaver, in a weaver's village, near Bǎrǎṇasī. One day, the five hundred sons of Queen Paduma devī, all Paccekabuddhas, went to the door of the royal palace at the Bǎrǎṇasī on invitation. But there was no one to attend to them; to offer seats or to offer food. They had to return to their abode. As they left the city and were at the weaver's village, the chief weaver, who had much devotion for them and after paying obeisance to them, offered food. The Paccekabuddhas accepted her offering of food and, after finishing the meal, left for the Gandamǎdǎna mountain.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

The chief weaver spent the rest of her life in deeds of merit. After passing away from that existence, she was reborn in the deva realm or the human realm in turns, On the eve of the appearing of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn into the Sakyan royal family as the younger daughter of King Mahǎsuppabuddha in Devadaha. She was named Gotamī and was the younger sister of Princess Mahǎmǎyǎ. Court astrologers, learned in the Vedas and adept at reading human forms and marks (physiognomy) and palmistry, after scrutinizing the distinctive bodily features of the two sisters predicted that the sons born of the two sisters would become a Universal Monarch.

When the two sisters came of age, they were betrothed to King Suddhodǎna and they were taken to Kapilavatthu where Princess Mahǎmǎyǎ was made the Chief Queen. Later,

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the Buddha-to-be passed away from Tusitǎ Deva realm and was conceived in the womb of Queen Mahǎmǎyǎ. After the Queen had given birth to her son (on the full moon of Kason (May) in the 68th year of the Great Era), on the seventh day, she passed away and was reborn in Tusitǎ Deva realm by the name of Santusita. On the death of Queen Mahǎmǎyǎ, King Suddhodǎna made the younger sister, Queen Gotamī, the Chief Queen.

After Queen Mahǎmǎyǎ had given birth to Prince Siddhattha, two or three days later, Queen Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī, the step mother of Prince Siddhattha, gave birth to Prince Nanda. So, at the time Queen Mahǎmǎyǎ died, Prince Siddhattha was only seven days old while Prince Nanda was only four or five days old. Queen Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī nursed her nephew, Prince Siddhattha, from her own breast, while leaving her own son, Prince Nanda, to be nurtured by nurses. She devoted her whole attention to the bringing up of her little nephew, the Buddha-to-be.

Later, the Buddha-to-be renounced the world and attained Supreme Enlightenment. While He was on the Buddha's mission to bring welfare to the world, He made His first visit to Kapilavatthu. On the next day, after His arrival, He went into the city to collect alms-food. His father, King Suddhodǎna, had the opportunity to listen to the Buddha's discourse while He was still on His alms-round and resulted in him attaining the Stream-Entry Knowledge. Then on the second day, Prince Nanda was admitted into the Order. On the seventh day, the Buddha's son, Rǎhula, was admitted as a novice (The details of these events have already been given.)

The Buddha spent His fifth νassa in K|Ôagǎra monastery in the Mahǎvana forest, near Vesǎlī. During that time King Suddhodǎna attained arahatship under the regal white umbrella at the court of Kapilavatthu and passed away the same day. Then Queen Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī renounced the world and become a bhikkhunī. Later, the five hundred queen consorts of the five hundred Sakyan princes, who became bhikkhus on the occasion of the expounding of the Mahǎsamaya Sutta, unanimously decided to become bhikkhunīs. They made Queen Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī their spokeswoman to request the Buddha for admission into the Order. The first attempt by the Queen, the Buddha's step-mother, failed. Then she and the five hundred Sakyan princesses shaved their heads, donned dyed robes, and marched on foot from Kapilavatthu to Vesǎlī. They sought Venerable Œnanda's support in pleading for their admission. finally, the Buddha admitted them into the Order as bhikkhunīs or female bhikkhu. Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī was admitted by administering the eight principal vows (garu dhamma). The five hundred Sakyan princesses were admitted by an assembly of bhikkhus only. (Note: Later under normal procedure, a bhikkhunī had to be admitted by an assembly of bhikkhunīs also.) (The details about this paragraph may be found in Chapter Thirty-two.)

The Buddha's step-mother, Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī Therī, attained arahatship after hearing the SaÑkhitta Sutta. The five hundred bhikkhunīs later attained enlightenment at various levels after hearing the Nandakovǎda Sutta.

1. 3. Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī Therī The foremost Bhikkhunī

On one occasion when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery and naming foremost bhikkhunīs, He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who are of long standing in the Order, Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī is the foremost (etadagga).‛

(Herein, the name ‘Gotamī’ represents the Gotama clan. ‘Mahǎpajǎpati’ is the epithet which means ‘mother of great offspring’. This epithet was based on the prognostication of physiognomists and palmists that, from the special features observed on her person, she was to be the mother of a Universal Monarch if she gave birth to a son, or the mother of the wife of a Universal Monarch if she gave birth to a daughter.) —— Commentary on Majja

The Passing Away of Gotamī Therī

When Gotamī Therī was of 120 years' age, she was residing at a bhikkhunī monastery which was in the city of Vesǎlī. (As a rule, bhikkhunī monasteries were set up inside the town or village.) The Buddha was then staying at the Mahǎvana monastery near Vesǎlī. One morning, after collecting alms-food in the city and finishing her meal, Gotamī Therī entered into the attainment of arahatta-phala for a predetermined period. After rising from the jhǎna attainment, she remembered the long series of her acquisition of merits in her past existences and felt very delighted. Then she reviewed her life span. She saw that it had come to an end. She thought it proper to inform the Buddha at Mahǎvana forest about her approaching death, as well as bidding leave of her passing away to her colleagues who had been a source of her inspiration such as the two Chief Disciples and co-resident ariyas. Then only she would return to her ‚monastery‛ and pass away. The same idea also arose in the minds of the five hundred bhikkhunīs of Sakyan origin.

(The touching events concerning the passing away of Gotamī Therī will now be told based on: (1) The Chiddapidhǎnanī (Volume One, Chapter Twelve) by Mahǎvisuddhǎrǎma Sayadaw, and the Apǎdǎna, Khuddaka Nikǎya, IV. Only a gist of those texts is given here.)

The Buddha's step-mother, Gotamī Therī thought: ‚I am not going to live to see the passing away of my son, the Buddha, nor that of the two Chief Disciples, nor that of my grandson Rǎhula, nor that of my nephew Œnanda. I am going to predecease them. I shall seek permission to pass away from my son, the Buddha now.‛ The same thoughts also occurred in the minds of five hundred bhikkhunīs of Sakyan origin.

At that moment, the earth quaked violently. Unseasonable rains thundered in the sky. The guardian spirits of the bhikkhunī-monasteries wailed. The five hundred bhikkhunīs went to Gotamī Therī and told her about the wailing of the guardian spirits and Gotamī Therī told them her plan to pass away. The five hundred bhikkhunīs also told her their plan likewise. They all asked the guardian spirits of the monastery to pardon them if they had offended them in any way. Then, casting her last glance at the ‚monastery‛, Gotamī Therī uttered this verse:

‚I shall now proceed to the unconditioned (Nibbǎna) where there is no aging or death, no association with beings or things one dislikes, no separation from beings or things one holds dear.‛

Among those who heard these words, those who had not rid themselves of attachment, devas and humans alike, wailed miserably. (The touching scene of their lamentation is vividly described in the Pǎli text.)

When the bhikkhunīs came out of their νihǎra (nunnery), along the main street, devotees came out of their homes, and kneeling themselves before Gotamī Therī, wailed, expressing their deep distress. The Buddha's step-mother, Gotamī Therī, spoke words that help quell their sorrow. (Her words, rich with the Doctrine, may be gleaned from the Pǎli text. This remark also applies to other stanzas that she was to utter later on.) She uttered nine and a half stanzas to allay the lamentation of the citizens of Vesǎlī. When she arrived before the Buddha, she informed Him of her impending death and asked the Buddha's approval to release her life-maintaining thought process, in verse, sixteen in all, beginning with the words: Ahaṁ sugata te mǎtǎ tuṁ ca νīra pitǎ mama. The Buddha gave His approval in a stanza. After that, she recited five stanzas in praise of the Buddha.

Then she asked permission of the Sangha, the Venerable Rǎhula, the Venerable Œnanda and the Venerable Nanda, to approve of her passing away in two stanzas (beginning with the words, ‚ǎsīνisǎlayasame‛) describing the banefulness of sentient existence. The Venerables Nanda and Rǎhula who were then arahats took the words of the great Therī as inspiring emotional religious awakening; but as for the Venerable Œnanda, who was still training himself for arahatship, they caused much sorrow and lamentation. He expressed his grief in a stanza beginning with, “hǎ santiṁ Gotamī yǎ it.” The great Therī solaced her nephew with words of wisdom.

Thereafter, the Buddha asked Gotamī Therī, in the following verse, to display her

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supernormal powers:

‚Gotamī, for the sake of those who have doubts about female devotees attaining Enlightenment in My teaching, to enable them shed those doubts, display your supernormal powers.‛

The one hundred and twenty years old bhikkhunī complied by showing her supernormal powers as described in the text on Supernormal powers, such as from being one to become many; from being many to become one; to become visible and to become invisible; to pass through a wall or a mountain, etc. Then she walked in mid-air holding Mount Meru as the prop on which the great earth rested as an umbrella, and turning upside down this miraculous umbrella. She created an atmosphere of incense heat as when six suns arise simultaneously, etc. Having complied with the Buddha's request, she came down and making obeisance to Him, sat in a suitable place. She said: ‚Venerable son, I, your step- mother, is 120 years of age. I have grown old, I have lived long enough. May I be allowed to die.‛

The audience, stunned by the miraculous powers displayed by Gotamī Therī, asked her:

‚Venerable, what was the extent of merit you had performed to be endowed with such power and capability?‛ And Gotamī Therī related to them the successive acts of merit she had performed since the days of Buddha Padumuttara to the last existence. Those events ran into a number of stanzas.

Then the five hundred bhikkhunīs rose up to the sky as a cluster of stars, captivating the eye of the audience, displayed their supernormal powers, and having obtained the Buddha's approval to end their miraculous feats, they made obeisance to Him and sat in a suitable place. They recounted to the Buddha in verses how much they owed to Gotamī Therī. Then they asked the Buddha’s permission to pass away.

The Buddha said: ‚Bhikkhunīs, you know the time to pass away.‛ Thus having obtained the Buddha's approval, they made obeisance to Him and returned to their ‚monastery‛. The Buddha, accompanied by a large company of devotees, saw Gotamī Therī off up to the entrance to His forest abode. There, the great Therī and her five hundred bhikkhunīs disciples made their last obeisance to the Buddha together. Then the five hundred bhikkhunīs entered the city and sat cross legged in their respective dwellings in the

‚monastery‛.

At that time, many male and female lay disciples of the Buddha, seeing the time had come to see the last of the noble ones, gathered around to pay their last respect, beating their chests in great sorrow. They threw themselves down on the ground like a tree uprooted. Gotamī Therī caressed the head of the eldest of the female devotees and uttered this stanza:

‚Daughters, lamentation leads only to Mǎra's domain and is therefore in vain. All conditioned things are impermanent; they end up in separation, they cause endless agitation.‛

Then she told them to go back to their homes. When alone, she entered into the first jhǎna of fine Material Sphere and then, stage by stage, till the jhǎna of the neither- consciousness-nor-nonconsciousness, and then back, stage by stage, to the first jhǎna of fine Material Sphere. Thus, back and forth, she dwelt in the eight mundane jhǎnic attainments. Then she dwelt in jhǎnic attainment beginning from the first jhǎna up to the fourth jhǎna. Arising from that jhǎna she realized complete Cessation of the aggregates, just as a lamp goes out when the oil and the wick become exhausted. The remaining five hundred bhikkhunī-disciples also realized complete Cessation.

At that moment, the great earth quaked violently and meteors fell from the sky. The skies rumbled with thunder. The celestial beings wailed. Celestial flowers rained from the sky. Mount Meru tottered like a dancer swaying. The great ocean roared, as if deeply troubled. Nǎgas, asuras, devas and Brahmǎs expressed their emotional religious awakening in such term as: ‚Impermanent are all conditioned things; they have the nature of dissolution.‛

Devas and Brahmǎs reported the death of Gotamī Therī and the five hundred bhikkhunīs

to the Buddha. The Buddha sent the Venerable Œnanda to inform the matter to the bhikkhus. Then, accompanied by many bhikkhus, the Buddha joined the funeral procession which took this order: (1) devas, humans, nǎgas, asuras and Brahmǎs marched at the head, followed by; (2) the five hundred Golden hearses of five hundred bhikkhunīs with multi- tiered roofs created by Deva Visukamina wherein were placed the remains of the bhikkhunīs on their cots, and these hearses were borne by devas; (3) then followed the hearse of Gotamī Therī, the Buddha's step-mother, which was borne by the four Great Deva Kings; (4) then followed the Sangha and the Buddha. The whole route from the nunnery to the funeral ground was canopied and all along the route were placed streams, pennants, while all the ground was strewn with flowers. Celestial lotus flowers came down, thick and fast, as though they were hanging loosely in the sky. All sorts of flowers and perfumes wafted in the air. All sorts of music, singing and dancing took place in honour of the departed noble arahats.

During the progress of the funeral procession, both the sun and the moon were visible to the people. Stars were shining in the sky. Even at noon, the sun's rays were cool like that of the moon. In fact, the occasion of Gotamī Therī's funeral was surrounded by even more wonderful happenings than on the occasion of the funeral of the Buddha himself. On the occasion of the Buddha's funeral there was no Buddha nor the Venerable Sǎriputta and bhikkhu-elders to supervise the funeral proceedings whereas on the occasion of the funeral of Gotamī Therī, there were the Buddha and the bhikkhu-elders, such as the Venerable Sǎriputta, to supervise the proceedings.

At the charnel-ground, after the remains of Gotamī Therī were incinerated, the Venerable Œnanda picked up the relics and uttered this stanzas:

‚Gone now is Gotamī. Her remains have been burnt up. And soon the passing away of the Buddha, the much anxiously awaited event, will take place.‛

The Venerable Œnanda collected the relics in the alms-bowl used by Gotamī Therī and presented them to Buddha. Thereupon, the Buddha held up the relics of his step-mother for the audience to view and spoke to the assembly of devas, humans and Brahmǎs thus:

‚Just as a big tree full of hard core standing firmly has a great trunk and that great trunk, being of impermanent nature, falls down, so also Gotamī who had been like a big tree trunk to the bhikkhunī-sangha is calmed (i.e. has entered Nibbǎna.)‛

The Buddha uttered altogether ten stanzas for the benefit of the audience on that memorable occasion. These ten stanzas with text and word-for-word meanings may be gleaned by the reader in the Chiddapidhǎnī.)

2. KHEMŒ THER¢

(The story of Khemǎ Therī is treated briefly in the Commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikǎya, the Commentary on the Therīgǎthǎ and the Commentary on Dhammapada. In the Apǎdǎna Pǎli, it is related in detail by the great Therī herself. What follows is mainly based on the Apǎdǎna with selections from the three Commentaries.)

1. 1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Khemǎ Therī was born into a worthy family in the city of HaÑavatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara, a hundred thousand world-cycles ago. One day, she listened to the Buddha's sermon and became a devotee of the Buddha, being established in the Three Refuges.

Then she had her parents approval to offer an extraordinary feast to the Buddha and His Sangha. At the end of seven days of the great offering, she saw Sujǎtǎ Therī whom the Buddha named as the foremost bhikkhunī in Knowledge. She was inspired by that. She gave an extraordinary offering again before expressing her wish to become such a foremost bhikkhunī in her own time later. Buddha Padumuttara prophesied that a hundred thousand world-cycles hence she would become the foremost bhikkhunī with regards to Knowledge in the time of Buddha Gotama.

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Repeated Existences as Deva Queen or Human Queen

The future Khemǎ Therī, on passing away from that existence, was reborn in five deva realms, namely, TǎvatiÑsa, Yǎmǎ, Tusitǎ Nimmǎnarati, and Paranimmitavasavatī successively, as queen of the devas. When she passed away from there, she was reborn as queen of the Universal Monarch or as queen of a great king Thus, wherever she was reborn, she was born as queen. She enjoyed the most glorious state in the deva-world and the human world for many many world-cycles.

Existence as A Bhikkhunī leading A Life of Purity

After being reborn in the fortunate existences only, during the time of Buddha Vipassī, ninety-one world-cycles previous to the present world-cycle, she was reborn into a worthy family. She had the opportunity of hearing the Buddha's Dhamma which made her solely devoted to the Pure Life and she became a bhikkhunī who was learned in the Doctrine, skilful in the knowledge of PaÔiccasamuppǎda, a bold exponent of the four Ariya Truths, and a persuasive preacher besides being a diligent one in the practice of the Dhamma. Thus she was a model to those who took up the Threefold Training under the Buddha's Teaching. She spent this life of Purity during her life span of ten thousand years.

Passing away from there, she was reborn in Tusitǎ Deva realm. After that, wherever she was reborn, the great merit, which she acquired in her existence during time of Buddha Vipassī, endowed her with the best that that particular existence could offer, such as making her talented, pure in morality, rich in resources attended by wise following, well provided with ease and comfort. further, the religious practices observed in that existence led her to superior social status such as making her a queen, whether in deva existence or human existence and being loved and respected by her king.

Her Existence as Donor of A Monastic Complex

During the time of Buddha Koṇǎgamaṇa, in the present world-cycle, she was reborn into a rich family in Bǎrǎṇasī. Together with two other rich ladies by the name of Dhanañjǎnī and Sumedha (her own name being unknown but may be referred to as Khemǎ), they built a monastic complex for the Sangha as a whole. At their death, they were reborn in the TǎvatiÑsa Deva realm, and after that existence, they were reborn in the human world and the deva-world, enjoying superior social status too.

Her Existence as The Eldest of The Seven Daughters of King Kikī

During the time of Buddha Kassapa, in the present world-cycle, King Kikī of Bǎrǎṇasī, in the province of Kǎsi, was an ardent supporter of the Buddha. He had seven daughters by the names of: (1) Princess Samaṇī, (2) Princess Samaṇaguttǎ, (3) Princess Bhikkhunī, (4) Princess Bhikkhadǎyikǎ, (5) Princess Dhammǎ, (6) Princess Sudhammǎ and (7) Princess SaÑghadǎyikǎ. Later, during time of Buddha Gotama, they became respectively (1) Khemǎ Therī, (2) Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī, (3) PaÔǎcǎrǎ Therī, (4) Kuṇďalakesī Therī, (5) Kisǎgotamī Therī, (6) Dhammadinnǎ Therī and (7) Visǎkhǎ, donor of Pubbǎrǎma Monastery.

The future Khemǎ Therī (Princess Samaṇī), on hearing a sermon by Buddha Kassapa, was very keen to become a bhikkhunī but her father would not give her permission to do so. So, as the eldest, together with her six younger sisters, they made a common resolve not to marry and remained spinsters throughout their lives which lasted twenty-thousand years. They supported Buddha Kassapa with the four bhikkhu requisites for life.

On one occasion, the Buddha made a marvellous discourse entitled Mahǎnidǎna Sutta, (which is recorded as the second sutta in Mahǎvagga of Dīgha Nikǎya). Princess Samaṇī was so absorbed in hearing it that she learnt it by heart, and recited it often.

As the result of these good deeds, on her death, she became the Chief Queen (of Sakka) in the TǎvatiÑsa.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

During the time of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn in her last existence as the daughter

of King Maddarǎja of Sǎgala. Since her birth brought peace to the land, she was named ‘Khemǎ’ (peace). When she came of age, she became the Queen of King Bimbisǎra and was adored by her husband. She was conceited with her beauty.

The Buddha was then residing at the Veḷuvana monastery in Rǎjagaha. Queen Khemǎ had heard people saying that the Buddha always made discourses pointing out the faults of physical beauty, so she never went to see Him for fear that her beauty might well come under His censure.

King Bimbisǎra's Clever Manoeuvre

King Bimbisǎra thought: ‚While I am the most important lay supporter to the Buddha, it is inconceivable that my Queen has never visit the Buddha.‛ He contrived a plan by having a song composed by an able poet, in praise of the Veḷuvana monastery, which he ordered songsters to sing within earshot of the Queen.

A four-stanza Eulogy on The Veḷuvana Monastery

1. Anyone who is not fortunate enough to see the Veḷuvana monastery, the Bamboo grove residence of the Buddha, we consider him or her as one who has never seen the Nandavana Park of the celestial realm.
2. He or she who has seen the Veḷuvana Grove, which is so much cherished by King Bimbisǎra of Rǎjagaha, the people's favourite ruler, the cynosure of the whole world, has truly seen the Nandavana Park, the favourite resort of Sakka, King of Devas.
3. Many of the TǎvatiÑsa devas, having abandoned the Nandavana Park and descended to the earth (the southern Island Continent) and cast their eyes on the Veḷuvana Grove, are astonished and all their cares forgotten, they are never satisfied with seeing it.
4. That Veḷuvana Grove has appeared due to the King's past merit and is adorned by the Buddha's majesty that poet could adequately describe its endless merits?

When Queen Khemǎ heard that song, although she had been to the Veḷuvana Grove on a pleasure visit with the King, her interest in the Grove was aroused afresh. She was very keen to visit it again. She asked the King's permission to go there and went there with a big retinue. She chose the hour of the day that she presumed the Buddha was surely not there,

i.e. during the morning, when the Buddha usually went to the city for collecting alms-food. She roamed about the Bamboo Grove which was full of all kinds of flowering trees, fruit trees, where bees and bumble bees busied themselves collecting honey, and where the koels sang and the peacocks preened their fathers in the quiet seclusion of the park. She also visited the monastic dwellings of the religiously inclined men, their meeting halls, rest- houses and walks.

She came across a youthful bhikkhu sitting in meditation at the foot of a tree and thought that young man should be enjoying the pleasures of life at present and take up the religious life only in his old age. feeling sure that the Buddha was not in his private chamber, she went near it. Instead, the Buddha knew that she would come and He remained in His private chamber. He had created, by His powers, a young maiden whose beauty surpassed that of Queen Khemǎ and was fanning Him.

When Queen Khemǎ saw that lovely maiden, she abandoned attachment to her own good looks but become fascinated and enamoured of the strange beauty in front of her. But even as she was gazing at the girl, due to the Buddha's powers, the beauty of the girl diminished perceptibly and within a few moments, she turned old and decrepit with wrinkled skin, gray hair, nursing teeth, black spots all over the skin, floppy breasts, bony joints protruding, veins twining about the body, bent double, and soon the old woman was trembling and breathing hard struggling for life and finally she gasped and collapsed. She was dead.

This vivid sight caused emotional religious awakening (saṁνega) in Queen Khemǎ. She realized thus:

‚Oh, this form (body) is impure. It is indeed loathsome. Foolish women relish this

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impure, loathsome body.‛

Then the Buddha spoke to Queen Khemǎ in these verses:

1. ‚Khemǎ, look at the body that is afflicted with pain, impure, putrid, discharging impurities upwards and downwards, which foolish persons take so much delight in.
2. ‚Cultivate the mind to get fixed on an object of meditation, so as to be able to perceive the loathsomeness of the body. Let you be mindful of the thirty-two aspects (constituent parts) of the body; let there be weariness about them.
3. ‚(Khemǎ), just as the body of this woman by My side breaks up, so too will your body break up. Just as your body seem attractive for a while before death, so too the body of this woman by My side looked attractive before she died; (therefore) give up attachment to the body, both internally and externally.
4. ‚Cultivate a perception of unsubstantiality and noting closely the rising and falling of phenomena. Give up the notion of a self, by doing so, you will quell the eleven fires burning in you and reach Nibbǎna.
5. ‚Just as the spider follows the web of its own making, so also sentient beings, who have attachment, follow the stream of defilements that are of their own making. The wise do not have any desire or regard for sense pleasures, but cut off the stream of defilements and go forth to Nibbǎna.‛

The Buddha knew that after listening to the discourse, the mind of Queen Khemǎ had become delighted and receptive, He continued with another discourse entitled Mahǎnidǎna Sutta (which was the very sutta Queen Khemǎ had heard and learnt by heart from Buddha Kassapa in her previous existence as Princess Samaṇī). Queen Khemǎ remembered this Sutta and she attained Stream-Entry knowledge immediately.

After becoming an ariya as a Stream-Enterer, she wanted to make amends for her mistaken conceit about her beauty. She prostrated before the Buddha and submitted her apology in these five stanzas:

1. ‚The all-knowing One, I pay homage to You.

The Embodiment of Compassion, I pay homage to You.

Buddha who has crossed over the flood of saṁsǎra, I pay homage to you. Giver of the Deathless, I pay homage to you!

2. ‚I had been befuddled and led astray by attachment to sensuality, thus springing forward into the thicket of wrong view. By means of an appropriate device, you, the Bhagavǎ, have tamed me (who had been befuddled) and made me happy in being so tamed.
3. ‚Lacking an opportunity of meeting such a great One as Yourself, who is endowed with morality, concentration, etc., sentient beings suffer enormous dukkha in the ocean of Saṁsǎra.
4. ‚Even though the Pure One, who has reached the Purity of Nibbǎna, had been staying at the Veḷuvana monastery, I had failed to come and pay homage to the Lord of the three worlds. That failure, on my part, I (now) admit to the Bhagavǎ as my fault.
5. ‚I had a mistaken idea about the Great Benefactor to the three worlds, the Bestower of the Ultimate Boon (magga, phala, Nibbǎna) as one who is unprofitably censorious because I had been too fond of my beauty. My fault in having entertained such foolish thoughts and my failure to come and pay homage to you earlier, I (now) admit to the Bhagavǎ as my fault. (The Myanmar renderings are by the late Mahǎvisuddhǎrǎma Sayadaw in his Chiddapidhǎnanī.)

Upon admission by Queen Khemǎ of her previous fault, the Buddha said: ‚Let it be Khemǎ‛, which cooled her heart as though ambrosial water were poured onto her person. Then Queen Khemǎ made obeisance to the Buddha and respectfully left Him. Back at the royal palace, she saw King Bimbisǎra and addressed him thus:

1. ‚O great conqueror with golden complexion, you had employed a most apt strategy to persuade me to visit the Veḷuvana monastery. Marvellous indeed was your idea! for I had become keenly desirous of seeing the Veḷuvana Park, (with the consequence that) I have seen (with both my physical eye and the eye of wisdom) the Buddha, the great sage.
2. ‚O King! If you would agree, I would take up bhikkhunīhood in the Teaching (which is replete with eight marvels) of the Buddha of unrivalled wisdom, of the embodiment of the highest virtues. Thanks to the wise words of the Buddha, I have gained insight into the tiresome nature of my body.‛

On hearing the two stanzas spoken by Queen Khemǎ, King Bimbisǎra, who had even, from her mien, been recognizable as an ariya, one who had attained Path-knowledge, raised his joined palm to his forehead and said to his Queen: ‚My dear Queen, I allow you to become a bhikkhunī. May your renouncing the world come to its fulfilment (i.e. may you attain arahatship). (These words were spoken in half a stanza.) Thereupon the King put Queen Khemǎ on a golden Palanquin and sent her to the bhikkhunī ‘monastery’ in great state.

Khemǎ Therī gained Arahatship

On the fifteenth day of her bhikkhunīhood, Khemǎ Therī, while observing the uposatha, contemplated on the lamp in front of her, how the flame arose and how it went out. A keen emotional religious awakening took place in her mind. Applying the insight into the nature of the rise and fall of the flame to all conditioned phenomena, i.e. the mind-body complex that constituted her present existence, she gained arahatship together with the four Discriminations and the Six Supernormal Powers. (This account of Khemǎ Therī's attainment of arahatship is as described in the Khemǎ Therī Apǎdǎna Pǎli. The Commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikǎya and the Commentary on the Dhamapada tell this event in a somewhat different manner. We have refrained from discussing them here lest it would confuse the reader.)

Khemǎ Therī was devoted both to the learning and the practice of the Doctrine and so she was most proficient in the Seven Stages of Purity, and was unrivalled in the exposition of the Ten Subjects of Discussion (kathǎνatthu), most erudite in the application of the Abhidhamma method, outstanding both in learning and practice. The veracity of these statements may be gauged from Khemǎ Sutta, the first sutta in the Abyǎkata SaÑgutta of Saḷǎyatana SaÑyutta.

Khemǎ Therī makes A Subtle Discourse to The Kosalan King

At one time, when the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Sǎvatthi, Khemǎ Therī was making a tour of the Kosalan country, and was sojourning at Toraṇa, which lay between Sǎvatthi and Sǎketa. At that time, King Pasenadi of Kosala was camping for the night at Toraṇa. Then the King said to a courtier: ‚So, man, make inquires in this place which samaụa or brǎhmana is fit for my spiritual guide for today.‛ The courtier made thorough inquires in Toraṇa but could find no samaụa or brǎhmana whom the King should go to for spiritual guidance. He only saw Khemǎ Therī who happened to be sojourning there. He went back to the King and said:

‚There is no samaụa or brǎhmana in this place. But there is a bhikkhunī named Khemǎ Therī, a disciple of the Buddha. She is reported to be wise, skilful, learned, an expounder of the Doctrine in a fascinating way, endowed with a remarkable perspicacity. I would humbly suggest that your Majesty go to her for advice and guidance.‛ The King accepted the advice and went to Khemǎ Therī. He made obeisance to her and sitting in a suitable place, addressed Khemǎ Therī thus:

‚Venerable, does a sentient being exist after death?‛

‚Great King,‛ replied Khemǎ Therī, ‚the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists after death.‛

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‚If so, Venerable, does a sentient being not exist after death?‛

‚Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being does not exist after death.‛

‚Venerable, does a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death?‛

‚Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death.‛

‚If so, Venerable, does a sentient being not exist after death?‛

‚Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death.‛

The King was at his wit's end. He further put questions which were replied as follows:

‚Venerable, (1) When I asked: ‘Does a sentient being exist after death?’ you replied: ‘'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists after death!’ (2) When I asked: ‘If so, Venerable, does a sentient being not exist after death?’ you replied: ‘Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being does not exist after death.’ (3) When I asked: ‘Venerable, does a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death?’ you replied: ‘Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death.’ (4) When I asked: ‘If so, Venerable, does a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death?’ you replied: ‘Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ Now, Venerable, why does the Buddha not say anything regarding these four questions? What is the reason for the Buddha's refusal to answer these four questions?‛

Khemǎ Therī then said:

‚Great King, in that case, let me put you a question. You may answer it as you wish. What do you think of what I am going to say now? Do you have within your dominion any man who can practically count things or an arithmetician who can say: ‘There are such and such number of grains of sand in the Gaṅgǎ river?’ Or who can say: ‘There are so many hundreds, so many thousands, so many hundred thousand grains of sand in the Gaṅgǎ river?’ ‛

‚No, Venerable, there is none.‛

‚Great King, do you have any man who can practically count things or an arithmetician who can say: ‘There are so many vessels or bowls of water in the great ocean.’ Or who can say: ‘There are so many hundred, so many thousands, so many hundred thousands of bowls of water in the great ocean?’ ‛

‚No, Venerable, This is because the great ocean is too deep, beyond measure, incomprehensible.‛

‚Even so, Great King. The Buddha has given up materiality (corporeality) which may be referred to as sentient being; he has eradicated it completely. He has made it like an uprooted palm tree, has rendered it incapable of coming into being again, and has made it impossible to arise in the future.

‚The Buddha, who is liberated from being called the aggregate of corporeality or the phenomenon of materiality, is endowed with attributes and disposition or intention which are as great as the great ocean, beyond measure, incomprehensible. As for the Buddha, the statement, ‘a sentient being exists after death’ is irrelevant statement, ‘a sentient being does not exist after death’ is equally irrelevant; the statement, ‘a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death’ is equally irrelevant; the statement, ‘a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death’ is equally irrelevant.‛

(It is not proper for the Buddha to say that a sentient being exists after death; or a sentient being does not exist after death; or that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death, or that a sentient being neither exists nor

does not exist after death. This is a very profound matter. )

‚The Buddha has given up Sensation.... p ....Perception... p ...Volitional activities... p ...Consciousness, which may be referred to as a sentient being; has eradicated it completely, has made it like a palm tree stump, has rendered it incapable of coming into being again, and has made it impossible to arise in the future.

‚The Buddha who is liberated from being called the aggregate of Consciousness or the phenomenon of Consciousness is endowed with attributes and disposition or intention which are as great as the great ocean, beyond measure, incomprehensible. As for the Buddha the statement, ‘a sentient being exists after death’ is irrelevant statement, ‘a sentient being does not exist after death’ is equally irrelevant; the statement, ‘a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death’ is equally irrelevant; the statement, ‘a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death’ is equally irrelevant.‛

(That was the discussion that took place between the Kosalan King and Khemǎ Therī for the second round. Explanations on this will be given later.)

King Pasenadi of Kosala was delighted with the words of Khemǎ Therī. He made obeisance to her and respectfully departed. Later on, the King visited the Buddha and put the same questions as he did to Khemǎ Therī. The Buddha answered them just as Khemǎ Therī did, (These questions and answers may be gleaned from the text.)

When the King found that the Buddha's answers and those of Khemǎ Therī were exactly the same, down to the letter, he was greatly astonished and exclaimed: ‚Marvellous it is, Venerable Sir! Astounding it is! The Buddha's exposition is exactly the same as that of His disciple, both in meaning and in words. They are in full agreement without any discrepancy. Venerable Sir, I had once put these questions to Khemǎ Therī and she had answered to me in exactly the a same way, both in essence and in words. Marvellous it is, Venerable Sir! Astounding it is! The Buddha's exposition is exactly the same with that of His disciple, both in meaning and in words. They are in full agreement without any discrepancy.‛ Then he begged leave of the Buddha. He was greatly delighted with the Buddha's answers. He rose, made obeisance to the Buddha and respectfully departed.

This is a gist of Khemǎ Sutta.

Explanation:

Why did the Buddha not give any reply to the questions which are so framed: ‘that a sentient being exists after death’; ‘that a sentient being does not exist after death’; ‘that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death’; ‘that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death’?

1. There is, in truth and reality, nothing in the sentient world other than the five aggregates. There is nothing, in the ultimate sense, such a thing as a sentient being. Therefore, whether a ‘sentient being’ exist or not is not for the Buddha to say. (Abyǎkata SaÑyutta; the third sutta therein).
2. Only to one, who does not understand the nature of the five aggregates according to the four Ariya Truths, there arises the problem of a sentient being and its existence or non-existence, in the said four questions, which occur to him due to Wrong View. To one who understands the four Ariya Truths, there is no Wrong View that gives rise to these four questions. Since the Buddha has the most complete understanding of the four Ariya Truths, there do not arise in Him these four questions. That is why He does not say anything about them. (Ibid., the fourth sutta.)
3. Such questions, based on wrong view, arise only in one who has not rid of attachment, or craving for the five aggregates. To one who has no craving for the five aggregates, they do not occur. The Buddha, who has rid of Craving for the five aggregates together with any trace of acquired habit, does not have these wrong concepts. Therefore, He remained silent when these questions were asked. (Ibid., the fifth sutta).

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(In the sixth sutta of the same SaÑyutta the four questions are dealt with adequately.)

In Khemǎ Sutta, Khemǎ Therī's answer was somewhat different; it had the undercurrent of reference to the Buddha. This was because she knew that the questioner (Kosalan King) had the Buddha also in mind when asking the four questions. So, Khemǎ Therī's answer in essence was:

The Buddha had (by getting rid of the cause of the five aggregates) rid of the five aggregates so that what was usually called a ‘sentient being’ was not coming into being after his death. He was freed from a future set of five aggregates, therefore, there was nothing that might be referred to as a being or a person. Since the Buddha knew this, a ‘sentient being’ after ‘death was irrelevant for Him to speak of’. Therefore, He remained silent about the four questions.

One might argue thus: since the Buddha would not acquire a fresh set of the five aggregates, it is understandable that He refused to answer the first question, i.e. ‘Does sentient being exist after death?’ But why did He refuse to answer the second question: ‘Does a sentient being not exit after death?’ Should He say: ‘No, it does not’? He refused to answer this question too because a ‘sentient being’ is not a real thing in the ultimate sense. (This is the explanation given in the Sub-Commentary.) Khemǎ Therī Sutta is profound in Dhamma. It is a matter for further inquiring for the virtuous.

1. 3. Khemǎ Therī is named as The foremost Bhikkhunī

The discourse to the Kosalan King at Toraṇa was the immediate cause of Khemǎ Therī's being designated by the Buddha as the foremost bhikkhunī in the possession of profound Knowledge. On one occasion, when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery, in a bhikkhu congregation, while naming outstanding bhikkhunīs as foremost in their own areas (of proficiency), He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who have profound Knowledge, Khemǎ Therī is the foremost (etadagga).‛

This declaration accorded her by the Buddha also had been happily recorded by Khemǎ Therī herself in the following stanzas, in her own life history:

1. ‚After I had become a bhikkhunī, I had explained to King Pasenadi of Kosala in accordance with the Doctrine on the profound questions he put to me at a place called Torana (which was between Sǎvatthi and Sǎketa.)
2. ‚Later the King approached and put these same questions to the Buddha, and He answered these propound questions exactly as I had answered.
3. ‚The Conqueror of the five mǎras, the Supreme One among all men, being satisfied with my excellence in expounding the Dhamma, has designated me as the foremost bhikkhunī among the eminently wise.‛

3. UPPALAVAṆṆŒ THER¢
   1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī was born into a worthy family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumutara. On one occasion, she listened to a discourse by the Buddha in the midst of a big audience, where she saw the Buddha named a bhikkhunī as the foremost bhikkhunī among those endowed with supernormal powers. She aspired to become such a great bhikkhunī in the future. She made an extraordinary offering to the Buddha and His Sangha for seven days. At the end of seven days, she placed seven bunches of lotus flowers at the feet of the Buddha as her tribute and expressed her aspiration to be the foremost bhikkhunī among those endowed with supernormal powers. Buddha Padumuttara prophesied that her aspiration would be fulfilled.

Offering of Lotus flowers to A Paccekabuddha

After passing away from that existence in which she made a lifelong dedication to the Buddha and the Sangha, she was reborn in the TǎvatiÑsa Deva realm. Next, she was reborn in the human world where she offered lotus flowers and alms-food to a Paccekabuddha.

In Her Existence as The Daughter of A Rich Man

Ninety-one world-cycles ago, there appeared Buddha Vipassī during which period the future Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī was born into a Rich Man's family in Bǎrǎṇasī. She invited the Buddha and the Sangha to her residence and made an extraordinary offering of food. Making a gift of lotus flowers to Buddha Vipassī, she mentally wished for personal charm in her future existences.

In Her Existence as A Daughter of King Kikī

After passing away from that existence, and as a result of her meritorious deeds, the rich man's daughter was reborn as a deva, and subsequently in the deva or human existence. During the time of Buddha Kassapa, in the present world-cycle, she was the second of the seven daughters of King Kikī of Bǎrǎṇasī and was named Princess Samaṇaguttǎ. In that existence she, like her eldest sister, the future Khemǎ Therī, remained a spinster for life, which lasted twenty thousand years. They donated a monastic complex to the Sangha. At her death, she was reborn in the deva realm again.

In Her Existence as Ummǎdantī

After passing away from the deva realm, she was reborn into a worthy family in the human world. During that existence, she donated a gold coloured piece of cloth to an arahat, who was a disciple of Buddha Kassapa. (for details refer to Ummadantī Jǎtaka.)

She passed away from that existence to be reborn as Ummǎdantī, the exquisitely beautiful daughter of a rich brahmin named TiriÔivaccha in AriÔÔhapura, in the Province of Sivi. (for details refer to Ummǎdantī Jǎtaka, Paṇṇǎsa Nipǎta).

In Her Existence as A Watch Woman in The field

Her next existence was the daughter of a farmer in a small village. Early one morning, as she went to the farm house, she found in a pond, on her way, a freshly blooming lotus flower. She went into the pond and plucked it. In the farm house she gathered some ears of rice and roasted them into pop corn which she counted up to five hundred. She put the pop corn in a lotus leaf which was gathered from the pond.

At that moment, a Paccekabuddha, after rising from His dwelling in the attainment of cessation, came by way of the air and stood not far away from the farmer's daughter. She saw Him and went to the farm house to get the pop corn and the lotus flowers, and then she put the pop corn into the Paccekabuddha’s alms-bowl, covered it with the lotus flower, and offered it to Him.

After the Paccekabuddha had gone awhile, she thought: ‚A Paccekabuddha has no use with a flower, perhaps I should get it back and wear it.‛ Hence, she went towards the Paccekabuddha and then asked back the lotus flower. But then she pondered: ‚Well, if the Paccekabuddha did not want my gift of the flower, He would have refused to accept it at the beginning. Now that He allowed me to put it on His alms-bowl, He must have liked it as a gift.‛ So thinking, she placed the flower back into the alms-bowl. (for this wavering act, her future existences, as we shall see, were marked by mixed fortunes.)

Having thus returned the gift of the lotus flower, and admitting her fault for taking it back earlier, she expressed her wish: ‚"Venereal Sir, for offering this pop corn may I be blessed with five hundred sons in my future existence. This is equal to the number of pop- corn flowers that make up my gift.

furthermore, for my gift of the lotus flower, may lotus flowers rise up from the earth to receive every step I make in my future existence!‛

(According to the life history of Uppalavaṇǎ, while the farmer's daughter was

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making her offerings to the Paccekabuddha, five hundred farm workers, who were watching the field, offered some honey to the Paccekabuddha and made their wish that in their future existence they be reborn as the sons (five hundred of them all) of the young lady.)

The Paccekabuddha then rose into the sky even while the girl was watching Him and returned to Gandamǎdǎna mountain where He placed the lotus flowers at the entrance to Nandam|la Cave, for use by all Paccekabuddhas as a door-mat at the foot of the flight of steps.

In Her Existence as Queen Padumadevī

As the result of that good deed, when future Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī passed away from that existence, and was reborn, by instantaneous full-grown birth, as a deva. There, in her own existence, a lotus flower arose from the earth at her foot at every step she made. When she passed away from this deva existence, she was reborn in the human world from a lotus flower in a big lake of lotus flowers at the foot of a mountain. A recluse living nearby, early one morning, went to the lake to wash his face and saw a lotus flower in bud which was already bigger than other buds. While the other buds had opened up their petals into full bloom, this bud remained in bud. He thought it strange and so he went into the lake and plucked it.

While in his hand, the big bud opened its petals and inside he saw a female child lying. He felt a curious sense of paternal love for the child. He took her to the hermitage along with the lotus flower, and put her on a small cot. Thanks to the past merits of the baby girl, milk oozed out from the big thumb of the recluse with which he nursed her. When the first lotus flower that she lay on became withered, a new lotus flower was placed underneath her.

When the young girl could walk and romp about, lotus flowers appeared from the earth, under her feet wherever she went. She had a saffron-coloured complexion. Her personal charm was super-human and would nearly equal that of a celestial maiden. Since she was born from the lotus, her foster father, the good recluse, named her Padumavatī (Miss Lotus). Whenever the recluse went out in search of fruit, she was left alone at the hermitage.

Padumavatī becomes A Queen

When Padumavatī came of age, one day, when the recluse was out gathering fruit, a hunter who happened to come to the hermitage saw her and thought: ‚There is no human being on earth as beautiful as this girl. I must find out what she is.‛ And so he awaited for the return of the recluse. When the recluse was seen returning, the girl went out to meet him, took the yoke (laden with fruits) and the water pot from him, had her foster father seated and attended on him lovingly.

The hunter was now sure that the girl was, in fact, a human being, and after paying homage to the recluse, he sat. The recluse gave him fruits and water, then asked him: ‚Are you going to stay in the forest or, are you going back to your home?‛

The hunter said: ‚I have no business in the future, Sir, I am going back to my home.‛

‚Could you keep this experience of your meeting with the girl to yourself without letting anyone know about it?‛

‚If you would rather not let others know about this, Sir, why should I tell others?‛ But he said this merely to please his kind host. On his way home, after paying respect to the recluse, he carefully carved on the trees and arranged some branches along his way from the hermitage so that he could recognize his path.

And back at the city, he went to see the King who asked the purpose of his visit. He said:

‚Great King, I am your humble servant, a hunter. I come to report to you the presence of a most remarkable woman in the forest at the foot of the mountain, who would surely be an asset for Your Majesty.‛ He explained the circumstance of his discovery to the King. The

King was deeply interested. He marched for the foot of the mountain without losing time. Having encamped at a place not far away from the hermitage, he awaited till the recluse had finished his meal and went to see the recluse, accompanied by a few courtiers. The recluse was then sitting in his hermitage where the King greeted him, exchanged courteous words and sat in a suitable place.

The King made offering to the recluse, articles used by recluse. And then as a ‘feeler’ he said: ‚Venerable Sir, what is the use of living here? Let us go to the city.‛ ‚I am not going, Great King,‛ said the recluse. ‚You may go.‛ To which the King said: ‚Very well, Venerable Sir, but I am given to understand that there is a woman in your company. It is not proper for a woman to be living in the company of a recluse. I would request that the woman be allowed to go with me.‛

To this direct request made by the King the recluse replied: ‚It is not easy for one to please many people. How could my daughter fit in with the court life with its many queens and ladies in waiting?‛

The King allayed the fear of the recluse, saying: ‚Venerable Sir, if I (am allowed to marry her and) have given my love to her, I will make her my Chief Queen.‛

Thereupon the recluse called his daughter, as he usually addressed her since childhood:

‚Padumavatī, my little girl!‛ Young Padumavatī promptly responded; she came out of the hermitage and, saluting her father, stood before him, who said: ‚Dear girl, you have come of age. from the moment the King has cast his eyes on you, you should not stay here any longer. Go along with the King, my little girl.‛

‚Very well, dear father,‛ she said, weeping, and still standing.

The King of Bǎrǎṇasī, wishing to prove his sincerity, showered Padumavatī with gold, silver and jewellery and anointed her as his Chief Queen immediately.

Queen Padumavatī became A Victim of Court Intrigue

At the court of Bǎrǎṇasī, the King's heart was captivated by the Chief Queen so much so that since her arrival, all the other queens and ladies-in-waiting were totally neglected by the King. The womenfolk felt bitter about this and they tried to undermine the King's affection for the Chief Queen, saying: ‚Great King, Padumavatī is not a human being. Where on earth have you ever seen a human being whose every step is received by a lotus flower arising from the earth? She is a demon, for sure. She is dangerous. She ought to be banished forthwith!‛ The King did not say anything.

At another time, when the King was called away by duty to suppress a rising at the remote part of the kingdom, he had to leave behind Padumavatī at the palace, knowing that she was pregnant. The womenfolk at court seized this opportunity to strike. They bribed Padumavatī's attendant into a wicked plot. She was instructed to remove the infant when the Chief Queen gave birth to her child and replace it with a piece of wood smeared with blood.

When Padumavatī delivered the child, Prince Mahǎ Paduma was the real off-spring whom she gave birth to, as he was the only child conceived in her womb. The other sons, four hundred and ninety-nine of them, arose from the drops of her blood splattered about at child birth. The attendant duly carried out the instruction and informed the news of the Chief Queen's delivery to the other queens. The five hundred womenfolk at the court stole one child each while their mother was still asleep after her labour. Then they ordered five hundred wooden caskets, made by turners, to put each child in one. They placed them inside the caskets, and put seals on each.

When Queen Padumavatī woke up and asked her assistant about her child, the latter frowned and retorted: ‚When did you ever give birth to a child? This is what you have delivered,‛ and produced the piece of wood smeared with blood. The Queen was very unhappy and asked her to put it away quickly. The woman quickly complied as if eager to safeguard the Queen's honour by splitting up the piece of wood and throwing it into the fireplace in the kitchen.

The King returned from his expedition and was camping outside the city awaiting the

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auspicious time, according to astrological calculation. The women-folk went to greet the King there and pressed their case for banishing Queen Padumavatī. ‚Great King, you did not believe our word about the Chief Queen. But now ask the assistant of Queen Padumavatī who had given birth to a block of wood!‛ The King, without investigating on the matter, believed that Padumavatī was a demon and ordered her banishment.

As she was banished from the palace, no lotus flowers appeared underneath her feet. Her good looks left her. She roamed about in the road, feeling forlorn. When an old woman saw her, she had an instinctive affection for her and said: ‚Where are you going, my daughter?‛ Padumavatī replied: ‚O mother, I am looking for some place for shelter.‛ The old woman said: ‚In that case, my daughter, come with me to my house,‛ and taking her home, fed her and put her up there.

The Court Intrigue came to light

When Padumavatī was staying at the old woman's house, the women-folk at the court said to the King in one voice: ‚O Great King, when you were on your military expedition, we had invoked the guardian spirit of the Gaṅgǎ river for your success and promised him to make offerings on your victorious return. So let the King and all of us go to the Gaṅgǎ river and make offerings to the river spirit and have fun bathing in the river.‛ The King gladly consented and they all went to the river.

The five hundred women of the court secretly carried the caskets with babies in them and went into the water with their garments on, underneath which were the hidden caskets. Once in the river, they released the caskets which floated down-stream in the river. The five hundred caskets grouped together in the current, floated down together, and were caught in fishermen's net at down-stream. After the King had finished bathing in the river, the fishermen also raised their net from the water and to their great surprise, found the five hundred caskets, which they presented to the King. The King asked them: ‚What do the caskets contain?‛ And they answered: ‚We do not know what is inside them, Great King, we only believed them to be something strange.‛ When the five hundred caskets were opened under the King's orders, the first one to be opened happened to contain Prince Mahǎpaduma.

The past merit of the five hundred princelings was such that from the day of their confinement in the caskets, milk flowed from their thumbs to nourish them. Sakka also cleared the doubts in the King's mind by inscribing inside the caskets the message:

‚These babies are born of Queen Padumavatī and are the sons of the King of Bǎrǎṇasī. They have been put inside the caskets by the five hundred Queens and their accomplices, who bore a grudge against the Chief Queen, and have them thrown into the river. Let the King of Bǎrǎṇasī know these facts.‛

The King, being thus enlightened, took up Prince Mahǎpaduma, and ordered: ‚O men, harness the chariots and dress up the horses quickly! I shall now go into the city and show my love to some womenfolk.‛ So saying, he rode hastily into the city, entered his palace, and ordered the royal elephant fitted, for a tour of the land with (a velvet bag of) a thousand ticals tied at the neck of the elephant, and ordered the proclamation read aloud to all the people, announcing that whoever has seen Queen Padumavatī may take the King's reward of one thousand ticals.

Padumavatī, on hearing the proclamation, said to the old women: ‚Mother, take that one thousand from the neck of the royal elephant!‛ The old women said: ‚O daughter, I dare not do it.‛ Padumavatī urged her thrice to do so. Then the old lady said: ‚O daughter, what should I say in taking the reward?‛ Just say, mother: ‚I have seen Queen Padumavatī?‛ The old lady then made herself bold to claim the reward.

The King's men asked her: ‚Have you actually seen Queen Padumavatī?‛ ‚I have not seen her myself,‛ she said, ‚but my daughter has.‛

‚Where is your daughter now?‛ the men asked. And they were let to her house by the old lady. They recognized their queen and prostrated themselves before her. The old lady,

seeing only now the real identity of the young woman, affectionately chided her: ‚This noble lady has been so reckless. Notwithstanding her eminent position as the Chief Queen, she had chosen to live unattended in such a lowly place.‛

The King's men then made an enclosure of white cloth around the humble house which Padumavati was staying, posted guards around it, and reported their discovery to the King. The King sent a golden palanquin to her. Padumavatī however insisted that she deserved more ceremony on returning to the palace. She had a canopied walk decorated with gold stars set up all along her way to the palace with exquisite carpets. She also demanded that her regal paraphernalia be sent to her. ‚I am walking there,‛ she said, ‚Let my greatness be seen by all the citizens.‛ The King ordered that every wish of the Chief Queen must be complied. Then Queen Padumavatī, outfitted with full regalia, announced: ‚I am now going to the palace.‛ Thereupon every step she made, a lotus flower arose from the earth through the exquisite carpets. Thus letting all the people witness her greatness as she entered the palace. After that, she gave the rich carpets to the old lady as taken of the gratitude she owed to her.

The Magnanimity of Queen Padumavatī

The King summoned the five hundred women-folk to court and said to Queen Padumavatī: ‚My Queen, I give these five hundred women as slaves to you.‛ The Queen said: ‚O King, let the whole city know about this giving of the five hundred ladies to me.‛ The King had the fact of this assignment of the five hundred women to Queen Padumavatī proclaimed throughout the city by the beat of the gong. Having been satisfied with the public knowledge of the assignment, Queen Padumavatī said to the King: ‚Great King, do I have the authority of emancipating my own slaves?‛ To which the King replied: ‚O Queen, you have the right to do whatever you wish with them.‛ ‚In that case, O King,‛ she said,

‚Let those men, who had made the proclamation of the assignment, made another round of the proclamation to the effect that all the five hundred slaves assigned to Queen Padumavatī are hereby granted their freedom by the Queen.‛ Then the Queen entrusted the 499 princelings to the care of the emancipated women while she took charge of looking after Prince Mahǎpaduma.

The five Hundred Princes became Paccekabuddhas

When the five hundred princelings were of playing age, the King provided all sort of things in the royal gardens for the boys to play. When they were of sixteen years of age, one day, while they were playing in the royal lakes, where the Paduma lotus were growing in profusion, they observed the blossoming of the lotus flowers as well as the withering away and dropping off of old flowers which, thanks to their acquisition of sufficient merit, struck their young hearts as a phenomenon worth reflecting on. And this was how they reflected:

‚Even these lotus flowers dependent only on temperature and nutrient are subject to ageing; how could our bodies, dependent on four factors (kamma, mind, temperature and nutrient) escape the same fate (i.e. we are likewise subject to ageing and death.)‛

They reflected deeply on that phenomena (of impermanence of conditioned existence), gained insight into the nature of mind-and-body, and attained Enlightenment on their own, without being taught by anyone. This is called Paccekabodhi-ñǎụa, which lead to the four Ariya Path-Knowledges. In other words, they became Paccekabuddhas. Then rising from their respective seats, they each sat cross-legged on a lotus flower by means of their supernormal powers.

Late in the evening, the attendants of the princelings reminded them: ‚O Lords, it is time to go home.‛ The five hundred Paccekabuddhas did not say anything. So the attendants went to the palace and reported the matter to the King about the princes remained silent, all of them sitting on the lotus flowers. The King merely said: ‚Let my sons remain as they wish.‛

The five hundred Paccekabuddhas were placed under guard during the whole night, as

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they remained sitting on the flowers. In the dawn, the attendants went near them and said to them: ‚O princes, it is time to go home.‛ Then the princes, who were Paccekabuddhas, said: ‚We are no more princes; we are Paccekabuddhas.‛ The men were sceptical and said:

‚You say in an irresponsible way. Paccekabuddhas are not like you, they have only two finger-breadths of hair and moustache or beard, they have recluse's paraphernalia on them. But you have your princely garb on, with long hair and moustaches, and with regal paraphernalia on you. How could you say you are Paccekabuddhas?‛ (The attendants were describing the Paccekabuddha as they knew it to be.) Thereupon the princes passed their hands on their heads, and lo! their appearance turned into Paccekabuddhas, and they were fully equipped with the eight requisites of a bhikkhu (Paccekabuddha). And while the people were looking at them, they rose into the air and went in the direction of Gandamǎdǎna mountain.

The future Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī in Her Existence as A farm Hand

Queen Padumavatī, after enjoying deep satisfaction on regaining her five hundred sons, was now shocked by the sudden loss of them. She did not survive the shock. After passing away from that existence, she was reborn, as a woman, into a family of labourers, in a village near a city gate in Rǎjagaha. She married, and went to live with her husband's family. One day, while she was carrying some gruel for her husband, who was working in the field, she saw eight of the five hundred Paccekabuddhas travelling by way of the air. She went quickly to her husband and said: ‚O Lord look at those Paccekabuddhas! Let us invite them to an offering of aims food.‛ But the husband who was a simpleton did not know what a Paccekabuddha meant. He said to her: ‚Dear wife, they are called flying bhikkhus (lit, ‘bhikkhu-birds’). They are also found in other places (at other times also. Srī Laṅkan version) flying about. They are not Paccekabuddhas, they are just (strange) birds.‛

As the couple was still discussing, the eight Paccekabuddhas descended to the ground not far away from them. The wife offered her share of meal for the day to the eight Paccekabuddhas and invited them for the next days offerings. The Paccekabuddhas said:

‚Very well, female lay supporter, let your offerings be for eight donees only. And let your accommodation be for eight invitees only. When you see many other Paccekabuddhas besides ourselves, your devotion will grow even greater.‛ And the woman (who in her previous existence had been the mother of the Paccekabuddhas,) prepared eight seats and offerings for eight Paccekabuddhas.

The eight invitees said to the remaining Paccekabuddhas: ‚Do not go elsewhere today for alms-food, but bestow welfare to your mother of previous existence.‛ Those other Paccekabuddhas agreed, and all the five hundred of them went through the sky to their former mother’s residence. The mother in her past existence who had wished of seeing all the five hundred sons, now Paccekabuddhas, did not have any worry about the insufficiency of her offerings. She invited all the five hundred into her house and offered eight seats. When the eight had taken their seats the ninth Paccekabuddha created through his supernormal powers another eight seats and sat there; and so on until the last of the five hundred was seated and her house was expanded through their supernormal powers.

The farm labourer, the mother in the previous existence, who had prepared alms food for eight donees went on serving it to all the five hundred as much as needed by them. Then she brought eight stalks of lotus flowers, and placing them before the original eight invitees, offered them, saying: ‚Venerable Sirs, for this act of merit, may I be born with a complexion like the colour of the inside of the pollen chamber of this brown lotus.‛ The five hundred Paccekabuddhas said complimentary words for her good deed, and went back to Gandamǎdǎna mountain through the sky.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

The farm hand (the future Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī) lived a life full of meritorious deeds and at the end of her life span was reborn in the deva-world. During the time of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn into the family of a rich man in Sǎvatthi. She was born with a complexion like the inner side of the pollen chamber of the brown lotus and hence was

named Uppalavaṇṇǎ. When she came of age, all the worthy families; rich men and Princes of the whole of the Southern Island Continent, asked her father to give Uppalavaṇṇǎ in marriage to their sons.

Her father was in a quandary, he did not know how to reply to so many proposals from the worthy men. Not wishing to disappoint them, as a final resolve, he asked his daughter:

‚Dear daughter, would you become a bhikkhunī?‛ Now, Uppalavaṇṇǎ, being the bearer of the last burden of sentient existence, was extremely delighted to hear these words, just as rarefied scented oil, refined a hundred times over, were poured down her head. ‚Yes, father, I would become a bhikkhunī,‛ she replied gladly.

As such, he sent his daughter Uppalavaṇṇǎ to the bhikkhunīs' ‘monastery’, after paying great honour to her. Uppalavaṇṇǎ became a bhikkhunī. Not soon after, she was assigned to tidy up and light up the outside of the Sīmǎ (the congregation hall). There she observed the flame arising in a lamp which she used as her subject of meditation. She concentrated on the element of Heat in that flame, and achieved concentration (jhǎna). Basing that concentration as object of insight meditation, (through contemplating the three characteristics of physical and mental phenomena, she gained insight into conditioned phenomena) and soon attained arahatship. As the result of her past aspiration to be outstanding in supernormal powers, she became endowed with facility in jhǎnic practice, which is the essential asset in bringing into effect her supernormal powers.

1. 3. Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī as the foremost Bhikkhunī

On the day Uppalavaṇṇǎ Therī displayed her miraculous powers, was during the Buddha's seventh year after His Enlightenment. Before doing so, she first asked the Buddha:

‚Venerable Sir, may the Bhagavǎ allow me to display my miraculous powers.‛. Referring to this, the Buddha, on another occasion when outstanding bhikkhunīs were named at a congregation, declared:

"Bhikkhus, among my bhikkhunī-disciples endowed with supernormal powers, Bhikkhunī Uppalavaṇṇǎ is the foremost (etadagga)."

4. PAṬŒCŒRŒ THER¢
   1. Her Past Aspiration

The future PaÔǎcǎrǎ Therī was reborn into a rich man's family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. On one occasion, while she was listening to a sermon by the Buddha, she saw a bhikkhunī being named as the foremost among those who were most learned in the Vinaya Rules. She aspired to that honour. And after making an extraordinary offering to the Buddha, she expressed her desire for the honour of being declared as the foremost bhikkhunī in Vinaya learning. Buddha Padumuttara prophesied that her wish would be fulfilled.

In Her Existence as One of The Seven Daughters of King Kikī

After filling her whole life with meritorious deeds, the future PaÔǎcǎrǎ Therī passed away and was reborn in the deva-world and subsequently the human world or the deva-world in turn. During the time of Buddha Kassapa, she was reborn as the third of the seven illustrious daughters of King Kikī (of Bǎrǎṇasī). Her name was Bhikkhunī. She and the six sisters remained spinsters, living a life of chastity for their whole life span of twenty thousand years. Together with her sisters, they donated a big monastic complex.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

The King's daughter (the future PaÔǎcǎrǎ Therī), after passing away from that existence, was reborn in the deva-world. for the innumerable years of the intervening period between the two Buddhas she enjoyed celestial pleasures. During the time of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn as the daughter of the rich man of Sǎvatthi.

When she came of age, she fell in love with a servant of her father’s household. When

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her parents arranged for her betrothal to the son of another rich man, she warned her lover, on the day before the day of betrothal, that unless he was prepared to elope with her, their love affair would be ended. The man was true to her. He eloped with her, taking whatever little savings he had set aside. The two lovers ran away stealthily and took shelter in a small village three or four yojanas away from Sǎvatthi.

Soon the rich man's daughter became pregnant and she said to her husband: ‚My Lord, this is a desolate place for us to give birth to my child. Let us go back to my fathers house.‛ Her husband was a timid man. He dared not face the consequences of returning to his master's house and, therefore, procrastinated. The wife then decided that her husband was not going to accompany her back to her father’s house and she chose, during the absence of her husband, to return alone.

When the husband returned from his short trip and learnt that his wife had gone back to her parents' house, he felt pity for her. ‚She has to suffer because of me,‛ he repented and went after her without delay. He caught up with her on the way but by then she had given birth. Then they agreed that since the purpose of her returning to her parents was for the safe birth of her child, and since she had given birth safely, there was no point in going there. So they went back to their small village.

When she was pregnant again, she asked her husband to take her to her parents' place. Her husband procrastinated as before, and getting impatient, she went alone. On the way, she gave birth to her second child safely before her husband could catch up with her. At that time, there was heavy rains everywhere. The wife asked her husband to put up some shelter from the rains for the night. He made a rickety shelter from whatever faggots he could find. He then went in search of some tufts of grass to build an embankment around the little hut. He started pulling out grass from a mound, regardlessly.

The cobra, which lay inside the mound, was annoyed and struck the husband who fell dead on the spot. The wife, who was kept waiting in the rickety hut, after awaiting the whole night, thought that her husband had deserted her. She went to look for him and found him dead near the mound. ‚Oh, me! my husband met his death all on account of me!‛ She wailed. And holding the bigger child by the hand and putting the infant on her waist, she took the road to Sǎvatthi. On the way, she had to cross a shallow stream (which seemed deep). She thought she might not be able to cross it with both the children together. So she left her elder boy on this side of the stream and after crossing it, placed the infant on the other side, wrapped up snugly. She waded the stream back for the elder son. Just as she was half-way in the stream, a kite swooped down on the infant baby taking it for its prey. The mother became excited and tried to frighten away the kite but her throwing up the hands in the air was mistaken as beckoning to him by the elder son who ran into the stream. He slipped and was carried away by the swift current. Before the mother could reach her infant child, the kite had flew away with it. She wailed her fate in half a stanza thus:

‚Both my two sons are dead and gone! And my husband too had died on the way!‛

Wailing in these desperate words, she proceeded along her way to Sǎvatthi.

When she arrived in Sǎvatthi, she was unable to find her parents' home. This was partly due to her intense grief but there was a substantial reason for her failure to recognize her own childhood home. for, as she asked the people where the Rich Man's house which used to be somewhere there, they answered: ‚What use is there if you find the house? It has been destroyed by last nights' gale. All the inmates of the house died inside the house which collapsed. They were cremated on a single pyre. And that is the place of their burial,‛ the people showed her the thin smoke from the burnt pyre.

‚What, what did you say?‛ Those were the only words she could say and she fainted. When she recovered, she was not in her own wits. She could not care about decency: with no clothes on, her hands raised in the air wildly, she went near the burnt-up pyre and wailed:

‚Both my two sons are dead and gone! And my husband too has died on the way! My mother, my father and my brother, (Having perished together,)

Have been cremated on a single pyre.‛

The Meaning of The Word 'PaÔǎcǎrī'

The Rich Man's daughter went about the city naked. When other people tried to cover up her body, she would tore off the clothes. Thus, wherever she went, she was surrounded by astonished crowds. Hence, she came to be referred to as ‘The naked woman’ (PaÔǎcǎrī). (Or in another sense of the Pǎli word, ‘the shameless woman’.) As she went about dazed and confused wailing the tragic stanza, people would say: ‚Hey go away, mad woman!‛ Some would throw dirt and refuse on her head, some would throw stones at her.

PaÔǎcǎrǎ found Peace

The Buddha saw PaÔǎcǎrǎ roaming about aimlessly while He was making a discourse to an audience at the Jetavana monastery. Seeing that her faculties had now ripened, the Buddha willed that PaÔǎcǎrǎ come to Him at the monastery. People tried to prevent her going into the monastery but the Buddha said to them: ‚Don't try to stop her.‛ When she went nearer, the Buddha said to her: ‚PaÔǎcǎrǎ be mindful.‛

As soon as she heard the Buddha's words, PaÔǎcǎrǎ regained her senses. Awared of her nakedness, she sat down on her closed knees and remained with her body bent, and trying her best to cover up her naked body with her hands. Someone then threw to her a piece of garment which she picked up, cloaked herself, and drew near the Buddha. In worshipping posture, she related the tragic story thus:

‚Venerable Sir, may you be my refuge! My younger son was swooped away by a kite. My elder son was drowned in the current of a stream. My husband died on the way. My parents and my brothers were killed in the house which collapsed and they were cremated on a single pyre.‛

The Buddha said to her: ‚PaÔǎcǎrǎ do not vacillate. You have now come to one in whom you can take refuge. Just as you have shed tears for the loss of your sons, husband, mother, father and brother, so also had you shed much tears, even greater than the waters of the four great oceans, throughout the beginningless round of existences.‛ The Buddha also spoke in verse as follows:

‚PaÔǎcǎrǎ, the waters of the four great oceans are little when compared to the amount of tears shed by one person on account of the grief suffered for loss of his or her beloved ones. Now, my daughter, why are you so negligent? Be mindful.‛

On hearing the Buddha's discourse containing the perspective of saṁsǎra, grief abated in the mind of PaÔǎcǎrǎ. The Buddha, knowing that PaÔǎcǎrǎ had been able to control her sorrow, discoursed further thus:

‚PaÔǎcǎrǎ, neither son nor husband can protect one on the journey through afterlife, nor are they one's refuge. That being so, even though sons or husband may be living, they are as good as non-existent for a wayfarer in saṁsǎra. Therefore a wise person should purify his morality and get himself or herself established on the Noble Practice leading to Nibbǎna.‛

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

‚PaÔǎcǎrǎ, when one falls victim to Death, neither one's sons nor parents nor close relations can protect one; one's kith and kin have no power to give protection.‛

—— Dhammapadǎ, V-288 ——

‚Knowing this lack of protection against Death, the wise person restrained by morality, should make haste to clear the Ariya Path that leads to Nibbǎna.‛

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At the end of the discourse, PaÔǎcǎrǎ burnt up the infinite defilements by means of Stream-Entry Knowledge and was established in sotǎpatti-magga.

After becoming a Stream-Enterer, PaÔǎcǎrǎ requested the Buddha that she be admitted into the Order of Bhikkhunīs. The Buddha caused her to be taken to a bhikkhunīs and be admitted as a bhikkhunī.

How PaÔǎcǎrǎ attained Arahatship

One day, Bhikkhunī PaÔǎcǎrǎ was washing her feet. As she poured down the water on her feet, the water flowed to a short distance and then stopped there, When a second cup was poured, the water flowed to a place slightly farther away than the first stream and then stopped. When a third cup was poured, the water flowed to a place slightly farther away than the second stream. PaÔǎcǎrǎ, already a Stream-Enterer, meditated on this phenomenon of the three stream of water, and applied it to the three periods of life thus:

‚Just as the first stream of water stopped at a short place, sentient beings are liable to die during their first period of life. Just as the second stream flowed slightly farther than the first stream and stopped, so also sentient beings are liable to die during their middle age.

And just as the third stream flowed farther than the second stream and stopped, so also sentient being are liable to die in their last period of life.‛

She reflected further that just as all the three streams must end and disappear, so also living beings must give up their tenure of life and perish. Thus, the impermanence of things gave her insight into all conditioned phenomena. from that insight into impermanence, the characteristic of the woefulness (dukkha) of all conditioned phenomena dawned on her conditioned mind and hence the insubstantiality, the emptiness of all and conditioned phenomena also was then perceived.

Pondering deeply on the three characteristics, she went into her monastic dwelling for a suitable change in the temperature. There she placed the lighted lamp at its usual place and, wishing to extinguish it, she pulled down the wick into oil with a pointed needle.

Just at that moment, the Buddha, while sitting in His private chamber, sent the Buddha- rays to PaÔǎcǎrǎ making Himself visible to her and said:

‚PaÔǎcǎrǎ, you are thinking rightly: all sentient beings are subject to death. Therefore, it is in vain to be living for a hundred years without the right perception of the five aggregates, of their arising and dissolution, whereas it is really worthwhile to live even for a day with a full understanding of the five aggregates.‛

The Buddha put this point in verse as follows:

‚PaÔǎcǎrǎ, even if one were to live a hundred years without perceiving (with Insight) the arising and perishing of conditioned phenomena (i.e. mind-and-body), yet more worthwhile indeed is a single day's life of one who perceives the arising and perishing of mind-and-body.‛

—— Dhammapada, V 13 ——

At the end of the discourse, PaÔǎcǎrǎ attained Arahatship together with the four Discriminative Knowledges.

1. 3. PaÔǎcǎrǎ as The foremost Bhikkhunī

After attaining arahatship, PaÔǎcǎrǎ learnt the Vinaya from the Buddha extensively and made wise judgments on matters concerning the Vinaya. Therefore, on one occasion when the Buddha named distinguished bhikkhunīs in a congregation at the Jetavana monastery, He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who are wise in (adept in) the Vinaya, Bhikkhunī PaÔǎcǎrǎ is the foremost (etadagga).‛

5. DHAMMADINNŒ THER¢
   1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Dhammadinnǎ Therī was born into a poor working class family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. She was wise and virtuous. One day, when the Venerable Sujǎtǎ, the Chief Disciple of Buddha Padumuttara, went on his alms- round, she met him in the course of carrying water and personally offered him her share of ration (a cake) for the day. The Venerable, as a mark of appreciation for her devotion, and intending to bestow welfare on her due to her meritorious deed, sat down and ate the cake immediately.

The Venerable had just arisen from dwelling in the attainment of Cessation, a condition which is conducive to immediate fruition of the merit.

The devotion, in the labourer girl slave, grew by leaps and bounds that she cut her (luscious) hair and sold it for whatever little price it could fetch. With that meagre but well-earned money, she bought a meal and offered it to Venerable Sujǎtǎ at her house. When the master of the slave girl heard this news, he was so pleased with her noble conduct that he gave his son in marriage to her and she became the Rich Man's (her master) daughter-in-law.

One day, she visited the Buddha's monastery together with her mother-in-law. When listening to the Buddha's sermon, she saw the Buddha naming a bhikkhunī as the foremost in expounding the Doctrine. She had a great desire to be honoured with the same title in future time. So, she made an extraordinary offering to the Buddha and His Sangha and aspired to that position. Buddha Padumuttara prophesied that her wish would be fulfilled during the time of Buddha Gotama.

Her Existence as Royal Treasurer

The future Dhammadinnǎ Therī lived a meritorious life and after her life span had ended, she passed away and was reborn in the deva realm. Thereafter, she was reborn only in the human world or the deva-world. Ninety-two world-cycles ago, she was reborn as the wife of a rich man, who was the official royal treasurer to three princes who were half brothers of the Buddha. She had a very generous mind so that when someone asked for one she would give two. (Regarding the story of the Treasurer and his wife read Chapter 15.)

Her Existence as One of The Seven Daughters of King Kikī

The rich man's wife had a life full of meritorious deeds. When she passed away, she was reborn in the deva realm. During Buddha Kassapa time, she was reborn as Princess Sudhammǎ, the sixth of the seven daughters of King Kikī of Bǎrǎṇasī. Along with the other sisters, she remained a spinster, leading a noble chaste life for the whole life span of twenty-thousand years, and was a joint donor, with her sisters, of a great monastic complex to the Sangha.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

Princess Sudhammǎ spent the whole of her life doing meritorious deeds and at her death, she was reborn in the deva realm. Subsequently, for innumerable years, she was reborn either in the deva-world or the human world. During the time of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn into the family of a rich man in Rǎjagaha. When she was of marriageable age, she married a rich man named Visǎkhǎ and she was called Dhammadinnǎ (the Rich Man's wife).

Visǎkhǎ and Dhammadinnǎ, ninety-two world-cycles ago, were also a rich couple, as the Royal Treasurer and wife during Buddha Phussa time, who were noted for their liberality. Visǎkhǎ, the rich man, was one of the one hundred and one disciples of the Buddha, who gained Stream-Entry Knowledge on the day the Buddha arrived in Rǎjagaha (on the full moon in the month of Pyatho (January) in the year 103 of the Great Era). He was a close friend of King Bimbisǎra.

After having become an ariya as Stream-Enterer, Visǎkhǎ, on a later occasion, listened to

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the Buddha's discourse and gained sakadǎgǎmī-phala (a Once Returner) and then on a later day anǎgǎmī-phala (a Never-Returner). Once he became a Never-Returner, his outlook and behaviour changed visibly. for whereas he would go home with expectancy to see his wife, his face full of smiles, he was now looking staid, his mien composed and mind tranquil.

His wife Dhammadinnǎ was, as usual, looking through the window with a long motif carved at the sill, awaiting his return. When she saw the sedate attitude of her husband treading home, it struck her as strange. ‚What has gone wrong?‛ she thought. She went down the stair and stretched out her hand to him at the landing. Although it was his custom to take hold of his wife's welcoming hand and go up the stairs (speaking amiably together), on that day, he withdrew his hand instead of holding hers. ‚Perhaps I shall find out about this at the table,‛ she thought to herself. But at the morning meal, he did not sit at table together with his wife as usual, but took his meal alone in silence, like an elderly bhikkhu engaged in meditation. ‚Perhaps I shall find out about this in the evening,‛ she thought to herself.

But when evening came, Visǎkhǎ did not go into their inner chamber, instead, he had a separate room prepared for him with a wooden cot on which he slept alone. His wife now started worrying. ‚Is my husband in love with another woman? Or has someone tried to cause misunderstanding between us? Or has he seen some fault in me?‛ These wild unfounded speculations gnawed at her innocent heart. After two or three days she could not bear it any further silently and standing by his side meekly, her joined palms raised in salutation to her husband, she awaited how he would respond. Then he said:

‚Why do you come near me at this untimely hour?‛

‚Untimely, yes, my lord. But you have changed now. What's the matter with you? Is there another woman beside me?‛

‚No, Dhammadinnǎ, there is none.‛

‚Then, has someone put in a wedge between us?‛

‚No, there is none of the sort.‛

‚In that case, do you see any fault in me?‛

‚No, Dhammadinnǎ, you have no fault whatever.‛

‚If so, why do you stay aloof from me as though we were total strangers and not husband and wife? You have not talked to me much these few days.‛

When confronted thus by his wife, Visǎkhǎ pondered: ‚Supramundane Dhamma is a profound thing, not easy to explain like mundane matters. If possible, it had better be kept to oneself. But now, if I did not talk about it Dhammadinnǎ would certainly take it amiss and be broken hearted."

Thus thinking to himself, Visǎkhǎ said to her:

“Dhammadinnǎ, after I have listened to the Buddha's discourses, I have comprehended the Supramundane Dhamma. One who comprehends the Supramundane finds mundane affairs incompatible with him. If you would agree, there are forty crore worth of treasures that your parents have endowed to us, and another forty crore worth of treasures that my parents have endowed to us, these eighty crore worth of treasures, I would bequeath to you as sole owner, and treat me just as a mother or an elder sister. I shall be content with whatever manner you might look after me. Or, if you so choose, you may take all those wealth with you and go back to your parents' house. If you have no other man to give your heart, I shall look after you as my younger sister or as my daughter."

On hearing these momentous and frank words from her husband, Dhammadinnǎ was deeply satisfied. She thought to herself: ‚It is no ordinary man to say such things. My husband surely must have comprehended the Supramundane Dhamma. But is the Supramundane solely for men? Is it possible for a woman to understand it?‛ Pondering thus, she said to her husband: ‚My lord, is the Supramundane Dhamma solely for men? Are women also capable of knowing it?‛

‚Why, Dhammadinnǎ, anyone, male or female, who practices the Dhamma according to the Doctrine, with due diligence can become heirs to the Buddha, in the matter of the Dhamma. If one has sufficing condition, i.e. a built-up of past merit for attaining the Path-Knowledge, the Supramundane is realisable.‛ answered Visǎkhǎ.

‚If so, my lord, give me permission to become a bhikkhunī.‛

‚Very well, my dear, I am glad you aspire for the Supramundane. I have not suggested it to you only because I did not know your aptitude.‛

Visǎkhǎ then immediately went to see King Bimbisǎra who asked him: ‚O Rich Man, what is your purpose in seeing me at this untimely hour?‛

‚Great King,‛ Visǎkhǎ said, ‚Dhammadinnǎ wishes to become a bhikkhunī.‛

‚What shall I provide Dhammadinnǎ with?‛

‚Great King, I want just-two things: the golden palanquin and the tidying up of tile city.‛

The King complied with these two requests.

Great Ceremony on Dhammadinnǎ becoming A Bhikkhunī

Visǎkhǎ had Dhammadinnǎ bathed in scented water, fitted out gorgeously, and got her seated in the palanquin. Then, surrounded by all her relatives (and the husband's relatives) she was carried to the bhikkhunīs’ ‘monastery’ through the city whose environment was rich with the fragrance of incense and flowers. At the bhikkhunīs’ ‘monastery’, Visǎkhǎ requested the bhikkhunī-elders to admit his wife Dhammadinnǎ into the Order of Bhikkhunīs. ‚O rich man,‛ they said, ‚forbear if she has been at fault for once or twice.‛ (They thought that Visǎkhǎ was forsaking his wife.)

‚Venerable‛, Visǎkhǎ replied, ‚My wife has no fault whatever, she is taking up the monastic life of her own accord.‛

Thereupon, a bhikkhunī who was adept at the Vinaya gave Dhammadinnǎ instructions to reflect on the loathsomeness of the body, beginning with reflecting on the group of its five constituent parts, namely, hair, body hair, nails, teeth, and skin. Then she shaved Dhammadinnǎ's hair, donned her with the robes. Visǎkha then made obeisance to Bhikkhunī Dhammadinnǎ and said: ‚Venerable, be happy in the monastic life in the Teaching. The Buddha has taught us the Doctrine which is superb in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end.‛ Then he went home.

from the day Dhammadinnǎ became a bhikkhunī, she received much respect and many gifts from the people. In seeing so many visitors, she had little time left to meditate alone. (Thus this much is the account of Dhammadinnǎ, taken from the Commentary on Majjhima Nikǎya, M|la paṇṇǎsa, C|ḷvedalla Sutta).

Dhammadinnǎ Therī considered thus: ‚Visǎkhǎ has made an end of dukkha even while remaining in household life. I, as a bhikkhunī, must make an end of dukkha.‛ She went to her preceptor bhikkhunī and said: ‚Venerable, I am tired of living in this place which is full of five kinds of sense pleasures. I would like to go and live in a nunnery at a small village.‛ The preceptors knew well that Dhammadinnǎ's wish could not be ignored as she came of a high class family, and so they took her to a nunnery at a small village.

Due to her meditative exercises, in her many past existences, in seeing through the nature of conditioned phenomena, Dhammadinnǎ did not take long to gain Insight and attained arahatship together with the four Discriminate Knowledges. Then knowing her own attainment, she considered which place would suit her to help others attain Enlightenment. There was nothing much she could do in the small village whereas in Rǎjagaha she could help her own kith and kin. So she decided to return to Rǎjagaha and, requesting her preceptors to accompany her, she returned to Rǎjagaha.

Visǎkhǎ’s Questions on The Doctrine

When Visǎkhǎ learnt that Dhammadinnǎ Therī had returned to Rǎjagaha, he was eager to

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know why, after having gone to live in a small village, she returned so soon. He would go to her and find out but he did not wish to ask a plain question whether she was quite at home with monastic life. Rather, he would pose profound questions relating to the five aggregates that are the objects of clinging (i.e. about sakkǎyadiṭṭi), and judge her mind from the way she answered. So after paying homage to her, he sat in a suitable place and asked her doctrinal questions concerning the five aggregates that are the objects of clinging. (The series of these profound questions and answers may be found in M|lapaṇṇǎsa, 5-C|ḷayamaka vagga, 4-C|ḷavedalla Sutta.)

Dhammadinnǎ answered all the questions put to her by Visǎkhǎ as promptly as a racing horse gallops away and so precisely as if lotus stems were cut down by a sharp blade. Visǎkhǎ realized the high intellect of Dhammadinnǎ and proceeded from matters relating to the (three) lower magga-knowledges which was his limit of knowledge. He then proceeded to matters relating to arahatta-magga which he had not attained himself but about which he had merely hearsay knowledge. Dhammadinnǎ knew that Visǎkhǎ could properly ask about matters pertaining to the anǎgǎmī-phala, and that he had exceeded his limitation of knowledge when he asked:

‚Venerable, what is the counterpart of Nibbǎna?‛ She answered: ‚Friend Visǎkhǎ, your question has gone too far. It is not possible for you to reach the limit of such questionings. (It is not possible for him to reach the limit of such questionings because he has asked what the counterpart of Nibbǎna is, whereas Nibbǎna is unique and has no counterpart.) Indeed, friend Visǎkhǎ, the Noble Practice of Purity consisting of three kinds of training tends to Nibbǎna, has its ultimate goal in Nibbǎna, and ends in Nibbǎna. friend Visǎkhǎ, if you so desire, go to the Bhagavǎ and ask him to explain this matter. And bear in mind the explanation of the Bhagavǎ.‛

Then Visǎkhǎ approached the Buddha and related to the Buddha all that had been said between him and Dhammadinnǎ Therī. When the Buddha heard the details of the questions and answers that took place between them, He said: ‚Bhikkhunī Dhammadinnǎ is free of all forms of Craving, either of the past, or the future, or the present khandha (aggregates).‛ Then the Buddha spoke in verse thus:

‚(Visǎkhǎ,) he who does not cling to the aggregates that are past, future, or present, who is free from moral intoxicants and attachment him I call a Brǎhmana (i.e., an arahat)."

—— Dhammapada, V. 421 ——

By the end of the discourse, many in the audience attained Enlightenment and its fruition at the various levels.

Then the Buddha praised Dhammadinnǎ, ‚Visǎkhǎ, layman devotee, Bhikkhunī Dhammadinnǎ is wise. Visǎkhǎ, she is of great knowledge. Visǎkhǎ, had you asked Me the answers to those questions I, too, would have answered them in the same way Bhikkhunī Dhammadinnǎ had answered. These are the answers to the questions. Bear in mind the answers given by Dhammadinnǎ." (This event was an immediate cause of Dhammadinnǎ being designated as the foremost bhikkhunī in expounding the Doctrine.)

(Herein, it should be remembered that the discourse given by Dhammadinnǎ, when endorsed by the Buddha in those clear terms, becomes a discourse of the Buddha Himself. It is like in the case of a message (written by a writer) properly endorsed and sealed by the King's seal, becomes the King's message. Other discourses by other disciples that have the Buddha's endorsement also became the Buddha's discourses.)

1. 3. Dhammadinnǎ Therī being designated as The foremost Bhikkhunī

On one occasion, when the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Sǎvatthi, and naming distinguished bhikkhunīs, He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who are skilled in expounding the Doctrine, Bhikkhunī Dhammadinnǎ is the foremost (etadagga).‛

6. NANDŒ THER¢

(Nandǎ Therī's full name was Janapadakalyǎṇī R|panandǎ Therī. Her story has been told in detail in Chapter 34 on Vijaya sutta. In the present Chapter, only a short account will be given, as described in the commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikǎya.)

1. 1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Nandǎ Therī was reborn into a rich man's family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumattara. On a certain occasion when she was attending to a sermon by the Buddha, she witnessed the Buddha naming a bhikkhunī as the foremost among bhikkhunīs who enjoyed themselves in abiding in jhǎna. She aspired to that distinction and after making an extraordinary offering she wished that she be designated as the foremost bhikkhunī in jhǎnic ecstasy, some time in the future. The Buddha prophesied that her wish would be fulfilled.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

After passing away from that memorable existence, she was reborn in the fortunate existences for a hundred thousand world-cycles. In her last existence, she was reborn as a Sakyan Princess who later was intended to be betrothed to Prince Nanda. She was named Princess Abhir|panandǎ, and her extreme attractiveness also earned her the endearing name of Princess Janapadakalyǎṇī. She was born of Queen Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī

Prince Nanda, Prince Rǎhula and some of the closest kith and kin of the Buddha were admitted into the Order of Bhikkhus during the Buddha's visit to Kapilavatthu. Later, after the death of King Suddhodǎna, her own mother, Queen Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī and Queen Yasodaya, her sister, mother of Prince Rǎhula, also joined the Order of Bhikkhunīs. As Princess Janapadakalyǎṇī saw no point in her remaining at the royal palace, she joined her mother, Bhikkhunī Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī, as a bhikkhunī.

After becoming bhikkhunī, she did not go to see the Buddha on the days scheduled for her to receive the Buddha's admonition, as other bhikkhunīs did. This was because the Buddha was reputed as being derogatory to personal attractiveness. So, she would send some other bhikkhunīs to receive the Buddha's admonition on her behalf. The Buddha knew that she was conceited about her personal beauty and ordered that bhikkhunīs must go personally to Him to receive admonition and not depute another. Bhikkhunī R|panandǎ had to abide by the rule and reluctantly she went to see the Buddha.

The Buddha had, by His powers, created a most attractive girl by His side, respectfully fanning Him with a palm-leaf fan. When Bhikkhunī R|panandǎ saw her, her vanity about her own personal beauty vanished. ‚Why,‛ she thought to herself, ‚I had been so conceited about my beauty! Shame on me! Here is a girl whose beauty I could not match, for I am not even 256th part of her beauty. How foolish of me to stay away from the Bhagavǎ.‛ She stood there awestruck by the beauty of the mind made girl near the Buddha.

R|panandǎ Therī had sufficing condition (of accumulated merit in the past), so that after hearing one stanza beginning with:

‚aṭṭhīnaṁ nagaraṁ kataṁ...‛ (On the loathsomeness of the body; Dhammapada V. 150) and one sutta entitled Vijaya Sutta beginning with:

“caraṁ νǎ yadi νǎ tiṭṭham nisinno uda νǎ sayaṁ....‛ (‚While walking, or standing, or sitting, or lying down...?‛ describing the constitution of the body which is basically no different from a corpse. —— Sutta Nipǎta, Vijaya Sutta), she meditated diligently on the emptiness of this sentient existence and in two or three days, she attained arahatship.

1. 3. Being designated as The foremost Bhikkhunī

from the time of attaining arahatship, R|panandǎ Therī was unequalled by any other bhikkhunī in abiding in jhǎna. Accordingly, when on the occasion of naming foremost bhikkhunīs during His residence at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha declared:

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‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who derive pleasure from jhǎnic absorption, Bhikkhunī Nandǎ is the foremost (etadagga).‛

7. (BAHUPUTTIKA) SOṆŒ THER¢
   1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Bahuputtika Soṇa Therī was reborn into a rich man's family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. She had occasion to listen to the sermon by the Buddha when she saw a bhikkhunī being named as the foremost bhikkhunī in earnest endeavour. She then had a strong desire to become such a foremost bhikkhunī in the future. So she made an extra-ordinary offering and later, aspired to the title. Buddha Padumuttara prophesied that her aspiration would be fulfilled.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

The future Bahuputtika Soṇa Therī was reborn, for a hundred thousand world-cycles, in the fortunate destinations. During the time of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn into the family of a rich man in Sǎvatthi. She was married to the son of a rich man and went to live in her husband's house. She bore ten children and was known as Soṇa of the many children.

When her husband took up bhikkhuhood, she arranged for the marriage of her ten children and bequeathed all her property to them, leaving nothing for herself. The children were all ungrateful to her. None of them was willing to let her stay at their houses for more than two or three days, after which, they treated her unkindly.

The old lady became an unwanted, helpless mother, neglected by her own children. Realizing her dire position, she decided that she must renounce the world and became a bhikkhunī. After she had become a bhikkhunī, her seniors in the Order would scold her for any slight mistake or shortcoming in her community obligations. She was often required to serve out punitive measures by her seniors. When her unkind children saw her undergoing such punishment, instead of taking pity on their old decrepit mother, they made a laughing stock of her saying: ‚This old women has still not learnt monastic discipline.‛

This ridicule by her own children caused emotional religious awakening in her. ‚I do not have to live long. I must safeguard myself against unfortunate destinies.‛ So reflecting, she let no time pass, whether sitting or going, or standing or lying down, without uttering and contemplating on the thirty-two aspects (constituent parts) of the body. Then, during all the free moment left to her, after discharging the communal duties to her co-residents, she went into meditation throughout the night. for she rightly realized that for her late age as a bhikkhunī, she could not afford to let a moment pass without being mindful. When she sat meditating at night, she held to a post on the ground floor of her nunnery, without losing hold of it. When she walked, meditating at night, she held a tree with her hand, never letting it go, for fear that she might otherwise bump her head against something in the darkness. (As per Therīgǎthǎ Commentary)

Soṇa Therī’s Name became associated with Earnest Endeavour

When she first became a bhikkhunī, she was called Bahuputtika Soṇa Therī. But later, her earnest endeavour in taking up the three kinds of training earned her the epithet ‘earnest endeavour’ and was known as Ǎraddha νīriya Soụa Therī, —— Soṇa Therī of earnest endeavour!

Attainment of Arahatship

One day, when the bhikkhunīs went to the Jetavana monastery to receive the Buddha's admonition, they told Œraddha vīriya Soṇa Therī to boil some water for the community. But before attending to that task, the old bhikkhunī walked up and down the kitchen and contemplated on the thirty two aspects of the body, uttering each item. The Buddha saw her, while sitting in His private-chamber at the Jetavana monastery and sent forth the

Buddha-rays to her, making His person visible to her, and uttered this verse:

‚Even though one should live a hundred years without seeing the sublime Dhamma (i.e. the Supramundane Dhamma comprising nine factors), yet more worthwhile indeed is a single day's life of one who perceives the sublime Dhamma.‛

After thus hearing the Buddha's discourse made through the Buddha's rays (which also made her see the Buddha in person), Œraddha vīriya Soṇa Therī attained arahatship. She now thought: ‚I have attained arahatta-phala. Those who do not know this will, on their return from the Jetavana monastery, treat me with disrespect (as usual) which will resulted in them doing great demerit. I must let them know about my attainment of arahatship so as to forewarn them. She placed the pot of water for boiling on the fireplace but did not make the fire.

When the co-resident bhikkhunīs returned from the Buddha's monastery, they saw no fire at the fireplace and murmured: ‚We told the old woman to boil some water for the community but she has not even made the fire.‛ Then Soṇa Therī said to them: ‚Friends, what use with the fire? Let anyone who needs warm water take it from that pot (on the unlit fireplace).‛ The co-residents were surprised by these strange words and they realized that there must be some reason for the old bhikkhunī to say so. They went to the pot and felt the water inside. It was quite warm. They took an empty pot to the fireplace and poured out the warm water into it. Whenever they took out the water from that pot, the pot became filled up again.

Then only the bhikkhunīs realized that Soṇa Therī had attained arahatship. Those bhikkhunīs who were junior in bhikkhunī standing to Soṇa Therī made obeisance to her with fivefold contact, and said: ‚Venerable, we had been foolish in being disrespectful to you and bullied you. For all these transgressions, we beg your pardon.‛ Those bhikkhunīs, who were senior in bhikkhunī standing, sat squatting before Soṇa Therī, and said:

‚Venerable, pardon us for our misbehaviour.‛

1. 3. Soṇa Therī as The foremost Bhikkhunī

Soṇa Therī became an example of how an elderly person could become an arahat by dint of earnest effort. On one occasion, when the Buddha sat in congregation at the Jetavana monastery naming foremost bhikkhunīs, He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who have diligence and make earnest effort, Bhikkhunī Soṇa is the foremost (etadagga).‛

8. SAKULŒ THER¢

(Sakulǎ Therī is mentioned by the name of Bǎkula in the Commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikǎya in the recorded version of the Sixth Council, whereas in the Sri Laṅkǎ version, the name is mentioned as Sakulǎ. In the Commentary on Therīgǎthǎ of the Sixth Council version, the name also appeared as Sakulǎ. Hence we have opted for the name Sakulǎ, and based our narration on the Commentary on Therī- get he which gives a more extensive coverage.)

1. 1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Sakulǎ Therī was reborn into the family of King Œnanda of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. She was the half sister of Buddha Padumuttara and was named Princess Nandǎ. When she had come of age, she attended the Buddha's sermon. She saw a bhikkhunī being named by the Buddha as the foremost bhikkhunī in the endowment of supernormal power of Deva Eye (characterized by a knowledge of past existences). She then had a strong desire to become one like that bhikkhunī with supernormal power of Deva Eye and accordingly she made an extra-ordinary offering and made her aspiration before Buddha Padumuttara. Buddha Padumuttara prophesied that her aspiration would be fulfilled during the time of Buddha Gotama. (for details of this part of the story, read

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Sakulǎ Therī Apǎdǎna.)

Her Past Existence as A female Wandering Ascetic

Princess Nandǎ engaged herself in doing many great deeds of merit throughout her life, and, after passing away from that existence, she was reborn in the deva realm. Subsequently, she was reborn in the human or deva realm only. During Buddha Kassapa time, she was reborn into a brahmin family. She became a recluse and led a life of a secluded ascetic. After the passing away of Buddha Kassapa, His relics were enshrined in a great stupa. The ascetic, who was future Sakulǎ Therī, one day obtained some oil on her round for alms-oil. With that amount of oil she made an offering of lights throughout the night at the shrine where Buddha Kassapa’s relics were enshrined.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

The wandering ascetic passed away and was reborn in TǎvatiÑsa Deva realm, as a deva endowed with special deva faculty of vision. for the whole period of the interval between the two Buddhas, she fared in the deva realm only. During the time of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn into brahmin family in Sǎvatthi, by the name of Sakulǎ. When she became of age, she attended a ceremony which celebrated the donations of the Jetavana monastery (by Anǎthapiṇďika) to the Buddha where she listened to the Buddha's discourse and she became a lay disciple of His. Later, she received a discourse from an arahat which kindled her emotional religious awakening and resulted in her becoming a bhikkhunī. She strove diligently in the Noble Practice of Purity and soon attained arahatship.

1. 3. Sakulǎ Therī as The foremost Bhikkhunī

After attaining arahatta-phala, Sakulǎ Therī, as the result of her past aspiration, was specially devoted to the exercise of the supernormal power of the Deva Eye, and was an adept at it. On one occasion, when the Buddha was naming outstanding bhikkhunīs at the Jetavana monastery, He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who are proficient in the supernormal power of the Deva Eye, Sakulǎ Therī is the foremost (etadagga).‛

9. KUṆDALAKESŒ THER¢
   1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Kuṇďalakesǎ Therī was reborn into the family of a rich man in the city of HaÑsǎvtī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. She was listening to the Buddha's discourse, when she saw Subha Therī being named as the foremost bhikkhu in attaining arahatship with the quickest Insight. She wanted most strongly to be named such a foremost bhikkhunī in future time. After making great offering, and she made known her aspiration in front of Buddha Padumuttara, who then made the prognostication that her aspiration would be fulfilled during the time of Buddha Gotama.

Her Past Existence as A Daughter of King of Bǎrǎṇasī

After faring for a hundred thousand world-cycles, either in the deva or human realms, the future Kuṇďalakesǎ Therī was reborn as the fourth daughter, named Bhikkhadǎyikǎ, of the seven daughters of King Kikī of Bǎrǎṇasī, during the time of Buddha Kassapa. In that existence, she, like her other sisters, led a life of chastity for her entire life span of twenty thousand years, observing the ten precepts. She was also a joint donor, together with her sisters, of a great monastic complex for the Sangha.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

Princess Bhikkhadǎyikǎ was reborn either in the deva realm or the human realm for the whole world-cycle during the interim period between the two Buddhas. During the time of

Buddha Gotama, she was reborn as a rich man's daughter in Rǎjagaha, by the name of Bhadda. On the same day when she was born, a son was also born to the King's Counsellor in Rǎjagaha. At the moment of the birth of the Chief Counsellor’s son, all weapons throughout the city, beginning with those at the King's palace, dazzled mysteriously.

The King's Counsellor went to see the King early in the next morning and asked the King: ‚Great King, did you sleep well?‛ To which the King replied: ‚Master, how could I sleep well? All the weapons in the palace dazzled mysteriously the whole night making us nervous.‛ ‚Great King,‛ the Counsellor said, ‚Do not be afraid. Dazzling of weapons took place last night not only in the palace but throughout the city.‛

‚Why, Master, did that happen?‛

‚Great King, last night a son was born to my family, whose time of birth coincided with the dominance of certain planets in the zodiac, and whose influence will determine the character of the new-born child. Due to that planetary influence, my son will grow into an incorrigible thief, an enemy to the whole city. But your Majesty, if you so desire, I shall eliminate him.‛

‚If there is no personal danger to me, there is no reason to eliminate the child.‛

The Counsellor named his son, Sattuka (Vile Enemy) as signifying innate quality of the child which was acquired through his stellar influence at birth. As the future Kuṇďalakesǎ Therī grew to age, so also young Sattuka. Even as a young boy of two or three years old, wherever he went, he would snatch anything that he could lay his hands on and took them home. The father admonished him not to do so but he would not listen.

Sattuka The Bane of Rǎjagaha

When Sattuka attained adolescence, his father, seeing that the son was truly beyond his correction, abandoned him. Giving the youth two pieces of dark cloth (to use in nocturnal exploits), a gadget for breaking open walls and fences and a sweep of twine ladders to his son, he mournfully said to him: ‚Take these, you useless boy, make your living by robbery. And be off!‛

The young waif proved himself a formidable robber. Making use of the housebreaking gadget and the rope ladder, he would execute housebreaking neatly and rob all the houses of the well-to-do. Not before long every house in the city suffered from his exploits, showing gaping holes in the walls.

When the King made a chariot ride around the city, these holes made a curious sight for the King who then asked the charioteer the reason for them. Being told by the charioteer that all of them were the work of Sattuka, the housebreaker, the King sent for the Mayor and asked him why the robber was not apprehended. The Mayor explained that nobody had ever caught the robber red-handed and hence he was not apprehended. The king ordered him: ‚Catch the robber today, or else your life is forfeit.‛

His very life being at stake, the Mayor posted undercover men throughout the city and was successful in catching the robber red-handed. Sattuka was apprehended and brought before the King who ordered: ‚Take Sattuka out of the city by the South Gate and execute him. (Note: this event took place during King Ajǎtasattu's reign.) The Mayor acknowledged the King's sentence. He took Sattuka to every cross road in the city where a thousand lashes of whipping were administered to him at each cross road. And thus he was taken towards the South Gate, his hands bound at the back.

The Affection of Bhaddǎ, The Rich Man's Daughter

At that time, the tumult caused by the people watching the thief being punished aroused the curiosity of Bhaddǎ (the future Kuṇďalakesǎ Therī). She looked out through the window which was carved with a lion motif at the sill. When she saw Sattuka in bondage being savagely whipped (owing to the mutual love and affection that had existed in their past existences), Bhaddǎ felt great pity for the robber. She felt very unhappy. She went to her bed-room with her hands pressed on her bosom to check the mental pain and lay on her bed with face downwards. As the only child, Bhaddǎ was the cynosure of the family. The

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slightest scowl on her forehead caused much concern on the part of the parents.

Her mother went to her and asked the reason for her despair. The daughter did not hide her emotions but opened her heart to the mother that she had such love and affection for Sattuka that she would not live unless she was married to the man. The parents and the relations tried their best to make her see sense but to no avail. finally they had to yield to her wishes making the conclusion: ‚At least that (giving the daughter to the culprit) is better than her death.‛

Her father approached the Mayor with a bribe of a thousand ticals to get the prisoner escape the death penalty, explaining that his daughter was hopelessly enamoured of the robber. The Mayor co-operated. He procrastinated the execution by all sorts of explanations until it was sundown. Then he substituted a prisoner with Sattuka, who was stealthily escorted to the rich man's house. The substituted prisoner was taken out of the city by the South Gate-and executed (in lieu of Sattuka).

Parental Love

When the rich man secretly received Sattuka from the Mayor's men, he decided to make his daughter happy by pampering the criminal. He had Sattuka bathed in scented water, dressed up finely, and sent to his daughter's mansion. Bhaddǎ was very happy for having obtained her prize. She made herself as lovely as possible with much adornment and attended on Sattuka fondly.

Sattuka's Wicked Plan

Sattuka's evilness was such that he coveted Bhaddǎ's personal adornments. He thought out a wicked plan and after two or three days, he said to Bhaddǎ: ‚I have to say something to you.‛

‚Say it, my dear,‛ said Bhaddǎ, anticipating some good words.

‚You might think that you saved my life,‛ Sattuka said. ‚As a matter of fact, I owe my life to the guardian spirit of the Corapapǎta mountain. I had promised him an offering, if I came out of my captivity alive. Now I am bound by my word to make the spirit an offering. Make necessary preparations.‛

Bhaddǎ, being innocent and loving, readily agreed to comply with the wish of her husband. She prepared offerings, adorned herself fully, and rode in a carriage with Sattuka. At the foot of Corapapata mountain, she alighted from the carriage and made ready to go up the mountain, accompanied by her attendants. Sattuka, concealing his evil motive, persuaded Bhaddǎ to go up to the mountain alone because she must have no friend by her side. She carried the offering on her head and went up to the mountain with Sattuka.

Sattuka's Evil Motive Revealed

Once they were alone together on the ascent to the mountain, Sattuka's tone suddenly changed in his conversation with Bhaddǎ. His oily tongue now gave way to harsh usage. Bhaddǎ was intelligent enough to fathom the evil motive of her robber-husband. When they got to the top of the mountain, Sattuka commanded in his natural harshness: ‚Now Bhaddǎ, take off all your personal ornaments and wrap them up in your upper garment.‛

Bhaddǎ, pretending not to know the evil motive of Sattuka, sweetly replied: ‚What wrong have I made against you, my Lord?‛

‚Foolish girl, do you think I came here to make offerings to the mountain spirit? Fie! I dare open the heart of the mountain spirit. I have brought you here alone to rob you of your ornaments.‛

Bhaddǎ's Wisdom in facing The Situation

Now that Sattuka's true colours had been revealed, Bhaddǎ employed her wit to save herself. Politely she asked: ‚But, my Lord, whose ornaments are all these? Whom do I belong to?‛

‚Look here, I do not understand what you mean. I only know that your property belongs

to you and you alone, and has nothing to do with me.‛

‚Very well, my Lord. My only request is that I be allowed to show my love before I take off my ornaments (and make myself less beautiful to you). Allow me to embrace you from the front, from the sides, and at the rear,‛ she begged him in a concerning voice.

‚Very well,‛ said Sattuka unsuspectingly.

Bhaddǎ now quickly embraced Sattuka from the front, and then going to his rear, pretended to embrace him but shoved him off violently over the mountain top. He fell headlong into a deep crevice, his body torn up into parts all along the way down.

(Here is a subtle point in analysing Bhaddǎs' mind in her act of self defence. At the moment of her actually pushing the villain off the mountain top, her mind is rooted in hatred and dominated by the mental concomitant of killing. However, the thoughts immediately preceding that killing impulsion and those which immediately follow it are meritorious thoughts called great types of moral consciousness (or Sublime consciousness), Upǎya kosalla ñǎụa dominated by skill in strategy to ward off the danger to her life.)

The Mountain Spirit lauds The Cleverness of Bhaddǎ

The mountain spirit who witnessed the astounding wit and courage of Bhaddǎ, sang two verses in praise of her astute wisdom thus:

1. A 'wise person' may not always be a man in all matters. A woman, with discerning wit in a given situation, may also prove herself to be a wise person.
2. A 'wise person' may not always be a man in all matters. A woman, who can quickly choose her solution to the problem, can very well be a wise person.

After what has happened to her, Bhaddǎ had no desire to return home. She left the mountain and not knowing where she was going. Her only thought was to become a recluse. She happened to arrive at a place of some (female) ascetics, and asked them to let her join their Order. They asked her: ‚Which mode of admission would you prefer? The inferior mode, or the superior mode?‛ Being a person endowed with the destiny of winding up her existence, she replied: ‚Let me be admitted into your Order by the most valued mode of admission.‛

The Name 'Kuṇďalakesǎ'

‚Very well,‛ the leading female ascetic said, and they pulled out Bhaddǎ’s hair one by one with a pair of the shell of the Palmyra fruit. No doubt, shaving the head in this manner is most painful but it was the belief of those ascetics that shaving the head with a blade or a pair of scissors was an inferior mode of admitting one into their Order, and that plucking the hairs one by one was the superior mode. When fresh hair grew again they formed small clusters of rings that resembled ear-rings. Hence Bhaddǎ came to be called by her new name of Kuṇďalakesǎ, ‘one with little ear-ring-like coils of hair’.

Kuṇďalakesǎ as A Doctrinaire Ascetics

Kuṇďalakesǎ learned all that her ascetic teachers could teach her and, being a person of innate wisdom, decided that there was no superior kind of learning that she could get from them. So she left them and roamed the country in search of further knowledge, learning from various teachers. In time, she became learned in various doctrines which were acquired at various places and was also unequalled in expounding doctrines. She would go from place to place to find her match in the exposition of doctrines. As a mark of open challenge, she would set up a heap of sand at the entrance to the town or village she visited, on the top of which she would plant a twig of Eugenia. She would tell the children nearby to let everybody know that anyone, who could outwit her in the exposition of doctrines, might signal his or her challenge by destroying the Eugenia twig. If after seven days there appeared no challenger, she would pluck up the Eugenia twig in triumph and go on to another place.

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Venerable Sǎriputta tamed Kuṇďalakesǎ

By that time, Buddha Gotama had appeared in the world and was residing at the Jetavana monastery in Sǎvatthi. The wandering ascetic Kundalakesǎ, who wore only a single garment, after touring cities, towns and villages, arrived at Sǎvatthi. At the entrance of the city, she set up her symbol of challenge, a heap of sand with a twig of Eugenia planted atop it. After giving word to the children nearby about the meaning of the twig of Eugenia being used, she entered the city.

At that time, the Venerable Sǎriputta, the Marshal of the Doctrine, had entered the city for collection of alms-food. He went alone after the other bhikkhus had entered the city for alms-food. This was because he had been discharging the tasks, set by himself, of overseeing the tidiness of the entire Jetavana monastery such as putting bhikkhus' beddings and articles of use in order, filling water pots, sweeping the grounds, tending to the sick bhikkhus, etc. When he saw the Eugenia twig planted on a heap of sand he inquired the children nearby what that meant. The children explained to him about Kundalakesǎ's message. Thereupon the Venerable Sǎriputta told them to destroy the Eugenia twig. Some children were reluctant to do so but a few daring ones trampled the Eugenia twig into pieces.

When Kuṇďalakesǎ returned from the city after finishing her meal, she saw her Eugenia twig destroyed and asked the boys who was responsible for it. They told her that they did it as asked by Venerable Sǎriputta. Kuṇďalakesǎ pondered thus: ‚Someone who does not know my ability would not dare to challenge me. This Venerable must be someone who has great wisdom and virtue. Now I will announce to all the people that I am going to engage in a test of wits with Venerable Sǎriputta, the Marshal of the Doctrine, and thus build up a following of my own before meeting him.‛ She spread the news to the people and within a short time the whole city of eighty-thousand houses were informed of the event among themselves.

The Venerable Sǎriputta, after having finished his meal, sat underneath a tree, and waited for Kuṇďalakesǎ. Then she arrived with a large crowd behind her. After exchanging cordial greeting with the Venerable Sǎriputta, she sat in a suitable place and said:

‚Venerable Sir, did you ask the children to destroy Eugenia twig set up by me?‛

‚Yes, I did,‛ replied the Venerable.

‚Venerable Sir, if that is so, shall we enter into a debate?‛

‚So be it, young female ascetic.‛

‚Who should start putting the questions, Sir?‛

‚It is my privilege to put questions. However, you can begin by asking me about what you know.‛

When she had the permission to ask, Kuṇďalakesǎ asked the Venerable Sǎriputta all the doctrines that she knew. He answered them all. Then he said: ‚Young female ascetic, I have answered all your questions. Now I shall ask you a question.‛

‚Please do Venerable Sir.‛

‚Ekaṁ nǎma Kim? —— What is the one factor (that needs to be fully understood)?‛

‚Venerable Sir, I do not know it.‛

‚Young female ascetic, you do not know even what a young sǎmaụera knows in our Teaching, what else would you know?‛

Thereupon Kuṇďalakesǎ, being a person of no mean past merit, knew the worth of her opponent. She said: ‚May Your Reverence be my refuge!‛

‚Kuṇďalakesǎ,‛ said Venerable Sǎriputta, ‚You should not take refuge in me. There is the Buddha, the Supreme One among the three worlds, now residing at the Jetavana monastery, in His private chamber. Go and take refuge in the Buddha.‛

‚Very well, Venerable Sir, I take your advice,‛ she said.

In that evening she went to the Jetavana monastery where she found the Buddha delivering a discourse. She made obeisance to the Buddha with the five-fold contact and sat in a suitable place. The Buddha, knowing her ripeness for Enlightenment spoke this verse:

‚Better than a thousand verses that deal with trash, not tending to edification, is a single verse (such as one who says: ‚Unforgetfulness is the way to the Deathless‛), by hearing which one is calmed.‛

—— Dhammapada, V. 101. ——

At the end of the verse, Kuṇďalakesǎ attained arahatship and was endowed with the four Discriminative Knowledges. She requested the Buddha to admit her into the Order of Bhikkhunīs. The Buddha agreed. So, she went to a bhikkhunī ‘monastery’ and was admitted as bhikkhunī.

1. 3. Kuṇďalakesǎ as The foremost Bhikkhunī

When the Buddha sat amidst the four kinds of assemblies, there was the lively topic among the audience about the marvellous facility of Kuṇďalakesǎ Therī in attaining arahatship after hearing just a stanza comprising four lines. The Buddha, with reference to that topic, declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who attain Path-Knowledge quickly, Bhikkhunī Bhaddǎ, known as Kuṇďalakesǎ, is the foremost (etadagga).‛

10. BHADDŒKŒPILŒN¢ THER¢

(The story of Bhaddǎkǎpilǎnī Therī is connected with that of the Venerable Mahǎ Kassapa whose elaborate account has been given in Chapter 43: Mahǎ Kassapa Mahǎthera. The Commentary gives only brief account of this Therī. for a more complete account, the reader is advised to refer back to Chapter 43.)

1. 1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Bhaddǎkǎpilǎnī Therī was born as the wife of Vedeha, the rich man of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Padumuttra Buddha. When she was listening to a discourse by the Buddha, she saw a bhikkhunī being named as the foremost bhikkhunī in supernormal power of remembering past existences. She aspired to be such a bhikkhunī and, after making an extra-ordinary offering, mentioned that aspiration before the Buddha.

Her Existence as the Wife of A Householder

After passing away from her existence as a rich man's wife, she was reborn in the deva- world and subsequently either in the human world or the deva-world, for a hundred thousand world-cycles. finally, she was reborn as the wife of a householder in Bǎrǎṇasī. At one time, while she was having a quarrel with the sister of her husband, a Paccekabuddha arrived for alms-food. The householder’s sister offered alms-food to the Paccekabuddha and said her wish which chafed his wife (the future Bhaddǎkǎpilǎnī Therī), who became furious and took the alms-bowl from the Paccekabuddha, and threw away the alms-food in it. further, she put mud in it, and offered it to the Paccekabuddha. Only when the astonished onlookers reminded her of her fault did she recover her proper sense. She threw out the mud from the Paccekabuddha’s alms-bowl, cleansed it thoroughly, applied scented powder to it and then put in the four-food nutriment, catu madhu. In addition, she added ghee that had been made pure white, like the inside of the pollen chamber of the lotus, with the result that the food she offered glistened in the alms bowl. In returning the alms-bowl to the Paccekabuddha, she wished aloud that just as the food she offered glistened, so would she possesses a glistening complexion. (All these happenings may be gleaned from the Chapter 43: Mahǎ Kassapa Mahǎthera.)

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

It is noteworthy that both husband and wife renounced the world together. The husband,

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the Venerable Mahǎ Kassapa-to-be, at a forked road took the right turn while his wife, Bhaddhǎkǎpilǎnī, the left turn. The former, met the Buddha sitting under the great banyan (pipal) tree, known as Bahuputtaka. At that time, women were not yet admitted into the Order, so Bhaddǎkǎpilǎnī had to spend five years as a wandering ascetic. (This fact was recounted by herself in her life story: ‚Pañca νassǎnī niνasiṁ paribbǎjaνate ahaṁ.‛)

1. 3. Bhaddǎkǎpilǎnī Therī as The foremost Bhikkhunī

Thanks to her past aspiration, Bhaddǎkǎpilǎnī Therī, after attaining arahatship, was exceptionally competent in remembering past existences. Therefore, on one occasion when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery and naming distinguished bhikkhunīs, He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who can recall past existences, Bhaddǎ, who is now called Kǎpilǎnī, is the foremost (etadagga).‛

(Kǎpilǎnī was the family name of Bhaddǎ's husband Pippali.)

11. YASODHARŒ THER¢

(As the Myanmar saying goes: ‚Masses of water follow the tide‛, so also is the story of Bhaddhǎ Kaccǎnǎ (Yasodharǎ Therī), which is inseparably bound with that of the Buddha. The Commentary therefore treats her story only in a brief manner. We do likewise in this book.)

1. 1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ (Yasodharǎ Therī), was reborn into a worthy family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. When she was attending a sermon by the Buddha, she saw a bhikkhunī being named by the Buddha as the foremost bhikkhunī in attaining great supernormal power. She aspired to that attainment. After making an extraordinary offering to the Buddha, she made her aspiration in front of Him.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

The future Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ was reborn only in the deva realm or the human realm for one hundred thousand world-cycles. During the time of Buddha Gotama, she was reborn as the daughter of the Sakyan Prince Suppabuddha, who was an uncle of the Buddha. She was named Bhadda Kaccǎnǎ.

When she came of age, she was married to Prince Siddhattha and became his Chief Queen. She gave birth to Prince Rǎhula. On the night she gave birth to Rǎhula, Prince Siddhattha renounced the home life. After attaining Perfect-Enlightenment at the foot of the Mahǎbodhi tree, the Buddha concerned Himself with the spiritual welfare of the sentient world. He made a journey to Kapilavatthu where He caused the enlightenment of His kith and kin.

During the Buddha's fifth year (νassa) of Buddhahood, His father attained arahatship while reigning as a king and passed away the same day. Then Queen Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī and the five Sakyan Princesses, whose husbands had become bhikkhus (as a result of listening to the discourse of the Great Occasion of Mahǎsamaya Sutta), became bhikkhunīs in the Buddha's Teaching. At that time, Queen Yasodharǎ (Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ) and Princess Janapadakalyǎṇī became bhikkhunīs with Mahǎpajǎpati Gotamī as the therīs’ preceptress.

Yasodharǎ, as a bhikkhunī was referred to as Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ Therī . She strove to gain Insight and in due time attained arahatship.

1. 3. Bhadda Kaccǎnǎ Therī as The foremost Bhikkhunī

Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ Therī, after attaining arahatship, was most proficient in the exercise of supernormal powers. At one sitting, in a single adverting of her mind (ǎνajjana), she could recall all her previous existences over one incalculable period and a hundred thousand world-systems. This extraordinary feat of hers became the talk of the bhikkhu-world. With

reference to that wide reputation, the Buddha, in naming distinguished bhikkhunīs in a congregation in Jetavana monastery, declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who are endowed with great supernormal powers, Bhikkhunī Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ is the foremost etadagga).‛

(Note that there are only four outstanding disciples of the Buddha who are endowed with such great supernormal powers. They have exceptional powers to recall past lives over one incalculable period and a hundred thousand world- systems whereas other disciples can recall their past lives over a hundred thousand world-systems only. The four such exceptional disciples were the two Chief Disciples, Venerable Bǎkula and Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ Therī.

The original name of the bhikkhunī was Bhaddha Kaccǎnǎ but on account of her golden complexion she was also known as Bhaddakañcǎnǎ.)

12. KISŒGOTAM¢ THER¢
    1. Her Past Aspiration

The future Kisǎgotamī Therī was reborn into an unknown family in the city of HaÑsǎvatī, during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. When she was listening to a sermon by the Buddha, she saw a bhikkhunī being named as the foremost bhikkhunī in wearing coarse, inferior robes. She aspired to be like that bhikkhunī in wearing coarse, inferior robes. After making an extraordinary offering, she expressed that wish before the Buddha. The Buddha prophesied that her aspiration would be fulfilled during the time of Buddha Gotama.

Her Existence as a Daughter of King Kikī

The future Kisǎgotamī Therī was reborn in the fortunate destinations, and never into miserable states, for a period of a hundred thousand world-cycles. During the time of Buddha Kassapa in the present world-cycle which was graced by five Buddhas, she was reborn as the fifth daughter of King Kikī of Bǎrǎṇasī. She was named Dhammǎ. for the whole of her life span of twenty thousand years, she led a life of purity, observing the Ten Precepts.

1. 2. Becoming A Bhikkhunī in Her Last Existence

Princess Dhammǎ was reborn in the TǎvatiÑsa Deva realm. In her last existence, she was born into a rich man's family, whose fortunes had dwindled and was in a state of poverty. Her original name was Gotamī but due to her lean and emaciated body she was called Kisǎgotamī, ‚Gotamī the lean one.‛

(How Kisǎgotamī became the daughter-in-law of a rich man will now be narrated, as told in the Commentary on the Dhammapada.)

"Exhaustion of Good Kamma causes Extreme Poverty."

Yadǎ kammakkhayo hoti, sabbametaṁ νinasati

‚When good kamma is exhausted everything is lost.‛

So has the Buddha said in the Nidhikaṇďa Sutta. There was a rich man in Sǎvatthi whose property were all strangely turned into charcoal due to the exhaustion of his good kamma. The man was in a despondent state. He lost his appetite and lay on a couch. A friend came to his house and gave him encouragement. He also gave a practical way out of the stark poverty of the once rich man. His instruction was as follows:

‚Friend, spread out a mat in front of your house as a bazaar seller would. For you are going to sell the heaps of charcoal that are now your only property. Passers-by will say: ‘Oh, other people sell oil, honey, molasses, etc. but you, rich man, are selling charcoal.’ Then you just said to them: ‘One sells what one owns. What's wrong with it?’ These people are the ordinary people with no great past merit.

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‚Someone will come and say to you: ‘Ah, other people sell oil, honey molasses, etc. but you, rich man, are selling gold and silver!’ To that person you should say: ‘Where are the gold and silver?’

‚Then that person will point out to your heaps of charcoal and say: ‘There they are.’

‚Then you should say: ‘Bring them to me,’ and receive with your hands what that person has brought (from your heaps of charcoal) to you in his or her hands. Since that person is one endowed with great past merit, all he or she had touched and delivered into your hands will be turned into gold and silver, as they originally had been.

‚I must mention the stipulation. It is this, if the person who mention about your gold and silver (and turns them back to gold and silver) is a young woman, you must marry your son to her, entrust all your property with forty crores to her and let her, as your daughter-in-law, manage your household. If that person is a young man, you must marry your daughter to him, entrust all your property worth forty crores to him, as your son-in-law, and let him manage your household‛

Kisǎgotamī, The One With Great Past Merit

The ruined rich man took his friend's advice. He sat as a bazaar seller in front of his house where every passer-by could see him sitting there selling his charcoal. People said to him: ‚Ah, other people sell oil, honey, molasses, etc., but you are selling charcoal.‛ To them he simply said: ‚One sells what one owns. What's wrong with it?‛

One day, Kisǎgotamī herself, the daughter of another ruined rich man, happened to come along to the charcoal vendor. She said: ‚O father, other people sell oil, honey, molasses etc., but you are selling gold and silver!‛ The ruined rich man said to her: ‚Where are the gold and silver?‛

‚Well, are you not dealing in them here?‛

‚Bring those gold and silver to me, little daughter!‛

Kisǎgotamī took a handful of the vendor's ‘goods’ and handed it to him and to his amazement, all of them turned into gold and silver as they originally had been!

Kisǎgotamī became The Daughter-in-law of The Rich Man The rich man asked Kisǎgotamī: ‚What is your family name?‛

‚It is called Kisǎgotamī,‛ she replied. The rich man then knew her to be unmarried. He collected his riches from that place, took Kisǎgotamī to his house and married his son to her. Then every of his former gold and silver items assumed its original form. (This is according to the Commentary to the Dhammapada.)

In due course, Kisǎgotamī gave birth to a son. from that time onwards, she began to be treated with love and respect by her father-in-law’s family (for at first she was looked down by them as the daughter of a poor man). Just when her son could romp about, he died. Kisǎgotamī, who had never suffered loss of a child, was overwhelmed with grief. She valued her son as the condition for her improved status and wellbeing. Her fortunes had improved with his birth. She could not think of her dead child being thrown away at the cemetery. So she held the dead child fondly in her arms, and muttering continuously: ‚O, let me have the medicine to bring back life to my son!‛ she roamed about from house to house.

As she behaved in that senseless though pitiable manner, people had no sympathy with her. They said jeeringly, flipping their fingers: ‚Where have you ever seen a medicine that restores life to the dead?‛ These unkind but truthful words failed to bring her sanity. A wise man then considered: ‚This young woman has lost her good senses due to the death of her son. The right medicine for her can only be dispensed by the Buddha,‛ and said to her:

‚Little daughter, the medicine that can bring back life to your son is known only to the Buddha and to no one else. Indeed, there is the Buddha, the greatest person among devas

and humans, residing at the Jetavana monastery. Go and ask him.‛

The Buddha's Strategy to quell Kisǎgotamī's Sorrow

Kisǎgotamī thought the man's advice was a wise one. She went straight to the Buddha's monastery, holding her dead child in her arms. The Buddha was seated on His throne amidst an audience and was about to make His discourse when Kisǎgotamī shouted to the Buddha: ‚Venerable Sir, give me the medicine that will bring back life to my child!‛ The Buddha saw the sufficiency of her past merit in attaining Enlightenment and said to her: ‚O Gotamī, you have done the right thing in coming to this place to ask for the medicine to restore life to your dead child. Now go to every house in Sǎvatthi and ask for a small quantity of mustard oil from the house whose family has no death occurred, and bring it to me.‛

(Herein, the Buddha's strategy is to be noted carefully. The Buddha merely says to Kisǎgotamī to bring him a small quantity of mustard oil from the house whose family had no death occurred. He did not say that He would restore the dead child to life when she has got the oil. The Buddha's objective is to let the demented mother realized the point that loss of a son is not a unique experience but that everybody has suffered the same sorrow of death.)

Kisǎgotamī thought that if she obtained the mustard oil, her son would be restored to life. She went to the first house and said: ‚The Buddha asks me to get a small quantity of mustard oil for making a medicine to restore life to my dead son. Kindly give me some mustard oil.‛

‚Here it is,‛ the householder said and gave some mustard oil.

‚But, Sir,‛ she said, ‚I must know one thing: has nobody died in this family?‛

‚What a question! Who can remember the number of people that died in this family?‛

‚In that case, I am not taking the oil,‛ she said and went to another house. She heard the same reply there. At the third house she also heard the same reply. Now truth dawned into her merit. There can be no family in this city where death never occurred. Of course, the Buddha, the benefactor of the world, knew it.‛ An emotional religious awakening arose in her. She went to the country and left her dead child there, saying: ‚Dear son, as a mother, I had thought quite wrongly that death came to you alone. But death is common to everybody.‛

Then, muttering this soliloquy (the meaning of which will be given later), she went to see the Buddha:

Na gǎmadhammo no nigamassa dhammo, Na cǎpiyaṁ ekakulassa dhammo.

Sabbassa lokassa sadeνakassa, Eseνa dhammo yadidaṁ aniccatǎ.

She approached the Buddha who asked her: ‚Have you got the mustard oil?"

‚I have no need for mustard oil, Venerable Sir, only give me the firm ground to stand upon, let me gain a foothold!‛

The Buddha, spoke this verse to her: (translated below)

‚Gotamī, one who is intoxicated with one's children and wealth (lit. ‘herds of cattle’) and is attached to one's possessions (old and new), is carried away by Death, just as a sleeping village is swept away by a huge flood.‛

—— Dhammapada, V. 287. ——

At the end of the discourse, Kisǎgotamī was established in the fruition of Stream-Entry Knowledge.

(This is according to the Commentary on Aṅguttara Nikǎya.)

In the life story of Kisǎgotamī, when she came back from her search for the mustard oil,

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the Buddha spoke to her in two verses:

The first verse beginning with:

Yo ca νassasataṁ jīνe, apassaṁ udayabbayaṁ

—— Dhammapada verse 113 ——

the meaning of which has been given in the story of PaÔǎcǎrǎ and the second as follows:

‚Gotamī, the impermanence of all conditioned things is not a peculiar phenomenon confined to any village, or town, or a family, but an inescapable fact that concerns all sentient beings including devas, humans and Brahmǎs.‛

After hearing these two verses, Kisǎgotamī attained Stream-Entry. This is the Life Story of Kisǎgotamī Therī as told in the Apǎdǎna Pǎli.

Having been established in sotǎpatti-phala, Kisǎgotamī requested the Buddha that she be allowed to become a bhikkhunī. The Buddha consented. Kisǎgotamī left the Buddha after going three rounds around Him with the Him on her right. She went to the ‘monastery’ of bhikkhunīs, and was admitted into the Order of Bhikkhunīs. Then, she acquired the name of Kisǎgotamī Therī.

Attainment of Arahatship

Kisǎgotamī Therī worked diligently to gain Insight. One day, it was her turn to look after lighting in and around the congregation hall. While watching a flame in a lamp, she had the perception of the flame as a phenomena of a series of rising and vanishings (i.e. perishing). Then she saw that all living beings are coming and going, that is, they are born only to die and that only those who attain Nibbǎna do not come under this process of arising and falling.

The thoughts that were occurring in Kisǎgotamī’s mind came to the notice of the Buddha who was sitting in His private chamber at the Jetavana monastery, and He sent His Buddha- rays to her, making her see Him sitting in front of her and said: ‚Gotamī, your thinking is right. All living beings rise and fall, just as the series of flames do. Only those who attain Nibbǎna do not come under this process of arising and falling. It is living in vain for those who may live a hundred years without realizing Nibbǎna through Path-Knowledge and its Fruition.‛ He made this point further in the following verse:

‚(Gotamī,) even if one were to live a hundred years without perceiving through Path-Knowledge, the Deathless (Nibbǎna), yet more worthwhile indeed is a single day's life of one who perceives through Path-Knowledge, the Deathless (Nibbǎna).‛

At the end of the discourse, Kisǎgotamī Therī attained arahatship, having extinguished all mental intoxicants.

1. 3. Kisǎgotamī as The foremost Bhikkhunī

As aspired in her previous existence, Kisǎgotamī devoted her entire bhikkhunī life to being contented with inferior robes, i.e. robes made of inferior cloth, sewn in inferior thread, and dyed in an inferior pale colour. Therefore, on one occasion, when the Buddha was naming outstanding bhikkhunīs during His residence at the Jetavana monastery, He declared:

‚Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhunī-disciples who make do with inferior robes, Bhikkhunī Kisǎgotamī is the foremost (etadagga).‛

13. SI^GALAKAMŒTU THER¢

(What follows is a synthesis of the sketchy account of Siṅgalakamǎtu Therī in the Commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikǎya and the Life Story of the Bhikkhunī in the Apǎdǎna Pǎli.)