8

uttered frow to {,j lll tl , ill Lursh of enthusiasm Jl.l1d

oLherwi se, were aft.er wsrds hy the iuciuut;lu ill
the Rehearsal, a nd Brrar:ged together in eleven cantOiI.
They are called the Yer eeB of t he Elder Women ( TIm.,.
gaf/ui), and they are divided into cantos of single verSBR,
vereBS, and so on, B8 follow8;
CA:-ITO I
PtiADIS OF Yl::RSES
I
Verse uttered by a certain Sister. a Bhlkkhuni of
Name Unknown.
Sleep softly. little St urdy. t ake thy I' C'tt
.At euse. wrapt ill the robe thyself hast made.
Stilled nre the pussiol1s t hnt would rage within,
,,,Tithert!u as in the oyen dried. (1 )
How WBS shl) reborn ?
Long ago, El. cortain dllughtcr of one of the clnns bEcame a
fervent in the teach ins of tho Buddho. KOl,l ligaman{1, I
Rod entertnin".ld him hospitably. She had o.n arbour made
with bough.,. R draped ceiling. and R sar.ded floor, nnd did
ili w honour with fbwers and perfume.,. And all ber life
JuilJg wt!riluriou6 acts. she lI' 8 S reborn among t he gods. and
then sgain among WIlli when was Duddh(l, under
\"I'hom she r enounced the wurld. Rt:lborn agai n in heaven
till this BlIddha-di3pensatioll, she Gunlly Vow iu a
great nobleman's family at Veslili . From lIlti build
of her bod) they called her Sturdy kin, She becauu: tilt!
devoted wife of a. young nollie, When the Maste r ello wtI tu
Yesilli , she WIlS convinced by his tea.ching. and became a.
lay.disciple. Anon, hearing the Great l'uj,lpotT the Elder
preaching the Doctrine, the wi3h arose in her to lea.ve the
I i\:ol,\;'\.s""",nrl a"d KUi,'_l''' COLl um 801
13u.fJhal,
10 PS,\L;>.l.'i OF THB SISTERS
world, a.nd she told this to her husband. He would not
COllsent : 1:;U weIlL on performing her auties, reflecting on
Lhe tl'Vt:Jetness of the and li\' ing devoted to insight.
Then one day in the kitchen, wbile the curry WEtS cooking,
a mi;::hty flame of the up, Ilod ournt tl.1l the food with
much crackling. Hile, watching it, made it oMis for
rapt meditation on the utter iillJ::*lrmanence of all lhiulo:s,
Thereby she was e:'ltab\ished in the Fru:tion of the Path of
No-Rekrn. Thenceforth she wore no more jeweh and
ornaments. When her husband asked her the reason, she
told him how incapable she lelt of living a domestic li fe.
So he brought her, as brought Dhammll.dinnn.,1
with a la.rge following, to Great Pajiipatl thB
and said: ' Let the reverend Sistare give hllr ordination:
And Pajapati did so, and showed her the and
the Uaster, emphasizing. as was his custom, the visible
basis whereby she had attained, spoke the verse above.
Xow, when she had attained Amhantship, the Sister
repeated that verse in her wherefore this verse
became her verse.
II
Verse wherewith the Exalted One frequently exhorted
Mutta while a Student.
Get free, free e'en as the 1\'1oon
From out the Dragon's jaws
3
clear on high.
' Vi pe off the debts that hinder thee,! and so,
'Vith heart at liberty, break thou thy fast. (2)
1 See Ps. xii. 2 :r.!uU;i. = freed (woman).
3 Cf. the ' Ford' Jataka. BirO. 2:i3):
'He hat gained freec.orn- I!.s the moon 6e' fret,
When a.n eclipse hM pu.sed, from Rahu'sjaws.'
Of. Dialo<Juc8 of the Bddh<1. i.
II
This is tho verBe of a student n fl.med Muttii . S!1e, too,
hei ng one who had made a r esolve under formtlr Buddh us,
went on heaping up goo::1 of a.g('-enc\uri :-lg efficacy in thill
Ilo nd tha.t state of becoming. Finally, she \\ as reborn in thill
Buddha-di5pen5B,iion 65 the child of 511 eminent, bro.l1min
at 8avaLtili, Bond named Multi-I . Auu iu Iltlr twelltidh year ,
her beillg fully ripe, she nJIlounced the world umIer
the Great Paj apatT the Gotamid, and 8tudied the e:rercises
for insignt. Returning one day from her round
for alms, she disc-barged her duties toward her seniors, and
then going apart to rest, and seated out of sight, she bega.n
to concentrate herself. Then the Master, sitting in the
Chamber" of the Vihlira, sent forth glory, and
revealing himself as if seated before her, u,tered the verse
Ilboye. And she, steadfast in t hat exhorta.tion, not long
after attained Ars.hsntship, and S'J at taining, ex.ulted in the
words Df that verse. Completing her studies and promoted
to full rank, she yet again uttered it, when about to pass
away.
III
PUJ;ll).ii.
The following ,'erse is that of a student named PUI).I,lR.2
She, hSA.pine n]l good of Hge-Andnring efficA.C'Y nnder former
in t hig and that of becomi ng, WitS born-when
the world was empty of a Saviour Buddha-os a fairy, by
the Ri',ar Cand>l. bhiigl\ .3 One tl. ay she worshipped a certAin
Silent
4
Buddha wit h a. wrea t h of reeds, Thereby gaining
I Gandl",.kt,fi, the Iro.clitional term for the Buddha's own rOQm,
t hD.!. ll.t the Yih:ua, Sii va.tthi.
2 Cf. I's. Ix\". , note.
"Ca=Cha. . The word ia equiYa.l(nt t.o' moonl ight .' VI. .f8. Uil"
:n,,-ii.
A lroe ren.lering of Paccelm. Bucldhtl-one enlightened lor him ... H
alo"e. not .. U"orld.S .. ,-;our_
12 ?SAUIS OF THE SISTERS
hell. \' en, was, in this reborn 1\9 thl!
child or a lending burgees of Slivatthi and named
When she had 80 aw61t lor ... ent.y years, her destiny thon
being fully ripe. she heard the Great Pajii.patl teach the
doctrine, and renounced Lhe world. BecoUliug a. 5tudent.
s.he began to ineight. Ann the MaBtcr from the
' .r' ragrant Chamber' shed a glory, a.nd spake tbis vtlrse :
Fill up. l'ul)I)U,l the orb of holy li fe.
E 'en as on fifleellth day the full -orb'd moon.
Fill full the perfect knowledge of the Path,
And scatter ali the gloom of ignorance.
2
(3)
Hearing this, ber insight brew, BOU bile attained Ara-
h(mtship. This verse is Ihs expression of litH exultation
and the affirmation of her Af;N:\.3
IY
TlsSti.
Tho foll owing verse is that of 'l':S6M. s. student. Heaping
1111 merit under former BudtlhM. 1\'a.9, in this Buddha-
raborn a.t Kapila.vlI.tthu in . he noble clAn of the
Sukiyas. A. lady 01 the Bocl hisat'B court, she renounced
t htl world with Great PR.j!i.pati the Gota.mid, alld pra.ctiaad
hE:rself in insight. To her the Master appeared as to the
foregoing Sisters, and 8:lid :
o Tissa ! train thyself ill the t rainings three.
See t hat the great con.iuncture
4
now at hand
, I' llnn;;: =' full .'
t 'word,,' holy life,' 'of 'of ;goo ..... "'" .' alt! f,nm the
C .... y.
I l'ron ..",nr.n Any,'\ = liurally. her having COIDe to know. A
ubjective synon.1 lU of Arahanl9hip.
, Tb.ere i. more in this littl e poem than i. at fir!t light apparellt.
TU!s;',-i.e., (a blri) born under tilt lucky I1.lLr or of
TISSA 18
Unloose aU other yokes, Pass thee not by !
AmI fare thou
Den!:'.' (0)
forth purged of the deadly
And B1H:!, Wi lt.lll she heard the ,'ene, increased in in&igbt.,
and a.tta. ined AraulUll.t!hip. Therea.fter she WM wont to
r epEa.t the lines.
v-x
Anothor Sister Tissi..
Jay well upon thy heart t he yoke
Of noblest culture. See the moment come!
Let it not pass thee by! for many they
""ho mourn in misery that moment past. (5)
Dhirfi..
Come, 0 Dhirii., reach up Ilnd touch the goal
Where all distractiUIiS cease. where sense lS
stilled.
" There dwelleth bliss; win thou Nibbana, win
That 'mre Salvation
2
which hath no beyond. (6)
Ti ....... eelutia.! &reher (p&rtiy idantieal l\'ith C,ncer)-Il:gglllia _
OD. tiuo nkltlaiiyo, the alret branchea of religiou, t.l'IiDing
(monJ., mind, 'indgbi '). Again, t.hat a word play on fJC9fl il
intended it intelligibla enn without the Cowmentl!.fy. . Ihe
luok, yoga. {conjumture) - lO wH., your .. buman, )" our poe'
._ion of .. 11 your f&cult;el (u.d .... driJ/a. ... ,,"a./I,uJ)' tb .. ad ... otll of
Buddha, your getting "enviction_ not eliI'; for by thiR yoking 01 opper,
hlllitim.ynll t:&ll free yourself from the FOUT Yolrtf- ..-iZ .. !iliUM!. renewed
Uistenoe. opinion, bind you to the " heel 01 Life.
I The F eur A.a.VIUl, c.- Inc01ica.ntl! (lIUotnar metaphor lor the Fou.
EOllds. or Yoku) .
Yogakkheona, a term Mlapted. [rom secular Ute, th\:!ct!ill lUtllUing
well!.t:ing or ......... ity in poIIu .. I,,".
PSAI.)I S OF THE SISTERs
Another Sister Dhira.
Dhira, bra.ve I Sister I who hath val iantly
Thy faculti es in noblest culture traiucd,
Bear t o this end t hy last incarnate frame,
F or thou hast conquered Mara and his host. (7)
Mltu.
MiWi., tho u friend P who Chmest forth
Convinced in heart, lo\'c thou in thought and deed
Friends worthy of t hy love,:! So train t hyself
In ways of good to win the safe. sure Pcnce, (8)
Bhlldri.
Bhadrii. who carnest forUI com'inced in heart ,
'1'0 sure felicity. 0 fort unate P
That heart devote. all that's good,
Faring to uttelmost Security. (9)
Upasami.
Upasama! Cl'OSS thou st:rcJlt: and cahn
6
The raging difficult l<1ood where death doth reign.
Hear t o this end thy last incarnate frame,
For t hou hast vanquished Mara and his host. (10)
I Her name mn.ns 'brlnc,' heroic.'
I MiUa=' friend'; but iee note ' to Pa. xxv.
In thought 11Il<l d""d. worth)' of 6y love,' lore from Ihe Co",
mIlD4n.ry. . PCQ,Cc ' iI IUlOlher rondering of . 0 i, loellrity'
(verN 9).
I Bhldra=FeUcia.
r. The graceful M(<lt)a, bMwhi . . . ClLn not
well be reproc.uced. It is werel)' luggeate:l by devote, DeHlop.
a Upa.1ma _ trlwquil,
)l r TTA
15
or all these 9ix Sisters the o,ory is siwilar to th&t of
Tissii : 1\'. ), with this e.tception; Dbi l'lL, called' another
Sist<l l' l>hirii,' had no glorY- \'eree pronounced to her, was
t roubhld ill ht!li r t at ,he Mu ter's teaching. Lcanin6 on his
","ords, she struvtl fl)r insight, and when she had reached
Arahantship, she dech.ilued her verge in exultation. All
the others did the same.
Xl
Muua.
l
heRpi ng up gooo under former Buddhas, was, in
this Buddhe.dispenaation, born in the land of Kos&la o.s the
of a. poor brahmin named Come to
proper age. she was g:i l' en 1.0 a hun('hbacked b,a.hmin ; but
she told him she co,)ul d not continue in the life of tne
home, and induced hi m to conser.t to her leaving the world.
hereel f in ins ight .. her still ran on
extpl'nfl. l nnjActs {)f interest. So she pra. ctised self-control,
and . repeat ing her verse, strove a.fter insight till she won
Amllll. ntship ; t hen Axuiting. she r epented:
o free. indeed ! 0 gloriously free
Am I ill freedom from three crooked things :-
From (juern, from mortar, from my crookhJl(' k'd
loru
Ay. but 1'111 free frum rebirth ami erum deat h,
AmI all that dragged me buck is h u rled away. ( 11 )
I r;j. 1'8. iI.
Th. Th"rt. !:hll .... nsnln "J .)() his rele ... f ro", fuea crooked
things_th. thl! pl" "Ch, I\lld the spade. l':cc ); 1. [.
to l'SAL.:uS O}' THE
XII
Dhammadinna.
Now, ahc, in time when Pndumutto.rn wos Buddha,
lived at HSIJ8<wati i n a state of sen'itude i and hOCOoU80 aho
ministered and did honour to ano of t he chief whon
he roa8 from his cataleplic trance, she wa5 reborn in heaven
and eo on, among sods 81:d men, till PhU8S8. wall Buddha.
1'1n:: 1i tlhtl .... urktltl hy doubli ng tile girt prescribed by
her husband to the Master'li halfurullJt:n; whiltl were
staying in A. sen'am's house. And when Ko.ssapa
Buddha, slle came to birth in ihe house of Kiki, King 01
as one of the Seven his daughters,' and for
20,OUU years lived 11 holy life . .. Finally, in this Buddha-
di spensation, she was reborn of a clansman's family
K!ijn.gahll., and became the wife of Vis3,kha.. a leading citizen.
Now one day her husband went to hear the Ma. ster teach
ing, and became Onewho returnsnoruore. When be came
home, Dhammadinna met him as he went up the stairs;
but he laant not on ber omstretched hand, nor spoke to her
at supper. And she asked: 'Dear sir, 'li'hy did you not
take my hand? Why do you not talk 10 me? Have I
done amiss?' 'l'is for no fault in you, Dhamma.
di nnil ; hut from hencefort h I am not fit to touch a 'Woman
or take pieal!ure in food, for of such is the doctrine now
borne in upon me. Do yOIl aecording ae you wish, either
continuing to dwell hera. or t.a.king as much wealth as you
need and going back to your family.' 'Nay, dear 9ir, I will
ma.ke no stich Goings beck. Suffer me to leave the world.'
, It iR wfllI, Dhammadinnli ,' replied YiB;'tkha. a.nd sent her
to the nhikkhulli R in 1\ golden pala.nquin. Admitted to the
Order , she sll ortly a fter aRkfid permission of her teachers to
, TIll, wolll{" of en.rly Buddhi,m h.,o
/!Toupcd ow thole !:lfiln" $istou in Ihe Ap .. dall" : Khen,;;' , Upp ..
lJlladd:i xlvi.). l\"isagut&ruf. Dhulllruilodinn;i.. ar.d YII?\khl.
the weallh.)' lay aiiter. On the see Wa.rren, Buddhi,.m i" Tram.
III /iu'I', 451 f.
17
go into retreat, saying : Mothers, my honrt heth no delight
in 0 piece or crowds; I would go into 0. villago o.bodo.' The
Bhikkhunis brought her t hither, o.nd whil e there, boco.uso
i n her lives sho had subjugated t he compiexi\ie8 of
t hought, word, and deed. she 1500n a.Uained Arahant&hip,
together with mastery of the form and mesning
of the Dhamma.' Thereupon IIhe Now bave I
reachtd IIUUlWit. tlhaH I du hart! !lny longer ? I
will evan go to Rl.jagaba. and worsh ip the Master, and many
of my kinsfolk will, tilrou@h me, acquire merit.' So she
returned wit h her Bb ikkhunls. Then Visiikha.. hea.ring of
her re\urn, curious to know why sbe CiIome, interviewed ber
with qllestiona on the Khandhas and tbe like. And Dham
madinna a.nswared every question as one might cut a. lotus
stalk with a knife, Bond finally referred bim t o t he Master.
The Master praised her greBot wisdom, a6 it is t old in the
Lesser Vedalla (Miscellany) Sutta,t and ranked h er fore-
most among the Sisters who could preQch.
But it was while she was dwelling in t he country, and,
while yet in the lowest pa.th, was acquiring insight to reach
the hjghest, that she uttered her verse:
In whom desire to reach the final rest
Is born suffusing all the mind of her.
Whose heart by lure of sense-desire no mor e
Is held Bot' SD UPSTltEA..,\I: so shall she be
called.
3
(12)
1 Liwra.lly. with the Pa\i mbhid5.' i,' or four AAI*'k of
doetrinu knowldl-:e. These four-anlilytical knowledae In mUnini,
doctrine, inte'1lret&lioD, Rnd very \'ari(lu!lly inter'
preted, both in works of Abhldblmma content (Pa!uClrll bhiddm<lgga,
V1.b.langa ) Bnd in commootlltial writinr of variou, later (b.\.e' (lMIe
Cbiltlers', Dictwnary, ,.11.). 'rim phrll.lIt I. of commentll.rllIl da:e,
and reclU'1l fuqueni ly in Dh .. lllmap;;,l .. (see following p..,h:oa).
2 1:0 tho M"'ijhi,,, ,,, Ni.k" y"'. i, p. 2gtJff., di tcultd by the writer In
J.R.A.S .. 1894, p. 321. Of. Mrs. Bode in I .RA.S .. 1893. p. 562ff
J In the mythology of Huddhbm respecting the Rfter.life, the
Uddha').,oto WBS one who, having destroyed here below only the
tlve of the !.en I'ett.el'll all ten meant Nibbana.ln thi. ijle),
18 PSAL\ {S OY T H E SISTERS
XlII
Visakha.
Her story is similar to thai of the Sister Dhlrii.1 After
winning Arahantship shEl pondered on the bliss of emanci-
pa.ti on, and thus announced ANNA:
The Duddha's will be dOlle ! See thut yc do
H is will. An ye hal'e d one it , nc'"er morc
Need ye repent the deed. Wasil, then, in haste
Your feet and sit ye down aloof, (lIJ )
Thus ehe admonished o\bore to follow her exampl e.
XIV
SumanA-,
Her 3tory is simila.r to that of Siatu SAnding
forth glory, the Master revealed himself as if seaten in
front 01 her, and spake:
Hast thou not seen sorrow and ill ill nll
The springs of life? Come t hou Hot back to birth!
Cast out the passionate de!-iirc aglli n to ne.
So shalt thou go lhy ways calm und ser cne. (B)
WlUI r\loom in an e"u hi6he, he'\ven, till, l'ellOhwg thll
S"promo Or SphQI, thtn p .... "d ","''''y. 'l'h ..
me .. n. mthllr ri8ing 4bollll .lrtam of sII.1)e;\:9. thl\u goin" 9.jlaimt it;
b"t it i. ambiguOUI, &r.d, IIonywll.}" , the upward is expreued in
eiLhu Illel.l\phor, Th6 Com:nentll.TY laRS, '" the Ins: word, nOL ti
"VUCNdi ( ' is called '), I:ut tnntltccQli (' ie set A., it dOel! no,
comment on the latter term, I intllne to hold it a miare!l.dlnl!,
1 PI, vI. Cf. Fa. Uviil. 3 P ... iv.
ClTAltri.
xv
Uttarii,
19
Her story ill also t;imilllor Lo L1II1oC ur SisLer Tiesii,! ..... nd
it was the 'Glory. versa ' through "htl won Arahant
ship that she decla.imed in exultation:
\Vell hH\'e 12 di,>eiplined ll1 ysplf ill lW.t.,
In speech and eke in thought, rapt :md int ent.
Cravillg witl l ruut ur crm'illg
3
is o'crcome;
Cool am I llow; I know Nibbunll' s pcace,4 (].'j )
XVI
Suma.ni
(Who 11ft tlll1 wcrld III.hn olt!J.
RhA tOil, hnving mll.dfl hAr rl'solvA under former Bllddhas,
a.nd ho<aping lip &003 in thiR lifA ann in thd, wa.s, in this
Buddha.di9pensntion, born at Siivatthi as the Ai"ter of the
KinS of KoUt,l a. Hearins: the Mastel' preach the doctr ine
to the King Pasenadi in the discourse baginning, 'Thet'e
a.re four youngcreaturo8, lire, who may not be disregarded,'a
1 P iv.
I .-i.i. The aorist ten,e;1 Ipp!lcable to flrSL, BecoJ1!l, or l-hi"l penOIl
. ingular, and' my3el l' is r.ot in the PAli. the fOnller h",U of
the .. might 1:.. ". laid f'qually to or by the
, f.e .. ig:lon.nce (Commentnyi.
I SitibhLit' Q.mlu Aibolli(i, lit,' Become eool am I, or at
pence.' & .. Introduction. The porue je In oft-recurring refrain, illl
plying-whatever otber implications of peace. serenity went
With It-the Bttalntnenl of NlbbiLl1a. . R"pt and intent' (.awl<lhi "a)
b the Conuue:lta: y' . eI?I .. I\/llion of 'diociplined
Conloo.in.d in SIYJ!JUUII Niltii!ltJ. i. (;8. 70 ; ... e .1.(1 g7,..,,11 Rhy.
Davids, n .. cMhilt [,at/;Il, 10, on the affect ion of hrolher and li ster for
tll eir gr-"uclplUenl. The' Joung i ll the parabl e . r e 8; prioce,
Il fir e, ll. nd a iJhikkhu. All fou r are grell.t ngenciu
' \l r good or e\; 1. Pronounce Paae' nildi.
20 PSALMS Ol' THE SISTERS
she believed, and was established in the Refuges the
Precepts. ii'alD to leave the world, she put off doing tlO
that sbe migh' t ake care of her gra.ndmother as long SlIl!he
lived. After the grandmother's denth, Sumani!. went,
accompanied by the King, to the Vib4ra, taking much
treasure in carpets and shawls, and presenting tbem to the
Order. And hearing tbe Master ebe attained the
fruit of the Path of No-return, and asked for ordination.
And the Master, discerning tbe maturity of her knowledge.
spake tbus :
Happily thou venerable dame!
Rest thee, wrapt in the robe thyself hru.1; made.
Stilled are the passions that have raged within.
Cool art thou now, knowing Nibbans's peace. (6)
And when he had finished, she won Arahantship, together
witb thorough knowledge of tbe Norm in form and in mean-
ing.
l
I n her exuita,ion Ebe that 8ame verse, so
that it became the announcement- of ber ANNA. Straight-
way ebe left the world for the Order.
XVI[
Dhammi..
She, too, ha....-tng made her Iellolve under former
Buddhas-,-and heaping up merit in this and IltaLe of
becoming, was, in this Buddhadispensation, born in a
respectable family at Sii.vatthi. Given in marriage io It.
suitable husband, ehe becamf! converted, and desired to
leave the world, but her huablmd would not consent. 80
she waited 'ill after his death, and then entered the Order.
One day, returning w the Vihitra from seeking alms, ehe
lost her bala.me and fell. Making jus, that her base of
insight, ehe won Arahantsbip with thorough knowledge af
, See p. 15. n. 1.
DHA){)IA 21
the Norm ill furw lind in weaning.
l
And, triumphing. ahe
uttered thil:l vente :
Fur had I wandered for my daily food;
",r eary with shaking limbs I rcached my rest,
Leaning upon my staff, when even tht:re
] tell to e8rth.-Lo! all the misery
Besetting this poor mortal frame lay bare
To inward vision_
2
Prone the body lay:
The heart of me rose up in liberty. (17)
XVIII
Sangha.
Hor story is l1k-o ihat of Sister Dbirii.,3 but ha.- verBS is
all follows:
Home hn.ve T left, for I have left my world!
Child have I left., and all my cherish'd herds
have I left, and Ill-will. too, gone,
And 19norance have I put far from me ;
Craving and root of Craving overpowered,
Cool am I now, knowing Nibballll's peace. (18)
, ::lee p. Ui, n. 1.
I The $ext he. limply dutl(%, _mg.' But word, whoo appl;w
lo l pirit!1al. in.lgh" hu the gtamoUt of O:lf 'Seer' ; hence the COlD_
n:'leotuy'. Sieu,g whb tbe eye of I rut;gbt. ' ' Ro.. up ' in
the Fali is ' Willi Stl at lii)er ;y.'
S Pretulllahly P . vii.
CA:-iTO II
.'S,\UIS OF 'TWO
XIX.
Abhirl1pa-Nanda.
BORN in the t.im6 of the BIlJJIHI. Vipassi, in native t own
of Bandhuroatf, fU the du.u"liitll" o[ n wealthy burgess ,
sbe U(;CII.m6 a. pious lny-adhe rent . alld aL the death
she made an offEring to shrine of hi l$ tLsllcS of a solden
umbrello ' 9urrOlmded wit h )8\\ 815. Helmrn for this in
va rious hea.vens, was, in this Buddha -
reborn at Kapiltwatt hu as the daugtter of the chill! 'li fe
of Khemaka, the and named Nand'-I. Bu' becaullt!
of her excessive beaut.y, charm, and il.)veliness, she was
known 9.S Nanda the Fair.
No",', 011 the day when she was to choose among hel'
aui\ors,! Carobhiits , her young S,ikiyan kinsman, died.
TheD her parents ma.de her leave the world against her
will. Dut she, even after sho hl\d entered the Order, was
infa.tua.ted wi t h her OWJl beauty, and, fenring the l\laster's
rebuite, avoi ded his presence. Now the E l.: Blted One knew
that she was ripe for knowledge, and direcied the Grea.i
Psjaj ati to let aU Bhikkhunis come to him for instruc
tion. Nandii sent another in her place. And the E 'l: alted
, Or eUrIllountirlS \he cupolo. Vi p:lS"; W", til .. of t he ""
Buddh .... of the Pihlc ......
I re[\d (,f. p. :ne, 46' ), whIch tlll.kn .C'lse
anywa.y. It wO.ll d IIp?eo.r that C ... raLhflloR (pronoull cru Chilr,',. )
have been the object of her ChOK-l.
28
One Eo. id, 'Let no one come by proxy.' So AhA was com
to como. And t he Exalted One, by his myatie power.
conj ured up 0. beautiful woman, IIond her heenming
aged a.nd fa.ding, causing IUlguish to arille in Nandli.. And
he u.ddre:'lsed her in theso worda:
Behold, NlUUI:l , the foul compound. diseased,
Impure! Compellhy heart lo contemplate
'Vhat is uul fair to " iew. So st eel thyself
Alld concentrate t he well-composed mind. ( 19)
That ponder where 110 Threetold Sign 1 is seen.
Cast Ollt the Lalleful bias of conceit.
H:lt h the mi1ld mast ered Vili ll imaginings,2
Theil map t thou go thy ways, calm and serene. (20)
And whon 110 had finished speaking, she attained
Ara. hllontship, UcpcII. tiog to herself t he ver GeS, she made
.hem of hor ANN.i:.
xx
J enu (or Jenta).
The story of 118r and present ill like o[ Nandn.
the Fair; bu: it was At resal l, in tbe princtlly l awily of the
Licclro.vis, that she WIl.3 reborn.o There is t bill further
diEe rence: she attained Ara.hantahip after hearing 'he
Master )lreach t he Vhamma, and h was when r etl ectiug 011
the change that had come over her that she. in joy. ul t.erec.1
these verses:
I A ....i"'i/.f,,'), not depending (In whlLt imperm .. or on
whAt 1.1I\kCl for 07 on tbe pre Ie nee of 1\ penisting lOulen lity
(Rl:ya Dm-idt, l"og,itncam', Manual. ;( xvi i. , xx,iii.).
t .'MII(!, conCEit, pride, vnnity, one 01 the soven fomll of bil"'. Majjh.
thk., i. 109, IlO; I ,/i;,. , lHU. TrnnalntOT' 1i B udd'" P'!l., 298, " . 8.
CJ. D .. [",/;". 40.
24 PSAI.;\CS OF THE !l ISTERS
The Factors of the awakened mind 1_
Seven ways whereby we may l'\ihbll.ll:'l. will -
All, aU have] developed :tlld made ripe,
Even aecording to the Buddha's word. (21)
For I therein have seen as with mine eyes
The Bless'd, the Exalted Onc.
2
Last of all livcs
Is lhis UUll nutkes up Me. The round of births
Is vanquished-Ne'er shall I be again! (22)
XXI
SurnangaIa's Mother.
She, too, baving ma.de her resolve under former Duddhae.
aDd heaping up good ill this rebirth lUld tlJ lj,t, born
um] ar Lhil! BudJhllo' dil!ptmlll:ltion in a. poor family at
SAvattilt, il.nd was married to a fnsh-plaiter. Her ftrst
born was a BOD, come for the last time to birth, who grew
up to become the Elder Sumangaia Qod an Araha.nt.
And her DBme not becoming known, she WILS called in the
Pali tnt a certo.in unknown ThuI, nnd il; known as
Sumanga1a' s mother. She beea.me a BhikkhunI, and one
day, while refiecting on all Ehe bad suffred 80S a lav
'WomaD, abe was much affected, and, her insight quickening,
1 The Bcjjbaogu Of Sambojjhanl:u ; lit., F&ft.a or limbs 01 &dbi.
Th.,. "' ere n:>.indl\llofu. re .. &reh in lb. Dh.mll)A, .nirgy, joy, . eunity,
concentration. lB. p"J .. 84, n. 2. CJ. PI. xx). i).
.. . Few ina.smuch u the Eu.lted One is the very Dod)' 01 the l'onll,
w dilcern the Ariyw Dh.mm. which i. H ill i. to He Him. The
Buddha' and other AriyllollJ are ,aid to bc eeen, not only by the light
01 tblu vl.lble .hape, but .. 180 by iosight iulO tho Ariyan Dhaillma,
III lie .aiil : " Verily, Yalo.kb.li, ho the Norm, hu
... t& rllt'" (Saf1y"lta Nik..<!!a, iii., p.120). '" Tho Ariy .. n dio.aiple
who hearl, brEthren, i. one who ReM tb. Ariy .. n,,'" (CommllnlAry).
3 Thi , i. the Elder SUlll&Tij(ab., who in his verse (TltcragtJ/l,,;, 4S)
eelebratu hi' tl!lu ,u from three' crooked thingB' ('''pta, I' . li.)-
rom aide Ie, pleugb, and Ipfldc.
.\JOTIIEH
25
she attained Arahanhhip, with thOlOllgh knowledgo of the
form and mell.ni:lg of the DhA.mmlL. Thereupon she ex
claimed :
o woman well -;f't. free! how free am I. J
How throughly free from kitchen drudgery !
l\fe and squalid 'mong my <.:Ooking-pols
j\Iy brutal husband ranked l.L') even less
Than the sunshades he sits and 'weans alv:ay.2 (23)
PlIl'ged now of nil my former lust 'lnd hate.
I dwdl. mWiing at ease beneath the shade
Of spreading boughs-O, bUl well with me! (24)
XXII

Bor n of 0. respectllble fami ly, in the time of Kassapn
Dudd!:", she won understanding, o.nd became a Bhill.kh uni,
in the precepls. But sh e rovilod o.n ArahlLnt
E ldl;lr by call ing her a prostitute,S and for tbis she
went 10 purglll.ury. I n this DuddbaJis[,)ensstion she was
I E"prc .. "d in Ulll text by r8l'"I' &RMtn.li"", drudgcry of Ihe
'onorl.'" , (,",na/a):
2 [n the rail the t wo lines depnrt IrOIIl Ibe iloka ruel r" being
IIppllrel:tl,v n CliriOUS .-.riEty 01 SOUle melre [ cannot i,\tl ntify. See
I ntroduction. The mst two lines r efer! to the 'loka, '114'11410 being an
OOVit;lU8 glou. t,! ulte ilterl1.11y, qurunt II.nd elliptical PIIoU_!!U run, ;
The Ill" only,' ,..hi ch the CommcntGory
eKpl ...in. ...... )Iy h uab",nd cnl18 " ". not E"en Goll ulIl brella ,vhir h he
:or hi. Jio'e li hocd.' TherA seems Ilothini: in vereCB or COUl-
Inelltall to justify Dr. inferenee that her h\uband Ih'ed on
her adultcruus elm.nge. Toil l: as fpoilt lookl , and he takes no
fllrt her in thenl.
1 Gj: Ps. lxvi.
20 J>SAL"I S OF TIlE SISTERS
reborn in the ki ngdom of Kti.si as the child of a dis-
t.inguillhed and prosperous citi1.An. Dut because of the
penislent effect of ber former flvi l lpeach. abe became
hersslf a prolltit ute. How abe left thA world aDd waB
ordained by !;pedal welsenser is relateil in the Culla.
Vagga .
J
For aho wiah&d to go to Sivattbi to he ordained
by the Exalted 0 0.0. But the li hflrtinei of Bonares hA.r red
t he way!, eo she sent and Gskod the Rutted One's advir.e,
and he penna ted her \0 bo ordained by a me'isnger.
Then 6h8, wotkins a\ insight, not long afler obtained
with thorough knowledgo 01 the Dhamma. in
form and wtlluliug. Tbereupon abe exclai mod :
No less Illy fee ,vas than the Kiisi realm
Paid in ren:!Ilue-this was based 0 11 that,
Value for value.-so the sheriff fixed.
But irksome now is aU my loveliness ;
I weary of it. disillusionized.
Ne'er would I more, again and yet again,
Run on the round of rebirth and of death!
Now real and t rue for me Un:: Triple Lore,!'!
Accomplished is the bidding of the Lon!. (26)
1 Vinay", (8 .iJ.H. n.), iii , p. MO. 'Cbul'Ia.')
lSenaree was ,be eaplul of KbT. On the name .. Kl.8i (lit., half
Kii-loI), ,ee op. c;'J. , i i . 195. ft.
2 TillO vijj,i. The RfA.hnl .. pbrate, levi)jo. oUen recurring below
_e.g., PI . lu,ii. - nnd ! ignifying' "erfiEd in the three Vedll.8,' ..... 11,
according to An!lutlam.,\'iAff yCl, i . 1635. o.oopltld hy the Buddha and
applied to the lItu.illlllen:s of l 'a/lli,;, entitled of
lonner biuh$, the Heavenly &nd the delt ruction of Lin, "\au .....
CITTA
XXIII
Cltts.
21
She. too. having ma.de her re601ve under former Buddhas,
and heaping up good of age-enduring efficacy in this rebirth
and ;bat, W88 born in the 94;h reon1as s fai ry. She lI' or-
shipped with offering of flowers a Silent (Paceeka.) Buddhs."
And after many other births among men sod gods, she
was, in thia Buddha.-dispensat ion, born at Rij sgaha in
family of a. leading burgess. When shE! had eome t o years
of discretion she heard the Master teaching at the gate of
Rijagaha, and, hecoming a believer, she was ordained by
the Great Pajap6tI the Gotamid, And a.t length, in. her old
age. when she had climbad tbe Vulture's Peak, and had
done the exercis8s of s rechl1l8. ber expanded, snd
9hA won to Arahll.nt8hip. ReRstlting thereon, Bhe gsve
uttersncs II.S follows :
Though I be sufiering and weak, and all
yonthful spring be gone, yet ha\"e 1 climbed,
Leaning upon my stuff, the mountain crest . (27)
Thrown f!"Om my shouhler hUl1gli Illy doak,.o'er-
turned
My little bowl. So 'gainst the rock I lean
Aud prop this self of me. and break away
The wilderi ng gloom t hat long had closed me
in. (28)
I I.e., before thi. pr"ent age.
2R I'SAL)IS 0 .. THE SI STERS
XXIV
Mettiki.
Heapinc lip merit under former Buddhas, she was born
during the t ime of Siddbattha.,1 the Exalted 0116, in Il.
burso38'a family, anti worshipped at his shrine by offering
there II. jewellod girdle. After many births in heaven 8.nd
on carth, throul;h the merit thereof, she became. in IhiB
Buddha dispensa.tion, the ehilrl of R.n eminent brahmin at
Rtijagaba. In other her eS SEl is like the preeedinl!;
one, sa ... e tbll.t it wa.a anotnar hill corresponding to Vult ure's
Pea,k up which ahe climhed,Y
She, too, reflecting on what she han won, aain in exultn-
ti on;
T hough [ be suffering and weak, and all
My youthful spri ng be gone, yet have I come,
Leaning upon my staff, amI dumb aloft
The mountain peak. (29)
1\1 y cloak thrown off.
My little bowl o'erturned: so sit [ here
Upon the rock. And o'er my spirit sweeps
The breath 3 of Liberty! I win, I win
The Triple Lore! The Buddha's will is done !(30)
One 01 thE (later elaooralied) Buo:!.dhau.
, Il:i.j gir ancient hurg) i8 ,urJOUlIdd. b)' 1lfI1ll8 5e\' en hills. &e
Cunningham'. iii .. Pl.xli,
J Lit., Now il my he&l't (or :nilld) .et free!' For lovel'll of the
mou:lta:n, the' gTeal air' and tte Icnse of Bpiritual freedom will be
tightly hound up, The ago of the two climbers throwl Int<l relit! th"
r.rduoume. 01 their spiritual ascent.
;\I ITTA
29
xxv
Mltta.1
Born in the of Vipassi lhddha of a noble fami ly,
and become Jl, lady of his father's court, ahe won meritorious
karma by besto\\"ing food and precious raiment on an
Arabant Elder Sister.1! Born finally, in this Buddha.dis-
pensa.tion, in the princely family of the Slikiyas, at Kapil a-
vatthu, she left the 'World togetber with Great Pajapati the
Gotamid, and, going through the requisite training for
insiRht, not JonR after won Amhantsbip.
ReBecting thereon, joy and gl adness stirred her t o say:
On full-moon day and 0 11 the fifteenth day.
And eke the eighth of eithel' half t.he month,
I kept the feast; I kept t he precepts eight,
The extra fasts,3 enamoured of t he gods,
And fain to dwell in homes celestial. (81 )
To-day one meal , head sha ... ed, a yellow mue-
F.nough for me. I want no of gods.
Heart's pain, heart's pining, have J trailled away. (82)
L ) letiJ. i;) thl! COllllllenmr),. .'Il i! lIi:=:amica. OJ. Pt . viii. BOlh
M_tl,; ( PI. Xl il'.) may btl pntro:lymics, derived ulliDlItllly
f'QW )1, ( ... (Mltba), the Vedic propiliOlls, (dendl.,' DlOoy Vf Sun god.
t Til t he Apd:'i n .. it i, ' a .. 0: n o epocidcd Order .
I See fi ll! . Davids, Blol itfif,i8m, IH9-141.
80 J'SAI,.\IS OF THE SI STEItS
XXVI
Ahhaya.'s Mother.
Hee.ping up merit under former Buddhas. she. in the
ti me of Tiss:\. Buddho.,l SQW him Boing r Mnd for alms. and
wi th glad head took his bowl and placed in it II spoc-nbl of
food. Reborn for thllot among I=;Odi !\nd nDlong men, sbe was
born ELisa fOI that, in this Duddha.dispemlltion, ann hACArne
the town uelle< of Ujjeni, by nBme 1'll.duma.vat Lt And King
Bimbi6ara (of Mo.gn.dha) henrd of ber, a.nd expressed to his
chaplain the wish see her. By tho power of hie 11>6119,
t he chaplain summollt!d a Y.kkha who, by his might ,
brougl:t ; he King 10 UjjtUlI. And when she
sent word to the King that SlId was with cbild by him, ho
Bent bnck word, 3nying: ' If it be tl. 80n, let me ee6 him
when he is grown. ' And Elbe bore a and called him
Abhaya. When he Beven yearo old lIhe told him who
was his lather, a.nd sent him to Bimhisiirll.. The IGng
loved the boy, and let him grow up with 'he of his
court. His conversion Bnd ordination is told in the
of ' he Elders.l And, later on. his mother heard ber SOD
preach the Dhan:.ma, and she, tuo, left the world and
sft6r wards a.ttained Arahantship, with thorousb srMp of
the Dhamma in form and meaning. Sbe thereupon
reca.lIed Bnd repeated ihe verse wherewiih her son had
admonished her, Bnd added her own t bereto:
Upward from sole of fuuL. 0 mother denr,
Downwbd from crown of hair this body see.
hh not impure, the evilsmelling thiug r (3a)
'l'his have I pon4Iered. meditating- still ,
Till every throb of lust i ... rooted out.
Expunged is all the fe\'er uf desire.
Cool am J now and peace. (3.J )
, One of the twenty.follC. 1 T. e" Ihe of the Lutu .
Abhaya' il venn (Th., 26. 9)11 co nu' teftr t :) hIS 1D0' her
XXVII
Abhayi.
l
81
She, too, having made her resolve under former
Buddhas, and heaping up merit of age-enduri ng effi cacy
in this and that state of becominG', Was, in the time of
Sikhi Buddha,a reborn in a great noble's family, and
bream.e the chief queen of his father AIU1U\. And one
day she worshipped the Exalted One with of red
lotuses given her by the King, wben Sikhi Buddha, at
alms time, entensd the palace. Reborn for this among
gods and men, she was, in thh Buddhadispensation, born
once more at Ujjeni in a respectable family, and became
the playmate of Abbaya's mother. And when the latter
bad left tha world, Abhayft, for lo\'e of her. also took
orders. tJweBing with her at Rnj agaha, she v,ent one day
to Cool-Grove to eontemplateon II. basis of some
The Master, seated in his Chamber, cau,ed her
to 8ee before her the kind of object she had been directed
to choollo. Seeing Iho vision, dread seized her. Theil the
Master, sending fortb glory, appco.rod 0.1 if sco.tod boforc
her, and said;
Rrittle, 0 AbhaYH, the booy is,
" Thereto the worldling's happiness is bound.
For me J hi.y down this mortal frallle
Mindful and selfpossessed in all I do. (35)
For all my heart was in the work whereby
I struggled free from all t hnt breedeth 111.
L Fe&ries6. I Seeonrl of the SeHln Dnddhal
, B. P,y. , p. 6\1. Tbo - foul were co'p,c. or hn'Ll&n
.."d: '" I>t: M!<;" iu a"y cL ..... "cl neill, where the de",d W,n'
np ... erl .. "d nOI ere"'''tM. I h,we "'of" re ,ne " ph-; lognph of '"
bhikk,,,, RAlLtP.,J in thC! dell of 1\ rock two
.k"lb ODd other lyinlt befoce h iru- '" ,,, odern 811/11*ho\ of a
-'Cl' J:e t:lat BLight be 2 . .iOU ye!l.rI old inu".d of
a2 I'SAL:\IS OF THE SISTERS
Craving hll\'C I d6tl'oyed, lLllU lJrought to pass
That which t he ll udcihas Iw\' rc\'ealed to men. I (86)
And \vhen he had tlni shed speaking 5iJtJ lOtto.inad Ara.-
hamship. EX'l lting herein, she turned the round
into an address to hencH.
XXVIll
Sarni.
She, too, having made her resol ve under former Buddhas,
and hea. ping up good of age-enduring efficacy in this and
that state 01 becoming. being reborn in conditions,
took hirth, in this at Kosambi, in the
family of an eminent burgess. When her dear Iriend, t he
IlLy-disciple Siiml'ivo.tI, died, she, in her distrees, left t he
'ilI'orld. But being unable to subdue her gr i d for he r
friend, she was unable to gnap the Ariyan Way. Now,
while she wa. s seated in the sitting-room, listeni ng to El der
AOImda prilBching:. she was established in insight, and, on
the .RflvP-nth da.y after, attained Arahantship, with thoroush
grasp of thp. Dhamma in form and meaning.
And l1lfiecting on "'hat she had won. she expressed it in
thii psalm:
Four t imp-... , nOlY, five. I sallied from my cell ,
.A.nd roamed afield to find the peace of mind
r !iought in vl.lin, and gon:rnancc of thollght!i
I could not hring into capti vi ty. 2 (37)
, L It. in m .. ny other ' done is :be ",ill , or the
.ysttlIlI VI (.,,,,chi"g (.<l.""", ,) 01 tho B .. ddh ... Vera . .. 1111, .. nli 41
(e:rccpt tho t WO li,,<) .) are in the identic .. \, varied in
tranab.t ion .
I Cf.:.! Cor. x. a .
To me, even to me, on that eighth day
It came; aU cravi ng ousted from my heart.
' Mid many sore afflictions, 1 had wrought
\Vit h passionate endeavour, and had won!
""
Craving was dead, and the Lord's will WRS done. (a8)
C, \ NTO III
PSADIS OF '1'HHEE VERSES
"XIX
Another Simi.
8HS n.lso, heaping up good like the foregoing, WILS born, in
the time of ViPllo8Si BuddbA.. 9,8 Q fairy on tha banks of the
Hi\'er CaDdabbiign,l Devoted to fairy p9.ltimsR, sbe SlLW
one day Master walking on the bank, that he might ROW
ihe good seed among .creatures. And v;ith great glee she
?'orshipvOO. offering .60'1'1'61'8.
2
For this she gainecl rebirth
among gode IIomI men, till, in this Buddho. dispensation,
she t ook birth in II. clansnulon'lI family at Kosombi. She
w>o became the fr iend of and I!Ibe too, out of
grief at the death of the 6ntered the Order. She
too could not gain seif,malltery for t wenty.five years, till
in her old age sbe heard 8 timely sermon, through which
her insight expanded and she won Al'a.tlllout!lbip, with
thorough gra.sp of the Dhammo. in form and meauiug,
Thereon reflecting, she broke forth:
fi ve-and-twenty yems since I came forth!
But in my troubled heart ill no way ye'
Cntl ld I discern the calm uf victory. (3\))
T he PCI\(:c of mind, the go,'cl'I Hl. llce of t.houghts
I Of. 1'., iii, Rnd xxii i.
S,llll {a'}"'llplf<;ni, 0: tlhl Indio.n pine (tarllla).
"
t'TTA:\lA 35
Long sought, I found not; and with anguish
thrilled
I dwelt in memory on the Conqueror's word.
1
(40)
'1'0 free my path from all that breedeth 111
I s t rove with pllSsionflt.e ;{niOlll', and r won!
Craving is dead, and t he Lord's will done.
To-day is now the seventh day since fi rst
withered up within that ancient eU)
XXX
Uttama.
She, too, heaping up good uncler former nnddbB.!I, was
in the time of Vipasli Buddha , born at Ba.ndhumati, in the
house of a certain wealthy landowner, Il.nd became Il do.
mestic servant. Grown up, shs tenced her mruter's h ouse-
hold. , Now, At that timo, King Bandhumii(Vipassi's father),
having r estored SabbaLb-koopillg, gav(l gifts before dining
and, a. !ter dining, attended 0 sermon; ond tho people,
foll owing his piaU!! example, and keeping Sabbath, tho slavo
'Wb,should not I, too, do they all are doinS?'
And for of her o bser vance of . he
ahe was ItlUoru among lhtl Three-sOlI-Thirty goda, and in
o\ber Ll:IotJpy reBiI!l8, and I1n&lIy, iu thiH BuJdha-ere., in the
houKe of ,be Treasurer of Come \u yellors of dis-
cleLion, she he!l.rd preach, and entered the Order j
she was un!l.ble to attain the climax of insight till
cirA,:t seei n g the state of bel' mind, gave her admonil;;iOD.
1 The Com':l ent ary h,ld. t hOot. by word' or ( .... a .. a ) ber"
mean: p&s9t.gel of declaring how rare wu the oppor.
.tunity, and brief, of birl h 18 i human. when Nibbann. might be won.
I,lhl&trated by fiil u'!es like Ihal of tl:e blind t.ort.oise ( MajJh .. iii , 169;
Ultra, ;500),
See below, xhii., Ii,
36 OF THE SI STERS
Thereby established, !5he won Arahantship, with thorough
grasp of t h 6 t-;orm in form and in meaning. And reflect-
ing ihereon, she exulted thus:
Four limes, nay, fhe. I salli ed from my cell ,
And roamed afield to find the peace of mind
Long vainl y sought, and governance of t hought s
I could not bring into capt ivity.
'1'0 lilt: she came, that nobl e Bhikkhuni.
'\Tho was my foster -mother i ll the failh-
She taught to me the Norm, wherein I learnt
The nature of this transi tory self. I (43)
And well I mmnf'n all . e'en as she taught.
F'or scycn days I sul ill .ThiiHa-joy
And east', l: ro:-.s-Iegged; 0 11 the eighth day at
last
T stret ched my limbs, and went my way serene,
For] had burst asunder the surroullding gloom. (44)
Now, Ihis was the affirmation of her
XXXI
Another Ut.t.ama.
Sho, too, baving made her reliOl ....e under fnnner Bllddlla8,
and hoopi ng up good of age-enduring efficAt'.y in this and
tha.t rebirth , woe born, in the t ime of Vipassi Buddin, ILiI It.
domestic 3erV&llt, D\ Do.ndhumati. One day, seeing an
ArahDnt of the Master's Ordor seeking alms, she gls.dl y
offered bim t hree 8'1"eet cakes. Through this reborn to
hRppilltitltl, sbe n. nal1,:r ca.me to bi r th, in this Buddha-era, in
I Lit., th. KhaDdh ... nll.tnre of aDd .he ele .
ment! of my Cf, luviii. for a Illore licerrol Cralllialion.
37
lhe fll rJ ily o[ all emillent hrahmin in the conntly o[ K<>sala.
Con:e 10 YCOL' S of she heard t he Ma"tel' prfl flch
while .ourin,c:: in the coun try. nnd leaving the I\'orld, !;hp.
!SUOl, won Amhantship, logelher wit h thorough grasp of the
Nurm in rona and in meaning. And reRoct ing thereon, she
eIUUl:!d t hus ;
The Seven Factor::; of t he Awnkened milld-
1
Seven \Vays whereby we lIlay NilJbana win -
All, aU ha\'e 1 de\'eloped and made ripe,
Even according t o the Buddha's word. (45)
Fulfilled is heart's desire: I win the Void,
] win the Buddha's daughter T,
Born of his mouth, his blessed word, 1 stand ,
Transported with Nibbana's bliss alway. (40)
And all the sense-desires that fetter gods,
That hinder men, are wholly riven off.
Aboli);hed is the infinite rouild of births.
Becoming cometh ne'el' again for me. (47 )

Dantikii.
She, too, hoxing made unde: former Buddhas,
and in this (lnd that I'ebi r tb heaping up good of age-enduring
ejic:Lcy, waa born, when the world was emply uf a DuddbR,
as 8 fairy by Ibe River Spolting (me day
with the fairies, and straying awhile, she saw 1:1
1 Soe Po. xx.
J i ..... I am emply of ill _will. Li.:Jd dlllne6s, the three
.pring. or !!.I I evil . ' S! gnlell8,' t .I:., I i!lm :ree from to
an.ythiug . Illorked' al imperma.nent, evil , or having n 10UI. Sec
f'a. lil . ver. Il. 1.
See I'n. ili., xliii.
38 PSADJ S OF THE SI STEKS
Buddha. seated at the 100' of 8 tree, and !Wored liim i ll
fai\ h with Hower-offerings. For this she was reborn 8WUUg
gods a.nd men, and. finally, in thie Buddha-era, at
in the house of tile King's chaplainbrahmin. Come to
years of discretion, she became a lay-believer in the Jets
Grove lCol!egeJ . and, la'er, entered the Order under Grea"
Paj apati t he And one daI. while sta.ying So
RH.j agaha. sho R.Scended the Vulture's .Peak, after her meal,
and while resting. she ssw tbat wbich she tells of in her
verse, whereby she won Acahantsbip. with t horough grasp of
the :Korm in lorm and in meaning. And af,erwards, thrilled
wHh happi ness at the thought of her sttainment, she s);ulted
thus :
Coming from noonday-rest 011 \ rul tur e's Peak,
I saw an elephant, his bathe performed,
Forth from the ri ver is'me. And a man, (48)
'l' &king his gOIlO, hade t he grellt creat ure
1
stretch
His foot: 'Gin me thy foot!' The elephant
Obeyed, and to his neck the driver sprang. (49)
] saw t he llnblmed tJlmed,2 , saw him hent
'1'0 muster's will; and marking inwardly,
I passed into the forest depths aud t here
I' faith I trained and ordered all my heart. (50)
xxxm
Uhbll'I.
Sho too, baving made her resolve in the time of lormer
Buddhae, !lond hOll.ping up, in this and t hat r ebi rth, Good
valid for o.n won of evolution, was born, in ; he time of
I N,tga , a more poetie terw br elepha.nt.
DIIoIlf.ikiL=.lJUle tamed (woman).
U BBIRi 89
P&.dumuttara Buddha, at tbe town of Ha.glA.vati in a
man'e h OUI9. Come to yean 01 discretion, Ibf> was len,
alono one dny, ber parent.1I beina engaged wi th a pady in
tho inner court of tbe houes. And seeing an Arllhant
approo.ehing tho hOll oodoor, she bade him ' Coma in hither.
lord: and did him homago, ehowing him to a seat; abe
then took hie bowl and filled it with food. The E lder
thanked her, and departed. But ehe. reborn thorofore in
'he heaven of the Thr&e-and-Thirty gods, enj oying thoro 0.
heavenl'y time and many a happy lifa thereafter. was, in
this Buddhaera, rehorn at Sii,n\ ttbI in the tamily of a very
eminellt uurgelHI. Awl wa.s beautiful lIoa, and WM
brought into 'he house of tbe Riag of Koaala him8elf.!
Artsr a faw yesrs a daughter was born to her. whow II Le
Dawed Jlvu.
z
The KinS saw the child, and was so ple&H\Kl
that, h e had UbbirI as Queen. Bui anon tbe lit tle
girl died, end the mother wen; daily mour ning to the
charnEl-field. And one day she went and worshippoo tbe
Ma@ter, and sat down; but soon gbe left, and stood lamell t
iog by the RiYer Achiravati. Then the Master, seeing ber
from &flU, re,'ealed himself, and a.sked bar : 'Why dost
thou. weev?' 'I weep because of my daughter, Euikld
One.' Burnt in this cemetery are ;ome 84,O(XP of thy
For which of them doet tbou weep' l' And
pointing out the place where tbis on9 and that one had
been laid, be Mid halt the psalm :
o Ubbirt. who wailest in wuud,
Crying' a Jiva! 0 my daughter dear I'
Come to thyself! Lo. in this
A.re burnt full many 11 thousand daughters dear,
A nd all of them were named like unto her.
Now which of all t hose JiVils dost thou mourn? (51)
I The King eontemponuy with Gotllnlll Buddha WI\I Pa;enl1dI,
t -'Leaning i'sycbl', or, morc liternlly,' alive, Vila.'
A. staple ligure I:sed wilen any grcal number iB meant, Of COU"!,
11.,,, drCJmstancol 01 indnltely v! ULLiri lire
here itnpli .d .
0
PSA I. ' 1S OF THE .sISTER:;
And lObe pondered with intelligence on tbe thus
taught by Maswr, and so stirred up insight thA.t , by
charm of his teaeh ing and her own o.tfainmen\ of t he
requisite condition!;, sbe reached the topmost fruit, even
Arabantahip.l And showing forth the high distinction she
had won. she spoke the second half of the pealm :
r ,o ! from my heart the hidden shnft is gone !
The shaft that nestled there hath he removed.
And that consuming grief for my ne.ad child
Which poisullt:!d all the life of me is dead. (52)
To-day my heart is healed, Illy yearning stuycd,
And all within is purity and peace.
2
Lo! I for refuge to t he Buddha go-
The only wise- the Order and the Nonn.
3
(53)
XXXIV
Sukka.
She, too, bS\'ing fared in ,he pBS' as the foregoing
WII.8 born in a c!an8Ultlon's house.' Como to years
of discretion, ehe wen::. witl..t lay woDlen disciplcs to the
Vihiira,o and h ea. r d t he Ma.ster Becon:i ng Il
believer. she len world and becawe learned, proficiont
in the doctrine, and a ready speaker. Lea. ding for cen-
I Sho not only r lul.eb ... i1 u '" l"'y-WOm.&D. but her eubsequent
ink> the .. is not even mentioned.
I A reDdering of Ibe one ward parillibbu.td. C/. ver. 182.
, Tbe orthodox sequenee iB 'SorID, Order, hue :m'erttd metri ('","'411.
Tbe invereion i.t aeluBlh met .."itb in laler Eluddbb;m.
, Here i' ;8 not BtII.'ed in whleh nud.J.hllo. mini.try ,bi, took place.
In th o but or elur,let, in .. of suoh,
reeor vod for t ho Buddha 01' leading te ..... hl!r. cons.i5tiIij,: of open hll!l and
ch=oer Il.t1joi "i"S.
SUNKA
ttlries 0. religious lilo,l shE! )'fl\ died Q, worldl ing at heart,
IWd WfIB reoorn in t he heaw\n oi blisB.
2
Again, when
Vipa.!!si Wo.s Buddha, o.nd ng:: in when \'I\"s!l.bhu wag Buddha,
sLe kpt tho precepts, II. nd Wll.'; leameo A.nd proficient in
dvclrine. Agai n, wbell l-i akusantlha lias Rll ddhe, and yet
aga:n when h Dllfigamo.no. \\'(\s Buddha, she took Order,. , Bnd
wal:l pure in eonduc\, loo.rn",d, and II preacher. .,u length ,
she was, in this BLlddho. o:a, r ebOIl} at Riij agaha, in the
bmily vf an eminent burg"!;!}, nnd called SuHii. (bright,
lustrous, Lucy') . COUle to yearn of di scretion, she
found {Idb ill U16 :Master at her own home, o.nd became
a lay-disciple. But lEi ter, wnen she heard Dhammo.di nnii.
preacb,3 she was d.triiled wi:;h emolion, o.nd
the world under her. Awl per/orming the exercieee for
insigh:;, she not lOllg aftet' a Hai utlu together
with t horough gmsp of t he l\o!'m ir. fl'rw aad in meaning.
'Ihereupon, attended by 500 Bhikkhunili. IILe uecame a
great preacher. And one day, when they ba.d Ut:ltl1J iuto
Rli.jagaha for alms, end had returnAd and dined, t Li3y
entered t he Bbikkbunis' settlement, and Sukka, with a
great compa.ny seated a round her, taught the doct rine in
sucn wise that she to be giving tr.em sweet mead to
drink and sprinkling them with a mbrosia. And th6y 8011
listened to her rapt, motionless, intent. Thereupon the
spirit of the tree tha.t stood at the end of the Sisters'
terrace ",'as inspirsd by her teaching, and went out to
Rajagaha, walking about ibe w!:I.ys and the squares pro-
claiming her 6.'{cellence, a.nd saying:
'''' hat would ye men of Hitjag ... ha have!
'What have ye done? that mute a nd idle here
I rho term of human !!Ie wu believed III"' ... ou:> mueh longor
ill SOl" D:g"a. },'ik';!1", iL, p. 3. C/ . Gen . v.
I See p. 1 . I Se .. 1' . xii.
I The w"rd 1M _dcvaN, III. leu1iuine, aa Bre aU lIob6tr&ct
nounl ill j,i ; bUl whemer .... ere moro UlII"':!Y conceived of
&.w'IJe or femBle, 0: SI sexlcsl, i. not ... r. Cf, tbe plate. in (,;I: n
Olnghaln'. Blaarhu t, IIJId, on generally, U. and iii.
mill". Philpol's 'i '/:e Satre" Tree. See 1\1!lO ApV'lndil .
42 PSAL:lI S OF THE
Ye lie about, as if bemused ,Vith wine.
Nor wait upon Sukka. while !lht! reveals
The precious gospel by the Buddha taught. (,.)
The wise in heart, rnethinks, were fain to quaff
That life's elixir, once won never lost,
That welleth el.:er up in her sweet words.
E 'en as the wayfarer welcomes t he r ain. (55)
And hearing wbat tho tree-ilpirit said, the people were
excited, and came to tho Sister and listened attentively.
At a later period, when tho Sieter , at the fond of her life,
wall completing her Nibbaoa, and wished to show how t.he
BJltem IIhe b8d taught led to salvation, ehe declared bel'
A8NA lliuB :
o Child of light 11 by light of truth set fl' ee
From cravings dire. firm, self-posse!:iset.l, serene,
BeaT to this end thy last incarnate frame,
For thou hast conquered Mara and his host. (56)
xxxv
Sela.
She, too, ha.ving fMed in the pa.st as the foregoing
Sisters, was born in a ClanRmR.n'S house at HalJBa.vati,:I: and
woe given in ma.rriage by her parenta to a clansman's 80n
of equa.l birth. Wi th him she lived happily till his death.
Thon, being herself advanced in years. Bnd growing a.nliou8
aa aho 6011gh' to find Good.' . he went BOOU' from park to
park,4 from vibli ra to vihira, with the intention of teaching
1 Sukka. I Under whicb Buddh& i, no\ .tated.
S K i ,_kl.l,ala!j. gatlllinl Cj. D., ii. 151 : Ki,-kltfalilnvt .j;.
I M8Illbers of religioUi ord! rB frequented 'pa. rb (iit(lmd) or
ple&8llunces' whell tlweUiDg octJ town .
SEI. A
_3
religion (dhamllw ) :0 vOlaries of r el igion. Then one day
ebe camo up to the Bo-tree of t.be r.Iaeler l and HR.i ilown,
If a Buddha, an ElA.lted One, be un'luA.lled
aDd peer loss among men, may this ODe show me the miracle
of Buddbahood.' BcOorco had the thought arien when the
Tree ],lar.ed forth, the branchos 0ppcOorcd as if made of
gul d, the ahone iLll around. And abo, inspi red at
tha.I s ight, fell Jown r.nd worshipped, and for seven dBYs
sst On the seventh day ahe performed a grand
of ufl:ll rill g a nd worship t-o the Buddha.
2
By tbi a
meritorious karma she .....as reborn in thill Buddha-era, in
t be kingdom of A!a.\'I, 1\8 tLe King' s daughter, and muned
SeIA.$ But she was also known 8S ' TIle A!twiJ.. an.' Come
t o yeM's of discretion, the M('I s\er: conver ted luther,
ordained h im, and went with him to the city of AIIH!.
SeIA, being yet unmarried, WAnt with the l\ing and heard
the Master preach. She became a believer and a lay
disciple. Afterwards, growing lI.m:iolls, she took Orders,
worked her wa.y to insight, and because of the promise in
her and the maturity of h6r knowledge, sbe, crushing t he
formatioDs of word and 8000 won Arabant
ship.
Thereafter, as an E lder. she lived 0.1 SR.vo.tthi. And ODe
day she went forth from Sft.va.tthI to lake siesta ill ' he
Dark Gro\'e, and sat down heneath El. tree. Then Mira,
al one a.nd wishing to interr llpt her privo.c:y, approached in
the gui se of a stranger, saying:
1 Ellery Buidha had hi, IpeciSe kind of Bo-tree under which he
attained Buddhahood (Vigna N., ii., p. 4).
t it be noted ,be heroine i. Iln Indian widow!
S UeWli ng ' Alpiol ' rock, or crag).
Iu DhikkhunI-8"lJ)'u, ta {t r .. n&lllkd in 'he '\ppc:lli ix) , he i.e
110 nll&d. A!lvi i. stll:.od to ha.\ o baen thirty .. n ... (I'. '260 n.ilu l
fr01l1 and tw .. JvP- from Benare. \Spence Hardy. M<l nlU1i of
Blldhu-n, 262 ; LEf,(gE', Fa /l ien, ehl\p. xuill. ; ClIUIG"g
(Wn.ttetl), ii. 51). The cCnI'ersion of KIng A!tn'l\ka is de9cribed in
S"itll Nip,i ta, pp. 31 if. (S.8.E., x. 29. :11), end Sa ,. Ni4., i .
i.t. , their potency t.o lead to rebirth .
I'SAL\IS OF Tilt:: SISTERS
Ne'er sh al t t hou fi nd escape while in t he world !
' ''' haL p rofi t eth t hee t hen t hy lonelincs<; ?
T a ke the good t hings of li fe while yet thou mayst.
Repentance else too IRte ftWllitf'th t.hee. (57)
Then the Siet.er -thinking: Vrily, 'till tha.t foolish 'MaTa
who woul d deny me the Nibbling, is rev6A.IAd to me,
and bids me Ch OOil6 the life. He not that
lamo.n Arahanl Nowwi1l I tell him and confound him ' -
recitod t ho following :1
Like spenrs llnd javelins are the joys of sense
Thill pierce and rend t he mortal frames of us.
These that thou eallest ' the good things of
Iife'-
Good of that ilk t o me is nothing worth. (58)
On every ha nd t he kwe of plea:mre yields.
And t.he thick gloom of ignOl'ance is rent
In twain. Knuw lhis, 0 Evil One, avaunt!
Here, 0 Destroyer, shalt t hou not prevail. (59)
XXXVI
Somo...2.
She. too, having fared in the past as the foregoing
was. in the t ime of Sikhi Buddha..
3
reborn in tbe family of
an eminent noble. and, when grown up, was made the chief
I Of. the reply of io ,\.ppeoii:r:. cO!lllllenciog witb a di rt}Ct
eont:-adietioo omitted in thle psalm.
J C/. har VerB86 in Appemlill.
I Seeond of the Seven (Pit.n.kll) .on 01 King .:.ic in
Dlgh-. a.nd P .. hbit\,Ui.
SO;\I;"
consort of the King Arul}A.vii.. The story of her paat is
similo.r to th!lot of Sieter Abh!loyA.l The story of her
preBent is thBt, in thi s Buddh!lo-Cl'a, sho WBS reborn BS the
Jaugln61' of the cha.plain of King Bimbisii ra
2
at Riij o.gahn,
lIud named Soma. Come to years of she
clune to believe in the Mallier in her own home. and
OOcU.we a lay-disciple, A.nd later Oil, growing anxi ou8, she
entertd tue Order uf lUlU, viurki llK ber WRy to
insight, she not long a.ft er won Arabantship, with thurough
grasp of Norm in letter and in spirit. .
Then, dwelling II,; Savattbl in th6 bliss of 6manci patioD,
she went forth one day to take siEsta in the Dark Grove,
Dnd 83.t down beneath a tree. And Mua. slone, and
wishing interrupt her privacy, her, invisible
nnd in the air, sl\ying :
That vantage-ground the sages may attain IS
h1lrd
To reach_ With her twofi nger consciousness
Tlw.t is no woman competent to gain! (60)
For women, from the age of saven or eight, boiling rice
at all times, know not the moment when tbe rice is cooked,
but must aome grains in a spoon and press it with two
fingers ; bence the expression ' two-finger' sense.' Then
the Elder rebuked Miira. :
How should the wOl11tLn's nnture hinder us?
'Vhose are firmly set, whu ever move
'Vith growing knowledge onward in t he Path !
" 'hat can that signify to one in whom
Insight doth truly comprehend the Norm?' (61)
I p$. Lo:)(vii. 2 C/. P., Iii.
J The 01 a NeapQlitLn told me tie identical idiom
clhl! ill ila\i'n : Una me'lie lUlIga di dll e ditil.
It is regrethble that, In tim w.) rk. Soma's di8JlLficd raUlrt lacks
46
PSAL:!\lS OF THE SI STERS
On every hand the of pleasure yields,
And the thick gloom of ignorance is rent
In twain. Know this, 0 Evil One, avaunt !
Herp., 0 Destroyer! shalt thou not prevRil. (62)
the nt.en,i()o given to it in t he verei on (see
Appendiz ) :
, To one for whom the doLl.. ar;"e:
Am I Ii WOUla" io the .... matlo8ru, or
." m I .. ma.n? 0: what not "Ill 1, then 1-
To oueh -.n one il Iii to talk l'
CANTO IV
PSALMS OF FOUR VERSES
XXXVII
Bhaddi of the KaplIas.1
Now she wa.s born in the Ume of Padumuttara Buddha, in a.
elamman' s house at HaIJ.avatl. Come to :years of discre
tion, she hea.rd the Ma.ster prtl8.ch, and ssw him assign a
Bhikkhuni the first ra.nk among t hose who could recall
previous lives. Thereat she made her resolve, wishing that
she, too, might acquire such a. ra.nk. Working merH all
har life, Bhe was reborn, when no Buddha. had a.risen,
in IL clansman's house at BenareB, and in due course
married.
Then one day a qua.rrel arOS8 between her and her
sister-in-law. And the latter having given food to a Silent
Buddha, Bhaddii. thought, 'She will win r:\'lory for this,'
and taking the bowl from hie hand, she filled it with mud
instead of food. The people said, 'Foolish woman! what has
the Silent Buddha done to ofilmd you l' And ehe, ashamed
of herself, took back the bowl. emptied and scruhbed it
Dr. NeumAnn transl!lotel K&pilitni by ' the Blonde ' { k(fp i io is I!.ubllm,
". if in, k eeping wi th (he 1I01Ibr:'I"et 01 t he other Bh"ddi\
(PR ... Ivi. ). I h"" .. not doni ao I. i ..
o.1waye explicitly I\-Ccour,tcd for in th6 (OlllLl'EIH:lry. and here nothing
iua.id. Moreo"er, and t his is lairly conelusiH\ the :\l'ltd:l n(J. chronicle,
'Juoted in Lho COWllH:mt",ry, Ull!.kes Bha.rld,-, . <laughter of KapiL the
(bra.hmin): K&'Pil;; .'II. therefore. refers to her fluuily. nn, 1
&hould be K"pii>l;n( The amI f'ar is USS. of the Therit:ath:l
bath re&d Kapil;;ni , .0 ,loe" V .... , iv .. '290, :.!92.
"
48 PSALMS OF THE SI STERS
'With scented powder, filled it thtl fuur sweat food8, and
sprinkled it on t he top with ghes of tht;l culour of a. lotus
calyx. Handirg it back, shining. to the SiJtmL Buddha, !She
registered a prayer: ' May I have a shining wuy like this
bowl !'
After many fortunde rebirt hs, sbe was reborn. ill the
time of Buddha, at BeoE.rsa, 88 the daughter of tl.Hj
wealthy treasurer. But by the f: uition of her previolls
karma her body WM of evil odour, and she Wag repulsive to
others. Much troubled thereby, she hg,d her ornaments
wade into f. tl in!;ot of gold, .end placed it in the Buddha's
shrine. doing revcrer: ee wiLh her hands full of lotuses.
Thereby her body, Bven in that birth, became fragrant and
BWP;At . As a belo"ed wi fe sbe did good all her life, was
reborn in heaven to celestial joys, and at 16ngth took bi rt h
as the da.ll ghtilr of the of Benares. Thera she lived
gloriously, mini!ltering to Silent Buddhas. When they
pa8Bed Away she WA.H greatly troubled, and left the lVorid
for o.scetic pradces. Dwelling in groves, she practised
Jbano, nnd wa\l reborn ill the Rrahma hea\'ens, and thence
into the family of a of the Kosiya clan at Biigala.
1
neared in grrot stote, she wall wedded to tbe young noble
Pippali at , he villngo of Mahii.tittha. When hA r enounced
the .....orld she hllnded over her great wealth to her kinAfolk
that IIhe t oo mighb go iorth ; nnd she dwelt five yea.rs in
the Sophilll!;' 01'OV6,' after which aho was ordained byGreat
Paj iipati the insight, sho 800n won
Araba.ntship.
And she became an in knowledge of hot past ]j."es,
through the sur plus force of resohe (made in past ogos),
and v.' o.s h eroin ranked by .Le Ma!l ter when, eeated in
the Jetn Uro"e a.mong the CQIllPIU1Y of he c1assi
I 00 tho three see Rhy. D&\i ds. Buddhut Indw., p. sa
Aocording te the Apad,lnB th:s W&S the eapitl\l of :he M&ddlll r,. Ii!.).
the ' gre," ford, ' "'loS a brn.bllli o in Maglldh .
: Titthiyilr,l rnn, nCAr the let& GrovD lit S .. v .. tthi .
Defined In the FiL .. k,u "'" meaning Buddhu, Buf1dhfl9.
.. nl lhdt d:l eiplel. Thia judgment iB thM aobject of Ar.g. Nd., i.
23-'la.
nUADl) ,\ OF THt: KAPll..'\S
49
lieU the Bhikkhunis. On6 day shc brouo forth in a PuiOl,
recount ing all that !he had wrought, nccompn.nied by ..
eulugy of the virtues of the s reat Elder Ka9sapo,t !.hus:
Son of the Buddha and his heir is he,
Great Kussapa, IIHlslt:r of 5elf, serene!
The vision of fur, bygone days is his,
Ay, heaven and hell no secrets hold for him. (63)
Death too of rebirth hath he won, and eke
A seer is he of mystic lore profound.
By these thrcc anns
2
of Icarning doth he stand
Thrice-wise, 'mong gods und lIIell t:lecl,sublime. (6-l)
She too, Uhadda the Kapilan- thricc. wise
And ,'ictor o\"er death and birth is she-
Bears to this end her last incarnate frame,
For she hath conquered Mara and his host. (65)
\ 'Ve both ha,'e seen, both he and I, the woe
And pity of the world, and have gone fort h.
\Ve both are Arahnnts with selves well tamed.
Cool are we both. ours is 1\'ibbana now! (Rfi)
, became Ihe leader of the Buddhist Order when the
Buddha hlLd passed aw&y. Accordillg to Ihe Apadina, Ka,ssapa Wlill
Identical with Pippal!. her hJabaf'ld, and bad been hl:!r hUlb .. ml ill lb.""
lor mu lVII., either the family nAwo Dr tho ps r.on,u
namo; i'ippali oithor the penon&! Or Ih. namo. !'#.M Du..logll.u,
i . HIS. .tClry II fully told in thf COlllmentaryon the Palma of
th6 BrotilCrJ, and in IIml or . .;.4119. Ni"., i. '23.
.1 The Illdl\phor is not Buddhid. Tbe PaE read5 by these three
lVllKlolllS' (tt.ihitjhi' Wiihl). See PI. xxii . 26. The e&lIe of Hhaddil ia
OOteworthy beulS the only one where wife &nd hutblLnd - unh .. d
fOt 10 '".ny in har,uuuy up to \he da,)' when, havillg aided
in don"in" rdi","wu. d",,,,,, t h.,)' l u.\. the world toge:her,
part nn their I,wer",l WIl,)''' to the Buddh .. , enjoying therea.ftu
at ,U 8000 comrJ.desh ip in the Order. So ,htl ill the Apaclilna :
'1'ncreo.f\er 'OOn I won w.c rank of A .... .
Ah I well fllr me ... ho htld :he friendship wi,e and. sm
Of Kauapa. '
CA)lTO V
PSALMS or FIVE VERSES
XXXVili
An Anonymous Sister.
SHE, too, having fared in t he palt aB the foregoing
""ne, in thi" Buddhaera, reborn in the town of Dvadahn,
and becAme tbe Durse of Great Psjipsti the GotslDid. Her
name was "VarldhasI. bu.t the name of her famil y has not been
handed When ber mistress renounced the world
she did the eame. But for five-and-twenty years ahe wall
ha.r!lssed by the IU8t8 of the semBS, winning no concentrs-
titln of mind even for a moment , and bewailing her
with outetrekhed arme, t ill length sbe heard Dharnma-
dinna preaching the Norm. Then, wit h her mind diverted
from thA aenses. abe fell to pract ising meditadve exercises.
Alld in no long time acquired the Six Powers of Intuition,!
Alld, l'srlecting on her she exulted thus :
For fi ve-and-twent y years since I came forth.
Not for one moment could my heart attain
t Oh" labAii/llii. Abhitl;;,i in t he previous r..,l m is rc!)dereo. ' IDYltic
lore profound.' The SiI, defined II paiilM \ 1JUllo1I1t6 of
'he B",ltlha, i., p. (17) a nd ., IJljj{I (obt"., p. 124.J, I re Iddhi, ll..,
P ll rified Hu ri :l g, knowledge 01 'he t hQUl;hh of ot hert, I"emory of
IIvei. evolut iull of ' he li ve. of et her beinll', the .. .:tin"tion
of t b. A .. , .. If.bJ ..... l'" 8:14): T h .. l ... t wu virLuilfy identical
... ith Ar ahiu\ ttb.i p.
'0
AN A ::-"ONDlOUS SISTER 51
The blessedne!;s of cal m serenity. (67)
No peace of mind] found. My every thought
\ Vas soaked in the fe ll drug of
'''ith out st ret ched arms and sheddi ng futile tears
I gut me, wretthed woman, to my cell. (68)
Then She to t his poor Bhi kkhuni drew near,
'Vho was my foster. mother in t he faith.
She taught to me the Nor m, wherein I learnt
The factors. organs, bases of Lhis sdf,
Impermanent compound, 2 Hearing her words, (69)
Reside her I sat down t o meditate,
And now 1 know the dRYS of the long
And clearly shines t he Eye Celestial, (7U)
I know the t houghts of othf't minds, alld hear
\Vith sublimtl.tcd sense the sound of thi ngs
Ineff'able.
3
The mys lic potencies
1 exercise; and all t he deadl y Drugs
That poisoned every thought are purged away.
A living t ruth for me this Si xfold Lore,
And the commandment of the Lord is done. (71 )
, Lit only, ' ,o,ked .....ith the pAssion of I18n!ill desi re.,' and ex pla.ined
at one whOle mind WIUI wett ed by RD exeeedi ngly . trong inclination, by
a!l abun:innce of pan;onlte deBirl' a.ll the attliln,lJle throUGh
the lllen!llli. The metaphor of toakln; ("v<l .. lI l1i) is nurly "kin to
IbM i" clInlinal defecl. A ...... ", one of which i. preei..,ly
the dncri hed !>.bo,e, nnd the e:r:i nct;n" 01 which are named
as t h<! ", ul> nb/,,;iIl,; i n the followiD/: Yenel .
3 The IM\ th, wordll are only iUlpl idt in the Pal l. {'.J. Pe. lU. 4::: .
Compa.ra belp w,th thftl g:vea by PI. llL
J See of the Buddh<lo, L, p. 89.
52 OF TUE S ISTI:.:US
XXXIX
Virnali.
(Formerly a Court8'l lln. J
She too, having fared in the past as the foregoing Sisters,
was born. in this Buddha-era, at Vesrtli as the daughter of
0. certain woma. :1 who ea.rned hElr living by her beauty. Her
name was "imaia. When she wus grown up, and was
imagining vicious things, she saw ons da.y the venerable
Maha. Moggall anB
1
going about V6IlIili for alms, and feeling
enamoured of him, she went to dwelling and Bought to
entice him. Some Bay sh was instigated to do 80 by
sectArians. The Elder rebuked her unseemly belll1viour
a.nn tulmonillhP.d her, I1S may be read in the Psalms of the
Brethren.! Ann she was fi lled 'l'l"ith shame and self-
reproa.ch, and became II. heliever and lay-sister. Later
she entered the Order, Q'nn wrfstling and the
root of was in her- not long after won Arahant
ship, Thcroo.fter, reflecting on her gain, RhR rumlted thuB :
How was I once puff'd up, incens'd with the bloom
of my beauty,a
\' ain of my perfect form, my fame and succt=ss
'midst the people,
Fill'li with the pride of my youth, unknowing the
Truth and unheeding! (72)
Lo! I made my body, bravely arrayed. deftly
painted,
SllripU\la. a.nd Mahl-Ka. .... p .. beiongeJ to the gree.to81 of
tbe Bud<1I",'8 a.pontle3,
TJII:"'''!1'ilh.-. . verael 115057.
II. ThHt'I no eh"'nge in the Pllli lUetre 01 Ihi6 Psalm, but seventeen
yeL'lI liO the subject tripped off of itself int o the mct:e u above, loud
I h"'e'o left it .
"DIAI.A
53
Speak for me to the lads, whilst I at the door of
the harlot
Stood, like [l crafty hunter, weaving his snares, ever
watchfu l. (78)
Yea, J bared without shamc my body and wealth
of :tdorning :
Manifold wiles I wrought, devouring t he virtue of
many. (74- )
To.day with shaven head, wrapt in my robe.
I go forth on my duily round for food;
And 'neath the spreading boughs of forest t ree
I sit, and Second-Jhllna's rapt ure win,
' ''here reas'nings cease, and joy and ease re-
main.
l
(7,S)
Kowall the c\' il bonds t hat fette r gods
A nd men are wholly rent and cut away.
Purg'd are the that drugg'd my heart,
Calm and content 1 know Nibbana's l' eace. (76)
\L
Sihil.
. She. Loo, faring in t he /'; 8 the foregoing was
In thi S Buddhaera born at Vsii. l] as the danghter of
Gensr AI Sihs 's z sister. And, beinR named lI.ft.er her
ntaLe rnal uncle, she was call ed Sibil. Come to years of
discret ion, she hea.rd the Master one day teaching the
ts"orm to the General. a.nd, becoming a believer, gained ber
plI.renta' consent to enter the Order. When she strove for
I On ', Second Jhfl.n&,' see B. P' Y., pp, 4iJ.-16.
. On Gellcnl of the Liecr.Rvis, slle Davi d. and Oldenberg,
h"aya Tutl ( S.II .E.). li . 1V81f. ' - lion.
54 f'SAL) [S OF T HF. SUT E nS
abe was una Lie Lo prevent her mind frow runnmg
on objects of charm. Harassed \hus for 8even
years, IIbe oonoluded, ' How shall I edr ica1e mysell from
this evil living? I will die.' And, taking a. nOOEI! , she
hung it r uund the bough of a tree, and, fastening it r ound
her neck. with !ill tbe cumulat ive efi"eci of former eff'Jrta,
she impelled ber mind to insight. Tben to ber, who WIloS
really come to her last birth, Bt that very moment, through
her knoVt'ledge at ta.:ning maturity, grew wHhi n.
and sbe won An"bantahi p, together wi th thorough gra3p of
the Norm in form and in meAning. So. loosening the
rope from her neck, fl be turned har.k again. Established 8S
an Arabaot, she exulted th116 :
Uistracted, harassed by of sense,
Unmindful of the ' what ' nnd 'why' of things,l
Stung and inflated by tht: memories
Of former days, o'er which I lacked control- (71)
Corrupting canker spreading o'er my heart -
I followed heedless dreams of happiness,
And got no enn l enour t o my mind,
All given o'er to dalliance with sense. (78)
So did I fare for se\'en weary years,
In lean and sallow mis' ry of unrest,
I, "'"retched, found no ease by day or uigbt, (70)
So took 11 rope and plunged into t he wood:
Better for me a friendly gallows-tree I
I'll li ve again the low life of t he wOl'ld.'2 (80)
Strong W ItS t he noose I made; and on II. bough
I bound the rop e and flung i t round my neck,
"Vhen see ! .. . my heart was set at liberty! ( 81 )
1 A"cm i.!o'mananx im, Ih ., frulD oot .. tt>dirtg to cause or IOUrtt.
, I. e. , b, tontinuin( Illy round of rebi rth. Cj. the Welt.em idee
of lui.:idtl--oo ' put .... Ind to it .. n'-with thla of aning it all
a"ain:
XLI
Sundan ,Nanda..
55
She, verily, was born in the t ' .
B ddh . ' lme 01 Padumuttar
u a, In the town of Halj3a\ati. And h a
come 10 years of di!cretion aha heard th M \IV en ahe was
and assigning a certain Bhikkhun' th e; sster preaching,
meditati ve power. Vowing tbat place in
ahe went on doing ROod. Alter reons u gam ihat
and men, she took bir th 01 rebirth
In the relgmng [aood!' of the S. -,. N Buddha,epoch
I - .lilJA8 amed 1'1' d' h
lACArne known aa Beautiful Nand: ,} ' h an a,8 e
country. And when onr Exalted a, t e of the
lenge had gone to K 'I bOne hl:l.d acquIred all know.
, api ava U u snd cauled t h .
A.nd Rahula to join the' Order ' e
Suddhodana dieO' Ilncl the G t p " when too Klll g
then Nandi thoug' hi . A! baJapati entered the Order.
b
. . y e "Ar rothJ! r ! hS!! d
erltage of haa I " th renounce the
Buddha, a 1 e world. a nd ia he<-.ome II.
. 18 Son too Ri bula h I f b
""orld, so has my brother K' u 8 8 e t t 9
P .. , Ing my mothe M b -
IlJClpllti,nnd my sister, Rahula's mothe' Btl r, .L a a
s],1l1I I do at home? I ill 1 r, U now, what
\I'ent forth, from faith W bUI world.' Thui ahe
'hUB, a'-e!) alter her ren ' . . row ove of her ki n. And
h(:r and Id UIl Clo.tJO.n, aho WQa intoxicated with
, wou not go mto t b M t
last he Mould rebuke her B t 't I e lOr e presonce,
with Siater Abh" N' _ U ared Wit h h6r evcn Ila
ahe BIIW the f IrUt
a
, 1.
8nda
,4 thill difference : When
ema. e lIuape conj ured u b til
f
toll
ing gradU!Iolly nged h . d ' P Y .e Master
lJence and t!u/JeriJ ' . er nlln ,llltent on the imperma,
And the MlIotll.ee 1M?' turned to meditat ive diBCip!ine.
thus: , J:it!eILlg I at, iaugM hee euiLable doctrine,
'Su"d
'l . " . 1. IIond.l-'boal<t ifq!
.e half.bTCIth... Cf B .
See PI. .i.. . " p ..
, A9flapI'w a liJ.
li B PSAUUi OF THE SISTERS
Behold, the foul compound, diseased,
1 mpure! Compel thy heart to cont emplate
VI' hat is not fair to view. So steel thyself
And concentrate the well-compostd mind.' CH2)
As "With this body. so wi th thine; as with
Thy beauty, so with this- thus shall it be
'Yith this malodorous, oHensive shape.
Wherein the foolish only take delight, (S3)
So look thou on it clay and night with mind
1; nfalteringly steadfast, till alone,
By t hine OWII wit. delivered from the thrllll
Of beauty, t hou dost gain vision (84,)
Then she, heeding the te;),ching. lIummoned lip wisdom
SDd Ij\.ood fi rm in the fruition of the First A. nd. ToO
give h lir a n 61ercise for higbor progl"esl, he taught hllr,
saying: 'Ntloudii . is in Ihis body not even the
smallest eSS8DC6. ' T i s but II. heap of bones smeared
flesh and blood under lLe form 01 decay and de!l.tb.' As it
is said in toe Dha.mmnpaJIlo;3
1 An elabontio!l of 1"1' 0 Pali words di fficult to lenrier II.dequatEly
"" ith bnvity-<,kagg,z'1 #w.1mihUa,.
2 Tbe curieu8 in3erion dakkhin!l' the reading Idopted b)' the
eriil.ofl of both text a.nd CODlmenury, is an aorist
8U11I.I" ) I.8rmination 00 the hltne 01':.0 .ee: Dr. NeumlU"ln, <liB_
Ihe C",'lllueo\&r]. toke. it IU RoriCl, mak ing Nnrd.; speak a.1I
ille linu to I>nd of Tho:. Commentary dh lJes the as
.bo .... p ... Ar hrll.8ing by .1a,tUu!1 an a:tilida./ly rq;ular futllre of
pa.uali, to 6ee, &nd a verba.l noun, 'one who will 800,' like
'one who &eOi: I n the Corresf4nding Apa.dan.!. Jines tl:e UalJdll.!IIY
l1SS. read tbe regular future (&fcond person ,tngdar), 0"1,41<,,
'dlOU wilt see: EIther we must, win, Ihe COtlllllell\nry. rend 6(ome
tuu:r e for lll of lil .. vO!orb, Or makO!o ropeat hera.H in ,",'RCS R4
and 86, in.tead of r08Fonding in ttl the Master' s t'{o:diulU in 84.
Pr of .... or R. DUn Franke, in a learned note, most ki:>dly responding
10 my 'doe. nG' to decide' whet her \0 kec? dllk.
khila!1. or adopt one of the other readings. The aeveu alosence of
redund.allcy i:l these &bo!1 poem. deeidu me to follow the trad ition.
and relen'e 'I havf .cen ' for 8:> : yatl .. " !J(J.') ''''!lo
Verae
!iL':SDA Ri - D,A,
'Hl\'e IIlsde a citadel of oon91 besmeared
\Vith f1e!h end blood, where ever reign decay
And dea th, Ind conceit Ind f(lud is nored.
51
Then :s1t6. as he finished, aUui:led Arabantship, And
when sb!;l pomlt:nlLl QIJ her victor,)', !lhe exulted in tho
Muster's words . and Ilodd6U :
I, evcn I , have tieen, inside and out,
This uudy as in truth it really is,
\"'ho sought t o know the' what' and ' why ' of it,
\.yith zeal unfaltering and a rdour fi red. (H5)
for the body care I ne'-er mOl'e,
And all my consciousness is passion-free.
Keen with unfettered zeal, detached,
Calm Ulu.l serene I ta"te Nibbana's peace. (80)
XLII
Nanduttari.
She, too, faring in tho PMt liS the R!orememionea SisterA,
Ivas, in this Buddhil.-age, born in the kingdom of the KurllS
th!l lown of KlI.mmii.sadamm4,1 in a brahmin family.
And Wh61l she ha.d lea.rnt from IIOmo of them their arte and
lihe entered the Order of the Nigal)th9.B,2 a.nd, 118 II.
rtlDownetl l!l"'lloker, took her rcstl-apple bough, like Bhaddli
and a.bout the plain of Indirl.. Thus she
met Maha.MoggallulI!l \he Bld!lr, and in dobl1te euffered
defest. She thereupon listened to hi e a.dvi ce, enlered tho
Order, a.nd nOt long Anhll.nt.ship, t ogothor
I On thi. inh,,"ting pI"""" 8fl8 J.P. T.S., 1900, art. by Dr. Watanll.be.
I Lit., Ihe Unbound or Free Brelhreo-1.t . tbe Jain .
See Pa. xhi. The aUlobiogr&phie&1 evolution bin\ed at ill
of the fit. ill witr. the career Iket.ched in the
tradition .
58
O F TUE SISTERS
with thor()ugh grasp of thR letter and meaning of the Norm.
And medit!l.ting on her she exulted thus:
Fire and the moon, the stln and eke the gods
I once was wont to worship and adore,
Foregathering on the to go
Down in the waters for the bathing rites. (R7 )
Ay. manifuld observances I laid
Upon me, for 1 shaved one half Illy head,
Nor laid me down to rest save 011 the earth,
Xor ever broke my fast at close afday. (88)
I sought delight in decking ouL lIlyself
\Vilh gems and ornaments and tricks of art.
By baths. unguents, massage. I ministered
Unto this body, spuITed by lusts of sense. (89)
Then found I faith, and forth from home
I went into the homeless life, for I
Had seen t.he horly as it really is.
And ne\' ermore could lu!' t s of sense return. (90)
AU the long line of lives was snapt in twain,
Ay, every wish Ilnd yearning for it gone.
All that had tied me hand and foot was
Peace had 1 won, peace throned in my heart. (91)
XLlII
MlttakilI.l
She, too, fa.ring i n t he pas t as the a.forementioned Sisten.
in t his Buddhaera, born a t t he town of Kammli.sa.-
cli\mma 2in t he kingdom of the Kurus, in A. hrahmin' s family.
I I n t he Commentary t he is called M1Hiikalika (a dimlnut!ve form).
See P . l lii. , n. l .
M ITTAKA LI 59
Come to years of discret ion, she ga.ined fait h by bearing the
teiloching of the greaL Discourso on &h c Appl ica. t ions of Mind-
fulness,I cloUd cntored tho Ordor of Sis tors. For seven yecuB
she WBS liable to 0. fondnoss for gifte nnd hon our s, a.nd.
while doing the duties 01 a r ecluse, ahe was quo.rrclsOll le
HOW and again. Later 011 she wa.s reborn i ntellectullll y,2
and becoming a.mious she esta.blished insight , Bnd t here-
UpOIl soon won together with thorough gra/j p
of tlle Norm ill form and in meaning. Reflecting on her
victory, tliLtJ tlxuittlU ihu8:
Leaving my home t hrough call of faith, 1 sought
The homeless life, and dwelt with eye intent
On offerings from t he fait hful and the praise
Of this one and t he gratitude of that. (92)
The path of insight I neglected, t urned
From highes t good to follow baser ends.
1 lay enthralled to worldly vice, and naught
To win the goal of my high calling wrought, (tm)
But anguisb crept upon me, e\'en me,
Whenas I pondered in my little cell :
Ah me! how have I come into this n il road!
Intu the power of Craving have 1 strayed ! (H" )
Brief i;; the span of life yet left to me ;
Old age, disease, hang imminent to crush.
Now, ere thi s body perish and dissohc.
Swift let me be; no time han: I for slot h. (95)
And contcmplating. as they really are,
The Aggreg-atcs of life that come alld go,
I rose and stood with mind emancipate!
For me the Buddha's word had come to pass. (96)
, Ni k., i i., pp. 290 If.
, }'.mi.o a most unusu"l phrase lor mental growth.
A the ComlUcdn.r.y.
60 PSAL:\IS 0 1' THE SISTERS
XLIV
Sakuhi.1
Now sbe, at the t ime when Padumuttara was Buddha,
eame to birt h at HalJsQ.\'nti thf! daughter of King Ana.nda
and balf-sister of the Master, ann ",.BR named Nanda. One
day aho Silt li3tening to the Master, and heR.ring bim place
B Bbikkbuni o.t tho top of those who had the faculty of t he
, Heavenly Eye: aho vowod that tbis rank should ona day
be here. And alter lIlany good works and 8ubsequeut happy
rebirths, ahe came to being on oorth wben KII.81apa WA.S
Buudbu., Bf!i a brabminee, Bnd renounced t he wor ld as a
Wanderer,l VUWl:lll to a. solita.ry life. OD6 day sbe offered
her alm3 at the !llnine, making a lamp-offering all
night long. Reborn in tbtl ht:8v8n of the Three-and-Thi r ty
Gods, she became of Heavenl), Eye j and,
when this Buddha was living, she was burn a. bra.hmiDee at
Sivatthi, and called Pakula. Assisting a' the Maeter' ,
acceptance of the gift of t be Jetll. Grove, she uecame a
believer; and, later on, convinced by 'he preschiug of an
Arabant brother, she grew anxious in mind, entertld
Order, strove a.nd struggled for iosighh and Boon won
Arahantship.
Thereafter, in consequenoe of her vow, she accumulated
skill in the heavenly eight, and was assigned foremost place
'berein by . he MaEter. And reflecting thereon, thrilled
with gladness, she exulted tbus :
While yet I dwelt as matron in the house,
I heard a Brother "p.tting forth the Norm.
I SAW that Norm, the Pure, the PMsionless,
Track tu Nibbana, past decease and birth. (91)
1 Called S ...ku\G. in the A"'Bnttuli. (i. 25), but Pakulit in COlflentary
""d Appendix.
, Paribbdj"'''" Cj. Rl: y. Dal'iJI, Buridhil l T" ditl, p. 141.
SAKL'LA
'l'hCI'eat I left my daughter, left my son,
I left Iny treasures and my !'; t ores of grai n;
1 cuJled for robes ;lIld cut my hair,
And gat me forth into the homeless life. (98)
And first as nO\'ice, ,,-irtuous and keen
To cultivate the upward mounting 'Yay,
I cast flllt lll"t and with it Itll ill-will,
61
.And therewi th, one byoue, the deadly Drugs. 1
Tht:n to the Dhikkhuni of ripening power
Rose in a. \'ision mem'rics of the past. 2
Limpid clear the mystic vistas grew,
Expanding by persist ent e xe['{' ise. (100)
Act , speech and thought I saw ns not mvself' 3
Children of cause, fl eeting. ,
And now, with every poisonous Drug cast out,
Cool and serene 1 see Nibbana's peace_ (101)
XLV

She. was born at the t ime when Padumuitara was
Buddha, in e. clansmAn's family. One day
she sa.t hRtenmg to t he ;\fAster, and hearing him place a
1 In Pa.li, Bimply '\.IIo\,e:
powell here briefly illdirn.t.ed M the cul minating Ilagn of
l 'lJ,1 or PahR(I . See Diawgur, of tlu. n " ddha, I., p, 124 (H 14. 16).
aud P"u'''' , and cl. :r:..
Paralo di n,; , lit., b."ln8 leGn .... Oth .... -i .... , y. tbc Commcll..
Ihe Pil&ku (I.g .. Majjlt . Nik., I. 1>(0) ... without Soul Or
go. book peei', compound, of act, word, and Ihoueh'
a. f Q.t1khara',.
, For an ullCondensoo acmounl from t he 4/'al'.Ortan41iiTtl !I I, _
Mr DOOo, op. cit., pp. 71jtj /.
62 l'SAUJ.S OF 1'11 SI STERS
BhikkhunI at the top of those dilitinguisbed lur ca. pacity of
effor t, she vowed tbo.; this rank should on e dRy Lo
And aftar ma.ny happy rebirths, she came to beillg, when
tbis Buddha. lived, in a clansman's famil)' a.t Sava.Hhr. She
became, when ma rded, the mother of ten Bonn and da.ughter""
and was known as 'the Many-offspringed.' Wben her hu..-
band renounced the world, she BC; her 80llB and daugh\era
over the bousehold, handing over all her fortune tober BOOS,
and keeping nothing for herself. Her 80ns and daughters-
in-law had not long supported her beCore thEy ceased to
show her respect. And saying, What bave I to do ,,itll .
li\:ing in 0. bouse where no regard is shown me?' she
enterfld the Order of Bhikkbunis. Then she thought: f I
bave lAIt the world in myoid a.ge; I must work strenuously.'
So, while Abe w(l.h,ed Oil the Bhikkhunis. she reBolvad al80
to give herlleH religious studies all night. And she studied
thus, steadfAst Ilnd unfaltering,lls one might cling doggedly
to a pilla.r on the "Manda, or to a tree in tbe d(uk. for fear
o f bitting one'li bellt'l against obstacles, never letting go.
Theroupon her stran non R Anergy became known. and the
Mae:er, seeing h er knowledgA maturi ng, Beot fort h glory,
and o.ppeo.ring II.S if sested be for e her, IIBid thus:
, The man wbo, living for an hundred yean,
Beboldeth never tbe Ambrosial Path.
Hail. better live DO longer lha.n one daJ,
So he behold within d .. y, th .. t rAth 1"
And when bo had thus spoken, she attsined Anhnnt3hip,
Kow, the Ell\ltocl One, in IUisigning rAnk of merit to the
BhikkbuDi8. placed ber lirat for capacity of One
dt\)' , IJOndering bereon, sha exulted thus '
'ren sons nnd da.aghters did T bear within
This heollp of visible decny. Then weak
And old 1 drew near llhhikkuni. (102)
She taught to me the wherein I lenmt
I See PI. lxiii PII, :U.I., UIviii .
80:\..\
The factors, organs, bases of this self,
Impermanent compound. H earing her words,
And cutting off my hair, I left the world. (lOa)
Then as I grappled with the threefold eourse,l
Cleal' shone for me the Eye CelestiRI.
08
I know the ' how' and' when' I came to birth
Down the long and where it WBS I livcd. (104)
1 cultivKte the and my mind
In uttennost composure concentrate.
Mine is the ecstasy of freedom won
As Path merges in Frni t, and Fruit in Path.3
Holding to nought, I in Nibbana Ii I'e. ( 105)
This five-gruuped being hnve I understood,
Cut from its root, all onward growth is stayed.
I too am stayed, victor on basis sure,
Immovable,4 Rebirth comes never more. (106)
XLVI
Bhaddii. the ex-Jaln,i
She, kia, was reborn, when PadumuUar!i. wa1 Buddha, at.
in a claosman's familv. One dav she Sll.\
iog the Master. and h6lloring h"im place; BhikkhunI
top of those whose intuition was swift. sbe vowed that
t.
18 rank sbollid one day be hera, After working mueh
, See PI. iv. , Pt. urI. ,(6.
l 'nm,
I Lit., ' I am without ionGinl!' born of , stable ba.8e.' Possibly the
P'RlIage, of whieh ther.J ue Illany corrupt \'nrinnts, rna .. have b<!en
a",hi, I am immovo.bt .
v -tell M the II. lIusion t o her in PI!. lUi. an
8">(1) of the chwuicle, lee 101n. op. cit., pp. 777 f,
64 PSAL;\ IS Uf' THl': SI STERS
merit, and exporionci ng ooons of rebirth among Sods and
men, ahe becmne, whon KBssapa WQS Buddha., Onl; of tho
f1aven da.ughters I of Kiki. King of Kiiei. And for thou-
Band yelus
2
she kept the precopts, DDd hui H 8 cell for the
Order. Finally, in this Buddhll.' 6rB, sho was horn nt Riija-
gulla. , in the family of the king'8 treasuror, and called
Bhaddii.' Growing up surrounded by attendants. abe sow,
looking thr ough tun lattice, Sntthuka., the chaplain'! eon, a
highwayman, being Itl(,1 to execution by tbe tity guard by
order of the kinS. Falling ill love wi\b him, eh., fell prone
on her couch, snying: 'If I get hiw, I "ball Jive ; if not, I
shall die.' Then h6r father, hearing of II1;c out of hill
great love for het, bribed the guard heavily to rl:l16l lolHl 101:1
thie1. let him be bathtid with perfumed water, adorned him,
and let him come wbere Bhaddli, decked in jewel!!,
upon him. Then Satthuka very soon coveted her 1ewels,
and sa.id; Bhadoa, when the city guards were taking me
to the Robben' Cliff, I vO'Ged to the CIi!! deily that if my lite
were spared I would bring a.n offering. Do you make one
ree.dy.' Wishing: to please him, she did so, Bnd adorning
herself with all her je1\o'els, mounted II. chariot with him,
and drove \0 the Ciifl And Salthuka, to have her in his
power, stopped the attendants; and ta.king the offering,
went up alone with her, but spoke no word of affect ion to
her. And by hie behaviour she discerned his plot Then
he bp.de her tAKA off her outer robe and wrap in it the
jeweh ,he was wsaring. She asked him what had she
done and be 'You fool, do you ls ncy I
havo como here to make ofi'erint;? I have come to get your
ornament;: 'But whofie, then, dell!' one, are the orna-
menh, and wboso am I ';>' ' I know nothing of that division,'
So be it, dear; but grant me thi a one wish: let rnA, while
wearing my jewels, embrQ(lo you.' He consented, Baying :
, Very well.' She theroupon embrlleed him in front , and
I:UI if embracint; him from the bllck, pu, hed him o"er
! Sao xii .; COllllllent&ry, n. 1.
, The aVefa::6 spall of life in Kuu&pa Duddha'. en (Di9.ln N., iL),
, See Pa. :nUll,
BHAonA K U!:"I?ALAKESA, THE EX-JA1N
05
tbe precipice. And the d6-ity d-.velling on lh6 l)Jotm'ain saw
her do tbiil and prailled ber cleverneiB, saying;
Not in 6"111'.)" C&l6 i6 Man the wiser 1I,'er;
'VoW&n, klo, ..... hen l\Iiift to see, may prevII!\.II dll 'eI'.
Not ill IIYIIQ' ('ue i8 Ma.n the wisor reckoned;
WVI.ll ...... , L ...... , i. ciu!!!, liU .bu think a
Therea fter Bhaddi. thought; I cannot. in this course of
events, go home ; I will go henee, and leave the world: So
she enlered the Order of the Nigal)thaB,l And they R.IIkAd
ber : ' I n whAt grAdA do JOu rnll.Ke r enunciation ?' In
ie yonr edreme grade: IIhe replied, ' perform thll. t
on me.' So they tore out her hair with :l. palmyra comb.
(Wben the hair grew nga.in in close ourlll t hey enllad her
Cprlybair,) During her probation aho learnt thei r course
of doctrine Bnd concluded thnt; So far BS they go they
know, bOYOlld that there ill nothing distinctive in their
teaching.' So she left them, and going wherever there
learned persons, ehe learnt t heir methods of know-
ledge till, whoa foulld equs.1 tu Ut>batll with her,
shll ma.de H. heap of Bs.nd a.t the gate of some villnge or
town, and in it Bet up the branch of a rosee.pple. e.nd told
children '0 watch nenr it, Baying; Whoever is able to join
ieeue with me in debBte, let him trample on this bough.'
'Ihen ehs went to her dwelling. and if af'sr n week the bough
still stood, she took it and departed.
Now at that time our Exalted One, rolling the wheel of
tbe excellent doctrine, came Bnd dwelt. in the Jeto. Wood
near Savatthi, just when Co.rlyhair hod set up her Oough
tbe gaie of that city.
'rhen the venerable Captai n of the Norm! entered the
city alone, aDd, seeing her bough, felt tho wish to tame
her. And he asked the children; 'Why ie thi s bouSth stuck
up here l' They told him. The Elder Baid; ' If that is so,
trample on the bough: And children did GO. Then
Curlybair. sfter seeking her meal in the town, cnwe ont
I 800 Pa. xlii.
I Tbe rClen('d for th. Apotlile ::);iripu:t.',
66 PSAL'IS 01" THE SI STt:ns
and saw the trampled bough, and Baked who had dODe it.
When she beard it was the Elder , sh e thought. ' An unsup-
por tell debate is not effective; and going back in:o Sivatthi,
she walked from street to street, !lsying: 'Would ya I;8e a
debate between the Siikysn and myself '/' Thus,
with a grea.t following, she went up 00 the Captain of the
Norm, who was seated beneath a t rtl6, and, aftor friend ly
greeting. Baked: Was it by your order!! that my roee-nppla
bough WQ3 trampled on ?' Yes, by my ordere.' 'That
being BO, let us have II. deba.tEl" t ogether, ' ' Let us, Bhnddii.'
'Wbich shall put questions, which shall "' Dllwer 9' ' Quea-
ti ons put to me; do you ask- you YOl1nelf t.bink
of.' They proceeded thus, the Elder answering everything,
till IIhe, ullable to t hink oi flirt her questions, becawe silent.
Then the Elder said: 'You have asked much ; I, too, "ill
Bilk, but only ,bis question.' 'Ask it, lord.' ' OOIl-what
i, tbat?'l Curlybair, seeing neither end nor point to Lbie,
WBS alone gonA i nto the dark, aod said: ' I know not,
lord.' Then he, AR.ying, 'You know not even thus much.
no"" Bhould you know aught else ?' taught her 'he Norm,
She fell his feet, saymS: Lord, 1 take refuge witb you,'
'Elia1J "am" ki,! or more fully,' What i l tbo.t which III ClOned
\named) "ooe" l' The Jaioe do not tel ha\'e been any wore
monistically or panti:eilllcally inelined thiUl Ibe .Buoldbilta, bonce
pOIslbly her lack of ready reply. The .yliLoellll .100 il laid to have
acquired C&Dnol. well oove illcluol .. d tilo mere eR<:lteri c and more
jealou.ly ruan "dd Brahulionic lore. I t i, diffi cdt (thErwille to i:nagine
her at ,ueh & lUll" unleu it "'''" 01 the ntreille vagut ne58 of
the qut:slion. ' I n the hflginning 'hero wal Ooe only.' .. , Be i.
ooe, ho become. Ihree . . . five,' ete. 'All tbing. beeome ona 111
prijnl,' e.nd 110 on :-the oldest Up.nj,bad, give plfOtl of 6uch M .... cn
lIlay have known tb:1I monlsw, but 0"'-0 Geen no <lnd
or point in it, u a finrere Jain, .be rojcottd it_ N would
Apostle hue wiabed for .. llrahm"nie Nply. all occr;aion
to be improved UpOIl. Ho would be nlore in:ernted b the !lnalylia
Md cl ...... ifkation of phenoln"nII. beRrinl( on the c;hieal life. Thu., in
tile .. ncionl the Khudd!l.k,ap;lthn., the a.etuaHJ aceu,.:
Eho. "';"'4 But the answer is, ' All hein,. are i u.tu.lned loy fuod.'
Hence ' the point ' reaJlI w"e, State any OM jl1-ct tnll;> for tho whole Cl f
any (me cI,UIS of things. lef. A.ng. Nik., '. W, f>q
BH.o\DDA THE EX.JAIN
67
, Come Dot to me, Bbadthl, tor r efuge; go for refuge to the
Exalted One, supreme &Dung mac and gode.' I wi ll do
so, lord,' she sa.id; Bnd tbat Ilvening, going to the Master
at the hour of hi B tGBching 'he NlJrm, and worahipping him
she stood on one side. The l'If.n.stllr,Jiscerning tbe mMuri tr
of her knowledge. said :
, Bctvr a IhoOBlI:J.d ver, os, where no profit wwgs the word,
18 a 50lilary stl.nU bringing calm "od pe(l,.Ce when heard:'
And when he ba.d spoken, ehe attained Arn.hILntshi p
together witli thorough graep of tbe Jetter and the Rpiril
Now she enterllu the Order a.l! lion Aru.hant, the Master h im.
self her. And going to \he Sisters' quarters, she
abode m the bliss or lruition and Nibbonu, snd Bruited
in ber attainment thul! :
Hairless , dirt-laden and half-clod 2 --1'0 fared
I tormerly. deeming t hat harmless things
Held harm, nor was I 'ware of harm
In many things wherein, in sooth, harm lay. ( J 07)
'I'hen forth I went from siesta in the shad e
Up to the Vulture's PeaK,S and there I saw
The Buuuha, the I mmacula.te. begirt
And followed by the Bhikkhu-company. (lOB)
Low my knees 1 worshipped, With both hands
Adormg. Come, Bhadda!' the Master said I
Therehy t o me was ordination given.
4
(109)
I Dhammap4d4, ver.lOl.
t Lit., having one gannen, or cloak. Tbe NlpJ.l\h&1
(Di4logllt'. oj Ih<! 221).
k -' iWJH.I..J:'I" 611. vatthi had it. Vclture'iI (Gijjhll'
o.a weU Ga R5.jn;aha itl MagWbA; but the l!l.tter peak is the one
me!ltioned, a:ad it seems Clore prob,ble that Cudybair's legend
,
eIa bM!I (hRdly) fithd on to a.oether Bhadda:'1 rulm. C" PM. xlii
&10 Ps xlv' I ' TL- J. . ,
. II., 1W, .'" (' omlllentak)r ill ailent on the paint
th' Great importance cawe kI he attached to , cue of -in
De CI.6e, C.' 11 woma.n-bJ' t he direcl, Ga Will thil.
end. hi, with p, Dote upon it .
68 PS,\I. :\IS Ut T HE SI STERS
L a I fifty yeal'S ha vc 1 fL pilgrim been,
In Anga, l\lagadha lUid in Vajji,
1 n Kasi and the land of Kosala,
Nought owing, iivin,!.:" on the people's alms,1 (110:1
A nd great the merit by that layman gained,
Sagacious man, who gln-e Bhnddrr :.t rnbe-
Bhadda who now ( cll.ptin once more to
Is wholly free from bUlillage of' the mind. ( Ill )
XLVII
She, too, was reborn, when Podumuttara was Buddha,
at HilolJaav80tl, in 80 ehm!man's family. One day she IIIl.t
listening to Lh\l Uaster, IIond hearing him pineo a Bbik-
kbunI top of thulitl who were verlled in the rules of tho
Order , sbe ,'owed that ttlis rank onc dllY be
After doing good all her Iifl , and reborn in heaven
and on earth, she gained rebirth, in the tiwt! when liassapa
was Buddha, as one of tbe seven Sistere, da.ughterll (,If Kiki,
King of KaeL2 And for 20,000 years she Ii\'ed a liIe uf
righ;eousneE's, and built a cell for the Order . While no
BuddhEl. lived on earth she dwelt in gloty among the gada,
and finally, in this BuddhB. ere., was reborn in the
Treasurer' s house SIt\'El.Uhi. Grown up, s he formed an
intimacy with one of the serving,wen of her house, When
the parents fixed a day on which to give her hand to a
I That, from .n ElUterll Btandpolnt., Ineutnu IlO debt ae the
people'B pe!isione!, but IllO'" Liu ... up,.jd Ih..,i, eha.tity by gi ving thlln
vV!X'I"tunitiu fat eloQrin, u>eril, i. wdl mown in thA follnwing linM.
t ThUI, of I1h .. rlri:'l Curlyloc:h. or, rather. of tbe
panolla.\ a:lteeedent of and of five olher eminent women.
See PI. xii., fl.; Ind cj. Mr . Bode, op. "it., pp. f. ; and Jilh.ka 4,
.Duddhill Birth StoMe,. pp. lSS/.
69
of her own ronk, sho t ook Il. ho.ndful of baggage, and
"'It" her lovor lolt tho town by chief gate and dwelt in
1\ haID.let. \Vhen time for ber confinem6nt WIl S noar,
she stud: ' Here t.here'e noue take care of me: let \18 go
home. hlillband: And he procraetinated, sa.ying: 'We'll
go to-da.v j we' ll go tomorrow ' WI ehe 8aid: The foolieh
will neYer take we there'; Bild ber affaire
in crder while lit! WH.I:I out, told htlr neigbbollfH w say
s!le Imu gout! bO!.Utl, H.utl furtl! alone. When he came
bnc: .. and was he sxclaimed: 'Through my doing
S Icdyof rank is without protection,' and hurrying after
her, overtook ber. Midway ' he pains of birth eame upon
her, and a fter she was reco'fered, they turned back again to
the hamle.to. At advsnt of a second child things
bappened Just as before .. with this difference: when mid.
way the winds born of Karma blew upon hel} a great
storm broke o';er tbem, and she said, ' Husband, find me a.
pI.aee ?m of rAiD !' While he was cuUing grass and
stIcks In tbe Jungle, he cut n. stake from a tree standing in
an ant -hil l. And a sIlake came from tbe ant-hill and bit
him. so he le.n there and disd. She, in j:( root misery,
and lookmg for hIS coming, while , he two babies cried at
the wind and the rain, placed thorn in her bosom. and,
prone over :hem on the ground, tlpenl the night thus. At
da\\n, bell.nng one babe at her breast, and saying to the
other, 'Come. dear, father has left thee.' sbe went and
fo?nd him seated, dead, near the ant-heap, 'Oh I' Ahe
cned, 'through me my husband is dead,' A.nd wept and
lamented all thA night. Now, from thA rain, r iver that
acrma her pR.th WflR swollen knes-deep, and IIhe, ooing
and weak, could not cross the water with both
babl As, So she left the elder on the hither side and
crmAed over witb the other_ Then she lipread out a b:a.nch
shA had broken off, and laid the babe on her rolled bcn.d_
cloth . But she "'9.3 loth to leave the li ttlC' crooturo. and
turned round again and again to seo him ae aho went down
tn th .
e rner . Now, when ahe hu.lI-way over, 1\ hawk in
L When tbe pains of childbirth 8et in.
70
PSALMS 0 .1" THE SISTERS
tbe air took the bH.lffl lor a piece of fienh, and t hough the
moiber, seeing him. cla.pped her hand6, ohouting. '800 I
eoo!' the hawk minded her not, beCa. U86 she wne far from
him, and caught the child up into the a.ir. Then tho elder,
thinking the mother was because of bim, got
rtustered, snd fell into the riv,"r j IOU she 106t both, o.nd
came w811ping to Savatthi. And, meeting a ma.n, IShe llo SHOd
him: ' Wber6 do you dwell?' And he said: At Siva.tthi ,
dame.' ' There is ILt SaVo.ttbl such and BUCLI a famil y in
such Bnd such Ii street Know you them, fritmd ';I' I
know t hem, dame; but a.sk not of them ; Bek 80wtlwhat
else.' I am not concerned with aught else. 'Tie aoout
them I ask, friend.' 'Dame, ca.n you not take I n yourself to
tell ? You ea.w how the god ra.ined aU 188t ni ght l' I ssw
that, friend. On me he rained f. ll night long. Why.! will
tall you presently. But first, do you tell me of how H goes
wHh that Trea.suror's fa.mily.' 'Da.me, Jast night the bouse
broke down and fell upon t hem, and they burn the
Treasurer. his wife, and his 60n on onE pyre. Dame, t hs
Amoke of it can be seen.' Thereat grief maddened her, 80
that RhE was not aware even oi her elothing slipping off.
Wailing in her 'llfoe-
, My e:-tilcrell ooth lore gODIl , and iu bn.h
lill_ my bUlbani! ; on one fU"-IIral biu
My mother, 'D.,h"r, IUld my brothftr burn,'
sbe wandEred around from that day forth in circles, And
because her skirtcloth fell from her she was given the
nsme Cloak-walker.'l And people, stleing her, said : Go,
little mo.dwoman" And 80me threw refuse at her head,
Rome sprinkled dUB some pelted her with clode. The
Master. seatE:d in the Jets Grove. in tbe midst 01 a great
company, teeching the Dhamma, saw her wandering thus
round and rou nd, and contemplated the maturity of her
knowlAdge. When she came towards t he Vihara he aleo
walkel1 that way. The conj2;rega.tion, seeing her, said:
' Suffer not that little lunatic to come hither.' The Exalted
1 }'a!a, clolok j 4carJ, wlLlhr (lem. ).
PATACARA 71
One said: 'Forbid her not, ' and standing near e.a she
CIUDO round again. he said to her: 'Sider, recover theu
presonce of mino.'l She. by the sheer potency of the
Buddho. rcgo.ining prcaeneo of mind, disoorned her un-
dresseo plight, and shaDle and cOnBoienee o.riaing, sb9 fell
crouching to earth. A man throw hor his outer robo, o.nd
she put it round her, Bod drawing nea.r to the Mnsoor
worsbipped Bt hill feet. saying: 'Lord, help me. One of
lily chi ldren a hawk hath taken, 0011 is borne away hy
j in the jungle my husband lise dead; my parents
and ruy brother, ki Utlu by tLtI O\'erbhrowu bouae, burn OD
one pyre.' So she lold him why t:;rillvtlll . 'Ihe Mo.st.er
made her see, thns: think not t hou art COUlt: tv
one able to become a heJp to thee. Just as now tho II 11ft
shedding tears becauae of t he death of chil dren Ilona the
t9st, 80 bast thou, in the unending round of lite, been
sbedding tears, because of ths death of children and the
rast, mors abundanl than the waien of the four oceans:
. Leu &I'll 6e watl!n 01 !.bll ocean! ftlW'
Than aJl w.ut.e of ,.,a.ters Jhed in te&r9
By heart of WILll who mourDtth touched by ill.
Why v;a.sLe tby lilll brooding i n hiU.er woe ?'
Tbui , through the Mas\er', worda touehing the way
wbere no salvation lieG, the grief in her beeame lighter to
bear. Knowing this, he went on : '0 Pata.ea;ii., to ODe
passing to anolher world no child nor other kin iii able to
be a shelter or 0. hiding-plo.ce or a refuge. Not here, even,
un thoy bo euch. Thoroforo, loi whoso is wise purify hiB
own oonduct. and accompl ish tho Path loading evon to
Nibbo.na. ' rhull he taught ber, and so.id:
80m MIl sbelLer, nOl fa.lber, DOr a01 kinsfolk.
O'ertakeo hy death, for thee biood b(lod is DO l'6lugo.
Dlecerni og tbls the wi" man, well crdu-oo by virtue,
SWift ly make. cIt .. , l o.d leading on to Nihban .. .
Bedi il pI"" cODseiou,nus, in a reasonable bei::tg, of wha. t
II DOW doing. ' Thy I e80'50n' would be wore idiomatic EI . s:l!lll .
SI,", , htu (bl",y':ni , 1101 Dhikkh .. "i or Ther(t is hrm fo,' tho
blOl'ld.tii, or .. torm Qf
72 PSA,UIS OF THE SISTERS
When be had finished spea.king, she was esta.blished in
the fruit of a StreaID-wi nner,l and Bsked for ordina.tion.
The MastEr led her to the Bhikkhunls, and let her be
admitted.
She. exercising hErself to reach the higher paths, took
'Wat er one day in a bowl, Bnd washing her feel , poured
I.\'?'sy BOml1 of the water, which tri ckled hut II. little way and
disappeared. She poured more. and it went farther. And
the thi rd time the water went yet farther before it dis
appeared. Taking this as her basis of thought, ehe
pondered: F.wm 80 do mor tals die, either in childhood, or
in middle age, or 1I'hlln old.' And the Master, seated in tbe
'Fragrant Chamber,' glory around. and appeared ns
if speaking bef'ere her, 8RJ ing: f EVEn 80. 0 BtB
0. 11 mortnh liable to di e; therefor e it beiter to bave eo
Ih'ed a.e t o eoo how the five khandha.& come Rond go, even were
it bllt for one da.y- ay, but for one rooment---thIlD. to live
tor 6 hundred Jeara and not aee that.
The mao who, lhing for an hundred yean,
Eeboldtth never DOW thing. rise and frJ],
Ha.d bel\er live DO longer ma.n ODe day,
Eo, In day, h .. eee Ru" 01 tbings.'1
Ann when he had finillhed, Patacani. won Arahantahip,
together with thorough grallp of the Nor m in letter and in
spirit. TherAl.frer , reflecting on bow ahe had attained
wbile yet a Atudent. and magnifying tbe advent of this
upward change, she Axulted thus:
With ploughshares ploughing up t he fields, with
seed
Sown in t he breast of ell. rth. men win their crops.
Enjoy their gains and nourish wife and child. (112)
vVhy cannot I . whose life is pure, who seck
t The lint of tbe four potbs of lal"ation. Ant.h&nubip beiDa tbe
(ourth.
I ua..!ld.b<Jy". riIe.fall or coming.goin,. I bav, varied Ibe
"h .... M from line '2.
THIRTl. SISTERS U.:-o DEll PATACARA
'1'0 do t he Master's will, no sluggard am,
!\or pu/Thd up. win to Nibbana's bliss? (H3)
One day, bathing my feet, I sit and watch
The wnter as it trickles ('fown t he slope.
Thert:: by I set my heart in steadfast ness.
.As one dot h train a horse of Hohlt: Lreed. (114)
Then going to my cell, 1 take my lamp,
73
And seated on my couch 1 watch the flame. (115)
Grasping t hp. pin. I pull the wick right down
Into the oil. ...
1..0 r lite Nibbana of the lit tic lamp!
Emancipation dawns! My heart is free!1 (116)
XLVII1
Thirty Sisters under declare their ANNi.
They, too, having made vows under former Buddhas.
and accumulating good of age-enduring in t his and
'bat rebirth, coneolidaied the conditions for en;Janci patioD.
They came to birth, in this Buddhadispensatioo, in cl ans-
men's families in different places, heard preacb,
and were by her com'erted, and Eotered the Order. To
them, perfecting virtue and fulfilling thei r dutislJ, she one
day gave thiR ,",xhociation :"
Men in their prime with pestle and with quem
Are busied pounding rice and grinding com.
Men in their prime gather and heap up wealth.
I Lit., ' Tbere ,",u .. tion of Lhe heart' (or m.lnd). It i. DOt
ewy lo .vcid jej\lQeneu in rEndering failhfully Ihe lI.ultere !impli clty
uf thla IItlle poem, wherein tile tel'llla and. metaphou !let deb i Ii
IlIlport t.o u as tLey wo"lU i.H. to Ion early Buddhi.t.
I Of. ->th the follGwlng, PI. l"iii.
PSALl\IS OF THI": SISTERS
To ha.ve and nourish wife and ('hildren dear. ( 117)
But ye, my 5isters, see ye carry out
The Buddha's will, which bringeth 110
Swiftly bathe ) 'e your feet, then sit ye down
Apart; your souls surrender utterly
To spiritual calm-so do his will. (118)
Then thoBe BbikkbuDiB, a.biding in the Sister', edmoni-
tion, establishAd thAmselves in insight. performed exercises
therein, Rnn hronght knowledge ::0 such maturi ty- the
promise. too, being in them- that they aHainAd Arahant-
ship, together with thorough gT'Ii.sp of the Norm in letter
Gnd in epirit. And reflecting thereon, they ulllted ihuB.
Gdding the Tberi' s verse/! to their
The will of her who
The t hirty Sisters heard and swift obeyed.
Bathing their feet, they sat them dowl1 apart,
Alld gave their souls to spiritual calm.
Fulfilling thus the bidding of the Lord. (119)
While pa.,>sed the first watch of t he night. there
rose
Long memories of the bygone line oflives;
While passed the second watch, Heavenly Eye,
Purview celestial, t hey clarified;
While passed the last watch of the night. they
hurst
And rent aside the gloom of ignora. nce. (120)
Then rising to their feet they hailed her blest:
Fulfilled is thy will ! and thee we take.
And like to Sakka o'er the thrice ten gods.
, Onll IlOW. in the individual d:ord 8()undQd in thl. P .. llll and thM
neli certainly tho I.in on the loyalty 01 the SieWin to their
pru .. :nt Ui8tre fII.tber th&.o to t be a.bsent and te .. directly guiding
Muter.
CANDA 75
Chieftain unconquered in celestial wars,
\V c;: place t hee as our Chief, and so sha.1l1iye.
The threefold \VisUOIll have we gotten now.
From deadly drugs our are puri fied' (121 )
XLIX
Cands..
She, too, faring in former ages [ike the foregoing, was, in
this Bt:ddbaern, born in a. brahmin village as the da.ughter
of a. bra.hmin of whom nothing is known. From het child
hood her family lost its posseseiona, and she grew up in
wretehed circumsta.nces.
Now, in her home the sna.keblsst disease
l
broke out.
sod all her kinsfolk caught it. and died. She, being nn!l.ble
to sapport herself otherwise, wentlrom'hous6 to bOUB6with
a potsherd. maint!l.ining her self by alms. One dlLY she came
to where bad just .finished ber meal. The Bbik-
khuni!:i. seeing ber wretched ILnd overcome with hunger,
receivM her with affectionate l;indnes8 in the pity they fe"
for her , And h6r with 8uch food as they had.
Gladdened l1y their virt llnu!'. Flhe clrew n6Rr to the
Theri, saluted hel', Gnd gat down on one side while the
Theri She lilitened in delight, and, growing
anxiOUiI concer ning the r ound of life, renounced fhe world.
Abiding in the admonition, ,he eiitablished ineight,
devoted to pro.dioo. Then. beCs.uie of her resolve and of
the maturity of bor knowledgo, sho not long: a.fter woo
Are.bo.ntahip, thorough grasp 01 tho in tho letter
and the epirit.. And, refl ecti ng on hor attainment. she
\hulI;
Fallen on evil days \vas I of yore.
No husband had I, nor' no child. no fl'icnds
76 PSALMS OF THE SISTERS
Or kin - whence could I food or railUt::ut
find? ( 1.2)
As beggars go, I took my bowl and staff,
And sought me alms, begging frnm house to house,
Sunburnt, fmst-bitten, sc\'en weary years. ( 123)
Then came I where a woman Mendicant'
Shared with me food, and drink, and welcomed me,
And said: 'Come forth into our homeless life !'
In grA.cious pity did she let me come-
P ."'TAcARA- and heard me take t hp. vows.
And thenceforth words of wisdom and of power
She spake, and set befOft:: my face
The way of going to the Crown of Life.
2
(125)
I heard her and I marked, and did her will.
o wise and clear OUf Lady's homily!
The Threefold Wisdom have I gotten now.
From deadly drugs my heart is purified. (126)
I ehArr.1 of the poem lin in the poor 'l'VOnl&ll, an
invoil1lltuy benar in t!le wodd,' fortb,' a vo!unta.ry beggar,
inkl the higher M,ndicl.noy. and from the dreg. of living. by
worldly IkDdl.l'dl , ae:ting bend! loO win tb, cream of t halife of Mind,
I Lit. , thing of supreme import or
CANTO VT
PSALMS OF SIX VERSES
L
F1ve Hundred,l
TUE6I!i too, having fared un der formor Buddbae ail the
fortlgoing Sistare, were, in thi e raborn ill Borne
elacsIl.l4u'lI Louee in divers pla.ces, were married, nnd bore
children , li ving domt!lltie livee. And ha.ving wronght
karma. s uch a.s would bring to eueh a reault, tbey
sufferoo bereavement in the death of 8 child. Than they
found their way, overwhelmed whh grief, to a ud
ealuting bar, and seated by har, told her the manntir of
their sorrow. The Sist.er. restraining their sorrOW, s pake
t hul! !
The way by which men come we cannot know ;
Nor CIlII the path by which they go.
I P(I. (,ir,i r ii. Dr. Neu!Il llnn, who diuegu-d. the Com-
mllnw)' \hrougbout &I a mere exegel i. IUld 01 le!1.5 than no hil LOrlca1
V..tue, fl1ldel'1l paiCQ,fat.i by , of fi vefold-subtlety '-du ! ii"j,rml F,,',..,
_ a lii t.t.i.ug t um ,.. ' !lue who ha.o t ali ' (mew ory , mi .. df....u.eu, dil-
S .... ekdl . mr iU. I ba!iove th. up . ... ion p",lc(1JI(lbl
no ... I0."" eh .. ; nOr i. t here "n" ,th:ng in t he eathl'l 10 ju. lily tbe IOU
hriqulI'- Nor an; I ceneerned to the. to u., mytbical
I.blu:'dity 01 600 bereaved motheCII all fi nding thei r way to one woman,
UlUltriOQl teacher and benel! OO. e(l. \'lId mother thougb abe migbt be.
Five hundred, alld one or two more .ueb ' round numbeR,' are, lu
r..U, ' aOll.mount limpl y t o our ' dozen. ur II "Hn," In hundredfold,'
Illd the like. Dut, buidea this, t he phenoUloul of hugt citiee IIond
p:>pulation arono:, in co.,mtriu of andl!nt eivilUawon, m .. tten
01 yesterday'li growth, u in ollr _ ,
17
78 PSALlrs OF THE SISTERS
Why mournest then for him who came t o thee,
Lamenting through thy tears: My son! my
son!' (127)
Seeing thou knowest not the way he came,
Nor yet the manner of his. leaving
Weep not, for such is here the life of mUll. (128)
Unask'd he came, unbidden went he bence.
La I ask thyself again whence came thy son
To bide on earth this little breathing space ? (12t1)
By one way come and by another gone,
As man to die. and pass to other births-
So hither and so hence-why would ye weep 11 (130)
They, hearing her doctrino, were fill ed with agitation,
and, under Theri , renoLlDccd tho world. Exerciainf!;
j,hemaelvee henceforth in insight, their faoulti es growing
ripe for emancipa.tion, they 800n became 6eto.blishod in
Arahsnhhil'. with thorough grsllp of the Norm in form and
in meaning. pondering on their at tai nment,
'lihey eIuhed in those wunls, Tbe WBy by ""bich men come,'
adding thereto other verses, awl repeating tbem in tUrn, 811
follows:
Lo t from my heart the hidden shaft is gone,
The shaft that nestled there she hath removed;
And that consuming grief for my dead ch ild
Which poisoned all the life of me is dead. (1 31)
I Thll .harp contra, t between thi. ehant of cOllflOb,tion .nd that
wbich any other religioul anthology aliord. it luttidently interf13ting.
But if t!lll burden of the chant, in itl varied be imaglned, 00\
tripped Cltr on thE tongue of &. cheorful ctltle or a dilllipVruviulf olher
believer, but uttered In gran., wncler . c<lInl ", (orni ng froln III he ..... t th ... t
'eh inwII"eiy beu use i t hlL<i 10 achlld, alL<i frOIl! mind th'" unde .. tood
Iud Wa< therefora Ml'f!ne , Even 110 might Bouj;(uunu'l '\'ieIf:'O
spenk, i'lor j;(relLt wise eyea lookin!; forth over the angui8hcd
bereaved .iec.er flung on her whHo the deal! child lin below .. t her
r .. ,
To-day my heart. j" healed, my yearning stayed.
PerJected the delive rance wrought in me.
l
1.o ! I for refuge to the Buddha go_
79
The only wise- the Order and the Norm.
2
( 132)
Now, because those :;00 BhikkhuniB were versed in the
te3.cbing of Paj.liciirii, Ulerefore tbey got 'he name of The
Patacara's.
LI

She, too, faring under former Buddhas like the tore-
going, was, in tbis Buddhaera, reborn in a clao,man's
family at VeeA)i. Her parents gave her in marriage La a
clansman' s BOD of equal rank, and sbe, bearing one son,
lived happily with ber husband. But when the child was
&bleto run a bout, he died ; and she was worn and maddened
with grief. And whi le the relatives were administering
healing to the husband. she. unknown to them, ran away
rll.ving. and wandered round and round till ahe came to
Mi'hili. Thera ahe eaw the Exa.lted Ona going down the
ned street, 86lfeontrollerl, sslf eontA. inen, mARter of hill
faculties. And at the sigM of the wondrous Chief;' And
through the potency of the Buddha. abe regained her normal
mind from the frenzy that had befallen her. Then the
Master tauSht her the Norm in outline, and in agitation
IIhe Ilsl:ad him that abe might snter the Order, and by !Ji.i
sho wae ndmitted. Porforming all requiei te
duties and proliminariee, she oeta,bliahod insight u.nd
j , ,
s n ting with might and main, and with ripening know-
ledga, ehe soon Arahaniship, togflther with thorough
, ParinIObu/.tl, 0/. nr, 58, 3 Cj. p. 40, n S, 3 See F . iJix.
Nelga, .. term not Beldom appliod to a grelLt anti myBtorioul pEr.
I can fi nd no El'lglilb elluLvalent.
80 PSAUI S 01" T HE SISTERS
graep of the Norm in form and in spirit . ReSecting on
her c.ttEl.inm6ut, ahe exulted thus :
Now here. now there, lighthp.lLrled, crazed with grief.
Mourning my child, I wundered up and down,
Naked, unheeding, streaming hair unkempt, (133)
in scourings of the streets. and where
The dead lay stili, and by the chariot -roads-
So three years long I fared. starving, athirst. (134)
And t hen at last I saw Him, as He went
" ' ithin that blessed city 1\1 ithilii :
Great Tamer of untamed hearts, yea, Him,
The Very Buddha, Bnnisher of fear. (135)
Came back my heart to we, my errant mind;
Forthwith to Him I went low worshipping,
And there, e'en at His feet 1 heard the Norm.
For of His great compassion on us all,
''Twas He who taught me, even G OTA:\IA. l (186)
I heeded all He said and left the world
And all its ca.res behind. and gave myself
To follow where He taught, and realize
Life in the Path to g reat good fortune bound. (137)
Now aU my sorrows are hewn down, cast out,
Uprooted. brought t o utter end.
In that I now C'ln g rasp and understand
The base on which my miseries were built. (138)
I More tbln once in Ibe6e '\"enet-nn'et , I belie\'e, in PI'Ol8- Ih'
family nsrue of t he Bllddha i. !;Bed b, lhe f&it hful -t.g., 1' . Ii\'.
81
LII
Khema.
Now she, when Padumutt ara was Buddha., ullcame a
eleve to others, for her livelihood on oth!! fll,
HalJeavati. And one day, lIeeing the Elder, Suja.ta, seeking
alms, she gave him three eweet cakes, and at the same time
took down her hair
l
and gave it to the Elder, saying:
, May I in the fd ure become a disciple, great in wisdom, of
a Aher ma.ny fort unate rebirths a6 (,J ueen among
both gods and men, for that ehe had wrought good karma
to tbe uttermost, sha became a human, whan Vi pae6i
s
W88
Buddhe. Renouncing the worl d, she became a learned
preacber of the Norm. Reborn, when Ke.kusandhe. was
Buddha, in a wealthy family, she made a great park for the
Order, and deli vered it over to the Order wilh the Buddha
at their head. Sbe did t his again when KOf.1p.gamana was
Bllddhll . When K&eBapll was Buddba she beea.me tbe
elde!!! dBughter of Ki ng Kiki,3 named Samaf.1 i, lived a pioue
life, and gave B /'!All to the Order. Finally, in this Buddha
era. ah e wag bor n in 'M A.8I1. ohll.. at a. s one of the King' e
family, and named Khemii. . RAR.u t iful, and with skin like
gold, sbe became the consort of King Rimhi8li.ra.. While
the \laster was at t he Bamboo she, being intAt ufl.tOO.
with h6t own bGauty, ,",ouill not So t o see him, fearing he
would look on this o. s 0. fault in hsr. The KiDg bade peraons
prailo the Grova to her to induce her to vii it H. And
accordingly she naked hi m to let her Bee it. The King went
t o the Vihii.ra, and seeing no Master, but determined that
she should not Sf!' away, h6 instructed his men to lot the
I The usual word ' CUI off' il not used.
! Firat. of the nvcn of the Pitakas. See Dialogut. of lite
Bud4ha, ii. 3. I See Ps. xii. C/o PlI. .
PrUenled by Billl blsi\ra to the Order, six mil e. from n '\jag&h!lo.
F or . fIlor .. d" l .. or this Atory (I slightly condensed n
.lighll
y
I" detailed origin. I), . ". M". Bod". J.R.A .S., 189:J, p. 529 ff.
82 OF THE
Queen aee Him of the Ten PowElrs, even by constraini ng
her. Ar.d this t.hey did I\' hen the Queen was about to leave
withollt weeting the Mnster. A.8 they brought her reluctant,
the by mystic potency, conjured up 8 woman like
a celut.ial nymph, who stood fanning bim with I\- palmyra
leaf. And Khemii., seeing her, thought: Verily i be B:talted
One has around him women as lovely as goddesses. I am
not fit even to wllit Up011 sueh. I 8m undone by to! base
and mifitl\Ken notions !' Then. as she looked, that woman,
through the RtefLdfast will of Master , passed from youth
to middle age and olJ age. till, with broken teeth, grey hair,
and wrinkled skin ... he f .. 11 to earth with her pe.lm!eaf.
Then Kbemi., OOCQIl86 of her ancient OOSO\ V8, thought:
Hae Buch " body come to he II. wreck like that? 'l' hen &0
will my body Bi ro l' And the lfn.s tl3r, her thoughts,
sa.i d :
'Tbey ....be aJ'1! .Ia,,. t<l h .. Jri (t dnwn the BtUlW,
Lib '0 A RpidBl down thl! 1', eb
He of him,eil ha, wrought . 13ut the released,
Who All their bonda h .. ,'o l uapt in ,wAin,
'Vith thougbtB e!attw!1ert intl'nl, tcnake world,
And &1l delight in leme put fII,r away:'
The Commentariee RSy that when he had fini3hed, she
aUained Arahantship, kigel.he.r with thorough grasp of the
Norm in form and mea.ll ing. Bnt sccording to the Apadii.na.,
sho was establiBhed only in the F r uit of ODe who has entered
tbe Stroo.w, and, the King consenting, entered the Order ere
she becamo o.D Aro.bant. z
There&fter sho bcco.me known for her great iniligbt, and
was ranked foremost by the. Exa.lted One, seated in
the concl!love 01 Ariyans at tho Joto. Grove Vihira.
And a!: she .at one day in under a tree, Mara the
Evil One, in youthful ehape. drew ncar, bel' with
BeD8UOUli idll1l.6 :
1 Dh .. IlJlnap.da, Ye r. 841.
I Tho Apa.di\D" u n ion in ninety-two Hue-eollpletl i. ;hen quoted.
Arahlt.nc..hip Qnttide the Order wu \'e17 ru c, though DO' unknOWn.
KHEMA
88
ThOll 11 rt fair, and tife is young, beauteoll s Khemilll
I ant young. cvcn I, t oo-Come, 0 fairest lady I
in our ear fi vt:fold harmonies murmur melo-
dious.
Seek we OUf pleasure.' (139)
Through this body vile. foul seat of disease and
eormption,
Loathing I feel. and oppression. Cra"ings of lust
are uprooted. (140)
Lusts of the body and sense_mind
2
Ctlt likp. daggers
and jtweJim.
Speak HuL to me of delighting in aught of sensuous
pleasure !
Verily all such va.ni ties now no more may delight
me. (141)
Slain on all sides is the love of the world, the fl esh.
and the deviJ.3
Rent asulIll t::r the gluom of ignorance once UUl.t
beset me.
Know this, 0 Evil One ! Destroyer, know thyself
worsted ( 142)
Lo 1 ye who blindly worShip constellations of
heaven,
Ye who fostering fire in cool grove. wait upon
Agni,
Ignorant urc ye nil, ye foolish and young, of the
Reul,
Deeming ye thus might find purification from
evil.' (143)
, In the lexl thll mu.u lloka uletrE is employed.
I . the Khar. dhl.$. Clr !il' /) constitucnts m.e.kinl': up a penon UDder
eond!tlO:'li of
: Na"di, d(llight. wore or lel8 l()ve of all t hree.
Tuuc IWO Iinel, which are turgidly ampli6ed, run ID
8>
J' 5AL-:\fS 0'" THE SI STF."RS
Lo I as for me I worship th' Enlightened , the
Uttermost Human, l
Utterly free from all sorrow, doer uf Buddha's
commandments.' (1.J.4)
LUI
Sujita.
She. too, having made her resolve under former Buddhas,
and accumulating good of age-enduring efficacy in this and
that rebirth, and consolidating the conditions for
emancipa.tion. was, in this Buddha-ers, reborn at Saket a, in
the Treosurer's family. Given by her parente in marriage
a TrIl8.8ur'Jr'e 80n of rank, she lived happily wit h
him. Going ons part in an Astral }' e6tiva.l : in
1
the returning wi th her attendants
to the ' Olll'n, when, Aiijana Grove. she ss w the
Master and her heart hOling drawn to him, she drew near,
did and 88aten ,The
hi! diacourB(! lD order, .. __
llilnG;t:G nded \h her in an in8pi ring Jesson.
' nteUieeneedl1 ull )U'1'ipe. h8Fe'l&Jl
... 1Ibe--- ___ , togetHer Wltb roqgh
gtiBILo( \he Norm in form the
Ma.8ter, a.nd going home, Bhe obta.ill Bd bu.bann II and
her consent, a.nd by command of the WRII
to th6 Order of Bbikkhunia. Rellectwg on ber
a.inment, .he exulWKl t.hus;
teneae .. y .. fool i.th young ODM. who kr.ow nOC
1\.11 \hey nail, havi eome to hI!, [thou ye hive faneitd \0 be
puri& .. tion' (IIUtUhi),
t p"n.ulta1l'l0.' SDpreme among men.'
I Nakkhattakfla!1> ccnsteJ\s tio:llports, CJ. ver se 148 in the pte ,
cedillg Paalm.
SU.rATA "5
Adorned in fi nery, in raiment fair,
In garlands wreathed, powdered with sa.ndalwood,
Bedecked with all my j t: welry, bt:gil't (145)
\ ith t roop of handmaidens, and well-supplied
"Vith food solid and soft, and drink enow,
From home 1 drove me to the fair pleasaunce, (146)
There did we sport and make a merry time,
Then gat us once more on the hornewnrd way.
So entered we t he grovt: cal1eu Ai'ijana,
Hard by Saketa, where amidst the trees
Stands t he Vi hara [of t he holy men). (147)
Him saw I sitting there, Light of the VV orld,
And went into his presence worshipping.
And of his g reat compnssion for IlS all,
H e taught to me t he Norm- the One who
Sees! (148)
Forthwith I , t oo, could pierce and penetrate,
Hearing the truth taught by the mighty Seer,
For t here, e'en as I sat. my spirit touched
l
The Norm Immaculate. th' Ambrosial PAth. (149)
Then first it was I left the life of home,
\ Vhen the blest Gospe12 I had come to know
And now t he Threefold Wisdom have J WOD.
o wi tSt: awl the bidding of the Lord J (ISO)
I Thi. ill ... nnther .uhlle d rake 01 &rt iatr,.. to let the t'inud emph!VIil
in t h" poem. cQl mi nate in til" intenlMr met&phor of tOU(lll , Seeing i.
hdieving. but tollCh il the ru i t hing,' Tbe word i, frequently 10 u.oo.
in t he I'i ta.k.." bu' wilhout the tb&OlOphical mYlticilm of the N80-
p!&tcnic ..
S",d,l1, .. ml1lQ. 9004 wad.! illg (' '''''nA, o.). Q.ot, 01 oourae,
God', ' Ipcll.'
86 PSALMS OF THE SISTERS
LIV
Anopama..
ShA. too, bg,\'ing made resolve under formr Buddbas,
a nd heaping np good of age endur ihg efficacy in this and
that rebirth, perfecting t hf, conditiom tending to bring
about eman(lipa.tion, was, in thill Buddha-era. reborn at
Siketa 11.8 t he daughter of the TreaRnrAl', Majjhe.. Because
of ber abe got tho name 'PeerlSIlR' (An. opsIDli.).
Vi1ben ahe grew up. many rich men's 80ns, KingR' ministsrn,
and Pri nces, Bcnt messengers to the father, 88.yi08: Give
DB your daughter Bnd we wi ll give tbis, or
that.' Hearing of thin, she-lor that the promise of 1he
highost was in hor- thought: ' Profit to me in the life of
tho Houee there is nOIlS' j and sought the Master'lI pre-
senoo. She beard him teach, and her intell igsnee mA-turing,
the Dlemory of that tea.ching, and the atrenllOll1l Affort for
insigbt aho made, established her in the Third PlI.th- t,hd
of No-return. Asking tho M(l.ster for admission, abe was by
hill order admitted among tbo Bhikkhunie. And on the
!i6venth da.y tberee.fier, abe reali zed Arnbantahip. Reflect
iDg thorean, IIhe exulted :
Dnughter of T reas' rer Ma,ijha's ftlmou"
Rich, beautiful and prosperous, I was born
To vast possessions and to lofty rank. (151 )
Nor lacked J suitors-many came and wooed;
The sons of Kings and merchant princes came
With gifts. all eager for my hand.
And messengers were sen t from many a land
With promise to my father : Give to me (152)
Anopama.. and look I whate'er she weighs,
Anopama thy daughter, I will give
Eightfold that ' ...eight in gold and gems of
price.' (UB)
87
But I had seen th' Enlightened, Chief o' the World.
The One Supreme. 1n lowliness I sat
And worshippw al his ft!et . He, Gotama, (154)
Out of his pity taught to me the Norm.
And even there I touched in heart.
'fhe Anagruni -Fruit, Thi rd of the Paths,
And knew t his world should see me ne'er re-
turn. (155)
Then cutting off lhe glory of my hair,
I entered on the homeless ways of life.
now the seventh night since first all sense
Of craving dried up within my heart. (156)
LV
Mahit.Pllj iipati the Gotamid
Now she was born. when Padumuttara was Huddb ... in
the city of He,l,) savati, in a clansman's family. Heari ng
the preaching, and assigning the for emost place for
experieace to e, certain Bbikkbuni, sbe vowed 8uch a place
should one day be hers. Then, after many birtbs. ooce
more waE sbe reborn in the Buddha-empty era, between
Kassapo. a.nd our Buddha., at Beoares, n.s ihe forewoman
among 500 slavegirls.
l
Now, when tbe raine drew near,
five Silent Buddhas came dowo from tbe Nandamulaka
mountaincave to Isipa,ana, seekiog alms ; and iboee women
got .beir hueheons t{) ered five huts for the Buddhas durinE(
the three rain v montbs. and they provided them with all
they required during tbM time. Reborn oncs more in a
, Ib is episode in fcller detail in Mri . Bode. 01" cit_, p. <128 IT. ThO!
t,,? COWWtn\lIriCI "l!rtte in .. n .-.lient poiDl&, Dun lea. d .. tw .. d.
'rh .. above cou." IC'",bly coudemed. Tbe ... dlll/atel 100 vent
COUpI D\. to ' ne of thll 'Gre&t ' Mother of tb6 5i."n Order.
"8
PSA I :\ IS OF THE SISTERS
wsaver"s village near Banare3, in tbe headman's flunny, she
again t o Silent Buddha-s. :Finu.lly, sbe WI!.8
reborn, shortly before OUf Master carne to us, at De,sdaha.,
in the family of Mabli.-Suppo.bucl dha.
1
Her family nams
WJ\II Gotam8.. and she was the younger eister of the Grea'
AI ii yii.. And the in'erpreters of birthmarks declared that
the ehildren of both sisters would be Wheel-rolling Rulers. t
Now, King Su(Mhodana. when he came of age, held a lestival,
a.nd wedded both thA sisters. After this, when our Ma.ster
bl\d a.risen, and, in ttlrning the excellent wheel of the Norm.
camo in eourse of fostering souls to VssaH. his fathef, who
had roached Araha.ntship, chAd.
Then .be great Pajiipaii. wishing to leave the world,
asked the for admissi on, hut obtainElli it not Then
she cut off her pat on the r obeR. and at t he end of the
sarmon now forming the Suttanta on 8trife ll,nd contention.
she sallied lodh . and witb 500 SiLkya ladies whose
hueoauds llll.d renOUliced :.he .....orlJ. went to Vesii lr, and
asked the through Ananda. the Thera. for ordination,
This she thtm obtained. tho eight maxi:ns for Bhik-

Thus ordained, lhe Great Ilnjii.pati ca.me and 89, luted \he
Master, and stood on ull e side. Then ho taught her the
Norm; and she, exercisizJg herself Bnd practising. 800n
.rOOr obtained Arahantehip. Il..::compani ed by intuitive and
knowledge. The rewu.iJJ ing 500 Bhikkh uni e, alter
Nandakas homily. became endoweu with the six broDcbe.
of intuitive kno"iledge.
Now, one day, when the )IlltIter was Htlt\ted in the conclave
of Ariyans at the grea.t .reta Grove Vihl1ra, be a u igned the
foremost place in experience to Great the Go'amid.
She. dwelling in the hliss of fruition and of N iblosllII.. testified
her gratitude ODe day by declaring her before ths
Master, in praising his virtue. who had help whers
before there had been none:
t In tbe Apad:tn .. btl i . c..Jlcd Ailje.na. :be
I.e., mould ei ,hlE' f of world:) dominion, or the 0'
tb. b .arb 0' Un""
;\IAHA:-t'AJAI'ATI T Hl'; GOTA.;\lIlJ
Buddha the \Vuke,l t he H ero, huil! all hail!
Supreme 0 't:r e \'ery being that hath life.
''''ho from all ill and sorrow hast released
Me and so many, many stricken folk.:! (151)
Now han I understood how III doth come.
Cr:l\ing, the emlSf", in me is dri ed up.
Hll\'C ] not trod, have [ not tOll ched the End
Of AriY311. the Eightfold P ath ? (158)
Oh! but ' tis long I've wandercd down all time.
Living I\S mother. father , SOfl ,
And as grandparellt in the ages past-
K ot knowing how and what things really are,
A ud never fi nding what I needed sore. (l5!)
But now mine eyes have seen thO Exalted One.
And now I know this living frame's the last, '
Alld shattered is th' unending rounu of Lirths.
No more Pajiipati shall come to be! (lOU)
Behold the company who learn of him-
I n happy concord of fraternity.
Of strenuous energy and resol ute,
89
F,nm strengt.h to strength advancing toward the
Gonl
The noblest homage t his to Buddhas paid.
3
(161)
Dh ! s urely for t he good of countless lives
Did sister Maya bring forLh Gouulla,
Dispeller of the burden of our ill,
' Vha lay o'erweighted with diseMeand death ! (162)
, Buddho _ lIowe.ke.
So K. E . NeurllllollD : Erlu$er "Ielem vlel eul Yol k
. .
E,t! BudIlM" .. ".md ....... i . cf. 6a ,ono.rollll '. " ord.;' ' . . righteou .
nu, of whi ch i. tbe grand<1n howago and WOl"Qhip th"t
lhe un ""nrl pr to hi l CreMor ' ( Tile Triu11IpJ. of flu
90 PSAI.MS OF THE SUTERS
LVI
Gutti.
She. too, ha.vinR; made ber resolve under former Buddhas,
And accumula.ting good of age-enduring effic&cy in this and
tha.t rebirth. and consolidating tbe B3Bentiai conditions for
emancipation. was , in this Buddhaera., reborn at
in Q brahmin' s family, a.nd nam&d Guttli.. When adols.
(lent, lile In tbe houes became to ber, and ebe
obtained her pfmmts' consent to enter the Order under the
Great Pajii.pa.ti. Tbereaher. though she practised with
devotion, her burt long in running after external
intoroste, and t his destroyed concentration. Then the
Maetor, to 6ocourase her, Rent for\b glory, and appeared
near her, all if 641ated in 'he air. laying 'hese worda:
Bethink thee, Cutta, of that high reward
l
For which thou wast content to lose thy world,
Renouncing hope of childrell, lure of wealth,
To that direct and consecrate the mind,
Nor give thyself to sway of truant thoughts, (163)
Deceivers ever are the thoughts of men,
Fain for the haunts where MarR. finds his prey;
And running t=ver on from birth to birth,
To the dread circle bound-a world, (164)
But thou, 0 Sisler, bound to other goals,
Thine is't to break those Fetters five the lust
Of sense, ill-will, delusion of the Self,
The taint of rites a.nd ritual, and doubt, (16' )
That drag thee backward to the hither shore,
lis not for thee to L-orne again to this I (166)
, .tltlo, good, ..nYlloI'lLagll, profit.
Gt.:TIA.
Get thee away from li fe- Iust-,l from conceit ,
From ignorance, fi nd from distractioll 's craze;
Sunder the bonds; so only shalt t hou come
9 1
'fo utter eod of Ill. Throw off t he Chain (1 67)
Of hirth and death- t hp u knowest what they Irlean,
So. free from craving, ill life on earth,
Thou shalt go on t hy way calm and serene. ( l S8)
And whnn the had made lion end of that utwance
the Sister attain(ld :h abo.ntahip, together with thorough
graep of the Nor m III form nnd moo.ning. And C:lUltin
thereon, ehe uttered lhOlle linee in 'beir oroer 11.9 spohn bi
tbe IheJt.ed One, whence they came to he called the Thed 's
JllI&lw.
LVU
Vljayii..
She, too, baving mads her resolve under formsr Buddhas
and heaping up good ot age' enduring efficQcy, W&8, in
Buddha-era. r eborn at RiijagQba in a certain clansman's
fami ly: When grown up ehe became the companioD of
Khema. Theri. but then of ' he Heating
that Khemll. had r enonnced the world, she said: If she, a8
a. consort. CA.n IMv!! the world. eurely I can: So to
Kbema. ThAti Rhe went, And thA lattf:r, discerning whereon her
heart wall Ret , taught her the Norm AO af! to agitAte her mi nd
COncerning rebi rth, and to make her 88et comfort in t he
eyetarn. And 80 it came to pAlla; snd the Therf ordai nsd
her. Sb6, serving alii waR due, and studying &8 was due,
Loogins to li ve again, embodied Of dilleItlbodied. Thiac and we
I., three term. lI.fe the lut five Fetten. ' lh6 ,undetiqf of wbioh
L
ad.. IW:Ddlataly to Ar&banllhlp: Sea Rhyl D, vld.,
..:1 .... ,., HI . H2.
92 r SAL.:n s THE SISTERS
grew in insight, a.nd, the promise being in her, Boon att.!l.insd
to Ara.banhbip, together wit h thorough grasp of the NOClU
in form and meaning. And she, re8eeting ,berron, exulted
thu!; :
FOUl' l times, nny five, 1 sallied from my celI,
And roamed afield to find the peace of mind
I lacked, and governance of t houghts
I could not bring into captivity. (169;
Then to a Bhikkhuni
2
I came and asked
.Full many a question of my doubts.
To me she taught the Norm: the elements, (170)
Organ and in the life of sense,
3
[ And then the fndors of t he Nobler life :]
The Ariyan Truths. the F aculties, the Powers,
The Seven F eatures of Awakening,
The Eig h.tfold , iVay. leading to utmost good. (171)
I heard her words, her bidding 1 obeyed.
While passed the first watch of the night there
rose
Long memories of the bygone line of lives. (172)
" rhile passed t he watch, the Heavenly
Eye,
Purview celestial, I clarified.
While p&. .. the last watch of the night. I burst
And rent aside the gloom of ignorance. (173 )
I ="PR. xxviii. .. nu :l:XX.
t Here h & case where .hthbth.'l: and Gllth:i arB badly welded, as
he who nm. r.l &.\ rud. The eolllmfnu,tor, nothiDg doubtioS. identi ties
the Bhikkr.uni 0.9 Khema.
CI . .P . IXX., luvlil. The f"Howing 'f&ctoN givo t wenty 6,vo of
t he known 110ft thG Bodhipll.kkhi.";;: Dhl.mrn:'i , omi tting !.he
fOll f &pplitMion & of r:r:iDdfulnf.' (" ltipu!!'t1in,'). Ihe four _!.aRea o!
pot ency (;"""il'"a;l) . fin d the [OUf riRhr etrmtl (.amJlll appadhundtti).
bu, the four truthli.
, _ PRo d\'iii.
\ ' IJAl.'A
Then, letting joy and bli ssful ctlSe of mind
Suffuse my body, seveu da.ys I sut.
03
E re stretching out cramped limbs I rose again.
\;Vas it not rent indeed, that muffling mist ?I (174)
I This que1lllon is 1\ t ro\ nalalor's The Pall rti t\'''<l t li
ooly the of reHd .. tid (l. ttalnment.
CANTO I'll
PSALMS OF SEVEN VERSES
LVIII
Uttari.
SHE, too, having made her resolve under former Buddbs9,
and beaping up good of age-enduring effi.clI.cy in this and
that rebirth, eo that in ber lobe root of good (karma) was
well planted, aod the requisitee for emaneipation were well
atored up, Wil.8, in thie Buddha-era, reborn at Silvattbi, in
a certain cla.nsman's lamily, sod called Uttarii.. Come to
yMr8 of discretion. 3be heard preach the Norm,
1w:-Jlmll thereby s believer. entered t.he Order, and became
an Al'9hAont. And, reflecting on her atiainmen' . ebesxuJted
thus :
Men in their prime, with pestle and with quem
Are busied pounding rice and grinding corn.
Men in their prime gather and heap up wealth,
To have and nourish wife and children dear.' (115)
Yours is the task to spend yourselves upon
The Buddha's will which bringeth no remorse,
Swiftly bathe ye your feet, then sit ye down (176 )
Apart. Planting your minds in Steadfastness,
With concentrated effort well composed,
Ponder how whAt ye do, and say, and think.
Proceeds not from a Self. is not your Self.'2 (177)
I See P!. xlrii .. lhiii.
ILl,., co:ul der 'be aan.kld.r .... glh .. , uo'" ..olL
..
IJTTARA
90
Thc will of her who spake Pnt-ii-ciira-
I ht::ard and marked and forthwith carried out.
Bathing my feet. I sat me down apart. (178)
While passed the first watch of the night there rose
Long memories of the bygone line of lives.
While passed the second t.he HeAvenly Eye.
Purview celestial, I clarified. (179)
While passed the t hird watch of the night, I burst
And rent aside the gloom of ignorance.
Now rich in Threefold '\-' isdom I arose :
'0 Lady! verily thy will is done. (ISO)
And like to Sakka o'er the thrice ten gods,
'Chieftain unconquered in celest ial wars,
I plllce thee as my chief, and so shall live.
The Threefold IUl Vt:: I got ten now.
From deadly drugs my soul is purified.' (181)
Now 'his Sister, one day, when under ehe bad
611ablilhed herself in ao exercise, into her own dwell .
ing, and eeating herself cross-legged, thought : I will
break up thi8 sitting until I have emancipated my heart
all on the Asavas. ' Thus r esolving, she
her mtellectual grMp, and gradually clarifying
lD8Jght. as abe progressed along the Paths, ebe attained
Arnhaniehip, together wHh the pOwer 01 intuition and
thorough grasp of the Norm. Thus contemplating nine.
teen Bubjechl in succession, witb the consciollsness that
. Now have I done herein I had to do; abe ut.tered in
happi nels the given above, and stretched L.er
AM. when the dawn arose, and brightened
loto day, she sought tbe Theri'6 presence, nnd repeatad ber
VersEI.
Wb ' . , I
Y nineteen un unable to eJpJain. They lun)" be bOOk1_
PrIoH,'.iy.) d!l(l17tmti-,.g., the latipattk,ma., the bO)}/ianga, lnd the
Pub _ flOC k".. ,
96
I'SAL)tS OF THE SISTt:RS
LIX
Cillii..
She, too, hA.\-ing made her resolve under former Buddhas,
and hesping tlP 01 age-enduring effi cacy in subsequent
rsbirth;, was, in thiR Buddha-era. reborn in Magadbe.. at
the village of Niila.ka,l i.hA child of Sur lipasari, the Brah-
minco. And on her name-giving rlfloY they ca.lled her CRlil.2
Her younger sister was Uprw'tl:i, sno the youngest Sisupa.-
cal a, and an three were junior to their hrother SiLtiputta.
Captain of the Norm. Now, when the three that
their hother had left tho world for the Order, they
'This can be no ordinary system, nor ordinary renunciation,
if OIlt) like our brother have followed it t' And full of desire
and iongillg, they too renounced the world, putting aside
their weeping kinsfolk and Thoreupon, with
striving and BndeavOlir, the} attained Arnhantship, and
abode in the bliss of NibuUouli .
Now, Gala Bbikkhun1, after hp,[ round and her meEl.I,
entered one day the Dark Grove tu take siesta, Then
Mara came to etir up sensual desires in her. iii it Hot told
in tho Sutta 'I
Again, Cala BbikkhunI, after her round in Siivattbi end
her rueal, entered one day the Pleasant Grove for sieEta.
And, going on down into the Dark Grove, she sat down
under a tree. Then l.1tira came, and. wi shing to upset the
consistency 01 her religious lile, asked hElt the questions in
her Pealm. When sbe bad expounded to him the virtues
of the Ma. ter, and the guiding power of the Norm, she
ClIolled al80 };alllyilb.ge. SiidpultlO. to hp.\o oontinlled, al
to thero (SO;;!!. N ., i ,. 251), and it WAA th .. ,r e thRt he died
(ibid. , v . 161).
These t hree Sisters are 11011 ineludEd in the llhikkhuIlI.SII.!lyutta. M
having bfjen tempted by lIIar&; but there reply is put into Sisu
paciiH's mouth, Upe.c.ila', ia given to Cal:;', and iB given
to Up&c:-\1:i.. See Appmdix.
CALA 97
I!bowed him how, by her own attained proficiency, he was
exceeding hiB tether. Therea.t !lLirll, dojec ted o.nd mclo.n
cboly, vanished. But she discoursed in oxultation on what
both of them had sn.id, aa follows:
Lo here! Sister who the fivefold sellse
1
Of higher life hath trained and, self-possessed,
Herself well held in hand, hRth made her way
Where lies the Holy Path, where dwells the
Of mastery oyer action, speech and thought. (182)
Jl[Zi1n.
Why 110\\' and whereto art thou seen thus garbed
Ann shavp. n likP. R n1ln, yet dost. not join
Ascetics of some sect, and share their rites?
What. futile and infatuate, is t hy (ls:ff
Gila.
'Tis they that are without, caught ill the net
2
Of the vain shibboleths on which they lean-
they t hat have no knowledge of the Truth,
TIS they that lack all competence therein, (184)
Lo! in the princely Sakiya clan i's borH
A Buddha, peerless 'mong the sons of men:
'Tis he hath shown t he savi ng Truth t o me
Which "(lin opinions doth ovcrpass. {l85)
EVI;Il t he WhaL and Why of ILL, and how
III comes, and how m be overpassed,
I :'he five i,..dM'!f'U. replRcing, in the higher life, the iu'port .. n,e, ill
worIQl ). thi "h fi . . h .
. "8s. o. e ve SEnSf8-' IZ .. mit, energy. IlLlll cfulness.
eoneEntmtioll, IOn d insight.
Se(tllries e.re tHIDed p,jm",!,' , The CommenlarJ connect! the
wurd With snare, net, but by II fa.lse The or igin ,,/
tho term is obBCure. Yt"ithou, ' (iro . not of l1!.
98
PSAI.)1S OF THE SI STERS
E'en by the Ariyan. the Eightfold Path,
That leadeth to th' ahating of aU Ill. {186}
And I who heard his blessed words abide
Fain only AmI alway to do bis will.
The W isdom have J gotten now,l
And uune the bidding of the Buddha blest. (187)
On c\"ery hand the love of sense is \'
And the thick gloom of ignorance 1S rent
In twain. Know this, thou Evil One, avaunt!
Here, 0 Destroyer! shalt thou not prevail. (188)
LX
Upacala .
Her story has been told in the foregoing number. Like
she, too, as Araha.nt, exulted, after Lad tempted
ber in va.in, a.s follows:
La! here a Sister who the fivefold sense
Of higher life hath trained. with memory
And power of inward vision perfected,
And thus hath m!l.de her '''tty into the Path
Of Holiness, by noble spirits trod. (189)
ftfii l"Q
\\Ohy IOYest thou not birth
3
? since, being
Thou canst enjoy whltt life of doth bring.
Enjoy the sport of sellse and take thy fill,
Lest thou too late with bitter pRngs regret} (190)
L Cj. P I. Xli v. " c/. PSI. ,;:xX\ .. -uxvi.
.' Cf. APplldix, where ;hi ! ie spoken to Cala. ' = p,."nv.
Ul'ACALA
[ .pacalii.
To one that's born death cometh soon or late,
And many perils at the hands of men:
Scathe, torture, loss of limb, ] of liberty.
99
Nay, life. So Ill-ward bound is the born child. POI )
1...01 in the princely Sakiya clan is Lorn
He who is Wholly "Vake. Invincible.
'Tis he hath shown the saving 'fruth to me
By which the round of birth is overpassed. (192)
Even the \\That. ann 'Vhy of hL. and how
III comes. and how III may be overpassed.
E'en by the Ariyan, the Eightfold Path.
That leadeth to th' abating of aU nI. (198)
And I who heard his blessed words, abide
Fain only and alway to do his will.
The Threefold Wisdom have I gotten now,
And done the bidding of the Ruodha blest. ( 194)
On every hand the love of sense is slain.
And the thick gloom of ignorance is rent
In twain. Know this, thou Evil One, avaunt!
Here, 0 Destroyer! may'st thou not prevail. ( W5)
1 Lil.,' c\l Uing of hand or toot ," referrlng generally, sap the
COlnmentlU"Y, W \he thirty\wo const itue nla cf t h" bony (read. kii!fri-
kUr,j for
CANTO nIl
l 'SALU OF EIGHT VERSES
LXI
Sisupacila
HER story hILs been told in that 01 Ci\I" her sister-how
. he followed in hsr brother's slep:!, entered the Order,
and hAt'! lI.ms an Arabsnt. Dwelling in the bliss 01
abe refl ected one day en her attainment, and ba.ving done
all ,ha.' 'W(l.8 t.o be done. exulted in her happiness thus:
Lo ! here a Sister, in the Precepts. sure,
\.v ell-guardpd in t he sixfold way of sense,l
' Vho hath o.t,tained t o that Holy P ath.
That ever-welling elixir of life.
2
(196)
Mu. ,1'a
Now t hink upon the Three-and-Thirty Gods,
And on t he gods who rule in realm of Shades.
On those who reign ill heann of Bliss, and on
Those higher deities who live where life
Yet flows by way of sense and of desire:
3
I Htre irulriya, u somelhir:g to bI:I tr .. ine. - ......
developed-rafer. 10 1111... of ule. n .. l pere,pdon (pi". _nle_
\u4:"l1ury). See Ps. lill., n. C/. lIXliv. 65.
I TI,o higbt, are t he two hut in theae Ih' e Deva worldl
by the Budcili!;ts, were included with hell, the Peu', or ghosts,
anlm02s, Ol en, Aluras, Ilnd firn. alllenlal BpiritB, in tb. 'Kli.ma.loka of
100
SiSUI'ACALA 101
Think and thither fl8pire with longing heart"
" ' here in pasl lltvu hast li ved before. (1 !J1)
When t he Therl heard, she Bnid : Slop, Mnra! the
Eitwaloka of you ta.lk ie, even as is tho whole of the
world, burning a.nd bla.zing with the fi re!! of lust, hllte, and
ignofll.[Jct!. 'Tis not there the dillCerning mind can find any
charm.' And HLu wiuH Mira how her mind Wall turned a. way
from 'he world frow. deeirell of sense, she upl>raided
bim thus:
Ay, think upon
1
the Three-and-Thirty gods,
And on the goos who rull:: ill realm 01' Shades;
On those who reign i ll heaven of Bliss, and on
Those higher dei ties who live where life
Yet flows by way of sense and of' desire_ (1 9B)
Consider how time aft er time they go
Fl"Om birth to dcuth, and deuth to birth again,
Becoming this and t hen utculiling that,
.t:.ver beset by the recurri ng doom
Of hapless individuality,
\Vhence comes no merciful enfranchisement. (199)
On fire is all the wodd, is alt in fl ames!
A blaze is ,11.11 the world. the heav'ns do (200)
But that which quaketh not, that e\-er
That priceless thing. unheeded by the ...... orld,
Even the Norm- that hat h tht Buddha taught
To me. therein my mind delighled dwells (201 )
And I who heard his blessed word abide
inferio: in 5pl.et to th .. Huvt:lt of' Form' And thr 'Form-
!esl!.,' They lI' ere the Niull11.imulJ.ti and II' cd. .
In I'll. (Commelltary) I aUempt a tn,nlJatiGn of the ullu
Gf gods, bl:t they more in prOle tho..n in vcr.e,
I T!link upon' is thll translator's inU}rpoilltion,
QllOtcilrom I. aI, lJU.
102
PSALMS OF THE SI STF:RS
Fain only and alway to do his will.
The Threefold ' Visdom have I gotten now,
And done t he bidding of t he Buddha blest. (202 )
On every hand the love of sense is slain
And the thick gloom of ignorance is rent
In twain. Know this. 0 Evil One. avaunt!
Here, 0 Destroyer, sholt thou not prerail! (203)
CANTO IX
PSALM OF VERSES
LXII
Mother.
SHE, too, having mll.de her resolve under former Buddhas,
and h6aping up good of age-endurLng efficacy in this and
thai re birth, till the preparation for achieving emancipa-
tion wa.s gradually become perfect, was, in this Buddha-era,
reborn at the town of Bbii.ruliaccha,l in 8 clansman's
family. When married, she bore one SOll, and he was
the name Vaddha. From tha.t time she was known
as Var;ir;ihs's mother. Hearing a Bhikkhu preach, she
became a believer, and, handing her child over to ber kin.
she went to the Bhikkhunis, and entered the Order. The
rest, not told here, may be filled in from Brother Va.49.ba'
story told in t he Psalms of the Elder Brethren (Pa. ceii.).
"a9.t;lha, to Sfe his mother, went alone into and ,hrough
the Bhikkhunie' quarters; and she, se.ying, Wb)' have
you cowe in here alone l' admonished him as follows:
o nevermore, my Va<;lQ.ha, do thou stray
Into the jungle of this world's desires.
Child of my heart 1 come thou not back and forth
'1'0 share, reborn, in all the ills of life. (204)
True happiness, 0 Va9,q.ha mine, is
\Vho, wise and freed frollllungiug alld from doubt,
I A on the north-west s6[l.boo.rd, the Bharoch or tOJ-d.y.
See Jiitaka, iii. 11:18.
104 PSALMS Ot' THE SISTERS
Cool and serene, have tamed the craving will .
And dwell immune from all the deadly drugs. (205)
The \Vay that Sages such a .. these have trod-
Lending to t. hat pure vision how they may
Make n sure end of Ill- do thou, dellr lao.
Study and cause to growl t o thine own weal. (200)
And Va.99h9., thinking, ?t:(y mQlhAr is surely establislled
in Araho.ntehip,' e"preesed himself t h llR :
Now in good hope and faith thou speakest thus,
o little molher! well I trow, for thee.
Dear mother mine, no jungle bars t.he way. (207)
Then the Ther! replied, showiop; her work Wtu done ;
Ail, no! my Va49ha. whatsoe'er I do,
Or say, or think, in things or great or small,
Not e'en t.he smallest growth ofjungly vice
2
Y ct standeth in the onward way for me. (208)
For all the deadly poison-plants are killed
In me who meditate wilh strenuous zeal.
The Threefold Wisdom have I gotten now,
And all the Buddha's word have 1 fulfilled. (209 j
The Brother, using her elhortl\tion Hojj a. goad, fIond
stimulated thereby, went to his Yihara, ond. stlu,\ed in bis
won.ad resting-place, so n:ade insight to grow t.ba\ be
attained Arsbantship. And reRecting in happiness on his
attainment. he went to hi s m.>t1:er, aod declared his
AN:Rl:
o splendid was the spur my mother used.
And no less merciful the cha.'itisement
A .... (Comtncr.tmy). Tbe name Va.c:\',llia
mos. .. , "row, incrll&lOjJ , develop : olten nppli ed to eulture.
1 Valla/riO. Jungle aud "ice Rl e implied in word .
"" si ruply A. a, <I.
105
She gaxe t o me, even the nine she spoke,
Fraught with its burden of sublimest good. I ( 210)
I hean) her words. T marked ht r COUII!) ei wise.
And thrilled with righteous awe as she called up
The vision of salvation to be won. (2 tl )
And night and day I stro\-e unweariedly
Unt il her admonitions hore thei, fruit.
And I eould touch Nibbtum\ utter peace. (212)
I Ya',lI.lha', ,/,lIh" eOUlmenI'CS "' Ltb a Ilolta 1.0 tbe tawe Eifer t, lI, ing
the MIDe II letnphor, TlltNl!I',l h,l , ver , 33J.9,
CA!\TO X
PSALM OF ELEVEN VERSES
LXIII
Kisa-gotami.
Now she was born, Wh6D Padumuttara. was Buddha, in th!:l
city of HanslI.Vo.t"i, in II. clansman's family. And olle day
she heard the Master preRr.h the Dhamms, and assign fore-
most rank to a Bhikkhuni with respect to the wesring of
rough gannenh. She vowed thR.t this rank should one
day bo bers. In this Buddha.-era was reborn at
Sivatthi. in a. poor family. Goto.mi was hAr Dame, and
from the leanness of hor body she was called LeA.n Gotallli.
And she Wa.5 disdainfully treated when ma.rri sil, A.nd WtlS
cslled s nobodJ'e daughter. Butwben she bore a son, th"y
plloiu her honour. Then, when he old enough to Tun
sbout aml pla.y, he died, a.nd she rlistrsught with grief.
And, mindful ur the cha.nge in folk's treatment of her since
bis birth, she thought; 'They will even try to take my
child and expose hilll.' So, the corp3e upon her
hip, she went, crazy with sorrow, irom door to door,
saying; . Give me mediciutl for my child!' And people
said with comempt: 'Medicin!:l! What's the use \I' She
understood them not. But one sagacious person thought:
Her wind is upset with griet for hllc child, lIe 01 the
Tenfold Power will kno,"" of somB medicine for her.' And
he said; 'Dear woman, go 10 lbe Very Buutlha., aud a.sk hilO
lor medicine to give your child.' She went to the Vihara
at the time when the )Iastel' the Doctrine, a.nd said;
106
KISA-GOTAMI 107
'Exa.1ted One, gtve me medicine for my r.hiln!' The
Master, seeing the promise in her, said: 'Go, ent.er t,hs
town, und at any house where yet no IrIan hath died. thenee
bring a little mustard-seed: "Tis well, lord!' she said,
with mind relieved; and, going to the nrst houlle in the
town, sllid: 'Lot ma tr.ko a little mustard, thllt I mlly give
wedieine to my child. If in this houso no mrm hath yEll
ditld, give me a little mUIl/ard.' 'Who may say how ma.ny
bu.ve not died here?' 'With mch musta.rd, then, I ha.ve
nought to do.' So she went on to tl. second and a third
house, by the might of the Buddha, ber frenzy left
her, her Datural willll war! resLored, alJd she thought.;
. Even this will be the order uf things in the whole town.
The Exalood One foresa.w this out of bis pity for my good.'
And, thrill ed at tbe thought, she leH the town and laid heT
child in the charnel.field, saying;
. No villuS. I ....... 1 no city law,
No lB.w fer this ch.n. cr for that alolle;
For the whole \forld-ay, and the gods in
This i! ths Law; At-I,
So saying, she "'!:lil t to Ult! Mtl.sttJr. Aud he witl;
'Gotami, hast tbou gotten the little mustard?' And she
sa.id; 'Wrought is the work. lord, of the litlile mUfHll.rd.
Give ,hOll me confirmation.' Then the Master spalls
tbUB :
To him who. " heart 00 children and on gooe"
h centred, cleaving to them in his thoughts.
Deuh cometh like a greal flood in lhe uight,
Be&r;ng away the villGge in it. sleep. J
When lle llail Ilpoken, WE"3 confirmed in the fruition
of the (t. he Stream - eutry) Pllth, and asked for
ordinatiun. He consented, and lIiIe, by the
1 Dhamma.
'Goods '-lit. , cattle or herd$-h pertinent. since !he hud eounttd
00. her child for her in,pro\'ed shtm, which the "b$ance of 'good$ ' in
hOI" OW" lalll!h Iud 1Jlade c-f D()
3 D"amma; ... d<l, vcr. 47, '.un.
108
PSAL)IS OF THE SI STERS
right,l went to the BhikkhuIlis, and WI!.!,orda.ined. And nob
long afterwanls, studying the ot tbings. she ca.used
her insight to grow. Then the Mal'lL':!r a Glory.vene:
i
Th .. u,a.n who, living for Bn b.:odrcd ye .. ru,
Boholdeth navor Ih"
H( ....l hf'.lter }iva DO knger than Olle da.y,
So hB behold ",ithin that dfl.Y tho Path. '3
When he had finished, she attained Arahalltship. And
becoming pre-eminent in a. scetic h6.bits, she wa.s ,,"ont to
wea.r raiment of triple roughness. Then the Master, seated
in t.hs Jam Grove in concla.ve, a.nd assigning rsnk of merit
to the proclaimed her first smong the wearers
of rough raiment. And she, reflecting on wha.t great things
ahA bll.d won, uttered this Psslm before the Master, in
praise of fr itmdship with the elect :
Frienrlship with noble souls throughout the world
The Sage hath praised. A fool, in sooth, grows
Wlse
If he but entertaiu a Hoble friend. (213)
Cleave t o the men of worth ! In them who
Wisdom doth grow; and in that pious love
From all your sorrows shall ye be released. (214)
Mark Sorrow well; mark ye how it doth come,
And how it passes; mark the Eightfold Path
That emleth woe, the Four great Ariyan
Truths. (215')
'Voeful is woman's lot ! hath he declared,
Turner and Driver of the hearts of men:
\iVoeful when sharing home with host ile wives,
\Voeful wben giving birth in hitter pain.
I OJ. Ps. lxv:iii., ver. 807.
1 Of. PI.
t SalllllJ,tia..J:,.ik,;ya, i. B7, v.ll, etc.
I OJ. P5. ii. acdff.
KISA-GOTAMi 109
Some seeking death, or e'el' they suffer twice, (216)
PierciHg Lhe throat; the delicate poison take.
'" oe too when mother-murdering embryo
Comes not to birth, and both alike find death. (217)
Returning
1
home to give birth to my child,
I saw my husband in the jungle die.
Nor could I rench my kin ere travail came. (218\
My baby boys I lost, my husband too.
And when in misery I reached my home,
La where together on a scanty pyre,
My mother, father, and my brother burn !' (219)
o wretched, ruined -woman! all this weight
Of sorrows hast t hou suffered, shed these tears
Through weary rouIld ofmall.Y LllUusHlIIllives. (220)
I too have seen where, in the charnel.field ,
Demured was my baby's tender ftesh.
2
Yet she, her people slain, herself outcast,
Her husband dead, hath t.hither come
" There deuth is not! (221)
Lo! ] have gone
Up on the Ariyan, on the Eightfold Path
P I She he'" iocorpontn th" . tory or r "'Vicii.ri!. ::d "iL) ;0 her 0"1\10
" 1m, 's if fully to uttsr, 1 ... 'Wom ... n,' Ihs png" .... "lt ODd trags<iy
01 th9 woehl possibilities in' woman's lot,' whereof her own
was but 1\ phase. Criticism ill.'l.y discern herein ,mother' bull '
-geoiolOicnll'y speaking _ in the hisklricll.! concordanee between verse.
snd commentary. Yet here, anywa.y, is f. fEature tbst no poem of
litera.ry construction would ever have borne. And in Ee8thetic
.nl-eneilj' poem g ... inH wondwudy lhi. IjruUlH.1w'H" of
deeper tro.gody underl'yitlg own "orrow, and through tho
blended vietory in the n:'!e p ... lln lit th ..
I Th C
e ommentll.ry names dO'I, ji-Ckals, ti,,,, psother. ea.t, .t,
D.lth . ".,
e scavengers of corpse! thu, exposed.
110 PSA.l .)(S OF 'rHE SISTERS
That goeth to the state ambrosia!.1
Nibbana have I realized. and gazed
Into the Mirror of the holy Norm. (222)
I, even I, am healed of my hurt.
Low is my burden laid, my task is dOlle,
My heart is wholly at liberty.
I, sister Kisa-gotami , haye uttered this 1 (223)
, 1'hla lln" ill Pali i. '''''ply .sm .. I""imi, goinS to .. l, nr
the not dead. 'Stat. ' i to Illtlr ies.j And grammal iell
. uP, OD '; lit .. pra.ct:aed mYlelf in. Now bow HUeI
2. 16223 c&n'y lb. fourfcid . wuk' of ' -erN 'lIS.
The metra in the Pali thr<l1Igbout ;. not thell"ka, and is too irregd Ar
to bl! eMily eiUIJi1i&ble. C/. that in linn 16 "bo\'e-
Nibban4'1 . acchikata!1 Dhll mll)(iJ(lu!l uveA-kAifa!l.
Aha!! amlli kanta.alM kuta!! m8 karapiyar
with Jl.lka-mdre, hfginning of next Pnl m;
;aia di;iiil
CANTO XI
Pl)ALM 01" TWELVE i ' ERSE::;
LXIV

StU;, too, was born, whon PU.JuUluttnru. woos Buddha, fi t
the city HlIolJllo.vati, in a c1acawan'B lilmily, And. when
glOwn up, she heard, wi,h a great multitude, the Master
a.nd aSEign a. cena.in Dhikkbuni the chief pla.ce
iLwuJlg thul;\l whu luu] wyHic And ehe 811o\'e
grell, gifts for seven days to the BuJJhs tl m1 Oruer ,
and aspi red eame rank, .
In t his Buddha- age, she ' ...11.6 r eborn a, Siivatthl IlS t he
dll.ughter of the 'IrelL!:iUrer, And her skin was of
the colollr of tbo of ' he blue lotus, they ca.lled her
!,;ppalavcu).i.ui. ,3 Now, when she wos come of age, kings
and commoners fr om the whole of India sent messengers
te her lather, saying : ' Give tiS your daughter.' There-
upon the Treasurer thought: 'I cannot possibly meet t he
wishes 01 all. 1 will devise a plan.' And, sending for his
daughter, he said: 'Detir one, are you aule to leave the
world?' To her, beca.use she in her final of life.
I Iddi. ;.
2 GaM/HZ, or matrix. So !Llso A7'!g. N i'/':. COtlllnent!LfY. But cf.
Dr. note. And below, verse 257.
J Tbe leng:hy le!;end, or chain 01 legends, BSlIOCillting
pa.st IiVC$ () ! this falllous 'Iheri with the l otusflo\\'er i8 f ully trailS,
IMed IrO:ll the Anguu&r& COlUmentary in Mre. Bode'. Wom= Leade' 6,
fIe., J .ll. I1 .S .. h ia .,n,y inlereMinl! ... folk -Ior<; .... J
nut !LS illu.ttll,ting any poin< in hor ", .. 1m, h$nc", here o,nitt..),]
III
]12
OF THE SISTERS
his words were as if oil Ilo hundred times renJltlll had
anointed her head. Therefore she said; Dear laHllir, I
wilt renounce the world!' He, honouring her, brought her
to the Bhikkhunie' quarters, and let ber be ordained.
A little whil e afterwards H became her t urn for office ill
the house of the Sa.bbath.
1
And, light ing the lamp. sbl:!
swept the r oom. Then taking the flame of the lamp as a
visi ble sign, and contemplating it continually, sbe brought
a oout Jbana by way of the Lambent Artifice,2 and making
that her steppings\one, she at tai ned Arahantship. Wiih
its frui tioo, intuition a:ld grasp of the were achie\'ed,
and ehe beca.me sf\peciaUy versed in the mystic potency of
t!"ar.sformation.'
And t he Master, seated in conclave in the Jeta Grove,
ABll igned her ths foremost rank in the mjstic powers.
ShEl, J:{)ndering the blise of Jbana and of fruition, repeated
one rlRy certain venes. Tbey had been uttered in Ilngui ab hy
a. mother who had been living as her daughter's rival with
him 1\'ho later, when a Bhikkhu. became known 8.8 the
Gansel!bA.nk Elder.
4
and were 8. reflection on the barm,
t he vilenGss and corruption of sensnal desires;
J
, In enmity we Ih-cd, oouHd t o one man,
M other and daughter, both a s rival wi ve!)!
o what u woeful pli,s;;ht, I found, was ours,
Unnatural offence! My hair stood up. (224)
Horror fell on me. Fie upon this life
Of sensual impure nnd foul,
A jungle t hi ck wiLh t horny brake, wherein
We hapless pair. my girl and I , had strayed !' (225)
1 UpOI(.th'itJii .. k.i ln.voiro p<ipu,,;, phr-..e I not yet wit b
..
I See Btlddltift P6Y_. 43, rl. "; 67, n. 2; iiS.
I The .tBnd&rd du.eription of tbe modu Of lddhi .. r e given lu
Eogl ilh in RhJs David,' Dtalogue. of the B,.,jdlo", I. 277 .
See TwtlV,lt/&4, ver.".127, 128. See not<:l belo ,"" p.lU.
{;1'l'ALA \ ' A:;;-::- A
The evils in the life of sense, the str ong
Sure refuge in renouncing nil, she saw.
At Rajagaha went she furtb 1 anu ld t
1i3
The home to li ve the life where no home is. (226)
II,
J oyfal Rnd hRPPY, IIhe menitRtes on the di8tinction 9he
ha.s won;
How,erst I lived 1 know; the Heayenly .Eye,
Purview celestial, have I clarified'
,
Clear too the inward life that others lead:
Clear t oo I hear the sounds ineffabl e; (227)
Powers supernormal have I made mine own'
AmI wuu immunity from deadly Drugs. '
These, !.h.e six higher knowledges are mine.
Accomplished is the bidding of the r ,ord, (228)
Ill.
Sho works a. mOon-ol before the Buddha with hie coment
and rocorda tha aa.me : '
\\lith chariot and hor ... es four I came,
Made visible by supernormal power,
And worshipped, wOllder working at his feet
The wonurous Buddha, Sovran or'the world. '( 229)
1 v.
She is dilJtnrbl!d b.v MRra in the Siiltree Grove, and
rebukes bim :
l(' 1 hIVe reM pabtajl. nOI folbwing IlIAjority ot che
I
SE. COUHUited by Pischel, u well as the Collllllelltary. It is lett
lIP"Ced!orCJod in ... ' h' d ' 1 ' h
( " ha ' ' .' e, &II no. ... ele 00 other prOllQUtl l ollu ...
?! .'. (226) t!IIU t h, comlllen' of Upp,uiiv&nnii <:In
e mother'. eli'hel.ful ultilra.nce. . .
\14
PSAI. MS OF THE SI STEil S
J.lf fl m
Thaul that art come where fragraIlt the trees stand
crowned with blossoms,
Stanciest alone in the shade, maiden so [fair alld]
foolhardy,
None to companion thee-fearest thou not the
wiles of' seducers? (230 )
She
\Vere there an hundred thousand seducers e'en such
fiS thou art,
Ne'er would a hair of me or tremble- alone
what canst thou do? (281 )
Here though I stand, I can vanish and enter into
thy bodv.
2
See! T stand 'twixt thine eyebrows, stand where
thou canst not see me. (232)
For all my mind is wholly self-controlled,
And t he four Paths to Potency are througl11y
learnt,
Yea, the six Higher Knowledges are mine.
Accomplished is t he bidding of t he L ord. (238)
Like
3
spt.::a
rs
and jllv'lins are the joys of sense,
1 The Pa.1i metre bere from tbe ususl iloka tu .. wiKed
jag:l.ti an,} metre, but change5 bt;.ck 11;,.i" ver se 231,
Cf . the other veraion of this pss.lmln the Appendix. E.g. :
p.\dapstl (ja1
at
lj.
tiHhssi rUkkhamui; 11
, Ml!.rlL wu nimsell so &dept st this kind of ma.gie {see Ma,jjir.. Nih.,
i . 882) . I follow tbe Commentary and Dr. Windisch (.\:Car ........ d
Buddha, 139 ff. ) in !::lsking the 8i3ler spea"ll "one, ber , poci"] gift
being 'mystic powncy,' or Iddlii.
1 Of. PI. nxv,
115
T hat. pierce and rend the mortal frames of
'l'h h u"
ese t at t hou speak'st of as the j oys of life-
Joys of t hat 11k to me are nothing worth. (234 )
On every the love of pleasure yields,
And the thICk gloom of is rept
In twain. Know t his, 0 Evil One, !
Here, 0 Destroyer ! shalt thou not prevail. (235)
NOTE . -Four gdth,,' , ascribed to this fsmo', Su " .. "t'
T
I " "th- d .... , a.re, In ae
l e'nga II, Hcor ed witbout The C b -'- . f . ,omment&ty reSKS them
up Into our epillOdea. I n tbe lint, a . -
to bear her fi rst child in her husband' s
bUSiness ILt Rajag&hs, is turned out by h h g . , nee on
witll" fi<l n "'1 k. I' mOl er, who disbelieves the
,y. "Ie lUg her husband lUlU d, l" " , {
.d b ,,," rt! u .. lOt
... ways, 0 unS",low, merchant olLrIic. off t h b b .
II.baenee, it. A finrl. t he "'rl
3
lnt:cr
a.nd she beers him 5 daughter. ThiB child she a ' H,
and flees from the chief's wratb Y ' b eCldent&lly lD)ures.
d b h . ears n ter ar son yet a YOUlh
w.e 8 oL molber slld dsugbter, ignorant of t he kimhlp ' Th h '
d:Boo,' ers the scar OIl her dnugbter'a hend nnd h e "
hor own child. , II cr rn II &8
CANTO XII
PSALM OF pIXTEEN VERSES
LXV
PUJ?I)i.i or PUl).lfikii.
1
81lE, too, having mll.de ber resolve under forme:
and hoaping up goorl of age'enduring efficacy ill this .a.nd
that rebirth, was, when ViPII.8Si was Buddha, reborn In a.
clansman's bmily. Como. to years of discretion: because of
the promise that WII.S in her, she :va'led. at the
prospect of rebirth, Bnd, going to tne BhlkkhulllS,
the Norm, believed, Qnd enteren the Order. Perfect In
virtue, and lea.rning the Three PitakRl!, she became
learr.ed in the Norm, and a teacher of it. The same destmy
befell her under \h6 five succeeding BndohRR-Sikhi, Ves-
Babh u, Eakusa.ndha, KOI)i1.go.maoa, and KasRA.pB. But
because of her t-endency to pride, she wah unable kl
root out the deulemenh.2. So it came to pass, through the
karma 01 her pride, tha.t, in this Buddha-era, line Wall
I 'J'hll ComOlcnLf!.ry gives her the la.tter llIlme, of which the
i9 the diminutive. Pc>ssibly may h1.ve been used to dlstmgulllh
her hom the Therl PUI).I)i\ of Ps. iii. it h cunous in S"bl,a-
Butta of the .\Iafjhim(1 Nihiyrt, where YL .mg br .. eoOlO to
Jeta An,\.Ihapil),likl!.'M to interview tho Uuddhl!., A.
runnikl to in the eonnrution. Subhs says :
hr at:win tea.chenJare not te rea.d the thoughts 01 sJa.'le-gJrJ
l'un"ikii.. How should they be e.ble to know the mindsol a.1l recluses?'
H this is our l' ul)l)ikii, she weuld Dot yet be a. TheTI, or !;be would be
to as such.
2 K i!a<i. For the teu, see Buddlt. P8Y, pp. 527 ff
'"
117
rabom at Siivatthi, ill the houshold of the
Treasurer, of I'. domestic slave. She became a StrAam-
entrant alter hearing the discourse of the Lion's Roor.l
Afterwards, when she had con\'erted (l it. iamed) th9
brahmin, and BO won her mLster'B esteem that he
Dude her L freed woman, ilhe obtained hill canaent, as her
guardinn and heao of her home, to enter the Ord"r. And,
praclising insight, sho in no long time won Arahantship,
together with thorough grasp of tho Norm in form nnd in
mea.ning. Reflecting on her attainment, abe utterod tha80
verseB in exultation :
Drawer of water, I down to tlw stream':'
Even in winter, went in fear of blows,
Harassed by fear of blame from mistresses. (236)
\Vhat. brahmin, fearest thou that ever thus
Thou goest down into the. river? Why
With shiv'ring limbs dost suffer bitter cold r (287)
, \Vell know'st thou, damsel why ask
One who by righteous karma thus annuls
Effect of c\i-il karma? Who in youth, (238)
Or age ill deeds hath wrought. by baptism
Of water from t hat karma is released: (239)
Nay now, who, ignorant t o the ignorant,
Hath told thee this: tha.t water-baptism
From evil karma cun avail to free? (240)
Why then the fishes
i
and the tortoises,
\ Majjhima Nii:iiya, i., SuLta. XI. or xii.
UcWl{Uudd"ik... in pmific.tion l brough water ( .... ..
myotic tit ...), "lid not .... by fi: ...
3 The A.-.(h)ira.'nti (nnw Ra.pti), a Irihut!U"y GOgrll) of
G!l.nses, pa8t Siii'J>t:hT.
Not i n ihe tClt .
PSALMS OF THE SISTERS
The frogs, the watersnakes, the crocodiles
.And all that hSlIJnt the water straight to
heaven (241 )
Will go.' Yea, all who evil k-arma work-
Butchers of sheep and swine, hunters of game,
Thie\'es. murderers- so they but splash themselves
\\lith wRter. are from evil karma free ! (242)
And if these streams could bear away what erst
Of evil thou hast wrought. they'd bear away
Thy merit too. leaving thee stripped flntI bare. (243)
That, dreading which, thou, brahmin, earnest e'er
To bathe and shiver here. that, eveu that
Leave thou undone, and save thy skill from
(244)
M en who in error's ways had gone aside
Thou leadest now into the Ariyan Path.
DJlmsel, my bathing raiment give I thee. ' (245)
Keep thou thy raiment ! Haiment seek] none,
If ill thou ft Kcest, if thou like it not. (246)
Do thou no open, nor 110 hiddcn wrong.
But if thou shalt do e\'il. or h8!;L done, (241)
Then is there no escape for t hee from ill ,
E'cn tho' thou see it come, and flee away.
If Lhou fear ill, if ill delight thee not,
Go thou arnl seek the Buddha and the:> Nonn
And Order for thy refuge; learn of them
1'0 keep the .Precepts. T hus shalt thou find
good.' (249)
Lo ! to the Buddha T for refuge go,
And to the Norm and Order. I will learn
IlO
Of them t o take upon myself and keep
The Precepts ; so shall J indeed find good, (:BO)
Once but a son of brahmins hom was r,
To-day I stand braluuLu in very deed.
The nobler Threefold 'Visdom have I won
\Von the true Veda-lore, and graduate '
Am Tt from better Sacrament returned,
Clcamed by the inward spirit ual bath. ' 1 (251 )
For the brahmill, eatabliahad i n the and tbe
when 100tor bo hlld beard Maetor pr(laob the
Nor m, ooco. me a believer and er.tered th U .
'" . e 1"l.\or. Slog
eVtlry 611ort, he Dot long after becam. Tb ' W' , d
.. r ice 18e, an.
refiectlllg on hiS state exulted in tb A d b
. I . 056 verse!!. n t 8
Sister, r t!p6!1.ti ug them of herlltllf t hey II ""' b
Psalm. ' a ame er
I Tbese four last. linn are eJpanaioOJ of brahminieal aJ
!.Imln, each eonnoting more we COll i:!. eIpre .. with equal \enen::. :
Ttvijjo vedaf'lmpanno , 0Uhi yo c'amhi nltd /ako.
Tha brabu: in atlldont perfOl"med, llke a new kni ht, .. bath-rile
before retllrnlng bome from hh tea.cher' , hOllle g
: See Pe. :uti. 26 11.
CANTO XIII
PSALMS 01-' ABOU'! TWENTY
LXVI
Amba.pili.
too, having made ber resolve under former Buddhas,
and heRping np good of age enduri ng efficllcy in this or tbat
rebirtb, entered thA Order when Sikhi was Buddha, And
one day, while yet A novice. Bhe was walking in procesBion
with Bhilr:khunis. doing homage a; a shrine, when an
Arabant Thsri in front of her hastily spat in the court of
the shrine. Coming alter her, but not having noticed the
Thoti'e action, she aaid in reproof : 'What prostitute blls
boon Bpitting in tbis place '}'
A. a Bbikkbuni, observing the Precepts, she felt repug-
nance lor rebirth by parentage, and ge\ her mind intent ly
on epontaneous re-goncrlliion. So in ber laat birth Rhe came
iu\.o being IIponto.noouely at Vesili, in t he King'! gardAns,
,btl toot of a mango. lroo. The gardener found her, Bnc
her to the city. She wa.s known ali the l-Iango.
guardian'::! gi rl . And BueD WIloB her beauty, graee, A.nd
charm wany young Prineea strove with ea.ch other , 0
posses8 her. till, ill order to oDd thoir strifo, and becau8s
the power of karwa impelled thCllll, thoy agreed to appoint
her Later on, out of faith in the Master, ,he
built 8 Vihars l in utlr own gardens, Ilo nd hllondGd it over to
him a.nd the Order. Alld when she ba.d beard bor OWD lion,
the E lder Vimaillo KonulIoiiiia, prea.eh the Norm, she worked
I Seo Rhyl D,nid .. Buddhwt (S.B. E., pp. 30-83.
120
AMBAPALI 121
for insight, .. nd sindying the Ip.w of impermanence as ilIus-
t ratQd in her own ageing hoOy, IIhA uttered the foll owing
verJ:e8 :
Glossya.nd black as the down of the bce my curls
on ce clustered.
They with the waste of t he years are like r to
he mpen or bark cloth.
Such and not otherwise rUHlldh tht: r une, the word
of the Soothsayer.
l

Fragrant. as caske t of p <!rfUIII <!S, HS full of sweet
blossoms the hair of me.
All with the waste of t he years now rank as the
ooour of hare's fur.
Such nud not otherwise runneth the rune, the word
of the Soothsayer. (258)
Dense as a grove well planted. and comely with
comb. pin, and parting.
All with the waste of the years wshevelled the fair
plaits and fallen.
Such And not otherwise rurmeth the rune, the word
of t.he Soothsayer. (254)
Glittered the swarthy plaits in head-dresses jewelled
and goJdf>n.
All with the waste of the years broken, Rnd shorn
are the tresses.
Such and not otherwise runneth the rune, tht word
of the Soothsayer. (2)5)
\V foughl us by sculptor's craft the bl'OWS of me
s hone, finely
1 Used in first intention, Truth.speaker. On thil, and on lh.
metre, lee IlltroduetiOIl. The 'rune' is the IcpermlDeoee of ellery
'hing. Of P . b.iii
122
PSALMS OF THE
They with t he waste of the years ore seamed wit.h
wrinkles, o'erhanging.
Such and not otherwise runneth the rune, the word
of the Soothsayer. (256)
,Flashing and brilliant as jewels, dark-blue and long-
lidded t he eves or me.
They ",ith t he of the years spoilt utterly,
radiant no longer.
Su!'!h and not otherwise rurmeth the rune, the word
of the Soothsayer. (2Si)
Dainty and smoot.h the curve of the nostrils e'en as
in children.
Now with the waste of the years seared
1
t he nose
is and shri velled.
Such and n,)t ot herwise runneth the rune, t!'ie word
of the Soothsayer.
Lovely the lines of my t!8.fS as the delicate work of
the goldsmith.'
They with the waste of the yean are seamed with
wrinkles Rnd pendent .
Such and not other'\\.ise runneth the rune, the word
of tile Soothsayer. (250)
Gleamed RS 1 smiled my teeth like the opening buds
of the plantain.
with the waste of the years ar e broken and
yellow as barley.
So and not otherwise runneth CWle, the word of
the Soothsayer. (260)
I Up"kiliitd, ;otlt foua d etH.oere, DlII.,. btl h orr. the fl)ot kill ,
&0 burn.
, h i iat.eruting th .. t tbe Comment&:"! .pukil of tbe goldsmith'.
work of past agee, u if eOlUCiou. of livi.:lg (blmsell) iLL .. deel-del1t
period of lueb arte.
AMBAPALj 128
was my voice flS the bell of the cuckoo
l
through wuoillands flitting.
Now with the waste of t he years brokeu the music
and halting,
So and not otherwise r unneth the rune, the word of
the Soothsaye.r. (261)
Softly glistened of yore as mother. of-pearl the
throat of me.
Now with the waste of the years all wilted its
beauty and twisted.
So and not otherwise rurmeth the rune, the word of
the Soothsayer. (262)
Beauteous the Arm!'; of me once shone like twin
pillars cylindrical.
They with the waste of the years hang feeble as
withering branches.
2
So and not othen-vise runneth the rune, t he word of
the Soothsayer. (2'68)
Beauteous of yore were my soft hands with r ings
and gewgaws resplendent.
They with the waste or the years like roots are
knotted aml 3
So and not otherwise runneth the rune, the word of
the Soot hsayer. (264)
F ull and lovely in contour rose of yore the small
breasts of me.
I Roki L;J, rendilled by lnieonl ' I ndi&D cuckoo.' Tbl nlom. tEen.
to poiD, \() IOmewillU 1itni1ar bkd.nolel.
1 al tbt weak truwpet.-Ilow"r (1-'1.. 111), tho CODl ruent6>"y adding
phal .14, broken, Or and 00 h.a .. i.ly dtoopiog.
I lit., more limply, 'like li lt! .. root &fler lUlolhu.'
124 PSALMS Ot' THE SlsrER5
They ""ith the waste of the years droop shrunken
as skins without water.
So and not otherwise runneth the rune, the word of
t he Soothsayer. (26S)
Shone of yore this body as shield of gold well-
polished.
Now with the waste of the years all covered with
network of wrinkles.
So and not otherwise runneth the rune, the word of
the Soothsayer. (266)
Like to the coils of a snake
1
the full beauty of yore
of the thighs of me.
They with the "'''asle of the years are even as stems
of the bamboo.
So and not otherwise runneth the rune, the word of
the Soothsayer. (267)
Beauteous to see were my ankles of yore. bedecked
with gold bangles.
They with the waste of the .rcars are shrunken as
faggots of sesamum.
So and not otherwise runneth the rune, the word of
the Soothsayer. (268)
Soft And lovely of yore as t hough filled oul with
down were the feet of me.
They wi th the waste of the are cracked open
and wizened with wrinkl("5;.
So and not otherwise runneth the rune, the word of
the Soothsaye r. (209)
I T follow Dr. Neum .. nn. !l nd not the Comment .. :or. The
l .. Uer call. -n.'igabhoga .. n el.phant" $ trunk; the PitBIHi., apply the
hrm, it would teem, only at In the C/. MaJjhima Ni kdYIl.
I. 184.
12.
Such hath this body been. Now age-weary and
weak nnd unsightly,
Home of manifold ills; old house whence the
mortar is dropping.
So and not otherwise nmnet.h the rune, the worrJ of
the Soothsa.yer. (270)
And ina.smuch &s tha Theri , by the visible signs of im-
permanence in her own pEnon, di gcerned imperma.nence in
all pbeaomena of the three plane8, ond beori ng that in
miod. brought into relief the sign8 of III and of NO'l!oul,
IIbe, making elea.r ber ineigbt in her Pzu b.progresl!.
Ara.bantebip.
LXVll
RohinI.
Sbe, too. bavi ng made bel' rAftolve under former Buddhas,
and ben.ping up good of age.enduring efficacy in this and
thAi rebirth, was born, ninety. one a!Onl ago, in the Lime of
Vipasli Bnddha, in a clo.naman'. Jamily. One day ahe all.w
the Exalted One seeking alms in tho city of Handbumll.ti,
and filling his bowl with ewoot cakos, she worshipped low
at his foat in joy nnd gladness. And 1II'hen, after mBoy
rebirths in heaven Bod on earth in conZlequence thereof,
ho.d accumulated the condiLions requiaite for eWBncipa.
tIOD, she ",as, in \hia Duddbaera, reburn lit YeIJzilI, in the
bouee of a very prOilpticoul:I hn.bmw, and Darned Robilii.1
Come \ 0 of diecretion, she wem, while t.he Maat.er
wall lIt&yiug o.t VeailI, to t.he \,i hl\ra., and heard the doe.
trine. She became a ' Stream entrant,' and ber
pa. renh the doctrine, and they 8ccepling ii, sbe goined 1heir
to enter the Order. Studying for insight, ehe. not
I 1 .. Flavia. Cbilden Instances a red eow eo en.lled,
""i 1\ eoneteU .. tion.
126
PSAL}IS OF THE SISTERS
tong after attained Araha.ntship, together wi th thorough
grasp of the Norm in form and mea.ning.
And reflecting on a discussion she bad bad witb her
father while she ha.d yet only entered tbe Stream, !lhe
utkired tbe Bube\ance of it &8 verSES of uultation:
." See the recluses I" dost t hou ever say.
" See the recluses !" waking me from sleep.
Prai"e of recluses ever on thy t ongue.
Say. damsel. hast R mind recluse t o be? (271 )
Thou gi ... est. these r ecluses as they come,
Abundant food lLnd drink. Come, Rohil).i.
1
I ask, why are recluses dear to tht:e ? (272)
Not fain t o work Elre they. the lazy crew.
They make their living ofl'whal others give.
Cadging- arc they, and greedy of titbits-
I ask, why arc recluses dear to t hee t (21S)
Full many tl day, dear father, hR.... .. t thou asked
Touchiug recluses. Now will I proclaim
Their \'irtues and their wisdom and their work. (274-)
Full fain of work are they, no sluggard crew.
The noblest work they do; they drive out lust
And hate. Hence are recluses dear to me. (27.'.1)
The three fell roots of evil t hey eject,
Making all pure within, leaving no smirch,
No stain. Hence are recluses dear t o me. (216)
Their work
1
in action's pure, pure is their work
In speech, and pure no less than these their work
In thought. Hence are recluses dear t o me. (277)
I Nete ber IIluphMil oe work or acUon ( kGmlllG Of to
hill' father's- the typically 'I'i' or!ily IDIlIl'8-failure t o dbeerll tbe floet
and ,..lue 01 an! 'work' thai had ElO worldly objeel.
121
Immaculate as seashell or 3S pend ,
Of lustrous chamcters compact, without,
"Vithin.l Hence are recluses dear to me. (218)
L earn'd and prufkient. i.n the Norm; elect ,
And living by the Norm t hat they exp:mnd
And teach. Hence arc recl uses dear to me. (279)
Learn'd and proficient in the Norm; elect.
And living by the Doctrine; self-possessed,
IntenL Hence are recluses dear to me. (280)
Far and remote they wander. self-possessed;
"Vise in their words aud meek, t hey know the end
Of Ill. Hence are recluses dear to me. (281 )
And when along the village street they go,
At naught they turn to look ; incurious
They walk. Hence are recluses dear to me. (282)
They lay not up a treasure for the flesh,
Nor storehouse-jar nor crate. The Perfected
Their Quest. Hence are recluses dear to me. (2MB)
Thcy no coin; no gold their hand doth take,
Nor silver. For their needs sufficient yields
The day.2 Hence are recluses dear to me.
From many a clan and many a countryside
They join tile Order, mutually bound
In love. Hence arc r ecluses dear to me.' (28.5)
I Uo,pot:ed by r.eei, bate, or dulne8B: full of the A-aukha'.
eont.emplatioo, eoneenl rali on, hnight (CommentAry).
1 Thll pbrue il amplifi ed ill Sanllulta Nik,iya. i . .5: 'The] mourn
oot over the put, nor hawuir ahn Ule future. They maint.ain them_
Iclve. bJ th& preten,.' Of. tbe IIUDII o.tUude preaeribed La :he Sermon
On th9 MOlmt (Ahu. vL 26-3 .. ).
128 PSAUIS OF THE SISTERS
, Now truly for our weal, 0 Rohit:ll,
Wert thou a daughter born into this house!
Thy trust is in the Buddha and t he N Ofm
And in the Order : thy piety. (286)
For well thou know'st this is the Field supreme
,,,Thert: mt:rit may be wrought. \Ve too henceforth
\ill minister ourselyes to holy men.
For thereby shall Ilccrue to OUf account
A record of oblatiollS bounteous.' (287)
If III thou fearest, if thou like it not,
Go thou and seek the Buddha and the Norm,
Au(l Order for thy refuge ; learn of t hem
And keep the Precepts. So shalt thou find
well l:]
Lu! to the lludcl ha, I for refuge go
And to the I\ orm and Order. I will learn
Of them to take upon myself and keep
The So shall I indeed find weal. (289)
Once but a son of brahmillS born was I.
To-day I stand bro.hmin in ve:-y deed.
The noblt:r Threefold \Visdom have I won,
\Von the true Vedalore. and graduate
Am I from better Sacrament returned,
Cleknsed by the inward spiritual bath.'2 (290)
For the brahmin, established in the Refugee and the
Precept8. when later on he beca.me slarmed, renounced the
world, tmd, developing insight, WS8 established in Arahant-
ship. Reflecting on his attainment. he el ulted in tbat
veree .
I.e., ,be rt'ferred him Lu eource 01 tl:e w.,.l' he im?uted
to ht!r. Tho red is bOl'TOwcd from I' l. bv .
C/o !x ....
129
LXVlII
Capi..
She, too, having made her reilolve under former Buddha8.
!IIud hMping up good of age-enduring efficacy in this and
rebirth, till Bho hAd Il.ccurnulated the 80urces of good,
and mat.ured the conditione lor caumcipotion. W88, in this
Buddha-age, reborn in the YankaborB country, o.t a certain
village or 8 11 the daught e: of the cbief tro.ppcr,
and named Ci&pti.! And at that time Upaka, an ascetic,2
met the M8ster 8S he WI:II:I goi ug to Benarlll!l, there kI eet
rolling from hie Botree the Wh!:M:'! or the Norm.
8'nd asked him: You Beem, my Iriend, in perfect htl!lllth!
Clear and pure is your complexion. Whenitore haye yuu,
frier-d, left . hE world., or .".bo may your . eacher be? or
whoee doctrine do you believe in '/' And be was thus
8nswered:
All h ... e 1 All thinS5 I know.
Mid ..II t;'i n31 \1 nd .. 6Ioo. R .. n<:o" .... ; ng .n,
I n death of Cradn, wholly Iree. }Jy o"n
The Deeper Vi ew. Whom Ihould I narne \0 thee
For we nCl teReber Iivu. iunnd p,jone
On earth, in he.v' n ri ,&1 to we there'. none.
Now go I on 'ki ng B .. towo,
Tn Attt.r-t the Wh..!. the IlOSpel of the Norm,
To rOl1se and j;l t1ide the nations blkd and lost,
Striking Saln.tion. drum, Ambrosia'slI.ll-rll::
Pronounce Chdpl. The name of her nati , to uiHl r ict III", 50 far,
been met ... ehc .... h.re.
: An Aj l" .. k ... ( ik ... ), in D;II.," gun nudd/,a. i . 22l.
l J.e., whlln h e Jell the liotree ail Buddha (Lnd went to his
fi rst st u i pdllDa by Senare.. The meeting ia told in Mllj.
; hima Nik<1 Y4, i . 170, til. tmd Vi fl"!I(I TCI:t . i. 00.
130 PSALMS OF T HE SI STERS
The ascetic, discerning the omniscience and great wission
of \be Maeler, was eomforted in mind, and replied: ' F r iend,
may these things be! Thou art wort hy' to be a conqueror,
world without end l' Then, \aking flo by-road, he came t(J
the Vankahll. ra. country, and abode noor the hamlet of t-he
' rappers, where the bead trapper supplied his wanls. One
day the latter, setting off on a long hunt with eom snd
brot hers, bade his daugbte:- not neglect the Araho.nt ' I in
biB ahsenca. Now, she Wi8 of great beQuty ; II.nd UpakB. ,
seeking alms at her borne, and captivated by her beauty,
could not ea.t, but took hie food borne, a.nd laid down fast
ing, vowing he would die should he not win CapP._ After
saven days the father returned, and, OIl inquirine for his
, heard he had not come agsin after the first day.
The lmpper Hought him, find Upaka, moaning, a.nd rol ling
ov{)r , confes8ed hi8 plight . The trapper asked if he knew
any craft, and he an.Bwered, 'No;' but offered to fetch their
game and sel! it. The conBEmted, and, gi vi ng him
8. cost, brought him to h is own home. a nd gave h i m biB
dllollghter . Tn duf' time she had a. whom they ca11ed
Suhhadd&.J CipR, whAn the baoy cried, sa.ng to him:
Upaka 's boy, asceti,:' a hc.y, game.dealer s boy, don't cry,
don't cry !' mocking her htl .. hll.nd. And he sa.id lengtb :
, Do not thou, Capli. fancy 1 have nonp. to protect me, . I
bave a fr iend, a conqueror eternal , A.nn to him I will
go.' Sbo 811.'1'1' that b e was veled, and teased him Rgllin and
a.ga.i n in tbo same WilY, till one day, in anger. he got reA.oJ'
to go. She said much, but vainly, to prevent him, and he
1 In the 1!ajjhima, Nik,i ya thEre i , .. nother ;Io ka before the lut
above, in whioh BuddhaIl8J6, ' 11111 worthy:
'I ltll the Anha:H [i . ., . worthy] of Ihe wcrld, I !10m
Tbe Buprewe, the /Jne TrOlly AWl!.ke.
Cool Md I in !\ibb .... n& d'll'ell (nib6 I<t o).'
I The ' holy mu: &I ou r lraditb n l<EIo"!. He waa no An.luUll
ill ' he Buddhilli se!l8e.
I Fortunatull.
I HiB humility w! ... due, tlpurt Ir on) his natural dl8posiUon, t.o hI.
having no , laW! among a group ot illd. .... IIQ1lt.mn"
131
lid OU\lIlc,tWfl r d . And the Exalted One Wil.li. then R.t
Sal'sUbi in the J e:a Grovi!, nnd announced this to the
brethren ; 'He who to-day shell come lukins, "Where is
the Conqueror eter nal?" sond him to me.' And l'pakll.
arrived, and. ei flo Dding in tho midst of the \'jhara, Rsl ed :
Wbertl is the Conqueror eternal?' So they brought
b im, lIo ud whell be !!law the Enlted One, he said : 'DoBt
know me, Elalted One?' 'Yea, I know. But thou, whoro
h&8t thou l:IlJent tbe time?' 'In tbe \'ankabti.ra country,
lord: Upakll, thou ad now an old man ; canst thou
bear the reliBious life'" r will enter thereon, lord.'
The Master bade a cer tain Bbikl:lm, 'Cowe, do thou,
Bhikkhu, orda.in him.' And he tharaafter 6:u:rcil:ling and
training himself, was lOon eatablisbed in the F ruiliO!1 of
the Pathof No-Return, and thereupon died, baing reborn
in t be Aviha hellv6nB} At the moment of rebirth he
AnbantBbip,
Seven ha\'e thus attained it, as i' bas heen 8!l.id,
But Cipa, siek at heart o\'er his depa.rture, delivered her
boy to hie grandfather, and, following in the way L'paka.
ha.d gone, renounced world at Su.vattbi, and attained
Araba.niship, And uniting verllfls with her own,
she thus sxul ted.:
(Her lI,usband speaks,)
Once staff' ill hand humeless ] fared and free.
Now but a trapper am I, sunken fast
In baneful bog of earthly lusts, yet fain
To come out on the yonder side, My wife (291)
P lllYs with her child and mocks my former state.
Deeming her cha.rm yet holdeth me in thrall
But I will cut the knot anp roam again.' (292)
I Thia r .. nlIed &wone the Ii."e ' t.oPllIotl' hea,,81l1 of tbe worId of
lorto,' or llrahm .. world. See B"ddh. P'lh p. 8M; DlgM N., ii. 62.
182 PSALMS Ot' [HE SI STERS
Capa.
, 0 be not angry with me, hero mine r
o thou great prophet, be not wroth with me !
For how may he who giveth place to wrath
Attain to holy li fe Ilnd purity:' (293)
Nay, I'll go forth from Nala.
l
\Yho would live
At Nala now, where he who fa in to lead
A life of righteousness sees holy men
Beguiled by the beauty of a girl I' (20-1- )
' 0 turn again, my dark-eyed lover, come
And take thy fill of Capn's love for tht!t!.
And I , thy slave, will meet thy every wish,
And all my kinsfolk shall thy servants be,' (295)
I Nay, were a man desirous of thy love,
He well might glory didst thou promise him
A fourth of what thou temp'st me here withal !'
0 dark-eyed love, am I not fair to sec,
As the lill. na swaying in the woods,
As the pomegranate-tree in fullest bloom
(206)
Growing on hill-top, or the trumpet-flower
Drooping o'er mouth of island cavern? See, (297)
With crimson sandal-wood perfumed, I'll wear
Finest Benares robe for thee-O why,
o how wilt thou go far away from me l' (2!lS)
I The Commentalor uplaln. thi' of Nlla, a villge 'in
Masadh .. , near the BOlUI' IDf Ga;r') (see P8. 1i:r.. ), by .. yinS i l was
Upaka,'1 nalive pla.e., IUld ilia, pa.ir had gone to live there. AI he
w ... Ihe trappers' middleDla.n, .nd ,heNtOYe in frequent oommumclII-
lion .... jlh them, t his "Would loc .. te the V .. nka.hll.r .. in thM
torn\l..,r june1u inlluMdi .. tel;r to th, I,,"th or M"'g..n.h., Gny' beinl!
in South Mag .. dh ...
CAPA 18S
Ay ! so the low ler seeketh to decoy
His bird, Para.de thy charms e'en as thou wilt,
:0..' e'er shalt thou bind me to thee as of yore.' (,W\))
, And this child-blossom, 0 my husband, sec
Thy gift to me-now surely thou wilt not
Forsake her who hath borne a child to thee r (aOO)
, Wi se men forsake their children, wealth and kin,
Great heroes ever go forth from the world.
As elephants sever their bonds in twain: (301)
Then thy child with stiek or axe
I'll batter on the ground- to save thyself
From mourning for thy son thou wilt not go J'
(802)
And if thou throw the child to jackals, wolves,
Or dogs, child-maker without ruth, e'en so
'T",iU not avail to tum me back again!' ("303)
Why, then, go if thou must, and fare thee weU.
But tell me to what village wilt thou go,
\Vhat town or burg or city is thy goal r (S04)
In the past days we went in fellowship,
Ueeming our shallow practice genuine_
l)ilgrims we wandered- hamlet, city. town,
AnrJ cll.pital-we tramped to each in turn.' (305)
, Hut the Exalted Buddha now doth preach,
..Along tile banks of the NeralljarJ,1
, Thb ri ver BOWl from 'be w."'rebed lOuth of 'he G&lIgel 1lW'
G.a.)',- lind th .. Bud:iha w .. coming from i l ... hell t"pa.ka 51"8' Ill .. '
h!m. "Rut th, Buddha, in tbll COmlllerlt .... ,)', P .. id to h ... aw ... ited
ipaka at S'Vluhi to the norU1-welt. Upah sets out' wutw..ro.' too
nd hI.w. The geography here lorm. "" pretly crill. Wh.tever m.y
be daCl ded by in the nu.r future 808 ;0 tha liLe of Sll'a.tthi
that . '
IJ t e llorth,.,.eslward of G.),.
PSALMS 0 1" 1 HF. SISTERS
The Norm whereby all may be savw fWIll ill.
To him r go; he now my guide shall be. ' (306)
, Yea, go, and take my homage unto him
\VllO is the supreme Sonan of llle World,
And Inl:lking salutation by the right, l
Do thou from us to him make offering.' (807)
Now meet and ri ght b. this, e't:n as thou
That I in doing homage. speak for thee
To him, the Supreme Sovran of the \Vorld,
A nn mAking salutati on by t he right ,
I'll rende r o ffering for thee and mf'.' (H08)
SO Kala went t o the N
A nn saw the ,'ery Buddha on the bank,
Teaching the " ' ay Ambrosia. l : of HI, (309)
And of how III duth rise. and how III may
.Be overpast, and of the way LIIC;:reto,
Even the Ariyan, the Eightfold Path. (310)
Low at his feet the husband homage paid,
Saluted hy the right and Capii's vows
Presented: then the world again
F or homeless li fe; the Threefold \Visdom won,
And brought to pass the bidding of t he Lord. {a II )
LXIX
Sundari.
Sha t oo, having wl:ule Ler re50lve under former Buddhas,
and heaping up good of efficacy in and
that rebi n h. was reborn teone ago, when V06-
I Keeping the risht side towud the object of adorlllion in walldog
rOIiDd him.
SU,,' UARI 185
was Buddbo., in a. clansman'a famil y, OnA day she
winil:lt6red t.o tho Mafter with alma, Rnd worshiJlplid him.
and be percoivod hor holie\rns bearl, aDd thllnken hEr.
After celestial and othor happy rebirths, her knl) wlerlgR
Laving come to mat urity, she WQ60, in this Buddha-ag6.
rlloom M BeDlU'88 all t he daughter of Suj ita, a brahmi n,
BttCaUB6 of her perfect form thoy callfld her Sundari
(Beauiy). When Bhe grew up, hor younger brother died .
Her lsthllr, o\'tmnastered by grief, and gOiDg io aDd fro.
met the TIJtJrI When she asked him what
afflicted him, he aUbwHed as in \he first two Yor ses.
Wi6hing to allay his gr ille, tlhe spoke the next two var scs,
snd told him ot her own gritlfie8s 6taie. The brahmin
asked her : 'How, lady, did you utlCOwe free {roOl grief
(a.>mkd) 'I' The Then &old him of 'be TUr\::ti J ewels , the
Refllge8. 'Where,' he asked, 'is the Mas ter'!' ' He is
now at Mitbili : So the brahmin droYe in his carritlogtl Lo
and BOught audience of tbe Master . To him the
Haster taught the Norm j and he believed, and enterad
the Order, attaining ArahantBhip 011 the third da.y, after
strenuous effort in establ ishing iosigbt.
But the charioteer drove his chariot back to Benu.res,
and told ths bmhminee whet had taken pia('e, When
Sunda.ri b68rd of ehe aski:d hsr mother, saying :
' Motber, I too would leave the world.' The mOlher said:
'AU the weaHh in this bouse belongs to you. You are
the bOlress 01 this family, Take up your heritage a nd
enjoy it. Go not forth.' But Sundar! said: Wenlth is
no use to me, Mother, I would leave ths world;' and,
bringing the motber to consent, she abandoned her great
pOt'sessions like so much spittle, a.nd entered the Order (at
Benarss). And studying and striving because of the pro-
miss in her and the maturity of her knowledge, she attsined
Arahantshi p, with thorough grasp of the Norm in form and
mel'. ning-,
Dwelling thereafter i ll the flase of fruiti(ln and t he hIm;,
136 PSAUI S OF THE SISTERS
of Nibbana, she thought : . I will uner a. Lion's Roar !
belore the ::\Isster.' And asking permission of her \sacher ,
len Banares, BCCOOl vo.nied by a following of
Hbikkbunis, and in due course came to Si\vlUthi, did
obeisB.nce '0 Ihe :'IIaster. and stood on one 3ide. Welcomed
by him, she decla. red her ANNA by extolling her relation to
bim 8.8 the' daughter of his mouth,' and eo on. There
upon all her kinsfolk. beginning with her mother, and
their atoendanis. renounced ;he world. reflecting on
her attainment, and using ber lather's utterances in her
own Psalm, exulted aa foll ows:
SllJi1ta.
Dame of the brahmins, thou too in the past-
Thou knowest-'twas thy little babes!! Death
robbed
And preyed upon; and thou all night, aU day
l\ladest thy hitter wRil . Vasitthi, say ! (812 )
How comes it that to-day thou, who hast lost
So many-was it seven ?- all thy sons,
No more dost mOllrn and weep so bitterly ! (313)
r atii/ht.
Nay, brahmin, many hundreds of our babes,
And of our kinsfolk many hundred more,
Have we in all the ages past and gUile
I An idioma.;ic phr-..e for a. peel or congra.tula.tory or proelamatory
lpeeeh. C/. the two dillConsN 10 named, Majjhi ma. N. i ., pp. 63 ff.
I h will be reUlecbered, i, in her lfgend rOlJ'll'olented as
lOlling but one child. The COllunentary. undaunted by IhlB die
orepaucl, uph.in. it by the grief.dbu-acted Slate 01 the !uhf r. Bu
parne ie thet of a bnhmill Bu_the Vii...,!!hu-yel .mo i, Dot t ailed
a brahmiD iD b,,' ewn 0 " t he other hand, her ;l\ oividUf ..J
point of view regarding the Dhamlll& i. very consis;emly rellroductd.
Dr. Neumann, ignoring the COlOlncntary II.< ehewhere, aeea in VlLtenhL
or Vll-tinhi, the family name of SUlld .. ,l, inu-oducing B. baftllng
cOUlplic .. tion into the drB.lllB.tie ,impli cit.l of the Psalm qud ba.J lad.
SUNOARI 187
Seen upon by Death, both you nnd 1. (314)
Hut ( have learnt how from both Birth and Death
A way there is t' escape. \\' herefore no more
I mourn. nor weep, nor make my bitter wail. (315)
.'hr,juta.
'Vondrolls ill suuth, Vasiqhi, are the words
'fhou speak est ! '''hose the doctrine thuu hast
learnt ?
Whence thine authority for speech like this ? (316)
Vilfillhi.
'Tis H e, til t': Very \Vake, the Buddha, He
Who late, hard by the town of MithiHl,
Did teach the Norm, brahmin, whereby
All that hath life may put otfevery ill. (317)
\Vhen I, 0 brahmin, when J heard the Arahant
Rc"cal the Doctrine of the Non-Substrate,l
Furthwith Gospel sank into my heart,
And all my mother-grief fell off from me. (318)
SlI,jrita.
] too str1l. ight will go to Mithilii,
if haply the Exalted Buddha mny
Me. even me, release frulli c \'ery ill. (319)
The uruhmin went: he sa w lhe Awaken'd One,
Th' Emancipated, Him in whom
No base is fou nd for rebirth, and from Him,
'fhe Seer. Him who hath passed beyond all ill, (320)
I Nirupfldhi-i.e .. of how 1-0 live as to undo the conditions or
fer rebirth. ':'he following line road! liteuUy ; ' I, Oll e
'Nbo hll.d the GOEpel, my chil<l grid the,. IIJld
th., . '
138 OF TilE SISTERS
He heard the Norm: tht: Truth of HI, and how
III comes, and how III may be overpassed,
E'en by the Al'iYlln, the Eightfold Path,
That leadeth to the abating of all Ill.' (321)
Forthwith the Gospel sank into his heart.
He left the world, he chose the homeless life.
011 the third night of eontempla.tioll rapl,
Sujata touched and won the Threefold Lore.!l
Come, chariolt!t:r, now drive this chariot home!
thy good mistress health, the bmluuinee,
And say: ;, The brahmin hath renounced the
world.
On the third night of contemplation rapt
Suju.ta touched and won the Threefold Lore,'" (::123)
And so the driver took car and
Of money home, and wished his mistress healtll,
And said; ' The brahmin hath renounced the
world.
011 the third night of contemplation rapt
Sujata touched and won t he Threefold Lore.' (324)
Sundarz' s
For this that thou hast heard, 0 Chariot eer,
And tell cst: that the brahmin hath attained
The Thredold Lure, IlU half-gift give I thee.
s
Take thou the chariot, take the horses 1>01.11.
And take a thousand pieces tor thy pains. (325)
Let t hem remain thine OWII, 0 bl'ahminee,
Horses and chariot and the thousand coins,
, P o. Ii:. . 160. t Sec Fe, 1xii. 'I.
S Lit ., I giv. thu Il f"n 00 .... 1.
W NDA!U
For I , t oo, have l!. mind to lell vc the world,
Kear hi m of chiefest wisdom to abide,' (326)
139
Dut thou, my Sundari, now tlmt thy father hRth
gone furt h,l
Leaving his home, renounci ng all h1fcat eslale--
Cuttle and horses, elephants, j ewels and rings-
thou at least (:ome t o thine own! Thou art
the heir
Of this thy fumily. Do thou enjoy thy wea1th.
(827)
. Cuttle !Ind horses, j ewels and rings-
Ay, all that goes to make t his fair and broad estate
Hath he put far from him, my father dear,
A lid left the world, afflicted for his son.
I , too, afflicted at my brother's death,
I ha\'e a mind like him to iel! ve the world: (U2R)
, J'llay t his, t hen, thine intention, Sundari.
Thy heart's desire, bc crownoo with success !
The food from hand to mouth, l! glean'd here alld
t here,
The patchwork robe these things accomplishtod
\\' ill purify in otht!r after-world
\ Vhate'er has poisoned life for thee in thi!s." (329)
I For 'hiB and olle half tbe n81' vel'8e (827, l:I2E) th.1I P&li nr&e&
become fedu.ndall l, Twc. Brl! ir regular in metre, one hu all additlon .. l
hBlI i/{)J.:a. No glon, apparently, hal crept into tbe le1t. Conel': .ably
tbe rtduildanc:!, Ill&Y be uMd to .. abun dance of
!Jer belll&g_lba, popa ,l ea t.O wh icb the bi"bt!J' lilt:. o.e . ailIlpiiflc.lio" .
"eloction, tllillliulloLiuu , ti t uod ill abarp contra.. t.
, Sa. vu ... MO... Lit . food I .. ft o,e., .
Tr&,lition pJaees thil Epe(ch i n the mOLber'. mouth. Dr. Neu
llIann . J;UI!iB ncribe. il t u the fihi kkhuni who reeei'"e. SunCllri into
the Order. But the wh.)ie tOile of it , especi ally t he lut . snt immt-
l'a rn/nke anill<'lIil_ il tbnt of the l all!!'. point 01 view. The IUI'I'e
rOlll;Utl '0 lIIJetlt.11l ... rOl'a' to wi" {" ture c;>mpenaM;on .
ao OF THE SI STERS
Sundm-i,
r Ve:; lraillcJ. JIlt, Lady, in the t hreefold course.
1
Clear shines for me t he Eye Celestial.
1 know the how and when] came to be
Down the long past. and where it was I lived. (830)
To thee l owe it, 0 t hou nohle friend.
Thou loveliest of t he Therl Sisterhood,
That I the Thrc::dold L ore hRye gottell now,
And thatthe Buddha's will hath beenobeyt: u. (881)
Give to me, Lady. thy consent, for 1
' ''ould go to Savatthi. so that I may
Utter my ' lion' s roa r,'- my Hllil , all hail 1'-
In presence of t.he Buddha, Lord and Chief.
2
. (332)
See, SUluhul , lht: Muster fair in hue,
His countenance as fine gold, clear and bright,
Him who is All -enlightened, Buddha, Best.
'farner of untamed. never tasting fear. (638)
And see, 0 Ma!:. ter, Sundari, who comes
To tell thee of Emancipation won,
And of t he right no mor e to he reborn.
'Who hath herself from passion freed,
Unyoked from bondage, loosened from the world.
No "'ord i aid of t b. r. al objl'(!t of religiouR t raining of
the mind and emotion.. And lal '-ati[)n hel'll and
GftlUGvii-wu the 01 t bOlK enteri ng the Order. Cf, Pa. lu. 849lJ
for thl" poi o. 01 In Ihis 1 the Commen-
tary, which doe. not interr upt t he li ttle drllma wuh It, u posillonl,
hut givell them soparuely.
I C/. PII. xlv. 1(f.6. .
t So Sundar{ w" nl with Bhikkhuni_ to 1>"-,n.uhi . .. nll . the
VihlLra. l1li. .... the Muter .Itli ng 011 the Seat of And, d m lled
with a 'w-ory 01 joy lLlld gla.dness, ahe 'I.d a \'E'l"'!;e , Il. if to herseJl,
14J
AC("'OlIIplishc:d now is her appOinted wurk,
Alld all that drugged her heart is purged
aWllY, I (334)
r JO! from Senares I am come to thee
I, Slllldarl, thy pupil, at thy feet,
o mighty Hero, see me worship here. (335)
Thou art Huddha! t hou art .Ha<iter ! and thine,
Thy daughter am I, issue of thy mouth.
ThOll Very even or thy word.
Accomplished now is my appoint ed task,
And all that drugged my heart is purged
away. (330)
, \Velcome to tliee. thuu gracious maiden J thence
For tllee 'twas but a little way to come.'S
For sO they come who, victors over self.
Are fain to worship at the Ma.o;; ter's fp.et ,
Who also have t hemsel ves from p..'lSsion freed,
L nyoked from bondage, loosened from the world,
\Vho luwe accomplished their appointed task,
And all that drugged their hearts have purged
away." (337;
I: I, clear frOID thh a.ttirlDafjon_ ,j?" that .he WII.I .411(j ' Q1!(!_
tha.t Sunda" ...... Ar.baut. Curiously, hen I. the Bole ease whertl t he
Rtlll.;nl!lent t. Dot cxplicitly reeonl ed. !:Ihe i, ollly Mid \0 "'"
Ta bt An.i.av.; wu tb8 oR'Ith. .... d Jut Illg' in "'jj,; Of p:Vl,/,; Or
QbhiJi/ld.
Th:.! he .poke, declaring ber by WRy of exprelllline ht r
joy. Then the Muter, to relieve her lIer vou, ness, .. ked ; 'Bitt
.... hence COroeH thou? and and who iB thill Slt ndari?'
Thea _h, Hlade trla .... "r : 'Lo 1 fNJIIl Bennru .. .. '
B',.}""""4! Cf. Dh""''''"y<1u, ell . x\\' I; DialOgUC6 oj Ike
Bllddha, i, 13810,\0; Nellllunn, 01. ail. 347," 2.
J She had tfavelled apprm.:;m .. tf'I) ruther und, r aoo milea for thi.
pilgrimage. But 'he wa.s nenr the el1d QI her InfinitEly long liIe.
142 PSAL)IS OF THE Si STERS
LXX
Subhii
(The Gol dsmith's Daurhter)
SLat too, having made her reeoh'a under former BuddbaE.
and btlll.piog up good of o.ge-eodnring efficacy. so tbat she
bad progre!!! ively plantod the r oot of good and acculIluia.t.ed
the conditiollil of was, in this Buddha-era,
reborn at ." the daughter of a cerlELin goldsmi'b.
}' rolll the bailout:'" of her porson Ilbe was called Subba.
Come to years of wscreti on, sho went one day, whil e the
Master was at Riij llogu. ba, and belief in him h i! cowa 10
her, and di d obeisanclt, r;enting horsoH on ODS airl A. The
MaBter, seeing the mat uritJ of her moral facultis8, Rond
in accordance with ber Willb, taught hor t he Norm en
shrined in the Four Truths. She thoroby established
in the fruiti on of Stream-entry, which is in countl ess way'
adorned. Later she real ized the tl i6advantages of dOlllestic
life, and entered tbe Drde, under tLe Great the
Gotamid, devoting herself to the high!:!r Pathe. From time
to .. ime her rel atione imi r.ed ber to rtllurD. ' 0 Lhe world,
urRing its charms_ To tbem thus como une day, sbe sot
forth the danger in bouse-hfe and in the world. prea.ching
the Norm in the twenty-four verses below, liud disllIis!led
cured of their desire. then strovtl lor insight,
purifying her facul ties, till at length abe won Artlolluotebip.
All Arahant ehe spoke thus :
A maide n I , all clad in whi te, once (338)
The Norm, and hearkened eager, earnestly,
So ill me rose rl iscernment of the Truths.
T hereat all worldly plC'.lsl1Tes irked me sore,
:1<'01' I coulU the perils that beset
This reborn (.'Ompouml, ' pc: rsonalit y,'
And to renounce it was my sole uesire. (:lB9)
.sunllA
So 1 fo rsouk Ill)' 'world- illY all,
l\ly slan!s, my and my \'illages
the fi elds a,nd meadows ;Irolilld,
r illngs fair and makmg for t he j oy of life-
All t. hese I left, and :\ought the Sistr."'HlOrf
T urning my back upon no mean e..tat c. ('a."o)
Amiss were't II OW t1lut I , who ill full faith
HenollJlced that world, who well discerned the
Truth,
la'ying down what gold aud si lver bring,
(,herl!}h no \vorIdly wh,hes whatsoe'er.
aU undoing, come to you again! (811 )
Siher and gold avail not to awake I
Or soothe. Ullmeet for JiI'es:l
are not Ariyan-llot noble- wealth.' (34:1)
\0\ gl'eed is uroused and wantonness,
I nfatuatlon and all fleshly lusl'i,
\V henee cometh lear for loss and man)" "
H . a care .
ere IS no ground for lasting (84(J )
Ht!re men, heedless and maddened with d . .
Co t ' , eStres,
rrup 111 mUld, by one another let
hindered, ,o, t rjve in general enmity_ (844 )
bonds. and torture. ruiu, grief, :mn woe
A w;ul the slaves of sellse, and dreadful doom (-1'-
Wh I"" " - "' I
Y lere,," Ithal, In)' kmsmen-nay my"
Wt k '
ly lIle II I your minds with seJlse- dc\ires!
I Na loodA ' ,
"!I" ......... t l !!,; : r.ot fur <: nli hl r '
or peace, GoO" E]' I'" g no::nent, It. , Le' ''gnwa k",
. ire lOt 1I11.S lnl'8 In Rymp'Hhy with i;uLb,'i. :
'::-;-"y, no t lis an ualJrcd good
_k th .. 1101.1, .t- ' ti a your ,,"ly good.
Now y ou ha, <' it, lor that hi'-'h "
P " II ' ... er \'111CD
OI!lOnB:\ :IICalicr choice for c,"enuore'
I J te I .
-t ra.ly, for .a'''''1' '' ' .... (uli!!i,.n-,, ) ,
144 1'S.\I.:'\IS OF 1'10: SI STERS
Know me as one who saw, and therefore: fled,
The perils rising from the life of sense. ( 346)
Not gold nor mOlley can avail to purge
The poison of the deadly ASllvas.
Ruthless and murderous !lre sellse-desires ;
Foemen of cruel spear awl prison-bonds. (347)
\iVhy herewithal, my my roo;-
\<V hy yoke me in your minds with ?
Know me :1.''; her who fled the life of sense,
Sham of her hair, wrapt in her yellow robe. (54-H)
The food frolll hand to mouth,! glean'd here and
there,
The patchwork robe-these things are meet for me,
The. base and groundwork of the homeless
1; le.' (9'9)
Great sages:! spue forth all desires of senst.::.
\Vhet.her they be in heaven or on earth;
At pea.ce they dwell. for they freeholders are,
For they have won unfluctuating hliss. (350)
Ne'er let me follow after worldly lusts,
\"' herein no refuge is; for they are foes,
And murderers. and cruel blazing fires.
4
(351)
Oh! but an incubus is here, the haunt
Of dread lind fear of death, a thorny brake.
A grt!t!dy maw it is, n path impassahle,
1\1outh of a pit wherein we lose our wits, (352)
A horrid shape of doom impeJlding-such
Are worldly lusts; uplifted heads of snakes.
I Lit ., l .. Jt nver, einm ," alnll. Ct. hi/a.!.:rt.. iv, 380.
1 C/ . Pa hix. 1! .
3 I read ... iUl the IJlahr.illI. L:/. uU line
IUld 361.
Th(1IC are Biluiles in to Buddha
. . 1"'1. NiJ.., iv. ,v,k., v . 112114 ; h'. 189, l(ltl ;
lid,;"", '24; '1["jj J. . Ni .I .... i. UO, etc.
SI 'Il!1 ....
14:'j
Therein they that be fools find their ddi;tIJL-
The blinded, general, a\'eruge, sen!-ollal man, (:153)
For all the many souls. WllO befooled
Err ignorant in the marsh of worldly lusts,
Heed not that which can limit birth and
death. (354)
.Because of worldly lmts mankind is drawn
By woeful way to many a direful doom-
Where ev'ry step doth work its penalty.l (HI15)
Rreeders of enmity are worldly lush,
Engendering and vicious taints.
Flesh baits, to bind tiS to t he world anti dCHth. (3.5U)
Lt:auiug lo lJIadne ... to hysteria,
To ferment of the mind, arc worldly lusts,
Fell tntps by Mard laid to rui n men. (857)
Endless the direful fruit of worldly lust.-;,
Surcharged with poison, sowing many ills,
Scanty. and .brief its sweetness, stirring stri fe,
And WIthering tilt: Lrightllcss of our days. (aS8)
For Illt: who thus havc chosen. ne'er will J
I?to. theT:,orld's disasters come again,
.foor 10 Nlbbana is my joy alway. (a,-j!J)
a [good1 fight with worldly lusts.
":B.I.t in hope for the Cool Ulcss<.-dne;s,
AhtdUlg eamest in endeuvour, till
doth :,ulTive that feLLen; me to t hem.
I Lit. , llr ... 01 ha (the way' .) O.,-n . lilict;n ... .
( 86UI
14. PSAI.MS or THE SI STERS
THIS is my \,yay, the \Vay t hat leadll past grief.
Past all t hat dot.h defile. the haven sure,
EYen the Ariyan Eightfold Path. t:alled Straight 1
There tl u I follow where the Saints
2
have
crossed. (361)



See now this Subha, 3tauding all the Norm.
Child of a craftsman in the art of gold!
Ilehold I she hath attained to utter calm;
Museth in rapture 'neath the spreading
boughs. (362)
To-day, l he eighth it is since she went forth
In fait h, and radiant in the Go:spd's light.
By Uppalaval)na 3 illstruct ed,Io!
Thrice wise is she and conqueror one death. (3G8)
Freed woman she, discharged is all her debt,
A Bhikkhuni. trained in the higher sense.
All sundered are t he Bonds, her task is done,
And tht! great Drugs t hat poisoned her are
purged. (364)
'1'0 her came Sakka, and his band of' gods
]n all their glory, worshipping Subha,
Child of a craftsman ill t he art of gold,
But lord of an that have life and
breath.
4
(365)
, UjuJ.o " ,I ", ... " ",urJi0.'
II the .. t Way i. ,,&lIed. (Sarl!l' Nik., i. 38.)
Y Muh"j lntJ, a.o in 800. l S#,e I' . IIlIV.
, B 1,,1/,,1''' / ;' ; i'.,UD, lord or !fot! of btin!!, ill the three pl&nes of
(;, e Co" " nrnlnry ; gods, men, aDd . nim-.I.,
t\' .1. t the ill not c:>lll:u Queell or but 1'4/; (wIl.sculir:e).
147
'When, on tho ei ghth day aftr her ordi nlLtion, sh", won
AmhBll tsil ip, attaiuing fruition, seated beneath a tree, the
El a bed One uttered these three "eUel> (3112.364) in her
pc.inting hor out to the Brethren . And the last
v\Jr l5C was o. ddoJ by thorn who recited (the ca.non Ilt the
CQu nci h. to cclobr<ltc adomtion .
CANTO XIY
PSALM 01:' AUOUT THlHTY YERSlcS
LXXI
Subha of Jivaka's Mango_grove,l
HHE too, ha.ving mada her resolve nnder former Buddhu,tI,
and beaping up good of a.ge-enduring efficacy in this and
thflt rebirth, fos tering the root of good and perfecting the
eondit.ions for emancipation through the ripening of her
knowledge, was in this Buddha-era reborn at Riijaga.ba,
in the family of 8 very eminent. brabmin, Her name was
Subha" and truly lovely wn,s her hody in all its members.
It was for t his reason thut she came to be so called. While
the Master sojourned at Ri\jal=(&ha, !;he received faith and
bep.A.me a lay-disciple, Later she anxious over the
round of lifA, and sa....- the bane of the pleaeures of sense,
and diacerned thRt lut.fety lay in renunciation. She entered
the Ordor under the GTAlt..t Pajiipati the Gotamid, and exer-
cising herself in iDsieht, WIUI won esta.blished in the fruition
of tho Pa.th of NO-retum,
Now ono da.ya cert.ain libertine of RBjagaha, in the prime
of youth, wus strmding in the JivakA. MR.ngo-grove, and saw
I J)ytJ.;[\ KOlllilrll.bhacca, physician ttl King Bimb:si\m lit the court
of Rii jll.!l'lI.h .. , ;1 II. very prorllinent layma.n in the first chronicles of the
Order, pr'>lIuibing fox i t. on Vinay"
(S, B ,E,), j, 1!1I, ii. 173 ,f/., iii, 10'l; Majjh, N,k " i , lJG8 JI. :
Diy/n' Nik" 1. "9 (Dialo!ltw., i, 87), in which the Gro\'e ill men-
SUDHi\. m' ,Th'AKA'S ,\f.\:"GO-UROYF, 149
her goil1g: t,n RiAatR; fLnrl feeling enamoured, be ha.rred her
way, soliciting her to sensu!!.l pleasures, She declared to
him by wany instances the bane of sensuous pleasures and
her own of renunciat ion, teacbing: him the Norm,
riven then he was not cured, but pQ; rsisted, The Therl, not
stopping ahort at her own worda, and seeing his p!l.osion
for the bea.uty of her eyes, extractod ono of thom, Dond
handed it to him, saying: 'Como, then! here is the offend-
ing eye of her!' Tbere[l.t the man was horrified and appalled
and, his lust a.ll gene, her forgiveness. The Theri went
t o Lim }fMter's presence, a.nd there, a.t sight of Him, ber "ye
bectHUe as it was before. ThtlTetl. L she l'itood vibrating with
uDcealling juy lI.t the Buddha. The Master, knowing the
sta.te of her mind, taught her, and showed her exercise for
reaching the highest, Repressing ber joy, she developed
insight, and attained Arabantship, together with thorough
grasp of the Norm in form aDd meaning. Thereafter, abiding
in the bliss and fruition of :l\ibbana, she, reflecting ell what
she had won, uttered her dialogue with the libertine in
thesa verses:
In Jivaka's pleasant woodland walked Subha
The Bhikkhuni, A galJllnt. met her there
And barred the way. To him thus spake
Subh.,' (366)
. What have I done to offend thee, that thus in my
path thou eomest{
:\0 man, 0 friend, it beseemcth to tuuch a Sister
in Orders. (367)
I metre now cha.nge, from .-<loka to thll.t termed or, a.t
le .. st, to II. metre which in lll.ttlr liter&ture beclI.me lormulsted under
th .. Ilame. II runs apprO)IIllILtely l' Whll.t hlLl'e 1,' IIle, ) ;
u " ;i v" v u v u
Ktlt te al,,,riidli i tall maY,i .!J-;:n ura:} m:ariy,lna tiUhm<il
" "- .. '. " .. ,."-- -' -' . ".
Na h, pahba;tf,iya, ....... l'it'Luon';yn. kal'l'l!l i.
150
OF THE
So hath my MHstec ordained in the precepts we
honour and follow;
So hath the \\-T elcome One taught in the training
wherein they have trained me,
Purified discipline holy. ''''hy standest thou block-
ing my pathway? (868)
Me pure, thou impure of henrt ; me passionless. thou
of vile passions;
Me who as to the whole of me freed am in spirit
and blameless.
Me whenl"e comes it that Thou dost hinder, stand-
ing obnoxious l' (SR9)
'Young art thou, maiden, and
seekest lIw1J, in the holy life ?
Cast off that yellow-hued raiment and come! in
the blossoming woodland
Seek we our pleasure. Io"illed with the incense of
blossoms the trees waft ( 870)
Sweetness. See, the spring's at the prime. the
season of happiness !
Come with me then to t he flowering woodland, and
seek we our pleasure. (371)
Sweet overhead is the sough of the blossoming
cresls of the forest
Swayed by the Wind-gods. Bllt an thou goest
alone in the jungle.
Lost in its depths, how wilt thou find aught to
del ight or content thee? (372)
HRunted is the great (orest with mRny a herd of
wild creatures,
Broken its peace by the tfllmplings of elephant!.
rutting and sa \'age.
SUllH.4. Ot- JI" .... KAs )lANGO'GROVE 151
Empty of mankind and fearsome I_is't there thou
WQuld'st go uncompanioned ? (373)
Thou like u gold-wrought stat ue, like nymph In
celestial garden
MOl'est, 0 peerless creature. Radiant would shine
thy Im'eli ness
Robed in miment of beauty, diaphanous gear of
Benarcs. (:J14)
I would live but to sen'e t hee, lUI thou would'5t
abide in the woodland.
Dearer and sweeter to me than art thou in the
world i ... no creature.
ThOll with the languid and slow-movi ng eyes of
an clfofthe forc!'it. (375)
I f thou wilt li st to me. cOlll e where t ile joys of thc
sheltered life' wait thee;
Dwell in a house of verandas and t erraces, hand-
maiden.::. serving thee. (876)
Robe th}' self in deli cate gear of BenSLres. don gar-
lands, use unguents.
Ornaments many and dinn. I !,rive to thce,
fashioned with precious .::. tones,
Gold work and pearls, And thou shalt mount on
a couch fHir and sumptuous, (377)
Carved in sandalwood, frSLgrant with essences,
sprcad with ncw pillows.
Coverl t:ls Aeec,Y allll Hnd decked with im-
maculat e canopies. (378)
Like to a lotUli upbome on the bosom of' sprite-
haunted water.
, 'Ahhoul;h,' rellll:.rk. tI le Cvnlln<n'ator, ' in th .. t wood there ""1.8
not hing of tho TIllt thi . Iw ",i.hing to nuke her
afrlLid: 1 Lit .. . Come. d""ell in a bOUle.'
\52 YSA L't1 S OF THE SISTERS
Thou, 0 chaste anchorite, farest to old age, t hy
heal lty unmated.' (379)
'What now to thee, in this currion- Hll ed. grave-
filli.llg' carcase so fragile
Seen by thee, seemeth t o warran t. the doctrine thou
speakest, infatuate '( (aHO)
' Eyes hast t hou like the gazelle's, like an elfs in
the heart of the mountains-
'Tis those eyes of t hpp., sight of which feedelh the
depth of my passion. (381 )
Shrined in thy dazzling. immaculate face as in
calyx of lotus,
'Tis those eyes of thee, sight of which feedefh t ht!
strength of my pa..'>sion. (382)
Though thou be far from me. how could [ ever
forget thee, 0 maiden,
Thee of the long -drawn thee of the eyes
so miraculous?
Dearer to me than those is naught, 0 t huu
witching-eyed fai ry!' (3H8)
L a I thou art wanting to walk where no path is;
thou seekest to capture
Moon from the skies tor t hy play ; thou would'st
jump oer the ridges of l\l eru,1
Thou who presumest to lie in wait fur II. (! hild of
t he Iluddha! (3S
Nowhere in earth or in heaven lives now any object
of lust for me.
H im I know not. " Thill li ke is he ? Slain, root
and branch, through the Path. ( 385)
1 The mythical eentral mounlain of uni, erse, abo Sineru.
158
Hurled as li" e coal from the hand, and rolted as
deadly as POi SOfl
4
(! UP,
Him 1 see not. \ Vhat like is he ? Slaiu, rool and
hrnnch, through the Noble Path, (386)
Tt"mpt thou some woman who hath not discerned
what I SRy, or whose teacher
Is but a learner ; haply she'll listen; t empt t hou
nul Subha ;
She understandeth. And now 'tis thyself hast
vexation and fail ure, (387)
For I ha\'e set my mind to be watchful in whatso
hefalls me-
Blome or honour, g ladness or sorrow-and knowing
the principle;-
'Foul are all composite things,' lIowhere the mind
of me clings to them, (UgH)
Yea, the disciple am I of the Welcome One:
onward the march of me
Riding the CRr oC thl" Road that is Eightfold.
Drawn are the arrows
Oul of my wounds, and is my spirit of
drugging Intoxicants .
So I am come t o haunts that are Empty, I There
lies my pleasure. (389)
Oh! I have seen it- a puppet well painted, with
new wooden spindles.
Cunningly fastened with strings and with pins, and
diversely dancing. (890)
But if the strings and the pins be all drawn out and
loosened and scattered,
, SUi'''", lor Euo.hlhi .. l, co""oti"ir bo1h oolituJe l>Ild
<") .. o:i"'l 01. t he I: go-del uaion. C/. Pa. x u i. 46.
154 PSALMS OF THE SJS'rERS
So that the puppet be made non-existent aflll broken
In pieces,
of the parts wilt thou choose and appoint
for thy heart's rest and solace? )
Such is the manner wherein persist these poor little
bodies:
'fake away members and attributes- nothing sur-
viveth in any wise.
Not hing stm"i"eth! dost thou choose for
thy heart's rest and sohu"!e? (892)
E'cn as a fresco one sees drawn on a wall, painted
in ochre.
[Giveth us naught of the true and the real. save in
the seeming ;1
1
Thou herein with \"ision perverted [canst not dis-
tinguish ;
.T udgest wit h] wisdom of tWCnlge human, fallible.
worthless. (:J93)
o t hou art blind! thou chasest a sham. deluded by
puppet shows
Seen in the midst of the crowd; thou deemest of
value and genuine
Conjurer's triekwork, trees all of gold that we
in our dreaming. ( 894)
What is this eye but a little ball lodged in the fork
of 8. hollow tree,
Bubble of film, anointed with tearbrine, exuding
slime-drops.
Compost wrought in the shape of an eye of manifold
aspects ?'t (89:;)
I h.\'e filled up the lO[l)ewbat elliptioal _tyle (If the telo:t from t he
CummentarY.
I Of. :8.1; ... ,. l"lilo,opht!: 'Tienl,' ditil, en , oy.nt pleun de
&&. femme j ' ai dkompoae Ie. Ianni'll. EUeI eOlltiennent un pea de
St;BHA OF J i YA KA'S :o. f.\S<;OnRon:
Forthwith the maiden so lo,e1y tore out her eye
and gave it him:
Here, then! take thou thine eye!' Nor !S inned she.
her heart unobstructed. ( tl96)
StraightwR.Y t he lust in him ceased and he her
pardon imploring ;
. 0 that thou mightest recO\'er thy sight, t hou maid
pure and holy!
)lever again will 1 dare to oft'end thee after this
fashion. (897)
Sore hast t.hou smitten my sin: blazing flames have
I clasped to my bosom;
Puisunous snake have r handled-but O! be t hou
heal'd and forgive me!' (398)
Freed from molesting, the Bhikkhuni went on her
way to the Buddha,
Chief of th' Awakened. There in hi!S presence.
seeing those features
130rn of uttermost merit, straightway her sight wns
restored to her. (399)
de Cho.lII. de clllurure .Ito .v.iluUl, du lllueua et de l . .. u:
La de l'Ab,() /" ,
CANTO XV'
PSALM OF OVER FORTY VERSES
LXXII
lsldasl.
SHE too, Laving made her under fOl'mer
and persisting in ht!I former in this and that
in tha.t she beap\:Ju up good 01 a.ge-enduring
in the seventh rebirth bdors her la.si phase of hfe, BUB-
ceptihle to SSx-Bttra.ction, wrought a.dulterous conduct.
.For this she did purga.tory for wallY and there-
after for three rebirths WBS an animu.l. Therea.fter she woos
brought forth by a. sla.ve-woman 8,S an hermaphrodite, a.nd
thereafter she was born as the da.ughter of Ilo poor common
man, and W8.S, when of age, married to iha son ut Ii. ca.ra.van-
leader named Giddiisa.. Now the wife that he hild wa.s
virtuous and of noble qua.lities, Bnd the new wife ell vied
her, Bnd quarrelled with the huebll.nd beca.use of her.
After her death sbe was, in this Buddha-era. reborn at
as the daughter 010. virtuou8, honoured and wealthy
merchsnt, snd wa.s na.med lBidftsl.
3
When she was of age,
her parents gsve ber in marriage t o a. son , a
good ma.tch with berself. For a. 8he With. hlOl
as a devoted wife; then, II.S the frUlt of hBr preVIOUS schons,
her husband became estranged from her, snd turned her
out of his house. All this is tol d in the Pali text.
she had not proved desirable f01" husband a.fter aDother,
, Oil thi" curiuus .ee Introduetion.
Sec 11. to vorS4) 405. :' ",Slave 01 the sage.
H6
ISLDASI 157
IIh", grew agitstod ar.d, ga.ining hor fathor's oonsent, took
orders under the Thor! Jinadottii. And etudying for in-
!light, !5he not long alier attained Arahantahip, togethor
thorough grasp of the Norm in form and meaning.
Dwelling in the bliss of fruition and Nibbana, sbe one
day. a.fter seeking her meal in the city of l'o.tna Il.nd dining,
68.\ uown on fI, of great Ganges, and being asked
by her companion, the Theri Dodhi, about her preyioul;
experienctJ. she related it by way of yrtHlI:I. Anu Lo 8ho",
tbs connection uf her fur mer and lutLer replies, these three
stanzas were iD8edeu by the RecensioniBte :
In the fair city of Patna, earth's fairest city,
Named for its beauty after the Trumpet-flower/
Dwelt two saintly Sisters, born of the Sakiyas, (400)
lsidiisi the one, Bodhi the other.
Precept-observers, lovers of Jhanll-rapture,
Learned ladies and cleansed from the taint of all
worldliness. (40 1)
These having made their round, and broken their
fasting.
Wash,ed their bowls. and sitting in happy seclu-
Sion,
Spake thm one to the other. llsking llnd answer-
109; (402)
, Thou hast a lovely mien. lsidflSt,
Frelih and un withered yet thy woman's prime,
\Yhat flaw in the life yonder ha'it thou seen,
That thou didst choose surrender for thy lot ?' (408)
Then in that quiet spot hidasi,
Skilled in the exposition of the Norm,
I Pi\lI.1iputta. On the rise 01 this cityfl,s the 01 the l\Inurya.n
and the Buddha.'s propbecoY of thM rise, !lee Uhys David.,
BIo(i4hul !:)ulta., xi. , pp. XY. 18; Buddhul 11Idw, pp. tr where
" , ,. . . ,
c e, ,wuny of Mega.sthenes is l&rgely quoted .
158 PSALltlS OF THE SISTERS
Took up her tale and thus did make reply :
Hear, Bodhi , how it was that I came furth. (4004 )
In Ujjeni,l A,' anti's forell1U!;L town.
father dwells, a \'irtuolis citizen,
Hi s only daughter I , his weJl -helo\'('d,
The fondly cherished t reasure of hi') life. (40,1] )
Now from S5. keta came a citizen
Of the first rank and rich exceedingly
To ask my hand in marriage for his son.
A.nd father gave me him, as daughter-in-law. (406)
My salutation morn and eve I brought
To both the parents of my husband, low
Bowing my head and kneeling at their teet,
According to the tr&ining given me. (407)
.My husband's sisters and his brothers too,
And all his kin, scarce were they entered when
I rose in timid zeal and gave them place. (408)
And 3S t o food, or boiled or dried, and drink,
That which W/lS to be stored I set aside,
And servt:d it out and ga\'e t o whom 'twas
due_ (409)
Rising betimes, 1 went about the house,
Then with my hands and feet well cleansed J went
To bring respeetful greeting to my lord, (410)
And takiHg comb and mirror, unguents, soap,
I dressed and groomed him a... a handmaid
might. (411 )
I boiled the rice, 1 washed the pots and paIlS ;
And as a mother on her only child,
So did I mi niste.r to my good man. (412)
, On Ujfcnll!1.Dd ....... H Rhyo n""jJ&. /"di .. , pp. ag,
40 ; 0p. cit ., !lSI ft. They Ill"Y bllen lowe flOO milee
"P .. rt. and lh. j.;IUr nRY would be ilLl"iely by rivec. Cj. RhYI J)a. ... idB,
rlJ>. ... t .
ISJDAsf
For me, who with toil infinite thus worked,
And rendered sen'ice with a humble miml ,
Rose early, ever diligent and good,
For me he nothing felt sa\'e sore dislike. (413)
to his mother and his father he
Thus spake :- ' Give ye me leave and I will go,
For not with l sidiisi will I live
I ,) j)
Beneath one roof, nor ever dwell with her.' (414)
'0 son. speak noL on this wise of thy wife,
For wise is and discreet.
An early riser and a housewife diligent.
SAY, doth she find no favour in thine eyes?' (4-15)
, In nothing dot h she work me harm, and yet
\Vith lsidiisi will J never li ve .
I cann..ot suffer her. Let be, let be !
Give ye lilt: leave and I will go away.' (416)
And when t hey heard, mother and father-in-law
Asked of me: What then hast thou done t' ottend {
Speak to us freely. child. and speak the truth.' (417)
'Naught have J done that could offend, nor harm,
Nor nagged. at evil words. \\' hat can I do,1
That me my husband should so sore r (4J B)
To guard and keep their son, they t ook me. hap.k ,
Unwilling guides. to father's house, distressed,
Distnlllght: Alas! wt:'n: LeaLen, pretty Luek !'2 (-J I!))
The Commcnu.wr ir;\erp""'" Ihe Vodic in6nilh' c k .)/w. ,,, . do,' /La
raeeninslr;ilfl' 'J,t, 'co, 1"dl.'
, M! reading of this very p .. r"pin;"
{.nee",,* or ri'l'i ll j Lan;.\i-ia ugge8W!d by my hUlbanu, and dilfen
I"OUl that of Dr. Neum&nn, who htu! felt compelled to doctcr the le.'t.
COlllltien LlIory: Defeated b.;, the ICo-ddeq :SI r! cl ... i In humo.n
.. ' . Y -d. -
-1.C., 81 .. ' I, IU pt'uOfl&l!ng fickle Rodden of dlu.llce. TI ... _
160 I'S.\I. .\I S OF THE
Then father gave me fur the second time 8 S bride,
Content with half my husband's sire had paid. (420)
From that house too, when I had dwelt a month,
I wn...<; sent hAr;k, t hough I had worked and served,
Blameless and virtuous. as any slave. (4.21)
And yet a third, a friar beggi ng alms-
One who had self controlled, and could.
Favour in fellow-roen-my father met
And spake him thus: Be thou my son-in-law!
Come, t hrow a.way that r.agged robe and pot !' (422)
He came, and so we dwelt one half moon more
Together. Then to father thus he spake:
0 give me.back my frock, my bowl amI cup.
Let me away to seek once more my scraps: ("'23)
Then to him father, mother, all the tribe
Of kinsfolk clamouri ng: \'Vhat is it then
H ere dwelling likes you not ? Say quick, what is't
That we can do to make you better pleased ?' (424)
Then he: If for myselr I ('an suffiet::,
Enough for me. One thing I know :- beneath
One roof with I sidasi I'll not live I' ( 425 )
Dismissed he went. I too, alone J l huuglit.
And then I asked my parents' leave to die,
Or. that they suffer me t o leave the world. (426)
Now Lluly .l inadatta on her beat
Come hy my father's house for daily lllms,
tlI indful of every moral precept, she,
Learned. and expert in the V ill ltylt.1 (.,j.27)
tI, er cali IIer' I cannot IM-hcI'e had the
been t"ICl'lnte !l.e would hale been l:muI! "' ... il> nu",iniou; I.\, or ;h.,
lillo, wuulol h.ve b .. ,n p,b""t :hc child wh. n borll .
I 'Ilho coald ."pe'" th! Vin ... Y'''' Pit"'k .... proficiency
"'''" PII.til r.,lril." t.o II Bpedal degree. l:)ee 1' . d di. ; AllY. Nil'" i. 2.;.
ISIDASf
And seeing her we rose, and I prepared
A seal for her, and as she sat I kllt:lt,
161
Then gave her food, both boiled and dried, U28)
And water- dishes we had set aside-
And satisfied her hunger. Then [ said:
'Lll.rJy, I wish to leave the world.' "Why here.' (4-29)
My fat her said, 'deaf child, is scope for thee
To walk according to t he Norm. \Vi t h food
And drink canst gratify the holy folk
And the twiceborn.
1
But of my father I, (-,au)
W' eeping and holdi ng out clasped hands, besought:
Nay, but the evil karma I have none,
Tlu!.t would I expiate and wear awny.>: (431)
'J'bcn father said ; Win thou Enlightenment
And higli clit Truth, and gain Nibbana. That
Hath He, the Best of realized: (432)
Then to my mother and my father dear,
And all my kinsfolk J bade farewell.
j\nd only seven days had I gone fOIth
Ere I had touched and won the Threefold .Lore. ( 4033)
Then did I come to know Iny former birthli
E' '
en seven thereof, and how e'en now I reap
The hal'vt:sL, the result, that t.hen I sowed.
That will J now declare to thee, an thou
,",,' ilt listen singleminded to my tale. (434)
III Erakaccha's town of yore 1 li ved,
A wealthy craftsman in all works of gold.
1 llrahmina.
NiJja. r"'&':",li, ll.&pel'L l.u.An "f the rel if:iOUI
. A. 8. J lLlmlt opHnon, Lt 18 by the Buddha i n the' De\'ll .
daho. SU;L,a,' MajJhi ll'.a NI/t,i ya, ii, 214 jt
PiXpad!! , !it.,' b.peds, ' an cf the EIlJ,HIl" I do not lind
"hcwhere.
j IJ"ddh.,t Jndu.., p. up. , if . ;)60 r..
)62 PSADfS 0,.. THF. 1'ISTERS
Incensed by youth's hot blood, a wfUllon, I
Assailed the virtue of my neighbours' wh'es. (4:i3)
Therefrom deceasing, long I cooked 1 in hell ,
'fill . fully ripened, I eme. rged. and then
Found rebirth in the body of an npe. (4RM
Scarce sewn days I li ved before the grent
Dog-<!. pe. the monkey:;' chief. castrak d me.
Such was the fru it of my lasciviousness. (437)
Therpfrom deceasing in the woods of Sindh,
Heborn the offspring of R. one-eyed goat (438)
A nd lame: twel,'c yenrs a gelding, gnawn hy
L" llfit, I carried children on my back.
Such wa ... the fruit of my Jasc iyiOUSIICSS. (439 )
Therefrom deceasing, I again found birth,
The oW. .. pring of a cattle-dealer's cow,
A calf of lac-red hue; in the twelfth month (440)
Castrated, yoked. I drew t he plough md eR. rt,
Purblind and worried, driven and unfit.
Such was the fruit of my lasciviousness. (44- 1)
Therefrom deceasing, even in the street
1 came to birth, child of a household slave,
Neither of woman nor of Inan my sex.
Such the fruit of my lasciviousness. (442 )
At thirty years of age 1 died, and was rebom
A girl , the daughter of a carter, poor
And of ill-fortune. and oppressed with debb
Incurred to !l';11I"ers. To pay the (443 )
Of interest that e\'er grew and swell ed.
In place uf money," wocfullittle me
I To ri pen or be eookM I. th., ... " .. 1 tIl Btt.pbor for a eause working
oul ito .tr..,t. 'inle Ihat 'htll ' herB (flir.fy,t) ie rully purgllwry. t<;o
fonu of being, for Buddhialn, WM eternal.
I I have thi. puuge in 'EM-!\" Economic t;ondili ons ill
North Ind ia' IJ.R.A,S., 1901, BSO, n. I) Ih\u ; I n d ie 8e1:oniI Ji" .. ,
I SIOAIl I
The mcrchll.nt of II. cara\'ll.n dragged oR:
Bearing me weeping from my home. (4-44)
Now in my sixteenth year, when I
103
Blossomed a maiden, that merchant's son
Giridasa the name of him, loved me '
And made me wife. Another wife hp, had, ( ... 4,'} )
A virtuous dame of parh and of repute,
Enamoured of hel' mate. And thus I brought
Discord and enmity within tbat house, (440)
Fruit of my karma was it thus t hat they,
In this last life, have slighted me, e'en tho'
I waited on them as their humble slave.
"'{ell! of all that now have I made an end! (Ui)
which Dr. Neumann renden 'Yom Reieher lseen wir die Reste
auf; 1 Ia.kc the compound dhanaa;mri,apMabahularnhi. (CollllIlcn.
tary.; puri.l,; na!1 adliipatllnabnlluk bahlthi 1pay;keki
aUu bhaudabb. ) kI mean' f .. n",,- iUIO the power of u.uren..' TJ.i.l .... <.b
up 10 th. n&l<l li n., shins a point to it whioh is h ,cking it. tho !"ondoring
&lind&!! to.
I am unahle to clll.5if,y ihe mt tre throllllhou, ' hi. J):lew, from tte
finl line ;
nagn1"ltl7lhi pafMvi."j
to 'he JUI:
CANTO XVI
PSALM OF THE GREAT CHAPTER
LXXIII
Sumedha.
SHE too, having made her resolve under former Buddha.s,
and heaping up good o'f age-6oduring effica.cy in thilil and
that rebirt h. thoroughly preparing the conditions of ema.n
cipation. was born. when KOl),li.gamana. was Buddha, in a.
cifmRm8.n' g family. When she of age, she and her
triennA, cla.nsmen's daughters, agreed together to have 8
great park made, and handed it over to the Buddha and bis
Order. Through the rn6rit of that aet, ehe was reborn in
the heaven 01 the Three-and Thirty. Alter 8 glorious
period ther!;, IiIhe once more among the Yams (1;008,
then a.mong the gods, then Bmong the Happy
Croators, then among the OiRPOSfll ll of others' creationB,1
sod thero becam6 Qaeen of thil King of the gods. Reborn
thereafter, when }{asl9.pa was BuddhA., A.8 the daugbt.er
of (\ wealthy citizen, Bbe acquired mp,rit as a lay-
believer, wi nning Mother rebirth among thA gods of t he
Three. and-Thi rty. Finally reborn, in thie BluMha.age,
of )Iantavati, o,s tho dA.ughter of }{ing Konen,2 FihA
named Sumedhi. And when ehe Wail come to yel\rs of
dillcretion, her mot her and fother agreed to let Anikara. tta,
I See Fa. I:.:i., !to
I The tWO Ki ngl Bnd capitals a.re nil unknown In
India.n records. elephants, or rllwl"lortlo. R olle.
_ heron.
' 64
)o: t f:'l lEDHA 1(;5
the nlija of Viinll.la\'ati. !lee her. But liLt: fruw her chi ld-
hood had been in the habit 01 going ol L!!1'
own age /Iond attendant slaves to BhikkhunlS' quarters to
hear them preach the Doctrim:, awl lor a long time, because
or bel' pri8tine re801HJ, l!ill! Ls.11 grown fearlul of bir th ill the
ruulIJ of life, do:vut.ed tu r\lligion and averse the pleMures
of semtl,
WIJt:rtJ[uf1:I, when she heard the decision of her parents
and kinl!fulk, she said: My duty lies not in the life of the
house. I v;ill leave the world.' And they were not able to
disl!Uade her. She thinking. ' Thus shall I ga.in permission
too lea.ve the world,' laid hold of ber purpose, and cu' off her
own hair. Then ming her bail in accordance witb what
she had heard from the Hhi kkhunis of their methods, she
concelJtnted ber attention on repugnance to physical attrac-
tion, snd calling up the idea of ' Foul Things, '\ then and
there a.ttained First Jhano.. And when 3he was thus ro.pt,
her parents came to her apartments in order to give ber
away. she made them first and 0.11 their retinue and
all the Raja's people believers in religion, and leU the
house, renouncing lhe wor ld in the Bhikkhullis' quarters.
Not long after, establishing in8igb', and r ipe for emancipa-
tion, sbe atoained Arabsntship, with thorough grasp of the
in form and in meaning. And reilecting on her
\'lctory, she broke fort-h in exultation:
King Hewl1's daughter at Mantavati,
Born of his chief consort, was Sumedh,'i,
Devoted to the makers of the Law.: (448 )
A VirtUOllS maid she and eloquent.
Learned Rod in the system of our Lord
"" ell trained, She of he r parcnbi audience
sought,
Vf. PI. :.;li. h the <":ouw:ell lnrs, p. 273. rmd, for .11Z1.kuiu .
lijlZtI<l'iku7a!7. parikh;/,,".
h accord.ng to the ComnlentOl.ry. Ar iyans_i.c" Ara.
,o.nt&, "':.,]u?ing the EuddllM. JU9t bolow, is rendend by
Suwdh.,_
166 PSAI.MS OF THl-: l'IisTERS
And spake: 'Now listen. mother, father.
both! (449)
All my hearl 's love is to Nibbana given.
Transient is everything that dot.h become.
E'en if it have the nature of n god.
\hat truck have I , then, with the empty life
Of sense, that gi veth li ttle, slayeth much? (450)
Ritter as serpent s' poison arc desires
Of sense, whereA.fter youthful fools do yearn.
For that full many a night in ..... retchedness
They drag out tortured lives in realms of woe. I (4051 )
The vicious-minded, vicious Uoel'S mourn
1n purgatorial lives. Ever are fools
Without restraint 111 deed and word and
thought. (<.>2)
Oh! but the foolish have no wit Of will.
They cannot grasp what maketh sorrow rise-
When taught, they learn Hul ; in their slumb'ring
minds
The Fourfold Ariyan Truth awakens not. (.Jo53)
Those Truths, 0 mother, that t h' Awakened One.
The Best, the Buddha. hath revealed to us.
They, the Majority. know not, and t hey
Delight in coming aye again to be,
And long to be reborn among the goth. (454)
E'en with the gods is no eternal home. &
llecoming needs must be impermanent
Yet they, the foolish :rouls, are not afraid
Again, again to come somewhere to birth. (455)
Four are the ways of doleful life, and two
Alone the ways of weal
3
- llnd how hard
I & .. VHOIt' 4RA. In Pl10li (lO eternal rebirth.'
, P.ebirth in 'hell,' lU animal. M ' SilOM.' III :le!norl. a.:e Ihe four
(. 'llim'p,ita , in 452) ; "" human or &II .,ad. 'woo
Sl.:.\lEDHA
'1'0 win ! Nor if one come into the four ,
h there renullciation from OWL world. (4.56)
Suffer ye both that 1 renounce my world;
And in the blessed teaching of the Lord,
Him of the Powers Ten.
1
heedless (If all
167
''''i thout, I'll striv-e to root out hirth and
death. (457 )
How call I take tlelighl in lIlany births,
In this poor body. froth without a soul !2
That I may put an utter end to t hirst
Again to be, suffer that [ go forth, (458)
Now is the Age of Buddhas! Gone the want
Of opportunity! The moment's won !
o let mt: nt:ver while I ii,'e misprize
The precepts, nor withstand the holy life r (459)
Thus spake SumedhiL, and again: 'Mother
And father mine, nen':r Rgai n will I
As a laywoman break my filst and eat.
Here willI sooner lay me down and die !' (460)
Th' tHicteri mot her wept ; the father. stunned
""ith grief, strove to dissuade and comfort her
" rho lay llpon the palace fl oor:- (,j.61)
I The 'Len PoweMl peculiu to a TatblLg&ta are: (I ) He know.
thoroughly right and ,..rong occ&,ione: (2) 1: .. Imowe tborougbly the
lIHect of allluarma'lluiee; (3) thewethods toraeeQmpl.lF.bmg anything;
(4) the elements (dat a) of the wort:!; (;1) the iu.
of b"ing8 ; (II ) t he of beingll; ,:7) thl> 11<111.1..0' a"d
prnc.dur .. of an co:>t""'pl.li " .. di .. iplill .. l ; (8 , )iVf'. ; (9) hI!
h .... Ihll' etleelial "uion '; (10) he has t he eman .
cipMion of the (A., v. 3:1 ff.J.
. ' Koillakali'll:i u;ire>ll1. The ro!nder'.ns of the former obscur e umn
II, a triBe forced, Ollt I ...... choNn frow the use 01 k"l. i n
J';l aka, v. ('" spin1", frOlu), he(&u,e of the ' ulIla po5i t lon of
'''ii ,,,, ... ",itJ.uut (' f. Sa.!JY. Nik., ii i. 1<100). in
to llr.e ,.,oro UJuoJ ".;soci'l.I ion 0/ /t"l i ""t b gawbl;uS !tee "er li01
168 PSAL)IS OF THE SI STERS
Rise up, dear child. Why this unhappiness
For thee? Thou art betrothed to go and reign
In VarR.1,l8vllti. t he promised bride
Of King Anikarattll, handsome youth. ( 462)
Thou art t o be hi:; chief consort. his queen.
Hard is it, little child. to k aye the world.
Hard are the precepts and the holy life. (463 )
As queen thou wilt enjoy authorit y.
Ri ches and so\"l'eignt y and luxuries.
Thou that art blest herein and yOll ng . enj oy
The sweets life yields. Let 's to t hy wedding.
child: ( 464)
Then answered them Sumedha : Nay, not thus!
Nu soul , no essence, can becoming yield.
One or the other shall be- chouse ye which:
Or let me leave t he world, or let me die.
Thus. and thus only, would [ choose to wed.' (40(j.5)
\ Vhat is it wmth
2
- - this hody foul. unclean.
Emitting odours, source of fears, a hAg
or skill with carrion fill ed, oozing impure ( .166 )
The while? V\' hat is it worlh to me who know-
Repulsive carcass, plastered o'er with flesh
And blood, the haunt of worms, dinner of birds-
To whom shall such a thing as this be given ? ( 467)
Borne in a little while to cillunel-field,
There is this body thrown, when mind hath sped.'1
J ,i ke useless log, frUIIl which e'en kin'>folk.
turn. (468)
Throwing the thing that they have bat hed to be
The food of alien things, whereat recoil
I v" ""l/ Y''';' ' So .bo, . li t .. . Lilt thl'cr'" be choosins; for child.
t htl term for '"l1.rri"g"o in life, or no t he WOIll \ n bll. d II n.'-
voice in t ht \1IUtf f.
: Lit., ' Whllt is i t like?' , Artl<l ttUf""!'O,
1SUMEDH,\
The vel'Y parents. let alone t heir kin. (469)
They have a fondness tor t his soulless fnu lIt:.
That's knit of bones and sinews, body fou l,
Filled fu ll of ex udal ions mani fold. (470)
\\' ere onr, the body t o dissect, and t urn
The inside out ermost , t he smeU would prove
169
'1'uu mueh for e'en one's mother to endure. (471 )
The factors of my bei ng. orga.ns, elements,
All are a. trnnsient compound. rooted deep
In birth. are Il l, and first and last the thing
I wouln noll \ <\T hom. then, could I choose to
wed ?
Rat her would 1 find death day after day
\\' it h spears t hree hUJld l' ed piercing me l:Ul t::W.
E'en for an hu ndred years, if this would t hen
Put a last eud to pai n. unending else. (4-73)
The wise WOll in with t.his [ hlJrgai nJ close. and meet
Utter destruction, seei ng that His 'Vord,
'1'111: runneth: " Long the wandering
Of t hem who, smittell, eyer rise again.".1 (47"' )
Countless the ways in which we meet our death,
'Mong gods and men, as demons or as beasts,
Among t he sluuies, or in t he haunts of helP (415)
And there how many doomed tonnented live!
No sure refuge is ou rs er en in hea\' cn.
Above, beyond Nibbana's bliss. is naught. ( .. 76)
And they have won t hat ll liss who all t heir hearts
};'Oli':." un" i,. CJ. xlo"iii., b ii.
, C.f. S""' yu/lcr Nihiyn. ;ii. 149 : 'EU!rnnl, is t he
wandering ('''Ij'. ,iru) - nor i8 the beginmng thereof renla.led- of th elll
who, hindered by ig:lOmnee Ion feUeud by el"&l ing. ruo lO &.Cd l ro,
a.lld wander (",uollg rebirt hs). , . .' SO OJ!. rd" ,-. 431 ; h is beeause
",e hll.d not gruped the FlOur Trut hs, bretlm:m, that we ho,e r un Rll d
w .. n,J"red up Illld down so lon" bot h I and \0,, :
, .
'In the N:raJIl.IO. ' See p, 162, n. I.
170 l'SAL\JS OF TilE SISTERS
Have plighted to the blessed '''ord of Him
",,"ho hath the Tenfold .Power, and heedingmmght,
Haye striv'n to put far from them birth and
neath. (417)
This day, my fa.ther. will I get me forth!
I'll naught of eltlpty riches! Sense-desires
Repel and sicken me, and. are becume
as t he stump where once hath stood a
palm.' (478)
So spake she to her father. Now lhe King.
Anikaratta, on his way to woo
His youthful bride's consent, drew near
At the appointed time. Bnt Sumedhu, (419)
Let down the soft black masses of her halr
And with a dagger cut them off'. Then closed
The door t hat led to her own lerraced rooms,
And forthwit h to First Jhana-rapture won. (480)
There sat she lost in ecstasy, the while
Anikarattll. reached the capital.
Then she feU musing on impermanence,
Developing t he thought.
l
Then is she ware ( 481 )
The while Anikaratla swiftly mounts
The palace steps. in brave array of gems
And gold. and bowing low woos SumedhA.. (482)
, Reigll ill Illy kingdom and enjoy my wealth
And power. Rich, happy and so young thou arlo
Enjoy the sweets that life and love can yield,
Though they be hard to win and won by few. (483)
To thee my kingdom I surrender ! Now
Dispose thou dost wish; give gift ... galore.
Be not dOWllctlst. Thy parents are di stressed.' (484)
I The (ollllllentary hold. Ibe went on to the other' . igu. '_ ill, or
oorrow, a nd
1'0 him thus Sumedhu., for whom desires
Of love were worthless, nor availed
To lead made answer: 0 set not
The heart'!) atiections on this sensual love.
Sec all the peril, the satiety of (485)
MandhiiHi. King 0 ' th' world's four continents/
Had greater we.alth to gratify his sense
Than any other man, yet pa!ed away
171
I ' nsatislit:d, his wi:;hes unfulfilled. (486)
Kay, an the rain-god rained all se\' t!1I
Of gems till earth and heaven were full, still would
The senses crave, and men insatiate die. (487)
Like the sharp blades of swords are sense-desires.'
, Like the poised heads of snakes prepared to da.rt.
. Like blazillg torches,' and 'like bare gnawn
bones." (488)
Tra.nsient, unstable are desires of sense,
"Pregnant with III and full of venom dire.
Searing as healed iron glohe to touch.
Baneful the root of them, baleful the fruit . (489)
A'i ' fruit '3 that hrillgs the cl imber to a fa.lI,
Al'e sense-desires; evil as 'lumps of flesh'
That greedy birds one from the other snatch;
As cheating' dreams '; as ' borrowed goods' re-
claimed. (490)
, As spears and jav'lins nrc desires of sense,'
, A n.ythlcal It.oceatot 01 SUlIl t dh,f, lI.od n udJ bto.' . poopl a,
SUi;,..,.. in A"y. Nd;., ii. 7; J,ilaka. , i i. :no. iii. 454 ff ..
..... , iii. 6; Mah"v .. "u. ; Mi/intwpn. iilaa, ll!i. 2IJ I , etc .
ThelA lrioni1 ... I\re 1\11 'Inol",\ Irou., Majjhifll(l, Ni1W..IIa, i. HIO, 304 .
Of Sa!1Y. Nik., i. 125; .'lng. Nik., iii. 'l7. See below. ,
I The tnt in thelile four linu Rivu lUal'flly t he wetaphor. thi S
wouif 0,,11 "p no r.imilu i n ",, r expand the terms &fler the
.ill,lIu in Nojjll'''''' ,," , /i.illa, 64th Su tn" thfY "r" Lurruwcol ,
112 PSAL)I S OF T HE SI STF.RS
A pestilence. a boil , ancl bane and bale.
A furnace of live coals.' t he root of bane,
Murderous and the source of ha.rrowing rlread. (4tH)
So hath the direfulness of sense-desires,
Those barriers to sal vation, been declared.
Go, leave me, for I do " ot. t.rllst myself,
'''' hile in this world r yet han part a.Jld lot. (492)
" ' hal shallalLother do for me ? For me
''''hose head is wrapped in flames,' whose steps u.re
dogged
By age and death that tarry not. To crush
Them utterly I needs must strive.' (4911)
Then coming to her door she saw the king
Her suitor, her parents seated there
And shedding tears. And once more to
them: (494)
. l.ong have they yet to wander through the worlds
Who witless aye aga.in their tears renew,
eeping world without end for fatllcr dead,
Or brother slain, or that themselves must ( 4!J5 )
I A . i.ll ile fre'lueot i!l Nikiiy.lll. Pre, ," u, h1! lUu.J..in
leI 1I100lloi l)' hai r.dreg!ing, oft.eo MUsed . uch miehaptl. C/. Sa, y. N$k ..
i. l oa, v. 440; Any. Nik" ii. 93, etc.
t 'J' befe Rnd t he foll o,,;ng " tinJell a.re appueDtly a.llusione t.o the fir.t
Vagga. of Ihl! A" .. tl l .. & oyuUa (' World-withoutend ' Coli oCIII-
t ioa ) in tho S(l!1yu/f<& N<.1t';!l4, vol. ii., 179 ff. Th, ODly feature
Iw.ek lng th'l "'nodBow- -, not witllcul
in t he of the Pali Canon. The oonecairn gi\t h1l. in Ihe VaKI;' I.
quoted by the Commentator, and run, thU6 ;
Du; or.e m!l.n'. bonn who h8.!l O'fIe 1I' 0n linm
Might (Olll ] 8!1. id Mighty Seer-
High as Vi pull s, hi gher t h!l.n the P" .. k
Of Vul tures. mounlai n. burg of Jo1&gndha '-
.. the !l.nrier.t hill forl ress of t he before they buill their
c'pita\ Hil.j!l. " aha In \l1e pl'in. K 0 lUore a.ncient r em. l n, dllin thue
In I ndl!l. yet been ldellt ifjeJl. n "ddhid 1"J.i " ,
178
rail ye to mind how it thaL lean"
And milk and blood fl ow 011 world wit hout end.
And bear in mind that tumulus of bones
By crcat ures riled who wanrler through the
wmlds. (496)
Hemember the four as compared
\V it h all t he How of tears and mi lk and blooo.
Hemember the ' great caim of one mnn's bones
From one reon alone. equal to Vi pula '; ( 491 )
Aud how ' great India
1
would not suffice
'fa fll rnis h littl e tall y-h:tlls of mould,
\\' herewith to number aU the ll./l ccstors
Of own round oflire ' Iurlll without end.' (.'\'HI:!)
Remember how' the little squares of strows
Alld boughs aud twigs could ne'er !) uffice
As tJlllies for one's "ires world wi t hout end.' (4un)
Hememher how the parable was told
Of ' purblilld turtle in thc Eastern Seas,
Or olllt.: r oet!alls. onee as t ime goes by.
his head thro' hole of drifting yoke ';
So rare as this the chance of human birth.
2
(500)
Remember too the ' hoci y '. pllrahlf',
The' IUlllp of froth: of spittle wit hout core.
The repet;il lon ID \6n;t's (96. 497 is Cll tJ(;U8 in a work where r&dun-
dancy UiI so levtrely repres!led. Eit her it gou 10 Itrengthen the
symptoms that the lu t two P, olm, 1I.f8 by a different and later hand,
or else IWO "ff8ion$ have here been incorponue:l.. I n 496 Sumedha.
fir'Jt 8pai.k . u.l 1 t hree hearer! : ' C .. U Je t e mind' (," ratha) ;
t hO' /oll(lwing , d woni tion" . r c to Pri nCD only : . be .. ill mind ' a nd
' reUlerub .. , ' (III rdhi,
I In t he Yaggll. !l. lIuded to. the earth il-'!elf, , nn not Indi a
(h ", bud. ipa) , is t he insuflieifn t The' iquarl!! of straw' i,
Ir011l t h e SF. IIl E Vagga._
is frou, .1fajjhillUl -"" IIi ., iii . 169. and Ni t,
' . TIl(!' body -pan,l,]e ' is fronl the lnn er work (i it . U O/ The
\Jrwl
y
( "'!1'<1\ i. fl. , empty or 11. 11", dOl< 01 IOluu drifting
the t; .. llge ...
174
PSAI.MS ot' THE SISTERS
Drifting. See here the fleeting factors fi\'e.
And 0 forget not hell where many thole. (501)
Remember how we swell the charnel-fields,
Now dying, now flgain elsewhere reborn.
Uemembcr what was said of' croaod:
1
es:
1
And what t llO!:ie perils meant for us, and 0 !
Bear ye in mind the Four, the Ariyan 'fruths. (502)
THE NECTAR OF THE NORM I S 0 how
Canst thou be satisfied with bitter draughts
or sense sd ietr? A II sensual jQYs
Are bitterer for the fivefold dogging llP (50s)
THE :SECTAR OF THE XOR;\I IS HERE! 0 h'ow
Canst thou be satisfi ed with fevered fits
Of sense-satiety? All sensual joys
Are burning, boil ing. ferment,t stew. (504 1
THERE I S, WHERE ENMITY IS 0 ho.."
Canst thou be satisfied with joys of sense
I The danger Irom croaxliltll il. in two of tbe NiklyM, uNd
meta,horically for glutlony, ODe of four perila 01 ' t bOlI who g()
down to the w&ter '; It is in the e,DOn applied onl y to a BMkkbu ..
(MaiJlt. Nik., i. 460; A1\g. Nik . U. 124). .
I Nectnr""amala!1, rendered ell(lwlJere in thiB 'lll'ork by 'arobla,Ia,'
it@ etymological .qui ..... ltnt. UMI ...Ily one. the
term. lor Nibb.. .. a, it i, be" by thlll eommentBnrJ \r.d.i:IOD aMoclll.wd
witb tb .. m ... mm&_ the Anal. of Norm brought to ue bJ' Iho
VII'" Buddha in hi. ,;ru$ eowpasIiOD.'
3 "Lit .. I Arll bilurer by :bll hllfold-bitter,' upl&infld bylhll Com
mentary a.B' by the followin/:" afLer or Ibe :,U Bbuptr III ' (d .. JrU,,!') .
referring to 1M five I8mu. .
J(ulhita may be frOID one of thraa root.: ,.Im/h, 'm>!on : k .. /II, d.-
HUI!ed; "",.th, cook (c/ . }.fullu. Pal; Grammar. 41). The Snt, .choeen
by Dr. N"elJl:na,m. force() here. The Ivt accordli heet wlth the
other three men.phoro of huting precess.
'Lit . 'The unboltile being' (loco.tive Ilb801ute). The Pali hat .. u
of p/.a wh&te\er.
!'\ UMEDHA
:ElIgcnd'ring tbee so many foes- the wrath
01' greed of king, or thief, or rha!. harm
175
Through tire, or water- yea, so many foes! (505)
R\1 ,\NCl PATlOX
I
WArn! 0 how canst thou
Be sati!->fied wi th sensual joy!" wherein
Lie bonds and death ? Yea, in those ,'ery joys
Lurk gaol and headsman,2 T hey who seek t' indulge
Their lusts needs must thereafter suReI' ills. (500)
Him will straw-torches burn who holds them long
.A nd lets not go. So, in the paruble.
3
Desires of sense burn them who let not go. (,-)07)
Ca!:>t no t becau.:ie of some: Yain joy
Of sense, the "aster sublime,
like the finny carp thou gulp the hook,
Only to find thyself for tha.t foredone 4 (,1;08)
Tame t.holl t.byself in sense-rlesires, nor let
Thyself be bound by them, as is II. dog
Bound by a chain ; else will t hey do forsooth
\Vith thee as hungry pariahs with that (SOU)
I njJam" "t, ht., e:ul:.II. Mo"kho, prob&bly subttituttd
",dn. COl ..... fur <' imKtil, .. .. IMe
j Thuc ;wo term. ,""a, in tho tflo tl.. Lbo corro. pending
in line.
1n Malj /,ima l'-ik .. i . 365, where t he torch is 9a:d \0 be DOme
&galnn the wind, not hel d too lOllS.
. .... e:mile frOLII Sa-, yu/la JI, ik. , Ii. 2'l6. _LV. HiS; Jiilaka, v.
\\. 41 ti. 43'2 . 437.
;. The dO(: , according t o the Cornrnen:.Ar:r. being \0 &"el aw"y
from t hem, is kIll ed. "nJ pre .... ",,,h) . Then ;s no .. ",;gul;" n
10 th .. th .. t it WI. .. ... w. lch dog, .. od that It. .. F' .. ; .. W\lU'
lbi eru. beyond the dog . Will they do'""Ic,; hi nto; Com-
loent .. r y "" pronounced other reo.dhg
t,I '110 dou bt eorrecl.' beco.ule of II. in He"'IIca"dra"o l'mk ril
(i rammar. Hut Dha"''''pilla, outer to the age 01 the
r"l ; !J.y !L.t leflU 500 yean, 8e6m6 10 me I\} hn-e 5trOllgtr dR''''.
I., p'''''',Loil;l, .
I1G
I'S AL:\IS OF THE SI STEHS
Once more 1 say. immeasurable Uls
And many weal'}' miseries of mind
Thou'lt suffp.r yoked to sensual life. Henounce,
Renounce desires of sense! They pass awny. (51O)
THERE IS, TfL\. T ( : nOWETH 1\F.\- ER OLD P 0 how
Canst thol) be sutisfi ed with seme-n e!-oires
That age so soon ? Are not dl things reborn,
\tV Il crc'er it be. gripped by disease and death ! (511 )
THlS2 that doth ne'er grow old, t hat dieth nolo
TH I S never-ageing, never-dying Path-
No sorrow cometh t here, no enemies,
Nor is there any cl'owd ;3
No fear comt:lh. nor
menl- (512)
none faint 01' fail,
aught tha.t doth tor-
To THIS, the Path Ambrosial, have gone
"Full man\", And to-day, e'en now 'tis to be won.
But onl y a life that's utterly
Surrendered in devotion. Labour not,
And ye shall not attaiu :
Thus Sumedhii. (SI3)
Ended he!' say, whl! found no joy ill ull
Activities that lead from life to lift,
And, to Anikaratla thus her mind
Declaring, dropped her t resses on the fl oor, (514)
Then up he rose with oub,tretched folded hands,
I She now,SIl)'ll tile Colllluenw.ry,turnB to forth the eIl:ellen(:6
01 1\ibb&na.
2 The lAkes t hill rl{;u frOlll
the of ;lle cr()wd of conupti()ne' {or .. In
,. iew ot the ClLr..Ji,,,.} i"'ponanoe i o the Vin .. y ... "f euitl\'Il,Unr IIClhtl'de
(ll Dhalllmllduu,.1. in 1' .. xii.), because, too. of its being the path of
th.: minor ity, A.nol. of the Sutt&nh. prlTlue life
amhii.<lka. IIond \he relil:,rio", frfC U I!.lr . I mchn" to
IlIok e it liltmlly.

And wi th her fa.ther pleaded for her thus :
'0 suffer Sumedh<1 to leave the world.
111
'fhat she may see the Truth and Liberty l' (SVS )
The parents suffered her, and forth she went,
Afeared to stay and build lip fear and grief.
Six hranches of Insight she realized.
As learner, winning to the Topmost Fruit. (516)
o wondrous this! 0 marvellous in sooth!
Nibbana for t he daughter of a king!
Her state and conduct in her former births,
E'en as she told in her lost life were these: (511)
\,yhell
l
KUl,lftgalllana was Ruddha here,
And in a new abode. the Order's Park,
Took up his dwelling. two 0' my friends,2 and I
Built a Vihii.ra for the Master's use, (S I8)
And many scores and centuries of lives
'Vc livcd among the gods, let alone men. (510)
Mighty our glory and OUl' power H.lllung
The gods, nor need I speak of fame on earth.
'Vas I not consort of an Emperor,
The Treasure- ,,,roman 'mongst the Treasures
(520)
in the Truth the Master
This was the e1lUSC, the source, the root,
This lhe F irst Link in the loug Causal Lillt:=,
This is Ni bbana if we )m'e the Norm.
I Thi. in f""," t hf' Apll d,l na.
I The \wo friends 4rt SlIid to :Ja\'e becn Khcwi\ (P8, Ii i.) and DILl,
n,njlnt" buhminEoe conYert (S"rl' ,viII., i . 1(0) .
a For thue, JJ"ddhilt Sutta. (S.B. E. , x. i. ), pp. 2511l' .
Khanll, t'>ee !'Iik. i1. 49.
178
PSALl\JS Q }' THE SISTERS
Thus acting,l they who put their t rust in Him.
\\risdom Supreme,2 lose every wish and hope
Of coming to be-and thus released
They from all passion's stain Rr e purified.
3
(522)
COMMENTATOR'S ENVOI
The Psalms of thp.m who through the Gospel's
grace
Became tht: lrue-born children and the heirs,
l\Louth-born, of Him who is tht Blest,
,King 0 ' the Norm, creations of the Norm,
Excelli ng in all yirtue, Arahsnts,
Who wrought all thA.t 'twas possible to do-
These P'ialms, their utterances when A::'''A
They did proclaim. or whemoc'cr it was,
Beginning with Brotber Sl: BHOn ' ,s verse,
With Sisters' Psalms, headed by' STURDYKIN '-
r\. 11 these the Leaders of the Order took,
And in one ordered serial compi led.
The THER.AOATII A-THERiGA'rHA named.
To elucidate the import of that work
Three Oldcl' Commental' ies are extant. '
Thereto this exegesis I have tl'ied
T' indite, the which, in that wht:re'er 'twas fit,
I strove to set the meaning forth,
, Auoll.o.H .. dillg ie, . Th .. . telling.'
1 Lit ., ' '>;ho haa illlllltlllur able witodo,,,:
I l ine el JtllJd. the word vi rlAjjat i, accordini La th9 COlli
lllentu-y, which 'purified ' by' l et free: On the metre
of the P.a.lm, .-.ee Int rod'J(tion.
t On t hese, sec I tly }J"dd!u. IY, yc/t oio!lY. XI :uii.
ENVOI
1 named the PanllnaLLha 1 )jpani ;
The whole whereof, now to t he end,
Bv orderl y deci ... ion is armngcd.
recitation from the sacred text,
In chapters of the numllf'r' ninety-t wo.
Thus by thc effi cacy of sneh good
,\ 5 has Lo me, by me applied,
Ha\'e 1 made bright the glory of the worn ,
The system, of the SOHan of the world;
That . by their pure attainment in all truth
And virtue, morluls all IlHly Nlmc to tast e
The essence of emllncipati on won.
Long may tht: Very Buddha's \Vord and Law
Abide, and ever may it be revered
By every creature that hath life and breat h!
And may the weather-god in season due
Send rain on earth, and may t. he powers that be
Govern the ..... orld as loYers of t he !
179
Thu8 ondoth the Commentary on the Therigilthii, by thfl
Teacher, llrothOI' Dhnmmapii l&, residing a" the Padll.t 8.-
Tittha-Vi hara..
APPE:-IDIX
VEflSES .-\TTRIBUTED TO SI STERS IN THE BHIKKHUNr
SAlfYUrT,"- OF THE
1.
THUS have I heard. The Exalted One was onee stayinS at
Sti.vatthi, in the Jeta Grove, the park of AnatbapiI:I(;lika.
Now A!a\ikii the Bhikkhuni dressed herself early and,
taking bo"\?1 and robe, entered Sivatthi for food. And
when she had gone about Savatthi for it, bad broken her
fltat snd returned, ahe entered the Dark Wood, seeking
8oiitudp..
Then Mi,ra the Evil One, deBirinp; to arouse fear, waver-
ing, and i1rell.d in her. desiring to make her deslst from
OOiog alone. wfmt up to her. and addressed her in a
verss:
'Ne'er shalt thou find escape while in the world.
""hat profiteth thee then thy loneliness?
'l'llke the good thing .. of life whilp. yet thou may'st.
else too lAte nwniteth thee.'
Then A!avikii thonght: 'Who now is this, human or
non-human, that speaket,h this verse? SlI re 'tis Mara the
Evil One @peakelh it , de!'lirOllS to Arouse in me fear.
waveri ng and dread, to make me desist from my
sol itude.' And Bhikkhuni knowing that 'twas he.
repl ied a ,ene :
I C/. Scli's :lUI. She W(\8 the dAughter of the KinG' of
.\Ja\1.
'80
APPENDIX
, There is while in the world, and I
Have well attained thereto by insight won,
Thou evil limb of loafing P 'tis not thine
lSI
To know that bourne, or how it may be reached.
Like spears ll.nrl j av'l ins are the joys of sense,
That pierce and reud the morlal {'mmes of us.
Thest' that thou caJlesl " the good of' life,"
Good of that ilk to me is nothing worth, '
Then Mara, thinking, 'Bhikkhuni A 1aviH knowB me!'
vr.niabed tbence, .ad and dejected.
2.
3 Now Somli. ... entered the Dark Wood
for sieeta., a.nd, plunging into its dopt he, sat down at the
r('ot of a certai n tree l or
Theil Mitra the E vi l One, desiring to arouse fenr, waver-
ing, u.wl urtHl.d ill her, desiring to ma.ke her dOllish from
concemrated tliuuKhL, went up to her, and a.ddressed her in
a verse:
That. the sages may attain is hard
To reach. "'"ith her two-finger cOllsciousness
That is no woman compctcHt to gaill l'
Then Soma thought. . . . 'Sure ' tie Mara l' ... , and
. . . . replied with verses:
What should the woman's nature do to
W hose hearts fire firmly set, who ever move
I Patll IlUO.
I See PI. xuvL. comp&rio g 'he \'utly more illterestinf: reply
here.
3 Where dotted lines oceur here and helow, the reeding is 88 fo r
A!II,\iklL '
us; &II in the Pelll]"'.
l'SAI.)I S 01' 'CHE Si STEHS
\Vith growing knowledge onward in the ath ?
"" hat can that signify to one in whom
Imight doth t ruly comprehend the Nonn ?
1'0 one for whom the question doth arise:
Am I a woman in t hese matters, or
Am 1 a man, or what not am I, then ?
To such an one is Miira fit to talk :'
Tben Ma ra, t hi nking, ' Dhikkhuni Somli. knows me!'
vani8hed t hence, sa.d and dejected.
3. Gotami.1
.... ' Now t he Lenn Gotamid ... .. entered the
nuk Wood for 8!e8\a, and. plunging i nto its depthS, eat
down the root of a certain tree for siesta. Tben MAra
. . . . . \\'p. nt up to her t and her in e. verse:
'How HOW ? Dost sit alone with tearful face
As mother strickcH by the loss of child ?
Thou who hA .....t plunged into the woods alone,
Is it a man that thou hast to seek ?'
Tben the Lesn Gotamid thought ..... 'Sure 'ti:!
Mli.ra t' .... . and replie4 with verses:
Ay. ever am ] she whose chi.ld is lost !2
And for the seeking. there arc men at hand.
I do not grieve, I am not shedding It:ars,
A nd as for thee, good I fear thee not.
1 Cj. P . biii. In til e tlUlfl o! ! .. ad ... fOl' Sou ....
.. Ih ,,tr'_accu7.la,. lit. ucudingl;r lldlu.oly _ _ it ill conceivloole
,hit.' ;;,e .. nud ... , not to h.r 0 .. 11 100 "ommtm call8. U .. Illother be
re .. ved of Q lon, but pither to er.dless past bereo.l'emenh. or 10 the
th.t. M Arahant. had cut herself off [roro agelong posaibilities of
being often agloin ill eimilar cireuDll\.a:lc,'L CI. e.g,. 1'" uxiiL
Al'l',l<;::,\,UIX
Slain t:\'erywhere i.'1 love of worldly joys.
And the thick gloom of ignorance i:; rcnt in twain.
Defeating all the army of the power of death.
I here abide purged of the poison-drugs.' l
Then Mara, thinking. 'Bhikkl, ulIl Guta,wi knowe me r'
\',l,nished thence, sad and dejected.
4. Vijayi.t
. . . .. Now Bhikkhunl YijttoYK . . .. lIat down at
the root of a certe.in trde (or lIieeh..
Then Mara , . .. addressed her in Il \'er88;"
A maiden thou and beautiful-and I
So young tl. lad! Now where to fi vcfold art 4
Of sounds melodious we may list, 0
Lady, and let us take our fill of joy!'
Then Bhikkiluni Vij&lli. .hougM . . . '.Sure 'tie;
MAra.!' ... . and .. , .. replied with versea :
Sights, sounds and tA .... tes and smells and things
to touch
\Vhereill lht: wind I leaye them all
To thee, for such no mind have I !
This body vile. this brittle, crumbling thing,
, An.v_.
2 Vijay,l, to Wb01U Ivii , .. iA AI'PA'f'lntly .. diffn .. n t
J)efllOn.
I Cj. Kheml'. I'slllm (lii.).
, tivf ,orts of ,,":sicil.1 inllruments (I.fe ellppOilod to be implied in
idblU(l.tic phrllse _ Malnr!. vilalll!]. iitata lIilqta!, . ghana!',
.l<Jrirtl!..' .
184 PSADIS OF THE SIS'ft,;JtS
Doth touch me only with distress and shame.
Craving for joys of sense is rooted out.
They who have come to worlds of form. llnd t hey
\Vho dwell where form is not. and that perfect
A ttainment which is peace l_from all,
From eH:rywhere, the darkness is dispel led.'
Then Miira, thinki ng, Rhikkhuni VijBya knows me!'
v[}.nishad thence, sad and rlejAr,ted.
5. UppalavRl).l).i.
.... . Now, Bhikihuni iJ ppaiaV8.I.Il.18 .... enlered
the Dark Wood for siesta, and, plunging into its depths,
halted at the 1'00\ of a ce!t&in gilla-tree in full blossom.
Then Mara ..... addressed her in a verss :
Thou that art come where over thee crowned
with blossom
[';Vaveth] the sal-tree, Sisler, and standest alone in
the shade of it,
No one like thee could hither come rival to heauty
as thine is !
Fearest thou not. 0 foolish maiden, the wiles of
seducers ?'2
I I have un;ured 10 bridge o'er th, in wbat ProfelllOl"
WiBdiseh c&Jb. the ' Iooae eor:&trudion of this ",t h,i, by the imel1ion
of 'from NI,from ... .' For ..... hat lIlay have been the orillinlll, .",1
it the more logical, ending, see ellu' ,. ,"un below. 1\, the giilhii in
P&ll .lanw. .. re. it o.eem! 10 lnC4n '" I lir .. ot .. . .. nd _ it
whole." Troubl u ue not with fnol i8h IittlciOlieit1ltiona SO eenweJ
lOy . '
: Where the len differ-. from of Plnim !:tiv. lIIay be .een by
the following :
APPENDIX 1"5
Then BlLikk4 uIli Uppalaoval,H.ui. thought 'Sure
'tis Nli.re.!' .... aud ..... replied with vorSGII :
, \\T ere there an hundred thousand seducers e'en
such as thou ar t,
Ne'er would I tremblt! affrig hted ther-eat, or turn a
hair of me,
Mara, I fear not thee, all lonely t hough I be
standing.
Here though I stand, I Vflllish. or enter into thy
body.
See! 'twixt thine t!ycla.shes hide, standing where
thou ca.nst not see me.
For all my mind is wholly self..controlled,
And the Four Paths to Potency are thoroughly
learnt.
Yea, I am free from all the Bonds there be.
In sooth, good sir, 110 fear- have I of thee!'
Then l1ii.ra. thinking. ' BhikkhunI Uppalav8QI:18. knowa
me!' va,niehed thanee, so,d IJld dejected.
Tl .. rig<ltA,;.
Supupp:,ltagg'!l upagalJllllij. p ..
P'O eki. tuv.u tinh""'; tuk
khanluie
Na dpi t.e dutiyCl a.ttbl: koei nil,
haD bi.le bhllya.si dhlltt.a.
kln"D
Sapyultt..
S upupph;tagg .. upago.m:lll1. bh:k-
kbWl i ekJ. tuno t;nhui
,,1i.Iamflle
N. c!l.tthl te dutiyil. Ya.Ql.ladhAtu
idhlg&tiI. bhaveyyut}.
Biile r:a Lva!) bMYlllii
On ch(lice of rcadinR" in the preceding line, ace the Pslllm in quee
Linn, n.
] M6 PSAI ..US OF THE SISTERS
6. Cili.1
Now, BhikkhuJ1i CiiF, ..... su.t down a.t the
root of a. carbin tree for siesta.
Then MJi.m the Evil One went np to hAr. and spoke thus
to her: 'Wherein, 0 Sister. clost thon find no pleasure?'
, In birth,2 good sir. I find no pleasure.'
"Vhy findest thou no plea.sure in birth? Onc9 born,
one enjoys the pleasures of a life of sense. Who hath put
this into thy mind-" Find no pleuBure in birth "-Sister l'
Once born. we die. Once born, we see life's Ills--
The bonds, the torments, llnn t.he life cut off.!
The Buddha hath revealed the Norm to us-
How we may get beyond the power of birth,
How we may put an end to every Ill.
'Tis He hath guided me into the True.
They who have come to worlds of Form, and they
"'ho in those worlds ahide where Form is not,
An they know not how they may end it all,
Are goers. all of them, again to birth.
Then Mara, thinking, 'Bhikkbuni Cilil knows me r
vani6hed thence, sa.d and dejected.
I Pronounced Cll<ilii. Cf. Ps. lix., Ix. The latter Psl'.lm-Upllo'
01 whllot ilto here attributed to her !lister.
I I. ,., in the IllCt or phenomenon of b4!ing born over IIond over
oog .. in.'
I Lite ..... lI,r, mu.ning- the puni.bwenta of erimintJa, but stAnrling for
tbe ills of lile in generllol. Cf. Plio. bu .. verse 345 : lxxiii., wrSll 505.
, Of. lui note to Vijlloyil's ,erse. abo,e.
APPENDI X
187
7, Upacili.l
. . Now, Bhikkhupi UpacRlu .. .. sat down a.t
the root of a cerlain tree for siesta.
Then Uii.rf!. Evil One, desiring to arouse fesr .. , .
to make her desist from concentrated thought, went up to
her, and spoke thus to her:
. Where, Sister, dost thou wish to rise again l'
, Nowhere, good sir, I wish to rise again.'
; Now, think upon the 'rhree-and-'I'hirty gods.
And on the gods who rule in realm of Shades.
On thuse who reign in Heaven of Bliss, and on
Those higher deities who live where life
Yet flows by way of sense and of -desire-
Think. and thither aspire with longing heart.
The h1iss of each in turn shall then be thine.'
lJpat.'(71Ji.
Ay, think u}X>n the Three-and-Thirty gods,
And on the gods who rule in realm of Shades.
On tho:se who reign in Heaven of Bliss, and Oil
Those higher deities ' .... 110 live where life
Yet flows by way of'sense and of desire!
They aU are bound by bonds ot' sense-desire,
come they 'neath M:lra.'s swuy.
On tire is all the world, is ",rapt in slIloke,:l
Ablaze is all the world, the hea.y'ns do quake!
1 III the Psahllll, h DI l'slh" pUI into the lU<)ll\h of her
Sra:>pllCi'ilt.
j P",Un,pU", in the corresponding P ... l", pa,i.r.pit ....
IRS PS.H .:\f S OF TilE
But that which quaketh not, intluctuate,1
Untrod den by the average worldling's feet,
' ;Vhere .M5.ra cometh not nor hath way-gatc-
T here doth my heart abide in blest retreat.':.!
Then MR. re., thinkins. 'Rhikkbun: Upacalii. kno'IVii me!'
vanillhed thence, iad ltnd tlejed.erl .
8. Sisupaco.lil..s
. . . Now, Bhikkbuni Sisupaeiihi. ..... lIat down
the root of a certain trte for sieet&..
Then Milra. the Evil One went up to her, and spokJl to
bel' : Of wbose sbi tJlJolstb, Sister, doat thou a.pprove?'
'.1 appro"e of no one's '3hibboh;LL, good I!ir,'
Why now nnd whereto art thou seen thus garbed
And shaven like 8. nun, yet dost not join
Ascetics of some sort and shibboleth?
What, futile and infatuate. is thy quest P'
o 'Tis they that are without, caughl ill the net
Of the "ain in which they trust-
Their's is the doctriIH.! I cannot approve.
'Tis they that IRck A-r.qllainlance with the Norm.
Lo! in t he princely Sakiya clan is born
A Buddha peerless 'mong the sons of men,
Sanyutla.
Ak&lllpitaU acalitau 8.putthujtna. Ahmpitau a.tuliyaO
' S\'ilau &ent-ao
Agati yanlla M<l.rau a tatlha me Duddho UllaUllllo.U "Ie delNi
nir!IJ. O Illano. I h ,lth. Ill. llIano.
Lit., % <l ..... to i_ :Oly ho .. t (or mind)
. 1 [n :he PR .. lrr. .. 'h" II made to ulter her Ci!ii.'. Psal m.
A PPENDIX
Who all hath u\'t;! n.:: ome, before whose face
Mira doth flee away. who everywhere
Unconquered stands, He that is wholly freed
And fetterl ess, the Seer who seeth
For whom all karma is: rl estroyed. who ill
The perishing of e\'ery germ that birth
Once more engendel'S, is at liberty.
189
This the Exalted One. my Ma .... and my Lord :
His doctrine, His the word that I approve. '
Then Mit ra, thinking, 'Bhikkhuni Sisupaeii.li knows
me l .....
9. Seli. l
... . Now, Bbikkhuni Sela ... . . sM down at ihe
root of a certai n tree for siesta.
Tben Mira .. . went up to ber, a nd addressed he!'
wi th !It verse:
\Vho was't that made this human puppet's form ?
",,'here, tell me, is the human dolL's artificer '(
""'henee hath the human puppet come t o be ?
\Vhere, tell me, shall it cea"e Bnrl PB<;.<; away?'
Then Bbikkhuni SelH. thought ..... ' Sure ' t is M",n !'
. . . and . . . . replied with verses;
Neither self-made the puppet is. nor yet
By other is this evil fashioned.
By reason of a. cause it came to be :
By rupt ure of a cause, it dies away.
1 Tbe P,alm ueribep to Selii. (un. , p. 144) iI, ill tbi. AppendiJ.
PUt lnLo the mO\1th ()f which, ill Ihe (;ommenw)" i. & 1".
patronymle .
190 }>SAUl:; 0 ... THE SISTER."
Like t o R given seed sown in the field,
\Nhich. when it lighteth on the taste of earth
And moisture likewise- by these twa.in doth grow,
So th.e fi ve aggregates, the elements,
AmI tht: six spheres of sense-cvcn all these-
By reason of a cause they calTlc Lo be j
By rupture of a cause they die away:
Then Mara, thinkillg, Dhikkhuni Sela knows mo I'
ve.nished thence, sad and d6j acLed.
to. VaJt ....
. . . Now Bhikkhuni Vaji r ii .. ... sat down at tbe
root of a troo for sieda.
Then M6.ril . . , , , wont up to her, and addr8sm her
with a. verse;
, Who hath thi5i being
1
fashioned 1 Where is
'fhe milker of' this being? Whence hath it sprung?
\Vhel'e doth' this being cease nnd pass away l'
Tben Bhikkbuni VA.j irii. thought . , ... Sare 'ti!l
Mira. l' .... snd replied with a verse :
." Being "? Why dost thou harp upun t hat word ?
'Uong fal,.,e opinions, Mara, art thou strayed.
fhis Il mere bundle of formations is.
Therefrom 110 .. being" maycst thou obtain.
For e'en as, when the facturs are arranged,
The product by the word' .. chariot" is known,
So doth our usage covenant to say-
., A heing "-when the aggregates are there.
I 8allo, a oonerelie li vi ng en:i t y, nUl the id" .
APPENDIX
'Tis simply III that riscth, simply I II
That doth persist, slid tlit: u fatldh away.
Nought beside III it is that doth become;
Nought else but III it is doth pass away.'
]!) 1
Then Mii.ra, thi nking Bhi kkhunl Yajira know8 we! '
l'snished thence, s&d Bond dejected.
Here endeth the Bbikkhuni Series,
The YBkkbBSsgYlltta, or .Fairy tjeries in t he same
gives the summons uttered by the indignant tree.
fairy to the people of lU.jagaba in Sukkii.'s little poem
(PS, l:lIiv.), The li nes are enet!y the snme, eleept that
is palltha.Qli instead of addh(l!l/I.
In tbe following Sutta pre!lumn.bly' the devot ed
proclaims praisss bo;h of Sukkii. and of 0. lay .
dl8C1ple who 8upplJed thA eloquent Theri with food;
0 surely plenteous merit hath he wrought,
That layman wise, who Sukka's wants supplied-
Sukka.'s, who irom all bonds is wholly free J'l
, Cf. P . .\l vi. 111.