Thi Ap 20Paṭācārā

– Therīpadāna

– The Legends of the Therīs

20. Paṭācārā

Walt 595 The Victor, Padumuttara,

was a Master of Everything.

That Leader arose in the world

one hundred thousand aeons hence. Verse 1

Walt 596 I was born in Haṁsavatī,

in a clan of millionaires then,

glistening with various gems,

endowed with supreme happiness. Verse 2

Walt 597 Having approached that Great Hero,

I heard him preaching the Dhamma .

Then, pleasure born in my heart, I

approached the Victor for refuge. Verse 3

Walt 598 Then the Victor praised as foremost

of those who follow discipline,

a Buddhist nun, modest, neutral,

careful about what’s allowed and not. Verse 4

Walt 599 Then, with a heart full of pleasure,

wishing I were fixed in that place,

inviting the Ten-Powered One,

the World’s Leader, with Assembly, Verse 5

Walt 600 after feeding them for a week,

giving them the monastic robes,

bowing my head down at his feet,

I spoke these words to that Buddha: Verse 6

Walt 601 “If it meets with success, Leader,

I will become just like the one

who was praised by you, O Hero,

on the eighth day before today .” Verse 7

Walt 602 Then the Teacher said this to me:

“Lucky one, fear not; breathe with ease.

In the not-yet-become future,

you will attain that wished-for place . Verse 8

Walt 603 In one hundred thousand aeons,

arising in Okkāka’s clan,

the one whose name is Gotama

will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 9

Walt 604 Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma ,

Dhamma ’s legitimate offspring,

the one known as Paṭācārā

will be the Teacher’s follower.” Verse 10

Walt 605 At that time being overjoyed,

as long as life, heart full of love,

I attended on the Victor,

World’s Leader with his Assembly. Verse 11

Walt 606 Due to that karma done very well,

with intention and firm resolve,

discarding my human body,

I went to Tāvatiṁsa then . Verse 12

Walt 607 In this present lucky aeon

Brahma’s Kinsman, Greatly Famed One,

the Buddha known as Kassapa

was born, the Best of Debaters. Verse 13

Walt 608 The attendant of the Great Sage

was the ruler of men back then,

the king of Kāsi, named Kiki,

in Benares, greatest city. Verse 14

Walt 609 I was his third royal daughter,

who was named Samaṇaguttā.

Hearing the Best Victor’s Teaching,

I chose to seek ordination. Verse 15

Walt 610-611 Our father did not permit it;

we stayed at home during that time,

comfortable royal maidens

doing our practice with vigor

in virginal celibacy,

for twenty times a thousand years,

fond of waiting on the Buddha,

the king’s seven joyful daughters. Verse 16-17

Walt 612 Samaṇī, and Samaṇaguttā,

Bhikkhunī, Bhikkhadāyikā,

Dhammā, and also Sudhammā,

and seventh Saṅghadāyikā, Verse 18

Walt 613 now I and Uppalavaṇṇā,

Khemā and the nun named Bhaddā,

Kisāgotamī, Dhammadinnā,

and Visākhā is the seventh. Verse 19

Walt 614 Due to those karmas done very well,

with intention and firm resolve,

discarding my human body,

I went to Tāvatiṁsa then . Verse 20

Walt 615 And now, in my final rebirth,

I’m born in a millionaire’s clan,

rich, prosperous, very wealthy,

in Śrāvasti, best of cities. Verse 21

Walt 616 When I’d become a young woman,

overpowered by my own thoughts,

after seeing a man from the

country, I went away with him. Verse 22

Walt 617 I had produced a single son;

the second one was in my womb.

At that time, I had determined,

“I’ll go see mother and father.” Verse 23

Walt 618 My husband was not pleased at that.

Then, when he was on a journey,

I snuck out of the house alone,

to go to supreme Śrāvasti. Verse 24

Walt 619 Then my husband came after me ;

he caught up with me on the road.

Then my karma-born labor pains

began, and they were very cruel. Verse 25

Walt 620 At the time for me to give birth,

a massive rain-cloud arose there ,

and then my husband having gone

to find grass, was killed by a snake. Verse 26

Walt 621 Then miserable and helpless,

in the throes of painful childbirth,

going toward a relative’s house,

seeing an overflowing stream, Verse 27

Walt 622 carrying my newborn I crossed

to the stream’s other bank, alone.

After nursing my newborn son,

to help my other son to cross, Verse 28

Walt 623 I turned; an osprey carried off

my wailing babe. Then the current

swept him away, my other son .

That I was overcome with grief. Verse 29

Walt 624 Going to Śrāvasti city,

I heard that my kinsmen were dead.

Full of grief I said at that time,

extremely overcome with grief, Verse 30

Walt 625 “Both of my sons have passed away,

my husband is dead on the road;

mother and father and brothers

are burning on a single pyre.” Verse 31

Walt 626 Then I grew pale and thin, helpless;

I was in a low state of mind.

After that, while roaming I saw

him, the Charioteer of Men. Verse 32

Walt 627 Then the Teacher said this to me:

“Do not grieve, child; breathe easily.

You should search after your own self;

why uselessly torment yourself? Verse 33

Walt 628 There are no sons to give shelter,

not fathers nor even kinsmen.

There is no shelter with kinsmen

when one’s seized by the end-maker.” Verse 34

Walt 629 After hearing the Sage’s speech,

I realized the first path fruit.

Having gone forth, in no long time,

I achieved my arahantship. Verse 35

Walt 630 I’ve mastered the superpowers

like the “divine ear” element.

I know the hearts of others too,

I have done what the Teacher taught. Verse 36

Walt 631 I remember my former lives;

my “divine eye” is purified.

Throwing off all the defilements,

I am purified, I’m stainless. Verse 37

Walt 632 Then I learned the whole discipline,

in the All-Seeing-One’s presence,

and I recited it for him,

correctly in every detail. Verse 38

Walt 633 The Victor, pleased by my virtue,

then placed me in that foremost place:

“Paṭācārā’s alone, foremost

of those who follow discipline.” Verse 39

Walt 634 The Teacher’s been worshipped by me;

I have done what the Buddha taught.

The heavy load has been laid down,

the ties to existence severed. Verse 40

Walt 635 The reason for which I went forth,

from my home into homelessness —

I have now achieved that purpose:

destruction of all the fetters. Verse 41

Walt 636 My defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

I am living without constraint. Verse 42

Walt 637 Being in Best Buddha's presence

was a very good thing for me.

The three knowledges are attained;

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 43

Walt 638 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 44

Thus indeed Bhikkhunī Paṭācārā spoke these verses.

The legend of Paṭācārā Therī is finished.

The Summary:

Ekūposathikā, and too

Salaḷā and Timodakā,

Ekāsanappadā, Dīpā,

Nalamālī and Gotamī,

Khemā, Uppalavaṇṇā and

Paṭācārā the Buddhist nun.

There are four hundred verses here,

also ninety-six verses more .

The Ekūposathikā Chapter, the Second

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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