Thi Ap 32Eighty-Four Thousand Brahmin Maiden Buddhist Nuns

– Therīpadāna

– The Legends of the Therīs

32. Eighty-Four Thousand Brahmin Maiden Buddhist Nuns

Walt 1116 O Great Sage, in your city are

eighty-four thousand young women,

with very tender hands and feet,

who have been born in brahmin clans. Verse 1

Walt 1117 O Great Sage, in your city are

many maidens from every land,

born in Vaiśya and Śudra clans,

and gods, snake -gods and kinnaras . Verse 2

Walt 1118 Some of them already went forth;

many have insight into truth;

the gods, kinnaras and snake -gods

will enjoy this in the future. Verse 3

Walt 1119 Experiencing every fame,

achieving every achievement,

those who’ve obtained pleasure in you

will enjoy it in the future. Verse 4

Walt 1120 And we’re the daughters of brahmins,

who have been born in brahmin clans.

Out of our desire, Great Sage,

we worship your feet, Eyeful One. Verse 5

Walt 1121 All existences have been reached,

cravings are torn out by the roots;

latent tendencies are cut off,

merit -based aggregates broken. Verse 6

Walt 1122 All pasture in meditation,

likewise have mastered altered states;

we will always live delighting

in the Teaching through altered states. Verse 7

Walt 1123 The ties to being, ignorance,

the aggregates, too, are cast off.

We’re born, O Leader, having gone

on the path very hard to see. Verse 8

Walt 1124 “For a long time you have been my

servants, doing what’s to be done.

Cutting off the doubts of many,

may you all go to nirvana.” Verse 9

Walt 1125 Having worshipped the Sage’s feet,

they performed their superpowers.

Some are showing very bright light,

and after that making it dark. Verse 10

Walt 1126 They are showing the moon and sun,

and the great ocean with its fish;

they’re showing Mount Meru and the

Coral Tree in heaven, girdled. Verse 11

Walt 1127 Through superpower they’re showing

Tāvatiṁsa and Yāma spheres,

Tusitā and Nimmitā gods,

and the Vasavatti great lords. Verse 12

Walt 1128 Some are showing the Brahmā gods

and a very costly walkway;

making themselves look like Brahmā,

they preach the Dhamma that’s empty. Verse 13

Walt 1129 Doing varied transformations,

showing Buddha superpowers,

they all demonstrated their strength,

then they worshipped the Teacher’s feet. Verse 14

Walt 1130 We’ve mastered the superpowers

like the “divine ear” element.

We’re also the masters, Great Sage,

of the knowledge in others’ hearts. Verse 15

Walt 1131 We remember our former lives;

our “divine eye s ” are purified.

All the defilements are destroyed;

we will not be reborn again. Verse 16

Walt 1132 In meaning and in the Teaching,

etymology and preaching,

this knowledge of ours was produced

in your presence, O Great Hero. Verse 17

Walt 1133 Our meeting with all the Buddhas,

the World-Lords, was displayed to you ;

our extensive service to them

was for the sake of you, Great Sage. Verse 18

Walt 1134 O Sage, recall the good karma,

which formerly was done by us;

that merit was heaped up by us

for the sake of you, Great Hero. Verse 19

Walt 1135 One hundred thousand aeons hence

Padumuttara was the Sage.

The city named Haṁsavatī

was the home of that Buddha’s clan. Verse 20

Walt 1136 The Ganges River always flows

past the gate of Haṁsavatī.

Buddhist monks are troubled by the

river, unable to proceed. Verse 21

Walt 1137 A day, then two, and then it’s three,

after that a week, next a month,

then fully four months \[might pass for

those monks\], unable to proceed. Verse 22

Walt 1138 Then the future Buddha was a

local leader, named Jaṭila.

Seeing those stranded Buddhist monks

he made a bridge on the river. Verse 23

Walt 1139 Then, with a hundred thousand spent,

the bridge on the river made, he

made a monastery for the

Assembly on the nearer bank. Verse 24

Walt 1140 The women as well as the men,

from clans of high and low status,

provided funds for equal shares

in his bridge and monastery. Verse 25

Walt 1141 We and the other women too,

in the city and countrysides,

who had minds that were very clear,

were rightful heirs of that karma. Verse 26

Walt 1142 Women and men and boys as well,

and also numerous young girls,

joined together to spread clean sand,

for his bridge and monastery. Verse 27

Walt 1143 Sweeping the roadway, making flags,

plantain-banners, pots of plenty,

and having honored the Teacher

with incense, cunnam and garlands, Verse 28

Walt 1144 having made the monastery

and the bridge, inviting the Guide,

after giving extensive alms,

he aspired to Awakening. Verse 29

Walt 1145 Padumuttara, Great Hero,

Crosser-Over of all that breathe,

the Great Sage made his thanksgiving

to bodhisattva Jaṭila: Verse 30

Walt 1146 “Undergoing life after life,

when one hundred thousand aeons

have passed, in the “lucky” aeon,

he will attain Awakening. Verse 31

Walt 1147 These men and women who’ve arranged

by hand what work was to be done,

will all in futures yet to come

be born together face-to-face. Verse 32

Walt 1148 As the result of that karma,

done with intention and resolve,

reborn in heavens of the gods,

they will all be your attendants.” Verse 33

Walt 1149 Transmigrating life after life,

a long time we experienced

countless years of divine pleasure

and countless such human rebirths . Verse 34

Walt 1150 For one hundred thousand aeons,

well-done karma’s attainment, we’re

tender girls among men; likewise

in the superb city of gods. Verse 35

Walt 1151 Beautiful, wealthy and famous,

and also praised and respected,

we are constantly receiving

that well-done karma’s attainment. Verse 36

Walt 1152 When our last rebirth was attained,

we are born in a brahmin clan,

with very tender hands and feet,

in the home of the Śākyan prince. Verse 37

Walt 1153 We are never seeing the earth

when it is undecorated,

and we do not see muddy roads

when they have not been cleaned, Great Sage. Verse 38

Walt 1154 When we were living in the house,

we were respected all the time;

they’re always bringing everything,

through the strength of our past karma. Verse 39

Walt 1155 After abandoning our homes,

going forth into homelessness,

we have crossed the road of rebirth;

we have become free of passion. Verse 40

Walt 1156 All the time they are bringing us

monastic robes and alms to eat,

requisites as well as lodgings,

by the thousands and more and more. Verse 41

Walt 1157 Our defilements are now burnt up;

all new existence is destroyed.

Like elephants with broken chains,

we are living without constraint. Verse 42

Walt 1158 Being in Best Buddha's presence

was a very good thing for us.

The three knowledges are attained;

we have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 43

Walt 1159 The four analytical modes,

and these eight deliverances,

six special knowledges mastered,

we have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 44

Thus indeed Eighty-Four Thousand Brahmin Maiden Buddhist Nuns spoke these verses.

The legend of Eighty-Four Thousand Brahmin Maiden Buddhist Nuns is finished

Translated by Jonathan S. Walters .

Whitman College, 2017

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