{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/pos/pos08.htm","path":"bud/pos/pos08.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/pos/pos08.htm","text":"SHE also, heaping up good like the foregoing, was born, in the time of Vipassi Buddha, as a fairy on the banks of the River Candabh\u0101g\u0101.146 Devoted to fairy pastimes, she saw one day the Master walking on the bank, that he might sow the good seed among creatures. And with great glee she worshipped, offering flowers.147 For this she gained rebirth among gods and men, till, in this Buddha-dispensation, she took birth in a clansman's family at Kosamb\u012b. She too became the friend of S\u0101m\u0101vat\u012b, and she too, out of grief at the death of the latter, entered the Order. She too could not gain self-mastery for twenty-five years, till in her old age she heard a timely sermon, through which her insight expanded and she won Arahantship, with thorough grasp of the Dhamma in form and meaning. Thereon reflecting, she broke forth:\n 146 Cf. Ps. iii. and xxiii.\n \n 147 Sala\u1e37a-pupph\u0101ni, possibly shoots of the Indian pine (sarala).\n \n 148 The Commentary holds that, by 'word' or teaching (s\u0101sana) here were meant passages of doctrine declaring how rare was the opportunity, and brief, of birth as a human, when Nibbana might be won, illustrated by similes like that of the blind tortoise (Majjh., iii. 169; infra, 500)\n \nShe, too, heaping up good under former Buddhas, was in the time of Vipassi Buddha, born at Bandhumat\u012b, in the house of a certain wealthy landowner, and became a domestic servant. Grown up, she tended her master's household. Now, at that time, King Bandhum\u0101 (Vipassi's father), having restored Sabbath-keeping, gave gifts before dining and, after dining, attended a sermon; and the people, following his pious example, and keeping Sabbath, the slave thought: 'Why should not I, too, do as they all are doing?' And for the thoroughness of her observance of the feasts she was reborn among the Three-and-Thirty gods, and in other happy realms, and finally, in this Buddha-era, in the house of the Treasurer of S\u0101vatth\u012b. Come to years of discretion, she heard Pa\u1e6d\u0101c\u0101r\u0101 preach, and entered the Order; but she was unable to attain the climax of insight till Pa\u1e6d\u0101c\u0101r\u0101,149 seeing the state of her mind, gave her admonition. Thereby established, she won Arahantship, with thorough grasp of the Norm in form and in meaning. And reflecting thereon, she exulted thus:\nNow, this was the affirmation of her A\u00d1\u00d1\u0100.\n 149 See below, xlvii., li.\n \n 150 Lit., the Khandhas, the nature of sense-perception and the elements of my being. Cf. Ps. xxxviii. for a more literal translation.\n \nShe, too, having made her resolve under former Buddhas, and heaping up good of age-enduring efficacy in this and that rebirth, was born, in the time of Vipassi Buddha, as a domestic servant, at Bandhumat\u012b. One day, seeing an Arahant of the Master's Order seeking alms, she gladly offered him three sweet cakes. Through this reborn to happiness, she finally came to birth, in this Buddha-era, in the family of an eminent brahmin in the country of Kosala. Come to years of discretion, she heard the Master preach while touring in the country, and leaving the world, she soon won Arahantship, together with thorough grasp of the Norm in form and in meaning. And reflecting thereon, she exulted thus:\n| The Seven Factors of the Awakened mind\u2013151 Seven Ways whereby we may Nibbana win\u2013 All, all have I developed and made ripe, Even according to the Buddha's word. (45) Fulfilled is heart's desire: I win the Void, I win the Signless!152 Buddha's daughter I, Born of his mouth, his blessed word, I stand, Transported with Nibbana's bliss alway. (46) And all the sense-desires that fetter gods, That hinder men, are wholly riven off. Abolished is the infinite round of births. Becoming cometh ne'er again for me. (47) | \n 151 See Ps. xx.\n \n 152 'Void,, i.e., I am empty of greed, ill-will, and dulness, the three springs of all evil. 'Signless,' i.e., I am free from all attachment to anything 'marked' as impermanent, evil, or having a soul. See Ps. xix., ver. 20, n. 1.\n \nShe, too, having made her resolve under former Buddhas, and in this and that rebirth heaping up good of age-enduring efficacy, was born, when the world was empty of a Buddha, as a fairy by the River Candabh\u0101g\u0101.153 Sporting one day with the fairies, and straying awhile, she saw a silent Buddha seated at the foot of a tree, and adored him in faith with flower-offerings. For this she was reborn among gods and men, and, finally, in this Buddha-era, at S\u0101vatth\u012b, in the house of the King's chaplain-brahmin. Come to years of discretion, she became a lay-believer in the Jeta Grove [College], and, later, entered the Order under Great Paj\u0101pat\u012b the Gotamid. And one day, while staying at R\u0101jagaha, she ascended the Vulture's Peak, after her meal, and while resting, she saw that which she tells of in her verse, whereby she won Arahantship, with thorough grasp of the Norm in form and in meaning. And afterwards, thrilled with happiness at the thought of her attainment, she exulted thus:\n| Coming from noonday-rest on Vulture's Peak, I saw an elephant, his bathe performed, Forth from the river issue. And a man, (48) Taking his goad, bade the great creature 154 stretch His foot: 'Give me thy foot!' The elephant Obeyed, and to his neck the driver sprang. (49) I saw the untamed tamed, 155 I saw him bent To master's will; and marking inwardly, I passed into the forest depths and there I' faith I trained and ordered all my heart. (50) | \n 153 See Pss. iii., xxiii.\n \n 154 N\u0101ga, a more poetic term for elephant.\n \n 155 Dantik\u0101=little tamed (woman).\n \nShe too, having made her resolve in the time of former Buddhas, and heaping up, in this and that rebirth, Good valid for an \u00e6on of evolution, was born, in the time of Padumuttara Buddha, at the town of Ha\u014bsavat\u012b in a clansman's house. Come to years of discretion, she was left alone one day, her parents being engaged with a party in the inner court of the house. And seeing an Arahant approaching the house-door, she bade him 'Come in hither, lord,' and did him homage, showing him to a seat; she then took his bowl and filled it with food. The Elder thanked her, and departed. But she, reborn therefore in the heaven of the Three-and-Thirty gods, enjoying there a heavenly time and many a happy life thereafter, was, in this Buddha-era, reborn at S\u0101vatth\u012b in the family of a very eminent burgess. And she was beautiful to see, and was brought into the house of the King of Kosala himself.156 After a few years a daughter was born to her, whom she named J\u012bv\u0101.157 The King saw the child, and was so pleased that he had Ubbir\u012b anointed as Queen. But anon the little girl died, and the mother went daily mourning to the charnel-field. And one day she went and worshipped the Master, and sat down; but soon she left, and stood lamenting by the River Achiravat\u012b. Then the Master, seeing her from afar, revealed himself, and asked her: 'Why dost thou weep?' 'I weep because of my daughter, Exalted One.' 'Burnt in this cemetery are some 84,000 158 of thy daughters. For which of them dost thou weep?' And pointing out the place where this one and that one had been laid, he said half the psalm:\nAnd she pondered with intelligence on the Norm thus taught by the Master, and so stirred up insight that, by the charm of his teaching and her own attainment of the requisite conditions, she reached the topmost fruit, even Arahantship.159 And showing forth the high distinction she had won, she spoke the second half of the psalm:\n| Lo! from my heart the hidden shaft is gone! The shaft that nestled there hath he removed. And that consuming grief for my dead child Which poisoned all the life of me is dead. (52) To-day my heart is healed, my yearning stayed, And all within is purity and peace. 160 Lo! I for refuge to the Buddha go\u2013 The only wise\u2013the Order and the Norm. 161 (53) | \n 156 The King contemporary with Gotama Buddha was Pasen\u0103d\u012d.\n \n 157 Meaning Psyche, or, more literally, 'alive,' 'Viva.'\n \n 158 A staple figure used when any great number is meant. Of course, the circumstances of infinitely numerous previous lives of Ubbir\u012b are here implied.\n \n 159 She not only reaches it as a lay-woman, but her subsequent entry into the Order is not even mentioned.\n \n 160 A free rendering of the one word parinibbut\u0101. Cf. ver. 132.\n \n 161 The orthodox sequence is Norm, Order, here inverted metri caus\u00e2. The inversion is actually met with in later Buddhism.\n \nShe, too, having fared in the past as the foregoing Sisters, was born in a clansman's house. 162 Come to years of discretion, she went with lay-women disciples to the Vih\u0101ra, 163 and heard the Master preach. Becoming a believer, she left the world and became learned, proficient in the doctrine, and a ready speaker. Leading for centuries a religious life, 164 she yet died a worldling at heart, and was reborn in the heaven of bliss.165 Again, when Vipassi was Buddha, and again when Vessabhu was Buddha, she kept the precepts, and was learned and proficient in doctrine. Again, when Kakusandha was Buddha, and yet again when Kon\u0101gamana was Buddha, she took Orders, and was pure in conduct, learn\u00e8d, and a preacher. At length, she was, in this Buddha-era, reborn at R\u0101jagaha, in the family of an eminent burgess, and called Sukk\u0101 (bright, lustrous, 'Lucy'). Come to years of discretion, she found faith in the Master at her own home, and became a lay-disciple. But later, when she heard Dhammadinn\u0101 preach,166 she was thrilled with emotion, and renounced the world under her. And performing the exercises for insight, she not long after attained Arahantship, together with thorough grasp of the Norm in form and in meaning.\nThereupon, attended by 500 Bhikkhun\u012bs, she became a great preacher. And one day, when they had been into R\u0101jagaha for alms, and had returned and dined, they entered the Bhikkhun\u012bs' settlement, and Sukk\u0101, with a great company seated around her, taught the doctrine in such wise that she seemed to be giving them sweet mead to drink and sprinkling them with ambrosia. And they all listened to her rapt, motionless, intent. Thereupon the spirit167 of the tree that stood at the end of the Sisters' terrace was inspired by her teaching, and went out to R\u0101jagaha, walking about the ways and the squares proclaiming her excellence, and saying:\nAnd hearing what the tree-spirit said, the people were excited, and came to the Sister and listened attentively.\nAt a later period, when the Sister, at the end of her life, was completing her Nibbana, and wished to show how the system she had taught led to salvation, she declared her A\u00d1\u00d1\u0100 thus:\n| O Child of light!168 by light of truth set free From cravings dire, firm, self-possessed, serene, Bear to this end thy last incarnate frame, For thou hast conquered Mara and his host. (56) | \n 162 Here it is not stated in which Buddha's ministry this took place.\n \n 163 In earliest times simply the hut or chalet, in a cluster of such, reserved for the Buddha or leading teacher, consisting of open hall and sleeping chamber adjoining.\n \n 164 The term of human life was believed to have been much longer in earlier ages. See D\u012bgha Nik\u0101ya, ii., p. 3. Cf. Gen. v.\n \n 165 See p. 1.\n \n 166 See Ps. xii.\n \n 167 The word for spirit, -devat\u0101, lit. deity, is feminine, as are all abstract nouns in -t\u0101; but whether tree-spirits were more usually conceived of a male or female, or as sexless, is not clear. Cf. the plates in Cunningham's Bharhut, and, on tree-spirits generally, chaps. ii. and iii. in Mrs. Philpot's The Sacred Tree. See also Appendix.\n \n 168 Sukk\u0101.\n \n THE SITE OF 'NEW' R\u0100JAGAHA, BUILT BY BIMBIS\u0100RA.\n To face p. 42.\n \nShe, too, having fared in the past as the foregoing Sisters, was born in a clansman's house at Ha\u014bsavat\u012b, 169 and was given in marriage by her parents to a clansman's son of equal birth. With him she lived happily till his death. Then, being herself advanced in years, and growing anxious as she sought to find Good, 170 she went about from park to park, 171 from vih\u0101ra to vih\u0101ra, with the intention of teaching religion (dhamma) to votaries of religion. Then one day she came up to the Bo-tree of the Master 172 and sat down, thinking: 'If a Buddha, an Exalted One, be unequalled and peerless among men, may this one show me the miracle of Buddhahood.' Scarce had the thought arisen when the Tree blazed forth, the branches appeared as if made of gold, the horizon shone all around. And she, inspired at that sight, fell down and worshipped, and for seven days sat there. On the seventh day she performed a grand feast of offering and worship to the Buddha.173 By this meritorious karma she was reborn in this Buddha-era, in the kingdom of \u0100\u1e37av\u012b, as the King's daughter, and named Sel\u0101. 174 But she was also known as 'The \u0100\u1e37avikan.' 175 Come to years of discretion, the Master converted her father, ordained him, and went with him to the city of \u0100\u1e37av\u012b. Sel\u0101, being yet unmarried, went with the King and heard the Master preach. She became a believer and a lay-disciple. Afterwards, growing anxious, she took Orders, worked her way to insight, and because of the promise in her and the maturity of her knowledge, she, crushing the formations of thought, word and deed,176 soon won Arahantship.\nThereafter, as an Elder, she lived at S\u0101vatth\u012b. And one day she went forth from S\u0101vatth\u012b to take siesta in the Dark Grove, and sat down beneath a tree. Then M\u0101ra, alone and wishing to interrupt her privacy, approached in the guise of a stranger, saying:\n| Ne'er shalt thou find escape while in the world! What profiteth thee then thy loneliness? Take the good things of life while yet thou mayst. Repentance else too late awaiteth thee. (57) | \nThen the Sister\u2013thinking: 'Verily, 'tis that foolish M\u0101ra who would deny me the Nibbana that is revealed to me, and bids me choose the sensuous life. He knows not that I am an Arahant. Now will I tell him and confound him'\u2013 recited the following: 177\n 169 Under which Buddha is not stated.\n \n 170 Ki\u014b-kusala\u014b-gavesin\u012b. Cf. D., ii. 151: Ki\u014b-kusal\u0101nves\u012b.\n \n 171 Members of religious orders frequented 'parks' (\u0101r\u0101m\u0101) or 'pleasaunces' when dwelling near towns.\n \n 172 Every Buddha had his specific kind of Bo-tree under which he attained Buddhahood (D\u012bgha N., ii., p. 4).\n \n 173 Let it be noted that the heroine is an Indian widow!\n \n 174 Meaning 'Alpina' (selo=rock, or crag).\n \n 175 In the Bhikkhun\u012b-Sa\u014byutta (translated in the Appendix) she is so called. \u0100\u1e37av\u012b is stated to have been thirty yojanas (c. 260 miles) from S\u0101vatth\u012b and twelve from Benares (Spence Hardy, Manual of Budhism, 262; Legge's Fa Hien, chap. xxxiv.; Yuan Chwang (Watters), ii. 61). The conversion of King \u0100\u1e37avaka is deseribed in Sutta Nip\u0101ta, pp. 31. \u017f\u017f. (S.B.E., x. 29-31), and Sa\u014b. Nik., i. 213-215.\n \n 176 Sankh\u0101r\u0101, i.e., their potency to lead to rebirth.\n \n 177 Cf. the reply of \u0100\u1e37av\u012bk\u0101 in Appendix, commencing with a direct contradiction omitted in this psalm.\n \nShe, too, having fared in the past as the foregoing Sisters, was, in the time of Sikhi Buddha, 179 reborn in the family of an eminent noble, and, when grown up, was made the chief consort of the King Aru\u1e47av\u0101. The story of her past is similar to that of Sister Abhay\u0101. 180 The story of her present is that, in this Buddha-era, she was reborn as the daughter of the chaplain of King Bimbis\u0101ra 181 at R\u0101jagaha, and named Som\u0101. Come to years of discretion, she came to believe in the Master in her own home, and became a lay-disciple. And later on, growing anxious, she entered the Order of Bhikkhun\u012bs, and, working her way to insight, she not long after won Arahantship, with thorough grasp of the Norm in letter and in spirit.\nThen, dwelling at S\u0101vatth\u012b in the bliss of emancipation, she went forth one day to take siesta in the Dark Grove, and sat down beneath a tree. And M\u0101ra, alone, and wishing to interrupt her privacy, approached her, invisible and in the air, saying:\n| That vantage-ground the sages may attain is hard To reach. With her two-finger consciousness That is no woman competent to gain! (60) | \nFor women, from the age of seven or eight, boiling rice at all times, know not the moment when the rice is cooked, but must take some grains in a spoon and press it with two fingers; hence the expression 'two-finger' sense. 182 Then the Elder rebuked M\u0101ra:\n 178 Cf. her verses in Appendix.\n \n 179 Second of the Seven (Pitaka) Buddhas, son of King Aru\u1e47a (sic in D\u012bgha N., ii. 7) and Pabh\u0101vat\u012b.\n \n 180 Ps. xxvii.\n \n 181 Cf. Ps. lii.\n \n 182 The daughter of a Neapolitan told me that the identical idiom exists in Italian: Una mente lunga di due dit\u00e0.\n \n 183 It is regrettable that, in this work, Som\u0101's dignified retort lacks \n the noteworthy extension given to it in the Sa\u014byutta version (see Appendix): \n \n \n 'To one for whom the question doth arise:\n Am I a woman in these matters or\n Am I a man? or what not am I, then?\u2013\n To such a one is M\u0101ra fit to talk!'","title":"Psalms of the Sisters: Canto III. Psalms of Three Verses","type":"page"}