The Verses of Arahant Nun Uppalavaṇṇā

The two of us, mother and daughter, were co-wives of the same husband. This situation was shocking to me, unusual, and hair-raising.

A curse on sensual pleasures. They are impure, foul smelling, and cause many troubles. Due to these sensual pleasures a mother and her daughter had to become co-wives of the same husband.

I saw the danger of sensual pleasures. I understood the withdrawal from sensual pleasures as a fearless protection. Having abandoned the home life and entered homelessness, I became a nun in the city of Rājagaha.

Now I have achieved the knowledge to recollect my past lives. My divine eye and divine ear are purified. I also have the ability to read others’ minds.

I have achieved the psychic powers too. I attained enlightenment achieving the six super-normal knowledge. The Buddha’s path has been fully followed by me.

I created a four-horse chariot using my psychic powers and rode to the Buddha, the one who has an unshaken mind. I worshiped the sacred feet of the glorious protector of the world.

[Māra:] Oh, you are sitting alone at the foot of this sāla tree in full bloom. You don’t have a companion with you. Hey foolish girl, aren’t you afraid of rogues?

[Nun:] Hey Māra, even if hundreds and thousands of rogues were to come here, not even a single hair on my body will shake or rise from fear. Hey Māra, why are you worried that I am alone?

Hey Māra, know this: I can disappear right in front of you or I can enter into your belly or I can stand between your eyebrows and you will not be able to see me standing there.

I have mastery over my mind. I have also well-developed the bases of psychic powers. I have achieved the six super-normal knowledge. The Buddha’s path has been fully followed by me.

Sensual pleasures are like poisoned weapons. Aggregates of clinging are like pieces of rotten flesh. What you call “delight in sensual pleasures” is “non-delight” for me.

Desire for everything has been destroyed by me. The dark mass of ignorance has been torn apart.
Māra, know that you are defeated.

(Extracted from : The Voice of Enlightened Nuns: Therigatha)

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