Arahant Nuns With Five Verses
The Verses of a certain Arahant Nun
(A certain nun details her path to enlightenment.)
Twenty-five years have passed since I became a nun. During this whole time, I could not obtain unification of mind, not even for the duration of a finger snap.
Not having obtained any unification of mind I suffered a lot from lust for sensual pleasures. Finally, weeping, with my hands on my head, I went from monastery to monastery.
There was a very skillful nun in whom I had confidence. I approached her and she taught me the Dhamma about aggregates, elements, and sense bases.
I took to heart the Dhamma that was taught to me by that skillful nun. I sat down in a quiet place. Now I have the ability to recollect my previous lives. I have also purified my divine eye.
I also have the ability to read others’ minds and have purified the divine eye. I am skilled in displaying miracles of supernatural powers. Having attained the destruction of taints, I became liberated. I have attained all of these superior knowledges and have completed the training of the Buddha.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Vimalā
In the past, I was extremely beautiful and fit. I was intoxicated by all the luxurious comforts around me. I was self-absorbed and conceited. I despised other women.
Back then I decorated my body with beautiful ornaments. Having dressed in a way that foolish people praise, I would wait at the corner of the street like a deer hunter having placed a trap.
I used to wear seductive clothing. I did various sorts of tricks to attract men. Foolish men fell easily under my spell, and I lured them towards me.
But now as a nun with a shaved head, wearing robes, I live depending on food from my alms round. I spend my time meditating under trees. My mind is well-concentrated.
I have cut off all ties that lead to rebirth as a human or a god. I have destroyed all taints. I have become cool and quenched.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Nandā
Nandā, see wisely this disgusting body that is diseased, impure, rotten, oozing, and filthy. Develop the meditation on the impurities of this body with a well-concentrated mind.
Both this body and a dead body are the same. What is in the dead body is also in this body. This body smells bad and oozes with filth. But foolish people are very attached to the body.
I investigated the foul nature of this body throughout the whole day. I broke through to the true nature of this body with my own developed wisdom.
As the result of my diligent, wise consideration, I realized the true nature of this internal body and the bodies of others.
I became disenchanted with this body and was inwardly dispassionate. Working hard, I escaped from all defilements. I have become stilled and quenched.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Nanduttarā
I used to worship the fire god, the moon god, and the sun god. Having gone to rivers, I would plunge into the water to wash away my sins.
I practiced various types of vows. I shaved half my head. I slept on the ground. I ate nothing at night.
When I would come home, I would take a bath. Then I would decorate myself with ornaments. Being intoxicated with sensual desires, I comforted my body.
But now I have gained confidence in the Buddha’s training. I became a nun. When I understood the true nature of this body, sensual desires were completely rooted out.
I have cut off all existences, wishes and longings. Detached from all defilements, I have attained the supreme peace of mind.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Sīhā
Previously, in the beginning of my life as a nun, I thought in the wrong way. I was overwhelmed by desire for sensual pleasures. My mind was distracted and I failed to control it.
Because my mind was preoccupied with signs of attractiveness, I was obsessed with defilements. Being under the influence of lustful thoughts, I did not obtain any unification of mind.
Back then I was very thin, pale, and shabby. I suffered in that life for seven years. Suffering from defilements, I did not achieve any spiritual happiness from the nun-life.
Finally, taking a rope, I went into the forest thinking “It is better to hang myself than to go back to the low lay life.”
I made a strong noose and tied it to a branch of a tree. I put the noose around my neck. It was then that my mind was released completely from all defilements.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Sakulā
When I lived at home, I learned the perfect Dhamma from a monk. Through that Dhamma, I attained the undefiled, deathless Nibbāna.
I gave up my son, daughter, money, and property. Having shaved off my hair, I became a nun.
I started the practice while I was a trainee. I progressively eliminated lust and hate along with other defilements.
Eventually I received the higher ordination. I recollected my past lives and purified the divine eye which is developed by pure-minded noble ones.
I realized the selfless nature of all formations that have arisen with a cause and are liable to destruction. I eliminated all taints. I have become cool and quenched.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Soṇā
Because of having this body, I had to give birth to ten children. This made me very weak and aged. Finally, I approached a certain nun.
She taught me the Dhamma about aggregates, elements and sense bases. I took to heart the Dhamma taught by that nun. Shaving off my hair, I became a nun.
I purified the divine eye while I was a trainee and achieved the knowledge to see my past lives.
With a well-concentrated mind I developed insight. I became liberated. I have become quenched without clinging.
Since I comprehended the five aggregates of clinging, now they stand with roots cut off. Hey! Inferior old age, shame on you! Now there is no more rebirth for me.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā
I used to lead a very strange life. I pulled out my hair with my hand. I didn’t brush my teeth. I wore only one piece of cloth. Back then I thought that wrong deeds were correct deeds and correct deeds were wrong deeds.
One day I saw the stainless Buddha surrounded by a community of monks climbing down from the Mount Gijjhakūṭa in the evening. I went to the presence of the Supreme Buddha.
Kneeling down and placing my hands together, I worshiped the Great Buddha. The Buddha said to me: “Come here Bhaddā.” That was my higher ordination.
Previously I used to wander over the provinces of Aṅga, Magadha, Vajjī, Kāsi, and Kosala. Even now I wander over there but as one who is debt free. It has been fifty years since I started eating food as a liberated nun.
This wise male, lay disciple collected much merit. You offered the robe to the nun Bhaddhā who was freed from all defilements.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Paṭācārā
When working the fields with plows, sewing seeds in the earth, and caring for wives and children, people generate wealth.
I am not lazy or arrogant. I possess a virtuous life and practice the Buddha’s training. So why am I not able to achieve Nibbāna?
I poured water on my feet to wash them. I saw that water flow down from high to low.
I concentrated my mind very well on that incident. My mind became tamed like the best type of horse. Then I took the lamp and entered my hut.
With the light of the lamp I found the bed and sat on it. To put out the flame, I pulled down the wick of the oil lamp. That was the moment my mind was liberated from all defilements, just like the extinguishing of an oil lamp.
The Verses of thirty Arahant Nuns
Taking pestles, people grind grains. Taking care of their families, they find wealth.
Practice the Buddha’s training. Having practiced it, one does not regret. Wash your feet quickly and sit down quietly. Develop unification of mind and complete the Buddha’s path.
The Nun Paṭācarā instructed the nuns in this way. Those nuns took that instruction to their hearts. They washed their feet, and sat down quietly. They developed unification of the mind and completed the Buddha’s path.
In the first watch of the night, they recollected their past lives. In the middle watch of the night they purified the divine eye. In the last watch of the night they tore apart the dark mass of ignorance.
Those nuns worshiped the feet of nun Patācarā saying, “We have succeeded following your instruction. We live honoring you like the Tāvatiṁsa Gods honoring the God Sakka after winning the battle against Asurās. We have achieved the Triple Knowledge and live without taints.”
The Verses of Arahant Nun Candā
Formerly, as a widow without children, I suffered a lot. Without friends and relations, I did not obtain food or clothing.
Taking a clay bowl and a stick, I went begging from house to house. Suffering from the cold and heat, I wandered for seven years.
One day, I saw the nun Patācarā obtaining plenty of food and drink. I approached her and said, “Please ordain me as a nun.”
The nun Paṭācarā had pity on me. She ordained me. Then she instructed me and urged me towards the highest goal.
I took her instruction to heart and followed it. Her instruction was not in vain. Now I also have achieved the Triple Knowledge and live without taints.
The Verses of five hundred Arahant Nuns
We don’t know where he came from. We don’t know where he goes to. That being the case, for whom do you cry, saying, “my son”?
But you do not grieve for a person who’s coming and going. The journey of saṁsāra is unknown to you. You realize that this is the nature of all beings.
Uninvited a person comes into this world, without permission that person leaves this world. Surely having come from a certain world and having lived here for some time, that person goes to another world. Having passed away from there, that person moves on to yet another world.
That dead person, having lived here in the form of a human, departed. In whatever way he comes into this world, he departs in the same way. What is there to cry about in that?
I was truly in pain over the death of my son. That nun plucked out the vicious dart of sorrow out of my heart.
Today, my dart is plucked out. I am withdrawn from craving and am totally quenched. I am well established in the refuge of the Supreme Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Mittakālī
Having given up the home life, I truly became a nun through faith. But then I became caught up in gain and honor. I wandered here and there longing only for those things.
I missed the highest good and went after the lowest things. I didn’t have any idea to achieve spiritual goals.
One day when I was in my little hut, a shocking disturbance suddenly arose in me. “Because I am caught up in craving, I have entered the wrong road!
I have a very short time left to live. Old age and sickness are rolling in on me. Eventually, damaged by old age this body will fall apart. There is no time for me to be negligent.”
I started to investigate wisely the arising and the passing away of the five aggregates of clinging as they really are. As a result, my mind was completely released from all defilements. The Buddha’s path has been fully followed by me.