Arahant Nuns With Seven Verses
The Verses of Arahant Nun Uttarā
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 anything. Wash your feet quickly and sit down quietly.
With a well-concentrated, unified mind, investigate wisely that all conditioned things are selfless and not belonging to self.
I took to my heart the nun Patācārā’s instruction. I washed my feet, and sat down quietly.
In this first watch of the night, I gained the knowledge of recollecting my past lives. In the middle watch of the night, I purified the divine eye.
In the last watch of the night, I tore apart the dark mass of ignorance. That morning I arose with these Triple Knowledges. I have taken your advice.
I live honoring you like the Tāvatiṁsa Gods honor the God Sakka after winning the battle against Asurās. I have achieved the Triple Knowledge and live without taints.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Cālā
Having established clear mindfulness, the nun lives with developed spiritual faculties. Her life is established in the peace that comes from stilling all formations. She has achieved the peace of stilling all formations, Nibbāna.
[Māra:] For whose sake did you shave your head? You seem like a nun, but why don’t you be a female wanderer instead? Why are you being so foolish practicing as a nun?
[Nun Cālā:] Hey Māra! Female wanderers are found outside the Buddha’s training. They’re entangled in various false views. They don’t know this true Dhamma. They are not skilled in knowing this true Dhamma.
But the incomparable sage who was born to the Sākyan clan is called the Supreme Buddha. He taught me the true Dhamma which leads to the overcoming of all false views.
That true Dhamma is about suffering, the arising of suffering, the overcoming of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to the stilling of suffering.
Having heard my Great Teacher’s Dhamma, I delightfully practiced the Buddha’s training. I have achieved the Triple Knowledge and completed the Buddha’s training.
I have gotten rid of desire for everything. I tore apart the dark mass of ignorance. Māra, know that you are defeated.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Upacālā
That nun lives with clear mindfulness and with eyes of Dhamma. She has developed Spiritual Faculties. As a result of the association with noble people, she has achieved peaceful Nibbāna.
[Māra:] Why don’t you like to be reborn? When you are born you enjoy sensual pleasures. Delight in sensual pleasures and enjoy them. Don’t have regret later.
[Nun Upacālā:] Hey Māra! There is always death for the person who is born: There is the breaking of hands and feet, slaughtering, and various disasters; defilements arise for him. It is the person who is born who falls into suffering.
The unconquered Supreme Buddha who was born in the Sākyan clan lives in this world. He taught me the Supreme Dhamma that leads to the complete overcoming of birth.
That true Dhamma is about suffering, the arising of suffering, the overcoming of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to the stilling of suffering.
Having heard my Great Teacher’s Dhamma, I delightfully practiced the Buddha’s training. I have achieved the Triple Knowledge and completed the Buddha’s training.
I have gotten rid of desire for everything. I tore apart the dark mass of ignorance. Māra, know that you are defeated.
Arahant Nuns With Eight to Ten Verses
The Verses of Arahant Nun Sisūpacālā
That nun is very virtuous, her senses are well controlled. She obtained the taste of Nibbāna which has a sweet flavour.
[Māra:] There are deities in the heavens of Tāvatiṃsa, Yāma, Tusita, Previously, you lived in those heavens. Focus your mind to be reborn there.
[Nun Sisūpacālā:] Hey Māra! Those deities in the heavens of Tāvatiṃsa, Yāma, Tusita, Nimmānarati and Paranimmita Vasavatti wander again and again from existence to existence, being caught up in the five aggregates of clinging. They can’t go beyond these five aggregates of clinging. They continually wander in this journey of birth and death.
Every world is ablaze with defilements. Every world is continuously burning with defilements. Every world is covered with the burning flames of defilements. Every world is shaken by defilements.
But the Supreme Buddha is unshaken and incomparable. Noble people associate with him, not ordinary people. The Supreme Buddha taught me the Dhamma. That Dhamma always resonates in my mind.
Having heard my Great Teacher’s Dhamma, I delightfully practiced the Buddha’s training. I have achieved the Triple Knowledge and completed the Buddha’s training.
I got rid of desire for everything. I tore apart the dark mass of ignorance. Māra, know that you are defeated.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Vaḍḍhamātā
[Vaḍḍhamātā:] Son Vaḍḍha, may a forest of defilements not grow for you in this world! Son, do not be an owner of suffering again and again.
Vaḍḍha, the sages who have removed completely defilements and doubts live in peace. They are well tamed and cooled.
Vaḍḍha, you too should follow the path which was followed by those seers. Achieve the realization of the Dhamma. Train to put an end to suffering.
[Son Vaḍḍha:] Mother, you are teaching me the Dhamma with strong confidence. My dear mother, indeed a forest of defilements is not found in you.
[Vaḍḍhamātā:] Vaḍḍha, I don’t even have a minute or trifling amount of craving for any formations whether they are low, high, or middle.
I meditated diligently. All my taints have been annihilated. I have achieved the Triple Knowledge and completed the Buddha’s training.
[Son Vaḍḍha:] Truly my mother has uttered noble words. She has sympathetically instructed me to reach the excellent goal.
I listened to my mother’s words and diligently reflected on them. I generated a sense of urgency to realize Nibbāna.
I strived very hard both day and night. I practiced the Dhamma giving it top priority. I attained the Supreme Bliss of Nibbāna.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Kisāgotamī
Associating with noble friends has been praised by the Great Sage, the Buddha, for the well-being of the world. Through the association of noble friends, even a fool becomes wise.
One should associate with wise, noble people. It is through this association that one’s wisdom is increased. The one who associates with wise, noble people is liberated from all suffering.
The one who associates with wise, noble people comprehends the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the arising of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Great Teacher, the incomparable tamer of people, said that the life of a woman is painful. It is truly painful to be a co-wife under one husband. Because of pain some women only give birth once.
During labour, some women slit their throats because of unbearable pain. These suffering women take poison to escape pain and die. In some miscarriages both the mother and baby die.
When I was ready to give birth, I left to go see my parents. But before I reached their house, I gave birth along the way. I also saw my husband lying dead in the forest.
My life was miserable. I witnessed the death of my two sons and my husband. I saw the funeral pyre on which the bodies of my mother, father and sister were being burnt.
[The Buddha:] Miserable woman, with family and wealth destroyed, you have suffered immeasurable pain. You have shed tears for thousands of births in this saṁsāra.
Wandering in this cycle, I have lived in cemeteries, I have eaten the flesh of my own children, my families have been destroyed, I have been disgraced by everyone. My husbands died in accidents, but in this life I achieved the deathless, Nibbāna, the ultimate freedom.
I developed the Noble Eightfold Path leading to deathlessness. I achieved ultimate freedom. I experienced all these attainments through the mirror of the Dhamma.
I have cut out the dart of sorrow. I have lowered the heavy load of defilements. What had to be done to end suffering has been done. These were said by the enlightened Nun Kisāgotamī, who has a fully liberated mind.
Arahant Nuns With Eleven & Twelve Verses
The Verses of Arahant Nun Uppalavaṇṇā
The two of us, my mother and I, 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 supernormal knowledges. 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 supernormal knowledges. 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.
The Verses of Arahant Nun Puṇṇā
[Maid Puṇṇā:] I am a maid who carries water. Fearing punishment and the insults of my house owner, I have always gone down to the river to get water, even in the coldest of weather. I didn’t want to get blamed for any error.
But, Brāhmin, who do you fear that makes you go down to the river every morning and evening? It’s so cold that your body shivers.
[Brāhmin:] Puṇṇā, why do you ask me this when you already know the answer? When I’m at the river, I am washing away evil and performing wholesome deeds.
Whoever young or old has committed any evil action is able to be freed from evil by bathing in water.
[Maid Puṇṇā:] Brāhmin, you have no idea about the results of kamma. Who is the ignorant person who taught that you can be freed from evil by bathing in water? He doesn’t know and doesn’t see the results of kamma.
Now listen. If your opinion is true, then all frogs, turtles, alligators, crocodiles and all water creatures will absolutely go to heaven.
If your opinion is true, then all sheep butchers, pig butchers, fishermen, animal abusers, thieves, executioners, and other evil doers are all able to be freed from their evil actions by bathing in water.
If these rivers wash away the evil you previously did, then won’t it wash away your merit too? In that case you would be without merit too!
Brāhmin, every day you go down to the river fearing evil, don’t you? In that case, just don’t do bad things. Don’t let the cold strike your skin!
[Brāhmin:] Oh wise girl! I had entered upon the wrong path, but you have guided me onto the noble path by rescuing me from this pointless bathing. I will give you this piece of cloth as a gift.
[Puṇṇā:] Keep the piece of cloth for yourself. I don’t want it. If you are afraid of suffering, if suffering is unpleasant to you, do not commit evil actions either openly or in secret. But if you commit or will commit evil actions, then there is no escape from suffering, even if you try to run away and hide from the result. If you are afraid of suffering, if suffering is unpleasant for you, then go for refuge to the Buddha who has an unshaken mind, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. Observe the precepts. These will definitely lead to your well-being.
[Brāhmin:] I will go for refuge to the Buddha who has an unshaken mind, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. I will observe the precepts. These will definitely lead to my well-being.
Previously, I was called Brahmabandhu because I was born into the clan of Brāhmins. But now I am truly a Brāhmin. I attained the Triple Knowledge. I achieved Nibbāna. I entered wholesomeness and I am washed clean.