The Chapter Beginning With Sumedhā

Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Awakened One.

Now hear the past-life accounts of the senior nuns —

"While the Blessed One Koṇāgamana was in a newly-founded monastery, we three girl companions gave the gift of a dwelling.

Ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, a hundred thousand times, we were reborn among the gods — what need to speak of the human state?

Among the gods we had great power — what need to speak of the human world? Chief queen of the seven treasures, I became the treasure of womanhood.

Having stored up merit there, we were born into thriving, prosperous families — Dhanañjānī, and Khemā, and I myself: three companions.

Having built a well-made monastery, adorned in every part, we made it over to the Sangha headed by the Buddha, and rejoiced.

Wherever I was reborn, carried along by the power of that deed, I attained the foremost place among gods, and just the same among humans.

In this very eon, one of Brahmin lineage, of great renown, arose — named Kassapa by clan, the best of those who teach.

At that time the great sage's attendant was a ruler of men — the king of Kāsi named Kikī, in the excellent city of Bārāṇasī.

He had seven daughters, royal maidens raised in comfort, devoted to attending the Buddha; they lived the holy life.

Becoming their companion, well established in virtue, having given gifts respectfully, I kept my vow while still a laywoman.

By that well-done deed, and by my intention and resolve, having left the human body, I went to the Thirty-Three.

Passing from there I went to Yāma; from there to Tusita; then to the Nimmānarati gods; from there to the realm of the Paranimmitavasavatti.

Wherever I was reborn, endowed with meritorious deeds, there, in each place, I became chief queen of kings.

Passing from there into the human state, I became chief queen of wheel-turning monarchs, and of regional kings.

Having experienced such fortune, among gods and among humans, happy everywhere, I wandered on through many births.

That was the cause, and that the origin — the root of my capacity within this teaching; that was the first coming-together, [leading] through delight in the Dhamma to Nibbāna. (A genuinely difficult line — see the reading note below.)

My defilements are burned away; every state of existence is demolished; having cut the bond like a great tusker breaking free, I dwell without defilements.

It was truly a good arrival for me, into the presence of the best of Buddhas; the three true knowledges have been attained; the Buddha's teaching has been carried out.

The four discriminations, and these eight liberations too — the six direct knowledges have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been carried out."

Thus indeed did the nun Sumedhā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Sumedhā, the first.

"I had a stupa built for the Blessed One Siddhattha; a waist-girdle was given by me for the Teacher's construction-work.

And when the great stupa was finished, I gave a girdle again to the sage, protector of the world, with my own hands, in devotion.

Ninety-four eons ago, when I gave that girdle then — I have not known a bad rebirth; this is the fruit of building the stupa.

My defilements are burned away… I dwell without defilements. It was truly a good arrival for me… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. The four discriminations… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out." (closing formula as in Poem 1)

Thus indeed did the nun Mekhalādāyikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Mekhalādāyikā, the second.

"A pavilion was built by me for the Buddha Koṇāgamana; I regularly gave the triple robe to the Buddha, kinsman of the world.

Whatever country I go to — market towns, royal capitals — everywhere I am honored; this is the fruit of meritorious deeds."

My defilements are burned away… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. (closing formula as in Poem 1)

Thus indeed did the nun Maṇḍapadāyikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Maṇḍapadāyikā, the third.

"Of the Blessed One Vipassī, eldest of the world, the unshaken one, as he walked along the road, ferrying living beings across —

coming out from my house, I lay down face-down; the compassionate protector of the world stepped upon my head.

Having stepped upon my head, the leader of the world went on his way; by that clarity of mind, I went to the Tusita heaven."

My defilements are burned away… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. (closing formula as in Poem 1)

Thus indeed did the nun Saṅkamanatthā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Saṅkamanatthā, the fourth.

"On the bank of the river Candabhāgā, I was then a kinnarī; I saw the stainless Buddha, the self-existent one, the unconquered.

With a mind full of confidence, glad-hearted, filled with joy, hands raised in reverence, I took a garland of reeds and honored the self-existent one.

By that well-done deed, and by my intention and resolve, having left the kinnarī body, I went to the company of the Thirty gods.

I became chief queen of thirty-six god-kings; I became chief queen of ten wheel-turning monarchs; then, stirring my own mind to a sense of urgency, I went forth into homelessness.

My defilements are burned away; every state of existence is demolished; all defilements are exhausted; there is now no further existence.

Ninety-four eons ago, when I honored the Buddha with that flower — I have not known a bad rebirth; this is the fruit of honoring him with flowers."

My defilements are burned away… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. (closing formula repeated in full here)

Thus indeed did the therī Naḷamālikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Naḷamālikā, the fifth.

"In the city of Bandhumatī, there was a noble named Bandhumā; I was that king's wife.

Going apart and sitting alone, I thought thus: 'For what I must carry with me when I go, no good deed has been done by me.

Surely I am going to a hell of intense, bitter burning, of terrible and truly dreadful form — in this I have no doubt.'

Approaching the king, I said this: 'Give me one ascetic, my lord; I will feed him.'

The great king gave me an ascetic of well-developed faculties; taking his bowl, I filled it with the finest food.

Having filled it with the finest food, I applied fragrant perfume to it; covering it with a net-cloth, I wrapped it in a pair of garments.

This has stayed with me as an object of recollection for as long as I have lived; gaining confidence of mind in it, I went to the Thirty-Three.

I became chief queen of thirty god-kings; whatever I wished for in my mind arose just as I desired.

I became chief queen of twenty wheel-turning monarchs; having thoroughly accumulated merit, I wandered on through states of existence.

I am released from every bond; every trace of clinging is gone from me; all defilements are exhausted; there is now no further existence.

Ninety-one eons ago, when I gave that gift then — I have not known a bad rebirth; this is the fruit of that almsfood."

Thus indeed did the nun Ekapiṇḍapātadāyikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Ekapiṇḍapātadāyikā, the sixth.

"To the Teacher named Tissa, as he walked on his alms-round, I raised up a ladleful of food and gave it to the best of Buddhas.

Having received it, the Fully Awakened One Tissa, foremost guide of the world, the Teacher standing there in the street, made this rejoicing-utterance for me:

'Having given a ladleful of food, you will go to the Thirty-Three; you will become chief queen of thirty-six god-kings.

You will become chief queen of fifty wheel-turning monarchs; whatever you wish for in your mind, you will always obtain.

Having experienced such fortune, owning nothing, you will go forth; having fully understood every defilement, free of them, you will reach final extinguishment.'

Having said this, the Fully Awakened One Tissa, foremost guide of the world, the hero, rose up into the sky, like a royal swan aloft.

Well given was my excellent gift; well offered, that act of giving; having given a ladleful of food, I attained the unshakeable state.

Ninety-two eons ago, when I gave that gift then — I have not known a bad rebirth; this is the fruit of that gift of food."

My defilements are burned away… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. (closing formula as in Poem 1)

Thus indeed did the nun Kaṭacchubhikkhādāyikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Kaṭacchubhikkhādāyikā, the seventh.

"In the city of Aruṇavatī, there was a noble named Aruṇa; I was that king's wife. (A line of genuinely uncertain reading opens this poem — see the note below.)

Taking seven garlands of blue lotus with a heavenly fragrance, sitting in a fine palace, I thought this at that moment:

'What use to me are these garlands, placed on my own head? Better that they be placed upon the knowledge of the best of Buddhas.'

Waiting for the Fully Awakened One, I sat near the gate: 'When the Fully Awakened One comes, I will honor the great sage.'

Radiant like a flowering kakudha tree, like a maned lion, king of beasts, accompanied by the community of monks, the Conqueror came along the street.

Seeing the Buddha's radiance, joyful, my mind stirred with wonder, I opened the gate and honored the best of Buddhas.

The seven blue-lotus flowers, scattered through the sky, formed a canopy, holding themselves above the Buddha's head.

With elated mind, glad-hearted, filled with joy, hands raised in reverence, gaining confidence of mind there, I went to the Thirty-Three.

A canopy of great blue lotus is held over my head; I give off a heavenly fragrance — this is the fruit of the seven blue lotuses.

Whenever I am escorted by my company of relatives, for as far as my retinue extends, that great blue canopy is held.

I became chief queen of seventy-three god-kings; sovereign everywhere, I wandered on from one existence to another.

I became chief queen of sixty-three wheel-turning monarchs; all followed my lead; my word was always heeded.

My complexion is just like the blue lotus, and fragrance streams from me too; I have not known a bad rebirth — this is the fruit of honoring the Buddha.

Skilled in the bases of spiritual power, delighting in developing the awakening-factors, having reached the very peak of the direct-knowledges — this is the fruit of honoring the Buddha.

Skilled in the foundations of mindfulness, at home in concentration and absorption, devoted to right striving — this is the fruit of honoring the Buddha.

My energy is a yoke I bear steadily, carrying me toward security from bondage; all defilements are exhausted; there is now no further existence.

Thirty-one eons ago, when I honored the Buddha with that flower — I have not known a bad rebirth; this is the fruit of honoring him."

My defilements are burned away… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. (closing formula as in Poem 1)

Thus indeed did the nun Sattuppalamālikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Sattuppalamālikā, the eighth.

"In the city of Haṁsavatī, I was then a wanderer; from one park to another I roamed, in search of what is wholesome.

On a day of the waning moon, I saw the supreme Bodhi tree; gaining confidence of mind there, I sat down at its foot.

Settling into a reverent mind, raising my joined palms to my head, giving voice to my joy, I thought this at that moment:

'If the Buddha, of immeasurable virtue, the peerless person — let him show me a wonder: let this Bodhi tree shine forth.'

As soon as I had reflected this, the Bodhi tree blazed up at that very moment; it became entirely made of gold; every direction shone with its light.

For seven days and nights I sat there at the foot of the Bodhi tree; when the seventh day came, I made an offering of lamps.

Surrounding my seat, five lamps blazed; until the sun rose, my lamps went on blazing.

By that well-done deed, and by my intention and resolve, having left the human body, I went to the Thirty-Three.

There, a well-made mansion of mine is called "Five Lamps" — sixty leagues in height, thirty leagues across.

Countless lamps burn around me there; as far as the god-realm extends, it shines with the light of lamps.

Sitting facing away, if I wish to see, I see everything with my own eye — above, below, and across.

As far as I wish to see beings in their good and bad destinations, nothing obstructs it — not trees, not mountains.

I became chief queen of eighty god-kings; I became chief queen of a hundred wheel-turning monarchs.

Whatever womb I was reborn into, whether divine or human, a hundred thousand lamps burned around me.

Passing from the god-world, I was conceived in a mother's womb; and while I lay in that womb, my eyes never closed.

A hundred thousand lamps, in keeping with my store of merit, blazed in the very room where I was born — this is the fruit of the five lamps.

Having arrived at my final existence, I turned my mind away from craving; I touched Nibbāna — the ageless, the deathless, the state of coolness.

At seven years of age I attained arahantship; the Buddha Gotama, recognizing my qualities, gave me full ordination.

In a pavilion, at the foot of a tree, in a mansion or a cave, wherever I dwell in an empty place, five lamps blaze for me.

My divine eye is purified; I am skilled in concentration; having reached the very peak of the direct-knowledges — this is the fruit of the five lamps.

Every task completed, my work done, free of defilements — "Five Lamps," great hero, I bow to your feet, you who have vision.

A hundred thousand eons ago, when I made that lamp-offering — I have not known a bad rebirth; this is the fruit of the five lamps."

My defilements are burned away… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. (closing formula as in Poem 1)

Thus indeed did the nun Pañcadīpikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Pañcadīpikā, the ninth.

"In the city of Bandhumatī, I was a water-carrier; I lived by carrying water, and with it I supported my children.

I had nothing to give in that unsurpassed field of merit; so going to the gate-house, I set water out there.

By that well-done deed, I went to the Thirty-Three; there, a well-made mansion of mine was fashioned from the merit of carrying water.

Among a thousand nymphs, I was indeed the foremost then; in ten respects I always outshine all of them.

I became chief queen of fifty god-kings; I became chief queen of twenty wheel-turning monarchs.

I wander on through only two states of existence, the divine and the human; I have not known a bad rebirth — this is the fruit of the gift of water.

On a mountaintop or a treetop, in the sky or on the ground, whenever I want water, I obtain it at once.

There is no direction without rain for me, however scorched or burning hot; knowing my intention, a great cloud pours down.

Whenever I was being escorted by my company of relatives, and I wished for rain, a great cloud would arise.

Neither heat nor fever exists anywhere in my body; nor is there any dust on me — this is the fruit of the gift of water.

Today, with a purified mind, my mind free of anything evil, every defilement exhausted, there is now no further existence.

Ninety-one eons ago, when I gave that water then — I have not known a bad rebirth; this is the fruit of the gift of water."

My defilements are burned away… the Buddha's teaching has been carried out. (closing formula as in Poem 1)

Thus indeed did the nun Udakadāyikā speak these verses.

The past-life account of the Therī Udakadāyikā, the tenth.

The first vagga, the Sumedhāvagga, is complete.

Its summary verse:

Sumedhā, the girdle-giver, the pavilion-, the crossing-giver; the reed-garland-giver, the almsfood-giver, the ladleful-, the lotus-giver;

the lamp-giver, and the water-giver too — the verses are counted here; one hundred and thirty of them, and more besides.