Walt 639 The Victor, Padumuttara,
was a Master of Everything.
That Leader arose in the world
one hundred thousand aeons hence. Verse 1Walt 640 I was born in Haṁsavatī,
in a clan of millionaires then,
glistening with various gems,
endowed with supreme happiness. Verse 2Walt 641 Having approached that Great Hero,
I heard him preaching the Dhamma.
Then, pleasure born in my heart, I
approached the Victor for refuge. Verse 3Walt 642 Then the Great Compassionate One,
the Leader, Padumuttara,
fixed a nun in the foremost place
of those with quick intuition. Verse 4Walt 643 Hearing that, being overjoyed,
having given the Great Sage alms,
bowing my head down at his feet
I aspired to attain that place. Verse 5Walt 644 The Great Hero approved of that:
“Lucky one, there will be success
in everything for which you wish.
Be happy, you should feel appeased. Verse 6Walt 645 In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world. Verse 7Walt 646Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
named Bhaddākuṇḍalakesā
you’ll be the Teacher’s follower.” Verse 8Walt 647 Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I went to Tāvatiṁsa then. Verse 9Walt 648 Fallen thence, I went to Yāma,
and then I went to Tusita,
and then to Nimmānarati,
and then Vāsavatti city. Verse 10Walt 649 In whichever place I’m reborn,
in accordance with that karma,
everyplace I was made chief queen
of the gods who were the kings there. Verse 11Walt 650 Fallen thence, in the human state,
everyplace I was made chief queen
of kings who turn the wheel of law,
and powerful regional kings. Verse 12Walt 651 Having experienced success,
among gods as well as humans,
becoming happy everywhere,
I transmigrated for aeons. Verse 13Walt 652 In this present lucky aeon,
Brahma’s Kinsman, Greatly Famed One,
the Buddha known as Kassapa
was born, the Best of Debaters. Verse 14Walt 653 The attendant of the Great Sage
was the ruler of men back then,
the king of Kāsi, named Kiki,
in Benares, greatest city. Verse 15Walt 654 I was then that king’s fourth daughter,
well-known as Bhikkhadāyikā.
Hearing the Best Victor’s Teaching,
I chose to seek ordination. Verse 16Walt 655-656 Our father did not permit it;
we stayed at home during that time,
comfortable royal maidens
doing our practice with vigor
in virginal celibacy,
for twenty times a thousand years,
fond of waiting on the Buddha,
the king’s seven joyful daughters. Verse 17-18Walt 657 Samaṇī, and Samaṇaguttā,
Bhikkhunī, Bhikkhadāyikā,
Dhammā, and also Sudhammā,
and seventh Saṅghadāyikā, Verse 19Walt 658 now Uppalavaṇṇā, Khemā
also Paṭācārā and I,
Kisāgotamī, Dhammadinnā,
and Visākhā is the seventh. Verse 20Walt 659 Due to those karmas done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I went to Tāvatiṁsa then. Verse 21Walt 660 And now, in my final rebirth,
in Giribbaja, best city,
I was born to rich millionaires.
When I’d become a young woman, Verse 22Walt 661 attracted to a thief I saw
being led to execution,
my father, paying a thousand,
had him freed from execution. Verse 23Walt 662 After that, discerning my mind,
my father gave me to that thief.
I was trustworthy for him, and
extremely kindly and friendly. Verse 24Walt 663 He, out of greed for my jewels,
that enemy with ill-intent,
led me to the thieves’ precipice
on a mountain, plotting murder. Verse 25Walt 664 Then stretching out to Sattuka,
hands which were well pressed together,
protecting my own breath of life,
I spoke these words to him just then: Verse 26Walt 665 “This bracelet which is made of gold,
containing many pearls and gems,
Sir, carry all of this away;
announce that I’m your bed-slave.” Verse 27Walt 666 “Take it off, O beautiful one,
and do not feel a lot of grief;
I am unable to accept
wealth that I did not kill to get. Verse 28Walt 667 For as long as I remember,
ever since I reached discretion,
I have accepted no other
more beloved than you to me.” Verse 29Walt 668 “Come here! Having embraced you, \[just
one more\] circumambulation.
And after now there will not be
intercourse between you and me.” Verse 30Walt 669 The man is not the one who’s wise
in every single circumstance;
paying attention, here and there,
the woman is the one who’s wise. Verse 31Walt 670 The man is not the one who’s wise
in every single circumstance;
quick-thinking, with good strategy,
the woman is the one who’s wise. Verse 32Walt 671 Quickly indeed, in just a flash,
I came up with a clever trick:
like a deer by a mighty bow,
Sattuka was slaughtered by me. Verse 33Walt 672 Who fails quickly to understand
the circumstances that arise,
he gets murdered, that silly thief,
in the belly of a mountain. Verse 34Walt 673 Who does not fail to quickly grasp
the circumstances that arise,
she is freed from creaturely bonds;
such was I from Sattuka then. Verse 35Walt 674 Then I made him, Sattuka, fall
from a treacherous mountain road.
Coming into the presence of
some white-clad adepts, I went forth. Verse 36Walt 675 Then after plucking out my hair
altogether, using tweezers,
being ordained, in no long time,
they detailed their own tradition. Verse 37Walt 676-677 Then after I had learned all that,
gone off by myself, sitting down,
I thought about that tradition.
Then a dog brought a human hand,
chewed off, and after dropping it
in my vicinity, ran off.
Seeing that maggoty hand, I
took it up for meditation. Verse 38-39Walt 678Then producing deep emotion,
I asked my co-religionists.
They said: “the Śākyan Buddhist monks
know the answers to your questions.” Verse 40Walt 679 “I’ll ask that meaning, approaching
the followers of the Buddha.”
Taking me along they all went
into the Best Buddha’s presence. Verse 41Walt 680 He preached Dhamma to me: the heaps
in the thought-spheres and elements;
the Leader taught unpleasantness,
impermanence, dis-ease, no-self. Verse 42Walt 681-682 After hearing his Dhamma, I
then purified the “Dhamma eye.”
Learned in the good Teaching, I
asked to go forth and be ordained.
At that time he said this to me:
“Come, lucky one,” said the Leader.
Then being fully ordained, I
saw a little bit of water. Verse 43-44Walt 683 Cleaning my feet, discerning that
some water splashed up, some spilled down,
then at that time I realized,
“all conditioned things are like that.” Verse 45Walt 684 Then my heart was liberated,
altogether, without clinging.
Then the Victor dubbed me foremost
of those with quick intuition. Verse 46Walt 685 I’ve mastered the superpowers
like the “divine ear” element.
I know the hearts of others too,
I have done what the Teacher taught. Verse 47Walt 686 I remember my former lives;
my “divine eye” is purified.
Throwing off all the defilements,
I am purified, I’m stainless. Verse 48Walt 687 The Teacher’s been worshipped by me;
I have done what the Buddha taught.
The heavy load has been laid down,
the ties to existence severed. Verse 49Walt 688 The reason for which I went forth,
from my home into homelessness —
I have now achieved that purpose:
destruction of all the fetters. Verse 50Walt 689 In meaning and in the Teaching,
etymology and preaching,
my knowledge is vast and flawless,
through the Great Sage’s majesty. Verse 51Walt 690 My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. Verse 52Walt 691 Being in Best Buddha's presence
was a very good thing for me.
The three knowledges are attained;
I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 53Walt 692 The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught! Verse 54
Thus indeed Bhikkhunī Bhaddā-Kuṇḍalakesā spoke these verses.
The legend of Bhaddā-Kuṇḍalakesā Therī is finished.