Therigatha4.1

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Adapted from Archaic Translation By Mrs. Rhys Davids 1909

Compared with the Pali Tipitaka at www.tipitaka.org

4.1 Bhadda Of The Kapilani, Daughter Of A Brahmin Of The Kosiyas, At Sagala, Wife Of Pippali Kassapa (Maha-Kassapa) Of Mahatittha, Foremost Of Those Theris Who Could Remember Past Lives, A Distinguished Preacher

NOW she was born in the time of Padumuttara Buddha, in a clansman's house at Hansavati. Come to years of discretion, she heard the Master(Buddha) preach, and saw him assign a Bhikkhuni the first rank among those who could recall previous lives. Because of that she made her resolve, wishing that she, too, might acquire such a rank. Working merit all her life, she was reborn, when no Buddha had arisen, in a clansman's house at Benares, and in due course married.

Then one day a quarrel arose between her and her sister-in-law. And the latter having given food to a Silent Buddha, Bhadda thought, 'She will win glory for this,' and taking the bowl from his hand, she filled it with mud instead of food. The people said, 'Foolish woman! what has the Silent Buddha done to offend you?' And she, ashamed of herself, took back the bowl, emptied and scrubbed it with scented powder, filled it with the four sweet foods, and sprinkled it on the top with ghee of the colour of a lotus-calyx. Handing it back, shining, to the Silent Buddha, she registered a prayer: 'May I have a shining body like this bowl!'

After many fortunate rebirths, she was reborn, in the time of Kassapa Buddha, at Benares, as the daughter of a wealthy millionare(setthi). But by the fruition of her previous karma her body was of evil odour, and she was repulsive to others. Much troubled by that, she had her ornaments made into an ingot of gold, and placed it in the Buddha's shrine, doing reverence with her hands full of lotuses. By that act her body, even in that birth, became fragrant and sweet. As a beloved wife she did good all her life, was reborn in heaven to celestial joys, and at length took birth as the daughter of the King of Benares. There she lived gloriously, serving to Silent Buddhas. When they passed away she was greatly troubled, and renounced the world for ascetic practices. Dwelling in groves, she practised Jhana(meditation), and was reborn in the Brahma heavens, and from there into the family of a brahmin of the Kosiya clan at Sagala. Reared in great state, she was wedded to the young noble Pippali at the village of Maha-tittha. When he renounced the world she handed over her great wealth to her relatives that she too might go forth into renunciation; and she dwelt five years in the nuns monastery,[1] after which she was ordained by Great Pajapati the Gotami (Head of Nuns order & the sister and co-wife of the Buddha's departed mother). Establishing in insight meditation (Vipassana[2]), she soon won Arahantship(enlightenment equal to Buddha).

And then she became an expert in knowledge of her past lives, through the abundant force of her resolve (made in past ages), and was in this ranked first by the Master(Buddha) when, seated in the Jetavana Grove(monastery) among the company of Ariyans,[3] he classified the Bhikkhunis. One day she broke forth in a hymn, remembering all that she had been through, accompanied by praise of the virtues of the great Elder Kassapa, [4] thus:

Son of the Buddha and his heir is he, Great Kassapa, master of self, serene! The vision of far, bygone days is his, Yes, heaven and hell no secrets hold for him. (63) Death too, of rebirth, has he won striving A saint is he of mystic knowledge profound. By the three arms of learning[5] Thrice-Knowlegeable(Tre-vidya) [6], he is called, & called Brahmin. (64)

She too, Bhadda the Kapilan–thrice-wise[6] And victor over death and birth is she– Bears to this end her last incarnate frame, For she has conquered Mara(devil) and his host. (65)

We both have seen, both he and I, the woe And pity of the world, and have gone forth. We both are Arahants with selves well tamed. <p style="text-align:center;">Calm are we both, ours is Nibbana now! (66)

[1]Titthiyarama, near the Jetavava Grove at Savatthi.

[2] Vipassana : This refers to the foremost insight meditation called 'Vipassana'  taught by Buddha in which attention is focussed on inner phenomenon (breath,body,emotions, sensations & mind) with detachment (samata/equanimity) leading to self-awakening & enlightenment.

[3]Defined in the Pitakas as meaning Buddhas, Silent Buddhas, and their disciples.

[4]Maha-Kassapa became the leader of the Buddhist Order when the Buddha had passed away. According to the Apadana, Kassapa was identical with Pippali, her husband, and had been her husband in three former lives. Kassapa was either the family name or the personal name; Pippali either the personal or the local name.

[5]Three trainings are : i. Sheel(Moral precepts) ii. Samadhi(Meditation & achieving trance states) iii. Panna (Direct divine understanding borne from the meditative trance states)

[6] Thrice-Knowlegeable : Attainments after enlightenment (i) recall of past rebirths, (ii) the all seeing Heavenly Eye(or divine eyesight) which can see anywhere in the universe, and (iii) the destruction of all the Asavas(sensual desires) within i.e. purity.

More from www.budsas.org

Bhadda was the former wife of Maha Kassapa. Together with her husband she led a celibate life and eventually gave up her wealth and possessions to lead the life of an ascetic in search of Truth. When Kassapa suggested that they should part ways in search of a Teacher she agreed, and taking the left fork of the road, approached Savatthi. She listened to the Dhamma of the Buddha at Jetavana but as He had not yet formed the order of the nuns she remained in a nunnery with another sect of ascetics.

It was approximately five years later that the Buddha formed the order of the nuns. Bhadda then joined the order, meditated and attained Arahantship. At the time of the Padumuttara Buddha, Bhadda, together with her husband, had performed many meritorious deeds. Whilst Kassapa, then known as Vedeha, had been inspired by a monk who led an austere life, Bhadda had been inspired by a nun who could recollect many past births. After performing many meritorious actions, she had aspired to be the nun foremost in recollection of past births. The Padumuttara Buddha, seeing that her aspiration would be fulfilled, declared that at the time of the Gotama Buddha, one hundred thousand world cycles into the future, she would be the nun foremost in recollecting past births.

It is interesting to see the effects of the great Arahants’ aspirations and their fulfilment. Even though Bhadda had the potential to be an Arahant and had taken to the holy life five years prior to Maha Pajapati, she had no inclination to establish the order of the nuns. Her aspiration was to recollect aeons of past lives. This knowledge was her strength and was what she used in motivating her pupils. When studying the histories of the great disciples one realizes how varied they were in temperament and interests, how each one was inspired by different attributes, selected that which interested them and then used this faculty to help others see the Truth. Bhadda used her knowledge of past lives to interest and motivate her pupils to perform acts of merit and to strive diligently.

Also interesting are Bhadda’s past associations with Kassapa. During the era of the Buddha Padumuttara, Bhadda and Vedeha performed many wholesome deeds and at death were reborn in the heavenly realms.

The next recorded life story is many, many years later, at the time of the Buddha Vipassi, the fifth preceding Buddha, ninety-one world cycles prior to the Buddha Gotama. At that time Bhadda and Kassapa were once again husband and wife, but they were exceedingly poor. So poor, that they had only one outer garment which was of good quality. Husband and wife shared this one garment by each taking turns to go out.

At that time the Buddha Vipassi was giving a special sermon and both Bhadda and her husband, Ekasataka, wanted to hear Him speak. But as they only had one garment Bhadda went during the daytime and her husband went in the night. As the Ekasataka listened to the sermon, the value of giving and generosity became so deeply impressed in his mind that he wanted to give the only outer garment they had to the Vipassi Buddha.

But after the thought entered his mind Ekasataka started to have doubts. Thoughts rushed through his mind. "How can we manage with no outer garments? This is all we both have. Should I not consult my wife first?" Then pushing aside these doubts, he removed his outer garment and laid it at the feet of the Vipassi Buddha. Having done so he clapped his hands joyfully and cried, "I have won! I have won!" When the king, who was also in the audience, heard the cry of victory, he inquired as to what had happened. The king was overwhelmed by the poor man’s act of generosity. Making him the court chaplain he gave Ekasataka and his wife many sets of clothes.

And so the situation of the poor couple changed. Resulting from this selfless act, at death Ekasataka was reborn in a celestial realm. There he lived in splendour until the effects of his wholesome deeds wore off, whereupon he was reborn as a righteous king with Bhadda as his chief queen.

Many other past life stories are documented where Kassapa and Bhadda had been associated. Once Bhadda and Kassapa were the parents of ananda. After the aged mother of ananda’s teacher fell hopelessly in love with ananda, so much so as to plan the death of his teacher, her own son to have her lover, both Bhadda and ananda took to the life of ascetics.

On another occasion Kassapa and Bhadda had been the Brahmin parents of four sons. Bhadda’s four sons were the Bodhisatta, our Buddha Gotama, Sariputta, Moggallana and Anurudha (Jataka 509). Parents and children had all taken to the holy life of ascetics.

Also interesting is the life story at a time between Supreme Buddhas when Bhadda had wronged a Pacceka Buddha. She had quarrelled with her sister-in-law, and seeing that her sister in-law had just offered fragrant food to a Pacceka Buddha, she had taken his bowl, thrown out the food and filled it with mud. Almost immediately she had felt remorse for her action. Taking the bowl back she had washed it and refilled it with fragrant, well-prepared food.

As a kammic consequence of this action, in a subsequent birth Bhadda was born with great wealth and beauty but her body gave off an unbearable smell. Her husband, who was again Kassapa, could not stand the smell and left her. She had many other suitors because of her wealth and beauty, but none would remain with her because of her offensive odour.

During this period there had appeared in the world a fully enlightened Supreme Buddha named Kassapa. Feeling that her life was of little use Baddha sold all her property, melted down her jewellery and formed a golden brick which she donated to the shrine that was being built to hold the relics of the Kassapa Buddha, who had just passed away. As a result of this deed her body became fragrant again and her former husband took her back.

The last documented life story was where Bhadda had been the Queen of Benares and had supported many Pacceka Buddhas. Deeply moved at the sudden death of the Pacceka Buddhas she had given up her life as queen and taken to the life of an ascetic. By the powers of her renunciation and her meditative lifestyle she had been reborn in a Brahma realm. At the same time Kassapa too had been reborn in the Brahma realm. It was after this life that they had been reborn in the human world as Pippali Kassapa and Bhadda Kapilana. It was also the experience in the Brahma realm that resulted in their decision to lead a celibate life.

As an Arahant Bhikkhuni Bhadda devoted herself to the teaching of younger nuns in monastic discipline. The Therigatha documents her praise of her former husband Kassapa and her own attainment of emancipation.