Therigatha7.3

Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Therigatha >> Therigatha7.3

Adapted from Archaic Translation By Mrs. Rhys Davids 1909

Compared with the Pali Tipitaka at www.tipitaka.org

7.3 Upachala, Sister of Chala & Sariputta

She was also the another sister to Sariputra, Captain of the order of Monks. Her story has been told in the previous one. Like Chala, she, too took ordination, practiced insight meditation (Vipassana[1]) and became an Arahant(enlightened equal to Buddha), was elated & said, after Mara(devil) had tempted her in vain, as follows:

Meditating, self-aware, bhikkuni(nun) with all senses trained and in self-control, with inward calm perfected, And has made her way into the Path Walked by holy people who have attained eternity. (189) Mara(devil): Why love you not rebirth?296 since, being born, You can enjoy what life of senses does bring. Enjoy the sport of sense & sexual act and enjoy, Otherwise you may regret when too late, with bitter pangs. 297 (190)  Upachala: To one who is born, death will surely come, And many perils such as murder, Injury, torture, loss of limb,  bondage, grief So a person who is born is bound to get suffering. (191) In the princely Sakiya clan is born <p style="text-align:center;">He who is holy, awakened Buddha, the undefeated(invincible). <p style="text-align:center;">He has given the Dhamma(path of eternal truth) to me <p style="text-align:center;">By which the round of rebirth is well overcome, (192) <p style="text-align:center;">The origin & arisal of suffering,  how suffering may be overcome, <p style="text-align:center;">The Ariyan Eightfold Path leads to, <p style="text-align:center;">Elimination of all Suffering. (193) <p style="text-align:center;">And I who has heard his words , <p style="text-align:center;">will follow his discipline sincerely. <p style="text-align:center;">The Threefold Wisdom[2] unparalleled I have gotten now, <p style="text-align:center;">Within the Era of the Buddha's time. (194) <p style="text-align:center;">In every way, the attraction of senses is eliminated. <p style="text-align:center;">And the region of darkness (ignorance) within is torn apart <p style="text-align:center;">Know this, you Sinful One, hence! <p style="text-align:center;">Here, O Destroyer! you shall not prevail. (195)

[1] 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.

[2] Three attainments due to 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.