Therigatha7.1

Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Therigatha >> Therigatha7.1

Adapted from Archaic Translation By Mrs. Rhys Davids 1909

Compared with the Pali Tipitaka at www.tipitaka.org

7.1 Uttara, Daughter Of A Clansman Of Savatthi, Disciple Of Patachara

She, too, having made her resolve under former Buddhas, and gaining beneficent deeds, so that in her the root of good (karma) was well planted, and the requisites for enlightenment(vimutti, vimukti) were well stored up, was, in this Buddha-era, reborn at Savatthi, in a certain clansman's family, and called Uttara. Coming to years of discretion, she heard Patachara teach the Dhamma(path of eternal truth), by that she became a believer in it. She entered the Order of nuns, practiced insight meditation (Vipassana[1]) and soon she became an Arahant(enlightened equal to Buddha). And, looking back on her attainment, she was elated & said thus:

'Men, with pestle are busy pounding rice. Men in their prime gather and store up wealth, To nourish wife and children dear. (175) But see that you dwell in The Buddha's discipline, which brings no remorse. Swiftly bathe your feet, then sit down with one mind (176) Planting your minds in firmness, With focussed concentration, in deep meditation , Watch the function of Sankaras(emotions,desires, wants, sin), which proceed not from your Self, is not your Self'. [2] (177) Having heard her talk, under Patachara's teaching Bathing their feet, they sat down apart with one mind, (178) While passed the first watch of the night there rose Long memories of the past lives(rebirths). While passed the second watch, arose within the clarified divine eye celestial, of purity. (179) <p style="text-align:center;">While passed the third watch of the night, I burst <p style="text-align:center;">And torn apart the gloom of ignorance. <p style="text-align:center;">Now rich in Threefold Wisdom[3] I arose: <p style="text-align:center;">'O Lady! surely your will is done. (180) <p style="text-align:center;">as like Inda(Indra) chief over the thirty three(x10 million) gods(angels), <p style="text-align:center;">unconquered in celestial wars, <p style="text-align:center;">As chief, and so shall I live. <p style="text-align:center;">The threefold Wisdom[3] I have won, <p style="text-align:center;">& worldly desires are removed. (181)

Now this Theri, one day, when under Patachara she had done her work, went into her own dwelling, and seating herself cross-legged, thought: 'I will not break up this position until I have freed my mind from all dependence on the Asavas(material desires).' Thus she made a firm resolve in her mind, and with gradual clarity in insight meditation (Vipassana[1]), as she progressed along the Path, she attained Arahantship(enlightenment equal to Buddha), together with the power of intuition and thorough grasp of the Dhamma(path of eternal truth). Thus contemplating nineteen subjects in succession, with the consciousness that 'Now have I done what in this I had to do,' she uttered in her happiness the verses given above, and stretched her limbs. And when the dawn arose, and night brightened into day, she searched for the Theri, and repeated her verses.

[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] Lit., consider the sankharas as other, not as self.

[3] 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.