Therigatha3.2

Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Therigatha >> Therigatha3.2

Adapted from Archaic Translation By Mrs. Rhys Davids 1909

Compared with the Pali Tipitaka at www.tipitaka.org

3.2 Uttama, Daughter Of A Millionare(Setthi) Of Savatthi, Disciple Of Patachara

She, too, accumulating good merit (karma) under former Buddhas, was in the time of Vipassi Buddha, born at Bandhumati, in the house of a certain wealthy landowner, and became a domestic servant. Grown up, she tended her master's household. Now, at that time, King Bandhuma (Vipassi's father), having restored Fast-keeping, gave gifts before dining and, after dining, attended a sermon; and the people, following his pious example, and keeping Fast, the slave thought: 'Why should not I, too, do as they all are doing?' And for the thoroughness of her observance of the feasts she was reborn among the Three-and-Thirty gods(angels in heaven), and in other happy realms, and finally, in this Buddha-era, in the house of a millionare(setthi) of Savatthi. Come to years of discretion, she heard Patachara preach, and entered the Order; but she was unable to progress in the insight meditation (Vipassana[1]) till Patachara, seeing the state of her mind, gave her admonition. By that established, she won Arahantship(enlightenment equal to Buddha), with thorough grasp of the Dhamma(path of eternal truth) in true form and in meaning. And looking back at that, she blissfully said thus:

Four times, no, five, I moved swiftly from my cell, And roamed around to find the peace of mind Long vainly tried to obtain, the governance of thoughts I could not bring into captivity. (42) To me she came, that noble Bhikkhuni, Who was my foster-mother in the faith– She taught to me the Dhamma(path of eternal truth), in which I learnt The nature of this transitory self.[2] (43) And well I minded all, even as she taught. For seven days I sat in Jhana-joy(of trance state in meditation) And ease, cross-legged; on the eighth day at last I stretched my limbs, and went my way serene, For I had burst asunder the surrounding gloom. (44) Now, this was the affirmation of her Anna (Enlightened state).

[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., the Khandhas, the nature of sense-perception and the elements of self.