Therigatha5.10

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Adapted from Archaic Translation By Mrs. Rhys Davids 1909

Compared with the Pali Tipitaka at www.tipitaka.org

5.10 Patachara, Daughter Of A Millionare(Setthi) Of Savatthi, Wife Of Her Father's Servant, Foremost Of The Theris Who Were Proficient In The Vinaya, An Eminent Teacher And Leader

She, too, was reborn, when Padumuttara was Buddha, at Hansavati, in a clansman's family. One day she sat listening to the Master, and hearing him place a Bhikkhuni at top of those who were learned in the rules of the Order, she vowed that this rank should one day be hers. After doing good all her life, and being reborn in heaven and on earth, she gained rebirth, in the time when Kassapa was Buddha, as one of the seven Sisters, daughters of Kiki, King of Kasi. And for 20,000 years she lived a holy life of celibacy, and built a cell for the Order. While no Buddha lived on earth she dwelt in glory among the gods(angels), and finally, in this Buddha-era, was reborn in the millionare's(setthi) house at Savatthi. Grown up, she formed an intimacy with one of the serving-men of her house. When the parents fixed a day on which to give her hand to a youth of her own rank, she took a handful of baggage, and with her lover left the town by the its main gate and dwelt in a forest hamlet. (She being pregnant)When the time for the birth of child was near, she said: 'Here there's none to take care of me; let us go home, husband.' And he procrastinated, saying: 'We'll go to-day; we'll go to-morrow' till she said: 'The foolish fellow will never take me there'; and setting her affairs in order while he was out, she told her neighbours to say she had gone home, and set forth alone. When he came back and was told this, he exclaimed: 'Through my doing a lady of high rank is without protection,' and hurrying after her, overtook her. Midway the pains of birth came upon her, and after she was recovered, they turned back again to the hamlet. At the advent of a second child things happened just as before, with this difference: when midway the winds born of Karma(destiny) blew upon her,  a great storm broke over them, and she said, 'Husband, find me a place out of the rain!' While he was cutting grass and sticks in the jungle, he cut a stake from a tree standing in an ant-hill. And a snake came from the ant-hill and bit him, so that he fell there and died. She, in great misery, and looking for his coming, while the two babies cried at the wind and the rain, placed them in her bosom, and, prone over them on the ground, spent the night thus. At dawn, bearing one babe at her breast, and saying to the other, 'Come, dear, father has left you ,' she went and found him seated, dead, near the ant-heap. 'Oh!' she cried, 'through me my husband is dead,' and wept and lamented all the night. Now, from the rain, the river that lay across her path was swollen knee-deep, and she, being distraught and weak, could not cross the water with both babies. So she left the elder on the here side, and crossed over with the other. Then she spread out a branch she had broken off, and laid the baby on her rolled headcloth. But while she was leaving the little creature, and turned round again and again to see him as she went down to the river. Now, when she was half-way over, a hawk in the air took the babe for a piece of flesh, and though the mother, seeing him, clapped her hands, shouting, 'Soo! soo!' the hawk minded her not, because she was far from him, and caught the child up into the air. Then the elder son, thinking the mother was shouting because of him, got flustered, and fell into the river; so she lost both, and came weeping to Savatthi. And, meeting a man, she asked him: 'Where do you dwell?' And he said: 'At Savatthi, lady.' 'There is at Savatthi such and such a family in such and such a street. Know you them, friend?', He 'I know them, lady; but ask not of them; ask somewhat else.' She 'I am not concerned with anything else. It is about them I ask, friend.' He 'Lady, can you not take on yourself to tell? You saw how the god rained all last night?' She 'I saw that, friend. On me he rained all night long. Why, I will tell you presently. But first, do you tell me of how it goes with that millionare(setthi)'s family.' He 'Lady, last night the house broke down and fell upon them,(they all died) and now they all are burning, the millionare(setthi), his wife, and his son on one (funeral) pyre. Lady, the smoke of it can be seen.' Because of that grief, she became mad, so that she was not aware even of her clothing slipping off. Wailing in her woe–

'My children both are gone, and in the bush, dead lies my husband; on one funeral pyre my mother, father, and my brother burn,'

She wandered around from that day forth in circles, and because her skirt-cloth fell from her she was given the name 'Cloak-walker.' And people, seeing her, said: 'Go, little mad-woman!' And some threw refuse at her head, some sprinkled dust, some pelted her with clods. The Master(Buddha), seated in the Jetavana Grove(monastery), in the midst of a great company, teaching the Dhamma, saw her wandering thus round and round, and contemplated the maturity of in her. When she came towards the Vihara(monastery) he also walked that way. The crowd, seeing her, said: 'Please do not let that little lunatic to come here.' The Bhagwa(Lord Buddha) said: 'Do not stop her,' and standing near as she came round again, he said to her: 'Sister, recover you presence of mind.' She, by the sheer power of the Buddha, regaining presence of mind, discerned her undressed plight, and shame and conscience arising, she fell crouching to earth. A man threw her his outer robe, and she put it round her, and drawing near to the Master(Buddha) worshipped at his feet, saying: 'Lord, help me. One of my children a hawk has taken, one is taken away by water; in the jungle my husband lies dead; my parents and my brother, killed by the collapsed house, burn on one pyre.' So she told him why she grieved. The Master(Buddha) made her see, thus: 'Patachara, think not you are come to one able to become a help to you. Just as now you are shedding tears because of the death of children and the rest, so has you, in the unending round of life, been shedding tears, because of the death of children and the rest, more abundant than the waters of the four oceans:

'Less are the waters of the oceans four Than all the waste of waters shed in tears By heart of man who mourns touched by Suffering. Why waste your life thinking about bitter sorrow?'

Thus, through the Master's(Buddha's) words touching the way where no salvation lies, the grief in her became lighter to bear. Knowing this, he went on: 'O Patachara, to one passing to another world, no child nor other relative is able to be a shelter or a hiding-place or a refuge. Not here, even, can they be such. Therefore, let whosoever is wise purify his own conduct, and accomplish the Path leading even to Nibbana.' Thus he taught her, and said:

'Sons are no shelter, nor father, nor any relatives. Overtaken by death, for you blood-bond is no refuge. Discerning this truth, the wise man, well ordered by virtue, Swiftly makes clear the road leading on to Nibbana.

When he had finished speaking, she was established in the fruit of a Stream-winner(Sotapana, first divine awakening), and asked for ordination. The Master(Buddha) led her to the Bhikkhunis, and let her be admitted.

She, exercising herself to reach the higher attainments in insight meditation (Vipassana[1]), took water one day in a bowl, and washing her feet, poured away some of the water, which trickled but a little way and disappeared. She poured more, and it went farther. And the third time the water went yet farther before it disappeared. Taking this as her basis of thought, she pondered: 'Even so do mortals die, either in childhood, or in middle age, or when old.' And the Master, seated in his 'Fragrant Chamber,' sent his radiant ethereal form, and appeared as if speaking before her, saying: 'Even so, O Patachara, are all mortals liable to die; therefore is it better to have so lived as to see how the five khandhas(5 inner aggregates) come and go, even were it for one day only, but for one moment than to live for a hundred years and not see that.

'The man who, living for an hundred years, Sees never how things arise and die(truth of material world), Had better live no longer than one day, So, in that day, he sees the truth of impermanence'.

And when he had finished, Patachara won Arahantship(enlightenment equal to Buddha), together with thorough grasp of the Dhamma(path of eternal truth) in form and in meaning. From that time on, looking back at how she had attained while yet a student, and magnifying the advent of this upward change, she blissfully said thus:

With ploughshares ploughing up the fields, with seed <p style="text-align:center;">Sown in the breast of earth, men get their crops, <p style="text-align:center;">Enjoy their gains and nourish wife and child. (112) <p style="text-align:center;">Why cannot I, whose life is pure, who seek <p style="text-align:center;">To do the Master's(Buddha's) will, no sluggard am, <p style="text-align:center;">Nor puffed up, win to Nibbana's bliss? (113)

<p style="text-align:center;">One day, bathing my feet, I sat and watched <p style="text-align:center;">The water as it trickled down the slope. <p style="text-align:center;">By that I had set mysef firm, <p style="text-align:center;">As one does train a horse of noble breed. (114) <p style="text-align:center;">Then going to my cell, I take my lamp, <p style="text-align:center;">And seated on my couch I watch the flame. (115) <p style="text-align:center;">Grasping the pin, I pull the wick right down <p style="text-align:center;">Into the oil. . . .  <p style="text-align:center;">Lo! the Nibbana of the little lamp! <p style="text-align:center;">Enlightenment(vimokkho, vimukti) dawns! <p style="text-align:center;">My mind is now freed (Vimokkho, Vimukti, salvation)! (116)

[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.

More from www.budsas.org

Patacara was the beautiful daughter of a wealthy Savatthi merchant. When she came of age her parents arranged a marriage for her to a man of similar status and wealth. Patacara, however, was in love with one of the servants in her parents’ household. She decided to elope with her lover as she felt that it would be impossible for her to obtain the consent of her parents to marry a servant.

Dressing as a servant and carrying a pot of water on her head, Patacara fled with her lover. They set up house in a village at some distance from Savatthi. Her husband tilled the land and earned a meagre living. Patacara worked at pounding the rice, cooking and cleaning – duties that had formerly been performed by the servants in her parents’ home. Thus she led a difficult life, paying in this birth itself for the suffering she had caused her parents through her elopement.

After some time Patacara became pregnant with their first child. As was the custom she wanted to go back to her parents’ home for the delivery. At the appropriate time she requested her husband to take her back to her parents. He refused, as he was sure that they would have him tortured and killed for taking her away from them. Patacara then decided to go on her own. Telling her neighbours that she had gone to visit her parents, Patacara started walking towards Savatthi.

When her husband returned from work and found that Patacara had left to see her parents he was distraught. Running after her he caught up with her and pleaded for her to return. At that time the birth pains started. Taking shelter under some bushes Patacara gave birth to a baby boy. At her husband’s insistence she turned back and returned to their home.

Some years later Patacara became pregnant with their second child. When the time for the child’s birth drew near, determined to have the baby with the support of her parents, she took her older son and walked towards Savatthi. She had walked half the distance when her husband caught up with her. Again he dissuaded her from going. But this time Patacara was determined to be with her parents.

They were travelling thus when they were overcome by a fierce rainstorm. Strong winds tore across the path, swaying the branches hither and thither, and torrents of rain poured down. In the midst of the storm Patacara’s birth pains started. She asked her husband to build a temporary shelter to shield them from the torrential rains and wind. He left to cut down some suitable branches to build a shelter. Patacara waited in vain for her husband’s return. Then, shielding her first-born as best she could, she gave birth to a second son. Patacara slept the night huddled under a bush, her body arched to shield her two sons from the storm.

The next morning she traced the steps of her husband to find his stiffened body. When cutting branches for a shelter he had disturbed a poisonous snake. Death had been painful but quick. Lamenting in sorrow, Patacara gathered her sons and continued to her parents’ home in Savatthi.

On the way they had to cross the swollen river Aciravati. The water was waist-high and the current strong. Patacara, exhausted by the storm and her recent ordeal of childbirth, knew that she could not carry both children. Leaving her older son on the bank she carried the newborn babe to the other side. Then she started back to fetch her first-born. She was half-way across when she saw a hawk swoop down to carry away the newborn who resembled a piece of red meat. Patacara screamed and waved her hands, hoping the hawk would drop her baby. The hawk ignored her cries, but her first-born, thinking that his mother was calling him, ran into the river only to be swept away by the swirling waters.

Patacara was broken with grief. She had lost her husband and two sons within one day. Numb with grief, her hair streaming, her clothes wet, a tear-stained Patacara approached Savatthi. There she met a city dweller and inquired as to the whereabouts of her parents. The stranger begged her not to ask about that family. "Inquire about any other but not that family," he said. But Patacara insisted. He then informed her that the previous night’s strong winds had blown over their house, killing both her parents and her brother. Then, pointing towards blue smoke that rose into the air, he said, "Look, that is the smoke from the funeral pyre of the three that died. They were cremated together."

Her grief too great to bear, Patacara lost her mind. Screaming in pain she ran about the town, her clothes torn, hair streaming, half-naked. The locals abused her and called her names for they were sure that she was mentally deranged. A grief-stricken, half-crazy Patacara approached the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha was residing. The townsfolk tried to stop her. But the Buddha, perceiving with his compassionate eye her inner wisdom, bade her enter. He then brought her back to mindfulness by His compassion and words. The Buddha said, "Regain your mindfulness, sister". It was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her body. The words shook her very being and calmed her grief-stricken mind. Wrapping a cloak that someone had thrown to her around her person, Patacara told her tragic story to the Buddha.

The Buddha listened with compassion and patience, then told her not to be troubled any longer. "You have come to One who can help relieve your suffering. It is not only today that you have lost sons, husbands and parents, but throughout this infinite round of samsara you have lost sons and others dear to you." "You have, He said, shed more tears than the waters in the four oceans." As He went on speaking Patacara’s grief subsided. The Buddha then concluded with the following verse:

<p style="text-align:center;">"The four oceans contain but a little water <p style="text-align:center;">Compared to all the tears we have shed <p style="text-align:center;">Smitten by sorrow, bewildered by pain <p style="text-align:center;">Why, O woman, are you still heedless?" <p style="text-align:center;">No sons are there for shelter <p style="text-align:center;">No father or related folk <p style="text-align:center;">For one seized by death <p style="text-align:center;">Kinsmen provide no shelter. <p style="text-align:center;">Having well understood this fact <p style="text-align:center;">The wise men well restrained by virtue <p style="text-align:center;">Quickly indeed should clear <p style="text-align:center;">The path going to Nibbana." <p style="text-align:center;">-- (Dhammapada 268, 288, 289)

By the time the Buddha had finished His discourse Patacara was no longer the raving madwoman who had entered the monastery. She had penetrated the Truth of the impermanence of all conditioned things and attained the first stage of sainthood, Sotapanna. She then requested ordination as a nun. After entering the Noble Order of nuns, Patacara practised the Dhamma diligently. Her diligence soon bore fruit, as before long Patachara attained Arahantship.

Patacara had achieved her goal. With the quenching of the lamp, her mind, which was one pointed, attained liberation. Patacara was designated by the Buddha as the nun who was foremost in Vinaya (discipline rules for the monks and nuns). As a young girl Patacara had been undisciplined and frivolous. She had rebelled against the authority of her parents and reaped the misfortune of her rebellion. Thus it is not surprising that she valued the importance of discipline and became the nun foremost in the Vinaya.

Patacara was able to move from a frivolous girl to a saint so quickly because of her past life aspirations and training. At the time of the Padumuttara Buddha one hundred thousand world cycles ago, she had observed the Teacher assign to a nun the title of foremost in the discipline. She had been inspired by that nun and aspired to be the nun foremost in discipline under a future Buddha. The Buddha Padumuttara, seeing that Patacara had the merit and ability to fulfil her aspiration, had prophesied that she would be the nun foremost in discipline at the time of the Buddha Gotama. Patacara had been a nun under many subsequent Buddhas and the insight and wisdom she had acquired came to fruition under the Gotama Buddha.

Patacara, who had suffered greatly because of her undisciplined and inconsiderate behaviour, devoted her life to teaching other young women monastic discipline and the benefits of a disciplined mind. She was respected as a great teacher and a compassionate nun who helped many women attain emancipation.