It is twenty-five years since I went forth [into the ascetic life]. I do not recall ever attaining mental tranquillity. Not attaining inward peace, my mind was uncontrollable. Then, remembering the teaching of the Conqueror, I was filled with an earnest attitude [to the practice].
Taking delight in diligence [in the practice] because of [suffering] many unpleasant things, I have attained the destruction of craving. I have fulfilled the Buddha’s training system. Today is the seventh day since my craving was dried up.
Paṇṇavīsati vassāni yato pabbajitāya me
Nābhijānāmi cittassa samaṃ laddhaṃ kudācanaṃ
Aladdhā cetaso santiṃ citte avasavattini
Tato saṃvegamāpādiṃ saritvā jinasāsanaṃ
Bahūhi dukkhadhammehi appamādaratāya me
Taṇhakkhayo anuppatto kataṃ buddhassa sāsanaṃ
Ajja me sattamī ratti yato taṇhā visositā ti
COMMENT
This Sāmā, too, was distressed by the murder of Sāmāvatī, and went forth into the ascetic life.
COMMENT
Nābhijānāmi: ‘I do not recall.’ See IGPT sv Abhijānāti.
COMMENT
Saṃvegamāpādiṃ: ‘I was filled with an earnest attitude [to the practice].’ See IGPT sv Saṃvega.
Not attaining inward peace, I left my dwelling four or five times, my mind being uncontrollable.
I approached the bhikkhunī [Paṭācārā] who seemed trustworthy to me. She explained the teaching to me concerning the [five] aggregates, the [twelve] bases of sensation, and the [eighteen] elements of sensation.
Having heard the teaching from her, [I practised] as she instructed me. I sat cross-legged for seven days consigned to rapture and physical pleasure. On the eighth day I stretched forth my feet having obliterated the mass of inward darkness.
Catukkhattuṃ pañcakkhattuṃ vihārā upanikkhamiṃ
Aladdhā cetaso santiṃ citte avasavattini
Sā bhikkhuniṃ upagacchiṃ yā me saddhāyikā ahu
Sā me dhammamadesesi khandhāyatanadhātuyo
Tassā dhammaṃ suṇitvāna yathā maṃ anusāsi sā
Sattāhaṃ ekapallaṅkena nisīdiṃ pītisukhasamappitā
Aṭṭhamiyā pāde pasāresiṃ tamokkhandhaṃ padāliyā ti
COMMENT
Khandhāyatanadhātuyo: ‘the [five] aggregates, the [twelve] bases of sensation, and the [eighteen] elements of sensation.’ Commentary: ime pañcakkhandhā, imāni dvādasāyatanāni, imā aṭṭhārasa dhātuyo ti. Dhammadinnā gives the same three contemplations in verse 69.
COMMENT
Tassā dhammaṃ suṇitvāna yathā maṃ anusāsi sā: ‘Having heard the teaching from her, [I practised] as she instructed me.’ Commentary: Yathā maṃ anusāsi sāti sā therī yathā maṃ anusāsi ovadi, tathā paṭipajjantī paṭipattiṃ matthakaṃ pāpetvāpi sattāhaṃ ekapallaṅkena nisīdiṃ.
COMMENT
Tamo: ‘inward darkness.’ Inward darkness equals the āsavas. See IGPT sv Kaṇha.
I have developed all these [noble] seven factors of enlightenment, the paths leading to the realisation of the Untroubled as explained by the Buddha.
I can attain both states: the [perception of the] absence [of personal qualities], and the [inward collectedness that is focused upon the] unabiding [phenomena], whichever I wish. I am the spiritual daughter of the Buddha who always delights in the Untroubled.
I have eradicated all [fondness and attachment to] sensuous pleasures, whether divine or human. The round of birth and death is destroyed. There are now [for me] no renewed states of individual existence.
Ye ime satta bojjhaṅgā maggā nibbānapattiyā
Bhāvitā te mayā sabbe yathā buddhena desitā
Suññatassānimittassa lābhinīhaṃ yadicchakaṃ
Orasā dhītā buddhassa nibbānābhiratā sadā
Sabbe kāmā samucchinnā ye dibbā ye ca mānusā
Vikkhīṇo jātisaṃsāro natthi dāni punabbhavo ti
COMMENT
Sabbe kāmā samucchinnā: ‘I have eradicated all [fondness and attachment to] sensuous pleasures.’ Commentary: Ye dibbā ye ca mānusāti ye devalokapariyāpannā ye ca manussalokapariyāpannā vatthukāmā, te sabbepi tappaṭibaddhachandarāgappahānena mayā sammadeva ucchinnā. Compare:
• Because one who is passionately attached to sensuous pleasure, fastened by fondness and attachment, is neither free of danger in this lifetime, nor in the hereafter, therefore ‘danger’ is an epithet for sensuous pleasures.
☸ Yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṃ bhikkhave chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi bhayā na parimuccati samparāyikāpi bhayā na parimuccati. Tasmā bhayanti kāmānametaṃ adhivacanaṃ (A.3.310).
COMMENT
Ime: ‘these [noble].’ The parenthesis comes from this quote:
• These seven factors of enlightenment, when developed and cultivated, are noble and lead to deliverance [from suffering]
☸ Sattime bhikkhave bojjhaṅgā bhāvitā bahulīkatā ariyā niyyānikā (S.5.82).
The implications of ime are usually negative:
• PED says (sv Ayaṃ): ‘With a touch of (often sarcastic) characterisation it establishes a closer personal relation between the speaker and the object in question.’
• DOP says (sv Idaṃ): ‘such, like that (often implying contempt).’
We again say ‘[noble]’ in verse 364-5.
COMMENT
Suññatassa: ‘the [perception of the] absence [of personal qualities].’ See IGPT sv Suñña.
COMMENT
Animittassa: ‘the [inward collectedness that is focused upon the] unabiding [phenomena].’ We take this as meaning animittaṃ cetosamādhiṃ, which is ‘entered and abided in,’ and therefore corresponds to animitta here which is ‘attained’:
• In this regard, by not focusing upon any abiding phenomenon, a bhikkhu enters and abides in the inward collectedness that is focused upon the unabiding [phenomena].
☸ Idha bhante bhikkhu sabbanimittānaṃ amanasikārā animittaṃ cetosamādhiṃ upasampajja viharati (S.4.296-7). See IGPT sv Nimitta.
COMMENT
Orasā dhītā buddhassa: ‘the spiritual daughter of the Buddha.’ Orasa means ‘true or legitimate,’ says DOP.
COMMENT
Jātisaṃsāro: ‘the round of birth and death.’ See IGPT sv Saṃsāra.
Having issued forth from my daytime abiding place on Mount Gijjhakūṭa, on the river bank I saw an elephant which had plunged and emerged.
Picking up his elephant-hook a man requested it: ‘Give me your foot.’ The elephant extended its foot. The man mounted the elephant.
Seeing the untamed tamed, being under the control of human beings, then I composed my mind. Indeed, I have gone [today] to the woods for that purpose [i.e. to tame myself].
Divāvihārā nikkhamma gijjhakūṭamhi pabbate
Nāgaṃ ogāhamuttiṇṇaṃ nadītīramhi addasaṃ
Puriso aṅkusamādāya dehi pādan ti yācati
Nāgo pasārayī pādaṃ puriso nāgamāruhi
Disvā adantaṃ damitaṃ manussānaṃ vasaṃ gataṃ
Tato cittaṃ samādhesiṃ khalu tāya vanaṃ gatā ti
COMMENT
Gatā: ‘I have gone [today].’ Commentary: araññaṃ gatā cittaṃ samādhesiṃyeva. If she had to compose her mind again, it suggests she did not immediately return to the woods.
COMMENT
Tāya: ‘for that purpose [i.e. to tame myself].’ Norman sees tāya as a dative of purpose. Commentary: Tāya hatthino kiriyāya hetubhūtāya. Vanaṃ araññaṃ gatā cittaṃ samādhesiṃyeva. Kathaṃ? Ayampi nāma tiracchānagato hatthī hatthidamakassa vasena damathaṃ gato, kasmā manussabhūtāya cittaṃ purisadamakassa satthu vasena damathaṃ na gamissatī ti saṃvegajātā vipassanaṃ vaḍḍhetvā aggamaggasamādhinā mama cittaṃ samādhesiṃ accantasamādhānena sabbaso kilese khepesinti attho.
[The Buddha:]
‘O Jīvā!’ you wail in the woods, mother. Understand yourself, Ubbirī. In this cremation place have burned 84,000 [daughters of yours], all called Jīvā. Which of these are you grieving for?
[Declaration of arahantship:]
He indeed removed from me the arrow [of craving], hard to discern, embedded in my heart. He has expelled the grief for my daughter by which I was afflicted by grief.
Today I have the arrow [of craving] removed. I am free of craving. I have realised the Untroubled. I come to the Buddha, the Sage, the teaching, and the community of disciples for refuge.
Amma jīvā ti vanamhi kandasi attānaṃ adhigaccha ubbirī
Cūḷāsīti sahassāni sabbā jīvasanāmikā
Etamhāḷāhane daḍḍhā tāsaṃ kamanusocasi
Abbuhi vata me sallaṃ duddasaṃ hadayanissitaṃ
Yaṃ me sokaparetāya dhītusokaṃ vyapānudi
Sājja abbūḷhasallāhaṃ nicchātā parinibbutā
Buddhaṃ dhammañca saṅghañca upemi saraṇaṃ munin ti
COMMENT
Ubbirī married King Pasenadi. When her daughter Jīvā died she was filled with grief. One day the Buddha appeared to her via a psychically created image of himself and spoke this reflection. Mrs Rhys Davids says her enlightenment took place as a laywoman. But Ubbirī’s use of ‘today’ suggests her enlightenment happened at a much later date.
COMMENT
Sallaṃ: ‘the arrow [of craving].’
• Craving has been called the arrow by the Ascetic.
☸ taṇhā kho sallaṃ samaṇena vuttaṃ (M.2.259).
COMMENT
Nicchātā: ‘I am free of craving.’ See IGPT sv Nicchāta.
[Tree-dwelling female deva:]
‘What is going on with these people in Rājagaha? They behave as if drunk on mead. They do not draw near Sukkā as she explains the Buddha’s teaching which is irresistible, never causes surfeit, and is refreshing. But the wise drink it up like [thirsty] travellers drink up a cloud [of rain].’
[Declaration of arahantship:]
[She is called] Sukkā because of her bright spiritual qualities. She is free of attachment and is inwardly collected. She bears her last body having conquered Māra and his elephant.
Kiṃ ime katā rājagahe manussā madhupītā va acchare
Ye sukkaṃ na upāsanti desentiṃ buddhasāsanaṃ
Tañca appaṭivānīyaṃ asecanakamojavaṃ
Pivanti maññe sappaññā valāhakam iv’addhagū
Sukkā sukkehi dhammehi vītarāgā samāhitā
Dhāreti antimaṃ dehaṃ jetvā māraṃ savāhanan ti
COMMENT
Whilst Sukkā was speaking to her 500 bhikkhunī disciples a tree-dwelling deva nearby became so inspired that he went to Rājagaha to proclaim Sukkā’s excellence. The commentary optimistically reports that people instantly swarmed the nunnery.
COMMENT
Sukkā: ‘One with Bright Spiritual Qualities.’ See IGPT sv Kaṇha.
COMMENT
Kiṃ ime katā: ‘What is going on... ?’ Norman says, ‘I assume that the meaning is “Made into what?” i.e. “What has happened to?”’
COMMENT
Madhupītā: ‘drunk.’ PED (sv Madhu) says ‘having drunk honey, drunk with honey.’ But honey is not inebriating. Norman says ‘remain as though they had drunk wine.’ Bodhi says ‘sleep as if they had been drinking mead.’ (madhupītāva seyyare, S.1.212)
COMMENT
Ojavaṃ: ‘refreshing.’ PED (Ojavant): ‘possessing strengthening qualities, giving strength.’
COMMENT
Māraṃ savāhanan ti: ‘Māra and his elephant.’ PED (sv Vāhana): māra savāhana: ‘with his elephant.’ Commentary to Sn.v.442: girimekhalaṃ hatthirājānaṃ. Māra’s elephant, Girimekhalā, is one hundred and fifty leagues in height (BDPPN). League: ‘usually 3 miles’ (WordWeb).
[Māra:]
‘There is no deliverance [from what is born, brought about, produced, originated] in the world. [So] what will you do with physical seclusion? Enjoy sensuous delights lest you regret it later.’
[Selā:]
‘[Indulging in] sensuous pleasures is like [being executed] by a sword or [impaled] on a stake. The [five] aggregates are like [sensual pleasures’] chopping block. What you call sensuous delight is now for me [a source of] disgust. Spiritually fettering delight has been utterly dispelled. The mass of inward darkness is obliterated. Thus know, Maleficent One, you are defeated, Destroyer.’
Natthi nissaraṇaṃ loke kiṃ vivekena kāhasi
Bhuñjāhi kāmaratiyo māhu pacchānutāpinī
Sattisūlūpamā kāmā khandhā’saṃ adhikuṭṭanā
Yaṃ tvaṃ kāmaratiṃ brūsi arati dāni sā mama
Sabbattha vihatā nandi tamokkhandho padālito
Evaṃ jānāhi pāpima nihato tvamasi antakā ti
COMMENT
When the arahant bhikkhunī Selā went to the Andhavana Wood for meditation, Māra, wishing to trouble her, approached her in disguise.
COMMENT
Nissaraṇaṃ: ‘deliverance [from what is born, brought about, produced, originated].’ Commentary: nissaraṇaṃ nibbānaṃ. Parenthesis is correctly derived from this quote because ajātaṃ etc. are synonyms of nibbānaṃ.
• Since there is an unborn, a not-brought-about, an unproduced, an unoriginated, therefore a deliverance is to be discerned from what is born, brought about, produced, originated.
☸ yasmā ca kho bhikkhave atthi ajātaṃ abhūtaṃ akataṃ asaṅkhataṃ tasmā jātassa bhūtassa katassa saṅkhatassa nissaraṇaṃ paññāyatī ti (Ud.80).
COMMENT
Sattisūlūpamā kāmā: ‘[Indulging in] sensuous pleasures is like [being executed] by a sword or [impaled] on a stake.’ The parenthesis ‘impaled’ is suggested by sūlaṃ āropamānakaṃ (Th.v.213).
COMMENT
Nandi: ‘spiritually fettering delight.’ See IGPT sv Nandi.
[Māra:]
‘That state which is difficult to realise can be attained by seers. It cannot be attained by a woman with her two-finger wisdom.’
[Somā:]
‘What difference does womanhood make when the mind is well-collected, and knowledge [of things according to reality] exists in one who rightly sees the nature of reality? Spiritually fettering delight has been utterly dispelled. The mass of inward darkness is obliterated. Thus know, Maleficent One, you are defeated, Destroyer.’
Yaṃ taṃ isīhi pattabbaṃ ṭhānaṃ durabhisambhavaṃ
Na taṃ dvaṅgulapaññāya sakkā pappotumitthiyā
Itthibhāvo no kiṃ kayirā cittamhi susamāhite
Ñāṇamhi vattamānamhi sammā dhammaṃ vipassato
Sabbattha vihatā nandi tamokkhandho padālito
Evaṃ jānāhi pāpima nihato tvamasi antakā ti
COMMENT
One day the arahant Somā went to the Andhavana Wood for meditation. Māra, wishing to trouble her, approached her in the air, and invisibly.
COMMENT
Dvaṅgulapaññāya: ‘two-finger wisdom.’ Women test whether rice is sufficiently cooked by pressing it between their fingers. This is two-finger wisdom.
COMMENT
Ñāṇamhi: ‘knowledge [of things according to reality].’ See IGPT sv Ñāṇa.
COMMENT
Dhammaṃ: ‘the nature of reality.’ See IGPT sv Dhammaṃ.
COMMENT
In the Soma Sutta (S.1.129), verse 62 is replaced by this verse:
☸ Yassa nūna siyā evaṃ itthāhaṃ puriso ti vā
Kiñci vā pana aññasmiṃ taṃ māro vattumarahatī ti (S.1.129).
Verse 62 is likely interpolative. See comment on verse 142.