[24. Sakulā1]
The Victor, Padumuttara,
was a Master of Everything.
[That] Leader arose in the world
one hundred thousand aeons hence. (1) [769]
For the benefit, happiness
and profit of all beings, the
Best Debater, Thoroughbred Man,2
came into3 [the world] with [its] gods. (2) [770]
Foremost Fame-Attainer,4 Victor,
Fortunate,5 Beautified by Praise,6
the Victor for the entire world,
Widely-Known7 in8 all directions, (3) [771]
the Uprooter of Doubt,9 the One
who Passed Beyond Uncertainty,10
he with an Intention-Filled Mind,11
attained Supreme Awakening.12 (4) [772]
Ultimate Man,13 Progenitor14
of the path that had yet to be,15
proclaimed [that which was] unproclaimed,
produced [that which was] unproduced. (5) [773]
Path-Knower,16 Path-Understander,17
Path-Proclaimer,18 the Bull of Men,
Path-Skilled, the Teacher, [the Buddha,]
was the Best of Charioteers.19 (6) [774]
The Great Compassionate Teacher,
the Leader was preaching Dhamma,
lifting up [all] living beings
sunk in the muck of delusion. (7) [775]
I was born in Haṃsavatī,
rejoicing [all the] kṣatriyans;20
I was then very beautiful,
set for wealth,21 held dear, resplendent. (8) [776]
I was the ravishing daughter
of great king Ānanda and thus,
sister by another mother22
of him named Padumuttara. (9) [777]
Adorned in all [my] ornaments,
along with the royal maidens,
going up to the Great Hero,
I heard [him] preaching the Dhamma. (10) [778]
And then, amidst the multitudes,
the Guru of the [Whole] World23 praised
a Buddhist nun with “divine eye,”
[and] placed her in that foremost place. (11) [779]
I was happy having heard that;
after giving the Teacher alms,
and worshipping the Sambuddha,
I aspired for the “divine eye.” (12) [780]
And then the Teacher said to me:
“Joyful one, that is well wished-for;
you will receive [as you] aspire,
fruit of alms for the Dhamma-Lamp.24 (13) [781]
In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world. (14) [782]
Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
the one whose name is Sakulā
will be the Teacher’s follower.” (15) [783]
Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and [firm] resolve,
discarding [my] human body,
I went to Tāvatiṃsa [then]. (16) [784]
In this [present] lucky aeon
Brahma’s Kinsman, Greatly Famed One,
[the Buddha] known as Kassapa25
was born, the Best of Debaters. (17) [785]
I was a mendicant back then,
proceeding about on my own.
While wandering around for alms,
I received some26 sesame oil. (18) [786]
Having lit a lamp with that [oil,]
with a mind that was very clear,
every night I attended on
the shrine27 of the Best of Bipeds. (19) [787]
Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and [firm] resolve,
discarding [my] human body,
I went to Tāvatiṃsa [then]. (20) [788]
In whichever place I’m reborn,
in accordance with that karma,
wherever I am wandering,
when I’m gone there, there are large lamps. (21) [789]
Through [any] wall, through [any] rock,
going beyond a mountain [top],
I [can] see whatever I wish:
that is the fruit of giving lamps. (22) [790]
I am [someone who] has pure eyes;
I am blazing forth through [my] fame;
I am faithful, wise and mindful:
that is the fruit of giving lamps. (23) [791]
And now, in [my] final rebirth,
I am born in a brahmin clan,
rich in grain and abundant wealth,
joyful [and] honored28 by the king. (24) [792]
I was complete in every part,29
adorned with all the ornaments.
[One time] standing in a window,
I saw the Well-Gone-One at the
city gate, Blazing Forth through Fame,
Honored by Gods and by People,
Ornamented with the [Great] Marks,
Endowed with [Eighty] Lesser Marks. (25-26) [793-794]
Happy, with a heart that was thrilled,
I chose [to seek] ordination.
After not a very long time,
I attained [my] arahantship. (27) [795]
I’ve mastered the superpowers
[like] the “divine ear” element.
I know the hearts of others [too,]
I have done what the Teacher taught.30 (28) [796]
I remember [my] former lives;
[my] “divine eye” is purified.
Throwing off all the defilements,
I am31 purified, [I’m] stainless. (29) [797]
The Teacher’s been worshipped by me;
[I have] done what the Buddha taught.
The heavy load has been laid down,
the ties to existence severed. (30) [798]
The reason for which I went forth,
from [my] home into homelessness —
I have [now] achieved that purpose:
destruction of all the fetters. (31) [799]
Then the Greatly Compassionate
One placed me in [that] foremost place:
The Supreme Man32 [said,] “Sakulā
is foremost of ‘divine eye’ [nuns.]” (32) [800]
My defilements are [now] burnt up;
all [new] existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint. (33) [801]
Being in Best Buddha’s presence
was a very good thing for me.
The three knowledges are attained;
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (34) [802]
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
[I have] done what the Buddha taught! (35) [803]
Thus indeed Bhikkhunī Sakulā spoke these verses.
The legend of Sakulā Therī is finished.
a historical nun, remembered as foremost among those who possess the “divine eye” (dibbacchakkhu)↩
purisājañño↩
paṭipanno, lit “entered into” “going along”↩
yasaggappatto↩
sirimā, or “Resplendent One”↩
kittivaṇṇagato, lit., “gone to beauty through praise;” “colored by praise”↩
suvissuto↩
lit., “from,” abl.↩
uttiṇṇavicchikicchcho, lit., “he by whom doubt is pulled out”↩
vītivattakathaŋkatho, lit., “passed over saying ‘how?’”↩
sampuṇṇamanasaṅkappo↩
patto sambodhim uttamaŋ↩
naruttamo↩
uppādetā↩
anuppannassa maggassa, lit., “the unborn path” “the path that had not arisen”. Uppanna is from the same root as uppādetā (Producer of the unproduced”) hence a resonance between the first and second feet that is echoed in the third foot, and again in the fourth↩
maggaññū↩
maggavidū↩
maggakkhāyī↩
sārathīnaŋ varuttamo, lit., “the excellent ultimate of charioteers”↩
khattiyanandanā↩
sadhanā ṭhāsiŋ↩
vemātā bhaginī↩
lokaguru↩
dhammapadīpadānānaŋ phalaŋ↩
BJTS reads “Named Kassapa according to his Lineage (gottena)”↩
°mattakaŋ, lit., “a measure of”↩
or “stupa”: cchetiyaŋ↩
lit., “given pūjā”↩
sabbaṅgasampannā, lit., “endowed with all limbs,” i.e., “had a great body”↩
satthu sāsanakārikā, lit., “[I am] a doer of the Teacher’s dispensation”↩
reading amhi (“I am”) with BJTS for PTS āsiŋ (“I was” “I became”)↩
naruttamo↩