The Victor, Padumuttara,
was a Master of Everything.
That Leader arose in the world
one hundred thousand aeons hence.The Admonisher, Instructor,
Crosser-Over of all that breathe,
Skilled at Preaching, he, the Buddha,
caused many folks to cross the flood.Merciful, Compassionate One,
Well-Wisher of all that breathe, he
established in the five precepts
all the rivals who had arrived.In this way he was Unconfused
and Very Well-Known by rivals,
Ornamented by arahants
who were masters and neutral ones.The body of the Sage So Great
rose up fifty-eight cubits tall;
he was Valuable Like Gold,
Bearing the Thirty-Two Great Marks.People’s lifespan at that time was
fully one hundred thousand years.
Remaining in the world so long,
he ferried many folks across.I was born in Haṁsavatī,
in a clan of millionaires then,
glistening with various gems,
endowed with supreme happiness.Having approached the Great Hero,
I heard him preaching the Dhamma,
ultimately sweet ambrosia
which makes known the ultimate truth.Then after inviting him, the
Three-Worlds-Ender, with Assembly,
giving him a large almsgiving,
feeling well-pleased by my own hands,
bowing my head to the Hero,
the World’s Leader with Assembly,
I aspired to that foremost place
of Buddhist nuns who meditate.Then the Untamed-Tamer, Master,
Refuge for the Three Worlds, Buddha,
the Leopard of Men, prophesied:
“you will receive that well-wished place.In one hundred thousand aeons,
arising in Okkāka’s clan,
the one whose name is Gotama
will be the Teacher in the world.Worthy heir to that one’s Dhamma,
Dhamma’s legitimate offspring,
the one known by the name Nandā,
will be the Teacher’s follower.”At that time being overjoyed,
as long as life, heart full of love,
I attended on the Victor,
the Guide, providing requisites.Due to that karma done very well,
with intention and firm resolve,
discarding my human body,
I went to Tāvatiṁsa then.Fallen thence, I went to Yāma,
and then I went to Tusita,
and then to Nimmānarati,
and then Vāsavatti City.In whichever place I’m reborn,
in accordance with that karma,
everyplace I was made chief queen
of the gods who were the kings there.Fallen thence, in the human state,
everyplace I was made chief queen
of kings who turn the wheel of law,
and powerful regional kings.Having experienced success,
among gods as well as humans,
becoming happy everywhere,
I transmigrated for aeons.When my last rebirth was attained,
I was the blameless daughter of
King Suddhodana, living in
delightful Kapilavastu.Seeing my splendor and beauty,
that Śākyan clan was rejoicing.
Therefore they gave the name “Nandā,”
pleasant and excellent, to me.I was renowned as “the Beauty”
among all of the young women
in that same delightful city,
except of course Yasodharā.My eldest brother’s the Buddha,
the middle one’s likewise a saint;
staying alone in the lay life,
I am exhorted by mother:“Child, you’re born in the Śākyan clan,
following after the Buddha.
Why do you sit there in the house,
being bereft of all your joy?Thought impure is youthful beauty,
under the power of old age;
even a life which is healthy,
ends in disease, ends in dying.Look at even your own fine form:
charming, distracting to the mind,
it’s adorned and ornamented
like Goddess Fortune embellished,like concentrated world-essence
medicinal balm for the eyes,
generating praise for merit,
rejoicing the Okkāka clan;in no long time at all, old age
is going to overpower it.
Young one, abandoning the house,
choose the Teaching, O blameless one.”After hearing my mother’s words,
I went forth into homelessness
in body, but not in my heart,
still enthralled by youth and beauty.Mother said to make my basis
through study of the altered states,
pursuing it with great effort.
I was not enthused about that.Then the Great Compassionate One
saw me enthralled by sense pleasures.
To make me weary of beauty,
through his own majestic power,
the Victor conjured up, in my
line of sight, a woman who shined;
she was gorgeous, truly brilliant,
even more beautiful than I.And I, astonished, seeing her
very astonishing body,
thought to myself, “fruitful today
is the receipt of human eyes.”I said to her, “O lucky one!
Tell me the story how you’ve come,
and if you please, do tell to me
your clan, your name, your family.”“No time for questions, lucky one;
let me lay my head in your lap.”
As though sinking into my limbs
she reclined well for a moment.Then putting her head in my lap
she with lovely eyes stretched out there.
A spider, very venomous,
landed on that woman’s forehead.When it had fallen onto her,
boils formed all over her body;
popping open, they were oozing
putrid chunks of pus mixed with blood.And her face was disfigured too,
with the putrid stench of a corpse;
and her body festered too,
now swollen up and turning blue.With all of her limbs quivering,
gasping for every breath she took,
making known her own suffering,
she piteously wailed like this:“I’m afflicted with affliction,
feeling agonizing feelings;
I’m sunk down in great affliction.
Be a refuge for me, O friend.”“Where is that facial shine of yours?
Where is your attractive long nose?
Your excellent copper-red lips?
Where has your beautiful face gone?Where’s your mouth, shining like the moon?
Where has your conch-shell-shaped neck gone?
And both your ears, swaying like swings,
have now become badly discolored.Your milk-laden breasts shaped like jugs
which resembled pointy young buds
have popped open; you’ve become a
putrid corpse with a horrid stench.Your slender middle and buttocks,
meat-stall where wounds and sins are born
are now adorned with excrement.
O! Beauty is not eternal!Every born body is the same:
putrid-smelling and frightening,
like a loathsome cemetery,
where only fools find their delight.”Then the Great Compassionate One,
my brother, Leader of the World,
Having seen me, moved in my heart,
he spoke these verses to me then:“Nanda, look at your own body,
also a sick and putrid corpse.
Through disgustingness cultivate
your mind, well-composed and tranquil.Just as is this, so too is that;
just as is that, so too is this:
putrid and emitting a stench,
causing delight only to fools.Considering that in this way,
industrious by day and night,
you will see with your own wisdom,
having turned away in disgust.After that I was deeply moved,
having heard those well-said verses;
remaining there, being at peace,
I attained my arahantship.Everyplace where I am seated,
I reach the highest altered states.
The Victor, pleased by my virtue,
then placed me in that foremost place.My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like elephants with broken chains,
I am living without constraint.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!The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught!
Thus indeed Bhikkhunī Nandā spoke these verses.
The legend of Nandā Therī is finished.