thi-ap.27 Therī Apadana

The Victor Padumuttara
was One With Eyes for everything.
That Leader of the World was born
one hundred thousand aeons hence.

There was then in Haṁsavatī,
a leader known as Videha,
a millionaire with many gems;
I was the wife of him back then.

Once, accompanied by servants,
he went up to the Human Sun,
and listened to Buddha’s Teaching,
causing all suffering to end.

The Leader praised the follower
who was top in austerities;
hearing, he gave alms for a week
to the Buddha, the Neutral One.

Bowing his head at Buddha’s feet,
he aspired to that foremost place,
causing his retinue to smile.
Right then that Bull Among People

having pitied the millionaire,
spoke these verses aloud to him:
“You will attain the wished-for state;
o son you’ll achieve nirvana.

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 whose name is Kassapa
will be the Teacher’s follower.”

Gladdened after having heard that,
as long as he lived he then served
with requisites the Victor, Guide,
with a heart that was full of love.

Lighting up the Dispensation,
Crushing the Dirty Heretics,
Instructing those who Could be Taught,
he passed on with his followers.

When that World-Chief reached nirvana,
assembling his kinsmen and friends
to do pūjā to the Teacher,
with them he then had constructed

a stupa which was made of gems,
rising up seven leagues in height,
which blazed forth just as does the sun;
like a regal sal tree in bloom.

There at the stupa, he had made
seven hundred thousand fine bowls,
with the seven types of gemstone,
they shined brightly like reeds on fire.

After that he had lamps lit there,
having filled them with perfumed oil
to do pūjā to the Great Sage,
who pitied every living being.

He had seven hundred thousand
“pots of plenty” constructed there,
which were all filled up with gemstones
to do pūjā to the Great Seer.

A gold festoon work was raised up,
surrounded by sixty-four jars;
it shined brilliantly with color,
like the day-maker in autumn.

Arches constructed of gemstones
at the four gateways are splendid.
Planks that are made out of gemstones,
raised up beautiful, are splendid.

Ornaments, exquisitely made,
encircle that stupa, shining.
Banners are raised up in the sky;
fashioned out of gemstones, they shine.

That very red shrine made of gems,
well-built and variegated,
shined excessively with color,
like the sun does in the evening.

The stupa had three terraces;
one he filled with yellow ointment,
one with red-colored arsenic,
one with black collyrium paste.

Having performed pūjā like that,
lovely, for the Excellent One,
he gave the monks’ community
alms, much as he could, his whole life.

Along with that millionaire I,
as long as I lived also did
those merit-filled deeds thoroughly;
and with him I had good rebirths.

Experiencing happiness,
both as a human and a god,
I was reborn along with him,
like a shadow with the body.

The Leader known as Vipassi
arose ninety-one aeons ago,
Buddha, Delightful to the Eye,
One With Insight into All Things.

Then he lived in Bandhumatī,
a brahmin known for excellence,
rich in scripture and religion,
but very poor in terms of wealth.

And at that time, of the same mind,
I was his brahmin woman wife.
Once that excellent twice-born man
met with the Sage who was So Great,

seated ‘midst the population,
preaching the state of deathlessness.
Hearing the Dhamma, overjoyed,
he gave his own cloak to that Sage.

Going home in a single cloth,
he spoke these words to me just then:
“Take joy in this great good karma,
the cloak given to the Buddha.”

Then clasping hands together I,
well-satisfied, did take delight:
“Husband, this cloak is gifted well
to the Best Buddha, Neutral One.”

Being happy and well-prepared,
transmigrating from birth to birth
he was the king, lord of the earth,
in lovely Benares city.

I was the chief queen of that king,
supreme in his troupe of women.
I was extremely dear to him,
due to past love for my husband.

Having seen eight Lonely Leaders
going about on their alms-rounds,
he, having become overjoyed,
gave very costly alms to them.

Again having invited them,
having made a gem pavilion,
gathering bowls made by gold-smiths,
as too a tray of solid gold,
he then offered to all of them,
who’d gotten up on golden seats,
an almsgiving most opulent,
feeling well- pleased by his own hands.

I gave that very almsgiving
with the Kāsi king way back then.
Again I was reborn in a
village outside the Kāsi gates.

He was happy with his brothers,
in a wealthy clan of fam’lies.
I was the eldest brother’s wife,
a woman who fulfilled her vows.

Having seen a Lonely Buddha,
he who was my youngest brother,
gave his portion to that Buddha;
when he arrived I told him that.

He did not praise that almsgiving,
so having taken back that food
from Buddha, I gave it to him;
again he gave him it himself.

Then having thrown away that food,
enraged, I took back Buddha’s bowl
a second time, filled it with mud,
and gave it to that Neutral One.

And right when he received those alms,
rotten and lacking purity,
his mind was equally happy;
seeing that, I was very moved.

Again I took that bowl from him,
and cleaned it with scented perfume.
With my mind then full of pleasure,
I gave him ghee respectfully.

In whichever place I’m reborn,
because I gave alms, I’m gorgeous;
through giving Buddha tasteless food,
my breath has a horrible stench.

Again when Buddha Kassapa’s
stupa was being completed,
delighted, I then gave for it
an excellent tile made of gold.

Through four lifetimes having applied
scented substances to that tile,
every one of my limbs was freed
from the defect of bad odor.

Having made seven thousand bowls,
each adorned with the seven gems
and filled with clarified butter,
placing in them a thousand wicks,

with a mind that was very pleased,
I proceeded to light them all,
and laid them out in seven rows,
to do pūjā to the World’s Lord

and at that time especially
I had the share in that merit.
Again among the Kāsians
he was Sumitta, well-known sage.

I was the Sage Sumitta’s wife,
happy, joyful and much beloved.
And then he gave some Lonely Ones
a massive cloak to use for robes.

I also shared in that merit,
approving of that great alms gift.
Again in the Kāsi country
he was reborn, a Koliyan.

And then, along with five hundred
of the sons of the Koliyans,
he attended upon Lonely
Buddhas, five hundred in number.

Satisfying them for three months
he gave those Buddhas the three robes.
I was then the Koliyan’s wife,
following his path of merit.

Fallen from there he then became
the famous king known as Nanda.
I was that King Nanda’s chief queen;
my every desire was fulfilled.

Fallen from there, having become
Brahmadatta, lord of the earth,
for as long as his life lasted,
he then did attend upon all
the five hundred Lonely Sages
who were Padumavatīs sons.
Dwelling in the royal garden,
I too worshipped those Gone-Out Ones.

Both of us having built stupas,
going forth renouncing the world,
experienced the boundless states,
and then we went to Brahma’s world.

Fallen down to Mahātittha
he’s well-born Pipphalāyana.
Mother: Sumanadevī and
father: brahmin Kosigotta.

In the Madda country I, was
daughter of brahmin Kapila;
mother was Sucīmatī in
Sāgalā the best of cities.

My father having adorned me
with a thick golden ornament,
gave me to the wise Kassapa,
who’d avoided desire for me.

One time that compassionate man,
gone forth wishing for karma’s end,
was moved at seeing some creatures
devoured by crows and such-like birds.

Then I too in the house was moved,
seeing worms that had been born in
sesame then baked by sun-heat,
being eaten up by some crows.

When wise Kassapa had renounced,
I followed him in renouncing.
For five years I resided then
along the path of renouncers.

When Gotamī, the Victor’s nurse,
had gone forth as a renouncer,
then come together with Buddha,
I too received his instruction.

After not a very long time,
I achieved the arahant-state.
O! Being the “beautiful friend”
of the resplendent Kassapa!

The Buddha’s legitimate son,
very attentive, Kassapa,
is one who knows previous births,
and he sees the heavens and hells.

Then birth’s destruction he attained;
special knowledges perfected;
a sage with the three knowledges,
that brahmin’s a triple-knower.

Just so Bhaddā-Kāpilāni,
triple-knower who’s conquered death.
She’s one who wears her last body,
defeating Māra and his mount.

Seeing the dangers in the world,
we both went forth as renouncers.
We are now free of defilements;
tamed, cooled off, gone to nirvana.

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 Bhaddā-Kāpilāni spoke these verses.

The legend of Bhaddā-Kāpilāni Therī is finished