[Patacara taught:]
"Taking the pestle,
young men grind the corn.
Supporting their wives & children,
they gather up wealth.Do the Awakened One's bidding,
which, having done,
you'll have no regret.
Intent on tranquillity of awareness,
do the Awakened One's bidding.
Quickly:
Having washed your feet,
go sit to one side."Hearing these words,
Patacara's bidding,
they washed their feet
and retired to one side.
Intent on tranquillity of awareness,
they did the Awakened One's bidding.In the first watch of the night,
they recollected their previous lives.
In the middle watch,
purified the divine eye.
In the last,
burst the mass of darkness.
Getting up, they bowed down to her feet."We have done your bidding.
Like the thirty devas honoring Indra,
unvanquished in battle,
we — three-knowledge women,
fermentation-free —
will continue honoring you."
thig.5.11 Therigatha
Patacara's Thirty Students
- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu
- Editor: Ayya Kathrin Vimalañāṇī
Thirty Nuns
“Taking a pestle,young men pound grain.
Supporting partners and children,
young men acquire wealth.
Do the Buddha’s bidding,
you won’t regret it.
Having quickly washed your feet,
sit in a discreet place to meditate.
Devoted to serenity of heart,
do the Buddha’s bidding.”
After hearing her words,
the instructions of Paṭācārā,
they washed their feet
and retired to a discreet place.
Devoted to serenity of heart,
they did the Buddha’s bidding.
In the first watch of the night,
they recollected their past lives.
In the middle watch of the night,
they purified their clairvoyance.
In the last watch of the night,
they shattered the mass of darkness.
They rose and paid homage at her feet:
“We have done your bidding;
we shall abide honoring you,
as the thirty gods honor Indra,
undefeated in battle.
Masters of the three knowledges, we are free of defilements.”
That is how thirty senior nuns declared their enlightenment in the presence of Paṭācārā.