(a) The past aspiration of the Theri.
The Future-Mahapajapatigotami was born into a worthy family in the city of Hamsavati during the time of Padumuttara Buddha. On one occasion she was listening to a discourse by the Buddha when she happened to see a monk being honored by the Buddha as the foremost among the monks who were Enlightened earliest. (Rattannu Puggala =one who was Enlightened earliest. This is a technical term which means the monk who is the senior-most in the Order. It also means the monk who understands the four Ariya Truths earliest. It also may mean the Monk who attain Arahatship earliest.) She aspired to the same distinction in a future existence. So she made extra ordinary offerings to the Buddha and expressed that wish before the Buddha. The Buddha predicted that her aspiration would be fulfilled.
In her previous existence as the Head of Water Carriers.
That worthy woman led a life of charity and observed the moral precepts and at the end of her life she was reborn in the deva realm. When she passed away from deva existence, during the interval between the two Buddhas, she was reborn into the slave class in Varanasi as the head of water carriers.
Then when the rains-retreat period was drawing near, five Pratyekabuddhas who lived in Nandamu Cave descended at the Migadavana Forest from their traveling in the air and went into the city to gather alms-food. They stayed at the Isipatana Migadavana forest after the alms-round and discussed about seeking help in making small dwelling places for use during the rains-retreat.
(A monk who vows to remain at a chosen place during the rains-retreat period is required by the Vinaya Rules to live in a sort of dwelling with some roof, made of slate, or baked tile, or cement tile, or grass or leaves and with a door. This rule has no exception even for those monks who have vowed to observe such austere practices as the Nalaka practice or the Moneyya practice. If a dwelling for the purpose is not offered them ready-made, they have to seek assistance in getting one built. This dwelling is the place where they vow to live during the three-month rains-retreat period, and is essential for making the vow.)
The five Pratyekabuddhas who had to fulfill the need for a dwelling for use during the rains-retreat arranged their robes in the evening and entered the city of Varanasi to seek assistance. Their going into the city was noted by the chief of the water carriers. The Pratyekabuddhas stood at the door of the Rich Man of Varanasi but when they told him about their need the Rich Man said, "We were not prepared to help. May the revered ones go elsewhere"
The chief of water carriers met the Pratyekabuddhas as they came out of the city at the city gate and putting down the water pot, she made obeisance. Then she asked the purpose of the revered ones in going into the city and coming out soon from it. The Pratyekabuddhas told her that they were seeking assistance to have a small dwelling built for use during the rains-retreat period. And also on further inquiry, she learnt that the need was still unfulfilled. She asked them, "Is this dwelling to be the gift of only well-to-do donors? Or is it proper for a slave like me to donate one?"
"Anybody may do so, lay female supporter," the replied.
"Very well Venerable Sirs, we shall donate the dwellings tomorrow. Meantime, may the Venerable Ones accept my offering of food tomorrow."
After making the invitation she picked up her water pot and, instead of returning to the city, she went back to the water-hole and gathered her company of water carriers there. Then she said to them, "Now girls, do you want to be slaves to others all the time? Or do you want freedom from servitude?"
They answered in unison, "We want freedom from servitude!"
"If so, I have invited the five Pratyekabuddhas to an offering tomorrow. They are in need of dwellings. Let your husbands give their hands for one day tomorrow.
"Very well," they all said. They told this to their husbands in the evening after the latter had come home from the forest where they worked. The men all agreed to help and made an appointment at the door of the chief of the male slaves. When they had assembled there the head of the water carriers urged them to lend a hand in the building of dwelling for the five Pratyekabuddhas for use during the rains-retreat period, extolling the great benefits of such contribution. A few of the men who did not agree to help at first were admonished by her and persuaded into the task
The next morning, the head of the water carriers offered food to the five Pratyekabuddhas. After that she signalled the five hundred slaves men to start work. They promptly went to the forest, cut down trees, and each group of a hundred men built a modest dwelling unit for one Pratyekabuddha, complete with an adjacent walk to it. They filled the water pots and saw to the bare essentials in five dwellings for the five Pratyekabuddhas. They offered them to the Pratyekabuddhas, requested them to dwell there during the rains-retreat period, got the consent of the revered ones, and they took turns to offer daily food to them.
If there was some poor water carrier who was unable to prepare a meal for the five Pratyekabuddhas on her appointed day, the head of the water carriers gave her the necessary provisions. The three months of rains-retreat period thus passed. Near the end of the period the head of the water carriers asked the five hundred slave girls each to weave a piece of rough cloth. The five hundred pieces collected from them were exchanged for five sets of fine robes for each of the five Pratyekabuddhas which were offered to them. The Pratyekabuddhas, after receiving them, rose to the sky in the presence of their donors and went away in the direction of Gandamadana mountain.
In the past existence as the Chief Weaver.
Those water carriers slave girls spent the rest of their life in doing meritorious acts. On their death they were reborn in the deva realm. The head of the deva girls, on her passing away, was reborn into the family of the chief weaver in a weaver's village near Varanasi. One day the five hundred sons of Queen Paduma devi, all Pratyakebuddhas, went to the door of the royal palace at the Varanasi on invitation. But there was no one to attend to them to offer seats or to offer food. They had to return to their abode. As they left the city and were at the weaver's village, the chief weaver had much devotion for them and after paying obeisance to them, offered food. The Pratyekabuddhas accepted her offering of food and, after finishing the meal, left for the Gandamadana mountain.
(b) Taking up Bhikshunihood in her last existence.
The chief weaver spent the rest of her life in deeds of merit. After passing away from that existence she was reborn in the deva realm and the human realm in turns. On the eve of the arising of Gotama Buddha, she was reborn into the Sakyan royal family as the younger daughter of King Mahasuppabuddha in Devadaha. She was called Gotami and was the younger sister of Princess Mahamaya. Court astrologers learned in the Vedas and adept at reading human forms and marks (physiognomy) and palmistry, after scrutinising the distinctive bodily features of the two sisters predicted that the sons born of the two sisters would become a Universal Monarch.
When the two sisters came of age they were betrothed to King Suddhodana and they were taken to Kapilavatthu where Princess Mahamaya was made the Chief Queen. Later, after the Buddha-to-be had passed away from Tusita deva realm, he was conceived in the womb of Queen Mahamaya. After the Queen had given birth to her son (on the full moon of Kason=May in the 68th year of the Great Era) on the seventh day she passed away and was reborn in Tusita deva realm by the name of Santusita. On the death of Queen Mahamaya, King Suddhodana made the younger sister Queen Gotami the Chief Queen.
After Queen Mahamaya had given birth to Prince Siddhattha, two or three days later Queen Mahapajapati Gotami, the step mother of Prince Siddhattha, gave birth to Prince Nanda. So at the time Queen Mahamaya died Prince Siddhattha was only seven days old while Prince Nanda was only four or five days old. Queen Mahapajapati Gotami nursed her step-son, Prince Siddhattha from her own breast, while leaving her own son, Prince Nanda to be nurtured by nurses. She devoted her whole attention to the bringing up of her little nephew, the Buddha-to-be.
Later, after the Buddha-to-be had renounced the world, won Supreme Enlightenment and as the all-knowing Buddha while he was on the Buddha's mission to bring welfare to the world, he made his first visit to Kapilavatthu. On the next day after arrival there he went into the city to collect alms-food. His father King Suddhodana had opportunity to listen to the Buddha's discourse while still on his alms-round and won Stream-Entry Knowledge. Then on the second day, Prince Nanda was admitted into the Order. On the seventh day the Buddha's son Rahula was admitted as a novice.
The Buddha spent his fifth rains-retreat period at Kutagara monastery in the Mahavana forest near Vesali. During that time King Suddhodana won Arahatship under the regal white umbrella at the court of Kapilavatthu and passed away the same day. Then Queen Mahapajapati Gotami was keen to renounce the world and become a bhikshuni. Later the five hundred queen consorts of the five hundred Sakyan princes who became bhikshunis on the occasion of the expounding of the Mahasamaya Sutta unanimously decided to become bhikshunis. They made Queen Mahapajapati Gotami their spoke-woman to request the Buddha for admission into the Order. The first attempt by the Queen, the Buddha's step-mother, failed. Then she and the five hundred Sakyan princesses shaved their heads, donned dyed robes, and marched on foot from Kapilavatthu to Vesali. They sought the Venerable Ananda's support in pleading for their case for admission. At last the Buddha admitted them into the Order as bhikshunis. Mahapajapati Gotami was admitted by administering the eight principal vows garu dharma. The five hundred Sakyan princesses were admitted by an assembly of bhikshunis only. (Note: later under normal procedure, a bhikshuni had to be admitted by an assembly of bhikshunis also) (The details about this paragraph may be found in The Great Chronicle, Volume Three, Chapter twenty-three.)
The Buddha's step-mother, Mahapajapati Gotami Theri won Arahatship after hearing the Samkhitta sutta. The five hundred bhikshunis later won Enlightenment at various levels after hearing the Nandakovada sutta.
(c) Mahapajapati Gotami Theri, The Foremost Bhikshuni.
On a later occasion when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery and designating foremost Bhikshunis, the Buddha declared
"Monks, among my bhikshuni disciples who are of long standing in the Order, Mahapajapati Gotami is the foremost."
(Herein, the name 'Gotami' represents the Gotama clan. 'Mahapajapati' is the epithet which means 'mother of great offspring'. This epithet was based on the prognostication of physiognomists and palmists that from the special features observed on her person she was to be the mother of a Universal Monarch if she gave birth to a son, or the mother of the wife of a Universal Monarch if she gave birth to a daughter.) — Commentary on Majja.
The passing away of Gotami Theri
When Gotami Theri was of 120 years' age, she was residing at a bhikshuni monastery which was in the city of Vesali (As a rule Bhikshuni monasteries were set up inside the town or village.) The Buddha was then staying at the Mahavana monastery near Vesali. One morning, after collecting alms-food in the city and finishing her meal, Gotami Theri entered into the attainment of Arahatta phala for a predetermined period. After rising from the Jhana attainment she remembered the long series of her acquisition of merits in her past existences and felt very delighted. Then she reviewed her life-span. She saw that it had come to an end. She thought it proper to inform the Buddha at Mahavana forest about her approaching death, as well as bidding leave of her passing away to his colleagues who had been a source of her inspiration such as the two Chief Disciples and co-resident Ariyas. Then only she would return to the monastery and pass away. The same idea arose in the minds of the five hundred bhikshunis of Sakyan origin.
(The touching events concerning the passing away of Gotami Theri will now be told based on: (1) The Chiddapidhanani (Volume One, Chapter Twelve) by Mahavisuddharama Sayadaw, and the Apadana, Khuddaka Nikaya, IV. Only a gist of those texts is given here.)
The Buddha's step-mother, Gotami Theri thought "I am not going to live to see the passing away of my son, the Buddha, nor that of the two Chief Disciples, nor that of my grandson Rahula, nor that of my nephew Ananda. I am going to predecease them all. I shall seek permission to pass-away from my son, the Buddha now." The same thoughts passed in the minds of five hundred bhikshunis of Sakyan origin.
At that moment the earth quaked violently. Unseasonable rains thundered in the sky. The guardian spirits of the bhikshuni monasteries wailed. The five hundred bhikshunis went to Gotami Theri and told her about the wailing of the guardian spirits and Gotami Theri told them her plan to pass away. The five hundred Bhikshunis also told her their plan likewise. They all asked the guardian spirits of the monastery to pardon them if they had offended them in any way. Then, casting her last glance at the monastery, Gotami Theri uttered this verse.
"I shall now proceed to the unconditioned (Nirvana) where there is no ageing or death, no association with beings or things one dislikes, no separation from beings or things one holds dear."
Among those who heard those words, those who had not rid themselves of attachment, men and devas alike, wailed miserably. (The touching scene of their lamentation is vividly described in the Pali text)
When the bhikshunis came out of their monastery along the High Street devotees came out of their homes, and kneeling themselves before Gotami Theri wailed, expressing their deep distress. The Buddha's step-mother Gotami Theri spoke words that help quell their sorrow. (Her words rich with the Doctrine may be gleaned from the Pali text. This remark also applies to other stanzas that she was to utter later on.) She uttered nine and a half stanzas to allay the lamentation of the citizens of Vesali. When she got before the presence of the Buddha she informed the Buddha of her impending death and asked the Buddha's approval to release her life-maintaining thought process in verse, sixteen in all, beginning with the words: Aham sugata te mata tum ca vira pita mama. The Buddha gave his approval in a stanza. After that she recited five stanzas in praise of the Bhagava.
Then she asked permission of the Sangha, the Venerable Rahula, the Venerable Ananda and the Venerable Nanda, to approve of her passing away in two stanzas (beginning with the words asivisalayasame) describing the banefulness of sentient existence The Venerable Nanda and Rahula who were then Arahats took the words of the great Theri as inspiring emotional religious awakening, but as for the Venerable Ananda who was still training himself for Arahatship they caused much sorrow and lamentation, expressing his grief in a stanza beginning with, "ha santim Gotami ya ti. " The great Theri solaced her nephew with words of wisdom.
Thereafter, the Buddha asked Gotami Theri in the following verse to display her supernormal powers.
"Gotami, for the sake of those fools who have doubts about female devotees attaining Enlightenment in my teaching, to enable them shed those doubts, display your supernormal powers."
The one-twenty-year old bhikshuni complied by showing her supernormal powers as described in the text on Supernormal powers such as from being one to become many, from being many, to become one, to become visible and to become invisible, to pass through a wall or a mountain, etc. Then she walked in mid-air holding Mount Meru as the prop on which the great earth rested as an umbrella, and turning upside down this miraculous umbrella. She created an atmosphere of intense heat as when six suns arise simultaneously, etc. Having complied with the Buddha's request, she came down and making obeisance to the Bhagava, sat in a suitable place. She said, "Venerable son, I, your step-mother, am 120 years of age. I have grown old I have lived long enough. May I be allowed to die"
The audience, stunned by the miraculous powers displayed by Gotami Theri asked her, "Venerable One, what was the extent of merit you had performed to be endowed with such power and capability?" And Gotami Theri related to them the successive acts of merit she had performed since the days of Padumuttara Buddha down to the last existence. Those events ran into a number of stanzas.
Then the five hundred Bhikshunis rose up to the sky as a cluster of stars, captivating the eye of the audience, displayed their supernormal powers, and having obtained the Buddha's approval to wind up their miraculous feats, made obeisance to the Bhagavan and sat in a suitable place. They recounted to the Bhagavan in verses how much they owed to Gotami Theri. Then they asked the Bhagavan's permission to pass away.
The Bhagavan said, "Bhikshunis, you know the time to pass away. Thus having obtained the Buddha's approval, they made obeisance to the Bhagavan and returned to their monastery. The Buddha accompanied by a large company of devotees, saw Gotami Theri off up to the entrance to his forest abode. There the great Theri and her five hundred Bhikshunis disciples made their last obeisance to the Buddha together. Then the five hundred Bhikshunis entered the city and sat cross-legged in their respective dwellings at the monastery.
At that time many male and female lay disciples of the Buddha, seeing the time had come to see the last of the noble ones , gathered around to pay their last respect, beating their bosoms in great sorrow. They threw themselves down on the ground like a tree uprooted. Gotami Theri caressed the head of the eldest of the female devotees and uttered this stanza
"Daughters, lamentation leads only to Mara's domain and is therefore in vain. All conditioned things are impermanent, they end up in separation, they cause endless agitation."
Then she told them to go back to their homes. When alone, she entered into the First Jhana of the Fine Material sphere and upwards, stage by stage, till the jhana of the neither-consciousness-nor-non-consciousness, and then downwards, stage by stage, to the first jhana of the Fine Material sphere. Thus upwards and downwards she dwelt in the eight mundane jhanic attainments. Then she dwelt in jhanic attainment beginning from the first jhana up to the fourth jhana. Arising from that jhana she realised complete Cessation of the aggregates just as a lamp goes out when the oil and the wick become exhausted. The remaining five hundred Bhikshuni disciples also realized complete Cessation.
At that moment the great earth quaked violently. Meteors fell from the sky. The skies rumbled with thunder. The celestial beings wailed. Celestial flowers rained from the sky. Mount Meru tottered like a dancer swaying. The great ocean roared as if deeply troubled. Nagas, asuras, devas and brahmas expressed their emotional religious awakening in such term as "impermanent are all conditioned things, they have the nature of dissolution"
Devas and brahmas reported the death of Gotami Theri and the five hundred bhikshunis to the Buddha. The Buddha sent the Venerable Ananda to inform the matter to the monks. Then, accompanied by many monks, the Buddha joined the funeral procession which took this order; (1) men, devas nagas, asuras and brahmas marched at the head, followed by, (2) the five hundred Golden hearses of five hundred bhikshunis with multi-tiered roofs created by deva Visukamma wherein were placed the remains of the bhikshunis on their cots, and these hearses were borne by devas, (3) then followed the hearse of Gotami Theri the Buddha's step-mother, which was borne by the four Great Deva Kings, (4) then followed the Samgha and the Buddha. The whole route from the monastery to the funeral ground was canopied and all along the route were placed streams, pennants, while all the ground was strewn with flowers. Celestial lotus flowers came down thick and fast as though they were hanging loosely in the sky. All sorts of flowers and perfumes wafted in the air. All sorts of music; singing and dancing took place in honour of the departed noble Arahats.
During the progress of the funeral procession both the sun and the moon were visible to the people. Stars were shining in the sky. Even at that noon the sun's rays were cool like that of the moon. In fact, the occasion of Gotami Theri's funeral was surrounded by even more wonderful happenings than on the occasion of the funeral of the Buddha himself. On the occasion of the Buddha's funeral there was no Buddha nor the Venerable Sariputta and monk elders to supervise the funeral proceedings whereas on the occasion of the funeral of Gotami Theri, there were the Buddha and the monk elders such as the Venerable Sariputta to supervise the proceedings.
At the charnel-ground after the remains of Gotami Theri were incinerated, the Venerable Ananda picked up the relics and uttered this stanzas;
"Gone now is Gotami. Her remains have been burnt up. And soon the passing away of the Buddha, the much anxiously awaited event, will take place"
The Venerable Ananda collected the relics in the alms-bowl used by Gotami Theri and presented them to Buddha. Thereupon the Buddha held up the relics of his step-mother for the audience to view and spoke to the assembly of man, devas and brahmas thus:
"Just as a big tree full of hard core standing firmly has a great trunk and that great trunk, being of impermanent nature, falls down, so also Gotami who had been like a big tree trunk to the bhikshuni Samgha is calmed (i.e., has entered Nirvana.)"
The Buddha uttered altogether ten stanzas for the benefit of the audience on that memorable occasion. These ten stanzas with text and word-for-word meanings may be gleaned by the reader in the Chiddapidhanti to his delight.)
(Here ends the story of Mahapajapati Gotami Theri)
(The story of Khema Theri is treated briefly in the Commentary on the Anguttara Nikaya, the Commentary on the Therigatha and the Commentary on Dhammapada. In the Apadana Pali it is related in detail by the great Theri herself. What follows is mainly based on the Apadana with selections from the three Commentaries.)
(a) The past aspiration of the Theri.
The Future Khema Theri was born into a worthy family in the city of Hamavata during the time of Padumuttara Buddha, a hundred thousand world-cycles previous to the present world-cycle. One day she had occasion to listen to the Buddha's sermon and became a devotee of the Buddha, being established in the Three Refuges.
Then she got her parents approval to offer an extraordinary feast to the Buddha and the Sangha. At the end of seven days of the great offering she saw Sujata Theri whom the Buddha designated as the foremost Bhikshuni in the matter of Knowledge. She was inspired by that example. She gave an extraordinary offering again before expressing her wish to become such a foremost bhikshuni in her own time later. Padumuttara Buddha prophesied that a hundred thousand world-cycles hence she would become the foremost bhikshuni in the matter of Knowledge in the Teaching of Gotama Buddha.
Repeated existences as Deva Queen or Human Queen.
That rich man's daughter on passing away from that existence was reborn in the five deva realms, namely, Tavatimsa, Tusita Nimmanarati, Paranimmitavasavati successively as queen of the devas. When she passed away from there she was reborn as queen of the Universal Monarch or as queen of a great king. Thus, wherever she was reborn she was born as queen. She enjoyed the most glorious state in the deva world and the human world for many many world-cycles.
Existence as a Bhikshuni leading a life of purity.
After faring in the fortunate existences only, during the time of Vipassi Buddha, ninety-one world-cycles previous to the present world-cycle, she was reborn into a worthy family. She had opportunity of hearing the Buddha's Dharma which made her solely devoted to the Pure Life and she became a bhikshuni learned in the Doctrine, skilful in the knowledge of Paticcasamuppada, a bold exponent of the four Ariya Truths, a persuasive preacher, besides being a diligent one in the practice of the Dharma. Thus she was a model of those who took up the Threefold Training under the Buddha's Teaching. She spent this life of Purity for her lifetime of then thousand years.
Passing away from there, she was reborn in Tusita deva realm. After that, wherever she was reborn the great merit acquired in her existence during Vipassi Buddha's Teaching endowed her with the best that that particular existence could offer, making her talented, pure in morality, rich in resources attended by wise following, well provided with ease and comfort. Further, the religious practices observed in that existence led to superior social status, making her a queen, whether in deva existence or human existence, loved and respected by the king.
Her existence as donor of a monastic complex.
During the time of Konagamana Buddha, in the present world-cycle, she was reborn into a rich family in Varanasi and in association with two other rich ladies by the name of Dhananjani and Sumedha (her own name being unknown but may be referred to as Khema), built a monastic complex for use by the Sangha as a whole. At their death the three of them were reborn in the Tavatimsa deva realm, and after that existence too they were reborn in the human world and the deva world enjoying superior status.
Her existence as the eldest of the seven daughters of King Kiki
During the time of Kassapa Buddha, in the present world-cycle, King Kiki of Varanasi in the province of Kasi was a supporter of the Buddha tending closely on the Buddha. He had seven daughters by the names of (1) Princess Samani (2) Princess Samanagutta (3) Princess Bhikshuni (4) Princess Bhikkhadayika (5) Princess Dharma, (6) Princess Sudhamma and (7) Princess Samghadayika. - who were later, during Gotama Buddha's Teaching to become (1) Khema Theri (2) Uppalavanna Theri, (3) Patacara Theri, (4) Kundalakesi Theri, (5) Kisagotami Theri (6) Dharmadinna Theri and (7) Visakha, donor of Pubbarama Monastery.
The Future-Khema Theri Princess Samani on hearing a Sermon by Kassapa Buddha, was very keen to become a Bhikshuni but her father would not give her permission to do so. So she as the eldest of the seven daughters made a common resolve not to marry and remained spinsters throughout their lives which lasted twenty-thousand years. They supported Kassapa Buddha with the four monk requisites for life.
On one occasion the Buddha made a marvellous discourse entitled Mahanidana Sutra, (which is recorded as the second sutra in Mahavagga of Digha Nikaya). Princess Samani was so absorbed in hearing it that she learnt it by heart, and recited it often.
As the result of those good deeds on her death she became the Chief Queen (of Sakka) in the Tavatimsa,
(b) Taking up Bhikshunihood in her last existence.
During the time of Gotama Buddha, she was reborn as her last existence as the daughter of King Maddaraja of Sagala. Since her birth brought peace to the land she was named 'Khema' (peace). When she came of age she became the Queen of King Bimbisara and was adored by her husband. She was conceited with her beauty.
The Buddha was then residing at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha Queen Khema had heard people saying that the Buddha always made discourses pointing out the faults of physical beauty, so she never went to see the Buddha for fear that her beauty might as well come under the Buddha's censure.
King Bimbisara's clever maneuvre.
King Bimbisara thought: "While I am the most important lay supporter to the Buddha it is inconceivable that my queen has never visited the Buddha." He contrived a plan: he had a song composed by an able poet in praise of the Veluvana monastery which he ordered songsters to sing within earshot of the Queen.
A Four - Stanza Eulogy on the Veluvana Monastery.
1. Anyone who is not fortunate enough to see the Veluvana monastery, the Bamboo grove residence of the Buddha, we consider him or her as one who has never seen the Nandavana Park of the celestial realm.
2. He or she who has seen the Veluvana Grove which is so much cherished by King Bimbisara of Rajagaha, the people's favourite ruler, the cynosure of the whole world, has truly seen the Nandavana Park, the favourite resort of Sakka, King of devas.
3. Many of the Tavatimsa devas, having abandoned the Nandavana Park and descended to the earth (the southern Island Continent) and cast their eyes on the Veluvana Grove, are astonished and all their cares forgotten, they are never satisfied with seeing it
4. That Veluvana Grove has appeared due to the King's past merit and is adorned by the Buddha's majesty; hat poet could adequately describe its endless merits?"
When Queen Khema heard that song, although she had been to the Veluvana Grove on a pleasure visit with the King, her interest in the Grove was aroused afresh. She was very keen to visit the place She asked the King's permission to go there and went there with a big retinue. She chose the hour of the day that she presumed the Buddha was surely not there, i.e., during the morning when the Buddha usually went to the city for collecting alms-food. She roamed about the Bamboo Grove which was full of all kinds of flowering trees, fruit trees, where bees and bumble bees busied themselves collecting honey, and where the koels sang and the peacocks preened their feathers in the quiet seclusion of the park. She also visited the monastic dwellings of the religiously bent men, their meeting halls, rest-houses and walks.
She came across a youthful monk sitting in meditation at the foot of a tree and thought that young man ought to be enjoying the pleasures of life and should take up the religious life only in his old age. Feeling sure that the Buddha was not there in his private chamber, she went near it. The Buddha knew that she would come and remained in his private chamber. He had created by his powers a young maiden whose beauty surpassed that of queen Khema fanning the Buddha.
When Queen Khema saw that lovely maiden she abandoned attachment to her own good looks but become fascinated and enamoured of the strange beauty in front of her. But even as she was gazing at the girl, due to the Buddha's powers, the beauty of the girl diminished perceptibly and within a few moments she turned old and decrepit with wrinkled skin, gray hair, nursing teeth, black spots all over the skin, floppy breasts, bony, joints protruding, veins twining about the body, bent double, and soon the old woman was trembling and breathing hard, struggling for life; and then she gasped and collapsed. She was dead.
This vivid sight caused emotional religious awakening, samvega, in Queen Khema. She realized thus:
"Oh, this form (body) is impure It is indeed loathsome Foolish women relish this impure, loathsome body"
Then the Buddha spoke to Queen Khema in these verses.
1. Khema, look at the body that is afflicted with pain, impure, putrid, discharging impurities upwards and downwards, which foolish persons take so much delight in.
2. "Cultivate the mind to get fixed on an object of meditation, so as to be able to perceive the loathsomeness of the body. Let you be mindful of the thirty-two aspects (constituent parts) of the body, let there be weariness about them.
3. "(Khema), just as the body of this woman by my side breaks up, so too will your body break up. Just as your body seem attractive for a while before death, so too the body of this woman by my side looked attractive before she died: (therefore) give up attachment to the body both internally and externally.
4. "Cultivate a perception of unsubstaintiality noting closely the rising and falling of phenomena. Give up the notion of a self; by doing so you will quell the eleven fires burning in you and reach Nirvana.
5. "Just as the spider follows the web of its own making, so also sentient beings who have attachment follow the stream of defilements that are of their own making. The wise do not have any desire or regard for sense pleasures, but cut off the stream of defilements and go forth to Nibbana."
The Buddha knew that after listening to the discourse the mind of Queen Khema had become delighted and receptive, he continued with another discourse entitled Mahanidana Sutta (which very sutra Queen Khema had heard and learnt by heart from Kassapa Buddha in her previous existence as Princess Samani). Queen Khema remembered the Sutra and she won Stream-Entry knowledge there and then.
After becoming an Ariya as a Stream-Enterer, she wanted to make amends for her mistaken conceit about her beauty. She prostrated before the Buddha and submitted her apology in these five stanzas:
1. "The all-knowing One, I pay homage to you.
The Embodiment of Compassion, I pay homage to you.
Buddha who has crossed over the flood of Samsara, I pay homage to you.
Giver of the Deathless, I pay homage to you.
2. "I had been befuddled and led astray by attachment to sensuality, thus springing forward into the thicket of wrong view. By means of an appropriate device, you, the Bhagava, have tamed me (who had been befuddled) and made me happy in being so tamed.
3. "Lacking an opportunity of meeting such a great One as yourself, endowed with morality, Concentration, etc., sentient beings suffer enormous dukkha in the ocean of Samsara
4. "Even though the Pure One who has reached the Purity of Nirvana, had been staying at the Veluvana monastery, I had failed to come and pay homage to the Lord of the three worlds. That failure on my part I (now) admit to the Bhagava as my fault.
5. "I had a mistaken idea about the Great Benefactor to the three worlds, the Bestower of the Ultimate Boon (Magga, phala Nirvana) as one who is unprofitably censorious because I had been too fond of my beauty. My fault in having entertained such foolish thoughts and my failure to come and pay homage to you earlier, I (now) admit to the Bhagavan as my fault.(The Myanmar renderings are by the late Mahavisuddharama Sayadaw in his Chiddapidhanani).
Upon admission by Queen Khema of her previous fault, the Buddha said, "Let it be Khema, which cooled her heart as though ambrosial water were poured onto her person. Then Queen Khema made obeisance to the Buddha and respectfully left his presence. Back at the royal palace, she saw King Bimbisara and addressed him thus:
1. O great conqueror with golden complexion you had employed a most apt strategy to persuade me to go and visit the Veluvana monastery. Marvellous indeed was your idea! For I had become keenly desirous of seeing the Veluvana Park, (with the consequence that) I have seen (with both my physical eye and the eye of wisdom) the Buddha, the great sage.
2. O King! If you would agree I would take up bhikshunihood in the Teaching (which is replete with eight marvels) of the Buddha of unrivalled wisdom, of the embodiment of the highest virtues. Thanks to the wise words of the Buddha, I have gained insight into the tiresome nature of my body.
On hearing the two stanzas spoken by Queen Khema, King Bimbisara who had even from her mien been recognizable as an Ariya, one who had won Path-knowledge, raised his joined palm to his forehead and said to his Queen: "My dear queen, I allow you to become a bhikshuni. May your renouncing the world come to its fulfilment (i.e., may you attain Arahatship). (These words were spoken in half a stanza.) Thereupon the King put Queen Khema on a golden Palanquin and sent her to the Bhikshuni monastery in great state.
Khema Theri gains Arahatship.
On the fifteenth day of her bhikshunihood Khema Thera while observing the uposatha contemplated on the lamp in front of her, how the flame arose and how it went out. A keen emotional religious awakening took place in her mind. Applying the insight into the nature of the rise and fall of the flame to all conditioned phenomena, i.e., the mind-body complex that constituted her present existence, she gained Arahatship together with the four Discriminations and the six supernormal Powers. (This account of Khema Theri attainment of Arahatship is as described in the Khema Theri Apadana Pali. The Commentary on the Anguttara Nikaya and the Commentary on the Dhammapada tell this event in a somewhat different manner. We have refrained from discussing them here test it would confuse the reader).
Khema Theri was devoted both to the learning and the practice of the Doctrine and so she was most proficient in the seven stages of Purity, and was unrivalled in the exposition of the Ten Subjects of Discussion (Kathavatthu), most erudite in the application of the Abhidhamma method, outstanding both in learning and practice. The veracity of these statements may be gauged from Khema Sutta, the first Sutta in the Abyakata Samgutta of Salayatana Samyutta.
Khema Theri makes a subtle discourse to the Kosalan King.
At one time when the Bhagava was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, Khema Theri was making a tour of the Kosalan country, and was sojourning at Torana which lay between Savatthi and Saketa. At that time King Pasenadi of Kosala was camping for the night at Torana. Then the King said to a courtier, "So, man, make inquires in this place which samana or brahmana should be fit for my spiritual guide for today." The courtier made thorough inquires in Torana but could find no samana or brahmana whom the king should go to for spiritual guidance. He only saw Khema theri who happened to be sojourning there. He went back to the king and said, "There is no samana or brahmana in this place. But there is a bhikkhuni named Khema Theri a disciple of the Buddha. She is reported to be wise, skillful, learned, an expounder of the Doctrine in a fascinating way, endowed with a remarkable perspicacity. I would humbly suggest that your Majesty go to her for advice and guidance" The king accepted the advice and went to where Khema Theri was staying. He made obeisance to her and sitting in a suitable place, addressed Khema Theri thus:
"Venerable One, does a sentient being exist after death?"
"Great King", replied Khema Theri, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists after death."
"If so, Venerable One, does a sentient being not exist after deaths"
"Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being does not exist after death.".
"Venerable One, does a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death?"
"Great King, the Buddha' does not say that a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death."
"If so, Venerable One, does a sentient being not exist after death?"
"Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after deaths"
The King was at his wit's end He further put questions which were replied as follows.
"Venerable One, When I asked. Does a sentient being exist after death?" you replied, 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists after death!' (1) When I asked, If so, Venerable One, does a sentient being not exist after death?' you replied. 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being does not exist after death.' (2) When I asked. 'Venerable One, does a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death?' you replied, 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death.' (3) When I asked, 'If so, Venerable Sir, does a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death?' you replied, 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death' (4) Now, Venerable One, why does the Buddha not say anything regarding these four questions. Why is the reason for the Buddha's refusal to answer these four questions?"
Khema Theri then said. "Great King, in that case let me put you a question. You may answer it as you wish. What do you think of what I am going to say now? Do you have within your dominion any man who can practically count things or an arithmetician who can say, 'There are such and such number of grains of sand in the Ganga river? Or who can say, 'There are so many hundreds, so many thousands, so many hundred thousand grains of sand in the Ganga river?"
No, Venerable One, there is none."
"Great King, do you have any man who can practically count things or an arithmetician who can say, 'There are so many vessels or bowls of water in the great ocean "' Or who can say, "There, are so many hundred, so many thousands, so many hundred thousands of bowls of Water in the great ocean?"
"No, Venerable One, This is because the great ocean is too deep, beyond measure, incomprehensible."
· "Even so Great King. The Buddha has given up materiality (corporeality) which may be referred to as sentient being;. he has eradicated it completely. He has made it like an uprooted palm tree, has rendered it incapable of coming into being again, and has made it impossible to arise in the future"
The Buddha who is liberated from being called the aggregate of corporeality or the phenomenon of materiality is endowed with atributes and disposition or intention which are great as the great ocean beyond measure, incomprehensible. As for the Buddha the statement, 'a sentient being exists after death' is irrelevant; statement, 'a sentient being does not exist after death' is equally irrelevant; the statement, 'a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death is' equally irrelevant; the statement, 'a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death' is equally irrelevant."
(It is not proper for the Buddha to say 'that a sentient being exists after death; or a sentient being does not exist after death; or that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death, or that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death. This is a very profound matter.)
The Buddha has given up Sensation . . . p... Perception . . p... Volitional activities . . . p... Consciousness which may be referred to as a sentient being; has eradicated it completely, has made it like a palm tree stump, has rendered it incapable of coming into being again; and has made it impossible to arise in the future.
· The Buddha who is liberated from being called the aggregate of Consciousness or the 'phenomenon of Consciousness is endowed with attributes and disposition or intention which are as great as the great ocean, beyond measure, incomprehensible. As for the Buddha the statement, 'a sentient being exists after death' is irrelevant p... the statement, 'a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death' 'is equally irrelevant.''
(That was the discussion that took place between the Kosalan king and Khema Theri for the second round. Explanations on this will be given later.)
King Pasenadi of Kosala was delighted with the words of Khema Thera. He made obeisance to her and respectfully departed. Later on, the king visited the Buddha and put the same questions as he did to Khema Theri The Buddha answered them just as Khema Theri did. (These questions and answers may be gleaned from the text.)
When the king found that the Buddha's answers and those of Khema Theri were exactly the same, down to the letter, he was greatly astonished and exclaimed, "Marvellous it is, Venerable Sir! Astounding it is!" The Buddha's exposition is exactly the same as that of the Buddha's disciple, both in meaning and in words. They are in full agreement without any discrepancy. Venerable Sir, I had once put these questions to Khema Theri and she had answered to me in exactly the same way both in essence and in words. Marvellous it is, Venerable Sir! Astounding it is! The Buddha's exposition is exactly the same with that of the Buddha's disciple both in meaning and in words. They are in full agreement without any discrepancy." Then he begged leave of the Buddha to go. He was greatly delighted with the Buddha's answers. He rose, made obeisance to the Buddha and"respectfully departed.
This is a gist of Khema sutta
Explanation:
Why did the Buddha not give any reply to the questions which are so framed; 'that a sentient being exists after death', 'that a sentient being does not exist after death;' 'that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death; 'that a sentient being neither exists nor doesn't exist after death'?
1. There is in truth and reality nothing in the sentient world other than the five aggregates. There is nothing in the ultimate sense such a thing as a sentient being. Therefore whether a 'sentient being' exist or not is not for the Buddha to say. (Abyakata Samyutta; the third sutta therein)
2. Only to one who does not understand the nature of the five aggregates according to the four Ariya Truths there arises the problem of a sentient being and its existence or non existence, in the said four questions, which occur to him due to Wrong View. To one who understands the four Ariya Truths, there is no Wrong View that gives rise to those four questions. Since the Buddha has the most complete understanding of the four Truths there do not arise in him those four questions. That is why he does not say anything about them. (Ibid, the fourth sutta.)
3. Such questions based on wrong view arise only in, one who has not got rid of attachment to, or craving for the five aggregates. To one who has no craving for the five aggregates they do not occur. The Buddha who has got rid of Craving for the five aggregates together with any trace of acquired habit does not have those wrong concept. Therefore he remains silent when those questions are asked of him (Ibid., the fifth sutta). (In the sixth sutta of the same Samyutta the four questions are dealt with adequately.)
In Khema Sutra Khema Theri's answer is somewhat different; it has the undercurrent of reference to the Buddha. This is because she knows that the questioner (Kosalan King) had the Buddha also in mind in putting the four questions. So Khema Theri's answer in essence is this:
The Buddha has, (by getting rid of the cause of the five aggregates) got rid of the five aggregates so that what is usually called a sentient being is not coming into being after his death. He is freed from a future set of five aggregates, therefore there is nothing that may be referred to as a being or a person. Since the Buddha knows this, a 'sentient being' after death is irrelevant for him to speak of. Therefore he remains silent about the four questions.
One might argue thus: since the Buddha is not to acquire a fresh set of the five aggregates it is understandable that he refuses to answer the first question ('Does sentient being exist after death'). But why does the Buddha refuse to answer the second question: 'Does a sentient being not exist after death') ' Should the Buddha say, 'No, it does not'? The Buddha refuses to answer this question too because a 'sentient being' is not a real thing in the ultimate sense. (This is the explanation given in the Sub-Commentary.) Khema Theri Sutta is profound in Dharma. It is a matter for further inquiring for the virtuous.
(c) Khema Theri is designated as the Foremost Bhikshuni
The discourse to the Kosalan King at Torana was the immediate cause of Khema Theri being designated by the Buddha as the foremost Bhikshuni in the possession of deep Knowledge. For on another occasion when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery, at a congregation of monks for announcing outstanding bhikshunis as foremost bhikshunis in their own areas (of proficiency), the Buddha declared:
"Monks, among my bhikshuni disciples who have profound Knowledge Khema Theri is the foremost."
This designation accorded her by the Buddha also has been happily recorded by Khema Theri herself in the following stanzas in her own life history:
1. "After I had become a Bhikshuni I had explained to King Pasenadi of Kosala in accordance with the Doctrine on the profound questions he put to me at a place called Torana (which was between Savatthi and Saketa.)
2. "Later the King approached and put those questions to the Buddha, and the Buddha answered to those propound questions exactly as I had answered.
3. "The Conqueror of the five Maras, the Supreme One among all men, being satisfied with my excellence in expounding the Dharma, has designated me as the foremost Bhikshuni among the eminently wise"
(Here ends the story Khema Theri)
(a) The past aspiration of the Theri
The Future-Uppalavanna Theri was born into a worthy family in the city of Hamsavati during the time of Padumutara Buddha. On one occasion she listened to a discourse by the Buddha in the midst of a big audience, where she saw the Buddha name a Bhikshuni as the foremost Bhikshuni among those endowed with supernormal powers. She
aspired to become such a great bhikshuni in the future and she made an extraordinary offering to the Buddha and the Sangha for seven days. At the end of seven days she placed seven bunches of lotus flowers at the feet of the Buddha as her tribute and expressed her aspiration for the title of the foremost Bhikshuni among those endowed with supernormal powers. Padumuttara Buddha prophesied that her aspiration would be fulfilled.
Offering of Lotus Flowers to a Pratyakabuddha.
After passing away from that existence which was marked by a lifelong dedication to the Buddha and the Sangha, she was reborn in the Tavatimsa deva realm. Next she was reborn in the human world when she offered lotus flowers and alms-food to a Paccekabuddha.
In her existence as the daughter of a rich man
Ninety-one world-cycles previous to the present world-cycle there arose Vipassi Buddha during which period the Future-Uppalavanna Theri was born into a Rich Man's family in Varanasi. She invited the Buddha and the Samgha to her place, made an extraordinary offering, and making a gift of lotus flowers to Vipassi Buddha, she mentally wished for personal charm in her future existences.
In her existence as a daughter of King Kiki
After passing away from that existence which too was marked by meritorious deeds, the rich man's daughter was reborn as a deva, and she alternated between deva and human existence. During the time of Kassapa Buddha. in the present world-cycle, she became the second of the seven daughters of King kiki in Varanasi by the name of Princess Samanagutta. In that existence she, like her second eldest sister, the future Khema Theri remained a spinster for life which lasted twenty- thousand years. They donated a monastic complex for the Sangha. At her death she was reborn in the deva realm again.
In her existence as Ummadanti
After passing away from the deva realm she was born into a worthy family in the human world. During that existence she donated a gold-coloured piece of cloth to an Arahat, monk disciple of Kassapa Buddha (For details see Ummadanti Jataka)
She passed away from that existence to be reborn as Ummadanti, the exquisitely beautiful daughter of a rich Brahmin named Tiritivaccha in Aritthapura in the Province of Sivi (For details see Ummadani Jataka, pannasa nipata).
In her existence as a watch woman in the field.
Her next existence was as the daughter of a farmer in a small village. Early one morning, as she went to the farm house she found in a pond on her way a freshly blooming lotus-flower. She went into the pond and plucked it. At the farm house she gathered some ears of rice and roasted the rice into pop corn which she counted up to five hundred. She put the pop corn in a lotus leaf gathered from the pond.
At that moment a Pratyekabuddha, after rising from his dwelling in the attainment of cessation, came by way of the air and stood not far away from the farmer's daughter. The girl saw him, Went to the farm house to get the pop corn and the lotus flowers, and then she put the pop corn into the Pratyekabuddha's alms-bowel, covered it with the lotus flower, and offered it to the Pratyekabuddha.
After the Pratyekabuddha had gone awhile, she thought, a Pratyekabuddha has no use with a flower; perhaps I should get it back and wear it."She made a few steps towards the Pratyekabuddha on his way and then asked back the lotus flower. But then she pondered. "Well, if the Pratyekabuddha did not want my gift of the flower he would have refused to accept it at the beginning. Now that he allowed me to put it on his alms-bowl he must have liked it as a gift." So thinking, she placed the flower back to the alms-bowl again. (For this wavering act her future existences, as we shall see, were marked by mixed fortunes.)
Having thus made a gift; again, of the lotus flower, and admitting her fault for taking it back earlier, she expressed her wish, "Venerable Sir, for offering this pop corn my I be blessed with five hundred sons in my future existence, the number of pop-corn flowers that make up my gift.
Further, for my gift of the lotus flower may lotus flowers rise up from the earth to receive every step I make in my future existence!"
(According to the life history of Uppalavana, while the farmer's daughter was making her offerings to the Pratyekabuddha, five hundred farm workers watching the field offered some honey to the Pratyekabuddha and made their wish that in their future existence they be reborn as the sons (five hundred of them all) of the young lady.)
The Pratyekabuddha then rose to the sky even while the girl was watching him and returned to Gandamadana mountain. There he placed the lotus flowers at the entrance to Nandamula Cave for use by all Pratyekabuddhas as a door-mat at the foot of the flight of steps.
In the existence as Queen Padumadevi
As the result of that good deed when the girl passed away from that existence she was reborn, by instantaneous full-grown birth, as a deva. There in her own existence a lotus flower arose from the earth at her foot at every step she made. When she passed away from the deva existence she was reborn in the human world from a lotus flower in a big lake of lotus flowers at the foot of a mountain. A recluse made his dwelling nearby. Early one morning he went to the lake to wash his face and saw a lotus flower in bud which was already bigger than other buds but while the other buds had opened up their petals into full bloom this bud remained in bud. He thought it strange and so went into the water and plucked it.
In his hand the big bud opened up its petals and inside there he saw a female child lying. He felt a curious sense of paternal love for the child. He took her to the hermitage along with the lotus flower, and put her on a small cot. Thanks to the past merits of the girl, milk oozed out from the big thumb of the recluse with which he nursed her. When the first lotus flower that she lay on became withered a new lotus flower was placed underneath her.
When the young girl could walk and romp about there arose from the earth a lotus flower under her feet wherever she went. She had a saffron-coloured complexion. Her personal charm was super-human and would nearly equal that of a celestial maiden. Since she was gotten from the lotus her foster father, the good recluse, named her Padumavati (Miss Lotus). When the recluse went out in search of fruit she was left-alone at the hermitage.
Padumavatr becomes a Queen
When Padumavati came of age, one day during the absence of the recluse, out on fruit gathering, a hunter who happened to come to the hermitage saw her and thought, "There is no human being on earth as beautiful as this girl. I must find out what she is." And so he awaited the return of the recluse. When the recluse was seen coming the girl went out to meet him, took the yoke (laden with fruits) and the water pot from him, got her foster father seated, and attended on him lovingly.
The hunter was now sure that the girl was in fact a human being, and after paying homage to the recluse sat there. The recluse gave him fruits and water, then asked him, "Are you going to stay in the forest or, are you going back to your home?"
The hunter said, "I have no business in the future, Sir, I am going back to my home."
"Could you keep this experience of your meeting with the girl to yourself without letting anyone know about it?"
"If you would rather not let others know about this, Sir, why should I tell others?" But he said this merely to please his kind host. On his return after paying respect to the recluse, he carefully carved out the trees and arranged some branches along his way to the hermitage so as to recognize his path.
And back at the city, he went to see the king who asked the purpose of his visit. He said, "Great King, I am your humble servant, a hunter. I come to report to you the presence of a most remarkable woman in the forest at the foot of the mountain who would surely be an asset for Your Majesty." He explained the circumstance of his discovery to the king. The king was deeply interested. He marched for the foot of the mountain without losing time. Having encamped at a place not far away from the hermitage, he awaited till the recluse had finished his meal and went to see the recluse accompanied by a few courtiers. The recluse was then sitting in his hermitage where the king greeted him, exchanged courteous words and sat in a suitable place.
The king made offering to the recluse articles used by recluse. And then as a 'feeler' he said, "Venerable Sir, what is the use of living here? Let us go to the city." "I am not going, Great King, said the recluse. "You may go" To which the king said, "Very well, Venerable Sir, but I am given to understand that there is a woman in your company. It is not proper for a woman to be living in the company of a recluse. I would request that the woman be allowed to go with me.
To this direct request made by the king the recluse replied, "It is not easy for one to please many people. How could my daughter fit in with the court life with its many queens and ladies in waiting?"
The king allayed the fears of the recluse, saying, "Venerable Sir, if I (am allowed to marry her and) have given my love to her I will make her my Chief Queen."
Thereupon the recluse called to his child, as he usually addressed her since childhood, Padumavati, my little girl!" Young Padumavati promptly responded, she came out of the hermitage and, saluting her father, stood before him, who said, "Dear girl, you have come of age. From the moment the king has cast his eyes on you, you should not stay here any longer. Go along with the king, my little girl."
"Very well, dear father," she said, weeping, and still standing.
The King of Baranasi wishing to prove his sincerity, showered Padumavati with gold, silver and jewellery and anointed her as his Chief Queen there and then.
Queen Padumavati dominates the King's heart and becomes a victim of Court Intrigue.
At the court of Baranasi the King's heart was captivated by the Chief Queen so much so that since her arrival there all the other queens and ladies-in-waiting were totally neglected by the King. The women folk felt bitter about it and they tried to undermine the King's affection for the Chief Queen, saying, "Great King, Padumavati is not a human being. Where on earth have you ever seen a human being whose every step is received by a lotus flower arising from the earth? She is a demon, for sure. She is dangerous. She ought to be banished forthwith." The King did not say anything.
At another time when the king was called away by duty to suppress a rising at the remote part of the kingdom he had to leave behind Padumavati at the palace, knowing that she was pregnant. The women folk at court seized this opportunity to strike. They bribed Padumavati's attendant into a wicked plot. She was instructed to remove the infant when the Chief Queen gave birth to her child and replace it with a piece of wood smeared with blood.
When Padumavati delivered the child Prince Maha Paduma was the real offspring that she gave birth to as he was the only child conceived in her womb. The other sons, four hundred and ninety-nine of them, arose from the drops of her blood splattered about at child birth. The attendant duly carried out her instruction and informed the news of the Chief Queen's delivery to the other queens. The five hundred women folk at the court stole one child each while their mother was still asleep after her labour. Then they ordered five hundred wooden caskets made by turners to put each child. They placed them inside the caskets, and put seals on each.
When Queen Padumavati woke up and asked her assistant about her child, the latter frowned and retorted, "Where did you ever get a child'? This is what you have delivered," and produced the piece of wood smeared with blood. The Queen was very unhappy and asked her to put it away quickly. The woman quickly complied as if eager to safeguard the Queen's honour by splitting up the piece of wood and throwing it into the fireplace in the kitchen.
The King returned from his expedition and was camping outside the city awaiting the auspicious time according to astrological calculation. The women folk went to greet the king there and pressed their case for banishing Queen Padumavati. "Great King, you did not believe our word about the Chief Queen But now ask the assistant of Queen Padumavati who had given birth to a block of wood!" The King, without investigating about the matter, believed that Padumavati was a demon and ordered her banishment.
Padumavati's star was now on the wane. As she was banished from the palace no lotus flowers appeared underneath her feet. Her good looks left her. She took the road, feeling forlorn. When an old woman saw her she had an instinctive affection for her and said. "Where are you going, my daughter?" Padumavati replied, "O mother, I am looking for some place for shelter" The old woman said, "In that case: my daughter, come with me to my house," and taking her home, fed her and put her up there.
The Court intrigue comes to light
When Padumavati was staying at the old woman's house the women folk at the court said to the king in one voice "O Great King, when you were on your military expedition we had invoked the guardian spirit of the Ganga river for your success and promised him to make offerings on your victorious return. So let the king and all of us go to the Ganga river, make offerings to the river spirit and have fun bathing in the river."; the king gladly consented and they all went to the river.
The five hundred women of the court secretly carried the caskets with babies in them and went into the water with their garments on, underneath which were the hidden caskets. Once in the river, they floated down the caskets in the river. The five hundred caskets collected together in the current, floated down together, and were caught in fishermen's net cast at down-stream. After the king had finished bathing in the river the fishermen raised up their net from the water and to their great surprise found the five hundred caskets, which they presented to the king. The king asked them "What do the caskets contain'?" And they answered, "We do not know what is inside them, Great King, we only believed them to be something strange." When the five hundred caskets were opened under the king's orders, the first one to be opened happened to contain Prince Mahapaduma.
The past merit of the five hundred princelings was such that from the day of their confinement in the caskets, milk flowed from their thumbs to nourish them. Sakka also cleared the doubts in the king's mind by inscribing inside the caskets the message.
"These babies are born of Queen Padumavati and are the sons of the King of Baranasi. They have been put inside the caskets by the five hundred queens and their accomplices who bore a grudge against the Chief Queen and have been thrown into the river. Let the king of Varanasi know these facts.
The king, being thus Enlightened, took up Prince Mahapaduma, and ordered, O men, harness the chariots and dress up the horses quickly! I shall now go into the city and show my love to some women folk." So saying, he rode post haste into the city, entered his palace, and ordered the royal elephant fitted out for a tour of the land with (a velvet bag of) a thousand ticals tied at the neck of the elephant, and ordered the proclamation read aloud to all the people announcing that whoever has seen Queen Padumavati may take the king's award of one thousand ticals.
Padumavati, on hearing the proclamation, said to the old women, "Mother, take that one thousand from the neck of the royal elephant!" The old women said, "O daughter, I dare not do it " Padumavati urged her twice, thrice to do so. Then the old lady said, "O daughter, what should I say in taking the award? Just say, mother, 'I have seen Queen Padumavati?" The old lady then made herself bold to claim the award. The king's men asked her, "Have you actually seen Queen Padumavati" "I have not seen her myself, " she said, "but my daughter has."
"Where is your daughter now?" the men asked. And they were let to her house by the old lady. They recognized their queen and prostrated themselves before her. The old lady, seeing only now the real identity of the young woman, affectionately chided her "This noble lady has been so reckless. Notwithstanding her eminent position as the Chief Queen she had chosen to live unattended in such a lowly place,"
The king's men then made an enclosure of white cloth around the humble house she was staying, posted guards around it, and reported their discovery of the Chief Queen to the king. The king sent a golden palanquin to her. Padumavati however insisted that she deserved more ceremony on returning to the palace. She had a canopied walk decorated with gold stars set up all along her way to the palace with exquisite carpets. She also demanded that her regal paraphernalia be sent to her. "I am walking there," she said, "Let my greatness be seen by all the citizens." The king ordered every wish of the Chief Queen complied with. Then Queen Padumavati outfitted with full regalia, announced. "I am now going to the palace." Thereupon every step she made was greeted by a lotus flower which arose from the earth through the exquisite carpets. Thus letting all the people witness her greatness, she entered the palace. After that she gave the rich carpets to the old lady as taken of the gratitude she owed to her.
The Magnanimity of Queen Padumavati
The king summoned the five hundred women folk at court and said to Queen Padumavati, "My Queen, I give these five hundred women as slaves to you " The Queen said, "O King let the whole city know about this giving of the five hundred ladies to me." The king had the fact of this assignment of the five hundred women to Queen Padumavati proclaimed throughout the city by the beat of the gong. Having been satisfied with the public knowledge of the assignment, Queen Padumavati said to the king, "Great King, do I have the authority of emancipating my own slaves?" To which the king replied, "O Queen, you have the right to do whatever you wish with them." "In that case, O King," she said, "Let those men who had made the proclamation of the assignment made another round of the proclamation to the effect that all the five hundred slaves assigned to Queen Padumavati are hereby granted their freedom by the Queen." Then the Queen entrusted the 499 princelings to the care of the emancipated women, she took charge of looking after Prince Mahapaduma.
The five hundred Princess become Paccekabuddhas.
When the five hundred princelings were of playing age the King provided all sort of things in the royal gardens for the boys to play with. When they were of sixteen years of age, one day while they were playing in the royal lakes, where the paduma lotus were growing in profusion they observed the opening up of the lotus flowers as well as the withering away and dropping off of old flowers which, thanks to their acquisition of sufficient merit, struck their young hearts as a phenomenon worth reflecting on And this was how they reflected.
"Even these lotus flowers dependent only on temperature and nutrient are subject to ageing, how could our bodies, dependent on four factors (kamma, mind, temperature and nutrient) escape the same fate (i.e., we are likewise subject to ageing and death.)"
They reflected deeply on that phenomena (of impermanence of conditioned existence), gained insight into the nature of mind and body, and won Enlightenment on their own, without being taught by any other one. This is called Pratyekabodhi Nana leading to the four Ariya Path-Knowledge. In other words, they became Prayekabuddhas. Then rising from their original seats, they each sat cross-legged on a lotus flower by means of their supernormal powers.
Late in the evening the attendants of the princelings reminded them, "O Lords, it is time to go home." The five Paccekabuddhas did not say anything. So the men went to the palace and reported the matter to the king - how the princess remained silent, all of them sitting on the lotus flowers. The king merely said, "Let my sons remain as they wish."
The five hundred Pratyekabuddhas were placed under guard during the whole night, as they remained sitting on the flowers. It now dawned. And the attendants went near them and said to them, "O princes, it is time to go home" Then the princess who were Pratyekabuddhas said, "We are no more princes; we are called Pratyekabuddhas." The men were sceptical, and said, "You say in an irresponsible way. Pratyekabuddhas are not like you. They have only two finger-breadths of hair and moustache or beard, they have recluse's paraphernalia on them. But you have your princely garb on, with long hair and moustaches, and with regal paraphernalia on you. How could you say you are Pratyekabuddhas?" (The attendants were describing the Pratyekabuddha as they knew it to be.) Thereupon the princes passed their hands on their heads, and lo! their appearance turned into Pratyekabuddhas fully equipped with the eight essential pieces of equipment of a monk (Pratyekabuddha). And while the people were looking at them they rose to the air and went in the direction of Gandamadana mountain.
The Future-Uppalavanna Theri in her existence as a farm hand.
Queen Padumavati, after enjoying deep satisfaction on regaining her five hundred sons, was now shocked for her sudden loss of the beloved youths. She did not survive the shock. After passing away from that existence she was reborn as a woman into a family of labourers in a village near a city gate in Rajagaha. She got married, and went to live with her husband's family. One day while she was carrying some gruel for her husband who was working in the field she saw eight of the five hundred Pratyekabuddhas travelling by way of the air. She went quickly to her husband and said, "O Lord, look at those Pratyekabuddhas! Let us invite them to an offering of alms food." But the husband who was a simpleton did not know what a Pratyekabuddha meant. He said to her, "Dear wife, they are called flying bhikkhus (lit, 'bhikkhu-birds') They are also found in other places (at other times also, Sri Lankan version) flying about. They are not Pratyekabuddhas they are just (strange) birds."
As the couple were discussing thus, the eight Pratyekabuddhas descended to the ground not far away from them. The wife offered her share of the meal for the day to the eight Pratyekabuddhas and invited them for the next days offerings. The Pratyakabuddhas said, "Very well, lay female supporter, let your offerings be for eight donees only. And let your accommodation be for eight invitees only. When you see many other Pratyakabuddhas besides ourselves your devotion will grow even greater." And the woman (who in her previous existence had been the mother of the Pratyekabuddhas,) prepared eight seats and offerings for eight Pratyekabuddhas.
The eight invitees said to the remaining Pratyekabuddhas, "Do not go elsewhere today for alms-food, but bestow welfare to your mother of previous existence " Those other Pratyekabuddhas agreed, and all the five hundred of them went through the sky to their former mothers' place. The mother in her past existence who had got an inkling of seeing all the five hundred sons, now Pratyakabuddhas, did not have any worry about the insufficiency of her offerings. She invited all the five hundred into her house and offered eight seats. When the eight had taken their seats the ninth Pratyekabuddha created through his supernormal powers another eight seats and sat there, and so on to the last of the five hundred who got seats, the house having been expanded through their supernormal powers.
The farm labourer, the mother in the previous existence, who had prepared alms food for eight donees went on serving it to all the five hundred as much as needed by them. Then she brought eight stalks of lotus flowers, and placing them before the original eight invitees, offered them, saying, "Venerable Sirs, for this act of merit, may I be born with a complexion like the colour of the inside of the pollen chamber of this brown lotus." The five hundred Pratyekabuddhas said complimentary words for her good deed, and went back to Gandamadana mountain by way of the sky.
(b) Taking up the life of a Bhikshuni in her last existence
The farm hand lived a life full of meritorious deeds and at the end of her life span was reborn in the deva world. During the time of Gotama Buddha she was born into the family of a rich man in Savatthi. She was born with a complexion like the inner side of the pollen chamber of the brown lotus and hence was named Uppalavanna. When she came of age all the worthy families - Rich men and Princes of the whole of the Southern Island Continent asked her father to give Uppalavanna in marriage to their sons.
The Rich man was in a quandary. He did not know how to reply to the great many proposals of all those worthy men. He did not wish to disappoint them. So, as a possible way of escape from the insoluble problem, he asked his daughter, Dear daughter, would you become a Bhikshuni." Now, Uppalavanna, being the bearer of the last burden of sentient existence, was extremely delighted to hear those words, just as rarefied scented oil refined a hundred times over were poured down her head. "Yes, father, I would become a Bhikshuni," she replied gladly.
The Rich man sent her daughter Uppalavanna to the bhikshunis' monastery after paying great honour to her. Uppalavanna became a bhikshuni. Not soon after she got her turn at the monastery to tidy up and light up the outside of the Sima, the congregation hall. There she observed the flame arising in a lamp which she used as her subject of meditation. She concentrated on the element of Heat in that flame, and achieved concentration (Jhana). Basing that concentration as object of insight meditation, (through contemplating the three characteristics of physical and mental phenomena she gained insight into conditioned phenomena) and soon attained Arahatship. As the result of her past aspiration to be outstanding in supernormal powers, she became endowed with facility in jhanic practice which is the essential asset in bringing into effect supernormal powers.
Uppalavanna Theri was the Foremost Bhikshuni
On the day when Uppalavanna Theri displayed her miraculous powers during the year of the Buddha's seventh year of Enlightenment. Before doing so, she first said to the Buddha, "Venerable Sir, may the Bhagavan allow me to display my miraculous powers," (For details of this bold undertaking on her part, see the great Chronicle Volume Three) Referring to this, the Buddha, on another occasion when outstanding Bhikshunis were honoured at a congregation, declared,
"Monks, among my bhikshuni disciples endowed with supernormal powers, bhikshuni Uppalavanna is the foremost
(Here ends the story of Uppalavanna Theri)